CORWIN SPRINGS - The Church Universal and Triumphant is known to some as a cult, but to others as the next major world religion. The group garnered national media attention after its leader predicted a nuclear holocaust in the 1990's. But as we discovered, the group has been quietly gaining momentum since it dropped off the national media radar.

In 1981, Church Universal and Triumphant and its parent organization, The Summit Lighthouse, purchased a large swath of land north of Yellowstone National Park in Corwin Springs. KULR-8 news archives from that time show the group told local media they were spiritually guided to Montana.

Also known as "CUT," Church Universal and Triumphant drew national media attention during a period known as the shelter cycle. It was a time during the late 1980's and early 1990's where nearly all its efforts and resources were focused on building massive, multi-million dollar shelters to protect against a nuclear war predicted by CUT's leader, Elizabeth Clare Prophet.

In 1990, Prophet challenged accusations of being a cult leader during an interview with KULR-8 news. "Unlike how I have been characterized, I do not exert control over anyone here or elsewhere." She and her husband, Mark Prophet claimed to have the ability to channel messages from God and dictate decrees from angels, saints and prophets from the past they call "Ascended Masters."

Sean Prophet, the firstborn son of Mark and Elizabeth Clare Prophet says his parent's assertions of divine contact led them down an historic path. "Since my mom claimed to be the mouthpiece of God, no one could question her and that led to some problems."

Sean Prophet grew up in CUT, became a minister, and an engineer who helped build the controversial nuclear fallout shelters. And eventually one of its biggest critics. He says, "We all braced for a nuclear war and it didn't happen. And the justification was that it was all averted through prayer, but to me it just didn't wash. At some point I began to realize whoever my mom was talking to wasn't right. And I wasn't about to live my life based on it anymore."

Sean says engineers asked his mother for divine guidance while building the bomb shelters. "I was in the engineering department and engineers would have questions about what kind of impact we were going to face, different measurements necessary and we'd write down a list and ask her and she'd go channel el Morya or God and come up with an answer on how we should proceed."

The buildings drew environmental lawsuits and disdain from neighbors and the suspicion of many. During that time, Sean Prophet says members embarked on an unorganized gathering of weapons. "Because if the mouthpiece of God tells you you are going to be the only ones with shelter, you need weapons to protect yourself from people who will want what you have."

He says he was under the impression federal investigators were watching cut during the shelter cycle and at various points, the group may have been on the brink of a Waco-like demise. "We were not trained in combat. Now during that time when we were in the shelters and armed to the teeth and if the feds were watching and a shot went off, it could have been very dangerous."

Today, church leaders say it's a much different story and they have moved past the controversies of the past. Kate Gordon, CUT's current co-president told us, "There are no guns. We have nothing here."

She says Elizabeth Clare Prophet stepped down in 1999 after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's and is currently in a nursing home in Bozeman. During a tour of the CUT facility known as the Royal Teton Ranch in Corwin Springs, Gordon told us of a new kind of construction underway. "It is a much different kind of building. Ten years ago you would have seen buildings on wheels - very impermanent. Monday we're building buildings with foundations and plan to be here for a long time."

Coming up in the next part of our series, a more specific look at the next phases of construction in the works at the CUT ranch. And a look at how the group is trying to appeal to a more mainstream membership.