Branham - light doctrine

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Amanah

Lots of leaf eaters!

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Amanah

The Sowderites are a small, ultra-conservative Christian group that emerged in the 1970s, primarily in the United States. They are named after their founder, Charles Sowder, who claimed to have received visions and messages from God.

The Sowderites' eschatology (end-time beliefs) include:

1. Imminent return of Jesus Christ
2. Belief in a pre-tribulation rapture (Christians will be taken up before a period of tribulation)
3. Expectation of a global catastrophe and apocalypse
4. Focus on personal holiness and separation from the world
5. Rejection of modern Christianity as apostate
6. Emphasis on individual interpretation of scripture
7. Belief in a coming "great deception" and "antichrist" figure

The Sowderites are known for their:

1. Strict, legalistic lifestyle
2. Isolationism (separating from non-believers and other Christians)
3. Emphasis on prophecy and end-time events
4. Criticism of mainstream Christianity

The Sowderites believe in a doctrine called "The Two Classes of Saved" or "The Two Flocks." They teach that there are two distinct groups of saved people:

1. The "Bride of Christ" (or "The Little Flock"): This group consists of a smaller, more elite number of believers who are considered to be the most faithful and devoted followers of Christ. They believe this group will be raptured before the tribulation and will reign with Christ during the millennium.
2. The "Great Multitude" (or "The Larger Flock"): This group comprises a larger number of believers who are saved but are not as spiritually mature or faithful as the Bride of Christ. They believe this group will go through the tribulation and be saved, but will not reign with Christ during the millennium.

According to Sowderite teachings, the requirements for being part of the Little Flock (Bride of Christ) include:

1. Complete surrender and dedication to God
2. Living a sinless, holy life
3. Separation from the world and its influences
4. Total commitment to following Christ's teachings
5. Receiving a personal, direct call from God (often through visions or dreams)

Those who achieve this level of devotion and commitment are believed to be part of the Little Flock, destined for the pre-tribulation rapture and millennial reign with Christ.

In contrast, the Larger Flock (Great Multitude) consists of believers who:

1. Accept Christ as Savior
2. Live a good, moral life
3. Attend church and participate in religious activities
4. Support missions and evangelism

However, they may not have achieved the same level of spiritual maturity, dedication, or direct communication with God as the Little Flock.

Regarding the leaves of the Tree of Life, Sowderites reference Revelation 22:2, which says the Tree of Life has leaves for the healing of the nations. They believe:

- The Tree of Life represents Christ
- The leaves symbolize the Little Flock, who will provide spiritual healing and guidance to the Larger Flock during the millennium
- The Little Flock will have a special role in ministering to and teaching the Larger Flock during Christ's reign

Just the run of the mill stuff?

[Amanah]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

Just the run of the mill stuff?

Pretty much

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

What do the Sowderites believe concerning Light Doctrine?

I don't know. I think because they have a Bride vs Friends of the Bridegroom type belief system, they see some kind of distinction between the super spiritual saints and the "others". I am not so sure they would say those others are part of other denominations though, they seem to go by the idea they and they alone are God's people, and any people of God in other denominations will eventually make their way to the Gospel Assembly group. Otherwise they view the denomonational world as part of the "daughters of the Great Whore, Babylon". I may be wrong, though, I wasn't around them long enough to get into all the details, we just visited them occasionally because our neighbors were members.

I do know they are twoness. They always had a big potluck supper after church. Their meetings are open to anyone present to stand up and speak, or sing, or pray, or whatever. But anyone who speaks or "teaches" or "preaches" can and likely will be questioned in the meeting by the other men as to what was spoken or taught. Their meetings have no format except they gather at an appointed time and sit and wait in prayer for the Spirit to move. Somebody will usually start a song or start praying a bit more loudly and then the meeting takes off. The meetings we attended years ago were very old school Pentecostal. In fact my older son testifies he got the holy Ghost during one of those meetings. THAT meeting start off with a song but then immediately turned into a 2 hour Pentecostal "altar service" (although they don't have altar rails).

The women sat on one side of the meeting house and the men on the other, although this was not strictly enforced because families would often sit together. But single men and single women, not with their family, were expected to keep on opposite sides of the aisle.

They were some of the nicest people we met, and made some of the best potluck Sunday dinners we ever ate at a church. They were strict holiness, and quite honestly I suspected there were some deeper issues bubbling under the surface.

Which a simple google search will reveal is in fact the case.

Amanah posted they emerged in the 70s. That is not correct as far as I know. William Sowders started a following in the early 1900s, sometime around the Big Split that occurred in the assembly of gods, when he attempted to solve the "New Issue" between Oneness and trinitarian Pentecostals by saying it's not One, or Three, but TWO. I believe they baptise in Jesus' name for the remission of sins, but they are basically twoness.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Amanah

The Sowderites are a small, ultra-conservative Christian group that emerged in the 1970s, primarily in the United States. They are named after their founder, Charles Sowder, who claimed to have received visions and messages from God.

