By Lonnie Davis and Claire Borowik
Presented at the annual conference of CESNUR-Center for Studies on New Religions
Salt Lake City, Utah, June 20-23, 2002

Throughout its 33-year history, the Family [now the Family International, formerly known as the Children of God] has been an innovative religious movement, and the years from 1992 to 2002 were no exception. In his recent research on the Family, Dr. William Sims Bainbridge, Deputy Director, Division of Information and Intelligent Systems, National Science Foundation (NSF), offers the following observation of this era of Family history:

In the years after second generation members reached adulthood, and the charismatic founder passed away, we would expect the Family to have settled into a static culture, yet it continues to innovate at a rapid pace. The Family is creative in overcoming adversity and it has shown a remarkable capacity for constant revolution. The Family is like an expedition, exploring new areas of human experience that may eventually come to be of great value for conventional society. (Endtime 172)

David Brandt Berg (1919-1994), founder of the Family, also known as "Dad" or "Father David" to its members, was a strong proponent of innovation. As Family administrator Peter Amsterdam recalls:

Dad was constantly seeking ways to improve things, and would change almost anything if it would make things better for others. This especially held true when there were areas of improvement needed in the Family. He would go to any lengths to make conditions better. When he saw a need, he acted on it, and didn't let up until it had been remedied. As Dad said, "God moves. He is a moving God. He is never still. He is always doing, going, saying, effecting change in every sphere of creation. ("Forward," par. 2)

This hallmark of Father David's leadership has been carried over by his wife and successor, Maria, and her new husband, Peter Amsterdam, current administrators of the Family. Regarding this transition in leadership and Father David's continuing role via messages received in prophecy from "beyond the veil," Peter explains:

Knowing that God is a moving God, and that Dad, someone who loved change, is now helping us from behind the scenes in the spirit world, we can certainly expect that the Lord will continue to help us to move, grow, progress, and change. We believe that the Lord took Dad so he could help us in an even greater way from the halls of Heaven: so he could help usher in the wonderful things that the Lord has planned for His Family. ("Forward," par. 3)

The focus of this paper will be the numerous shifts that have taken place in this transitional period, both within the Family's governing structure, as well as its methods of evangelism to those outside its communities.

The Family has undergone significant change since the death of Father David [in 1994]. Prior to his passing, The Love Charter [the Family's constitution] had been formulated, which was adopted shortly thereafter. This led to a shift from a tighter leadership structure to greater local autonomy, with each community electing its own overseers and enacting what some religious scholars have termed a "democratization process." Under this new structure, Family ministries expanded vastly and every sphere of Family life was modified.

This led to a new leadership structure that was introduced in the year 2000 and fully implemented in 2002. This structure was enacted in part to address a series of new challenges that emerged after the Charter had been in operation for several years. We will discuss some of the spiritual growth the Family has undergone, which has led to a deeper understanding and implementation of many core beliefs introduced by Father David.

In order to better understand the evolution of the Family during these years, it seems important to also briefly discuss the period of persecution and/or governmental intervention that occurred during the early 1990s, as these prompted significant change in the Family, moving it from a more insular approach to an interactive one with society at large, notably with social scientists and religious freedom activists, as well as leading the Family to take a role in the promotion of human rights for minority religions. To document these changes we will use the Family's own publications, as well as scholarly studies that have been conducted over this time period.

A Period of Crisis: Persecution in Australia, France, and Argentina
(1992-1993)
A period of intense persecution began in 1992 for Family communities in several countries around the world, leading to highly orchestrated assaults involving detractors, anti-"cult" movements, media, and law enforcement agencies. In commenting on the persecutions undergone by the Family, Bainbridge states:

Near the end of the second Millennium of Christianity, grave doubts existed about the future of faith in Jesus. Materialism in America and atheistic ideologies in Europe eroded religion. Science was claiming ever more of the territory of knowledge for its own, leaving little scope for faith. Fundamentalists and Evangelicals fought the good fight but failed to offer a distinctly new vision of God capable of conquering the brave new world of secularism. A few tiny religious movements challenged the status quo, notably the controversial "Family" or "Children of God." About the size Christianity was at the time of the crucifixion, it promises religious innovation as well as revival, if only it can survive the persecutions. Throughout its history the Family has had its fair share of persecution from different sectors of society. This is not surprising when one takes into account the high tension with the surrounding sociocultural environment experienced by the Family. The Family's countercultural history reveals its own opposition to some conventional institutions. (Endtime 1)

The Family holds as a fundamental tenet that all who believe in Christ and practice His mandates will suffer persecution. As Jesus foretold, "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you" (John 15:19-20 KJV). Also, "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12 KJV).

Although Family members were cognizant of the fact that persecution could occur at any given time, the intensity and frequency of persecution during the early '90s came as a surprise and shock to most Family members.¹ Family communities underwent extensive paramilitary-style raids in Australia, France, and Argentina. Though the specific details of these raids differ, the pattern was very similar. At each of the Homes, scores of policemen entered forcefully, accompanied by child protection agency representatives and the media. Shocked and bewildered mothers and fathers were ordered not to interfere as authorities cold-heartedly awoke and rounded up hundreds of Family children, in some cases at gunpoint, snatching them from their beds and out of their mothers' arms and hauling them away in buses and vans to undisclosed locations.

After each of the sensationalized raids and subsequent "legal" actions that the Family was subjected to, the courts clearly vindicated the Family of all wrongdoing, even decrying the horrific treatment of Family members and the violation of their rights. Some were deeply disturbed by the paramilitary-style action taken against the group without any evidence to support the allegations of wrongdoing, as is evidenced in their rulings. As Dr. James T. Richardson, Professor of Sociology and Judicial Studies at University of Nevada, Reno, stated:

Allegations of child abuse are powerful, and their effect can be quite punitive, especially if the claims are made in a situation where there is preexisting animosity toward a new religion. The effect on the targeted group can be devastating. Once children are removed by the state and their parents arrested, the group has little recourse but to allocate all available resources to fighting the charges in an effort to regain the children and release the adults from prison. The raids on the Family are an interesting test case for this new strategy to combat NRMs. None of the Family's children taken in the several raids became permanent wards of the state, because evidence of abuse was lacking. This development was not anticipated by the government child care functionaries and police authorities who directed and participated in the raids or by the anti-cult leaders who were involved in promoting the raids.

In 1993, for example, the judges in Barcelona, Spain, alluded to the government action being reminiscent of the "Spanish Inquisition" and the "concentration camps of those former empires that ceased to be so when human dignity brought down the Berlin Wall." When the government appealed this ruling to the Supreme Court of Spain, it was rejected. The Supreme Court stated:

We find ourselves in the presence of a community of people, made up of adults and children, who have adopted a lifestyle that differs from the generally accepted norms. Not a single element is found that could allow us to declare the existence of any intention to hurt their children or the other children of the community. Judges cannot enter into the sanctuary of personal beliefs, except when external behaviors originating from a particular ideology negatively affect legally protected rights. (Appeal 3032/93)

In Melbourne, Australia, on April 27, 1993, Senior Children's Court Magistrate Gregory Levine warned against using child protection laws as a pretext to harass small religious groups such as the Family:

In my view, it was not envisioned by the legislature that all such groups, organizations or sects should have their children made the subject of protection applications as a form of class action. It must be of concern that this form of inquiry may set a precedent for the bringing of protection applications in relation to other sects whose practices and beliefs do not appear to accord with mainstream thinking.

The Federal Appeals Court of San Martin, Argentina, on December 13, 1993, meted out harsh words for the investigating judge in a lower court over his prejudiced mishandling of the case:

It is evident that an illegal investigation violating the clear rules of public order has been initiated. This manner of proceeding represents an arbitrary use of penal power, by removing the case from the framework of rationality inherent in the fundamental right of the defense to a proper trial. This panorama puts in evidence an anachronistic continuation of the most severe system of inquisition, one in which people were summoned only to confess their sins, being considered "witches" or "heretics." (Case 81/89)

In conclusion, the Argentine magistrates make a resounding statement regarding the importance of preserving religious liberty:

By adopting intolerant attitudes based exclusively on ethical perfectionism, we allow penal punishment to enter the realm of individual privacy and open the door to a subtle form of authoritarianism; especially when freedom of belief and the liberty to express that belief are restricted. By no means can a judge meddle in the evaluation of that which is thought to be correct morally, politically and/or religiously. (Case 81/89)

As one Argentine journalist lamented in the aftermath:

Those implicated in this judicial operation have been portrayed as fanatical and depraved. However, once they are acquitted, the press will pretend not to notice! This habit of provoking the judgment and condemnation of the public through sensationalist media coverage distorts the judicial principle of the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. (Nuñez)

There has been little regard for the heart-wrenching and traumatizing effects that such violent separations from their parents and loved ones have had on Family children. Rarely has the press publicized the legal vindication of the Family, despite having had the original allegations and intrusive actions of law enforcement occupy front-page headlines for days during and after the raids. As Dr. J. Gordon Melton, director of the Institute for the Study of American Religion commented in his paper entitled, "Self-Consciousness in the Study of New Religions":

There is a lesson to be learned when we compare the media coverage with the court record of, for example, the Scientologists, the Family, the International Church of Christ, and the [Hare] Krishnas. The Family's cases are most illuminating. It faced seven major cases in seven countries. In the end, the cases actually benefited the Family and have made them all but judgment proof against any future court action.

