Career
Beginning in 1974, Bryant began to state that he was receiving revelations from Jesus. He claimed that "John the Beloved" had visited him as an angel and instructed him to form an "Order of the Ancients". At this time, Bryant claimed to be the "One Mighty and Strong" prophesied of in the Doctrine and Covenants.
In 1979, Bryant"s group established a communal settlement at the Fair Haven Ranch near Las Vegas, Nevada.
During his time as a leader of the group, Bryant had six wives and taught his sect about drug experimentation and heterosexual and homosexual group sexual According to sources, sect members had sexual relations during the group"s temple ceremonies.
In 1981, the group lost the Fair Haven Ranch when they were unable to keep up on mortgage payments. When the church attempted to convert a barn on the farm to a church building, it was blocked by neighborhood protests.
However, in 1985 Bryant reorganized the church into the Church of the New Covenant in Christ, with a membership of approximately 120 families.
Bryant abandoned teaching plural marriage, vowed to take no more wives, and reoriented his family life away from its previous patriarchal structure.
