Peoples Temple

===Latter Rain Movement===
Jones began closely associating with the [[Independent Assemblies of God, International|Independent Assemblies of God]] (IAoG), an international group of churches who embraced the Latter Rain movement. The IAoG had few requirements for ordaining ministers and were accepting of divine healing practices. In June 1955, Jones held his first joint meetings with [[William Branham]], a healing [[Evangelism|evangelist]] and [[Pentecostal]] leader in the global [[Healing Revival]].{{sfn|Guinn|2017|p=82}}

In 1956, Jones was [[Ordination|ordained]] as an IAoG minister by [[Joseph Mattsson-Boze]], a leader in the Latter Rain movement and the IAoG. Jones quickly rose to prominence in the group. Working with the IAoG, Jones organized and hosted a healing convention to take place from June 11 to June 15, 1956, in Indianapolis's [[Cadle Tabernacle]]. Needing a well-known figure to draw crowds, he arranged to share the pulpit again with Reverend Branham.{{sfn|Reiterman|Jacobs|1982|pp=50–52}}

Branham was known to tell supplicants their name, address, and why they came for prayer, before pronouncing them healed.{{sfn|Reiterman|Jacobs|1982|pp=9–10}} Jones was intrigued by Branham's methods and began performing the same feats. Jones and Branham's meetings were very successful and attracted an audience of 11,000 at their first joint campaign. At the convention, Branham issued a prophetic endorsement of Jones and his ministry, saying that God used the convention to send forth a new great ministry.{{sfn|Collins|2017|pp=177-179|loc="Sharing the pulpit with Rev. Jim Jones of Peoples Temple, where [Branham] "prophesied" God's "blessing" on Jones' ministry..."}}

Many attendees in the campaign believed Jones's performance indicated that he possessed a [[Spiritual gift|supernatural gift]], and coupled with Branham's endorsement, it led to rapid growth of Peoples Temple. Jones was particularly effective at recruitment among the African American attendees at the conventions.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Collins, John|url=https://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=61481|title=The Intersection of William Branham and Jim Jones|date=October 4, 2014|publisher=San Diego State University |journal=Alternative Consideration of Jonestown & Peoples Temple}}</ref><ref name = "osojj">{{cite web|url=https://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=13778|title=Ordination Service of Jim Jones into Disciples of Christ|date=February 17, 2013|access-date=2021-11-02|publisher=San Diego State University}}</ref> According to a newspaper report, regular attendance at Peoples Temple swelled to 1,000 thanks to the publicity Branham provided to Jones and Peoples Temple.<ref>{{cite news|title=Peoples Temple Full Gospel|date=January 21, 1956|publisher=Indianapolis Star|author=Staff writers|page=7}}</ref>

Following the convention, Jones renamed his church the "Peoples Temple Christian Church Full Gospel" to associate it with [[Full Gospel]] Pentecostalism; the name was later shortened to the Peoples Temple.<ref name = "fgo">{{cite web|url=https://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=92702|publisher=San Diego State University|author=Collins, John|date=September 19, 2019|title=The "Full Gospel" Origins of Peoples Temple}}</ref> Jones participated in a series of multi-state revival campaigns with Branham and Mattsson-Boze in the second half of the 1950s, making multiple joint appearances with them. Jones claimed to be a follower and promoter of Branham's "Message" during the period.{{sfn|Collins|2017|pp=179-181}}<ref name = "tmcojjwb">{{cite journal|url=https://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=65112|title=The Message Connection of Jim Jones and William Branham|author=Collins, John & Duyzer, Peter|date=October 31, 2015|publisher=San Diego State University |journal=Alternative Considerations of Jonestown & Peoples Temple |access-date=September 24, 2021}}</ref> Peoples Temple hosted a second international Pentecostal convention in 1957 which was again headlined by Branham. Through the conventions and with the support of Branham and Mattsson-Boze, Jones secured connections throughout the Latter Rain movement.<ref name="Johnstown.sdsu.edu">{{cite web |publisher=San Diego State University|url=https://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=81621|access-date=February 23, 2016|title=Jim Jones and the Postwar Healing Revival|author=Collins, John}}</ref><ref name = "fgo"/>