Dave Pack is going into orgasmic ecstasy today proclaiming his itty-bitty personalty cult based in Wadsworth is the most superfantabulous Church of God EVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVER! You may need a cold shower after reading Baghdad Dave's hyperbole.
While many or most of our statistics have exploded yet again, most of this letter focuses on the marvelous miracles being experienced by God’s people here. Very dramatic accounts of healings and divine protection are increasing almost exponentially in The Restored Church of God. There are reasons. In fact, I explained a little over three months ago (just after the Feast, where about eight to ten had occurred) that this could begin to increase. AND IT HAS! In almost 50 years in God’s Way, I have never seen—or even heard of!—anything like it in God’s Church. Of course we are greatly inspired, but at the same time not really surprised. Also, this wonderful trend relates to powerful things you will soon learn about THIS Church!
Baghdad Dave gushes about his superfantabulous ministry as the biggest in the entire world!Brethren, we have been seeing certain miracles and healings all along, and they were irrefutable, but there has been an ENORMOUS surge—perhaps eight to ten each week now!!!
Imagine that! A Church of God has a web site that is the largest in the entire world. No other church has as much information online or does as much work as Davey and crew!. Awesome dude!Never before has Christ’s Church been so poised to launch forward. In EVERY category, we have become solid and prepared for MUCH greater things. Unprecedented tools are being used to reach people in all nations with God’s truth. And God is powerfully blessing His Work! We have produced the largest amount of literature—books, booklets, articles, magazines, Bible lessons, form letters, brochures, etc.—in the history of the Church of God. Apart from the ongoing need to produce our three regular magazines, all of the literature of the Church when it was “on track” under Mr. Armstrong’s leadership is now complete—plus much, much more. This has meant that The Restored Church of God has developed into the largest biblically based publishing operation on Earth today—and in history! This is why our websites are the most comprehensive of any kind of religious website!
Did you know that the ONLY hope for humankind is to be found in Wadsworth, Ohio?
But a deceived mankind does not realize that the only true hope for its future is divine intervention. This marvelous hope is going out undiluted from only one place—The Restored Church of God.
Dave sends out another Clarion call for more money to pour in. His exploding student body in Wadsworth needs a new Student Center patterned after Pasadena's.
Then to stick the knife into Rod Meredith and Gerald Flurry's back Baghdad Davey says that the two of them combined cannot even equal Davey's magnificence.AMBASSADOR CENTER: What we call “AC” currently enrolls 91 students, with hundreds of alumni across the globe. The college moved into new classrooms last year, which make use of cutting-edge technology to produce and film live classes. These are also used to hold Ambassador Center events such as its recent sixth anniversary. Several new courses were added this year, along with others being updated. The truly magnificent fifth Envoy (paralleling the WCG’s) is in production and a record-breaking number of copies were ordered in 2014! The Work continues to employ students and alumni in full- and part-time positions. Growth in faculty, student body and curriculum will soon bring the need for a dedicated Ambassador Student Center building.
None—and I mean NONE!!!—of the totals and numbers you are reading are seen in any of the splinter groups, which have been trying to draw away God’s people for over 20 years. Maybe no two groups together rival any of these numbers. God is blessing us VERY POWERFULLY!
You can read lots of statistics from Baghdad Davey here.
Using Dave's statistics we can produce some idea of the size of his organization.
ReplyDeleteHe states in the letter that his church has grown 19% a year over the last 16 years since he started.
Lets assume he starts up with 100 members. A 19% a year growth rate would equate into 1617 members in the current time. This figure matches other estimates given by ex-members of an attendance of 1500.
Although the internet "hit" numbers sound impressive, it should be noted that internet hits are very low relational contacts, and do not translate very well into new members. It is likely that it takes 500k to 1 Million internet hits to produce just one new member. It is unlikely that Packs group produced more than 50 new members due to marketing over the last year.
Most COGs have income that is about $2k a year per man woman and child. Lets be generous to Pack and call that $3k a year because of his constant badgering and solicitation of funds. This would put Packs operation at no more than $4.8 million a year, which would equate into just 1/4th that of the entire AICF budget (inflation adjusted) back in the glory days.
