Twelve Tribes communities

The Twelve Tribes, formerly known as the Vine Christian Community Church, the Northeast Kingdom Community Church, the Messianic Communities, and the Community Apostolic Order, is a movement that is defined as either a cult or a new religious movement.^: 155 It was founded by Gene Spriggs and sprang out of the Jesus movement in 1972 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The group calls itself an attempt to recreate the 1st-century church as it is described in the Book of Acts.

The group's origins in Chattanooga led to planted churches in surrounding areas. In the late seventies, the group began a community in Island Pond, Vermont. As their relationship with the Chattanooga community deteriorated, the group eventually left Tennessee and moved primarily to Vermont. The Twelve Tribes's beliefs resemble those of Christian fundamentalism, the Hebrew Roots movement, Messianic Judaism, and the Sacred Name Movement; however, the group believes that all other denominations are fallen, and it therefore refuses to align itself with any denomination or movement.

The group's strict courtship rules and their views on child rearing have been a source of controversy. The use of community labor, in which all funds are managed by the group as opposed to individuals, has been criticized for being exploitative and allowing child labor.

They have been criticized for their beliefs and practices, including for their supremacist views against black and Jewish people outside of their membership. The group's teachings have been characterized as "racist, misogynistic and homophobic", and ex-members report excessive corporal punishment, failure to stop child sexual abuse, and exploitation of followers for labor.