WHAT IS THE FAMILY OF GOD?

 

The Family of God is a truly universal religion which unites and brings together from time to time in spiritual, social, and fraternal familyhood all God-believers and religions on earth.

 

It is an interfaith fellowship inherent in the end times message of final deliverance presented by the latter day Prophet, Elijah the Third.

 

Elijah teaches that in the decade of the 1990s a world crisis, the culmination of a nuclear war, will necessitate the evacuation by angels of all the members of this, God’s family here, regardless of religious affiliation, to an emergency evacuation world called GRACELAND, PARADISE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.

 

THE LOST TEACHINGS OF JESUS

 

Elijah reveals that some of Jesus’ teachings became lost to the world -- and one was the fact that every human being on earth is AUTOMATICALLY indwelt by an actual fragment of God, the Universal Father.

 

Genuine faith in this Piece of the Eternal God inside each of us confers upon us eternal life, and the fact of sonship or daughterhood with God -- membership in the Divine Family on earth.

 

Thus, regardless of one’s religious affiliation, or non-affiliation, whether Catholic, Jew, Protestant, Moslem, Buddhist, or so on we are all bona fide members of God’s earth family - The Family of God.

 

THE UNIFYING ASPECTS OF GRACELAND

 

In the glorious day of our deliverance to GRACELAND, eventually returning to the NEW EARTH, there shall be no desire for Intolerance, interreligious barriers, or spiritual pride among differing religions in the redeemed mortals of earth.

 

In joyous recognition of the unity of the God who -rescued them, on a day of darkness and gloom, these people will naturally crave mutual togetherness, tolerance, forgiveness, love and spiritual oneness in God’s family, especially when it comes to worship.

 

In GRACELAND, individual religions may continue to operate as here on earth, and as their adherents’ desire, but there shall also be a new universal religion, and that’s the Family of God. The same Family of God which has now begun to organize and operate on earth in anticipation of that day of the final deliverance of all humankind.

 

Thus it can be seen that, in the eyes of the Family of God, all religions and their adherents are welcome, and are deemed to be affiliated with the Family of God, solely by their acknowledgment of a belief in God, whether monotheistic, or trinitarian, focused, or diffused.

 

UNITY, NOT UNIFORMITY

 

Wherefore, in taken of this natural craving for spiritual unity in universal religious worship, does the Family of God maintain the diversity of all its associated religions and adherents.

 

Sectarianism shall be replaced instead by the adventure and joy of discovering and celebrating the different beliefs which others hold to, and this cross-fertilization of all religions, in the hearts and minds of the redeemed children of God.

 

All religions of earth contain some truth. And there is not a single religion here that could not benefit from exposure to the highest of truths in all other belief systems in our planetary heritage.

 

You see, God’s family on earth and in GRACELAND, is really an invisible spiritual union of God oriented souls, regardless of honest intellectual, or individual differences of faith, or belief about how that God Is to be approached or served.

 

And that is why any religious group, including the Family of God, is merely the social and material shadow of that more enduring and higher spiritual union of God-knowing souls.

 

Human families are united. by genetics ---a common bloodline -- extending outward in consanguineous clans, and socially in diverse neighborhoods, towns, provinces or states, and eventually embracing whole racial groups and nations.”

 

The Divine Family realizes its common unity in the Indwelling Presence inside all of us, of this actual living fragment of Primal Deity, God, the Universal Father.

 

Human lives, religions, churches, mosques and temples on earth, are all temporal -- they flash by in the inexorable flow of time, and are all eventually reduced to dust --they are merely the stop-moments of eternity. But our spiritual family, here and on high, is eternal, ever-ascending to the very God from which came the wonderful Father-fragments inside each of us.

 

TEMPLES OF THE UNIVERSAL FATHER

 

The Family of God in your community is to be found in a Temple of the Universal Father. Sometimes these are known simply as the Temples of the Father, the Father’s Temples, or Family of God Temples.

 

These Temples are organized, funded, designed, built, operated and governed by local constituent founders and members in your community. If there is no Family of God Temple in your community, you may write to the Elijah Ministry for assistance and suggestions on forming your own organizing committee. The address is at the end of this brochure.

 

Each Temple may voluntarily affiliate with the worldwide organization of Temples, which is currently focused at the school of the Prophet, Elijah the Third, the Center for the Comparative Study of Religion, located at a site not yet announced.

 

In addition, the Elijah Ministry provides spiritual and pastoral assistance to your Temple, if desired, in the form of one or more Latter Day Apostles of Jesus.

