HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Church of Jesus Christ is an international
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι� ...
religious denomination A religious denomination is a subgroup within a religion that operates under a common name and tradition among other activities. The term refers to the various Christian denominations (for example, Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, and the many varie ...
headquartered in Monongahela, Pennsylvania,
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
.Registered corporate name
in the Pennsylvania corporate registry.
The church is a Christian
Restorationist Restorationism (or Restitutionism or Christian primitivism) is the belief that Christianity has been or should be restored along the lines of what is known about the apostolic early church, which restorationists see as the search for a purer a ...
church, the third-largest church to believe in the
Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon is a religious text of the Latter Day Saint movement, which, according to Latter Day Saint theology, contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from 600 BC to AD 421 and during an interlude ...
as scripture. The church considers itself the gospel restored, or the original church and good news as established by Jesus Christ in the New Testament, restored upon the earth. It also claims to be the spiritual successor to the
Church of Christ Church of Christ may refer to: Church groups * When used in the plural, a New Testament designation for local groups of people following the teachings of Jesus Christ: "...all the churches of Christ greet you", Romans 16:16. * The entire body of Ch ...
, organized by
Joseph Smith Joseph Smith Jr. (December 23, 1805June 27, 1844) was an American religious leader and founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement. When he was 24, Smith published the Book of Mormon. By the time of his death, 14 years later, h ...
on April 6, 1830. The church sees
Sidney Rigdon Sidney Rigdon (February 19, 1793 – July 14, 1876) was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement. Biography Early life Rigdon was born in St. Clair Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, on February 19, 1793. He w ...
as Smith's rightful successor following the assassination of Smith because Rigdon was Smith's first counselor in the First Presidency. The church is not officially affiliated with any other church, organization or denomination. As of July 2018, members of the church are located throughout the world including North and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa—for a membership total of 23,197. The Church of Jesus Christ is considered "the third largest Restoration church to have resulted from the 1844
succession crisis A succession crisis is a crisis that arises when an order of succession fails, for example when a king dies without an indisputable heir. It may result in a war of succession. Examples include (see List of wars of succession): *Multiple periods ...
", describing Joseph Smith's death that year without a clear line of succession. It has sometimes been referred to as a "Bickertonite church" or "Rigdonite organization" based upon the church's historical succession through William Bickerton and
Sidney Rigdon Sidney Rigdon (February 19, 1793 – July 14, 1876) was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement. Biography Early life Rigdon was born in St. Clair Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, on February 19, 1793. He w ...
. The church does not use these terms in referring to itself. Church members call each other "Brother" or "Sister" as individuals and collectively as "Saints", considering themselves part of the family of God. The stated purpose of the church is "to share the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, His promises and His redeeming love with all nations and races throughout the world and to carry out God’s plans in the latter days."


Mission and purpose

Stated Mission: * "The Church of Jesus Christ will teach the Gospel to all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things commanded by Jesus Christ. * "To draw Israel to Christ through an effort focused on the Native Americans of North and South America." Stated Purpose: * "To fulfill the plan of God by bringing salvation through Christ to all people." Stated Vision: * "The full manifestations of God's Spirit and power among the Saints, resulting from living and worshiping in unity and righteousness, stimulate continuous growth of the Domestic Church – even at a rate of doubling over a five year period – while strengthening the International Church."


Use of descriptive terms

The church refers to itself only as "The Church of Jesus Christ", its legal and official name. This name comes from Jesus Christ's words in the text of the Book of Mormon, who names his church after himself. The Church of Jesus Christ believes itself to be the restored self-same church as established in both the New Testament and Book of Mormon. The belief system of being Jesus Christ's church upon the earth is the reason for avoiding any other names as descriptive terms, even in a historical context. The church is sometimes referred to as a "Bickertonite" or "Rigdonite" organization by non-members, and occasionally used in scholarly works to distinguish from other denominations with similar names. These terms have reference to the church tracing its historical succession through William Bickerton and
Sidney Rigdon Sidney Rigdon (February 19, 1793 – July 14, 1876) was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement. Biography Early life Rigdon was born in St. Clair Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, on February 19, 1793. He w ...
. The use of these terms are discouraged by the church as detracting from
Jesus Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and relig ...
. Although the church acknowledges the
Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon is a religious text of the Latter Day Saint movement, which, according to Latter Day Saint theology, contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from 600 BC to AD 421 and during an interlude ...
to be scripture, it does not consider itself to be a "Mormon church" as it views itself distinct from the largest Latter Day Saint church, based in Utah.


