Dave Pack: My Sermons Are So Great Even Little Children Like Them

Dave says:

And one of the wonderful things that my condition brought about is…In these wonderful letters from people that are wishing me well and saying encouraging things and talking about their children and grandchildren, is also the fact that so many of them take occasion to tell me how this has opened up questions they could never see before; things that are just amazing to watch it all come together; they don’t want the series to end, and on and on. I’ve been hearing that all along but when you get a stack of cards…I mean, I sat last night, yet again, reading my latest stack of cards and some of them go two pages. And I’ve read every word.

I open them up, and here’s little butterflies that a little girl wrote me, who couldn’t spell her own name right. So cute. She had to be a little bitty thing. But there…but cute! “Get better Mr. Pack!” You know, and every letter in the word “Get better” is different size…You know how that is…and it trails off down the corner because they didn’t plan for spacing…It’s the cutest thing. And there’re drawings and flowers and pictures of me…not look-alikes, obviously…not photographs. But you know, I love it! It’s wonderful!

People love the things that they’re hearing and I’ve even had some children say they like the sermons which is…which is wonderful. “Now, say to Mr. Pack you like those sermons”…I can sort of hear that from the parents in the background. Maybe that’s the way that it gets in there. But I actually have had a few do that, so that’s wonderful, too.

Dave Pack: Paul Had It Wrong, I Am The Only One On Earth To Understand And Explain The Antichrist!

Dave Pack has declared he is the only one who knows what the book of Habakkuk is about and that he is the ONLY one in the entire world who understands the book or what who the Antichrist is.  This is going to cause Almost arrested and jailed Bob Thiel major butt hurt since he claims he is the only one who knows what Habakkuk is about and that he actually is the modern day Habakkuk.  Can these two get any sillier?

And I’m going to say what Paul did—because I know what Paul believed was right, in the wrong time setting. I look out and see wars, rumors, commotions of all kinds and I know time is close! And it is my job to proclaim it, because nobody understands Habakkuk or all of the verses. Have you heard anyone else on Earth explain the Antichrist? This horrific monster—no one understands him. One man read plain on the tables—that’s the reading part—and I rushed, I literally preached it at the conference over a year ago, the day I discovered it. And of course, I discovered much, much more and presented it to the Church the day before Pentecost a year ago.

I proclaimed it! And I’ve been doing it and you’re going to find hundreds and hundreds of thousands and millions of people are going to watch this. At some point, it’s going to go viral. We had more good financial news this month, without getting into it, besides the Pentecost offering. That’s not the only good thing that’s happened and we’re only on the 10^th of the month. And a lot of it happened before anybody even heard last week’s sermon, never mind this week.

Dave Pack: God Has Chosen Not To Heal Me Just Like He Did Not Heal Mr. Armstrong

Is Dave Pack starting to realize how mortal he is and that his prophecies and teachings are slipping out of his hands unanswered?  

But first, let’s go back to Hebrews 11 one more time. I’m having my faith tested. I guess, in some ways, it’s testing your faith that…my health. I regret that, but if God is putting us all through a little bit of a fire because of my health, my heart, you can see I’m preaching, I don’t fear. I don’t! I remind myself of Paul preaching on the island…Was it Melita?…and a viper bit him and he just shook it off into the fire and kept going. That’s the way I feel about it. I remind myself, and talk to my wife about that verse. We’ll see how it all plays out. If God for His own reason does not choose to heal me any more than He chose to heal Paul or Mr. Armstrong, I’m in good company. We’ll see.

But whether it heals naturally or…regarding these problems. I am told that with a simple procedure…I could possibly walk out and never have a problem again. So I’ve got an interesting two weeks ahead of me. I trust God, not men, but I’m going to go ahead with it. So I’m living by faith and I know we’re all in the saddle together. 

Update: I am not dead yet

Email:

"Is this the Mr Diehl that used to be my minister in _______?"

"Yes"

"Dennis!  I was told you went crazy, were put in an institution and committed suicide."

"Hmmm....  No.....  Fine here"

"I did find a counselor a few years back"

Dr. Chewie

PhD  RIP

Religious Issues Professional

"But now just livin' the life along the Willamette in Oregon"

"Oh Good!"

Church of God International on Racial Tensions

Some observations on CGI's latest web chat (Racial Tensions) - posted on their website

Church of God International pastors Bill Watson and Adrian Davis have posted their discussion on "Racial Tensions" in the United States as part of that group's "web chat" series. The piece was designed to offer some timely commentary on racial divisions across the U.S. in the context of recent events in Charlottesville and elsewhere.

