Portal:Controversies

William Branham, his message and the followers of his message are not without controversy.

The following is not an inclusive list and, if there is something that you feel should be dealt with on this page or information that will bring greater accuracy or clarity to this information, please contact us.

Why Are These Controversies Showing Up Now?

There are a number of factors that have allowed research to be carried out now that was incredibly difficult only a few years ago. These include things such as:

1. word and phrase search functionality for the Bible on the internet (do a search for "in the name of"--- very informative, particularly the OT scriptures).
2. word and phrase search functionality for the message AND an affordable way for all households to access all of the message.
3. multiple researchers who have published articles/books/videos showing issues with the message (it's much harder to ignore or discredit a multitude of voices). This has caused other people to add to the research, increasing the amount of objective information on the message.
4. google (search engines used to be MUCH harder to us
5. email (instant communication)
6. unlimited long distance (remember the days of itemized telephone bills?)
7. Skype (some people are much easier to get to know when you see their faces than when you merely read their typed words.
8. the perspective of time - we can see the fruits of the Message movement over time.

External Controversies

The Hagin Prophecy

Did Kenneth Hagin and Anna Schrader predict William Branham’s death in 1964? This question is addressed in the article on the Hagin Prophecy.

Controversies Relating Directly to William Branham

Visions that were Unfulfilled, Incorrect or Changed Over Time

• The Municipal Bridge Vision
• The Vision of the Meetings in South Africa
• The Brown Bear Vision
• The Voice on the Ohio River in 1933
• The 1933 Prophecies
  • Franklin D. Roosevelt
  • Mussolini invades Ethiopia
  • Hitler and WWII
  • Russia and the three ...isms
  • Driverless Cars
  • Morality
  • Rise of a Woman in America
  • America in Ashes
• Rattlesnake Mesa
• Destruction of Los Angeles
• Heavenly Vision
• The Pillar of Fire
• The Marilyn Monroe Vision
• The Tent Vision

The problem with unfulfilled visions is that they are directly in conflict with Deut. 18:21–22 which states:

And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

One symptom of Cognitive dissonance show itself in the existence of the The Returned Ministry Sect.

The Credibility of William Branham

• Plagiarism
• Roy Davis
• The Cloud
• The Explanation for His Poor Grammar
• 1933 Ohio River Experience
• Prophecy of the Cloud

Doctrinal Controversies/Questions

Doctrinal issues directly relating to William Branham's teachings are detailed on our page - Doctrinal Issues

Controversies Relating to Followers of the Message

The Doctrine of Progressive Revelation

What is the doctrine of Progressive Revelation? Is it supportable from scripture?

The Credibility of Message Ministers

A number of message ministers have been plagued by scandal. Here is a message minister that is know for embellishing stories to the point where they are no longer true. Sound familiar?

Sects within the Message

The followers of the message of William Branham are not a united group. There are varying interpretations which have formed into sub-sects or denominations within the message. These subgroups have little or nothing to do with anyone in other message subgroups. Some of these sects would be considered Christian in a broad sense while others can only be considered cultic and Christian in name only as their beliefs have significantly departed from those of the Bible in critical areas.

The underlying theme of most of these subgroups is very similar to that of the message itself - if you do not believe the "special revelation" that the specific subgroup holds, then you are not part of the "true bride" and you will not participate in the rapture. Those outside of a subgroup are viewed by the members of that subgroup as "foolish virgins" or "pentecostals", a derogatory term used by many followers of the message.

• Returned Ministry - Believing that William Branham will return to fulfill those visions that remained unfulfilled at his death
• Josephism - Believing that Joseph Branham is a prophet carrying on the works of his father.
• Christ Branham or Diety - Believing that William Branham was God in flesh.
• Jospeh Diety - Believing that Joseph Branham is God in flesh.
• The Seven Thunders - followers of Joseph Coleman
• Vaylism - followers of Lee Vayle, although some of these have gone of on a separate tangent, such as the followers of Terry Sproule in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (who originally were followers of Lee Vayle). Lee Vayle taught a number of controversial doctrines including the Parousia doctrine and the denial of the deity of Jesus Christ.

...the church has made the great mistake in making Jesus equal to God — which he is in a certain way — but he’s not God. He’s not Deity. I’m sorry, but he’s not, because God is not in him. No way. What God was in him is not Deity, same as what God is in you is not Deity, concerning Deity Himself, which is Sovereign God and Creator and Maintainer. (Lee Vayle, Godhead: Tape #1500/11-05-2000, Godhead Q&A #4: Tangibility of God)

Additionally, there are a number of individual churches that espouse the message but would be considered cultic or cult-like because of their Sociopathic Leadership. These would include:

• Cloverdale Bibleway, Surrey, BC, Canada
• Golden Dawn Tabernacle, Tucson, AZ, USA
• Word of Life Tabernacle, Edmonton, AB, Canada