Talk:New Covenant Church of God (Sweden)
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Objections against comments:
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.
My impression of reading from "The Olive Branch" is that it comes from various persons, not just Christopher Warren. My other impression is that there might be many adherents in India, but who can say? The presumptuous statement that there are adherents only in Sweden doesn't seem to be justifiable. Hearsays and subjective impressions aren't fit for an encyclopedia - neither mine, nor the ones I criticize.
My email: rursus.siderespector@lkpg.visit.se (member rursus at the swedish wikipedia).
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The following is a corrective as well as expands on the semi-accurate material presented above:
NCCG/BCAY OFFICIAL STATEMENT
The New Covenant Church of God (NCCG) is NOT a Latter Day Saint (LDS) Sect any more than the Lutheran Church or the Presbyterian Church is a Catholic sect. Neither is it a reformation of the LDS Church.
The Independent Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (ILDS) was both a reformation and a sect of Mormonism which gradually distanced itself from the Mormon paradigm. In 1992 it was complely disbanded when it became clear that Mormonism could not be 'reformed' and was built on an entirely false foundation, namely counterfeit angels, a false priesthood and false doctrines and practices.
Some of its former members banded together with new people to form a completely Evangelical Christian (Bible-only) group known as the New Covenant Christian Fellowship (NCCF) which in 1996 was renamed the New Covenant Church of God (NCCG). This was in no way connected to the former ILDS group and, apart from some terminology and belief in contemporary revelation, has no resemblance or connection to Latter Day Saintism whatsover.
Between 1998 and 1999 NCCG became Messianic Israelite (NOT Messianic Jewish) when it adopted the 7th day Sabbath, The Hebrew Festivals, Kosher Laws, the Two House doctrine (Ephrain and Judah), and Sacred Name observance. At this time it adopted the Hebrew Name, B'rit Chadashah Assembly of Yahweh (BCAY) to reflect that change. The NCCG designation will probably be dropped in due course.
The Seventh Day Sabbath is observed from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset except between Lake Van in Turkey (the approximate location of the former Garden of Eden) and the International Date Line (IDL) where it is observed from Saturdat sunset to Sunday sunset.
We beieve that the Father (Yahweh) and the Son (Yah'shua/Jesus) and the sevenfold Ruach haQodesh (Holy Spirit) constitute the Godhead or Elohim (God) which we call the Echad Godhead Doctrine. Though the Son is subordinate the Father, the Father has given Him all authority.
The Bible is the primary Scripture of the Church to which all other revelation must conform. A secondary canon exists consisting of some of the apocryphal books, some of the writings of the sub-apostolic fathers, and the Olive Branch, a collection of revelations, visions and prophecies which is occasionally added to. Some of the revelations are from people outside NCCG/BCAY. Scripture interpretation is by the established Hebraic method called PaRDeS.
NCCG/BCAY is led by a Patriarchate consisting of 3 men and 3 women who preside over the remaining male (9) and female (141) apostles. Revelations are, and may be, received by anyone, male or female who is thus anointed to receive a Word of God for the community, provided it is properly tested and voted as secondary canon by a properly constituted conference. Whilst the bulk of revelations were initially received by the founder, this gift is now spread fairly widely.
The revelations were first published as the Olive Branch in 1997. Some 470 sections were selected from about 600 presented to the Revelations Committee for evaluation. A few cosmetic alterations were made to reflect changes in Church name and organisation in the first edition and this revision will continue into the second edition to reflect biblical Hebraic terms.
NCCG/BCAY is not a denomination but a part of the nation of Messianic Israel and recognises that there are others outside our organisational structure who are likewise a legitimate part.
The most active proselytism is in North America and India, with the bulk of membership in Andhra Pradesh State (India) numbering many thousands. The latter is an autonomous region lead by Bishop Vara Prasad in charge of about 40 congregations. There is one organised congregation in the USA with members and investigators scattered throughout the country. There is one congregation in Sweden with members and investigators scattered across the country, and one group in Norway. There is a small group in Slovenia and people scattered in the Ukraine. There are also several autonomous congregations in Africa, principally in Rwanda and Kenya, with members scattered in several other countries. Some former groups in Bulgaria, Moldova and the UK were disbanded prior to the move into Messianism.
For further information, please visit our website at www.nccg.org.
Prepared by the Patriarchate Arvika, Sweden 25 July 2005
Additional information from the NCCG Wiktionary:
Abbreviation for 'New Covenant Church of God', also known as 'B'rit Chadashah Assembly of Yahweh' (BCAY), a Two-House (Ephraim and Judah) 'Messianic Israelite' (as distinct from Messianic Jewish) association of assemblies with international headquarters in Arvika, Sweden, founded in 1996 in Bergen, Norway. Congregations in India, Rwanda, Kenya, USA, Slovenia, Sweden and Norway (as of 2005). A member of the 'Messianic Israel Alliance', currently its only association.