First, while Mr. Watson's choice of a black colleague for this discussion is certainly understandable, one wonders why he chose a Canadian pastor over an American one. Was Pastor Bronson James unavailable or unwilling to participate in this discussion?

Second, if you were expecting the pastors to denounce white nationalists, klansmen and racists, you're going to be disappointed with this discussion. Instead, the principals launch into an attack on Barack Obama, whom they characterize as a "Neo-Marxist." For good measure, they talk at some length about folks like George Soros and Saul Alinsky and hint at "nefarious" activities and conspiracies. Pastor Watson alleges that protesters are being paid and trained by these kinds of folks to stir up trouble, and Pastor Davis says that protesters are being "played" by Marxists.

Next, they turn their attention to groups like Black Lives Matter (BLM) and speculate about how they went wrong. According to Mr. Davis, the oppression of black folks in America is a "false narrative." He goes on to point out that BLM is intent on destroying heteronormative thinking and was founded by lesbians and Marxists. This all apparently made Mr. Watson a little skittish as he felt compelled to declare "I like black people."

When the pair finally turn their attention to Charlottesville, Mr. Watson opens the discussion with a reference to an article that appeared on YourNewsWire.com. Sure, he admits the article "sounds conspiratorial," but then goes on to assert that he believes it. For those who are not familiar with this site, it should be noted that YourNewsWire.com is cited by most reputable news organizations as a notorious purveyor of fake news and conspiracy theories.

Finally, the pastors warn us against getting caught up in this stuff. They don't want us to unwittingly become involved in bringing down America (apparently the principal agenda of these left-wing groups). They go on to assert that those who are involved in this movement are "drunk and asleep," and that such folks have the potential for causing divisions within the church. Mr. Watson and Mr. Davis want their parishioners to keep their eyes on the Kingdom and follow the Golden Rule.

After listening to this web chat, it occurred to me that Pastor Watson and Pastor Davis would do well to follow their own advice. My suggestion is that they avoid this topic in the future and concentrate on the Kingdom and the Golden Rule. What do you think?

--Lonnie Hendrix/Miller Jones

Bob Thiel Makes Another Outlandish Statement On How His "god" Used The Weather To Make Romney Lose The Election

Almost arrested and jailed Elijah Thiel is back once again making yet another absurd comment on the hurricane in Texas.  This time he takes it even further though and brings in Mitt Romney and Barack Obama into the mix.   Did you know that Thiel's prissy and angry god used the weather to make Romney lose the election to Obama?

As far as God controlling the weather goes, in my view, weather was one of the reasons that Mitt Romney lost against Barack Obama in 2012 (cf. Daniel 4:17). There was a major storm, ‘superstorm Sandy’ that hit the north-east and that seemed to be the time more polls started to reduce Mitt Romney’s chances. Here is something I posted about that November 10, 2012:

I believe, for example, that God allowed superstorm Sandy which likely affected the election, in the favor of Barack Obama.  Others may disagree, but for the past 2-3 years I felt that something would occur within a week or so of the 2012  US presidential election.  And while superstorm Sandy was still going on, I discussed this with some I work with prior to the election, and mentioned that I felt that the superstorm would affect the election.

The Bible clearly teaches, “the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses” (Daniel 4:25).

God controls the weather.

Weather events should serve as a wake-up call.

Things in the USA will not remain as they have been.

Sadly, many will be complacent and not really think that disaster will happen, but that will be a mistake:  Rain and floods continue to affect Texas and Louisiana: Who controls the weather?

No one in their right mind should be listing to a false COG leader like Bob Thiel!  He is just one more in a long line of self-appointed deceptive frauds that preach unscriptural bullshit.  He can write all the books he wants and he is still a lying false prophet.

Thiel is like James Malm, the need a nasty vengeful god on their side in order to make themselves look spiritually correct and enlightened.  They are not.  They both a liars who worship at the feet of Baal and Moses.

Why has the COG culture deemed "personal calling" illegitimate?

The church has for decades sent out a mixed message when it comes to the members putting their talents to use.  On one hand, we were encouraged to use our talents to the best of our abilities.  These talents were "God given" and were to be nourished, but on the other hand, the church regularly beat down and diminished many members talents, deeming them unworthy because they just "might" interfere with the directives of the ministry.  In no manner were members to ever interfere in matters relating to theology.  God forbid if you were a nurse or doctor!  You might be needed to take care of someone on the Sabbath.  Be a Policeman?  No way!  Fireman?  Nope!  You just might need to be called in on Friday night or Saturday and that CANNOT happen. Being a Good Samaritan on the Sabbath is forbidden!