History

The Church of Jesus Christ sees itself as a continuation of the
Church of Christ Church of Christ may refer to: Church groups * When used in the plural, a New Testament designation for local groups of people following the teachings of Jesus Christ: "...all the churches of Christ greet you", Romans 16:16. * The entire body of Ch ...
, which was the original church organization established by
Joseph Smith Joseph Smith Jr. (December 23, 1805June 27, 1844) was an American religious leader and founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement. When he was 24, Smith published the Book of Mormon. By the time of his death, 14 years later, h ...
informally in 1829 and then as a legal entity on April 6, 1830 in northwestern
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
. On April 6, 1830, Smith,
Oliver Cowdery Oliver H. P. Cowdery (October 3, 1806 – March 3, 1850) was an American Mormon leader who, with Joseph Smith, was an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836. He was the first baptized ...
, and a group of approximately 30 believers met to formally organize the Church of Christ into a legal institution. Traditionally, this is said to have occurred at the home of
Peter Whitmer Sr. Peter Whitmer Sr. (April 14, 1773 – August 12, 1854) was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement, and father of the movement's second founding family. Whitmer was born in Pennsylvania and married Mary Elsa Musselman. The Whitmers had ...
in Fayette, New York, but some early accounts place it in
Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The ...
. Soon after this formal organization, small branches were formally established in Fayette, Manchester and Colesville. Smith and his associates intended that the Church of Christ would be a restoration of the 1st-century
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι� ...
church, which Smith taught had fallen from God's favor and authority because of a Great Apostasy. In late 1830, Smith envisioned a "city of Zion" in Native American lands near
Independence, Missouri Independence is the fifth-largest city in Missouri and the county seat of Jackson County, Missouri, Jackson County. Independence is a satellite city of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the largest suburb on the Missouri side of the Kansas City metro ...
. In October 1830, he sent his second-in-command
Oliver Cowdery Oliver H. P. Cowdery (October 3, 1806 – March 3, 1850) was an American Mormon leader who, with Joseph Smith, was an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836. He was the first baptized ...
and others on a mission to the area. Passing through
Kirtland, Ohio Kirtland is a city in Lake County, Ohio, United States. The population was 6,937 at the 2020 census. Kirtland is known for being the early headquarters of the Latter Day Saint movement from 1831 to 1837 and is the site of the movement's first ...
, the missionaries converted a congregation of
Disciples of Christ The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States and Canada. The denomination started with the Restoration Movement during the Second Great Awakening, first existing during the 19th ...
led by
Sidney Rigdon Sidney Rigdon (February 19, 1793 – July 14, 1876) was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement. Biography Early life Rigdon was born in St. Clair Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, on February 19, 1793. He w ...
, and in 1831, Smith decided to temporarily move his followers to Kirtland until the Missouri area could be colonized. The church headquarters remained in Kirtland from 1831 to 1838. Many of Smith's followers attempted to colonize Missouri throughout the 1830s, and Smith himself moved there in 1838. The church faced political and military opposition by other Missouri settlers. After the Mormon War of 1838, the religion was expelled from Missouri under an Extermination Order signed by the governor. The church then established its new headquarters in
Nauvoo, Illinois Nauvoo ( ; from the ) is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States, on the Mississippi River near Fort Madison, Iowa. The population of Nauvoo was 950 at the 2020 census. Nauvoo attracts visitors for its historic importance and it ...
, a city they built on drained swampland by the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the List of longest rivers of the United States (by main stem), second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest Drainage system (geomorphology), drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson B ...
