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    ALL PEOPLES,
    WORSHIPPING GOD

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    "I came so that they may have
    life in abundance" (John 10:10b)

    "As I travel, I have observed a pattern, a strange historical
    phenomenon of God 'moving' geographically from the Middle East
    to Europe to North America to the developing world. My theory
    is this: God goes where He is wanted." (Philip Yancey quoted
    in "The Next Christendom" by Philip Jenkins)
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    "ICC is a movement of
    PRAYER, of the HOLY
    SPIRIT, and of LAY PEOPLE"

ICC is an international network of house churches scattered throughout Richmond, Va. and other cities around the world

We meet in the homes weekly for evangelism and discipleship and come together once a month for worship celebration, vision casting, and leadership training. In the homes, we use languages that are most appropriate to each people group; together, we use simple (sometimes broken) English as our common language.

More About ICC

ICC is "international"

Ethni-City, Diver-CITY and the Kingdom of God

The vision of "all peoples, worshiping God" compels us to start house churches where Christ's followers from "every tribe and language and people and nation" can worship and grow as disciples. Although English is the common and trade language in the city of Richmond, Va., there are currently more than 90 languages spoken in its homes (the U.S. Census calls these "languages spoken at home"). ICC has started house churches among many of these language groups. The vision of "all peoples, worshiping God" however, is still far from being fulfilled. We pray for more partners to join us in the harvest of souls among the ethni-city and diver-city in our city.

Our country has 382 languages spoken at home. Starting house churches for every one of these language groups is our mission

The "spoken languages" statistics come from the latest U.S. Census report on Language Use in the United States: 2011. The same report also notes that a good majority speaks English well or very well; there is an increasing percentage of people, however, who do not speak English well or at all. Rather than waiting for people to learn English in order to hear about the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, we take the Gospel to them and into their homes. For more information about languages in the U.S. see Census web site.

ICC is "community"

AN Inter-Ethnic Church in the Ethnoburb

Unlike the suburbs and ethnic enclaves, ethnoburbs are places in the city where no ethnic group is majority. ICC thrives in these places because it does not have a dominant ethnic or language group either. ICC leaders share something unique in common: their uncompromising faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; many of them had endured persecution, rejection, and hardships for their faith. ICC community is built, not on cultures, ethnic origins, nor languages but on the vision that all people groups will one day worship the Lord Jesus. ICC is both mono-ethnic and multi-ethnic when the situation dictates. ICC let people come together in ways that are most appropriate to them. As such it is a hybrid model of inter-ethnic churches that brings together the best of both worlds. 

ICC is "church"

What is a house church? 

Wherever and whenever they meet, ICC believers are called to do three things: pray, study the Bible, and proclaim the Lord Jesus Christ... with joy. More than buildings and programs, ICC house churches multiply in places where there is no church yet and among languages where the Name of the Lord Jesus has yet to be heard. A house church is the simplest form of church in the New Testament and also the most reproducible one. Large monthly gatherings of ICC house churches take place in fellowship halls of local Baptist churches in the city. Acts 2:46 says "Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart."

ICC is "movement"

Where there were none:
Mary's Story

Mary and Jerry prayed for their Vietnamese friends for thirty years. It was not until they started a weekly Bible study in the homes that their friends began to grasp the truths of the Gospel and open their hearts to the Lord Jesus Christ. From a place where there were no believers other than themselves, God's Holy Spirit built up the house church with several new believers who reach out not only to their Buddhist friends here in the U.S. but also to their relatives in the home country of Vietnam.

Read Mary's Story (coming soon)

Would you Join the Movement?

REACHING PEOPLE: A Simple Process

1. PRAY that God will reveal to you what He is already doing in your life; pray that He would show you cross-cultural relationships with non-believers He has given you over the years; pray that He would prepare you in nurturing these relationships and mature them into new believers; pray for all people groups in your city. Contact the IMB.org for a list of your city or visit www.peoplegroups.info.

2. PRACTICE HOSPITALITY, show kindness, and welcome the strangers; perfect love casts out all fears including xenophobia. Consider reading a good book like Radical by David Platt in addition to your regular reading of the Bible.

3. PROCLAIM THE LORD JESUS and share His Word; not sermons but simple stories from the Bible. Do these weekly meetings preferably in people’s homes instead of yours letting people know that the Lord Jesus wants to come to their house. Contact the IMB for chronological Bible storying resources.

4. PARTNER WITH OTHER ETHNIC BELIEVERS in your city to start house churches. When two ethnic groups come together, they reach four or more groups; ten ethnic groups come together has the potential in reaching one hundred. As diverse groups come together, they will catch a vision for all peoples worshipping God.  A good example of how this is being done is the International Community Church in Richmond, Va. (see their web site www.iccrichmond.com). 

5. PREPARE NEW BELIEVERS FOR PERSECUTION; disciple new believers to take up their cross daily and follow the Lord Jesus; teach new believers to love their enemies and pray for family members and friends who are persecuting them; encourage the new believers to reach out to their family and friends in their home countries by going on mission trips with them. Contact the IMB for resources on volunteer in missions.

Contact Details

Information

The majority of ICC activities take place in the homes on a weekly basis. Contact ICC leaders if you would like to be involved in these activities.

Monthly, house groups gather together on the "First Sunday" for worship celebration and fellowship. Occasionally, the schedule changes. Check ICC Facebook page or Twitter for updates. Every first Monday of the month, ICC leaders and potential leaders gather for a time of prayer, Bible study, and fellowship meal. If you are interested in being part of this growing team of international leaders, please contact Minh Ha via email mnguyen@imb.org or call 804-245-9151.