Antioch International Movement of Churches

Antioch International actively sends missionaries in secret to countries and places that are dangerous and hostile to Christianity. A well-known result of this is Heather Mercer and Dayna Curry's arrest in the Middle East due to the illegality of evangelism in Afghanistan in 2001. The charge placed upon Mercer and Curry was "preaching Christianity in the strict Islamic state."[59] At the time of Antioch's work in the nation, the Taliban controlled 90% of Afghanistan.[60] Afghanistan is a country that has been identified as having a lack of protection of religious freedoms by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom.[61][62] Internationally, their public listing claims "more than 80 additional locations worldwide" despite listing only 7. The remaining international churches are unlisted.[63]

Antioch recognizes marriage as only between "the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime."[64] Furthermore Seibert has emphasized "if someone were to say, 'Marriage is defined in a different way,' let me just say: They are wrong," Seibert follows up, "...Homosexuality is a sin" and that it is a lie that homosexuality is not a sin.[65] He attributes most homosexuality a result of some type of physical, sexual, mental abuse. Seibert's hardline stance had proven to be so controversial, HGTV celebrities Chip and Joanna Gaines from the show Fixer Upper, who attend the church, released a statement on it.[66][67] Seibert stated in a telephone interview, "for over 30 years — I have seen hundreds of people personally change their direction of same-sex attraction from a homosexual lifestyle to a heterosexual lifestyle."[68] It has been reported a psychologist in Waco meets regularly with a group of self-described “Antioch survivors," noting former members' stories of crises of faith after being made to feel unwelcome by the church, either for life decisions (declining to go on a mission) or for their identity (coming out as gay)[69]

In 2018 Pastor Edward Ignacio Espinosa was arrested on a Class B misdemeanor prostitution charge after he paid for sexual acts at a local massage parlor in a human trafficking sting operation. After confessing his crime, Pastor Espinosa was placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation. He was later allowed to resign. He had been a pastor at Antioch Waco for eight years.[70]

In their book, Parenting without Regrets, Jimmy Seibert and Laura Seibert support spanking as a means for child discipline.[71]

Jimmy Seibert has been listed endorsing a pro-life movement against the Texas Department of State Health Services, Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas. These full page ads are paid for by Carenet Pregnancy Center.[72][73]

Antioch Waco encourages its members to join non-medical non-professional Grace Alliance "groups" to receive and provide general wellness therapy as an alternative to "overloaded" local mental health care professionals. Such individuals struggling with mental health issues mentioned range from minor lack of sleep to thoughts of suicide, long term sufferers of depression. The program anticipates catering to individuals who haven’t been educated about professional services or cannot afford them. While professional mental healthcare is still encouraged, their stated intent is for a community of people that will "fill in the gaps" for the mental health care system and professionals.[74] These groups follow a workbook and curriculum which subjects pay for. Grace Alliance group's disclaimer reads: "All Grace Alliance resources and programs are designed to improve overall wellness and are proven to provide positive benefits when used in conjunction with professional therapy. Grace Alliance materials are not professional mental health or medical resources and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any mental or physical disorder or replace treatment services of mental health or medical professionals. The use of Grace Alliance resources in personal or small group context is the sole discretion of the user. The Grace Alliance highly encourages the user to seek mental health and medical professional care for any ongoing personal challenges."[75]

In 2018, All People’s Church (APC) purchased the six-acre property to build a permanent church for its congregation and plans were submitted to the city to construct a building with offices, a gym and a meeting hall that could hold 900 parishioners in the predominantly Jewish neighborhood of Del Cerro, in San Diego. At a special meeting of the Del Cerro Action Council, pushback by the Del Cerro community was immediate, with residents again concerned about traffic issues and possible uses for a such building like a school or daycare facility. A majority of those attending the meeting voiced opposition to the project and accused those in support of the project of being either church members or employees.[76]

