Inspiring Body of Christ Church

Last updated

Inspiring Body of Christ Church
Inspiring Body of Christ Church
Location Dallas, Texas
CountryUnited States
Denomination Non-denominational
Weekly attendance15,000 (2020)
Website www.ibocchurch.org
History
Founded1990;33 years ago (1990)
Clergy
Pastor(s) Rickie Rush

The Inspiring Body of Christ Church (IBOC) is a non-denominational megachurch in Dallas, Texas in the United States. A survey by Outreach Magazine in 2008 ranked the church 87th in the US based on weekly attendance of 7,500 [1] and has since grown to 15,000 members. [2] The church describes itself as a "high praising, high worship, Bible believing church." [3]

Contents

The pastor is Rickie Rush, [4] who has faced child sexual abuse allegations since 2020. [5] [6] [7] A Dallas County grand jury declined to indict Rickie Rush in August 2022. [8]

Holding 75,000 gallons of water, IBOC is home to the largest privately owned aquarium in the United States and was featured on Animal Planet's show, Tanked. [9] [10] [11] [12]

History

The church was founded and organized by Pastor Rickie Rush and nine others in 1990. Its first service was in October 1990. In 1991, the church bought its first building, the former Southern Bible Institute. In 2009, the church moved to its present location, a 176,000-square-foot (16,400 m2) facility on a 36-acre (150,000 m2) campus. [4]

In 1995, it formed a radio ministry. On October 3, 1999, the IBOC church relocated to a $6 million, 176,000-square-foot campus in Dallas, Texas. The facility has an ice cream parlor, movie theater, fitness center, racquetball courts, bowling lanes, and a bridal venue. [13] In 2000, the church opened the IBOC Children's College for pre-schoolers, and in 2001 opened the IBOC Christian Academy for grades one to four. [4]

On November 26, 2009, IBOC moved into a new worship center featuring a 5,000-seat sanctuary, an aquarium, a chapel, children's facilities, a restaurant, and a gift shop. [13]

At IBOC in January 2017, Veteran Dallas County Deputy Tracey Gully took the oath of office as Dallas County Precinct 1 Constable. Gulley is the first African-American Female Constable elected in Dallas County history. [14]

In April 2020, Pastor Rush was among the list of Dallas faith leaders who signed a letter in support of keeping churches closed to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. [15]

The funeral service for 9-year-old for Ezra Blount, the youngest victim of the tragedy at the Astroworld Festival, was held at the Inspiring Body of Christ Church in Dallas in November 2021. [16]

Community Outreach

In response to a shooting that claimed the lives of five Dallas police officers, Pastor Rush founded the All Male Leadership Academy. Each level consists of 15 classes spanning four months, and topics include suicide prevention, marriage, anxiety, singleness, depression, child-rearing, and strength. On December 30, 2016, the first class of 302 men completed the first level of training. [17]

On July 30, 2017, IBOC and Pastor Rickie Rush held a candlelight vigil for all of the young, unknown victims of tragic, untimely deaths. During the event, the church offered support to parents, siblings, and friends grieving the loss of a young person close to them. [18]

In December 2020, the church committed $100,000 to senior citizens for rental assistance. [2]

Sexual abuse allegations

In September 2020, The Dallas Morning News published an investigative article into Pastor Rush. The article, taken mainly from the personal accounts of half-sisters Donna Fields and Renee Phillips, and Donna's son Marcus Bell Jr., alleges that Rush raped Donna and her 13-year-old son Marcus, as well as at least a dozen other church members when they were teenagers, [5] and attempted to sexually assault Renee. It was alleged he also repeatedly beat Marcus with a paddle, "the size of a boat oar", with Donna stating that he attempted to commit suicide after these beatings and be admitted in a psychiatric facility. [5] The article alleges other instances of physical abuse against females, and also that Rush lied about the death of his mother when he was aged 10. [19] [20]

The Grayson County Criminal District Attorney's Office has said, "a thorough review was conducted of all reports made available by the Dallas Police Department (DPD), as well as reviewing other publicly available documentation, and additional relevant records that were obtained and reviewed through the issuance of Grand Jury Subpoenas." After this review, a Dallas County grand jury declined to indict Rickie Rush in August 2022. [8]

In May 2023, the IBOC featured in a VICE News documentary on Pastor Rush's sexual abuse allegations. [21]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Top 100 Largest Churches". Outreach Magazine. Retrieved August 9, 2010.
  2. 1 2 https://www.christianpost.com/news/dallas-megachurch-surprises-seniors-with-rent-help.html
  3. ↑ "Inspiring Body of Christ Church". USA Churches. Retrieved August 9, 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 "About Us". Inspiring Body of Christ Church. Archived from the original on May 15, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2010.
  5. 1 2 3 "Grand jury declines to indict Dallas evangelist Rickie Rush". Dallas News. August 17, 2022. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Dallas man says he was a teen when Pastor Rickie Rush raped him: 'I want him to remember, and know that I remember'". Dallas News. May 23, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Handcuffed, tied down, beaten: Pastor Rickie Rush faces new allegations of abusing children". Dallas News. October 25, 2020. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  8. 1 2 https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/grand-jury-declines-to-indict-dallas-evangelist-rickie-rush/3051074/
  9. ↑ https://www.commercialintegrator.com/ci/dallas_church_aquarium_featured_on_animal_planets_tanked/
  10. ↑ https://www.ibocchurch.org/the-tanks
  11. ↑ https://cw33.com/news/dallas-church-bridges-community-division-with-huge-aquarium/
  12. ↑ https://praisecleveland.com/1983196/a-church-own-the-world-largest-privately-owned-aquarium/
  13. 1 2 https://www.ibocchurch.org/new-here/our-history
  14. ↑ https://www.focusdailynews.com/dallas-county-elects-first-african-american-female-constable/
  15. ↑ https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2020/04/25/dallas-faith-leaders-freedom-of-religion-is-not-absolute/
  16. ↑ https://www.kwtx.com/2021/11/24/hundreds-flock-dallas-church-funeral-youngest-astroworld-victim/
  17. ↑ https://www.focusdailynews.com/inspiring-body-of-christ-program-promotes-proactive-male-leadership/
  18. ↑ https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-inspiring-body-of-christ-church-set-to-hold-candlelight-vigil-unknown-dead-why-them-300495134.html
  19. ↑ In his 2014 book, The Pendulum: Come Out Swinging Through the Difficult Times, Rush states that he saw his mother's body after was murdered by teenage boys after coming home from an errand; the News investigation revealed that Rush's mother died in her bed from liver disease.
  20. ↑ " ' Don't let the devil steal your joy' ", The Dallas Morning News , September 20, 2020.
  21. ↑ Megachurch Pastor Accused of Sexual Abuse is Still Preaching, Vice News , retrieved May 21, 2023

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