[4][5] Antioch received significant international press coverage in 2001 after two of its overseas missionaries, Dayna Curry and Heather Mercer, were arrested by the Taliban in Afghanistan for "preaching Christianity.

"[6] Antioch's relationship with reality TV stars Chip and Joanna Gaines also thrust the church into the spotlight as a result of the movement’s position on same-sex marriage and related issues.

Seibert urged Christians to participate in the election, and to consider a number of issues including abortion, religious freedom, "traditional marriage," the "value of the individual," care for immigrants and foreigners, and concerns about transgender children choosing which restroom to use.

As Seibert describes this, "Our Sundays are just times of celebration or vision but not really the make or break of everything ... We really emphasize what's happening in the small groups as the core of our church."

[13] Sociologists Kevin Dougherty and Andrew Whitehead note that these groups are "widespread in megachurches" where they are especially significant as an organizational strategy to increase participation.

According to Doughtery, this high participation rate has made Antioch look "almost cult-like in intensity" to some "outsiders," even though the small groups are viewed by "insiders" as central to their membership in the church.

[18] In August 2001, Antioch missionaries Heather Mercer and Dayna Curry were among eight aid workers arrested and imprisoned in Afghanistan by the Taliban on charges of "preaching Christianity".

[7][26] Antioch also has a years-long partnership with Living Hope Ministries, an organization that practices "sexual orientation change efforts.

[32] In addition, Antioch has regularly hosted a missions conference that, according to the Director of the Waco Convention and Visitor's Bureau, brings significant economic stimulus to the local economy.

The Waco Tribune-Herald quoted one long-time resident as welcoming the newcomers, and praising the results of the attempts to restore the neighborhood.

[34] By 2011 Antioch announced expansion plans to spend $11 million dollars on its own church building at its Waco headquarters location.

"[36][37] In 2012, Antioch started a ministry called UnBound, which aims to assist the victims of sex trafficking by providing financial resources and raising awareness.

UnBound has hosted meetings of the statewide anti-Trafficking group, thee Heart of Texas Human Trafficking Coalition.

County District Attorney Abel Reyna praised UnBound, along with others in their coalition, for "making prosecutors' jobs easier.

"[38] In 2017 Antioch Waco's own community outreach pastor, Edward Ignacio Espinosa, was arrested for paying prostitutes for sex at a local massage parlor.