Denver Snuffer, Jr. released a series of books and online articles explaining his beliefs and interpretations of scripture. He had said his writings were intended to promote loyalty to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsPassing the Heavenly Gift (Mill Creek Press, 2011), pp. 5, 400, 499. and that he would not be instrumental in starting a new religion. Snuffer's writings provoked a response from LDS leaders who eventually excommunicated him for what they described as directly challenging key doctrines. In 2014, Snuffer said he received a revelation informing him that "the Lord terminated the priesthood authority" of LDS church leadership involved in his excommunication, such as the LDS First Presidency. Starting in 2013, grass-roots fellowships formed, inspired by Snuffer's teachings and thus in schism with mainstream Mormonism. On February 17–19, 2017, a proposed set of governing principles was presented to these fellowships by Jeff Savage. As of 2017, the movement included approximately 5,000 adherents worldwide. Since 2016, about forty fellowships are affiliated with the movement.