Despite the enormous difficulties and setbacks such persecutions represented, the Family has been able to cull many valuable lessons from these experiences that have contributed toward growth in the movement. Maria stated in June 1992:

We can certainly see now why He [Jesus] wants us to stand up and fight for His Truth and get on the attack and take the initiative instead of just being on the defensive. It's serving so many wonderful purposes, a major one being that we're being forced to get all kinds of new statements and other articles prepared for the Family's use. In these new pubs we're codifying and consolidating our beliefs so that the Family will be better able to speak with one voice and give a clear ringing testimony to the public as to where we stand. ("Endure," par. 3)

The string of persecutions the Family underwent in the early 1990s set the pace for the rapid growth and transition the movement was to experience over the next decade. The raids and their aftermath, as well as a lengthy custody case conducted in England², led to a period of self-examination, reviewing of Family policies, guidelines, lifestyle, and interaction vis-à-vis society at large (particularly professionals studying new religions, law enforcement, human rights and religious freedom activists, the legal community, etc.). The Family became aware of and active in the religious freedom arena in many countries, as well as participating in media interviews, academic studies, documentaries, and government events relating to new religious movements. Thus, the movement shifted from a more insular approach, taken largely in response to the surge of anti-cult activity in the aftermath of the Jonestown tragedy, to one of taking great pains to articulate its beliefs and to provide those outside the movement with a better grasp of its doctrine and lifestyle.

In commenting on the greater "openness" that came about in this period, Bozeman observed:

The police raids thus resulted in a drastic change of policy: the Family, rather than trying to flee, chose instead to retain lawyers to defend the right to practice their way of life. At the same time the Family began to reemerge as a public presence, particularly in the United States. The Family's communal homes, including several in the Washington, D.C., area, were opened for public inspection. Representatives of the group began to contact both journalists and scholars in order to invite them to learn more about the group. (126-135)

Despite the intensity of the persecution suffered by Family members, in particular throughout 1992-1994, the group continued to evolve in significant ways, among these, the education and upbringing of the second generation members. An enhanced awareness of the scrutiny of society and the documented success of Family homeschooling efforts found Family education to be adequate and in many cases outstanding in the various court-appointed investigations of the Family during that period.

Coming of Age of the Children of the Children of God (1993)
Beginning in the late 1980s and continuing throughout the 1990s, the literature of the Family expressed an increased focus on its youth. In the early '90s, the percentage of children and young people had become substantial, reaching two-thirds of the entire population of "in house" Family members. As the children began to come into their own, it became apparent that many adjustments would have to be made by the older generation to accommodate the growing needs of the younger.

Father David and Maria had expressed throughout their writings that the younger generation was to be prepared to carry out an active role of administration in the Family and a key role in the Endtime events foreseen in the Bible. Father David believed that the younger generation would be stronger and purer than the original generation that gave birth to the Family, due to the fact that they would be brought up in a Christian, utopian lifestyle from inception, free of the individualistic, materialistic values prevalent in western society.

Father David was a visionary, and his vision for the Family transcended simple communitarian lifestyle. He envisioned a millennial society, where love and kindness to others would be paramount, and children would be treated as "princes and princesses of Kingdom come," future ambassadors of God's kingdom to come on earth.

The educational, moral, and spiritual upbringing of children took on paramount importance, and much of the Family's efforts in this period were devoted to "discipling" the children born to Family members. Their upbringing was considered of greater importance than recruiting members outside the group. In general, the assumption was that each child born into the Family was predestined to serve God as part of "His Endtime Army," and therefore most rank-and-file Family members were little prepared for the eventuality of one or more of their children opting for a secular lifestyle. Dr. Charlotte Hardman, a senior lecturer of religion at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, commented:

The children in the Family have been most successfully socialized into the ethics and worldview of their parents. They have a significant role to play in the future of the movement as the leaders of the new millennium, the "Lord's Endtime children." The world outside the Family badly needs saving; however attractive its forbidden fruits might be, Family children have a strong sense that what is right is biblically based. Listening to these children, we can hear their absolute trust in an external authority. Whatever their own feelings are, their understanding of self and ethics is that they must ultimately seek guidance from the Word of God. (240)

Early on, however, Father David articulated the importance of each generation making the crucial decision as to whether to invest their lives in service to God and fellow man, and understood that not all would choose to do so. He stated:

Someone has said, "God has no grandchildren!"-And it's true! There's no such thing as second generation Christians! Every new generation either has to drop out or "cop out," one or the other; bring forth new buds, or die on the vine and become dead!

This is so often the case: It's only the first generation who fought and bled and died for freedom who therefore really appreciates it! The next generation didn't have to pay anything for it! They got it free, so they're not very interested in fighting and bleeding and dying for it! All they want to do is enjoy it! The second generation doesn't have to pay as much for it, so they can't possibly appreciate its value!

Are you teens just in the Family because your parents are, or because you have nowhere else to go? Or merely because it seems a pretty good way of life with a lot of blessings and benefits? We cannot hide behind others when it comes to our majesty of choice, when God is calling us and dealing with us personally! God wants you to make your own choice by faith according to your own faith, and commit yourself to His Work according to your own convictions-not mine, not ours, not your parents' or your friends', but yours! ("Teens," pars. 34, 36-38)

Initiatives were taken during this period, such as the "Personal Encouragement Revolution," geared to giving the young people a greater say in the organization and to provide responsibility and opportunities to the second generation. Maria stated:

Most of our young adults [18- to 20-year-olds] have been in the Family for at least 18 years, which is longer than many of our older adults [who joined the Family]. They have had the Word and the Family principles poured into them since birth, and we feel it's now time to allow them to use all that they have learned, to put them in the position to apply their training.

Adults, one of the first things that we have to do is to start seeing our teens in a new light. Now is the time: We've got to loose them and let them go free. We've got to start seeing them as responsible and capable of doing great things for the Lord! We've got to start seeing them as God sees them! We've got to start treating them as co-laborers in the Lord, potentially as capable as we are of doing great things for Him. ("PER," pars. 66, 31)

In order to better understand the deficiencies and areas in need of modification in the Family's programs for teens and young adults, Maria polled a large number of second generation members and received written letters in which they candidly expressed the changes they felt the Family needed to undergo to accommodate the youth. In practical terms, this initiative translated to the eventual inclusion of a large percentage of second generation members into the leadership structure of the Family on every level. Nine years have passed since this initiative, and nearly 40% of members involved in administrational roles in the Family are second generation members. Peter Amsterdam reviews this trend in a recent publication:

At the moment, 40% of our COs (Continental Officers) are SGAs (second generation adults), 31% of our VSs (Visiting Servants overseeing the Homes) are SGAs, while another 12% are folks who joined the Family in their 20s and are now in their 30s. So overall, 44% of our VSs are in their 20s and 30s. At the time of the writing of this we don't have all the figures for the boards, but eight of the twelve worldwide regions have reported so far, and seven of these eight have SGAs as regional chairpersons.

In our WS units [World Services administration], 46% of our members are SGAs and senior teens [16 to 17 years old]. Our publications committees are staffed by 58% SGAs, and all the committee heads are SGAs. Worldwide, at the Home level, anyone 16 and above can be a member of a Home's teamwork, which makes up the Home's leadership. We don't have the statistics as to what percentage of the teamworks around the world are second generation, but I would venture an educated guess that it's probably between 30 and 40 percent. ("Professionals," pars. 199-200)

Although this transition was clearly successful, Maria and Peter have continued to address many additional issues raised by second generation members, and have candidly expressed the realization that many second generation members will choose secular pursuits over the Family. Maria says:

Don't get me wrong, I think this more extensive contact with the System and more questioning and liberality on the part of our teens has its benefits as well as its drawbacks, and I think the Lord is using it. In some ways, this is helping our young folks to make a decision as to whether they are going to be wholeheartedly in the Family, or whether they are going to leave. They're having more of a chance to see the world and what it's like, and some of them are finding that they would rather live there than with the Family. ("Jewels," par. 88)

In reference to this transition, Bozeman comments:

The group appears to be going through a period of internal renewal. A rising second generation of members is in the process of making Father David's message their own; to this end, the Family is in the process of deciding what should be retained from the past, and what needs to be retired. And, sociologically speaking at least, this is a wise move: In a group which has historically averaged six children per family, the first generation is now distinctly a minority. Rather than fight this demographic tide, the Family has welcomed it and encouraged the youth to occupy positions of responsibility within the Family community. With this comes new understandings of the Family's message, understandings which were formulated in the capitalistic 1980s and Internet-savvy 1990s rather than the counter-culture and the sexual revolution of the 1960s and 1970s. (126-135)

A growing number of second generation members have left the movement in the last decade. Some have claimed that their abandoning the Family disproves Father David's predictions that the second generation would become powerful disciples. Peter addresses this in a recent publication, pointing out that although many young people are choosing to leave, those that choose to stay are very committed, exceptional disciples.

Some of you might think, "Yes, but a lot of the second generation have left." That's true, quite a few have left. But let me tell you, I'm looking around and I see a lot of very on-board, hard-working, sold-out, dedicated, second generation disciples. And they're not only in this [WS] Home but in our other WS Homes as well. Our 43 SGA COs and VSs are top-notch people! In the 25 trips I've made over the last five years, I've met some of the most wonderful second generation disciples who are on-fire missionaries, tremendous up and coming leaders. There are great on-fire young people all throughout the Family. We have young people who have large families and are out on mission fields preaching the Gospel full time, living by faith, raising their kids, giving their all for the Lord every day.

When you tell me that our second generation isn't making it and that many are leaving, I'll tell you that a smaller percentage of them are leaving than the first generation who have left over the years. We're actually doing better with our second generation than with the first. And those of the first or second generation who have left deserve a lot of credit for sticking it out for as long as they did. They helped to make the Family what it is today. They were part of us, served with us, loved with us, cried with us, and prayed with us. Let's be thankful for them and for the years of service they gave to the Lord and the Family. ("Era," pars. 40-41, 45)

Father David's Passing / The Implementation of the Charter (1994-1995)
1994-1995 was a milestone period in Family history, beginning in late 1994 with Father David passing away. Although this constituted an unprecedented change for Family members, the transition in leadership had been effected over several years prior to his passing and the ultimate changeover took place seamlessly. Dr. James Chancellor, Professor of World Religion at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, commented:

The transition of earthly authority had been ongoing for a number of years and his [Father David's] mantle fell easily on Maria and her consort, Peter Amsterdam. It is still too early to evaluate the full impact of Father David's passing. In the short term, his "kids" have not skipped a beat. Membership remained stable. In terms of ministry, witness and souls saved, 1995 through 1997 were the most successful years in Family history. Although the transition from Father David to Maria went smoothly, the Family changed dramatically in 1995. World Services published and implemented The Love Charter or simply The Charter.

