Site last updated: February 19, 2009. Check the “Update Log” for more information.
Mission: to educate the public
about the destructive cult known as:
Messianic Evangelicals
| Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon | New Covenant Ministries |
| New Covenant Church of God (NCCG) | Chavurah Bekorot (The Holy Order) |
| Guds Nya Förbunds Kyrka | Restoration Christian Fellowship |
| B’rit Chadashah Assembly of Yahweh | New Covenant Christian Fellowship |
| Independent Church of Jesus Christ | Independent Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints |
based near Arvika, Sweden
cult web sites:
www.nccg.org, messianicevangelicals.ning.com
This web site is the outcome of an investigation into Messianic Evangelicals/Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon, a small, polygamous religious group or “cult” with a self-styled apostle/prophet who has been its effective leader since its inception. The Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon core members live in a small compound in a semi-rural area near Arvika, Sweden.
The Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon cult has had many names throughout its lifetime. It has been noted to change its name in response to events that pressure the cult (either pressure from inside or outside the cult itself). It has been active on the internet since late 1996, and during much of that time it was prominently named “NCCG” or “New Covenant Church of God”. It’s current name is “Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon”, which is a phrase that references the cult leader’s current pseudonym “Lev-Tsiyon” and indicates that the group is his “family”.
This investigation was initiated in mid-2005 by a concerned person who adopted the anonymous internet handle “NCCG Concern” relative to authorship of this web site. Since that time, family members of cult-affected people and former members have contributed in varying degrees. The information revealed to-date has led the web site authors to the opinion that this group should be classified as “destructive” when viewed in the context of the criteria defined by the Rick A. Ross Institute for the Study of Destructive Cults (see the Sources link below for more information about these criteria). This web site is updated periodically when new information warrants it or it becomes appropriate to include additional research material.
Most of Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon recruitment of new members is done using the internet, and a smaller amount is done by word-of-mouth by members in areas of the world other than Arvika, Sweden.
For people whose association with the cult was initiated over the internet, there are two different categories of involvement/membership. The concept of “membership” or “associate” is used loosely here, and in this context includes anyone who has a cultic relationship with the members, be it in person or via the internet.
Single-type women are one category. They may become willing, and be permitted by its leader, to move to the cult’s compound to become one of the cult leader’s wives. In cases where this happens, the woman would potentially have sexual relations with the cult leader and bear his children. On birth certificates of children who were born to cult members while living at the compound (and otherwise known to have been fathered by the cult leader), the father’s name has been left blank. This is also seen in abusive Mormon splinter groups which still practice polygamy. The missing name on the birth certificate is a technicality which causes problems for women who leave polygamic families, potentially preventing them from collecting child support.
Men and their wives are different in that they are not as real a focus for permanent relocation to the cult’s compound (although they are known to make visits lasting up to several months). Despite these people not living full-time at the compound, the cult has in some cases demonstrated significant control over their minds and lives. This kind of member can demonstrate a similar fanatical zeal to that of members of more typical, non-internet-based cults.
From late 1996 until generally the present, members of both kinds become involved through the group’s internet presence. Their group involvement can cause their behavior to become extremist and this is noticeable to the person’s family and friends. Changes that may be noticed first include an unwillingness to eat non-kosher foods and rigid participation in sabbath observance (Saturday becomes an off-limits day for work, travel, etc). If investigated, it will generally be found that the person has come to believe that some members of the cult are prophets of God, and that the person has adopted religious beliefs that are in accordance with a cultic form of Messianic Christianity (and are notably pro-polygamy). The member will tend to be defensive regarding their internet participation in the cult and may be sending them money periodically. Women may change what they wear, possibly shunning shorts and pants. Pictures and firsthand accounts of women cult members who live at the compound show women wearing long dresses and wearing scarves as a form of headdress.
The person will generally be making regular contact with cult members through some form of internet message boards and/or internet chat. This may be done at the person’s home or in some cases is hidden from family members through use of an internet connection outside of the home such as an internet cafe or a connection at work. In the past, this internet chat has included the chat service formerly offered by MSN Groups (http://groups.msn.com/) and Paltalk (http://www.paltalk.com). Instant Messaging can also be used, such as Yahoo Messenger (http://messenger.yahoo.com). Use of message boards has included the MSN Groups service as well.
At least one cult member is known to impersonate other people in Instant Messaging. This person may pretend to be “satanists” who need help escaping from their “covens” or, alternately, satanists who may be planning “attacks” against the group, or pretend to be a cult member who wants to leave the cult. These kinds of impersonations have been done against current and former cult associates, plus there is at least one incident where it was done to someone who was not a member or associate of the cult.
Involvement with the cult has been seen to be dangerous to individuals of both types of membership. The cult feeds members information they claim to have come from God. In the worst case I am aware of, they gave a sick member specific medical advice which, had it been followed, would have killed him (more information about this incident can be read here: http://www.nccg.info/?p=8). In other cases, they have directed members regarding where to live, who to associate with, and other life-impacting decisions. Typical instructions are related to encouraging the member to stay away from their non-cult extended family members and friends, and causing the member to be rigid with those family members who may be too important to be expendable (such as a wife).
The cult seems to draw people who were Christians or ex-Mormons who had converted to Christianity.
Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon is a small cult, but it’s negative impact on the people it ultimately affects can be just as large as with any other cultic experience. Notably, the parents of young, single women can have a difficult time trying to deal with their child’s cult problem, and for them the problem can be of a very immediate nature (such as their child potentially getting onto an airplane and flying off to Sweden for good). Also, married males who begin associating with the cult tend to be rigid and uncooperative with their wives regarding the cult’s edicts, and this can cause upsets within the family.
Information for this web site was obtained through legal investigatory means, submissions of source material from concerned individuals, and firsthand testimonies from former members and supporters of Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon. Information included on this page which becomes outdated or found to be inaccurate is corrected as time permits.
To help maintain your anonymity, please use an internet anonymizing service if you intend to view links on Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon’s own website, www.nccg.org. This in particular applies to parents or other concerned individuals who are investigating Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon in regard to a current member or associate. A free anonymizer that could be used is http://www.the-cloak.com/anonymous-surfing-home.html.
Send all inquiries to mlt.truth@hotmail.com.
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“And if the prophet, tricked by deceit, says anything, it is I the Lord by whom he has been tricked, and I will put out my hand against him, and he will be cut off from among my people Israel. And the punishment of their sin will be on them: the sin of the prophet will be the same as the sin of him who goes to him for directions” (Ezekiel 14:9-10 KJV).