 

This multi-lingual, multi-cultural, and worldwide-serving group of missionary ministers of truth, is open equally to both sexes, and is trained in all aspects of multi-religious pastoral work at Elijah’s School.

 

Family of God Temples are open to all regardless of race, creed color, economic caste, nationality, or any feature which tends to discrimination. “Whosoever will, may come.”

 

The only real requirements for your sincere participation, is your faith in God, and love for all your brothers and sisters in God’s earth Family.

 

FAMILY OF GOD WORSHIP SERVICES

 

The worship services in the Temples of the Universal Father are rooted in the fact that in GRACELAND, there will, be a natural tendency for the redeemed children of God from earth, to worship together in a non-sectarian fashion, all comers mindful of their common cosmic heritage, this Indwelling Presence of God Himself, in each man, woman, and child.

 

Yet nonetheless, the style and celebration of the worship services provided ought to recognize all their rich and diverse theological backgrounds.

 

Jesus taught that religious diversity betokens not disunity and competition, but rather the gladsome multiform mosaic of the individuality of God’s myriad children living happily and merrily in the shadow of HIS ABSOLUTE UNITY!

 

Accordingly, the Family of God conserves, celebrates, and presents in its worship services, the highest of the truths, and sometimes the precise rituals, of all the great world religions.

 

Committees of ministers and adherents of all faiths are invited to participate and assist the Latter Day Apostles of Jesus, in the selection of liturgies and sacred scriptures from their religion, on which will-focus a particular Family of God worship service.

 

On one occasion you may learn about the Jewish High Holy Days or Feasts, on another, the Moslem sacred month of Ramadan and its special observances, on another, you may witness a con-celebrated High Mass of the Roman Catholic Church, on another, learn about the role and function of fire in Zoroastrianism, and on yet another observe the unique quietude that marks a Quaker worship service.

 

Selected readings, teachings, liturgies, and other revelations from the great religions of earth are read from time to time.

 

THE RELIGION OF DINING

 

This interfaith celebration is enhanced by a unique feature of the Temples of the Universal Father. And that is the emphasis on the good fellowship of relaxed dining together.

 

Jesus’ Last Supper with his Apostles was also the last worship service he ever conducted on earth. And such a venue was not accidental -- he quite deliberately intended something thereby.

 

Jesus found, when he came to earth, that religion, up to that time had been a pretty serious business of fear, atonement, sacrifice, taboos, fetishes, piety, ritual -- the devout worship and prayer of solemn assemblies and observances.

 

While he knew that -peoples’ natural awe for God evoked such reactions, he also desired that humans come to learn that his Father’s domains were not really so much King, Kingdom, and Subjects, Rather, it was the realm of a merciful, forgiving, and gracious Father, and thus His happy family on earth engaged in the joy of natural family fellowship.

 

Wherefore, are you encouraged to come and EAT with others, at the Family of God Temples.

 

Food service is provided during the day, and a candlelight Messianic Banquet Dinner generally caps off Sunday evenings. The food is inexpensive, and the milieu of dining and conversing with your brothers and sisters, the other earth children of God whom you may not have yet met, is joyous, fraternal and enriching.

 

Often, the Messianic Banquet is linked by satellite broadcast with the central Temple at Elijah’s School, where many an interesting visitor is occasionally entertained.

 

These evening banquets foreshadow the great Messianic Banquets of your future days in GRACELAND. In fact, Jesus prophesied the days of these Banquets when he said: “And men will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God.” (Luke-13:29 RSV)

 

THE FAMILY OF GOD AND YOUR RELIGION

 

Religions are generally exclusive -- you must agree to believe precisely what is taught, or you may not join.

 

As a universal religion, the Family of God is inclusive -- all beliefs which recognize God, and all adherents thereof, are welcome to come, without any formal membership requirements,-- just as the Eternal God receives you into His heavenly Family, by your faith alone.

 

The Family of God does not seek to be a narrow sect, denomination, religion, or cult in its own right.

 

When one wishes to practice one’s faith, one goes to one’s church, synagogue, mosque or so on. When one wishes to share inter-religious fellowship, and learn about other religions, one goes to a Family of God Temple. And attendance there is never mandatory.

 

No one is ever to be required nor encouraged to give up the one, in order to do the other. Wherefore are activities in the Temples of the Universal Father, including food services, generally spread out through the entire day, and into the evening hours.

 

Dual-, or even multi-faith membership, as the individual chooses, is acceptable to the Family of God. And all this is fostered in good faith -- one is never lured, pressured, intimidated, led, persuaded, manipulated, converted, nor encouraged in any way to forsake his or her present religious practice or affiliation, in order to join the Family of, God instead.

