Pastor Rush preaches to the Inspiring Body of Christ Church, a 15,000 member megachurch in Dallas, TX (PRNewsfoto/The Inspiring Body of Christ Ch)
The Inspiring Body of Christ Church (IBOC) senior pastor Rickie G. Rush is facing recent false, defamatory rumors head-on. In December 2017, Joy105.com released an article wrongly accusing Pastor Rush of bad character and poor moral judgment. As of March 2018, Joy105 has retracted their claims, stating the following: Joy105 admires the work being done by Pastor Rickie G. Rush and the Inspiring Body of Christ Church. A recent story was provided to and released by this news outlet on December 5, 2017, that contained false and non-vetted accusations, wrongly accusing Pastor Rickie G. Rush of bad character and poor moral judgement. No charges have been filed against Pastor Rickie G. Rush, nor is there anyone who could corroborate the defamatory information. Joy105 regrets the decision to publish such a defamatory piece without the due process of verifying the information. Our readers deserve the truth, and Joy105 therefore retracts the accusations set forth and fully denounces them. Joy105 apologizes to Pastor Rickie G. Rush, his wife Beverly Rush, his family, the Inspiring Body of Christ Church (IBOC), and our readers.
In light of current events, Pastor Rush stated: “As you well know, the internet and social media are not regulated and can often misrepresent a person’s integrity—in this case, my personal integrity. I am falsely accused, and I pray for all people who are targets of cyberbullying online. It is so important that we bombard the internet and social media with positive messages. That’s why my current charge, icuMAD.com, is a global campaign to do just that—make a positive difference.”
In response to the false claims, Joy105’s retraction, and Pastor Rush’s statement, Pastor E. Dewey Smith came forth and said: “As always, the work Pastor Rickie G. Rush does is admirable and a powerful example that ministry leaders throughout the world strive to follow. The I’m M.A.D. movement is a prime example of that. I know Pastor Rush personally, and he is a godly man that exhibits the utmost sacrifice and commitment to the call of Christ on his life. That’s why the onslaught of accusations against him in the media (blogs, social media platforms) are so inconceivable and untrue. They are so blatantly false and completely out of left field. Pastor Rush is a man after God’s own heart!”
The I’m M.A.D. campaign, a global movement, stems from recent efforts from the non-denominational megachurch to recognize youth that have passed away too soon by holding candlelight vigils for those that have passed away without much notice or recognition. With a goal to fulfill “One Million M.A.D. Inspirational Moments,” the movement challenges people from all walks of life to complete an inspirational, impactful moment each day, no matter how large or small. The moments will then be shared on the movement’s website, www.icumad.com, by way of stories, pictures, and videos.
You can find out more about Pastor Rickie G. Rush and the M.A.D. Campaign by visiting him online: