• Origins in Founder: Wellspring Church's doctrine stems from founder Norman H. James, who blended Oneness Pentecostal and fringe Latter Rain teachings with his own interpretations.

• Borrowed and Altered Theology: James adopted elements like Jesus’ name baptism, the “Three Part Gospel,” and shepherding-style authority, reshaping them into a controlling system.

• Departure from Mainstream Christianity: His unique mix of doctrines set Wellspring Church apart from historic Christian belief, emphasizing special knowledge and hierarchical control.

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To understand Wellspring's considerable variations from mainstream Christian doctrine, one must understand the source of the doctrine and the man who developed it, Norman H. James. 

Norman James grew up Roman Catholic and at one time planned for a life in the Catholic priesthood. He first entered the world of Pentecostal Christianity in Ohio at a small congregation known as the 'Church of the Firstborn'. While no records confirm exactly what teachings he encountered there, it is reasonable to assume he was exposed to the broader Pentecostal environment of the region - an area that, throughout the 1950s and 1960s, was one of the most active hubs for Oneness Pentecostal preachers, literature, and revival campaigns in the nation.

 

He later spoke of wanting to “see the power of God,” which drew him to attend Bethesda Missionary Temple in Detroit under Myrtle Beall. "Mom" Beall was a gifted and influential pastor known for her strong leadership, deep personal faith, and her role in shaping the New Order of the Latter Rain revival that began in 1948 in North Battleford, Saskatchewan.

 

Although the entirety of Norman James' early influences cannot be traced with certainty, this combination of early Ohio Pentecostal exposure and later Latter Rain teaching helps explain how the theological ideas that eventually shaped Wellspring Church may have formed during his early years.​ Both regions - Ohio’s vibrant Pentecostal scene and the Latter Rain revival in Detroit - were places where new movements and fresh interpretations were rapidly emerging, offering him streams of thought that he would later develop into his own system.​​

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In terms of leadership style, Norman James borrowed many practices from the Shepherding Movement, a controversial movement within Charismatic churches that emphasized authority and submission to church leaders. It required members  to be “covered” by the authority of the pastor or church leadership. People could not make personal life decisions, including marriage, house moves, and career choices, without their shepherd’s counsel, oversight and even permission. Although he publicly disparaged the Shepherding Movement, he justified his own controlling actions with the language and philosophy of the movement. 

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Wellspring Church claims that they are the only remaining Latter Rain church in their awareness. In reality, the beliefs and teachings of the 'New Order of the Latter Rain' are found in various forms in many Pentecostal, Charismatic and Independent churches. Interestingly, Myrtle Beall did not consider Bethesda Missionary Temple a 'Latter Rain' church. She stated in her 1951 book 'The Plumb Line' that 'her church was not a Latter Rain church for Jesus is the Latter Rain' and that she  'did not intend to start another denomination'.

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