 

JOINING A TEMPLE OF THE UNIVERSAL FATHER

 

On the other-hand, if you are not a member of any religious faith, or if you have already left a previous faith, and are seeking something to belong to, you may join the Family of God, if you wish, and have your name placed on its membership rolls.

 

Furthermore, unless your present faith prohibits it, you may choose to hold simultaneous membership in both your present religion, and the Family of God.

 

To thus join the Family of God, you are requested to voluntarily accept only two Articles of Faith, and to engage in one solemn act.

 

You will be asked to affirm:

 

A. I promise to love God, the Head of our Family, with all my heart and soul; and

 

B. I promise to love my brothers and sisters on earth, as myself.

 

These were Jesus’ new positive commandments of love, in lieu of the previous ten negative commandments of Moses -- “thou shalt nots.”

 

Then, you will be asked to solemnly pledge an oath of allegiance and faith in God, as follows:

 

“Father, I promise not to disappoint you. I believe in Your Indwelling Presence inside me, making me Your son or daughter in our cosmic Family. And I look forward with joy to eternal life and salvation, eventually to stand before You. Amen.”

 

Such a faith-son or faith-daughter is then deemed to be a full-fledged member of the Family of God -- his or her name added to its rolls.

 

Elijah the Third also teaches that such a voluntary act is noted on high as well, and constitutes for that individual the First of Seven Jubilees of Time. The Second Jubilee is constituted in your awakening in the next life to continue the ascent to--God, and the next Five Jubilees. Then come the Jubilees of Eternity!

 

This consciousness of the Indwelling Presence of an actual PIECE OF GOD inside you, is the “New Covenant,” which the Hebrew Prophets, Ezekiel and Jeremiah promised so long ago, and which Elijah the Third proclaims today.

 

Ezekiel wrote: “And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them.” (Ezekiel 11:19 RSV) In these prophetic words, one can see the modern coming together of all God’s children on earth, to celebrate the Familyhood, in joyous anticipation of our nearing Day of Deliverance.

 

The ancient Jews knew only of an external written Law, the first five books or “Pentateuch” of the Old Testament, the “Torah,” which Moses told them had come from God.

 

But Jeremiah promised of this very day in our modern lives: “I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts.” (Jeremiah 31:33 RSV)

 

The Family of God as described herein is really how Jesus wanted HIS religion to unfold on earth -- group worship, amidst religious diversity and tolerance.

 

FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE FAMILY OF GOD

 

Financial support for the Family of God is similarly never mandatory. But it is welcome and essential.

 

And adherents of both one’s own faith, and the Family of God, should have no more concern about supporting both institutions, than they would, say, about supporting both the muscular dystrophy society, and the cancer society.

 

A mature cosmic citizen in this Creation is never motivated by any sense of obligation, when it comes to supporting religious enterprises, but rather by ethics, love, gratitude, and responsibility to God: “How can I take so much, even eternal life itself, and give little or nothing in return?”

 

Elijah the Third teaches that everything one has in the world -- house, car, money, even the clothes on one’s back -- all belong to God.

 

You are merely the steward of that portion of God’s bounty, wealth, and increase, as chances to come into your possession during your lifetime.

 

And the proof is: you shall take not one cent, nor one possession, to GRACELAND, nor into the heavenly Kingdom, upon your death.

 

Be therefore, a wise, prudent, generous steward!

 

TEMPLES ARE FAMILY-ORIENTED

 

Elijah the Third’s mission includes the rejuvenation and strengthening of the family, as well as the awakening in all of us of the consciousness of God’s Worldwide Family and coming Kingdom.

 

Family of God Sunday activities are naturally, therefore, family oriented.

 

In addition to the diverse worship services, and unique dining experience already described, you will likely also find scripture study groups, informal religious’ discussion groups, parental and child culture sharing sessions, pre-marital training groups, childrens’ activities, including baby-sitting, play, Sunday-School, cubs, scouts, brownies, or girl guides organizations, videotape presentations on religious, or near-religious topics, or cultural activities like choir, musical practice or presentations, art, as well as other pleasant recreational activities.

 

The aim is to create wholesome and day-long varied family programs for those so inclined, or segments which may be individually attended, as each family or individual wishes, throughout the day and evening. And all this punctuated by periodic food breaks together, as a happy Family of God.

 

Copies of this pamphlet are available from, and you may obtain information about forming your own temple organizing committee from:

 

Elijah Ministry

 

[Apologies for any remaining scan/ocr errors. –Norm]