The Office of the Dean of the Chapel is taking a stand against a growing trend at Howard. This year, the office has received an influx of students claiming to have been approached by a religious group while on campus.
"With any group, there is a cycle of increase and decreased activity," said Rev. Kanika Magee, associate dean of Andrew Rankin Chapel. "Unfortunately, our campus is experiencing an increased cycle right now, so we have to make our students aware of what is going on."
Students are invited to Bible study group. Then, once they accept the group's invitation and attend the group's meetings—which convene at Starbucks and Potbelly—they can become deeply involved in the organization. They are ostracized from their friends and family and, in some cases, have to withdraw from the university because of their heavy involvement. Jamie Daniels*, an audio production major, can attest to this firsthand.
"I had a friend who became involved with a group on campus. So involved that his parents had to pull him from the university," she said.
Daniels's friend first came to her about the group after he was approached by a Caucasian male member of the International Church of Christ and asked if he wanted to join them in fellowship.
"He had been so excited about this group," she said. "They approached him in a friendly way, and I supported him at first, because he wanted to get closer to God."
After a while, her friend's actions began to change and he became distant, according to Daniels. "He is one of my best friends, so to see him go from being really enthusiastic and outgoing to withdrawn and unresponsive really bothered myself and his family," she said.
According to their website, the International Church of Christ is a non-denominational, racially integrated congregation known for their diversity and devotion to the poor. Founded by Kip McKean, and sometimes called the "Boston Movement" because of its ties to the Boston Church of Christ, the church has ministries all over the world from Cape Town, South Africa to Detroit.
The group targets college campuses to look for eager, young students to carry out their message. However, several ex-members have said their involvement was full of manipulation and lies. Prospective members of the church have to go through a process called "counting the cost," which includes detaching themselves from those who do not approve of the church, and confessing all of their sins to a "discipler." The discipler then decides their major life decision, how much money they must give the church and prohibits them from attending other churches claiming other congregations are preaching lies.
"Ultimately, we are committed to religious freedom," Magee said. "Explore your religious beliefs, however we want you to do so in a manner that is not manipulative and destructive to your spiritual walk."
Daniels's friend had the hair on his head and face shaved off, and on Sept. 7, the last time she saw him, she said he looked and acted like a completely different person. "That's when I knew something was up," she said. "The next day one of his family members got in contact with me and told me that my friend was in a cult and that he was withdrawing from the university."
Her friend is now back at home receiving spiritual advising from his pastor and hopes he will be well enough to come back next semester.
"This is a very serious concern," Magee said. "This is why we in the Office of the Dean of Chapel want college campuses to make sure their students are aware of such groups so you won't be blind sided."
Magee said the most prevalent group on campus targets young well-dressed African-American men, but everyone is an easy mark.
"If you are confronted by any group that claims to have a spiritual basis, make sure to ask if they are affiliated with Howard and are a recognized student organization," Magee said. "Be firm with them. Make sure you let them know what your rights are so they will understand where you are coming from."
He would like any group facilitating manipulative behavior disguised as religion to stop their practices immediately.
"Why are you targeting our students in a deceptive manner?" Magee said. "Why can't you represent something that stands on its own without being deceptive."
Daniels advises students who are approached by or involved in a cult to report the group and seek spiritual advising.
"You never know how an incident like this can affect someone, so watch after yourself and your friends," she said.
Visit thehilltoponline.com to see a special message from the Chapel about this topic and what you can do to protect yourself.
* Name has been changed to protect privacy of those involved.
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