Wired into WCG culture was a notion that individual initiative on anything that actually mattered, such as with social or creative consequences, was not to be done outside the control of a top-down hierarchy. Even something as innocuous as a member organizing a book discussion group or an Amnesty International letter-writing group was unthinkable. A person feeling an internal calling to become a teacher or counselor or clergy to others, no matter how good and pure their intentions might be (to help people), would also be regarded as a threat by the hierarchy unless the hierarchy wanted to invite them. Was this why the concept of listening inside for one's "personal calling" was deemed illegitimate?            

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How Will We Remember Bob Thiel and James Malm When They Die?

Yesterday I posted a brief story about the death of William Dankenbring, a former Worldwide Church of God member, writer, and minister.  I deliberately did not make any comments about his track record of public pronouncements, predictions or esoteric beliefs.  That should not be the point of announcing the death of people who have historical ties to the Church of God movement, and of whom many of us know.  

Not so with Almost arrested and jailed Bob Thiel and Chief Pharisaical Zealot James Malm.  Both of these false prophets let the spittle fly right off the bat with righteous indignation.

Zealot Malm writes:

29 Aug:  Self proclaimed COG prophet William Dankenbring  died today from congestive heart failure and renal failure, he had been living in Omak, Washington. 

False prophet William Dankenbring had numerous prophetic failures and many obviously false doctrines, which were as unscriptural and as utterly fantastic as Dave Pack’s or Ron Weinland’s.   He left the WCG to form Triumph Ministries, establishing himself as a sacred names enthusiast.   Most COG folks saw through him but he did have a small following.

Elijah and Second Witless Witness Bob Thiel  was even more brutal:

William Dankenbring was a prolific, though often inaccurate, writer. He used to write for the old Radio and Worldwide Church of God until he left and went out on his own. 

Although I heard about him originally in the 1970s, my first encounter with William Dankenbring was about 25 year ago. I wrote to him then objecting to some of his writings and asking to be taken off of his mailing list–a mailing list I had never asked to be on. Well, he was not pleased and wrote a tirade against that which he published. All my encounters with him over the years were negative. 

William Dankenbring made many false predictions over the years that I have denounced. He was always in error and time proved that.

But perhaps the most egregious negative experience I had with him was when I informed him that a written source he claimed proved at 15th, and not 14th of Nisan, Passover did not say what he claimed it did. He refused to even look at the actual proof when I offered it.

He, like many, had an opinion, and did not want to believe facts that did not support that opinion. 

Here we have two certified liars and false prophets, who currently preach unscriptural baloney, proclaiming another fellow COG leader a false prophet and a liar.  Talk about total hypocrisy!  Thiel and Malm have both lied and made false prophecies and predictions.  They both teach heretical crap that has no relevance to a new covenant Christian.  Both continue to bow at the altar of Moses while ignoring and diminishing that so inconvenient dude, Jesus.  Whoring themselves out to the law apparently is not an issue for them.  Nor, is looking inward at their own warped sense of reasoning.

How people respond to the death of these two will be interesting to see.  It remains to be seen if they will continue to lie and set wrong dates, and then back peddle and lie again, as they already have been doing, and as Dave Pack and Gerald Flurry do. I can guarantee though that when Gerald Flurry and Dave Pack die there will be no mercy leveled at their death announcements.  Perverse men like these do not deserve the honor.

UCG Member Just Thankful To Be Able To Sweep Doorsteps IF and IF God Lets Her Into The Kingdom

Did you know that the life story of Herbert Armstrong is comparable to Jesus' story or that of the original apostles? Herb was betrayed by many loyal men over the years just like Jesus was.

Even worse though is the idea that the person has been brought up and taught by UCG ministers that as a woman in the church she was unworthy and that "god" just might possibly let her into the kingdom if she fulfilled all the commands of the church.  Works always trump mercy when law reigns supreme. Armstrongism has always taught that none of us were ever qualified to make it.  We could never do enough, do what was right, or ever please God.  Herbert Armstrong's coworker/member letters always brought this point out.

Here is what a UCG member said on Facebook:

I'm just hoping I can sweep a door step somewhere in the Kingdom.. As long as I get there.. I don't know what UCG church you went to but it wasn't the same one I know. As far as HWA is concerned, I never met the man but I have listened to hundreds of stories over the years about him and his teachings.. His mistakes.. His sins.. His great accomplishments.. His betrayals at the hands of those closest to him... His story sounds fairly similar to most every man on this earth.. Even some from a group of 12 many years ago. Was he.. I don't know.. Only God does.

William Dankenbring Dies

William Dankenbring has died.  Dankenbring was a prolific writer while he was in the Worldwide Church of God and after he left.   I remember his books displayed in Jekyll Island the year after he was kicked out.  The ministers stood on stage and demanded that church members not buy his books.  He had negotiated deals with gift shops, liquor stores to display and sell his books during the Feast.  People bought them anyway.

He has a web site here:  Triumph Prophetic Ministries (Church of God)  His site is heavily into conspiracy theories and other wild diversions.

He died today, August 29, 2017, around 1:00 pm. of congestive heart failure and renal failure.

He has lived the past few years in Omak, Washington.

LCG Scott Winnail: I encourage you, avoid the mistake of telling your daughters and your granddaughters that they can be anything they want to be.

Raising Daughters, Raising Godly Women

Scott Winnail says:

"How many women today speak in meek and quiet ways? Is that what society is pushing women to do; be meek and quiet? We have some interesting discussions in my class when we talk about this. No, what is society telling you as a woman? “Be strong, stand up for yourself, defend yourself. Cut to the chase, don’t take flak from anyone.” What’s wrong with this picture though? Parents, grandparents, I encourage you as we think about this, avoid, I encourage you, avoid the mistake of telling your daughters and your granddaughters that they can be anything they want to be. There’s a fallacy in that. We don’t want to direct our daughters and our granddaughters into a job or career path that forces her to change her character into something that God didn’t intend. And there are job and career paths that will turn a woman’s character opposite of what God designed it to be. If we force (we don’t force), if we push our daughters and granddaughters into those careers they will never be fully happy. They can’t be, because those career paths and jobs are forcing them into roles that God doesn’t want them in. That’s a fallacy: “You can be anything you want to be.” Men can’t do that either. We shouldn’t tell our boys that either, “You can be anything you want to be.” No you can’t! Not and be a Christian. There are plenty of job responsibilities that are wrong, that are un-Christian, that break the law of God. Developing weapons, serving in the military, serving in security jobs where you carry a weapon, working as a doctor where you know you’re going to be on call two Sabbaths a month, and you know you’ll work. That’s not an ox in a ditch situation that’s pushing an ox into the ditch. So, telling our kids that they can do anything they want to do, they can be anything they want to be, is a fallacy, whether it’s to boys or to girls."

Tithe of the Tithe: How The Church Steals More Money From Members

One of the biggest con-jobs the church laid upon members was the command for members to tithe upon their second tithe.  This money was supposed to go to the church where they used it for Feast site support.  This money ended up being used for all kinds things other than the feast.

This is from the Hulmerous Church of God on how the COG justifies stealing an additional 10% from members.

Church of God an International Community The October 2016 issue of Church of God News contains an article (p.13-14) by Tim Anderson, ‘Tithe of the Tithe’, a phrase that is found twice in scripture:

Num.18:26 ‘Moreover thou shalt speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithe which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up a heave-offering of it for Jehovah, a tithe of the tithe.’ 

Neh.10:38 ‘And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure-house. For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the heave-offering of the grain...’

Tim Anderson writes: “In 1964 God’s Church faced a crisis. Over 22,000 people would attend the Feast of Tabernacles that year. The next year there would be more than 29,000 (with 12,000 at a single Feast site). Projecting the Church’s phenomenal growth, they were planning on around 140,000 by 1971 [and 144,000 by January 1972, when Herbert Armstrong would make the long awaited announcement of the place of safety], and they had no idea how to accommodate so many people. After much consideration and prayer, God led Mr. Armstrong to the answer: a ‘tithe of the tithe’.”

The WCG were already receiving and spending 100% of the first tithes, so Herbert Armstrong translated this phrase to mean one tenth of the second tithe.

“Today we use tithe of the tithe to refer to giving 10 percent of our second tithe to the Church, to aid in financing the Feast of Tabernacles. Mr. Armstrong instituted this practice in 1964 based on the biblical principles of the Levites giving a tenth of tithes to the priests. It wasn’t a direct command, but the application of a principle found elsewhere in the Scriptures.”