I do not wish to diminish the reports of miracles and divine intervention that is reported in Packs letter. I personally have had God intervene on my behalf and in no uncertain terms. I say this as someone who is generally skeptical and who is scientific in my thinking. However, Pack uses these as PROOF that he is the source for such, and this is frankly blasphemous.
God has mercy when he desires and to whoever he desires. HWA himself described a man with a gift for healing, and he was neither a Sabbath Keeper , nor member of his church, in his autobiography. For Pack to want to take credit for the Mercy of God, and use it as a proof of his legitimacy and "divine rights anointing" is disgusting.
Lastly, Davey forgot to mention that since the incarceration of Ron Weinland, he has led the COG culture in over the top, ridiculous and spectacular PROPHECY FAILURES!
Wow! You just hit a raw nerve in Wadsworth! Someone I know works in the HQ of Dave and saw this post. They are none too happy to be made fun of. This is just further proof to them that Satan is at work trying to subvert their accomplishments.
ReplyDeleteWhere is this "God's Church" they keep talking about, anyway? Do they expect us to believe that it is them?
ReplyDeleteBB
Just gotta chuckle to myself. They don't even keep the sabbath like the original Jews and Israelites! Has everyone been tuned in to the latest breaking news over at asbereansdid? The sabbath was a direct function of the lunar cycle! The priest would call out the first sighting of the new moon, and then the sabbaths would be at day 7,14,21, and 28! There was no such thing as a "fixed" calendar, and days had not been named after pagan gods or goddesses!
ReplyDeleteTo learn more, see also Pope Gregory, and Rabbi Hillel II!
BB
Baghdad Dave used 78 exclamation points in his letter, testing positive for lies according to The Law of Exclamation and madness using Terry Pratchett's field test for insanity.
ReplyDelete'Explosive'!
ReplyDeleteDoes this mean Davy's church is going to blow up?
How interesting that the statistics page includes links to the "special announcements" of 2013.
ReplyDeleteStill waiting for the month when three COG leaders die....
I am God. Worship me.
ReplyDeleteDavid Pack.
Oh, guilting people into buying an Envoy is still a thing. Because everybody wants a bookshelf full of overpriced schmaltzy yearbooks from a "college" they probably didn't even themselves attend. Never change, Armstrongism.
ReplyDeleteMuch news has been presented recently that could only be categorized as being negative to RCG and to Pack personally. The emerging picture, based largely on failed interpretations of prophecy, and insider experiences shared by those who have left the fold (in effect, their "exit interviews") is one of failure and the imminent collapse of perhaps the most highly leveraged ACOG splinter group.
ReplyDeleteTo properly address this collection of negatives in a credible way, the most effective approach might have been a measured, well reasoned, quietly reassuring and logical release of some sort. Never having embraced the appeal of understatement, Pack, however, unleashes a barrage of totally unmitigated bombast, the very existence of which screams "over reaction", "panic", "cover-up", and many other unflattering words that I am sure will enter a reader's mind.
This is what has characterized his ministry from the very beginning, and, to the "normal" person, defies credibility. It literally screams "Rule me out! I am a frenetic distortion, an anomaly!" He has inadvertently unmaksed the reason for RCG's lack of growth.
BB
Forget about the proper goose, although this latest stuff is intended to goose his ministry. He ain't even an effective proppa ganda!
ReplyDelete~Miguel de la Rodente
If RCC files for bankruptcy,(something banks hate to do) what type of organization would be interested in the facility? Traditional church building are of little use other than another church organization, but the Admin. and Media center?
ReplyDeleteIt must really piss Davie off that when you Google 'David Pack' most of the stuff that still comes up is about David Pack of the soft rock band Ambrosia!
ReplyDeleteThe rest of the stuff, aside from a couple of his own boasting commercials, is really some pretty damaging reports.
If you have to brag about yourself it must not be so...lol
ReplyDelete