"An audience is in some sense timeless...an artist must trust his audience, and know that his audience trusts him and he cannot cheat that invisible one or two or multitude of people. Between him...and that audience, there is an unspoken bond, an unspoken promise not to betray..." - James Baldwin Support the show Stay updated on Aldo's current and …

My thoughts on the word cult. Support the show Stay updated on Aldo's current and future projects by signing up for his Newsletter Other Podcasts by Aldo B. Martin: Finding James Baldwin: The Magpie Years Jammin' on the One The Fatherhood Project YALD. The Podcast So...Tell Me About Your Podcast To get in touch with Aldo, you can find him on Twitte…

Today we speak with Dr. Patrick Knapp, PhD who, along with is wife, Heidi Knapp, CLC, runs an organization called Becoming Free where they "assist people to better understand and recover from their unique harmful religious or spiritual experiences and the painful relational dynamics of family estrangement." Their goal is "to support people to proce…

Today we speak with Alan Allard. Alan was a psychotherapist in private practice for 12 years in the Chicago suburbs. Since 2005 he has been a coach and is an expert in helping abuse and trauma victims take ownership of their life and begin to thrive. He works with clients who have experienced sexual abuse, abusive relationships, adverse childhood e…

In February 2003, the Henry Kriete Letter was released. He titled it "Honest to God." The letter's impact was immediate. Aldo has always wondered why the letter had such an impact. "Honest to God" was not the first time that criticisms of the church were penned, published, and distributed. However, those writings did not have the same impact that t…

Long before the Henry Kriete Letter was delivered to the hands of ICOC members around the globe, the brothers and sisters of the London Church of Christ set the table. The regular disciples of that church began to speak up about the injustices that they’ve experienced. It seems that they did so because they wanted to preserve and protect the church…

Shortly before the release of Henry Kriete's letter in early 2003, the London Church of Christ experienced an upheaval. The members of the London Church of Christ spoke up and against the systemic failures of their congregation. As a result, members of the London Church of Christ formed a "Working Group." The "Working Group" was comprised of paid s…

The "Discipling Dilemma" by Dr. Flavil Yeakley Jr, is at the crux of season 3. Christina, Chris T, Jenn, and Matthew met with Aldo to discuss their views on the book. The five of them all joined the church in different years. In addition they also represent different parts of the church; London 1988, North Carolina 1990, New York City 1995 and 2000…

Dr. Jerry Jones joined the Boston Movement in 1984. Prior to joining the Boston Movement, Dr. Jones was a member of the traditional Church of Christ. As a member of the Boston Movement, he was a bible talk leader, evangelist and was finally appointed as an elder with the Boston Church of Christ. The leadership of the Boston Movement were more than …

Today, Elena and Christina take the wheel and speak with Tina. Tina joined the London Church of Christ in 1985. The three of them discuss the church's annual event called "Women's Day." The trio discuss the differences and similarities between the "Women's Day" events in New York City and in London. Tina also discusses her conversion as the creatio…

It's been a long week. This is what I think... **Disclaimer: the pending lawsuit is NOT a class action lawsuit and all accusations are alleged.** Support the show Stay updated on Aldo's current and future projects by signing up for his Newsletter Other Podcasts by Aldo B. Martin: Finding James Baldwin: The Magpie Years Jammin' on the One The Father…

Michele Roland and Senator Joseph Dunn sit down with us today to discuss pending litigation that has been filed against the International Church of Christ, the International Christian Church, HOPE World Wide, MERCY World Wide, and the City of Angels International Christian Church. Both Ms. Roland and Senator Dunn are a part of the case and speak to…

**Some of the content of this episode deals with suicidal ideations and self injury. If you or anyone you now is need of support in that area, please contact the suicide and crisis lifeline** Today we meet Nicole. Nicole is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and currently works as a psychotherapist. For a little over a decade, Nicole has had …

Hugh became a member of the Church of Christ in 1982. He then made a cross country drive, from California to Massachusetts to join the Boston Movement in 1985. Hugh has spent time as a teen worker and eventually joined the full time ministry and became a leader with the movement. Hugh speaks with us about establishing a marriage, raising a family, …

Today we speak with Chris Lee. Chris is the curator of REVEAL.org. Since the 1990's, REVEAL has been a source of information and solace for the community of former members. I use the term "curator" to describe Chris because REVEAL is source where one can find a variety of articles, testimonies, and other documents that pertain to the ICOC experienc…

Before there was a Reclamation Podcast there was the YouTube channel called “Losing My Religion.” The creator and host of the program joins us today. Her name is Helen and she too is a former member of the ICOC. She speaks to us about the idea and inspiration behind the creation of her YouTube channel. Helen also talks to us about her experience in…