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Hurricane Harvey plays right into the hands of the false prophets of the COG

As usual, various COG ministers who think they are somehow in direct contact with their gods, think they know what It is thinking and doing.  Never ones to let a good disaster go to waste, they are jumping into their usual "angry god" stage and claiming that their god is really pissed at the humans living in that area of Texas and is deliberately punishing them.  Their god demands this kind of action.

The almost arrested and jailed false prophet and improperly ordained Bob Thiel, of the improperly named "continuing" Church of God, has already let his pissed off god loose to wreck havoc.

God controls the weather. Wet weather is sometimes used by God for judgment and correction. 

As regular readers of this page are aware, I have repeatedly warned of weather problems coming. Back in 2009, in my book, 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect, I wrote that the following was about to happen:

Odd weather patterns result in food shortages and natural disasters.

Matthew 24:7

The world is actually in a berserk transition, as the real age of peace is not yet here. It may be a period of chaos. It is the beginning of sorrows.

Matthew 24:8

Since that was published, we have had record smashing heat and odd weather problems. These weather issues should serve as a wake-up call.

Like of any typical doom and gloom false prophet of Armstrongism, they need their god to be consistently angry at its children.  Their god has been angry at the United States for 80 some years now and is constantly whipping up one disaster after another in order to bring the nation to its knees so it can worship the god of these false men.

Weather issues will likely help weaken the USA.

Weather events should serve as a wake-up call. 

Something much worse than Hurricane Harvey will hit the USA one day.

Gerald Flurry: Elite Grandson, Grant Turgeon Trained To Be Steward To The BIG BOSS On New PCG Jet

Gerald Flurry recently bought his own jet for the exclusive use of he and his immediate family.  The reason he bought the jet was so he would not have to fly sitting next to some disease ridden member of the public or gods forbid if he had to stand in line for the security check.   Nothing could be more humiliating for the prophet of god having his crotch touched by an over-zealous TSA agent.

The Philadelphia Church of God has been working over time in finding every imaginable excuse in justifying the purchase of the jet.  Now the son of PCG's most abusive ministers (Wayne Turgeon) has written an article, Flying Solo, that is featured on the PCG web site about his recent training on how to be a flight steward on his grand-daddy's private play toy.

PCG sent Grant Turgeon off to Long Beach recently to train how to be a steward on a private jet. Only the elite relatives of Flurry are allowed to fly on the jet, so there could never possibly be a lay member trained to do this job.

As soon as I opened the front door, something felt different. The date was June 19, my first day of a week-long course at Flight Safety International in Long Beach, California. Through nearly 40 hours of lectures and drills, I became certified as a cabin attendant for the Philadelphia Church of God’s new Gulfstream 450 aircraft.

In his very next paragraph, he talks about the intense persecution he received as a high school student playing basket ball.  The reason for this is that he used his time in Long Beach as an opportunity to witness about the glories of his grand father establishing the most amazing work the world has ever seen.  In high school, he did not have the balls to stand up for his faith due to being surrounded by the heathen unconverted spawn of pagans.

Ever since finding out about the training course a few days before it started, I had been bracing myself for the worst but still hoping for the best. It brought to mind an uncomfortable encounter as a 15-year-old high school baseball player back in 2008 when I was relentlessly ridiculed and harassed by my freshman teammates, and even the older players, for being the only kid who couldn’t participate in games on Friday nights or Saturdays, who disappeared for a week in October to attend the Feast of Tabernacles (or to sacrifice animals at the temple, as they jokingly claimed), who chose not to attend parties, and who refused to experiment with alcohol and drugs. 

Of course, this was nine years ago in the absurdly popularity-obsessed environment of public school, in which teenagers probe for any peculiarity in their peers and then attack it relentlessly, just to avoid being picked on themselves for their own insecurities. Realistically, I understood that my time at Flight Safety International, surrounded mostly by adults twice my age and older, wouldn’t be quite as laden with persecution.

Now that Grant considers himself one of the most converted young men on earth today, he started imagining how he could witness to his instructors and class mates.

Still, I knew that God’s way of life always attracts curiosity, whether good or bad. When I entered the training center, I could only pray that the curiosity of my fellow students and my instructors would be of the more pleasant variety.

Never fear, the god of PCG was quick to intervene and use Grant as a witness to the majestic lifestyle of Gerald Flurry.  His classmates were SHOCKED to learn he was working for his grandfather, Gerald.  SHOCKED!!!!!!!!!

On the third day of training, one of the instructors asked my three female classmates and me how well we knew the principal passenger on the private planes where we would be working. After some hesitation, I explained that I would be flying with my grandfather. 

