Please do not be offended if your Group or Organization of the Restoration Movement is not listed here, it is nothing personal, it is a journey of discovery that each person must embark on of their own free will and accord. I may list a few other things here that I have found have some useful resources or insights, however their inclusion here should in no way indicate an endorsement by Rabbi Raphael or Sacred Grove Ministries. As a point in fact the only Restoration Group we will recommend to any seeker is the Mother Church, aka The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as currently led by Russel M. Nelson, his counselors, and the Quorum of the 12 Apostles. Thank your for your understanding.
If you are a member of or an apostle, etc. of a restoration group that is not listed and would like to have your website included in our listing, please do not hesitate to reach out and email us at raphael@sacredgroveministries.org.
Despite the name of this Group(?), they are a relatively new organization, their website has a copyright date of 2024 and their earliest article is a podcast from April 26, 2024. ~ To be fair, the newness of this organization is not a defining trait other than to explain why you may not have heard of it yet...
From their website:
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... to make available clearer expressions of the basic tenets of the Gospel to benefit everyone. To the young adults and those who teach, we offer suggestions to point their personal and prayerful study toward finding truer information and further light and knowledge from God of the higher principles, including the mysteries of Godliness.
Founded in the Year 2000 as a breakaway group from the RLDS church (Now the Community of Christ) in response to the changing winds of doctrine that were being observed (interestingly the year 2000 is also when the RLDS became the CoC).
From their website:
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In April of 2000, a General Conference was held, as called by the current leadership at the time, the Council of High Priests and the church began functioning under the Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. ... The Remnant Church continued to function under their leadership and prepared for a time when a prophet would be brought forth.
Simultaneously, in April of 2000, the World Conference of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints voted to change their name to “Community of Christ”.
Frederick Niels Larsen (grandson of Frederick M. Smith) accepted his calling and was ordained as Prophet and President of the Church at the April 2002 Conference.
Contrary to the first ideas we had when finding this website, it is not inclusive of all the Restoration Movement, rather it is a predecessor to the Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. After reviewing their website, it is obvious that they reject most (if not all of) the teachings of the LDS Church in Utah and its offshoots. Their website states:
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Established in 1995, the Conference of Restoration Elders (“CRE”) is an association of Restoration Branch priesthood striving to support the work of the Restored Gospel. The CRE provides various ministries to the Restoration Branches, including domestic & foreign outreach; women’s, youth, & priesthood ministry; financial ministries; publications & media; joint worship events; and branch priesthood support.
As of 2022, we are undergoing efforts to revive the ministry and support that the CRE can provide to the branches as we see to work toward the Kingdom with one another.
A very interesting restoration movement group that appears to try and follow Torah, but has many teachings we here at Sacred Grove find objectionable, so please use caution and discernment when researching their page. Please also be aware that this site is in no way affiliated with us, nor is it to be viewed as truly "Netzarim" in its teachings, somewhere along the way they have lost themselves in the web of deception, allowing the philosophies of men to corrupt the truths of Torah.
From their website, we can read:
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I believe that Jesus is our Savior. That He called Joseph Smith to translate the Book of Mormon from an ancient record written by ancient prophets. I grew up in the LDS / Brighamite church but after I found out that the LDS / Brighamite church changes doctrines despite the fact they say they don’t, God told me to remove my name from their records.
They also call themselves "The Righteous Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." They are a Restoration group founded by Gerald Peterson, who they believe succeeded Rulon Allred from the AUB as the true prophet. The current leader of the group is Gerald's grandson, Michael Peterson.
They believe in the "one man doctrine" and defer to the "prophet" in all matters in their lives.
They have many reasonably good resources on their Downloads page under "Learn More." Overall we find them to be lovely people who are trying their best to live the United Order and Polygamy, they have a temple in Utah near Cedar City (Shaped like a pyramid) and one in a place they call "Lower Smokey" near the town of Tonopah, Nevada. They call that temple the "Blue Building."
Again, we urge Caution and Discernment.
From their webpage:
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"We consist of a small group of everyday people who love the Lord and want to keep ALL of his commandments, not just those that are convenient. We love the Book of Mormon, The Bible, The Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price. We believe in Prophets and Apostles, priesthood authority, continued revelations and miracles, and we especially believe in the Atonement of Jesus Christ."