Today we speak with Chris T. Chris joined the church as a college student in the early 1990s. He remained a member for the better part of that decade. He talks about his upbringing and how it played a factor in his joining the church. Chris talks to us about his personality and how it did not necessarily fit into the culture of the section of the c…

People leave the ICOC for a variety of reasons. Some leave because their personal believes no longer mesh with the practices of the organization. Not everyone who has left leaves with a furry of negativity. Sometimes, people leave because they simply have outgrown the organization. Today we speak with Alejandra. She was a member of the organization…

In our second and final segment of our conversation with Melissa, she tells us more about being a student in the ICCM. She talks to us about the financial sacrifice that was expected of her and the type of effect that it had on her. She talks about feeling trapped by the ICC and their methods and how this feeling of being trapped made her feel that…

The ICOC is birthed from the COC and the Crossroads Movement. The ICC is birthed from the ICOC. Today we meet Melissa who joined the ICC in 2019 and left recently. Melissa tells the story of a young person who was in search of belonging and community and found it in the ICC. Her story is not different from the various stores that we have heard alre…

Ini tells us how the church helped him to get his life together. Despite this, Ini left. He begins to tell us why. Ini mentions the term “spiritual abuse” and explains why this phrase is troublesome to him as it pertains to the ICC. In states that his time with the church was very positive for the most part. However, as he witnessed the manner in w…

Today we speak with Ini. Ini is a former member of the International Christian Church, or ICC for short. Ini tells us why he wanted to lend his voice to the collective that is the Reclamation Podcast. Ini was a part of the ICC in London, England. He was a member from 2009 up until 2013. Upon joining, he wasn’t aware of the ICC’s previous history or…

As we recap the previous set of episodes, Elena tells us about her experience as a member of the teen ministry. She explains some of the positive and negative moments of that time in her life. She then asks Aldo on what his experience on doing this podcast has been like for the past 12 months. Support the show Stay updated on Aldo's current and fut…

Jenn from LA rejoins us. This time, she joins us with her daughter, Amanda. Amanda, at the time of this recording is, 18 years old. Amanda wanted to join us because she wanted to discuss the teen ministry experience. Amanda, was never baptized into the church, but she was a part of teen ministry nonetheless, as she attended all of the meetings, etc…

*Trigger Warning* Some of the content of this episode might be disturbing to some listeners. Listener descretion is advised Carter tells us more about his experience with the church. Carter explains, in graphic detail, some of the things that he was taught. It should be noted that what Carter was taught, was not common practices through out the ICO…

Today we meet Carter. Carter referes to himself as a kingdom kid. I explains what this term means to him and how it was applied within the ICOC. Carter got baptized as a teenager and became a part of the teen ministry. He reflects on his time with the church and recounts the pressure that he felt. Carter describes himself as introverted and how thi…

In our second and final segment of our interview with Nick, he begins to tell us about some of the red flags that he's noticed from time to time. Nick describes himself as a totally committed member. Despite his history of commitment, grace was not afforded to him when he decided act in his own best interest. Nick recounts instances where the cultu…

Today we speak with Nick. Nick joined the organization in 1995 and left around 2020. During his time with the church he was a teen worker and eventually became a member of the full time ministry. Being a teen worker with the ICOC, was an exhaustive task. As a teen worker, one must dedicate the majority of their time and energy to help guide and sup…

Christina and Aldo continue their discussion around Sue Condon's Diary. Christina shares how her views on the church have changed from the beginning of appearing on the podcast, up until now. Although the document was written many years ago, and from the perspective of one person, some of its' elements apply and seem to give validity to the experie…

Christina and Aldo sit down and discuss Sue Condon's Diary: The Emperor's New Clothes. This document, amongst others, pertains to the Boston Movement, also known as The International Church of Christ. Mrs. Condon writes this document through the eyes and experience of one who was a leader within the organization. Mrs. Codon writes about the effect …

This is our second and final segment of our conversation with Sherri. She talks to us about the culture of dating within the organization. She talks about expectations and restrictions that were placed on people. Sherri mentions that these restrictions were placed on people in the name of being pure and maintaining purity. Sherri talks about the no…

In discussing what we've discussed for the past one hundred or so episodes, sometimes we have to remember why people get involved with certain organizations. Today we meet Sherri. Sherri joined the Boston Movement in 1980 as a college freshman. Sherri tells us about her life before joining the church and how things were after joining the church. Sh…

In this episode, Elena from 3B shares her thoughts on our conversations with Mr. Norton, Gene Vinzant, James Lloyd, and El. Aldo might even say a word or two... Support the show Stay updated on Aldo's current and future projects by signing up for his Newsletter Other Podcasts by Aldo B. Martin: Finding James Baldwin: The Magpie Years Jammin' on the…

In the second and final installment of our conversation with El, she tells us about an event and the impact that the event had on her life. She also discusses how the event impacted her relationship with the church going forward. El had demonstrated a lot of courage and bravery in coming forward with her story. TRIGGER WARNING: The following episod…

