Membership in the Kingdom of Zion

This page explains the requirements and process for becoming a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of the Kingdom of Zion.

Membership is not obtained by request, interest, attendance, or study alone. A person must be personally called by Jesus Christ, prepared according to the order He has established, meet the requirements of membership, and be received through baptism and confirmation according to the circumstances described below.

Jesus Christ personally calling a household to follow Him

Where to Begin

If You Are Still Learning about Jesus Christ

Those who are still learning the gospel of Jesus Christ should begin with the foundational gospel of faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism for the remission of sins, and the gift of the Holy Ghost.

We encourage those beginning this path to meet with missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose worldwide stewardship includes teaching the gospel of salvation and administering its saving ordinances.

Meet with Missionaries

If You Are Already a Disciple of Jesus Christ

Those who already follow Jesus Christ and desire to understand the Kingdom of Zion should begin by reading the Doctrine of the Law.

Reading the doctrine does not make a person a member. Formal preparation for membership begins only after Jesus Christ personally calls the person to this work.

Study the Doctrine of the Law

How to Become a Member

To become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of the Kingdom of Zion, a person must complete the following process.

Study the Doctrine of the Law

The Doctrine of the Law is required reading. The person must understand its basic doctrine, laws, covenants, responsibilities, and way of life required in Zion and be willing to live according to them.

Receive a Personal Calling from Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ must personally call the person to this work. That calling may come through prayer, the Holy Ghost, scripture, dreams, visions, or other revelation. Desire alone does not make a person a candidate for membership.

Receive Confirmation through the Prophet

The Lord must also reveal the person’s calling through the prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of the Kingdom of Zion. The person’s calling and the prophet’s confirmation must agree before formal preparation proceeds.

Receive Instruction and Prepare

The person receives instruction in the Doctrine of the Law, the Law of Zion, membership requirements, repentance and covenant standing, entrance ordinances, and the responsibilities that begin with membership. They must make the changes needed to bring their life into conformity with those requirements.

Complete the Membership Interview

The membership interview confirms that the person understands and accepts the requirements, has completed the required repentance, is willing to live the covenants and responsibilities of membership, has received the Lord’s personal calling, and is ready to enter the covenant. Baptism, confirmation, and any prior initiatory or endowment are also reviewed.

If serious sin is involved, the person must work through the bishop throughout the repentance process. The person may not determine for themselves that serious sin has been fully resolved or that they are ready for baptism. The bishop helps determine whether the required confession, restitution, changed conduct, and fruits of repentance have been completed.

Receive Baptism, When Required

A person must have received baptism through priesthood authority recognized by this Church. A recognized baptism is not repeated merely because the person is joining this Church. If the authority is not recognized, or the Doctrine of the Law requires the broken baptismal covenant to be entered again, the person must receive baptism before membership.

Be Confirmed as a Member

Every person entering this Church is confirmed as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of the Kingdom of Zion and receives the Gift of the Holy Ghost according to the ordinance.

Membership begins with confirmation.

A recognized prior baptism does not remove the requirement to be confirmed into this Church.

Two Churches, Distinct Works

We believe Jesus Christ established both The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and The Church of Jesus Christ of the Kingdom of Zion, but gave them different stewardships.

The Work Given to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

We believe Jesus Christ restored The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through the Prophet Joseph Smith and gave it priesthood authority for the latter-day work of the Gentiles and the gospel of salvation.

Its work includes:

Preaching faith in Jesus Christ and repentance throughout the world
Baptizing and confirming believers
Administering the saving ordinances and covenants of the restored gospel
Gathering Israel from among the Gentile nations
Performing ordinances for the dead

Through this work, people throughout the world are taught to come unto Jesus Christ, make and keep covenants with Him, and receive the foundational ordinances of salvation.

The Work of the Kingdom of Zion

We believe Jesus Christ established The Church of Jesus Christ of the Kingdom of Zion in connection with the latter-day work of the Jews, the gathering of His elect, and the gospel of exaltation.

The work of the Jews does not refer only to people of Jewish ancestry. It is the gathering of those covenant people who hear the God of Israel, obey Him, follow Him, and are personally called by Jesus Christ into the work of Zion.

This Church does not conduct a worldwide effort to recruit converts into the Kingdom of Zion. Jesus Christ identifies, prepares, calls, and brings His people. The Church receives and teaches those whom He sends.

Its work includes:

Receiving those personally called by Jesus Christ
Teaching the Doctrine of the Law and Law of Zion
Preparing members to live the laws of the Celestial Kingdom
Teaching the gospel of exaltation
Preparing a covenant people for Zion and the New Jerusalem

The full doctrinal explanation of these two latter-day works is found in the Doctrine of the Law, including The Time of the Jews.

The Church of Jesus Christ of the Kingdom of Zion is a separate and independent religious organization. It is not legally or institutionally affiliated with, sponsored by, or officially endorsed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Recognition of Prior Ordinances

Baptism, Initiatory, and Endowment

We recognize baptisms, initiatory ordinances, and endowments received through The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as ordinances performed through priesthood authority given by Jesus Christ.

These ordinances are not repeated merely because a person enters this Church.

A prior baptism must still be in proper covenant standing. If the Doctrine of the Law requires the baptismal covenant to be entered again, the person must repent and receive baptism again before membership.

Temple Marriage Sealings

We recognize husband-and-wife temple sealings performed in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as valid ordinances and conditional promises made through priesthood authority.

A husband and wife who have already received a recognized temple sealing do not receive another Couple Sealing merely because they enter the Kingdom of Zion.

Their existing sealing continues as the foundational husband-and-wife sealing upon which the later covenant order may build.

What Comes after Membership

Membership is the beginning of the covenant order in Zion. It is not the completion of the covenants of salvation and exaltation.

The ordinary progression is:

Baptism and Confirmation — membership and the beginning of the covenant foundation.
Initiatory and Endowment — completion of the foundational salvation covenants.
Civil Marriage and Couple Sealing — establishment of the husband-and-wife family order of exaltation.
Alliance Sealing — later joining of distinct Household Kingdoms within the larger Covenant Family, when Jesus Christ personally prepares and calls those involved.
Sealing to Jesus Christ at His Coming — the future completion of the covenant order at the marriage supper of the Lamb.

The Doctrine of the Law explains each of these covenants, their requirements, and the order in which Jesus Christ prepares His people to receive them.