New Covenant Church of God
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The New Covenant Church of God is a former Latter Day Saint sect that considers itself to be a branch of Christian Evangelicalism, although it retains some indicia of Mormonism. The faith has been known by various other names, including Restoration Christian Fellowship, Independent Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Independent Church of Jesus Christ, and New Covenant Christian Fellowship
The church was organized as the Independent Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Oxford, England in 1986, after its founder and Presiding Patriarch Christopher C. Warren, a Mormon since 1977, claimed to have a revelation. In 1988, the church moved to various locations in Norway. In 1990, the church cropped the phrase of Latter Day Saints from its name.
In 1992, the church changed its name to the New Covenant Christian Fellowship and abandoned its earlier acceptance of the Latter Day Saint scriptures, and embraced the Bible, as well as scriptures received by Warren. The sect came to believe that Mormonism was a fraud perpetrated by fallen angels (called the Watchers), who had deceived Joseph Smith, Jr. into accepting incorrect doctrines.
The church proselytes avidly, particularly in Europe. It also has a theocratic bent, and an affinity for Jewish symbols, rituals, and practices, including kosher dietary practices. The group believes in Jesus (whom they call Elohim), but believes he is subordinate to God (whom they call Yahweh). They also believe in at least three heavens.
The Church has moved to a mixture of Hebrew Christianity, including seventh-day Sabbath keeping and also the Old Testament festivals. Their seventh-day Sabbath will not be observed according to the calendar week, but will vary each year.
External reference
- Official Site of the New Covenant Church of God (http://www.nccg.org)
It is doubtful that the group has more followers than the ones living (in poverty, if we are to believe their website) in Sweden. Maybe some scattered individuals in the US. To my knowledge all the associations they had with Eastern European groups dismantled. The founder and prophet, Christopher Warren, claims to continuously receive revelations which he published in a book called "The Olive Branch". Some of these revelations have been revised several times, particularly to acommodate to his new blend of Judaism and a kind of Christianity.