Most of the money given to MERCY Worldwide goes to salaries and not benevolence, we already know from former ICC evangelist Gabe Reed’s
letter (which I covered in my previous article) that 81% to 90% of the money
allocated to MERCY goes to paying their leader’s salaries and NOT to the “MERCY
projects” which are supposed to be purpose of the organization. If they are
pocketing 81% of the money for themselves; you can hardly call this a “benevolent
organization”. Now out of the rest of their budget how much actually went to
MERCY benevolent projects? Only about 3% in 2014 and a meager 0.5% in 2015.
In order to exempt themselves from paying income tax the ICC
was required to fill out a 990 form where their total budget and expenditures for
MERCY are listed. This is public information that is available on the internet.
And here is the link to the 2015 MERCY 990 income form:
On the 2014 Mercy Worldwide 990-EZ form; their total income
was $137,541.
$100,151 of this money went to benefits and salaries.
The only expenses made toward benevolent Mercy events was
$500 for the toy drive, $200 for the blood drive, and then $3500 on project
supplies for the “Day of Mercy”; amounting to only a total of $4200 spent
toward benevolent projects.
The way the rest of the money was used is recorded as “other
expenses” such as expenditures for meals and entertainment, printing and
publications, travel, and most notably $12,000 just for “advertising” (which is
almost 3x what they spent on the MERCY projects themselves).
The 2015 Mercy Worldwide expenditures were even more
alarming; out of their total income of $146,377, only a meager $700 was actually
spent on Mercy projects ($200 for “Day of Mercy” and $500 for the toy drive)
while $131,124 for their own paid benefits and salaries. $18,000 was put under “other
expenditures” which included meals and entertainment, admin and travel.
What is really outrageous here, is that even though they had
a budget increase of $9000, their expenditures toward benevolent projects was
merely one-sixth of what is was from the previous year. Not only that, but the
amount spent on meals and entertainment was 2.5 times higher than the previous
year, and when compared to the scrawny budget allocated to the “MERCY projects;
the amount spent for their meals and entertainment was more than double of what
they spent on benevolent projects. It’s as if they have stopped to even pretend
that they are a benevolent organization.
When a new member is recruited into the ICC, they are told
that they are also joining Mercy Worldwide; all members of the ICC are
considered to be members of Mercy Worldwide. I remember getting into an
argument with a Mercy Worldwide organizer on social media shortly after I had
left the ICC in 2014. During our discussion I voiced my criticisms about Mercy’s
apparent lack of benevolent activity; something that would have caused angry ICC
leaders to come down on me had I still been a part of the organization. The
so-called “Mercy event organizer” responded by taking on a holier-than-thou attitude;
saying that I should be “ashamed” for speaking out against “God’s movement” and
then he claimed that they had 4-6 other benevolent projects “in the works”. My
response was that if they really had these other projects going on behind the
scenes, then why were we, the members of Mercy, not being involved in these
supposed projects? We were mobilized only a couple times a year on their “day
of Mercy” for events like a canned food drive, or a blood drive, and then the
toy drive on Christmas, and then had photos taken from those few events published
all over our news bulletins and for Mercy to use in their publications. They
had pictures put up from all the ICC churches from around the world showing the
members in their Mercy shirts; trying to give Mercy Worldwide the illusion of
credibility as a worldwide benevolent organization. The once- yearly “Day of
Mercy” event is nothing but a publicity stunt; the members put on their Mercy
shirts, do something charitable, take some pictures, and then wait until next
year to do it again. Other than the underwhelming 3% of funds allocated to the “Day
of Mercy” and toy drives in 2014 and the paltry 0.5% benevolent expenditures in
2015, there was no funding provided for any of the other projects which this self-righteous
“Mercy organizer” claimed were “in the
works” at the time.
It is not hard to see that it is a complete disgrace for the
ICC to claim that Mercy Worldwide is a “benevolent organization”. The income
forms have been released and are available online for anyone to view (and I
have posted the links above). To anyone who is still in the ICC; do not allow
yourselves to be lied to anymore, do not fall for empty words. Be the
truth-seeking Bereans that you claim to be.
“In their greed they
will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago has not
been idle, and their destruction does not sleep.” -2 Peter 2:3
The lack of community service and charity work that I saw the church doing as an organization was one (of the many reasons) that I left. I was there, recruited as I was away in college, for about 7 months and the only benevolence project there was a toy drive around Christmas time. They asked members to bring toys to one of the December Friday devotionals, and the next day, only a select few were allowed to participate in the Mercy Worldwide Day (or whatever it is called) and drop off the toys. I was really bummed that I did not even have the opportunity to participate. (I was still pretty new at the time, so they only let some of their "actual" members go.) I thought that there would be other opportunities for me to participate in service with them, but there were none my entire time there. I did not see their resources or their efforts being used for benevolent work or working with the community that they are in, and I found this confusing. I had never seen a church that uninvolved with their surrounding community. It is not my intention to be judgmental or belittle the ICC, but I felt a lack of concern or good will from that church for people that were outside of the church. The ICC felt very closed off while you're new to it or not a member.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in a church where community service and charity work was a constant thing; we were always hosting events or partnering with organizations in the community, or would even fellowship with other churches to serve. Community service actually widened the outreach of the church that I came from and would have the community talking positively about the church and feeling like it was open/accessible to them, a safe place to go to, or even feeling comfortable enough to start attending. I mention this to say that community service is such a simple way to show the love of Christ to people who might not have an opportunity to see it. I have always thought that charity work and benevolent works were a great opportunity to share the faith; you're literally sharing Christ's love with them by serving them, as Christ served, and it is an opportunity to share with them the reasons that you do what you do (your faith). However, I learned quickly that at the ICC the only "valid" way to share your faith was their way of pressuring people to "study the Bible" their/Kip McKean's way. At least that was the only "valid" way that faith sharing was assessed: by the number of people you managed to set up studies with. I got the vibe that it was not worth engaging or interacting with people outside of the organization unless it was to set up Bible studies/initiate membership, and that is why community service did not seem like a priority. I feel like community service and benevolent works is a pure way to share the faith for the sake of just sharing the faith, not to convert people; it is just a way to show Christ's love to everyone just because it is what we are called to do, and that is what is rewarding about it.
