The Church of Christ was an unorganized restorational movement while Joseph Smith Jr. divined the Book of Mormon. (Read the story of this restoration in the Book of Avahr.) The Church of Christ was formally organized on April 6, 1830, the first year of the latter-day jubilee. The young church went through many changes, growing line upon line, precept upon precept.
With each new change, there were those that left to start a new branch of the young movement, expanding its reach. In 1844 the church, then known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, was ready to divide once again, this time over the issue of polygamy. With the death of Joseph Smith Jr. and his brother Hiram at the hands of a mob, this time the divide would be far more dramatic.
Sidney Rigdon & Brigham Young
With Sydney Rigdon as the sole member of the First Presidency, and the 12 Apostles still organized, a fight ensued. Rather than working together and going to the Lord for guidance, Brigham Young took his followers out west. He declared himself prophet and president in 1847, with a vote of confidence from the fraction of Saints that followed him. In 1851 he formed The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Many other denominations branched from his fraction. Today his branch is the largest and wealthiest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement, Mormon or otherwise.
Sidney Rigdon took his followers back east, to Pennsylvania. There he used his keys as a member of the First Presidency to create The Church of Jesus Christ of the Children of Zion. There, he declared Joseph Smith and the 12 as fallen for their practice of polygamy.
James Strang
The Smith family and others from the original Church of Christ followed James Strang to continue Joseph Smith’s Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, organizing this new denomination in 1844—being the first group to officially reorganize. Like Smith, Strang “translated” new scripture found in the earth and added new revelations to the Latter Day Saints’ canon. Some Strang’s supporters left however, once Strang received revelation to practice polygamy. This included the Smith family.
Eventually Strang too was murdered, similarly to his predecessor, Joseph Smith Jr. There are a number or branches of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on multiple contents.
The Reorganization
Over time the many smaller Latter Day Saint congregations reorganized. The keys to the Kingdom held by Rigdon and James Strang, as a prophets, seers, and revelators were passed down through apostles from the Children of Zion to Joseph Smith III, son of Joseph Smith Jr. Today Community of Christ, formerly The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is the second largest denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement, with its own splinter groups.
Latter Day Saints Today
There are over 100 Latter Day Saint denominations today, over 70 of which accepting the nickname “Mormon.” All branching from the above and other Latter Day Saint/Mormon sects.
For over 185 years, Latter Day Saint denominations have grown, changed, and evolved into churches none of the founders would recognize, for better or worse. None of the branches exercise all of the keys passed from the heavens to the earth through the prophet and Elias, Joseph Smith. Rather, each provides a home for Latter Day Saint restorational Christians to worship Christ in a way comfortable for them. This allows all to grow in Christ’s Grace in a denomination that works for them. All Latter Day Saint and Mormon branches are still a part of the greater Church of Christ.
The Fellowship
Today, the Lord has called the Fellowship to create an movement within Mormonism. The Lord called David Ferriman to begin this work in November of 2015. In the Spring of 2018, the Lord told David to “unite the Saints in Kabbalah.” He has been working since to do just this
On April 6, 2019, David was voted unanimously by the General Assembly of about 70 Saints on three contents as the First Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ in Christian Fellowship, Prophet, Seer, Revolator, and Translator; President of the Council of Elders. Others were also voted into the Council as Apostles, Seventy, and Pastor. On July 8, 2019, his wife, Kristine Ferriman, was voted by the Council of Elders as the Elect Lady, co-President of the Church of Jesus Christ in Christian Fellowship. Her call will be voted on by the General Assembly of Saints in the April 6, 2020 Conference.
The Work Moves Forward
The Fellowship is not another church, but a place for nondenominational Christians to find shelter. We are a Latter Day Saint tradition that rejects the secret combinations, exclusion, and bigotry. We accept all, and together create a safe haven for those that do not feel the can call any of the existing branches home.
Because all of the Latter Day Saint and Mormon branches can trace their priesthood keys back to Joseph Smith, there is no need for re-baptism, re-conformation, Initiatories, or Endowments for those entering the Fellowship. We do not even ask anyone to leave the denominations to which they may belong, as we see all Latter Day Saint/Mormon denominations as a part of the Fellowship. One could say the Fellowship is the largest Latter Day Saint denomination as we welcome and accept all 16 million members of the various denominations.
The Church of Jesus Christ in Christian Fellowship welcomes all that wish to worship with us, Protestants, Catholics, Latter Day Saints – all Christians are welcome. We do not ask anyone to leave their denominations to do so, but rather see every branch as a part of the same tree (the Church of Jesus Christ).
For a list of some of the Mormon churches the Keys of the Priesthood were passed down through, click here.
Questions? Contact us: info@cjccf.org