The Sowderites' eschatology (end-time beliefs) include:

1. Imminent return of Jesus Christ
2. Belief in a pre-tribulation rapture (Christians will be taken up before a period of tribulation)
3. Expectation of a global catastrophe and apocalypse
4. Focus on personal holiness and separation from the world
5. Rejection of modern Christianity as apostate
6. Emphasis on individual interpretation of scripture
7. Belief in a coming "great deception" and "antichrist" figure

The Sowderites are known for their:

1. Strict, legalistic lifestyle
2. Isolationism (separating from non-believers and other Christians)
3. Emphasis on prophecy and end-time events
4. Criticism of mainstream Christianity

The Sowderites believe in a doctrine called "The Two Classes of Saved" or "The Two Flocks." They teach that there are two distinct groups of saved people:

1. The "Bride of Christ" (or "The Little Flock"): This group consists of a smaller, more elite number of believers who are considered to be the most faithful and devoted followers of Christ. They believe this group will be raptured before the tribulation and will reign with Christ during the millennium.
2. The "Great Multitude" (or "The Larger Flock"): This group comprises a larger number of believers who are saved but are not as spiritually mature or faithful as the Bride of Christ. They believe this group will go through the tribulation and be saved, but will not reign with Christ during the millennium.

According to Sowderite teachings, the requirements for being part of the Little Flock (Bride of Christ) include:

1. Complete surrender and dedication to God
2. Living a sinless, holy life
3. Separation from the world and its influences
4. Total commitment to following Christ's teachings
5. Receiving a personal, direct call from God (often through visions or dreams)

Those who achieve this level of devotion and commitment are believed to be part of the Little Flock, destined for the pre-tribulation rapture and millennial reign with Christ.

In contrast, the Larger Flock (Great Multitude) consists of believers who:

1. Accept Christ as Savior
2. Live a good, moral life
3. Attend church and participate in religious activities
4. Support missions and evangelism

However, they may not have achieved the same level of spiritual maturity, dedication, or direct communication with God as the Little Flock.

Regarding the leaves of the Tree of Life, Sowderites reference Revelation 22:2, which says the Tree of Life has leaves for the healing of the nations. They believe:

- The Tree of Life represents Christ
- The leaves symbolize the Little Flock, who will provide spiritual healing and guidance to the Larger Flock during the millennium
- The Little Flock will have a special role in ministering to and teaching the Larger Flock during Christ's reign

I think this may be a different group?

[Amanah]

Maybe this site is accurate

https://william-branham.org/site/res...illiam_sowders

William Sowders (1879-1952) was a Pentecostal minister from Louisville, KY who founded the Gospel Assembly Church and School of the Prophets in Shepherdsville, KY, just south of William Branham's hometown of Jeffersonville, IN. Sowders pastored a small mission in Anna, IL around 1919, and a second Church in Evansville, IN from 1921 to 1919. Around 1928, Sowders returned to Louisville and started holding meetings at an empty firehouse on 16th and Market. In 1935, Sowders bought 350 acres in Shepherdsville, where he would build his Gospel Assembly and commune.

There were many names used to describe the cult following that Sowders created, the most interesting of which was "The Latter Rain".[1] Long before William Branham lit the fuse creating the Latter Rain Revival movement and named his own sect "The Message" after "The Latter Rain Message", Branham went to Sowder's "School of the Prophets" with John Ryan. At first Branham thought that Sowders preached "strange doctrines", but Branham would continue evangelism tours with John Ryan well into the Latter Rain version of his stage persona[2] and strongly emphasize the "school of the prophets" from Samuel 19:18-24 many times.[3]

"Later from that, I met an old man that’s here in the Church maybe now, or he was here over to the church, by the name of John Ryan. And I met him at a place…The old fellow with long beard and hair, and he may be here. I thought he was from Benton Harbor up here, at the House of David. And they had a place in Louisville. I was trying to find them people, and they called it the School of the Prophets. So I thought I’d go over and see what that was. Well, I didn’t see nobody rolling on the floor, but they had some strange doctrines. And there’s where I met this old man, he invited me to come up to his place."[4]
Some researchers have noticed the unusual similarities between versions of William Branham's stage persona and Sowder's.[5] Though according to the United States Census William Branham was raised in Indiana,[6] Branham claimed to have been raised in Kentucky. Sowders was born and raised in Kentucky. Both men claimed to have initially resisted the Pentecostal call and converted to Oneness. Both claimed that a voice thundered over the Ohio River announcing their spiritual significance, Both claimed to be preparing the "bride" (their sect) for the return of Jesus Christ, and were "specially-annointed".

References
[1] Mason, Wanda. My Involvement With Destructive Abusive Churches. cult Education Institute. Accessed 2021, Nov 8 from https://culteducation.com/group/938-...-churches.html. "From 1970 to 1991, for over twenty years, I was involved with churches that I now believe to be cults. This movement started with William Sowders in Shepherdsville, Kentucky. It was also known as the School of the Prophets, The Latter Rain Movement and the Body of Christ. Individual churches go by different names like Gospel Chapel, Gospel Assembly, Gospel Tabernacle, Gospel Temple, General Assembly, Gospel of Peace and etc."

