Back Shepherd's Rod Spanish Advantista Davidiana Mitandrina ny Andro Fahafito Malagasy Rózga Pasterza Polish Adventistas Davidianos do Sétimo Dia Portuguese General Association of Davidian Seventh-day Adventists Swedish
The Shepherd's Rod or Davidian Seventh-day Adventists is a movement within the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It was founded in 1929 by Victor Houteff. He joined the Seventh-day Adventist church in 1919 and was later excommunicated from the church in 1930 for promoting "heretical" doctrines that he claimed were new revelations from God to further Adventist theology.
The official organizational name was adopted in 1942 as The Davidian Seventh-day Adventists but its message was still referred to as "The Shepherd’s Rod" by both members and critics. The name is a reference to Victor Houteff's initial and most important publication, The Shepherd's Rod. It finds its origin in the Bible, namely, the book of Micah 6:9; 7:14. The Davidian Seventh-Day Adventist organization was and is still headquartered in Waco, Texas. They refer to their headquarters as Mount Carmel Center. It reached its peak in the early 1950s with thousands of adherents before splintering into various factions after Victor Houteff's death in 1955. There are various groups claiming Victor Houteff's theology today. They claim a number of unique doctrines that are said to be for the Seventh-Day Adventist denomination where they confine their religious activities.