The Charter contains the basic beliefs and details the fundamental rights and responsibilities of the disciples, as well as the rules and guidelines for communal life. World Services retains overall authority, but day-to-day life is far more democratic. The disciples are strongly encouraged to live "according to their own faith" with a minimum of supervision from the leadership structure. (32-33)

Prior to Father David's passing, extensive analyses of the state of the Family and areas requiring attention or change had been carried out and efforts were made to introduce necessary modifications to allow essential growth and expansion. Peter Amsterdam articulated this to the Family in a recap of change throughout Family history:

Throughout the history of the Family, we have gone through various changes and revolutions, which have caused shifts in our methods and modes of operation. These shifts have generally caused the Family to move in one of two directions, either towards individual freedom for each member and Home or towards less personal freedom and tighter, more restrictive shepherding of both Homes and individuals. The various times when stricter rules and tighter shepherding were implemented throughout our history were to counteract problems caused by freedoms that were given and the moves towards greater freedoms were to counteract problems caused through the implementation of tighter controls.

Throughout the more than 25 years of our history, it seems that our goal, as far as our Family structure is concerned, has been to find the right balance of allowing everyone to operate according to their own faith and personal initiative within the guidelines of the Family. Finding that proper balance between personal initiative and non-hindering leadership has been a challenge. The Family has often had pendulum-like swings from one side to the other. There have been times when the Family has been loosely structured with very little leadership. The Family has also swung to the other extreme of being overly restrictive with top-heavy leadership. ("Forward," pars. 10, 12)

This period of analysis resulted in the formulation of the Family's Charter-the culmination of over a year's work-which received Father David's endorsement just prior to his death. Scores of reports were written by grassroots Family members, stating their views about the need to reevaluate, improve, or reorganize the Family. These reports were studied in an ongoing consultative process throughout much of 1994, and an initial draft of the Charter was formulated to address the Family's concerns. This draft was studied at workshop meetings held around the world, to which delegates representing every aspect of Family life and level of leadership were invited. Their input and opinions regarding improvements needed and their advice on how to best implement them were gathered and compiled. In all, nearly 250 members studied a working draft and submitted over 700 pages of suggestions, comments, and revisions.

The final product was a 400-page governing document, comprised of two main components, the "Charter of Responsibilities and Rights," and the "Fundamental Family Rules." The Charter outlines the most important and basic principles, goals, and beliefs of the movement and codifies its methods of government. Existing beliefs and practices regarded as essential were drawn from amongst the tens of thousands of pages of Family literature and formalized into one document. This provides easy reference to the most important principles and rules of the Family that were previously scattered throughout the movement's literature.

In commenting on the implementation of the Charter, Melton notes:

In February 1995, the Family adopted a new constitution, The Love Charter, declared to be Berg's parting gift to the group. It outlined the basic rights and responsibilities of members as well as the beliefs and behavior standards to which members were expected to adhere. Responding in part to the trauma through which the movement has passed, the Charter takes great pains to spell out not only the responsibilities, but the rights of individual members. This includes the rights of self-determination, personal initiative, development of gifts and talents, choice of place of residence, and choice of medical care. All adult members may vote on matters before their home and be considered for Teamwork positions. Parents are assigned responsibilities for the care of their children and the home sees that parents have the time and resources to care for their children properly. Each home takes collective responsibility for the education through the secondary school level of all of the minors living in the home. (Bambino)

The primary purpose behind the crafting of the Charter was to provide a well-defined governing structure, while clearly enunciating the principles, policies, and regulations Family members are required to adhere to. Within these guidelines, ample opportunity is provided for members to pursue their personal convictions and to freely operate according to their own initiative. It had long been the desire of Father David and Maria that Family members be able to follow the Lord in accordance to God's Word with a minimum of oversight or direction from leadership, while at the same time maintaining certain common standards necessary for operating as a unified group. The Charter established a clear framework whereby this could be fulfilled.

The greater autonomy and democratization of the Homes introduced by the Charter was without question instrumental in bringing about many solutions to troublesome areas, providing a wider array of opportunities to the rank-and-file member. As a result, immediate expansion was noted, as Family members set up missions in new countries and embarked on innovative outreach initiatives and social gospel ministries. By the end of 1995, less than a year after the implementation of the Charter, there was a 117% increase in the number of Homes; statistics of personal witnessing, literature distribution, and souls led to Christ were over 50% higher than the previous year; new works were established in Kenya, Nigeria, Slovenia, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Latvia, Ukraine, Mauritania, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, and Turkey ("Nation," pars. 15-16).

Chancellor points out another vital aspect of the Charter-its impetus in the ongoing process of incorporating the second generation into the administration and direction of the movement:

The Love Charter has revolutionized life for the second wave of the younger generation. Though still self-consciously members of a structured and highly disciplined organization, they feel a sense of freedom, responsibility and opportunity that was unknown to their older brothers and sisters. They carry a significant portion of the ministry load and leadership in the homes of Asia and the Americas. Recently, Eastern Europe and Africa have been the primary focus of Family ministry and growth. The young people are the primary vanguard of outreach in these newest mission fields. (242)

Reconciliation Efforts with Former Membership (1994-2002)
Another noteworthy initiative in Family history, dubbed the "Ministry of Reconciliation," commenced in 1994. This represented a concerted effort to foster closer fellowship and integration between concentric circles of Family membership, as well as to reconcile with former members. The impetus for this came from both former and current members and readily received the backing of Family leadership. An important step in initiating the reconciliation process was the publishing of our "Open Letter to Former Family Members" in a former member publication known as the "No Longer Children"³ newsletter. The stated objective was to reconcile differences with former members who held grievances against the Family, whether from their time in the Family or from their lack of communication with Family members after their departure. We feel this effort was successful, in that contact was initiated with a large number of former members. Assistance was also offered to relatives in locating family members whom they had lost contact with, and through this process many regained contact with their loved ones.

As part of the ongoing reconciliation effort, in July 1996, Peter Amsterdam visited a large three-day fellowship organized by an associate member Home in Maryland, USA, which was attended by former, current, and associate members. A significant aspect of this meeting was the reading of a formal note of apology to former members from Maria on behalf of Family leadership, as a step in further bridging the gap.

Of course, there continues to exist a level of tension with some sectors of the Family's former member population, and it is not our intention to imply by the above-mentioned that all differences have been resolved, but this illustrates the Family's ongoing commitment to reconciliation. Bozeman summarized the efforts made by the Family in this regard in his "Field Notes-the Family/Children of God under the Love Charter":

In 1994 the Family also began a concerted effort to contact former members through mailings, including through "No Longer Children" (a newsletter run by ex-members); a toll-free number (1-800-4-AFAMILY) was also established for this purpose. Perhaps most significantly, in 1996 Maria published a public letter of apology for past intolerance and "unloving behavior" shown to the ex-members.

It also became apparent in 1994 that the issue of adjustment to departing second generation members needed to be addressed. Peter Amsterdam stated:

We have accepted that it is inevitable that a number of young people who were born and raised in the Family will eventually decide to leave to pursue other interests. We also realize that we should do what we can to make the transition as smooth as possible, unconditionally extending them our love and support. ("Response," 9)

In September 1992, WS published a Letter from Maria entitled, "When Teens Leave the Family!" which set the pace for Family policy regarding departing second generation members. She writes:

Because of our emotional involvement, we may have a hard time relating to the fact that in most churches and denominations, very few missionaries' children remain forever with their parents on the mission field. At some time or another, most of them go back to their home country, and they often choose to pursue different careers entirely. In the past, I believe we have in some ways resisted even admitting to ourselves that a choice exists that each of our teens has to make for themselves.

We haven't even wanted to face the fact that some of them might want to do something other than serve the Lord in the Family and be missionaries. I think that some Family members have probably done everything possible to avoid talking about really giving them a choice.

We've done our best to try to hang on to them, even to the point of trying to persuade some of them to stay with us long after it was obvious that their heart was not in the Family. We need to show our kids the Lord's unfailing love.-No matter what they do or what they decide or how far they go astray, we'll never stop loving them. ("Teens," pars. 3, 11-12)

This theme has been further developed in later years, with recommendations built in the Charter for parents to assist their young adults to establish themselves in society, helping them obtain accreditation for their homeschooling, employment, etc. Chancellor commented:

More than any other factor, the exodus of young people has caused Family leadership to rethink their relationship to the outside world. The Family has accepted the inevitability that a good number of the youth will leave the movement. Having come to terms with the loss of many youth, the Family has begun a flourishing recruitment of new disciples from the outside in some areas. Energy level is high. (249-250)

The Ongoing Democratization Process Initiated by the Charter (1998-2002)
In early 1998, three years after the implementation of the Charter, Maria and Peter evaluated the shift in direction the Family had undergone as a result of the implementation of the Charter and the democratization process this represented. A wide range of prophetic messages were received, confirming the necessity of the change that had been instituted. During a gathering of Family leadership in 1998 (dubbed Summit '98), much prayer, discussion, debate, and prophecy was invested in reviewing the Charter and how its implementation had played out on a practical level. Peter stated, "We wanted to analyze whether it was working the way we had envisioned when we first implemented it, and discuss what problems-some new, others old-have arisen since the Charter went into effect" ("Charter," par. 6).

In analyzing the progress and setbacks, it became clear that predictably, the expansion of "free choice" and autonomy produced a new set of problems and challenges, though in the final analysis, it was clear that the solutions and progress the Charter made possible far outweighed these. As Peter pointed out in an analysis to the Family:

[The Charter] guaranteed individual freedom and self-determination, which has made individual Family members happier overall, resulting in a generally happier Family, despite the problems that the misuse of these freedoms by some has caused.