Observes New Covenant Torah (is not Antinomian), the seventh-day solar Sabbath, the 7 Israelite festivals (plus Hanukkah and Purim), and believes in the restoration of Messianic Israel in the Millennium with headquarters in Jerusalem. Sacred Name observant (Yahweh, Yah'shua, Ruach haQodesh), non-Trinitarian, and believes in the Echad Doctrine of Father Yahweh, Son Yah'shua (subordinate to Yahweh but having all authority given to Him) and the Seven-fold female Ruach (Spirit), our Heavenly Mother, who are together the Elohim (God). Rejects Romish practices and terminology (like Christmas, Easter, Sun-day worship, 'God', 'Jesus', etc.). Does not regard the modern 'Republic of Israel' as Biblical Israel (in contradistinction to almost all Messianic Jews and Two-House Messianic Israelites) but as an Edomite counterfeit and precursor to true Israel-to-come, and therefore does not support Zionism or Rabbinical Judaism or their territorial claims.
Practices baptism by full immersion (Mikvah) for believers, Chrism (confirmation), and administers a weekly (on Friday evenings) Lord's Supper (Communion, Eucharist) in addition to the annual Passover (Pesach) observance in the spring. Believes in all the spiritual gifts, including prophecy, speaking foreign languages supernaturally, visions, revelations, etc., but is not 'charismatic' and rejects the ecstatic tongue-speaking of Pentecostals and others. Ministerial officers include Apostles, Evangelists (Sub-apostles), Bishops (Metropolitan Pastors), Pastors, Elders and Deacons. Separate but complimentary ministerial offices for men and women.
The Protestant Bible is the primary canon of scripture with a preference for Hebraic New Testament texts, but also accepts secondary or deutero-canonical writings such as some of the Apocrypha (Ecclesiasticus, Wisdom of Solomon, etc.), epistles of the sub-apostolic fathers (e.g. Clement), portions of the Pseudepigrapha and its own collection of contemporary revelations, visions and prophecies called the 'Olive Branch'. Revelation may be received by anyone provided it is throughly tested through its legistlative bodies.
Lays strong emphasis on holiness (set-apartness) and deliverance ministry and believes the essence of true Christianity to be a balance of personal relationship between believer and Elohim (God), and strong fraternal ties between believers in a spiritual family relationship as the Bride of Messiah as clans within Messianic Israel. The nuclear family is the basic unit of the fellowship but encourages communiatarianism as preparation for anticipated anarchistic times ahead when all NCCG congregations will be disorganised and believers will seek out especially prepared places of refuge called 'firstborn communities'. Believes in interacting with the world prior to the time of world anarchy (the 'Great Tribulation') when for seven years it will isolate itself in a number of internationally scattered communities.
Rejects the commonly held 'rapture' doctrine of Evangelicals (arising from a misconception of the true identity of Israel) and believes the Body of Messiah will pass through the Great Tribulation at which time the world will become a fascist occultic dictatorship paralleling earlier times but especially the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes (in the century before the Christian era).
Does not believe in engaging in secular politics except to defend its liberties when these are threatened (and then only in a limited capacity) but in being a leaven to society through exemplarary Christian living. It is politically neutral. Prefers home education to secular schooling.
Was earlier known as the 'New Covenant Christian Fellowship' (NCCF), also organised in Bergen, Norway, in 1992 before it became Messianic.
SUPPLEMENT (29 March 2006)
NCCG is currently undergoing a major doctrinal review during which time it will be issuing a completely new website to replace the current one at www.nccg.org, though retaining many of the original materials, updated and better integrated. This is in part to standardise doctrinal belief and practice which have evolved since its conversion to Messianism in 1999, and its Gan (Garden) Theology in 2006, but also to simplify what is already a very large and diverse website. NCCG.ORG has not been updated since the summer of 2005 while this revision is made and the new one will probably appear toward the end of 2006. Because of its increasing emphasis on the familial nature of the fellowship and new understandings acquired on the nature and structure of the Messianic Israelite Commonwealth, NCCG/BCAY will assume a more secondary rôle as it becomes increasingly subtended to, and eventually replaced by, a new familial nucleus called Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon.
[edit] Polygamy ...
I'm by no means an expert on this group, but don't they practice a form of Davidian-like polygamy under the guise of "spiritual husbandry?"
NCCG has converted some polygamous people in Kenya who are an autonomous part of the church. Otherwise it is promotes traditional monogamy.
