What is the Message?

When people ask us "what is the Message?", the simplest answer is this: it is a call to return to the Bible. The Message refers to the teaching ministry of William Marrion Branham (1909–1965), a preacher whose sermons pointed believers away from man-made tradition and back to the plain Word of God.

We believe the Bible promised this kind of ministry for the last days. In Malachi 4:5–6, God said He would send the spirit of Elijah "before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD" to "turn the heart of the fathers to the children" — in other words, to turn God's people back to the original, apostolic faith of the early church.

For us, the Message is not a new religion or a new Bible. It is an invitation to read the Scriptures with fresh eyes, to take God at His Word, and to live a holy, separated life centred on Jesus Christ.

What we believe

A few of the core convictions that shape life in our assembly.

• The Bible is our foundation – We hold the King James Bible as the inspired, complete Word of God. Everything we believe is measured against Scripture first.
• A promised end-time message – We believe Malachi 4:5–6 promised an Elijah ministry for the last days — a call to turn hearts back to the faith of the early church.
• Back to the original faith – The Message points believers back to the simple, apostolic faith taught in the book of Acts, not to new doctrine.
• A personal walk with Christ – We believe in salvation through Jesus Christ alone, water baptism, and a living, Spirit-filled relationship with God.

Who was William Branham?

William Branham was an American preacher whose ministry became widely known during the mid-twentieth century. Believers in the Message hold that God used his ministry to call the church back to the faith once delivered to the saints.

His sermons consistently directed people to Christ and to the authority of Scripture. As a church, we study those sermons alongside the Bible, always weighing what we hear against the written Word of God.

If you are new to the Message, we would simply encourage you to come and see for yourself. Bring your Bible, ask questions, and prove all things — that is exactly the spirit in which we want to worship together.

Come and worship with us

Whether you have followed the Message for years or are hearing about it for the first time, you are welcome at OBCA Midlands. We gather in Wolverhampton and serve believers across Telford, Birmingham and the wider West Midlands.