The point I'm making is that even though we, as the Family, had to suffer some during these days of choice and preparation, the net result has been stronger individuals. It's been beauty for ashes, strength from adversity. It's been hard, but each of us has grown stronger because of it.

Dad and Mama and I anticipated these problems and were concerned about them, but the Lord encouraged us to go ahead with the Charter, as the Family needed liberation from the ways of the past in order to stay alive, to continue progressing, and to create opportunities for individual initiative. ("Future," par. 30,70,24)

In mid-2000, Peter gave an overview of the changes, both positive and negative, that the Charter had brought about for the Family, as well as the steps enacted to preserve the doctrinal foundation of the Family:

The Charter brought a sharp contrast between people who were making choices to be in the Family for the Lord and the work, and those who made the choice to remain in the Family only because they liked the lifestyle and its benefits and they didn't have to put forth too much effort. Taking advantage of the freedoms of the Charter enabled them to hang around without having to put their hearts fully into being a disciple.

This caused debilitating conflict and disunity. Because of this inner-Family conflict between those who really wanted to do the Lord's will and others who merely wanted the easy communal-living lifestyle, the cohesiveness of the Family, the unity, the oneness, the love, the common vision and goals were weakened.

We're moving forward and the Lord has great plans for us in the future, so He can't have people in the CM Family [Charter member Family] who are not committed or who are merely lifestyle Family members. It just won't work. He needs full-fledged Charter member disciples, people who are living the Word fully, believing it, doing it, accepting it, and applying it in their lives.

It's been difficult to see our loved ones, friends, and co-workers make choices that have led them away from the Lord's full-time service, but their leaving the CM Family is not weakening us; it's strengthening us. It will be much easier to move forward into the era of action with sold-out, wholehearted disciples who want to live the faith life, rather than trying to bring along those who are not with us in spirit, who don't believe as we do, or who don't feel they can live up to the rigorous life of Charter membership. All of this adds up to a stronger Family, which is the core of what the Lord has been doing the last five years. ("Future," pars. 26-27, 55, 61-62)

Statistics outlining the overall mission work of the Family clearly indicate that the implementation of the Charter brought about an immediate and outstanding surge in productivity, unquestionably motivating individuals in the Family to initiate new ministries and methods of preaching the Gospel. Peter says:

When the Charter was implemented in 1995, only 30% of CM Homes (which housed 64% of CM members) were on the field. That has changed in the past six years, and many more of the CM Family are now on needy mission fields that are ready to harvest. These fields include the countries of Africa, where our CM Family population has increased by 2100% since the Charter's implementation, when there were only three Homes and 27 CM members in Africa. We now have 597 CM members in Africa an increase of 23% over the previous year and 7% of our total CM population! The country with the most CM members is still Brazil with 1,145 CMers, which is 13% of all CM Family members. 75% of CM members are on the [mission] field. ("Heading," pars. 160-61)

On the other hand, Peter also outlined several serious problems that arose during that same time period, that were threatening to weaken the overall structure of the Family. An overemphasis on the rights of individual members, to the detriment of the fulfillment of Charter responsibilities, was leading to an undermining of some of the basic principles essential to the harmonious functioning of communal Homes. Peter explained:

Others' faith and standard of discipleship seemed to sink-some to the very depths. Part of the problem is that since the Charter has been in place, many people have put a great deal of emphasis on the rights of the individual members and the Homes, and much less emphasis on their responsibilities. The Family very eagerly claimed their rights, but in many cases the freedom to exercise individual rights has been carried to the extreme. Many felt that there should be no shepherding whatsoever, and were offended when someone tried to point out that they were out of line. Many young people saw the Charter as an opportunity to throw off all parental or shepherding authority over them, and have insisted that they have the right to do what they want, when they want, and how they want. They have the attitude that the Charter allows them to live a life as they please, with blatant disregard for the Word, our beliefs and the Charter, losing all fear of the Lord.

Some chose to do very little for the Lord, choosing rather to spend a great deal of time watching TV, videos, drinking, swearing, and generally acting like and absorbing a great deal of the world. Fortunately, that has been a minority; but unfortunately, that minority seems to be quite vocal about their non-Family-like attitudes, which causes problems for others. It is this minority, having gone on undisciplined, that has wreaked havoc in many Homes throughout the Family. ("Responsibilities," pars. 20-21)

Maria and Peter went on to highlight the fact that a more active involvement of the Continental Officers and Visiting Servants was imperative in order to ensure that the Charter was being enforced. The leadership had been hesitant to intervene, not wanting to impinge on the newly granted rights of individuals. Peter explained:

One of the main solutions the Lord gave for solving many of the problems the Family faces is for the COs [Continental Officers] to be more forthright in expecting the Charter member Family to abide by the Charter. Over the past three years, many of the COs have been hesitant at times to point out to Charter members when they're not living up to their Charter responsibilities. In their desire not to infringe on the rights of individuals, they have at times allowed members to move well beyond their rights to the hurt of others or the work.

Since there was infrequent and inconsistent discipline given to those who were failing to uphold the Charter standard, it began to fall, and this has weakened the overall Family. ("Responsibilities," pars. 17-18)

Early in 1998, Maria and Peter received a prophetic message from Father David, in which he issued a rousing call to Family members to uphold the Charter discipleship standard, with a stricter adherence to the principles of the Charter and the new revelations being published. This publication marked the beginning stages of a process that would be carried out over the next four years, of finding a balance between the greater freedom granted individuals and the need to maintain the fundamental principles of the Family. He stated:

This year is going to be a moving year, and like I said, it's going to be a year of getting down to the bottom line, the brass tacks of sacrificial and loving living and giving. People are going to have to go through boot camp whether they like it or not. They're going to have to toe the line, like it or not. They're going to have to yield and obey, like it or not. They're going to have to hear from the Lord and implement what He says, like it or not.

There will be stretching and growing pains and adjustment blues, but we'll come through as finer gold. Anyone who wants to make it will make it! Every Family member can make it, if they'll only set their minds and hearts to making it. This is going to be the year for most people to make their decisions, for the majority of the Family to choose whether they're going to get on board with the new moves of the Spirit or not. ("Bottom Line," pars. 56, 58)

This theme was further developed in the year 2000, in a two-part series entitled "The Shakeup 2000" [referred to as S2K], which clearly defined the discipleship standard for Charter members and required all Family members who wished to retain their status to sign a "Charter Membership Contract." Bainbridge explains:

In 1999, Maria received prophecy indicating that members must dedicate themselves more clearly to the values of the Family, and Charter Members-those who live in communal homes and are covered by all the regulations of the Charter-were asked to sign a contract to this effect. Maria expressed concern specifically about "the movies being watched, the Internet sites being surfed, the computer games being played, the System music that's being listened to, the System books and novels being read, and all the ungodly attitudes being developed by those who want to see how far they can push their own agendas in the name of freedom." (Endtime 166-167)

In this series, Maria outlined the nature of the problematic areas that had emerged since the Charter, emphasizing the need to retain the purity of Family doctrine and lifestyle. These trouble spots continued to be highlighted as recently as May 2002, as it has taken considerable effort to eradicate attitudes that were not compatible with Family doctrine. It became clear during this period (2000-2002) that in order to maintain the purity and spirituality of the Family, it would be necessary to require a separation of those committed to living the doctrine and fulfilling their Charter responsibilities, and those who were not and would be better served in a concentric circle of fellowship without the stringent requirements of full-time discipleship, or out of the Family altogether. Maria explained:

We cannot continue on as we are. I know you've sensed that there has been a gradual decline of purity, dedication and spirituality in the Family, and we're not what we used to be. You've probably witnessed example after example of compromise, lack of dedication, and refusal to live or even read the Word in many cases.

In a large percentage of our CM Homes, those of you who are following closely and wanting to do your best for the Lord and keep the CM standard are trying to live in unity and have a fruitful work with those who don't want to live the CM standard, or in some cases, don't even want to be in the Family.

We have many people in the CM Family today, both young and old, who have settled down to the point of being quite ineffective and almost totally without vision. There are quite a few of our YAs [young adults] and SGAs [second generation adults] who don't seem to want to be in the Family, but who don't take the step to leave. Many of you FGA [first generation adult] parents are not shepherding your kids and not disciplining them, so their problems certainly can't be blamed entirely on the influence of the System. These are not new problems. In fact, Peter and I have been addressing these problems until we're practically blue in the face.

Maybe some of you feel that we're in an era of taking a more permissive, less dedicated or radical approach to serving the Lord. You might have gotten the impression over the years since the Charter that under my and Peter's leadership you'd be able to get away with things indefinitely that would never have been countenanced when Dad was alive. That severe drop in the standard has disappointed some of you, but others have taken advantage of these years of change and personal freedom and decision-making in a way that we hadn't intended, and you've let the rights of the Charter serve your own selfish purposes.

Now, almost five years later, it's time to once again examine where your faith lies. It's time to make some decisions. It's time to take a closer look at the Charter member standard once again and let each of you decide for yourself if you fit in, or if you'd be happier in the FM Family [associate member circle, known as "Fellow member"] or even out of the Family altogether. ("Shakeup," pars. 2-4, 12, 14)

Another series of Letters was published in 2001, the "Conviction vs. Compromise" series, further detailing and reiterating factors that were weakening the Family, and challenging members to adhere to Charter requirements and fundamental Family doctrine if they wished to retain their membership status. Maria points out that although the S2K had been effective overall, Family Homes were still burdened with recurring problems:

We have been aware of the field's problems for years, and we have been addressing those problems in the pubs, sometimes repeatedly. Besides trying to encourage you and answer your questions and make progress in our primary goals, the Lord led Peter and me to initiate the S2K two years ago. That was His way of continuing to move people to their level of faith. The Lord has said that the S2K has been successful overall.

