A radical Christian group known for their extreme altruism and controversial actions, including donating kidneys to strangers.
Religion: Christianity
Denomination: Evangelical
Founder: Dave and Cherry McKay
Founded: 1981
Ended: 2010
Location: Worldwide, with a significant presence in Australia, Kenya, and the United States
Size: 28
Offshoot of: Children of God/The Family International
Other names (and associated groups): Rappville Christians; A Voice in the Desert; End Time Survivors; Como Vivir Por Fe; Christians; The Medowie Christian Volunteers; Australian Christian Volunteers
The Jesus Christians were a millennialist Christian sect founded by Dave McKay in the early 1980s, gaining attention for their intense commitment to living by the teachings of Jesus as they interpreted them, notably including donating kidneys to strangers, which led to their nickname “the kidney cult”. This small, but highly publicized group, advocated for a literal interpretation of the New Testament, emphasizing practices like communal living and the renunciation of personal wealth. They were known for their public demonstrations, including money burning as an act of protest against materialism, and for distributing Bible-based comics and literature to spread their messages.
The Jesus Christians was established by Australian Dave McKay in the early 1980s. McKay, a former member of the Children of God, formed the Jesus Christians as a response to what he saw as the failure of mainstream Christianity to live according to the true teachings of Jesus. The group drew from a variety of Christian traditions but did not align itself with any specific denomination.
Controversy surrounded the Jesus Christians throughout much of their history. In the early 2000s, the group was subject to a documentary by Jon Ronson titled “Kidneys for Jesus”, which explored their efforts to donate kidneys to strangers and the ensuing media storm they attempted to navigate. This act of altruism, while praised by some, raised ethical and legal questions, leading to significant public and media scrutiny.
The group also faced legal challenges, such as the alleged kidnapping of Bobby Kelly, a teenager whose case drew widespread attention. Despite claims of kidnapping, it was later clarified through various interviews and court proceedings that Kelly had joined the group voluntarily, and the group’s leaders faced legal repercussions not for kidnapping but for contempt of court due to their reluctance to disclose Kelly’s whereabouts, fearing his forced deprogramming.
In addition, the group also faced criticisms for their anti-institutional stance, in which they prioritize the teachings of Jesus above all else, resulting in the rejection of traditional Christian church practices. They referred to mainstream Christians as “churchies”, critiquing their loyalty to institutional churches over the direct teachings of Jesus. Their organizational structure was intentionally loose, aiming to avoid hierarchical leadership and traditional religious rituals, which they viewed as distractions from their core mission of living according to Jesus’s teachings.
In 2010, the Jesus Christians claimed to have disbanded to escape the harassment from anti-cult activists, but reports suggest that they continued operations in a more covert manner. The group reportedly restructured, with individual teams spreading across continents, becoming autonomous while still adhering to McKay’s teachings. These activities transitioned into the digital age, with former members creating YouTube channels like “A Voice in the Desert” and “End Time Survivors”, focusing on end times prophecy and the teachings of Jesus. These platforms allowed the Jesus Christians to maintain a presence and continue their evangelizing efforts despite their official disbandment.
image via Wikimedia Commons