(Cont.) I wanted to be able to continue to do community service because it was something that was important to me, something that I was raised to value. My involvement with the ICC hindered my ability to do that, and it felt like no one in the organization cared to incorporate that into its works; it was all about their meetings of the body (which became more and more time consuming as my involvement increased) and bible studies. I was in school full time (my class schedule was inflexible because the courses I needed were only offered once and at specific times) and working to maintain enough hours to support myself and pay for my education as I did not have any support at the time. Needless to say, my schedule was already limited. Add to that the fact that I did not have a vehicle, so hours of my day were spent walking and commuting everywhere and the fact that we were meeting six days a week for ICC business. All this to say, it was very difficult to find time for service, and I was heavily criticized if I missed any ICC meetings for any reason (even a class that I had to take). I was criticized under the notion of "not putting the Kingdom first" even though I was spreading myself thin to be at everything. Skipping meals, ducking out of class/work early, hopping on and off buses just to be able to meet with other members, etc to be at events. I was criticized for participating in the extra curricular activities that I was a part of and had schedules to prior to joining the ICC (which actually gave me the opportunities to participate in community service that I wanted), and I noticed that I was not able to maintain service hours throughout the semesters of my involvement.
DeleteI mentioned my concern that we weren't utilizing opportunities for community service or that we weren't going out as a church and participating in benevolent works, but the people that I expressed this to simply referenced that one toy drive and said Mercy would have another day of service like that again some time the next year. Everyone that I mentioned it to just did not care. Mercy had that one toy drive in December, and that was good enough for them. Well, that wasn't good enough for me.
It is the naive yet sincere unpaid followers of the cults that do all the real work and give the cult leaders disproportionately large salaries. The members beg on the streets for money that doesn't even go where they say it goes, the leaders hide away and put all the takings in their own pockets while their slaves do all the work and get all the persecution, the leaders live in a dream world all they do is threaten and manipulate followers with the delusion that is a man made god. A god made in the image of Kip, a control freak manipulative god that is no god at all.
ReplyDeleteI feel so bad for everyone person sucked into this group. I just saw a Cesar introduce someone to the icc. I wanted to help inform the guy about the spiritual abuse of this group, but he left too quickly for me to tell him. It's terrible seeing students fail their courses for "The Kingdom"/ICC. My friend did well in high school, but ever since he met this group in college, his performance in anything academic is poor. He can't even attend the University anymore. They preach how they and the Lord want members to do great, but the only work they have time for is their own group projects/mentor meetings/ and church sessions. They don't have time for school with the rigorous schedule a member must attend to. If they neglect a few meetings, they are pressured into thinking that something is wrong with them. That sin is overtaking their lives. They are spiritually abused to form a mold, to make them stay in the group to do their work.I love every member in the group because all they want to do is follow God, but they are terribly deceived by the craft of Satan and his knowledge of The Word.
ReplyDeleteTalking of all things fake, latest news April 2017 is John Causey another exicoc evangelist with no where to go like Blaise Feumba and Chris Mcgrath has joined the ICC, it is so pathetic to see these people who supposedly loved being in the ICOC after Kip left and signed the brothers letter against him have sold out to Kip because they have no where else to go. It seems if you had rank in the ICOC and leave or get fired from the ICOC or want money just give Kip and ring and be another house negro in masters house ( malcolm x ).
ReplyDeleteWhat is your email?
ReplyDeleteI want to havea personal talk if that is okaybwith you
Anon April 11, 3:35pm
ReplyDeleteis it any surprise that these men can immediately go on the ICC payroll? This is another example of the money they are collecting from their members.
is this accurate?
ReplyDeletehttps://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.profile&ein=264740560
I remember that cult in London, there was an adorable lady there called Helena she had a sister called Odelia, the cult was crazy but she was amazing.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know why those people left the ICOC? Is there an article or record of why John Causey left the ICOC?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.caicc.net/remember-those-earlier-days/
DeleteAny articles or emails on why other ICC leaders left Kip's new movement?
DeleteChris Broom, Chris McGrath.....? I hear ppl are being marked left & right.
Guess the grass isnt always greener on the other side.
What a contrast to Jesus commandment to give to the poor. In fact,there is not a instance in scripture where money was raised for missions. It was always raised to give to the poor.
ReplyDeleteThis so called group is the farthest thing from being God's church.