The Third Testament
The followers of William Branham refer to themselves as being in The Message. However, this is not a homogeneous group. There are many sub-cults within the cult that is the Message. This article is one in a series on the sub-sects that comprise the Message - you are currently on the topic that is in bold:
- Don Parnell and the Third Testament
- Golden Dawn Tabernacle
- Lee Vayle and the Parousia
- Returned Ministry
The "Third Testament" movement is a sub-cult within the message. Members of this group, follow the teachings of Donald Kinnard Parnell, refer to themselves as "Third Coming Believers".
Don Parnell leads this new cult through the Third Testament Assembly (formerly Lighthouse Christian Fellowship) in Dayton, Ohio and has proclaimed himself to be the “Chief Whitestone” or the “Eighth Messenger” that was to come.
He also has announced that he is the fulfillment to William Branham's prophecy that he would "ride this trail again" in a bizarre revelation that he refers to as the “Two Angels Connection”. Parnell since William Branham is off the scene, the commission of forerunning the Second Coming of the Lord is already over when he died and so he has replaced him now as the messenger for the Third Coming of the Lord.
Parnell teaches that the “Rapture” took place in 1963 and that his followers are now living in the Millennium. They also believe that Jesus returned in his “Third Coming” in 1963 and that He is now reigning on the earth with a rod of iron.
Similar to the Jehovah's Witnesses, Pernellians believe that Jesus returned invisibly (in a "theophany") and do not believe that Jesus will ever return in a corporal body. Again, similar to the Watchtower Society, they believe that Jesus never experienced a bodily resurrection. Rather they view the flesh of Jesus as a brute beast which is no different from an animal as it is composed of the same 16 elements that we have. And as such, Jesus is considered by them to be a mere mortal man with a serpentine nature, and thus, His “flesh and blood” cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.
Furthermore, they believe that their physical bodies are the “earth” where Jesus is reigning now, and the Vitamin “E” in their blood is the “iron” in which He is ruling it with.
Those who would not agree with their doctrines are considered by them to be “ashes” under their feet and are tagged by them as people who are now living under the Great Tribulation, for these people are wailing, and weeping and gnashing their teeth in defiance of their new-found thinking.
Quotes of Don Parnell
The following are excerpts from a "visitation" that Don Parnell claims to have experienced on April 11, 2002 in New York City:
- Brother Branham came to me at approximately 11:00 p.m. When I looked at the clock afterwards it was 5:05 a.m. The 6th dimension opened up to me and I was able to look into it and talk with the prophet as he said many things to me.
- ...I turned and seen our prophet in a young mans body preaching to whoever was in the other dimension. He was preaching strongly concerning the change from the Theophany and how they were to put on their glorified body. I was amazed as I actually seen him preaching faith to them.
- He was teaching them how to come back and pick up their piece of earth from the dust and glorify it. Brother Branham screamed out to them, “It is one thing to lay down a corruptible body and change to your real spirit, but it is another thing altogether to go back and pick up that dust and put it back on again in a glorified condition”. I came to the sudden realization that I had crossed the dimensional lines and caught a glimpse of what is being preached to them. It wasn’t a place of unbelief at all. It was a teaching reign, a complete dimension given to learning in the Theophany or celestial realms.
- ...I watched him change and travel into my thoughts as I fainted. He stayed in my mind in that form and began talking with me on many things. After some time I came to myself and when I opened my eyes I was face down on the floor exactly as I had fainted. From the corner of my eye I saw the Theophany form leave my mind and change, or shape itself into another form, as it moved across the room. The halo had now become a man and was sitting in the chair. I sat up in the floor and looked at the table where he was sitting in the chair. He had changed from the halo form to his look at the age of his death, an older man. He said, “Welcome back Brother Parnell” and I knew right away that he knew me.
- ...Below is the account of his preaching, and my questions answered, as he visited me on this occasion. I tried to document as many things as I could but it was 6 hours in that dimension and I know that many things will come to me later as I’m sure I’ve missed some of what was said. This undoubtedly is the single most traumatic event in my life. I’ve had many visitations and visions but not for 6 hours duration.
- ...Adam formed the animals until he formed one to almost perfection, a serpent.
- ...Adam called the serpent before him and judged the entire matter. The curse had already set in on the earth and Adam knew that the authority was diminishing. He declared that the woman would bring forth children in sorrow, the earth was cursed and would bring forth thorns and thistles, every thing would die before a day had transpired. Then he turned to the serpent and said, “I’m the one that formed you and now I will change every bone in your body and put you in a condition to where you will never do this again. Adam changed the body of the serpent to what it is today.
- ...Brother Branham then said the reason he was teaching me this is to reveal to me that we have the same authority today and we are changing the elements of the earth as we push the message towards its final destination.
- ...I realized that from the day of our new birth we are a cursed man hanging on a tree of crucifixion between the sex birth and the new birth. We get down off of the cursed tree when we lay down our flesh and blood system that gives the devil access.
- ...Brother Branham told me to go back and tell the people that their sin is no more, to rejoice and stand justified before their God. He told me to tell them that he had talked with me and had given these things to me.
- ...Brother Branham told me that he had met my angel and he was the one who controls the elements of the earth. He said that my ministry was changing and will be about changing the elements, while revealing to the people that they already have the power and are wearing it as we would wear a coat. ...He said for me to quit worrying about my flesh that it was perfect and the body that I now have will bring the Lord Jesus back to earth again.
- ...Brother Branham said he had seen the ministry and we are completing the vision of Africa.