Discernment is always recommended but these guys are pretty spot on most things.
Their Facebook page tells us:
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The Church of the Firstborn is the Church of God the Father! It is a Family Order wherein men and women are Patriarchs and Matriarchs to their family kingdoms, in a Grand Patriarchal Organization that extends back to Father Adam and Mother Eve.
The Patriarchal Keys to establish the Church of the Firstborn on Earth were secretly restored by Heavenly Messengers in the Kirtland Temple (D&C 110).
...
Even though the Council of Fifty eventually fell into oblivion, in fulfillment of prophecy, this Patriarchal Priesthood was preserved through a secret lineage (D&C 86), to come forth when the Times of the Gentiles would be fulfilled (D&C 45, 3 Nephi 16), and has been passed down to the present day to us!
Another Restorationist movement - the Continuation of the Rigdonites who landed in Pennsylvania. They Believe that Rigdon was the 1st Counselor to Joseph Smith Jr. and not Brigham Young, the president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was the true successor to Joseph Smith Jr.
Again we urge Caution and Discernment.
On their website, we can read:
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The Church of Jesus Christ will teach the Gospel to all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things commanded by Jesus Christ, while working to draw Israel to Christ through efforts focused on the indigenous peoples of North, Central, and South America.
What is the "restored gospel" or the "restoration of the gospel"?
Before the restoration was the apostasy. This was a departure from the true doctrine established by Jesus Christ, requiring God to retract His priesthood authority from the earth. The Restoration restored the Church as a facsimile of doctrine and ordinances as established by Jesus Christ, with the return of the priesthood authority. (Revelation 14:6-7)
Not a Restoration Group, but rather a forum of communication for all the groups to come together and fellowship and learn from each other.
From their Website:
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"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a vibrant religious tradition with a diverse membership that has widely differing needs. For many Latter-day Saints, one of these needs is free and frank exploration of gospel truths as they relate to the complexities of today’s society. Some crave stimulating discussions of contemporary scholarship, literature, and social issues. Others find great comfort being able to read, hear, and share personal faith journeys, including all their twists and turns and occasional uncertainties. Through its many forums, Sunstone serves these Latter-day Saints and many others for whom life and faith is a wonderful but unique adventure. Sunstone brings together traditional and non-traditional Latter-day Saints, promoting an atmosphere that values faith, intellectual and experiential integrity. Sunstone is an independent organization, and does not have any official ties to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."
The Followers of the so-called Prophet Denver Snuffer, the self-styled "One Mighty and Strong."
To say approach with EXTREME CAUTION would be an understatement. There is some value in some of the work he has done in the Restoration movement. His republication of the Restoration Scriptures is interesting, especially since much has been removed and very little restored, though he has put his own work in as scripture in the "Teachings and Commandments" which replaces the "Doctrine and Covenants."
We include his website here to show that we are not willing to allow False Prophets to lead astray the people of our God. If you do decide to look into his work further, be aware that he is a wolf in sheep's clothing. He sets himself up as a true prophet while disregarding the prophets of the restoration anytime they disagree with him and setting aside entire scriptures because he knows more than they do.
EXTREME CAUTION!!!
It is possible that this article from the LDS Mother church was written about Snuffer... https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/si/questions/false-revelation-gospel-extremism?lang=eng
On their website, we can read:
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At Living Hope Restoration Branch, we have a simple hope: to see people come to know Jesus Christ and grow in their Christian faith. We help spread God's good news here in our hometown and throughout the world, and we pray that God will continue to use our congregation.
Whether you've been attending church for years or haven't stepped into a sanctuary in decades, we hope you'll come and join us Sunday if you're looking for a church in our hometown.
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No matter what your Christian background is (or isn't), we hope you'll join us on Sunday. Here at Living Hope Restoration Branch, you'll find people of all sizes, stripes and colors, and we welcome everyone--including you. Our services start at 9:00 and 10:30 a.m. every Sunday.
If you know of more or other ones that I have not listed, please send us an email with the details @ raphael@sacredgroveministries.org be sure to include a website or Facebook link so we can connect to them.