| The Family International, formerly known as the Children of God, was founded in 1968 as a fundamentalist Christian movement. The Family has been operating as a communal society for 40 years, with communities in over 80 countries and over 8,000 full-time and associate members.
The Family's founder, David Brandt Berg, pointed members to the Book of Acts in the Bible as a blueprint of how Christ's disciples should live; sharing their earthly goods and common potting finances, abilities, and resources.
The Family's primary mission is to "preach the Gospel to every creature" by every possible means, such as personal evangelization, humanitarian aid, and the distribution of literature. Two-thirds of their membership is second-generation members, most of whom are homeschooled.
The Family's unconventional beliefs regarding sexuality have been highlighted by the media. It is the Family's scriptural belief that God created human sexuality and that as such, when practiced as God ordained, it is a beautiful creation of God.
In 1995 the Family adopted a governing charter, which codified the beliefs, rights, and responsibilities of full-time Family members. The primary purpose of the charter is to provide a well-defined governing structure. Within this structure, ample opportunity is provided for Family members to follow what they believe is God's will for them personally. | Community location is placed at the center of the zip/postal code, city/state, or city/country (not based on street addresses) |
