The Church of Jesus Christ is a
schismatic organization 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 J ...
which was organized in 1965 as a fracturing from the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite).
In the early 1950s, Theron Drew, a member of the Strangite church, met Merl Kilgore, who at the time was the leader of another Latter Day Saint group called ''Zion's Order of the Sons of Levi''. Drew was convinced that Kilgore was the "
One Mighty and Strong" prophesied in Mormon scripture and that Kilgore should become the successor of
James Strang
James Jesse Strang (March 21, 1813 – July 9, 1856) was an American religious leader, politician and self-proclaimed monarch. In 1844 he claimed to have been appointed to be the successor of Joseph Smith as leader of the Church of Jesus Christ o ...
, to lead the Strangite Church. However, not long after promoting Kilgore, Drew changed his mind.
When Drew met again with the Strangite Church, he was rejected and excommunicated by them in 1965. Drew, his family, and a small number of supporters then organized ''The Church of Jesus Christ'', claiming it to be the true successor of
Joseph Smith's Church of Christ. The Drewite Church met in a farmhouse previously owned by
Wingfield W. Watson, an early leader within the Strangites. Theron Drew died in 1978 and leadership of the church passed to his son, Richard Drew.
The Strangite Church sued ''The Church of Jesus Christ'' to recover some documents in Theron Drew's possession, but the lawsuit was unsuccessful.
References
*Edward T. Couch (1980). ''Evidences and Inspiration'' (Bay Springs, Mich., n.p.)
*
J. Gordon Melton (1996, 5th ed.). ''Encyclopedia of American Religions'' (Detroit, Mich.: Gale) p. 582
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite)
Strangite denominations in the Latter Day Saint movement
Christian organizations established in 1965
Christian denominations established in the 20th century
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