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Indiana formation: Community Unity Church
Jim Jones founds his first church in Indianapolis called Peoples Temple Full Gospel Church. His fundamentals were marxism, as he was tired of the way communist parties in the united states were being treated. -
Jim Jones is ordained as a IAoG minister
The Latter Rain Movement, which is a collection of churches, ordained Jones as a minister. He would team up with Reverend Branham for healing ceremonies, attracting crowds of over 11,000 people. Jones's church received 1,000 new regularly attending members, with many believing Jones had a gift. -
Jim Jones holds second international Pentecostal convention
Jones would continue to make joint appearances with other Latter Rain churches, eventually securing connections throughout the communities they were involved in. -
Combines with Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) to become the Peoples Temple Christian Church Full Gospel
Jones's church combined with Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in order to combat the lack of membership. Faith healing would be held where Jones and other healers would appear to list off private information about participants. Most of this came from hired private detectives. Pastor Pastor Ijames was hired to control the African American membership to below 50%. Jones created a socialist collective program a stressed the idea of no materialistic ideologies. -
Jones has visions and travels to Brazil
The church tightens rules about membership. You must only adopt children and spend holidays with church members instead of relatives. Jones had a vision of a nuclear attack destroying Chicago, stating the safest place to visit was Brazil. He spent 1961 to 1963 in Brazil until returning due to financial problems. -
Relocation to Redwood Valley, California
Jones has more visions of nuclear wars, but the church falls on hard times due to Jones's lack of appearance. Jones created a new church in Redwood Valley, California with 140 devoted followers. By 1969, the follower count rose to over 300. -
Jones seizes control
Jones, while admitting to magazines that he was atheist, pushed an ideology on his followers that he was the "socialist God". He started preaching prophecies that the Nazis would return to put people of color in camps. This allows Jones to seize control, creating a military-style leadership. Rapes, forced abortions, food rations, and forced labor was put among those who did not please Jones's vision. -
Membership rises to 3,000
By the mid-1970s, an extension of the church in San Francisco boosted membership to around 3,000. Jones used mind control techniques used by the Chinese military to seize even more control over the members. Anyone who wasn't in the church was seen as a traitor or enemy, radicalizing the movement. Troops were created that were 70 - 80% black because Jones preyed on poorer low-income communities in California. -
Mass fundraising events
The church rakes in $1 million a year in fundraising. Busses filled with recruiters were sent out across the country, capturing more and more members. Membership had ballooned, with 3,000 people attending in some churches per service. Jones owned 15 facilities in downtown San Francisco for aiding in poor and child adoptive practices as a part of his communist vision. He also owned a 40-acre secluded ranch for disabled people. -
Mass suicide at Jonestown, Guyana
Peoples Temple Agricultural Project rented land in Jonestown to build a socialist paradise for the black community. When allegations of abuse came to light, he and 900 members fled to Jonestown. Representative Leo Ryan attempted to visit Jonestown to investigate but was gunned down by Jones security forces. Later that day, he ordered his followers to drink Cyanide-laced Kool-aid. 918 people died, including 276 children. The church was later dissolved 4 months later.