Today we meet El. El was what we would call a Kingdom Kid. Her parents were disciples in the ICOC. She never became a baptized member of the church, but she grew up in the organization as her parents enrolled her in the youth ministry. For a variety of reasons, El states that she believed that she never really fit in with the church. Upon turning 1…

We continue our conversation with James Lloyd. He talks to us about the legacy of the Crossroads Movement and the impact that it had on the Boston Movement (which would eventually become the International Church of Christ). James begins to tell us about eventually leaving the organization and what his thoughts are on what he was a part of. James ta…

Today we meet James Lloyd. James was an evangelist with the International Church of Christ. James is also one of the famed "30 would be disciples" that began the ICOC in Lexington, MA in 1979. James got baptized into the traditional Church of Christ and then joined the Boston Movement. James eventually went on to be on the mission team that planted…

This is our second and final segment with Gene Vinzant, one of the authors/contributors to "The Discipling Dilemma." Gene tells us how the Boston Movement reacted to Dr. Yeakleys' study. One of the most telling statements regarding the impact of the Boston Movement is when the book is quoted as saying "in the years since this book was written, coun…

Today we speak with Gene Vinzant. Gene is one of the contributors to "The Discipling Dilemma." Gene was a research assistant at the time that the book was written and published. In this episode, he helps us to decipher some of the meanings behind the results of the personality study that was conducted with the ICOC in the mid 1980s. He also explain…

In the second and final installment of our conversation with Mr. Norton, he tells us why he thought the Boston Movement's autocratic and authoritarian approach was harmful. Mr. Norton recalls his interactions with members of the Boston Movement and how those interactions gave him glimpses into how the Boston Movement operated in the lives of its me…

Today we are joined by Mr. Howard W. Norton. Mr. Norton is one of the authors of "The Discipling Dilemma." Mr. Norton worked closely with Dr. Flavil Yeakley, Don Vinzant, and Gene Vinzant to put this project together. Although Mr. Norton has never been a member of the ICOC, he has been a member of the traditional Church of Christ for about 70 years…

Christina from season 1 joins us as one our co-hosts this season. Our discussion begins with a comparison between two words: spirituality and personality. Was the church led by an ethos that was based off of spirituality or personality? Was one's good standing with the church based off of spirituality or personality? Was the status of one's relatio…

Season 1 began with a story. Season 2 began with "the letter". Season 3 begins with "the book." The book is called "The Discipling Dilemma" by Dr. Flavil Yeakley, Jr. and it is about the Boston Movement, which would eventually become the International Church of Christ. The book puts into question the practices of the church from its beginnings. Peo…

Season 3 premiers on September 4, 2022 Support: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/aldobmartin Support the show Stay updated on Aldo's current and future projects by signing up for his Newsletter Other Podcasts by Aldo B. Martin: Finding James Baldwin: The Magpie Years Jammin' on the One The Fatherhood Project YALD. The Podcast So...Tell Me About Your Po…

Thank you for listening. We hope that you've enjoyed the program. Support the show Stay updated on Aldo's current and future projects by signing up for his Newsletter Other Podcasts by Aldo B. Martin: Finding James Baldwin: The Magpie Years Jammin' on the One The Fatherhood Project YALD. The Podcast So...Tell Me About Your Podcast To get in touch w…

The process of leaving the church was not a simple one for Aldo. Everything in Aldo's world began to change. He was in a new school. He was in a new part of the church. He interacted with people who were not who they professed to be. He interacted with people that he had misjudged thus causing him to question his beliefs even more. The emergence of…

As we begin to wrap-up season 2, Elena joins us for her final recap of the season. She shares her thoughts on Robin from Oklahoma, Chris from Los Angeles, Del from New York, and Jenn from Los Angeles. Support the show Stay updated on Aldo's current and future projects by signing up for his Newsletter Other Podcasts by Aldo B. Martin: Finding James …

Jenn embarks on a new chapter in her life. She remarried. However, before getting married she was met with much opposition from the church. The church did not view Jenn’s eventual husband as a christian because he belonged to a different church. The church taught Jenn that her late husband was not a christian because he was not a member of the ICOC…

Jenn begins the second part of our conversation by telling us of a tragedy that befell her family. The church rallied around Jenn and her family as they helped her to cope with what happened. However, the tragedy also sparked a new found courage in Jenn that caused her to view the church in another light. Jenn began to view the church and God as tw…

In what is now episode 53 of season 2, we meet Jenn from the greater Los Angeles area. Jenn became a member in 2001 in her early twenties. Unlike the rest of our guests, she joined the organization with her husband - who happened to baptize her. Jenn’s story is complicated as her life has gone through a variety of ups and downs; tragedies and happy…