The S2K has accomplished much of what it needed to accomplish. But does that mean that every person who is presently in the Family is in the level of membership that best suits them? No! Does that mean that every person presently living in a Family Home should even be in the Family? No. We have published hundreds of pages related to the need for greater unity. Does that mean all Homes and areas are now unified? No. We have published a whole series on the details of the "Law of Love" and how to live it. Does that mean everyone is now obeying the guidelines? No. We have published GN ⁴ after GN on what it means to be a full-time disciple of Jesus, living and preaching the Words of David. Does that mean everyone in the Family is living up to that goal? No. These are problems, among others, that can't be ignored. ("Persecution," pars. 24-25)

The "Conviction vs. Compromise" series addresses many new trends that had crept into the Family in the post-Charter era. The trends in question outlined in the series ranged from the large number of Family members undertaking full-time secular employment, an inclination toward secular schooling as opposed to homeschooling, private finances verses pooled community finances, disunity between communities, an inordinate appetite for worldly pursuits (Internet, computer games, unedifying movies, and television), compromising of the Family's message to gain acceptance with other Christians or not clarifying association with the Family in social gospel ministries, to the lack of expecting second generation members to maintain the Charter member standard of discipleship. Some expressed the fear that the Family's foundation beliefs were slowly disappearing, and questioned whether the movement would be "revolutionary" within a few years or would resemble another church. In addressing these issues, Maria commented:

Peter and I face the very sobering responsibility of leading the Family and making sure we do what the Lord wants us to do. As the Lord brought out in the S2K Letter, the place of the Family in the Endtime is not guaranteed. It's not like we can do whatever we want and everything that is promised us will just come to us on a silver platter. We have to be worthy of the calling by continued obedience. We have to stay in the fear of the Lord. We have to be doers of the Word, not just hearers. ("Persecution," par. 32)

The recurrent theme in this series is the imperativeness of rooting out any trends or attitudes that run contrary to the Family's fundamentals of discipleship and the elements that make it unique. It is a call to remain true to the principles on which the Family was founded, and to remain revolutionary and "dropped out of the System." It is understood that this purification process will take a toll on the number of Charter members that remain in the Family, but that is seen as desirable as opposed to having the nature of the Family's belief system slowly altered. Maria says:

We're talking about some of the basic beliefs of the Family, the fundamentals of discipleship that are being buried under compromise. The threat of compromise is that eventually the Family will be just like everyone else. That's the essence of compromise. That's the goal of the Devil's inroads through compromise, to make us the same as everyone else, to take away the uniqueness of the Family, to tone down the special message that the Lord has given us, and through that to make us less attractive to the lost or even cause us to fall apart.

Just to preach the Gospel or even be a missionary is not that different; that's the surface emphasis of most churches and preachers. There are plenty of evangelists who are preaching Jesus and getting people saved.

Most churches don't even vaguely resemble what Jesus told His followers to do. But let me ask you: Has the Family become like the churches? Have you become like the old church in heart? Are you still dropped out? Do you still live like Jesus' disciples? When people see your sample and visit your Home, do they see something different? Or are you just like everyone else, trying to make a living and survive?

It's all these things that make the Family different. But compromise gradually roots out all the "differences" in order to make the Family just like everyone else. When that happens, it's death to the Revolution; it's the end of the Family as we know it. ("Separate," pars. 3-4, 8, 6)

The efforts made over the past five years to maintain the purity and revolutionary standard manifest a clear commitment on the part of Family leadership and committed members to undergo growth and transition in the Family, but not in the direction of becoming institutionalized and disappearing into the landscape of mainstream denominationalism.

A Look to the Future-Expanding Outreach and Church Growth
(1999-2002)
As a further step in the process of critiquing the Family and assessing its effectiveness, Maria and Peter presented the need for an all-encompassing change in modus operandi regarding the Family's witnessing endeavors and outreach methods.

When analyzing the Family's phenomenal success in distributing Gospel literature and leading souls to Christ, they found that statistically speaking, the Family unquestionably has been highly effective in that sphere. Peter Amsterdam stated:

When we compare our statistics to the major Christian denominations on a person-to-person basis, we see that there's virtually no other Christian movement that wins souls at the same rate that we do. Other churches have more members, more money, more pastors, teachers and leaders than we in the Family do. But when it comes down to one-on-one personal witnessing and soul-winning, we far surpass all others! Last year the Family, with 13,959 members, won 1,291,094 souls to the Lord. That's an average 92 souls per member, an amazing record, especially when you consider that roughly half our members are children 15 and under.⁵ ("Program," par. 3)

Chancellor's observation, in an address to Evangelical counter-cultists, bears this out.

There are Baptist deacons and men of evangelical faith and women of evangelical faith all over this country and all over this world who were led to faith in Christ by the Children of God. I hired one when I was dean at Colorado Christian University. I hired a guy to teach adjunctively who had been led to faith in Christ on the beaches of Hawaii, in the mid-'70s by the Children of God. He had not joined, but went from there to the Navigators and they are all over the world.

Although the Family has unquestionably high statistics in the area of going "into all the world to preach the Gospel," Peter goes on to highlight the less effective side of the Family's ministry over the past decade.

While we in the Family are experts at witnessing and winning souls for the Lord and we certainly have dedication and conviction, there is one area that we still fall very short of hitting the mark in: following up and turning our newly saved converts into solid believers, disciples, supporters and useful Christians for the Lord's service.

Why is it that such a wonderful soul-winning, missionary-minded, outreach-oriented group, which has won 22 million souls over the past 30 years, only has 29,000 outside members? The main reason is that for the most part we have failed in properly following up on those we lead to the Lord0so much so that six years ago, Dad even suggested that we send our converts to the churches because we weren't following up on them. ("Program," pars. 6, 11)

He also adds:

When we consider that in 30 years we've won 22 million souls to the Lord, yet only have an outside membership of 29,000, it proves we've been fairly ineffective in this arena. While we win one soul for every six people we witness to, at present we only have one outside member for every 760 souls that we've won.

So when you look at the numbers, it becomes pretty clear that if we can build a broader base of Family membership through our outside members and can cultivate them as fellow witnessers, soul winners, supporters, and helpers, we will greatly multiply our efforts. ("Program," pars. 14, 20)

Peter methodically outlined a series of building blocks to construct a broader base of Family membership that would encompass various levels of discipleship. Up until recent times, the Family has been composed mostly of "clergy," and, he pointed out, it would require a considerable shift to focus on forming what is termed as "churches" of outside membership, in other words, members who do not "forsake all" and join the movement as "clergy" or missionaries, but serve as "laity," along with also recruiting more full-time membership. Bainbridge commented:

This strategy presents challenges. At present, the Family has missionaries who could evolve into clergy, but it lacks laity. A few outsider friends help each home, and many homes hold fellowship meetings with halfway members called Fellow members. Yet many changes would have to be successfully negotiated to transform these relatively few outside supporters into sufficiently numerous laity to support all the missionaries as their clergy. (Endtime 165)

The first step in creating this broader base of membership would be to shift from an overwhelming number of one-time witnessing encounters, to ministering to new converts via a follow-up program by mail, with the option of also attending local Bible classes and fellowships. A monthly mail course consisting of a magazine entitled Activated was created and presented to the Family in 1999. Members were asked to subscribe any person who prayed with them to receive the Lord, entitling them to receive three free Activated magazines, with the option of purchasing an additional year's subscription. Following is a prophetic message from Jesus in confirmation of this change in direction:

The Activated program is My vision for the future. It is a feeding program, a follow-up program, a work-building program. It's the future-of-the-Family program. I can't emphasize this enough. Activated is the future.

The time has come for you to consolidate the gains you have made. For years you have been winning souls to Me. For years I have taught and trained you. For years you have longed for a work that would grow, that would make you feel that your sacrifices have been worth it. The time has now come. ("Expansion," pars. 20-21)

As can be noted in studying Family history, members were typically rapid to rally behind the imperative of change and incorporate it into their daily communal structure. The steps for shifting the movement into this new modus operandi were outlined in four successive GN publications by Maria in the year 2000, complete with the direction in prophecy for this shift. The main goals emphasized in the first GN of this series were

• witnessing
• Activated program promotion
• follow-up
• training disciples-live-ins and live-outs
• widening the base of Family membership to build a bigger church of believers
• becoming teachers to all nations ("Future," par. 172).

Chancellor made note of this significant shift:

This is certainly not the only motivation for a very substantive change that is going on in the Family, but up until really quite recently, the Family's vision has been one of essentially a witnessing movement, with their primary mission to communicate the Gospel of Jesus to as many people as possible, get as many people saved through doing the "Jesus" prayer and then getting ready for the Great Tribulation. That meant in general not a very great emphasis on follow-up, on discipleship of all the people they met.

There is a real shift going on, and now very much the Family is beginning to talk and act in terms of three levels of membership: the core committed Charter disciples, the semi-committed Fellow Members, but then the much broader community of Active Members, which essentially means forming up congregations where the committed disciples function as essentially clergy to those larger communities of faith, who then look to the Home, the community and the committed disciples for all levels of spiritual and religious leadership and fellowship, with the responsibility of these Active Members, these out-in-the-world members, to grow spiritually, to do witnessing, to tithe.

The consecutive GNs in the series outlined the streamlining that would be necessary in order for the Family's administrative body, known as World Services (WS), to accommodate the shift in focus of the Family toward building this broader base of membership. In presenting this to WS and ultimately the Family at large, Peter stated:

Because of the increased demands on us to provide further and expanded services, we can't do the job as well as we want or need with our present organizational structure and method of working. We need a modified structure that involves you and others more in the decision-making process within your ministries and within World Services itself.

We are working towards a structure that allows for pumping people power more from both inside and outside WS. We need to streamline our communications so those with certain expertise who are not part of WS can be counseled with more easily. ("Era," pars. 113-114)

The third part of the series opens with a message received in prophecy, which is a call to arms for Family members to make these changes happen. The challenge presented is that of each Family member providing the momentum to the Activated program, signing people up for subscriptions and following up on those who are interested in Bible studies and fellowship and building a broader base of membership. It also calls upon rank-and-file Family members to be prepared to build more permanent works. The prophecy from Jesus says:

I'm asking you to become teachers, pastors, and shepherds-no longer the roving pioneers, but now stable pioneers, building a work, building a following, building a church of believers who will work with you and be part of you, new members of My Endtime and Family. This will require dedication and stick-to-itiveness. It will require laying down your lives in new ways.