, where Smith served as mayor. There, the church thrived until Smith and his brother Hyrum were killed by a mob in 1844. They were in prison awaiting trial for crimes related to the destruction of the printing press of the ''
Nauvoo Expositor The ''Nauvoo Expositor'' was a newspaper in Nauvoo, Illinois, that published only one issue, on June 7, 1844. Its publication, the destruction of the printed copies (which, according to the Nauvoo Charter, was the legal consequence of a new ...
''. At the time, Smith was a minor candidate for
President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal gove ...
with Rigdon as his running mate. After Smith was killed in 1844, there was confusion about who should succeed him in leading the church. Many of the leaders of the church were absent from Nauvoo at the time of his death, serving as missionaries or working on Smith's presidential campaign. Rigdon was in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
, when he heard of Smith's death, and hurried back to Nauvoo, becoming one of the first church leaders to return. He quickly announced that he had the right to lead the church as its "guardian" until proper proceedings could decide the next church president, and that the Quorum of the Twelve did not have the right to lead the church. Rigdon, like the Twelve, had been ordained by Smith as a "
prophet, seer, and revelator Prophet, seer, and revelator is an ecclesiastical title used in the Latter Day Saint movement. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) is the largest denomination of the movement, and it currently applies the terms to the membe ...
". The Church of Jesus Christ maintains that the First Presidency had made nearly all the major decisions and led the Church of Christ prior to Smith's death, and as first counselor to Smith at the time of Smith's death, Rigdon should naturally have been the leader of the church after Smith's death. The Latter Day Saints who followed Rigdon separated themselves from the majority of the members, who followed
Brigham Young Brigham Young (; June 1, 1801August 29, 1877) was an American religious leader and politician. He was the second president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), from 1847 until his death in 1877. During his time as chu ...
and the Quorum of the Twelve. Rigdon and his followers settled in Monongahela, Pennsylvania. On April 6, 1845, Rigdon presided over a conference of the Church of Christ, which he saw as the rightful continuation of the church founded by Smith. William Bickerton was among those converted by Rigdon's preaching, and was baptized at Monongahela in 1845. Later that same year, Bickerton was ordained an
elder An elder is someone with a degree of seniority or authority. Elder or elders may refer to: Positions Administrative * Elder (administrative title), a position of authority Cultural * North American Indigenous elder, a person who has and ...
and shortly after an
evangelist Evangelist may refer to: Religion * Four Evangelists, the authors of the canonical Christian Gospels * Evangelism, publicly preaching the Gospel with the intention of spreading the teachings of Jesus Christ * Evangelist (Anglican Church), a co ...
in the church. Rigdon's organization disbanded shortly afterwards. Bickerton continued to preach and by May 1851 a branch of the church was organized under Bickerton's leadership in
West Elizabeth, Pennsylvania West Elizabeth is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 403 at the 2020 census. Geography West Elizabeth is located at (40.272901, -79.894918). According to the United States Census Bureau, the boro ...
. At a conference on July 9, 1861, it was recorded that twelve of their number were chosen and called by the Holy Spirit to be
apostles An apostle (), in its literal sense, is an emissary, from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος (''apóstolos''), literally "one who is sent off", from the verb ἀποστέλλειν (''apostéllein''), "to send off". The purpose of such sending ...
. The church was incorporated in Pittsburgh in June 1865 with the legal name, "Church of Jesus Christ of Green Oak, Pennsylvania." On April 5, 1941, the church was granted the name of "The Church of Jesus Christ" by Washington County, Pennsylvania. The church today is registered as "The Church of Jesus Christ" in the corporate registry of the state of Pennsylvania.