[2] Branham, William. 1950, February. Here We Have No Continuing City (50-0200). "I went up to Dowagiac, Michigan, to a—a meeting, and the—with an old man that had white beard and white hair, by the name of John Ryan."

[3] ex: Branham, William. 1953, March 28. Israel And The Church #4 (53-0328). "One time they had a bunch of them preachers out like that, back in the Old Testament, teaching them a whole lot of things. I’ll show you what—what kind of an Education they had. They was teaching them all about the theology of that day, the School of the Prophets."

[4] Branham, William. 1955, January 17. How The Angel Came To Me, And His Commission (55-0117).

[5] William Sowders & William Branham. Accessed 2021, Nov 8 from http://www.gospelassemblyfree.com/fa...ersbranham.htm

[6] 1920 United States Census lists the birthplace of Branham's siblings, placing the Branham family's migration to Indiana at around Branham's age 3.

[Amanah]

William Sowders and the Gospel Assembly Church believed in a doctrine that distinguishes between two classes of saved people in the New Jerusalem:

1. _The Bride of Christ_: This group consists of the most spiritually mature and enlightened believers, who have achieved a higher level of spiritual perfection and intimacy with God. They are seen as the "Bride" of Christ, destined for a special role in the New Jerusalem.
2. _The Guests or Friends of the Bridegroom_: This group comprises believers who are saved but have not attained the same level of spiritual maturity as the Bride. They are still part of the New Jerusalem but have a lesser role and status compared to the Bride.

This belief is rooted in their interpretation of biblical passages like Revelation 19:7-9, Matthew 22:1-14, and John 3:29. They saw themselves as the Bride of Christ, called to a higher spiritual standard and destined for a unique role in the end times.

This two-class system is a distinctive feature of the Gospel Assembly Church's teachings and is related to their emphasis on spiritual perfection, progressive revelation, and the importance of direct spiritual experience.

The information provided about William Sowders and the Gospel Assembly Church's beliefs comes from various sources, including:

1. _Books and articles by William Sowders and other church leaders_
2. _Church publications and newsletters_
3. _Online archives and historical records_
4. _Research papers and theses on Pentecostal and Charismatic movements_
5. _Websites and forums discussing the Gospel Assembly Church and its teachings_

Some specific sources include:

- "The Gospel Assembly Church: A Study of Its History and Doctrine" by James R. Goff Jr. (1988)
- "The Light Doctrine: A Critical Examination" by D.R. McConnell (1989)
- "William Sowders and the Gospel Assembly Church" by C. Douglas Weaver (2000)
- "Pentecostalism and the Gospel Assembly Church" by Vinson Synan (2001)
- Online archives of the Gospel Assembly Church's publications, such as "The Gospel Messenger" and "The Prophetic Voice"

Please note that some of these sources may be hard to find or access, as they are academic or historical materials.

[Amanah]

There is a lot of information on this site, pictures, voice recordings, it's pretty amazing:

https://www.facebook.com/ReverendWil...ibextid=ZbWKwL

..

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Amanah

William Sowders and the Gospel Assembly Church believed in a doctrine that distinguishes between two classes of saved people in the New Jerusalem:

1. _The Bride of Christ_: This group consists of the most spiritually mature and enlightened believers, who have achieved a higher level of spiritual perfection and intimacy with God. They are seen as the "Bride" of Christ, destined for a special role in the New Jerusalem.
2. _The Guests or Friends of the Bridegroom_: This group comprises believers who are saved but have not attained the same level of spiritual maturity as the Bride. They are still part of the New Jerusalem but have a lesser role and status compared to the Bride.

This belief is rooted in their interpretation of biblical passages like Revelation 19:7-9, Matthew 22:1-14, and John 3:29. They saw themselves as the Bride of Christ, called to a higher spiritual standard and destined for a unique role in the end times.

This two-class system is a distinctive feature of the Gospel Assembly Church's teachings and is related to their emphasis on spiritual perfection, progressive revelation, and the importance of direct spiritual experience.

The information provided about William Sowders and the Gospel Assembly Church's beliefs comes from various sources, including:

1. _Books and articles by William Sowders and other church leaders_
2. _Church publications and newsletters_
3. _Online archives and historical records_
4. _Research papers and theses on Pentecostal and Charismatic movements_
5. _Websites and forums discussing the Gospel Assembly Church and its teachings_

Some specific sources include:

- "The Gospel Assembly Church: A Study of Its History and Doctrine" by James R. Goff Jr. (1988)
- "The Light Doctrine: A Critical Examination" by D.R. McConnell (1989)
- "William Sowders and the Gospel Assembly Church" by C. Douglas Weaver (2000)
- "Pentecostalism and the Gospel Assembly Church" by Vinson Synan (2001)
- Online archives of the Gospel Assembly Church's publications, such as "The Gospel Messenger" and "The Prophetic Voice"

Please note that some of these sources may be hard to find or access, as they are academic or historical materials.

Yes, and I believe that their "second class" or "Friends of the Bridegroom" are made up of Gospel Assembly people that aren't top-tier in their holiness. I do believe they view non-Gospel Assembly folks as lost altogether.