Most of these new disciples will not drop out and serve Me full time, but they will be disciples nonetheless. They will be members of the Family. They will be co-workers and co-laborers with you.

No longer will My Family be made up of only those who are full-time disciples. I will expand your ranks to include various levels of discipleship and believership. I will make a way for you to expand. You will have the help that you need by teaching, training, and feeding these who will become your flocks, helpers, and co-workers. They will rise up and work alongside you. ("Expansion," pars. 23, 29-30)

The Board Structure
The fourth part of this series outlines the plan for sweeping change in the Family's administrative structure. "The Board Vision," as it was initially known, would focus on the expanding needs of the Family and work hand in hand with the shifts being enacted. In a nutshell, the board structure would break down the spheres of Family leadership and administration into specific committees. Prior to the implementation of the board structure in March 2002, Family leadership had been limited to Continental Officers, who oversaw the work in one of five continental areas, and Visiting Servants, whose task was to visit the Homes and ensure that the Homes were operating according to the Charter.

In this primary presentation of the board structure, Peter Amsterdam mapped out six different boards⁶, all involving participation of rank-and-file Family members, rather than only appointed Continental Officers and Visiting Servants. Boards would operate at the national, regional (or continental), and international levels. The goal of the board structure was to broaden the base of Family management and oversight and include people who specialize in an area of Family life, without necessarily possessing the attributes needed for officership. Peter explains:

In order to achieve this, the general plan is to create committees or boards for each major Family ministry. The idea would be to take that structure of pillars-the national, regional, and international boards of childcare-and replicate it in every other main ministry within the Family, such as a young people board, an education board, an outreach and follow-up board, a GP production/marketing board, a visitation/shepherding board (the VSs), a public relations board, humanitarian outreach board (CTP), and possibly others like fundraising/provisioning, etc.

Each of these boards would consist of people who are gifted and talented in these particular areas. Some people might sit on a couple of boards, but not too many so as not to spread themselves too thin. Each set of boards would meet on a regular basis (some more regularly than others, depending on logistics) to discuss and pray about ideas, needs, improvements that could be made, new programs to implement, pubs to create, training seminars to hold, resources to make available to the Homes, etc., which could then be implemented on the national, continental, or international level. These pillars (the various boards on a national, continental, and international level) will help to hold up the structure of the Family. ("Banana," pars. 71, 76-77)

Peter went on to cite the book of Acts as a biblical precedent for this organizational shift:

In looking for the leadership structure that will meet today's needs, the Lord led us to the principles of the past, namely those of the first disciples in the book of Acts. When Jesus' twelve disciples were faced with the growing demand of leadership, the Lord showed them to seek out "men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom" who they could appoint over the business (Acts 6:3).

The Acts plan of spreading the load on more shoulders allowed the shepherds to focus on the job the Lord had called them to do, giving themselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the Word. It made it possible for the Lord to raise up "men of honest report" to do the jobs that they were qualified to do. This raised up other qualified people into positions where their gifts and callings and abilities could be used, thus strengthening the overall leadership structure of the church. These are two very important goals that we, as the Family, need to reach as well. ("Board," pars. 17-18)

The main objective of the board structure is to generate growth, ideas, and initiatives, as more people become involved and focus on particular spheres of influence of Family life. It will also foster greater communication between individuals interested and concerned about certain areas of Family life and provide an opportunity for members to participate in the evolution of the Family, as Peter wrote:

This plan will fulfill Dad's vision from years past of pumping people power. More people will be involved, more people will be giving ideas, more people will be praying about solutions, and therefore, more of the problems will be solved, more new ideas will be implemented, and more people will be involved in helping to uphold the Family, and we'll all be working together to make the Family what it needs to be!

It will no longer be people looking to a handful of COs and VSs to solve all the problems; instead, they will be part of the problem-solving mechanism. It will no longer be people looking to the COs for the new ideas for their area or their ministry, but rather those who are gifted in those ministries will be thinking, praying, and coming up with ideas and suggestions. The overall vision and plan is that the Family will be working together more, will be pumping more people power, will be solving more of their own problems, and will be involving more people. ("Banana," pars. 91-92)

The question arose as to whether these structural changes would harmonize with Charter guidelines. Peter clarified in this final GN of the series that the board structure would indeed accord with the Charter, which continues to stand as the governing document:

The board structure is to be incorporated into the leadership and administrative structure currently outlined in the Charter. While the Family's leadership structure will be improved, the Charter will remain the foundation of the Family's government (Handbook iii).

The board structure was finalized and began to function in full in March 2002, though it is in its experimental stages and will no doubt continue to evolve and adapt according to the need. A manual was produced and distributed to the Family, The Family Board Handbook, detailing the responsibilities and authority of the different boards and councils, veto power, resolving conflicts, rules of order, minutes, voting, order of business, preeminence of prophecy in decision-making processes, along with an outline of the portfolios and spheres of influence of each board. Its introduction sums up succinctly the main intent of this structural shift:

The purpose of establishing the Family board structure is to create a structure by which initiatives for making progress can be generated at three different levels by those who are involved at those levels. This will give opportunity for many more Family members to be directly involved in the various aspects of our Family's work and ministries and will, in effect, create a training ground for new leadership, spreading the leadership load to the shoulders of many. (iii)

Social Gospel Ministries (1992-2002)
Another noteworthy focus that evolved during this period was a focus on social gospel ministries. In 1992, Father David had published a letter entitled, "Consider the Poor!-Psalm 41:1-Our New Ministry in the U.S. to the Poor!" in which he presented a goal of new initiatives in the area of developing social gospel ministries.

This theme developed considerably over the years, and led to a vast array of social gospel ministries around the world, from assisting medical endeavors in Africa, to working in prisons in many nations around the world, rehabilitating drug addicts and gang members, and offering personal counseling in prison and juvenile detention centers amongst many others. Throughout the world, Family members have been active in assisting in disaster-relief efforts and refugee camps. In recent years, the Family joined relief efforts following hurricanes Andrew and Iniki in the USA; Hurricane Pauline in Mexico; floods in the Czech Republic and the U.S. Midwest; earthquakes in Maharastra, India, and Los Angeles, California; gas explosions in Guadalajara, Mexico; bomb blasts in Lima, Peru, and Bogota, Colombia; the Royal Plaza Hotel disaster in Korat, Thailand, etc. The Family has supplied medical aid in Nigeria and Latvia, as well as aiding in refugee camps in Bosnia and Uganda, amongst others. This is just a small sampling of such efforts, as each mission Home autonomously took on such ministries to differing degrees.

In describing the impact this had on Family members and their ministries, Chancellor stated:

"Consider the Poor" was received throughout the world as a very welcome change, particularly among the second generation. The prophet cautioned the children that "our main job is still to minister spiritually."
Father David specifically suggested ministry to migrant workers, refugees, illegal aliens, minorities, unwed mothers, prostitutes, drug addicts and those in correctional institutions, prisons, orphanages and "old folks homes." "Consider the Poor" has created a minor revolution. The disciples are still focused on the End Time and the salvation of souls, but they are increasingly involved in active social ministries as an avenue for that witness. They have poured their energies into prisons and refugee camps all over the world. In a few instances, "Consider the Poor" has become the primary mission. (173-174)

As Chancellor notes, "Consider the Poor" ministries did indeed take preeminence in a number of Family mission Homes, to the point that in March 2002, Maria published a GN focusing on this issue and aimed at retrieving a balance in order to stay true to the imperative of preaching the Gospel. In the introduction she stated:

We need to specifically talk about how the emphasis on CTP work needs to be adjusted, and the need to return to the commission Dad gave us many years ago to reach the educated, the labor leaders. This goes hand in hand with the Lord's vision of expanding the Family.

While we're to love, be concerned about- and be willing to witness to all men, we are not to give disproportionate attention to the poor. We are to try to help them when we can, but those who have become completely embroiled in ministering to the poor alone are neglecting the Gospel for all and are being disobedient to the Lord's commission to preach the Gospel to every creature. Our primary goal is not to concentrate on ministering to and relieving the suffering of the poor.

Therefore, it is not acceptable to only do CTP work- and certainly not if it causes you to divorce yourself completely from the Family name and Family literature and products. ("Rich," pars. 4, 115, 122)

As Bainbridge concluded, social gospel ministries are to remain secondary in Family theology and practice to the task of obeying the Great Commission of Mark 16:15, and are indeed meant to complement that work:

The Family belongs to the broad theological tradition in American religion that believes in salvation by grace rather than by good works. That is, accepting Jesus into one's heart is far more important in gaining entry to Heaven than is doing material acts of charity. Thus, the best way to benefit the needy is to help them find their way to Jesus, and then either the Lord will provide for their material needs, or their own spiritual regeneration will allow them to take care of themselves. However, among the distinctive Family methods for bringing people to Jesus is sharing God's love with them, and material benefits are one way of showing that the Family cares for the recipients. (Endtime 42)

Growing Presence on the Web (1995-2002)
As another avenue of sharing its message, the Family launched a website in late 1995, which contains original MO Letters, Get Activated booklets, Family music, and accounts of mission work from around the world. Local language Family websites have also been launched in Thailand, Chile, Brazil, Japan, and in Chinese. There is a Family website devoted to the Endtime and a site to market the Family's gospel products.

Besides these broader sites, many works in areas, countries, and cities and Homes have built their own websites, which are used for their local work and linked to the main website. The Family has undoubtedly entered into the Internet Age enthusiastically, to harness it for witnessing efforts.