Organizational structure and membership

The Church of Jesus Christ is organized with twelve apostles, seventy evangelists (see Quorum of Seventy Evangelists), and elders as ordained offices within the general priesthood or ministry. Teachers, deacons and deaconesses are also ordained offices within the church but not part of the general priesthood. The church structures itself as closely as possible to the New Testament church according to the 4th and 5th articles of the Faith and Doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ. The church presidency is composed of apostles including the president of the church, first and second counselors. The president of the church and his two counselors are elected by the general priesthood in conference and selected from among the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. The president of the church, while being an ordained apostle, functions as the chief operating officer, overseeing the general operations of the church. In contrast, the Quorum of Twelve Apostles has its own president and officers elected among themselves, independent of the general priesthood. The Quorum of Twelve is primarily responsible for guiding the spiritual growth and development of the church in general, acting as advisers to key operating committees. Today, The Church of Jesus Christ has a total worldwide membership of 23,200, with nearly 3,000 located in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
. The church continues to experience significant growth in comparison to some of the other smaller Latter Day Saint organizations.October 2013 Conference Minutes Within the last decade, it has been engaged in the construction of new church buildings in
Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and t ...
,
Ohio Ohio () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Of the List of states and territories of the United States, fifty U.S. states, it is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 34th-l ...
,
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
,
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and ...
,
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
,
New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...
, and
Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
, along with similar construction efforts in many foreign countries.


Doctrines and practices

The Church of Jesus Christ is independent of any other church in the
Latter Day Saint movement The Latter Day Saint movement (also called the LDS movement, LDS restorationist movement, or Smith–Rigdon movement) is the collection of independent church groups that trace their origins to a Christian Restorationist movement founded by Jo ...
. The Church of Jesus Christ has long rejected
plural marriage Polygamy (called plural marriage by Latter-day Saints in the 19th century or the Principle by modern fundamentalist practitioners of polygamy) was practiced by leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) for more th ...
,
celestial marriage Celestial marriage (also called the New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage, Eternal Marriage, Temple Marriage) is a doctrine that marriage can last forever in heaven. This is a unique teaching of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ...
, two separate priesthoods, and many other doctrines taught by some other Latter Day Saint movement denominations. The Church of Jesus Christ teaches that many of the doctrines and revelations
Joseph Smith Joseph Smith Jr. (December 23, 1805June 27, 1844) was an American religious leader and founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement. When he was 24, Smith published the Book of Mormon. By the time of his death, 14 years later, h ...
taught were not from God and were contrary to the Bible and the
Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon is a religious text of the Latter Day Saint movement, which, according to Latter Day Saint theology, contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from 600 BC to AD 421 and during an interlude ...
. The church also teaches that many of the Latter Day Saint denominations fell into error by following these revelations. The Church of Jesus Christ views the nature of God as explained in the Bible and Book of Mormon, which the church distinguishes from the views taught by
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...
.


Nature of God

Godhead: The Church of Jesus Christ believes, "...in God, the Eternal Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. These three are the great matchless power that rules all things visible and invisible, for it is of Him and through Him that we receive all things both for this life, and that which is to come." * God the Father: God the Father, or God Almighty, is believed to be a personage of Glory. * Jesus Christ: Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the "...express image of the Father..." who "...came from the bosom of the Father, was born of the Virgin Mary...became man and suffered and died for the sins of the whole world." The church believes in the physical life, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ who they believe now sits at the right hand of God the Father. * Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is considered to be a spirit and the very mind of the Father and the Son. He is not considered to be a personage itself, but can take upon himself many forms. "God, through His spirit, can be everywhere. He can observe and penetrate any part of the universe of His creation. This does not mean that God is physically everywhere, but His spirit, which is in communication with all things at all times, is everywhere. It is like the fragrance of a beautiful bouquet of flowers that permeates an entire house, although it is only in one room." It is considered to be the Power, Glory and Witness as referenced in New Testament Scriptures.


Scriptures

The Church of Jesus Christ teaches that the
New Testament The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Chris ...
scriptures contain a true description of the church as established by Jesus Christ. The church teaches that this church is set up to be sufficient for life and salvation to all humankind. Both the
Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus ...
and
Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon is a religious text of the Latter Day Saint movement, which, according to Latter Day Saint theology, contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from 600 BC to AD 421 and during an interlude ...
are considered to be the inspired word of God. All doctrines and faith of the church are referenced with these two books. No other books are accepted as scripture.


Salvation

The Church of Jesus Christ teaches that the church as set by Christ in the New Testament contains all doctrines and practices essential for salvation. Adherents believe that the church today should contain every element of the early church. Humankind will be punished according to their own sins and not the sins of Adam and Eve. Little children, therefore, have no need of baptism to obtain salvation, as they are without sin, and are commonly blessed by the priesthood. Young people are permitted to join the church when they reach an age of accountability.