In 2018 lead pastors, JR & Brittany Baker, disagreed with specific parts of the doctrine, values, and ethos of the Antioch Movement and of Antioch SLC. It became clear during their last handful of months that they were in process with their convictions. Namely, Antioch's beliefs on homosexuality as sin, overfocus on sin, being the "best and the top," rather than being humble and encountering Jesus.[77] Due to this, out of a heart to serve the church and to see it move forward with unity and clarity of vision, the Bakers made the decision to step down as Lead Pastors of Antioch SLC.[78]

In 2008, a church plant of Antioch Community Church called Mosaic Community Church was characterized as "forcefully" inserting itself into the Capital Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. Initially, the nightclub Neumos had agreed to rent out their space to the church. While Pastor Jady Griffin stated that his church is "open to everyone," several members of the MCC revealed that gays would not be accepted at the church. After local nightclub owners and residents had discovered what they viewed as Mosaic's vague, misleading, and ultimately "homophobic" beliefs, the nightclub has since denied the church plant's lease and have severed all ties.[79][80]

In 2005, after the tsunami in Sri Lanka, workers from Antioch Community Church were sent under the guise of a purely humanitarian aid group. However, once they arrived they were accused of heavy overt proselytization by some Indonesian and United States religious leaders, including Rev. Sarangika Fernando, a local Methodist minister in Indonesia, who witnessed one of the prayer sessions in Sri Lanka and accused Antioch Community Church of acting unethically with traumatized people. Specifically, Antioch workers responding to the crisis shared their Christian beliefs and prayed for Sri Lankans while helping to rebuild homes. Their actions prompted concern over potentially violent backlash from a religiously tense Buddhist population. Other humanitarian camps viewed their actions as being inappropriate and barred them for their actions. This mixing of gospel-sharing and giving aid was seen as exploitative even by some local Indonesian Christian leaders. Another article from India parallels Antioch's church planting efforts with western colonialism.[81][82]

There have been many reviews and personal testimonials on blogs and articles that accuse Antioch International Ministries and Antioch Waco of being a cult. One former member outlines brainwashing techniques, manipulation, strict rules, and people with their own "Antioch lingo" code speak. She describes being part of a certain target audience that Antioch will "prey" upon: young, seeking, vulnerable, on the "fringes."[83] In her blog, another former member has described her experience as "toxic" and "abusive."[84] One journalist even staked her career on the dangers of Antioch.[85] It also reports a psychologist in town meets regularly with a group of self-described “Antioch survivors," noting former members' stories of crises of faith after being made to feel unwelcome by the church, either for life decisions (declining to go on a mission) or for their identity (coming out as gay).[86]

Former member Becky Oberg alleges she was kicked out of the Antioch Community church in the late ’90s after she was diagnosed with schizophrenia. “They thought I was possessed by a demon,” says Becky, adding that church leaders told her it was her fault and tried to treat her with an exorcism. “They pinned me to my floor and yelled for Satan to leave. They want you to confess your sin and be healed or cast out the demons.” However, in an interview, Seibert denied this and goes on to say they don’t use the term “exorcism” but they do recognize “demonic oppression.”[87]

With church planting and expansionism as part of the core values of Antioch Waco, along with their close association with celebrity home renovation and redecoration entrepreneurs Chip and Joanna Gains, Antioch has been accused and criticized for heavily gentrifying their surrounding neighborhoods. Antioch Movement’s All Peoples Church is currently in the process of a contentious battle to plant themselves in the predominantly Jewish neighborhood of Del Cerro, in San Diego. All People’s Pastor Robert Herber, has empathetically spoken about a “revival” of the city, and specifically referenced the “Jews of Del Cerro”. Capitalizing on church networking as a means for creating internal upward mobility. On one expansionist project, Antioch intends to spend $11 million dollars on infrastructure alone.[88] The Waco neighborhood, in particular, has been in focus, where journalist Anne Helen Petersen argues that Waco's diversity is not reflected in Antioch Community Church's White majority makeup.[89][90]