Following are some statistics of the visitation the main sites have received [as of 03/2002]:

The Family-www.thefamily.org
Total visits: 308,967
Total page views: 782,801
Average visits daily: 845
Average visitor session: 15 minutes
Total downloaded: 54.6 GB
Total people subscribed to e-mail: 376
Total e-mails sent: 102,307
Salvation prayer page (featured in 14 different languages): 1,478
(653 people clicked the "I prayed this prayer" button)
The top two downloads are: MP3s (39,622) and MO Letters (39,200)
Site updated (approximately): 300 times
E-mail queries received from browsers: average of 300 a month

Brazil - www.afamilia.org
(Note: These stats are for the first four months of the site's existence.)
Total visits: 12,000
Total page views: 315,349
Average visits daily: 100
Average visitor session: 8.58 minutes
Total downloaded: 2.9 GB
Total people subscribed to e-mail: 200
Total e-mails sent: 18,982
Salvation prayer page: (60 people clicked the "I prayed this prayer" button.)

Chile - www.lafamilia.org
Total visits: 65,995
Total page views: 197,166
Average visits daily: 180
Total downloaded: 8.6 GB
Total people subscribed to e-mail: 620
Total e-mails sent: 163,111
Salvation prayer page: 1096 (400 people clicked the "I prayed this prayer" button.)

Endtime Site - www.countdown.org
Total visits: 568,505
Total hits: 9,252,747
Total transferred (includes HTML and images): 101 GB

Japan - www.family.gr.jp
Distinct visits: 368,312
Average visits daily: 1,009
Total page views: 1,850,000
Total downloaded: 133 GB
(Note: Six nationwide magazines introduced this website in 2002, total circulation: 870,000.)

Thailand - www.thaifamily.org
Total visits: 94,728
Total downloaded: 48 GB

Thailand - www.jonasanderson.com
(Jonas Anderson/Christy Gibson website)
(Jonas and Christy are two second generation members famous in Thailand for their Lukthoong [rural Thai language and culture] singing performances.)
Total visits: 12,620
Distinct visits: 8,317
Total downloaded: 6 GB

Thailand - www.jeremyspencer.com
(Jeremy Spencer is a former slide guitarist of Fleetwood Mac.)
Total visits: 41,588
Distinct hits: 626,270
Total downloaded: 6 GB

U.S.A. - www.thefamily-chinese.org
Total visits: 160,500
Distinct visits: 14,796
Total downloaded: 1.29 GB

The Development of Spiritual and Theological Themes (1994-2002)
The question arose with Father David's passing as to what would be the fate of the Family. Would it experience a time of acute crisis, throwing the group into "chaos and uncertainty" as British Sociologist Roy Wallis [1945-1990] predicted- Bainbridge opined that this was not the case, due to the active participation of Father David's wife, Maria, in the guidance of the Family via the "MO Letters," while he was still alive. He also pointed out that "charisma has by no means been abandoned, and Maria has been appointed as the chief channel for revelations" (Sociology 224).

Indeed, the Family has undergone an intense period of growth and evolution in spirituality and theology since Father David's passing away. This is not surprising to Family disciples, as Father David had spent much time preparing his followers for this eventuality, warning them that they were accustomed to looking to him for guidance and would need to develop a deeper personal communication and relationship with God after his passing away. Messages were also received from Heaven⁷, in which it was clear that the prophetic mantle would fall upon Maria, and her role would be as "wine-taster," approving and endorsing prophecies received by her teamworkers and others before these would be published for the Family at large. She eventually also received a personal gift of prophecy, though the Letters do not usually make a point of crediting the receiver of a prophecy, who is referred to as a "channel."

After David's passing away and the advent of the Charter, which moved the Family away from dependence on large Homes and local leadership, individual Family members found themselves in the position of having to take responsibility for decision-making on every level. While the ensuing days of choices and preparation have not been without difficulty, it is our belief that as a whole, individuals in the CM Family have established a stronger connection with the Lord than they had six or seven years ago. Peter comments:

This is what the Lord has been aiming at, because as we know from the Word and all Dad has taught us, the most important thing is our relationship with the Lord, our ability to hear from Him and follow and obey what He says. During the day of choices and preparation, the Lord focused on strengthening these things in our lives.

Traveling this road of choice hasn't always been pleasant; the journey has been fraught with problems. But the end result has been the important and necessary spiritual growth of each individual. You've learned from yours and others' mistakes. You've grown, and now, by God's grace, you're making better choices. You're more likely to obey the Lord and His Word now, not because your shepherd is telling you to, but because you choose to, based on your own personal experience, conviction and connection with the Lord. ("Future," pars. 56, 64)

The use of the gift of prophecy by Family members was greatly enhanced and emphasized in the era succeeding Father David's death. Members were encouraged to personally receive the gift of prophecy, and a myriad of specific tips and guidelines were published as to how to cultivate this gift, incorporating it into daily decision-making processes. At this point in the Family's history, it has become a feature of everyday life. Prophecy is also used for personal encouragement and strengthening, as well as for a witness to others outside the group. Bainbridge comments,

The Family has recently been increasing the importance of prophecy in its outreach. Most of the tracts currently distributed, as well as the newest posters, entirely concern prophecy. Family members are encouraged to pray and get prophecies for their closer friends and contacts. (Endtime 165)

Bainbridge earlier noted how successful the initiative to incorporate prophecy into the lives of Family members was, as the statistics from his survey bear out, commenting how remarkable it seemed to him that 95 percent of members reported having received prophecy at least once, and 56 percent saying they have such experiences often (Endtime 81).

Of course, this represented a shift for Family members, and some had difficulty with the transition. Peter commented:

Although we had prophecy when Dad was around, the emphasis on prophecy was certainly new. At first, this was difficult for many. They didn't see why we needed to hear from the Lord so much, why we couldn't just continue on as we had under Dad's leadership.

At first, the Lord encouraged us to try prophecy out, to try hearing from Him and to see the results. Later He encouraged us to make hearing from Him a more constant part of our lives. Now the use of prophecy has reached the "ask Me everything" level. Most of us are more comfortable with prophecy; we've tried it, benefited from it, and have seen its good fruits. ("Future," pars. 53-54)

Also introduced during this period was the "Loving Jesus" revelation, which was an expansion of what scholars term "bridal theology," presented by Father David to the Family from its earliest days. The "Loving Jesus Revelation" was published in full in January and February 1996 as a series of articles for the Family's full-time adult membership. The series places special emphasis on the biblical portrayal of Christ as the Bridegroom, and His Church as His bride. The extent to which this revelation is believed and is participated in by members is a matter of personal choice. Adherence to this doctrine is not mandatory for membership.

When Maria and Peter received this revelation, their understanding of bridal theology was rudimentary at best. Although Father David had recognized and touched on the bride/Bridegroom relationship between believers and Jesus, the "Loving Jesus" revelation broke new ground, showing just how literal and intimate this relationship can be. This revelation allows for spiritual lovemaking with Jesus, accepting Him literally as husband, thus worshipping him in a more intimate way. Chancellor explains:

The link between sexuality and spirituality is still quite pronounced. In fact, Peter and Maria have made a conscious effort to strengthen the linkage. Maria has titled this new movement the "Loving Jesus Revolution." The stated purpose of this revolution is to encourage the disciples to love Jesus more and to experience and express that love as a true "lover" of Jesus. The disciples I spoke with about the new movement were quite enthusiastic. They generally felt it was a needed change and would be a significant forward movement in the spiritual maturity of the movement.

In 1997, Peter Amsterdam initiated a survey, in an attempt to determine how Family members were accepting and incorporating the spiritual changes being brought about through the Letters, focusing primarily on the use of prophecy and acceptance of the "Loving Jesus" revelation. The surveys were anonymous, and 373 Charter members, ages 16 and up, participated (8 percent of the Family population). These 373 Charter members were of the following age groups: 105 were 16- to 21-year-olds, 143 were 21- to 29-year-olds, and 125 were 30 and over; 212 were female, and 161 were male.

This poll indicated a high level of acceptance and implementation of the new spiritual principles introduced. Of those polled, 83% claimed the gift of prophecy, with 75% of the same practicing this gift either daily or several times a week, 86% accepted and practiced the "Loving Jesus" revelation. It is clear that the Family at large welcomed these shifts and they have become a significant part of their personal spiritual lives, though some had difficulty with the concept when it was introduced. As Peter noted, "The 'Loving Jesus' revelation caused a lot of people to spiritually tilt when it first came out. Their spiritual gyroscopes were knocked off balance. It was bumpy for them for a while, until they gained a greater understanding of it, tried it themselves, and saw the benefits" ("The Action Series-Part 1," ML #3298, April 2000). Of course, a few could not accept the use of prophecy or the "Loving Jesus" revelation and eventually left the movement, but this was a small minority (146-149)

The survey results (as also published in a Family GN):

• 83% said that they have the gift of prophecy; 17% don't.
• 75% of those who receive prophecy do so either daily or at least once or twice a week.
• 19% receive prophecy once or twice a month.
• 6% receive prophecy less than once a month.
• 75% of the Homes use prophecy daily, or at least once or twice a week.
• 86% percent accept and practice "Loving Jesus."
• 12% say they believe in "Loving Jesus" but don't practice it.
• 86% of the males and 86% of the females accept and practice "Loving Jesus."
• 93% of those 21 and over accept and practice "Loving Jesus."
• 71% of those 16 to 20 accept and practice "Loving Jesus," while 26% accept but don't practice. Only 3% don't accept.
• 88% of those who practice "Loving Jesus" said it made a great or significant improvement in their lives.
• 85% said life in the Family is better or easier since the Charter.
• 5% said life is about the same as before the Charter.
• 7% said life is more difficult since the Charter. (3% didn't answer the question.)
• 95% said they have the freedom to make decisions that affect their personal lives according to their own faith and the Lord's leading.
• 3% said others have too much say in these personal matters.
• 2% said others usually dictate personal decisions ("Victory," par. 138)

During this period, the Family saw much growth in spirituality through the revelations passed on to them by Maria. These days were referred to as the "days of preparation" in the spirit, which referred to becoming more exercised in wielding spiritual "weapons," such as praise, prayer, prophecy, humility, and an intimate relationship with Jesus. The goal of this preparation was as an army, preparing for the battle ahead when the time of the End approaches.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the Family has undergone an unprecedented phase of transition from 1992 to 2002, from a period of crisis and persecution, to the transition of leadership after the passing away of Father David to his wife and successor Maria and her husband, Peter, the introduction of the Charter and the individual mobility and decision-making faculties built in to the Charter. The Charter was crafted in response to the need of Family membership for a greater liberality and freedom to exercise their own faith with like-minded individuals, and resulted in a surge of witnessing activity and innovation around the world, downsizing of large, unwieldy communities and over-bureaucratized Homes. Along with its many positive attributes, a new series of challenges was faced by the Family after the implementation of the Charter and an emphasis in many cases on "rights" without upholding responsibilities, which brought about a weakening in the Family. Trends came about that tended towards compromise with the "System" and a watering down of the Family's unique message and spirituality. Lines were drawn in the sand to mark the differences between full-time committed membership and other concentric circles of discipleship. Milestone initiatives were undertaken to not only evangelize, but to minister to the many people led to the Lord through the Family's witness. The leadership framework was restructured to accommodate the expansion of the Family and to involve more of the membership in administrating the Family.