Principles of the gospel

#
Faith Faith, derived from Latin ''fides'' and Old French ''feid'', is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or In the context of religion, one can define faith as "belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion". Religious people ofte ...
 – Members must believe in
Jesus Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and relig ...
, that He died and was resurrected. #
Repentance Repentance is reviewing one's actions and feeling contrition or regret for past wrongs, which is accompanied by commitment to and actual actions that show and prove a change for the better. In modern times, it is generally seen as involving a co ...
 – A feeling of sorrow for sin and desire to sin no more. #Baptism (Water) – Done by immersion in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost for the remission of sins. Immersion is considered being buried in likeness of the death of Christ and arising in newness of life. The church teaches that baptism must be in a natural body of water such as a river or lake, and not in a pool or other artificial structure. #Baptism (Fire) – Laying on of hands to receive the Holy Ghost. The priesthood lay hands on the head of the candidate for this reception after the baptism of water.


Priesthood and church structure

The Church of Jesus Christ teaches that the structure of the early church and that
apostles An apostle (), in its literal sense, is an emissary, from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος (''apóstolos''), literally "one who is sent off", from the verb ἀποστέλλειν (''apostéllein''), "to send off". The purpose of such sending ...
, evangelists, elders, teachers, and
deacon A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian churches, such as the Catholic Chur ...
s should still lead the church today. The most important calling within the church is considered to be that of a member. The leadership is not considered a hierarchy, but rather the higher the calling the greater the service. Each leadership position within the church further adds to the service required. No office within the church is paid, including the ministry. Apostles lead the church; evangelists preach to the world; elders serve their various branches and missions. All of these offices are considered the "ministry" of the church. Teachers visit the membership, teach, and preach or lead services when elders are not present. Deacons visit the sick, widows, and attend to many physical and spiritual duties for each branch of the church. Deaconesses set the sacrament table and attend to the needs and development of the women of the church. Although women may serve as deaconesses in the church, in accordance with the church's interpretation of the scriptures, only men may become elders. Deaconesses do not have priesthood authority but prepare the communion tables. Deacons set up chairs and prepare the chapel for meetings; they also care for the members of the church in general and visit the sick in particular. Elders are responsible for the spiritual well-being of the church. As with most Restoration denominations, elders are never referred to as "Father" or "Reverend", as the belief of the church is that scripture forbids this practice (Matthew 23:9). Likewise, elders and all church officials (including the Church Presidency and Quorum of Apostles) are volunteers and receive no financial remuneration for their activities. Elders perform administration to the sick through the
laying on of hands The laying on of hands is a religious practice. In Judaism '' semikhah'' ( he, סמיכה, "leaning f the hands) accompanies the conferring of a blessing or authority. In Christian churches, this practice is used as both a symbolic and formal m ...
, using oil if the illness is physical. According to the doctrine of the church, elders, evangelists, and apostles are called to their positions by revelation. In worship services, members of the priesthood do not prepare written sermons prior to the meeting. Instead, the priesthood strives to speak under the inspiration from the
Holy Spirit In Judaism, the Holy Spirit is the divine force, quality, and influence of God over the Universe or over his creatures. In Nicene Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is the third person of the Trinity. In Islam, the Holy Spirit acts as ...
. Each week, church services begin with preaching from the priesthood and generally followed by a testimony portion of the meeting, during which time members of the congregation (and visitors) are given the opportunity to "praise God for what He has done for them."


