Joseph Branham
Joseph Branham, the youngest son of William Branham, is the central leader of the primary branch of the Message movement through Voice of God Recordings, the organization he operates with Billy Paul Branham to distribute Branham's recorded sermons and related propaganda worldwide. His leadership extends through a network of business entities, including past ventures such as Ordinary People and current entities such as the Jehovah Jireh Foundation, while his authority inside the movement is interpreted in sharply different ways: some followers view him as a caretaker of Branham's legacy, others treat his direction as a present-day "voice of God," and some splinter groups elevate him even further as a messianic figure. After taking control of Branham Tabernacle amid accusations of property theft and resignations from church leadership, Joseph increasingly consolidated influence, including a 2022 directive urging believers to listen only to William Branham's recorded words, while public reporting on Voice of God Recordings' $1.1 million PPP loan placed his ministry among other large religious media organizations scrutinized for receiving federal relief funds.
Joseph Branham is William Branham's youngest son and current central figure for the primary sect of the "Message" cult and revered as a spiritual figure by some splinter groups. Through his business entity, Voice of God Recordings, Joseph and his brother Billy Paul Branham distribute the recordings of William Branham and other cult propaganda throughout the world. Past business entities include "Ordinary People", which appears to have been a shell corporation created by Joseph and Billy Paul Branham, T. L. Osborn, Kenneth Hagin, and others. Other current business entities include "Jehovah Jireh Foundation", a corporation apparently established for the sole purpose of moving money in and out of his other corporations.
Within the primary sect of the cult are different views of Joseph Branham's status and rank within the cult hierarchy. Some cult members believe Joseph to be a rank-and-file member of the cult who is simply carrying on his father's work and promoting William Branham as the prophet and messenger to the "last days". Others believe that Joseph has replaced William Branham as that messenger and that his words are also a "voice of God". Others still believe that Joseph Branham himself is the return of Jesus Christ that Branham was allegedly announcing. Joseph himself claims only the first in public, but has never denied the other views and seems to entertain those who have them in private.
Joseph Branham assumed leadership of the Branham Tabernacle after former pastor Willard Collins accused Branham of theft of church property. Collins, the entire staff of deacons, the music minister, and others resigned.[1]
In March 2022, Joseph Branham instructed members of the "Message" cult and its splinter groups to refrain from listening to cult leaders.
May I take the liberty and speak on behalf of the portion of the Bride that has the same Revelation I have, and say how we feel. If we’re going to be JUDGED, and our ETERNAL DESTINATION depends on the Word God spoke through His prophet, then we’ve got to ONLY hear that Word from the Voice of God for our day. We cannot, and will not rest our Eternal destination on what someone else explains, or says, but what HE SAID. WE CAN ONLY HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD, and William Marrion Branham is the ONLY VOICE OF GOD...GOD SAID SO.[Quoting William Branham] I offended you by saying that, forgive me, but, I felt that might been resented, but, I am God’s Voice to you.[2]
According to the Roys Report, Joseph Branham received $1.1 million in Paycheck Program Protection (PPP), placing Branham and Voice of God Recordings on the same list as Joyce Meyer Ministries, Joel Osteen, and T.D. Jakes. The list provided by The Trinity Foundation, a televangelism watchdog group, states that the federal government issued more than $78.6 million in PPP funds to televangelists, megachurches, and large media ministries in 2020.[3]