Laurel Street Tabernacle
Laurel Street Tabernacle in Indianapolis appears to have been a key gateway through which Jim Jones entered William Branham's "Message" and Latter Rain healing revival network, beginning as an Assemblies of God congregation with strong evangelistic and divine-healing emphasis, hosting figures such as Roy Wead and Lester Sumrall, and later providing Jones a platform after he turned his Somerset Methodist congregation into a Full Gospel assembly, with newspaper advertisements showing him ministering at Laurel Street and uniting with its "mighty move of God," suggesting that the church helped connect Jones to Branham-aligned leaders, Independent Assemblies of God circles, and the postwar healing revival world that shaped the early Peoples Temple.
Laurel Street Tabernacle in Indianapolis, Indiana, appears to be the church where Jim Jones of Peoples Temple was recruited into Branham's "Message" cult following. During the early years of Jim Jones' ministry in Indianapolis and prior to the formation of Peoples Temple, Jones was an aspiring "healing revivalist" with strong ties to the Latter Rain version of William Branham's "Message".
The Laurel Street Tabernacle opened in 1915 as a small frame house with a membership of five adults. In 1939, it was completely remodeled to accommodate a quickly growing congregation. Laurel Street Tabernacle had a strong evangelistic ministry, sending many ministers and missionaries into the field.[1] In just ten years the church had outgrown its capacity once more and it was decided to move into a new building. Ground broke for the new Laurel Street Tabernacle on the corner of Laurel and Prospect Streets on April 10, 1949. Aligned with William Branham's "Gospel of Divine Healing", Laurel Street Tabernacle combined "healing" with "salvation" under the title of "the Gospel".[2]
Before breaking ground in 1949, the Laurel Street Tabernacle was also involved in the quickly spreading Post WWII Healing Revival. It advertised healing services in the Indianapolis newspapers, offering multiple services for those who wished to seek healing.[3]. For the dedication ceremonies in December of 1950,[4] "Message" converts Roy Wead and Lester Sumrall came to Laurel Street to hold revival meetings.[5]
In 1953, Jones converted his Somerset Methodist church into a "Full Gospel" assembly[6] and began working closely with Laurel Street Tabernacle. The earliest identified mention of Jones holding a revival at Laurel Street was December 26, 1953.[7] Jones would continue working with Laurel Street Tabernacle, often ministering all services for the church.[8] Laurel street advertisements advertized that Jones had "united with the mighty move of God in the Tabernacle",[9] which combined with the strong ties to William Branham, suggests that Jones had converted to Branham's "Message" in Laurel Street Tabernacle.
Laurel Street Tabernacle was affiliated with the Assemblies of God before the Assemblies split when it denounced Branham's "Latter Rain" doctrine. This split was significant as it relates to Jim Jones and Peoples Temple; Roy Wead, [10] Lester Sumrall,[11] and Jim Jones[12] chose to break from the main sect of the Assemblies and join Branham's "Latter Rain" through the Independent Assemblies of God led by A. W. Rasmussen and Joseph Mattsson-Boze. Wead became a leader in Branham's sect, writing publications describing why that he sided with Branham after the split.