Joseph Smith

The Church of Jesus Christ considers
Joseph Smith Joseph Smith Jr. (December 23, 1805June 27, 1844) was an American religious leader and founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement. When he was 24, Smith published the Book of Mormon. By the time of his death, 14 years later, h ...
to have been a prophet and a seer, and an instrument in the hands of God in the restoration of the gospel. The Church of Jesus Christ believes that many revelations began to enter into the church through Smith that were contrary to the scriptures and the will of God. In contrast with other Latter Day Saint denominations, the church does not believe that Smith was the "choice seer" predicted by the Book of Mormon (). Its members are still awaiting the coming of the choice seer whom many in the organization believe will be of Native American heritage. One of the key reasons why The Church of Jesus Christ believes Smith received many revelations contrary to the word of God was described by one of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon,
David Whitmer David Whitmer (January 7, 1805 – January 25, 1888) was an American Mormon leader who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's golden plates. Early life Whitmer was born near Harrisburg, Pennsylva ...
. A revelation received by Smith to go to
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
for business turned into a bankrupt expedition. Smith then was reportedly given a revelation clarifying that, "Some revelations are of God: some revelations are of men: and some revelations are of the devil." Thus, in order to strictly adhere to God's will, The Church of Jesus Christ only accepts revelation as supported by the Bible and the Book of Mormon. On this matter, church leader William Cadman wrote:
"There has been much said about Joseph Smith .... l people who manifest faith in the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, which includes the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, do acknowledge him to be inspired of God when but a youth .... He has been a much accused man, whether truly or falsely, eternity will reveal. If he taught
plural marriage Polygamy (called plural marriage by Latter-day Saints in the 19th century or the Principle by modern fundamentalist practitioners of polygamy) was practiced by leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) for more th ...
... plural Gods,
baptism for the dead Baptism for the dead, vicarious baptism or proxy baptism today commonly refers to the religious practice of baptizing a person on behalf of one who is dead—a living person receiving the rite on behalf of a deceased person. Baptism for the dea ...
, the Book of Mormon does not sustain him, neither does the teachings of our Savior in the New Testament .... The Church of Jesus Christ does not believe such teachings."


Ordinances

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ perform many ordinances as found in the New Testament and the Book of Mormon.
Baptism Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost ...
, the Lord's Supper, feet washing, and others are all ways to remember
Jesus Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and relig ...
. The church claims these ordinances demonstrate remembrance, love, and humility before God and each other. Like many Christian denominations, the church uses bread and wine for the Lord's Supper, which represents the body and blood of Christ, which it believes was sacrificed for the sins of humankind. Some congregations choose to read the communion prayers verbatim from the Book of Mormon ( and ), while most congregations follow the "inspiration of the Holy Spirit" for the communion prayers. A first prayer is given prior to passing the bread and then another is offered prior to passing the wine. The communion is administered only to active, baptized members of the church. The wine is served in a communal cup. The ministers serve the congregation by walking around to each person in their seats, first with plate of bread and then with the cup of wine. The bread is not wafers or crackers, but leavened bread that has been broken into small pieces by the ministry during the ordinance. The ministers are the last to partake of the bread and the wine after the congregation has been served. Church members follow the ordinance of feet washing () four times a year as a demonstration of personal humility. The church believes that this is a very important ordinance, citing Jesus' statement to Peter: "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me." Church members greet each other with a "
holy kiss The kiss of peace is an ancient traditional Christian greeting, sometimes also called the "holy kiss", "brother kiss" (among men), or "sister kiss" (among women). Such greetings signify a wish and blessing that peace be with the recipient, and b ...
", preferably on the cheek, to signify that they are greeting each other in the love of God, in accordance with the description given in the
King James Version The King James Version (KJV), also the King James Bible (KJB) and the Authorized Version, is an English translation of the Christian Bible for the Church of England, which was commissioned in 1604 and published in 1611, by sponsorship of K ...
of the New Testament. Members of the church believe in the gifts of the Spirit, as described in their scriptures. These include but are not limited to: the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge,
faith Faith, derived from Latin ''fides'' and Old French ''feid'', is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or In the context of religion, one can define faith as "belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion". Religious people ofte ...
,
healing With physical trauma or disease suffered by an organism, healing involves the repairing of damaged tissue(s), organs and the biological system as a whole and resumption of (normal) functioning. Medicine includes the process by which the cells ...
,
prophecy In religion, a prophecy is a message that has been communicated to a person (typically called a ''prophet'') by a supernatural entity. Prophecies are a feature of many cultures and belief systems and usually contain divine will or law, or p ...
, discernment, witnessing of
angel In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles ...
s,
speaking in tongues Speaking in tongues, also known as glossolalia, is a practice in which people utter words or speech-like sounds, often thought by believers to be languages unknown to the speaker. One definition used by linguists is the fluid vocalizing of sp ...
, and the interpretation of divers tongues.


