Christ's Church, The Righteous Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Founded:

February 14, 1978 (business registration date)

April 6, 1978 (church founding)

 

Founder:

Gerald Peterson, Sr. (1978-1981)

 

Other Leaders:

Gerald Peterson, Jr. (1981-present)

 

Alternate Names:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the Righteous Branch

The Righteous Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Branch

The Branch Church

Peterson Group

 

Unofficial Websites by members:

http://gospelfullness.wordpress.com/

http://gcje.net/shepherd/  (archived version, Jan. 2017)

 

Related Websites:

http://gcje.net

http://gcje.com (GCJ Enterprises)

 

Emails:

Right.Branch@Gmail.com

thelastolivetree@yahoo.com

shepherd.gcj@gmail.com

gcj@gcje.net

gcj@gcje.com (GCJ Enterprises)

 

Phone:

801-769-6279

 

Addresses:

Gerald Peterson, Jr.

PO Box 31

Modena, Utah 84753

 

Christ's Church

PO Box 11803

Reno, Nevada 89510-1803

 

Membership:

200 - 300

 

Scriptures:

Holy Bible

Book of Mormon

Doctrine and Covenants

Pearl of Great Price

Writings of Gerald W. Peterson

They also accept and use other writings including but not limited to The Book of Jasher, various uncanonized revelations, the Sefer Zohar, The Lectures on Faith, The Addendum to the D&C, The Branch Magazines, etc. 

 

Separated From:

Apostolic United Brethren

 

Separations:

Covenant Yeshua Messiah Patriarchal Lineage Ephraim

 

About:

• Accept the Adam-God doctrine, consecration, plurality of wives, and do not ordain blacks to the priesthood.
• Believe Joseph Smith Jr. is the Holy Ghost (Melton).
• Peterson, Sr. claimed to have been ordained and to have received all the ordinances and keys from Rulon Allred sometime in the 1970's. After Rulon was murdered Peterson claims to have seen Rulon on "many occasions" as a resurrected personage. Peterson also claims he was visited by God the Father, Christ, and Joseph Smith who ratified the ordination he received from Allred, along with numerous prophets and apostles of this and past dispensations.
• Christ's Church is organized with a first presidency, quorum of twelve, and seventies. It also has a relief society, and all other offices and functions of the original church. 

 

Further Information:

• Llewellyn, John. Polygamy Under Attack: From Tom Green to Brian David Mitchell. p. 33.
• Melton, J. Gordon. The Encyclopedia of American Religions: Religious Creeds. Gale: 1988, p. 657.
• http://attorneygeneral.utah.gov/cmsdocuments/The_Primer.pdf
• Christ's Church, Inc. - Utah Business Filing.pdf
• "A Shepherd of Southern Utah Speaks Out"
• Wikipedia entry
• "God is our Father: An Introduction to the Fatherhood of God Doctrine, Also Called the Adam-God Doctrine"