Inspiring Body of Christ Church
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| Inspiring Body of Christ Church | |
|---|---|
 Inspiring Body of Christ Church | |
| Location | Dallas, Texas |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Non-denominational |
| Weekly attendance | 15,000 (2020) |
| Website | www |
| History | |
| Founded | 1990 |
| Clergy | |
| Pastor | 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]
The pastor is Rickie Rush,[4]
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.[5] 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.[5] The aquarium is the largest privately owned aquarium in the United States, holding 75,000 gallons of water, and was featured on Animal Planet's show, Tanked.[6][7][8][9]
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.[10]
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.[11]
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.[12]