Believers bought airplane for dead preacher thinking he’d rise from grave to fly in it
From the Twisted Message: A prophet’s unchecked global sect series
The story behind millions of dollars amassed by a fringe religious sect includes the distribution of recorded sermons by its dead prophet and tributes paid



David Moseley used to believe in The Message, the faith founded on the teachings and sermons of the late Rev. William Branham. ... But he’s come to believe it’s all about the money — and his family is a prime example.


Rev. William Branham
Courtesy of Voice of God Recordings

Branham was a preacher, faith healer and some say prophet whose tent revivals in the ‘40s and ‘50s drew thousands. ... Moseley’s family members got to know Branham and hunted for big game with the evangelist. On one hunting trip, Branham mentioned the idea of having a plane to spread his message, to fulfill his vision of a “mammoth” global tent revival campaign, larger than anything he’d done before, and it became the family’s mission to get him one.

Branham died in 1965. But Moseley said his family didn’t let the fact that Branham had died get in the way of their dream. So in the '70s, they bought the dead prophet an airplane for his use when he came back to life, as they believe he will. ... It wasn’t just any plane. They bought the DC7 previously used by former First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson.


The interior of the Douglas DC-7 Seven Seas aircraft that Message believers bought for their prophet, William Branham, to fly around the world. The plane was also once used to fly former First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson across the nation. Photo taken during a tour of the plane at the Phoenix-Goodyear Airport in November 2012.
Shaun Barnette

Moseley said unprincipled Message pastors used the plane to raise money. He said one church in Phoenix sold tickets to the faithful for them to use on flights once Branham came back to life.

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Message believers bought this Douglas DC-7 Seven Seas aircraft to fly their prophet, William Branham, around the world. Here, the plane is pictured at the Phoenix-Goodyear Airport in November 2012.
Shaun Barnette

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