Other

Members of the church refer to each other as "Brother" and "Sister." The church counsels members to be moderate in all things including their dress and appearance. The church believes that serving God and following Jesus is a "365 day per year activity", not just a Sunday activity. Chapels of the church do not contain
altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in pagan ...
s,
cross A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two intersecting lines or bars, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of the Latin letter X, is termed a s ...
es or pictures, as they believe scripture forbids any type of "graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth" (). The Church of Jesus Christ teaches that
hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn ...
s are often revealed through divine inspiration for the edification of the church. The hymnal ''The Songs of Zion'' consists of hymns that were given to a church member, Arlene Lea Buffington, through divine inspiration. The church also uses ''The Saints Hymnal'', which contains many hymns sung in traditional Christian churches as well as hymns of the restoration. Many congregations also use additional hymnals from other Christian organizations. The church maintains a publishing house in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and prints its own edition of the Book of Mormon. The church publishes a monthly periodical called ''The Gospel News''.


Racial integration

The Church of Jesus Christ has advocated full racial integration throughout all aspects of the church since its organization in 1862. While America disputed over
civil liberties Civil liberties are guarantees and freedoms that governments commit not to abridge, either by constitution, legislation, or judicial interpretation, without due process. Though the scope of the term differs between countries, civil liberties ma ...
and
racial segregation Racial segregation is the systematic separation of people into racial or other ethnic groups in daily life. Racial segregation can amount to the international crime of apartheid and a crime against humanity under the Statute of the Intern ...
, the church directed its message towards all races. In 1905, the church suspended an elder for opposing the full integration of all races. Historian
Dale Morgan Lowell Dale Morgan (December 18, 1914 – March 30, 1971), generally cited as Dale Morgan or Dale L. Morgan, was an American historian, accomplished researcher, biographer, editor, and critic. He specialized in material on Utah history, Mormon ...
wrote in 1949: "An interesting feature of the Church's doctrine is that it discriminates in no way against ... members of other racial groups, who are fully admitted to all the privileges of the priesthood. It has taken a strong stand for human rights, and was, for example, uncompromisingly against the
Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to the KKK or the Klan, is an American white supremacist, right-wing terrorist, and hate group whose primary targets are African Americans, Jews, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Cat ...
during that organization's period of ascendancy after the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
." At a time when racial segregation or discrimination was commonplace in most institutions throughout America, two of the most prominent leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ were
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
. Apostle John Penn, member of the Quorum of Twelve from 1910 to 1955, conducted missionary work with many Italian Americans, and was often referred to as "the Italians' Doctor". Matthew Miller, an evangelist ordained in 1937, traveled throughout Canada establishing missions with Native Americans.


Notable adherents

Rock star
Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guilloti ...
(born Vincent Damon Furnier) was raised in The Church of Jesus Christ, though he was never baptized. Cooper's grandfather, Thurman Furnier, was the president of the church from 1963 to 1965.


References


Further reading

*Entz, Gary R. "The Bickertonites: Schism and Reunion in a Restoration Church, 1880–1905," '' Journal of Mormon History'' 32 (fall 2006): 1–44.


External links


Official website

General Ladies' Uplift Circle
U.S. regions of The Church of Jesus Christ
Atlantic RegionGreat Lakes RegionMidwest RegionPacific RegionPennsylvania/Mid Atlantic RegionSoutheast RegionSouthwest Region
Youth missionary programs
General Missionary Benevolent AssociationGMBA CampoutYouth In Action
{{DEFAULTSORT:Church Of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite), The Christianity in Pennsylvania Organizations based in Pennsylvania Religious organizations established in 1862 Monongahela, Pennsylvania Religion in Washington County, Pennsylvania 1862 establishments in Pennsylvania