After his death, his widow Karen Zerby became the leader of TFI, taking the titles of 'Queen' and 'Prophetess'.

TFI's founder and prophetic leader, David Berg (who was first called 'Moses David' in the Texas press, and was also referred to 'Father David' by members), gave himself the titles of 'King', 'The Last Endtime Prophet', 'Moses', and 'David'.īerg communicated with his followers via 'Mo Letters'-letters of instruction and counsel on myriad spiritual and practical subjects-until his death in late 1994. In 1976, it began a method of evangelism called Flirty Fishing that used sex to 'show God's love and mercy' and win converts, resulting in controversy. Like some other fundamentalist groups, it 'foretold the coming of a dictator called the anti-Christ, the rise of a brutal One World Government and its eventual overthrow by Jesus Christ, in the Second Coming'.

TFI initially spread a message of salvation, apocalypticism, spiritual 'revolution and happiness' and distrust of the outside world, which the members called The System.