The immediate future focus and overarching goal of the Family is the building of a broader base of membership, including an active church, as well as recruiting more full-time membership. Since its beginnings in the hippie era of the late '60s, the Family's main purpose and priority has been evangelizing, warning the world of the time of trouble to come as predicted in the Bible, teaching the Word of God, and helping to change lives by leading people to salvation through faith in Christ. This fundamental principle continues to be at the heart of all change and transition, as the Family prepares to grow and expand and be more effective than ever in carrying out these tasks, while continuing true to its deeply held religious beliefs.

Footnotes:
¹ In 1992 Father David issued a prophetic warning to the Family of intense persecution being imminent ("Next").

² In 1992, the mother of a Family member filed a case with Lord Justice Ward in England, requesting the custody of her unmarried daughter's child. The only grounds presented by the mother for the removal of the custody of her grandchild were her daughter's membership in the Family. The grandmother never suggested that her daughter was an unfit mother or that she had been deficient in her care of her son, a point carefully noted by the intervening magistrate.

Despite the fact that this case was strictly a custody case involving a Family member and her mother, Justice Ward devoted several years to hearing both former member and current member witnesses, as well as scholars of religion. He also studied Family literature, and ordered social services to evaluate the condition of local Family communities in England before pronouncing his decision. The court hearing lasted an unprecedented 75 days in which 10,000 pages of evidence were presented. After three years of rigorous investigative work, in November 1995, Justice Ward issued a lengthy ruling, in which he leveled some harsh criticisms of past eras of the Family's history, requiring assurances of changes made in years past, while also concluding that the Family had undergone numerous positive changes. He concluded that he was satisfied that the Family provided a safe environment for children raised within the group and consequently awarded the mother care and control of her child.

³ "No Longer Children" was a group of former members who had actively campaigned against the Family in the 1980's.

⁴ Good News magazines. Family missives are printed in the GNs.

⁵ Statistics from the Southern Baptists indicate that they have 16 million members who support 5,000 missionaries outside of the United States. In 1999 those missionaries and their co-workers baptized 419,342 people around the world. Ninety-five percent of their members never witness (Southern).

⁶ In building the board structure, we first set out to define the major aspects of the overall Family, the areas that affect every single Family Home. We defined six of these areas as:

• "The Children and Parenting board" for the spiritual care and upbringing of our children, ages 0-11
• "The JETT/Teen board" for the care and shepherding of our preteens and teens, ages 12-17
• "The Family Education Department board" for the education of our children and teens
• "The Church Growth and Outreach board" for witnessing, outreach, and follow-up (covering all of our witnessing, disciple winning and training, follow-up, tool [outreach materials] distribution, church growth, social gospel programs, the Activated program, and reaching the world with the Gospel)
• "The Visitation/Shepherding board" for the spiritual shepherding of the Homes and Family members
• "The Public Relations board" for media matters, relations with the press, legal matters involving foundations, NGOs or organizations that represent Family Homes, persecution response, exploring ways to promote the Family's good name and good works ("Board," par. 39).

⁷ See the Family's paper, "Communicating with Heavenly Messengers," available upon request.

Works Cited
Amsterdam, Peter. "Charter Responsibilities." Good News, July 1998.

---. "Heading into 2002, Part 1." Good News, Dec. 2001.

---. "Moving Forward: The Need for Change!" Good News, Feb. 1995.

---. "Putting Skin on the Era of Action." Good News, July 2000.

---. "That Banana There!" Good News, Nov. 2000.

---. "The Activated Program." Good News, Jan. 1999.

---. "The Board Vision, Part 1." Good News, Aug. 2001.

---. "The Family's Future and Expansion Program." Good News, Aug. 2000.

---. "The Professionals." Good News, May 2002.

---. "Victory Review '97," Good News, Jan. 1998.

---. "World Services' Response to Mr. Justice Ward; The Ministry of Reconciliation;

Progress Made On Recommendations Put Forth in January 1994 by the Family Educational Steering Committee." Good News, Sep. 1995.

Bainbridge, William S. The Endtime Family-The Children of God. Albany: SUNY Press, 2002.

---. The Sociology of Religious Movements. New York: Routledge, 1997.

Berg, David. "Consider the Poor!-Psalm 41:1." Good News, May 1991.

---. "Teens for Christ!" Good News, June 1986.

---. "What Next?" Good News, July 1992.

Bozeman, John M. "Field Notes-The Family/Children of God under the Love Charter."

Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions, 2.1, 1998.

Chancellor, James D. "When the Prophet Dies: The Family in the Post-David Berg Period." Presented at the Louisville Conference on Biblical

Discernment-Evangelical Ministries to New Religions-Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Louisville. Mar. 20, 2002.

---. Life in the Family: An Oral History of the Children of God. Syracuse University Press, 2000.

David, Maria. "Be Ye Separate. Conviction vs. Compromise, Part 3." Good News, Aug. 2001.

---. "Coming Persecution- Conviction vs. Compromise, Part 1." Good News, Sep. 2001.

---. "Endure Hardness, as a Good Soldier." Good News, June 1992.

---. "Our Activated Future. The Action Series-Part 1." Good News, Apr. 2000.

---. "Persecution Jewels-No. 15." Good News, Apr. 1994.

---. "Reach the Rich-The Poor You Have with You Always. Conviction vs. Compromise, Part 7." Good News, Feb. 2002.

---. "State of the Nation '95." Good News, Nov. 1995.

---. "The PER." Good News,, Mar. 1993.

---. "The Shakeup 2000-The S2K." Good News, July 1999.

---. "The Year of the Bottom Line." Good News, Mar. 1998.

---. "When Teens Leave the Family!" Good News, Sep. 1992.

David, Maria, and Peter Amsterdam. An Open Letter to All Current and Former Family Members. Bangkok: World Services, 1996.

Family, The. The Family Board Handbook. Bangkok: World Services, 2001.

---. The Love Charter. Bangkok: World Services, 1995.

Hardman, Charlotte. The Ethics of Children in Three New Religions. Camden: Rutgers University Press, 1999.

Melton, J. Gordon. "Self-consciousness in the Study of New Religions." Presented at the Louisville Conference on Biblical Discernment

Evangelical Ministries to New Religions-Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Louisville. Mar. 20, 2002.

---. Dai Bambini di Dio a the Family. (Translated from Italian.) Torino: Editrice Elle Di Ci., 1997.

Nuñez, Ruiz. n.p. 1993.

Richardson, James T. "Social Control of New Religions: From 'Brainwashing' Claims to Child Sex Abuse Accusations." Children in New Religions. Camden: Rutgers University Press. 1999.

Southern Baptist Church. http://www.sbc.net/aboutus/default.asp, http://www.namb.net/root/resources/stats/Baptism Indicators 2000.pdf.

Appeal 3032/93. Vadillo, Enrique Ruiz, Jose Antonio Martin Pallin, and Justo Carrero Ramos, Judges. Verdict number 1669/94. Oct. 30, 1994.

Case 81/89. San Martin Court of Appeals. Cavazza, Juan C. and others. Inf. Art.125, 139, 140, 142, Par.l, 142 bis, 210, 293 of the Code of Proceedings and art.3 of Law 23,592. Federal Court of San Isidro. Prack, Horacio Enrique, Alberto Mansur, Daniel Mario Rudi, Federal Judges. 1 Sec.2 Office II, Reg. 443. Buenos Aires, Dec. 13, 1993.

* * *

What Is the Family International?
The Family International (formerly known as the Children of God) is a fellowship of Christian communities with members in over 100 countries. Our current membership numbers about 8,500 full-time members and 7,000 associates.

The Family has four main objectives:

1. To share with others the life-giving message of love, hope, and salvation found in God's Word, conveying the joys of knowing Jesus as a personal Savior.
2. To ensure that each of our children receives a godly upbringing in the best possible environment we can provide.
3. To produce and distribute a wide selection of devotional, inspirational, and educational materials.
4. To actively assist the needy through producing and performing inspirational, dramatic, and musical benefits; serving as volunteers in disaster relief; and seeking ways to provide comfort and material assistance for the disadvantaged.

If you have any questions or comments, we invite you to contact us at one of the following addresses:

Web site: www.thefamily.org

The Family International
PMB 102
2020 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, D.C. 20006-1846
USA

Call in the USA at:
1 (800) 4-A-FAMILY [1 (800) 423-3264], or
1 (202) 298-0838
E-mail: publicaffairs@thefamily.org

The Family International
Maxet House
Liverpool Road
Luton, LU1 1RS
England
E-mail: info@thefamilyeurope.org

ST025-0401
Copyright © 2004 by The Family International