Mission
Statement
"To establish for the 21st century a
United, Biblical-theological standard of doctrine
For the
Global Body of Christ,
Which standard is consistent with
The
mainstream theology of the first 20 centuries."
The reason for the International Church Council Project
The International Church Council Project (ICCP) serves the Body
of Christ globally. ICCP exists to assist and strengthen the Church
in her struggle and warfare against compromise and false doctrine
and to provide a central connecting place for honest and upright men
who are faithful to the Scriptures, to speak as one voice to uphold
and defend historic Christian doctrine in twenty-three crucial areas.
We believe this effort will further fortify and equip the Body of
Christ, providing her with the strong foundations and protective
walls that right doctrine of the Word of God ensure, and thus
strengthen her for her assignment to make disciples of all the
nations.
The International Church Council Project as represented by her
steering committee and staff, seek to provide assistance to the
Church, “To establish for the 21st century a united,
Biblical-theological standard of doctrine for the Global Body of
Christ, which standard is consistent with the mainstream theology of
the first 20 centuries.” This effort promotes “unity around orthodoxy,” believing
that the Bible provides clarity in many areas of doctrine, including
the twenty-three topics ICCP is dealing with.
Some of the battles we are fighting today have been fought in the
past. Yet, “It is not enough, in dealing with a present danger to
avoid it by citing the fact that someone dealt with the matter in
the past. If an enemy attacks today the enemy must be fought today,
but without a surrender of past victories.” (Dr. R.J. Rushdoony)
Our duty in defending God’s truth was clearly spoken of by Martin
Luther – “If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest
exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that
little point which the world and the devil are at that moment
attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be
professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the
soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides,
is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.”
A Call for Truth Warriors
There is an enemy in the camp of the Church today. The enemy is
compromise and doctrinal innovation. The International Church
Council Project invites you to participate in this effort.
Please see here for further description.
Our Authority
The International Church Council Project does not claim authority
over the Church or her doctrine. The
steering committee and staff of
ICCP seek to provide a forum through which the authoritative voice
of Christ’s Church may speak in unison, globally. The steering
committee and staff of ICCP (we) believe the twenty-three areas listed
in this website are crucial to the health and progress of the
Church’s work among the nations. We therefore call men of God from
every nation to participate in this global doctrinal effort. We
offer ourselves to serve and facilitate Christian leaders around the
world who would work together to “To establish for the 21st century
a united, Biblical-theological standard of doctrine for the Global
Body of Christ, which standard is consistent with the mainstream
theology of the first 20 centuries.”
We trust that this effort will aid the Church in regaining and
holding firm those truths which are consistent with what the Church
has held throughout the centuries.
Twenty-Three Areas Under Attack Being Addressed
The International Church Council Project has identified twenty-three
areas of compromise or unbiblical innovation which Christ’s Church
needs to address. Some of these areas are mainly doctrinal
(examples: The Trinity; The Substitutionary Atonement of Christ’s
Death; The Pelagian Controversy). Others of the twenty-three, though
certainly doctrinal, especially address areas of practice within the
Church (examples: Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage; Biblical
Distinctives Between Males and Females; A Biblical Approach to
Counseling; Education of Christian Children; The Sanctity of Human
Life; God's Law for All Societies).
Twenty-three issues have come to our attention in which false, destructive teachings are attacking established, biblical doctrine and undermining the Church on earth. Over half these issues are foundational and basic for the Church. The other issues are of importance and must be seriously discussed but cover areas where there are allowable differences. Unless these issues are clarified and the Church is reestablished on its biblical course, she cannot fulfill the Great Commission or properly represent the God of truth who spoke
without error in the Bible.
Position Papers and Affirmations and Denial
Over the last decade, our Church
Council Steering Committee has developed 23 position
papers concerning these issues. We met annually from 1992 to 1996 to
labor over these papers and they are now ready to release to the
wider Body of Christ in the various denominations, organizations,
and schools.
Each of the 23 position papers is being condensed into a set of
about 10 Affirmations and Denials that distill the essential points
made by each paper. These will be the points of debate and
discussion at our proposed Church Council meetings.
Councils on Theology
Our Church Council Steering Committee has been creating the
position papers in preparation for a series of global dialogues to
discuss these matters in the context of scholarly, dignified debate.
It is our considered opinion that this critical situation calls for
nothing less than a series of Global Church Councils, after the
model of the early Ecumenical councils, to be organized to deal with
these 23 issues wherein most countries of the world may discuss
these matters and, by consensus, establish biblical standards of
doctrine for their own country for the 21st century.
By God's grace and lots of organizing, we hope to establish
National Councils on Theology in various countries composed of
godly, scholars and leaders who are committed to biblical inerrancy
and who want to take on this project for their own country. For now,
80 countries have been targeted
for their own National Council on Theology to discuss these 23 papers and to host their own National Consultation on Theology
before August of 2017. Since, from our perspective, all denominations and independent bodies have been undermined doctrinally to some degree, this is a call to every facet of the entire Church on planet earth to seriously engage in this global project and participate by doing its part to help bring biblical clarification and theological unity to a seriously fractured, weak, blind and worldly Church which has largely lost its way.
At this time we are planning on holding a series of national and
global Church Councils where representatives from most denominations
and most countries may come to discuss the 23 position papers and
arrive at a general consensus on what constitutes historic,
Christian doctrine on which the church of the 21st Century should
firmly stand. In the United States, we are starting to organize
State Councils on Theology. Whether we are successful or not in such a bold and
vast project, we believe that these issues are important enough that
a "theological war" must be declared on those heresies and
anti-biblical positions and a structured forum for dignified,
scholarly debate must be established for the Church worldwide at
this time to deal head-on with these matters of biblical truth and
falsehood.
Who Can Participate in the Church Councils?
Christian leaders in good standing with their churches, denominations, organizations, schools and mission agencies are invited to volunteer to be on the National Council on Theology from their own country. Christian leaders
in the U.S. may volunteer to be on the State or Regional Council on Theology of their own state
or region.
You can volunteer to participate in the Church Council process if you meet the following qualifications:
- You hold some position of respect and recognition within their own denomination, association, organization, school or mission agency and have permission to officially represent their organization to their country’s National Council on Theology or to their State Council on Theology within the U.S.
- You are in hearty agreement with (see Important Note
below)
The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy and
The 42 Articles of the Essentials of a Christian Worldview.
- You are committed to personally live in obedience to Christ’s commands in the Bible, are willing to
submit to mutual accountability to live in obedience to the Bible
and practice church discipline as set forth in the Bible,
especially Matt. 18.
Important Note
The theological documents at this site are in Adobe Acrobat portable document (.pdf) format. To view or print the
documents, you must have the
free Acrobat
Reader.
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