David Brandt Berg
| David Berg | |
|---|---|
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| Born |
David Brandt Berg February 18, 1919 Oakland, California, US |
| Died | October 1, 1994 (aged 75) Costa de Caparica, Portugal |
| Other names | Moses David, King David |
| Occupation | Founder, Children of God |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Children | 4 |
| Website | www |
David Brandt Berg (February 18, 1919 – October 1, 1994), frequently known by the pseudonym Moses David, was the founder and leader of the new religious movement formerly called Children of God, now called The Family International. Berg founded this movement in 1968 among the counterculture youth in southern California. He came from a long line of non-conformist ministers and evangelists, so he also decided to spend his life dedicated to Christian service. Initially the group was filled with hippies and unchurched youth, but later drew in followers from many other places. This is when the Children of God expanded and became known as the Family International. To communicate with his followers, he began writing letters, and continued this practice for thirty years. His legacy has a lot of controversy, however, as he was accused several times for child abuse, and sexual misconduct even from his grandsons.
In Berg's lifetime, he disapproved of mainstream Christians because he thought that they failed to follow the teachings of Christ. He believed that all Christians should model their lives after the first century church, living a simple life, and devoting their life, time, and money to sharing the Gospel of Christ with as many people as possible. During the first 25 years of this movement, the Family International shared their message with over 260 million people in over 100 countries. According to The Family International, 18 million of those people became followers of Christ.
Berg was born in Oakland, California, the youngest of three children of Hjalmer Emmanuel Berg and Rev. Virginia Lee Brandt, Christian evangelists. His father was Swedish. His maternal grandfather was Rev. John Lincoln Brandt (1860–1946), a Disciples of Christ minister, author, and lecturer of Muskogee, Oklahoma. David Berg graduated from Monterey High School (in California) in 1935 and later attended Elliott School of Business Administration
Berg often said that his rich heritage played a key role in shaping his character and religious convictions. Many of his forefathers, as well as both of his parents, were deeply committed Christians. Some of them were members of the Dunkards, a conservative offshoot of the Church of the Brethren. State persecution of the sect drove the Brandt family to America, where they settled in Pennsylvania and Ohio around 1750.
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