For most Christians, the first identity with a church is often associated with an organized religion. In most cases, Christians attend a number of different denominations over the course of a lifetime. What many do not realize, is that when it comes to Jehovah's Witnesses, the founder Charles Russell who created RUSSELLISM and THE BIBLE STUDENT MOVEMENT gave birth to the Jehovah' Witness denomination.
Charles Russell was born in Allegheny, Pennsylvania into the family of a shopkeeper. Ms. Russell passed away when Charles was only 9 years old. As a result, the Russells relocated to Pittsburgh in hope of a better life. As a teenager, Charles helped as a part-time shopkeeper in a new family run store while also studying scriptures on a regular basis.
The family then moved to Pittsburgh and joined the local Presbyterian church. As Charles did not feel a connection to God through the church, the young boy left and joined the Congregational Church. During this time, Charles would chalk chapters and verses of the Bible on sidewalks and fence posts hoping to convert non-believers.
When sixteen, Charles had a discussion with a childhood friend with regards to faults in the Christian belief system and other traditions. While having a brief period of questioning the faith once so boldly held, it was not long before the young pastor would be found attending a presentation by an Adventist Minister, Jonas Wendell. After which, Russell experienced a renewal of faith as well as the belief that the Bible truly was the Word of God.
Charles then became involved with the Bible Student Movement. During which time the Jehovah Witness publication known as Zion's Watch Tower, now the Watch Tower was first published by Russell. While also publishing another pamphlet called the Herald of Christ's presence, that publication was never as widely accepted as the Watch Tower.
Having written a number of pamphlets, sermons, tracts and books, Russell published a six series bible study known as Millennial Dawn which was provided as a complete course of study. While the series later became known as A Study Of The Scriptures, the content and 7th chapter which would be added at a later date provided even more details with regards to the scriptures. In some cases, Christians of other branches and denominations have suggested that the publication lacks a sense of truth.
After Russell's passing, there was an organizational crisis based on Rutherford's leadership compared that of Charles. As a result, a number of students left the movement and established a number of individual churches. After which, those whom stayed changed the name from the Bible Study Movement to Jehovah's Witnesses, a change that was adopted and finalized in 1931.
While there were a number of reasons provided as to why those whom departed from the group did so, there have no official reasons provided to date. While there were several individual groups, two which were most popular and well known were that of the Laymen's Home Missionary Movement and the Pastoral Bible Institute. While different in organizational procedure, both groups provided members with a very similar structure to that of the Bible Study Movement.
Charles Russell was born in Allegheny, Pennsylvania into the family of a shopkeeper. Ms. Russell passed away when Charles was only 9 years old. As a result, the Russells relocated to Pittsburgh in hope of a better life. As a teenager, Charles helped as a part-time shopkeeper in a new family run store while also studying scriptures on a regular basis.
The family then moved to Pittsburgh and joined the local Presbyterian church. As Charles did not feel a connection to God through the church, the young boy left and joined the Congregational Church. During this time, Charles would chalk chapters and verses of the Bible on sidewalks and fence posts hoping to convert non-believers.
When sixteen, Charles had a discussion with a childhood friend with regards to faults in the Christian belief system and other traditions. While having a brief period of questioning the faith once so boldly held, it was not long before the young pastor would be found attending a presentation by an Adventist Minister, Jonas Wendell. After which, Russell experienced a renewal of faith as well as the belief that the Bible truly was the Word of God.
Charles then became involved with the Bible Student Movement. During which time the Jehovah Witness publication known as Zion's Watch Tower, now the Watch Tower was first published by Russell. While also publishing another pamphlet called the Herald of Christ's presence, that publication was never as widely accepted as the Watch Tower.
Having written a number of pamphlets, sermons, tracts and books, Russell published a six series bible study known as Millennial Dawn which was provided as a complete course of study. While the series later became known as A Study Of The Scriptures, the content and 7th chapter which would be added at a later date provided even more details with regards to the scriptures. In some cases, Christians of other branches and denominations have suggested that the publication lacks a sense of truth.
After Russell's passing, there was an organizational crisis based on Rutherford's leadership compared that of Charles. As a result, a number of students left the movement and established a number of individual churches. After which, those whom stayed changed the name from the Bible Study Movement to Jehovah's Witnesses, a change that was adopted and finalized in 1931.
While there were a number of reasons provided as to why those whom departed from the group did so, there have no official reasons provided to date. While there were several individual groups, two which were most popular and well known were that of the Laymen's Home Missionary Movement and the Pastoral Bible Institute. While different in organizational procedure, both groups provided members with a very similar structure to that of the Bible Study Movement.
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