This was shocking, apparently. My answer invited an onslaught of incredulous yet positive comments and questions, since working for a relative in the flight business is practically unheard of. Would my grandfather even make me wear a uniform? What meals does he prefer? How easy is he to get along with? Where will we be traveling? 

During a mid-morning break a couple hours later, one of my classmates asked me several questions about my grandfather. I told her his name and pointed out that he is the presenter of the Key of David television program, one of the three or four largest religious telecasts in the United States. She asked to see what he looks like, so I pulled out my phone and showed her the introduction to one of the programs on YouTube.

His class mates were astounded by Grant's time teaching them about the one true church and they were amazed and excited.  Apparently, these trainees already knew Gerald Flurry was the smartest man on earth.

Her excited reaction revealed that she had seen Mr. Flurry before. She quickly called across the lounge to her boyfriend, a pilot who was taking a different training course that same week. He was happy to meet the grandson of a man whom he frequently watches on tv. According to this pilot, Mr. Flurry is “smart” and “really knows his stuff.” I agreed. 

Following a morning of practicing in-flight food preparation, teachers and students gathered beneath a flight simulator in the warehouse for the only group lunch of the week. The timing was impeccable, just a few hours after the whole crew had discovered my family relation to the big boss.

Grant now had the opportunity at lunch time to tell the complete story of the miraculous emergence of the greatest Church of God in this age.

Questions came my way, so I answered. Do I plan to enter the ministry like Mr. Flurry? “No; no one in this Church plans to.” Why would some pcg members travel several hours to attend Church services each week? “Because they are deeply committed to their beliefs.” With every answer I gave, the people around me realized more and more how vastly different this way of life is. 

“Why did your grandfather choose to become a minister?” one middle-aged female instructor asked as the other teachers and students got up to wash their dishes. I replied that it was the last career he would have chosen; as a young man, he used to criticize his mother for listening to the radio program of Worldwide Church of God founder Herbert W. Armstrong, the predecessor to Mr. Flurry and the pcg. But as his life spiraled out of control, he couldn’t help but notice how happy and stable his mother was. Since his father wasn’t the best role model, he came to see Mr. Armstrong as his spiritual father. 

Later on, I continued, Mr. Flurry attended the wcg’s educational institution, Ambassador College, which was located in Pasadena—just a short drive from Flight Safety International. After three years as an older, married student, he was hired to write for the Church’s world news publication, The Plain Truth, only to be fired about a year later. 

At this point, a field minister asked Mr. Flurry to be a ministerial trainee under him. Finally, I told my instructor, he became a minister and has remained in that capacity for nearly 50 years. Because the wcg changed its mission under new leadership following Mr. Armstrong’s death in 1986, Mr. Flurry started the pcg in 1989 and has worked to uphold Mr. Armstrong’s legacy ever since.

In practical terms, I explained, this means starting colleges in Oklahoma and England, hosting renowned musical geniuses in an annual concert series at Armstrong Auditorium, excavating biblical remains in Jerusalem, delivering a hope-filled message through every possible digital and print medium, and even acquiring a private aircraft for the purpose of traveling the world and encouraging thousands of dedicated pcg members.

Grant felt deeply inspired by his experience and the chance to witness the glorious truth about his grandfather to his trainee mates.  This time he was not a weak immature high school student too afraid to witness to his basketball teammates. God used him as a witness to the unconverted.

Now Grant wants to use this experience as a tool to teach the youth of PCG to always be ready with an answer when asked and to never be afraid.  So the next time someone questions a PCG member about the mindless purchase of the jet, they will be ready to step forward with an answer.

During my week in California, I also learned the true meaning of the Apostle Peter’s admonition: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15). 

In other words, God’s people, including the youth, must have the humility and the understanding to give honest answers about our way of life, which fills us with a living hope. Sometimes, this goes beyond explaining why we keep the Sabbath and the holy days, or why we don’t eat pork. At Flight Safety International, I was hardly asked a single doctrinal question. Instead, I had to know some of the fruits of God’s Work, as well as some of the history of the Church. The Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstrong and Raising the Ruins are outstanding resources for building this knowledge.

Never once in his entire week of training did Grant ever talk about Jesus.  It was all about Gerald Flurry, Mystery of the Ages and Lil'Stevie's pathetic and deceptive book, Raising the Ruins.  Since Jesus has never been part of the Philadelphia empire, it is no wonder Grant was incapable of talking or witnessing about Christ to these pagans.

One of the mantras of the Church of God has always been, "be ready to give an answer."  Of course, that "answer" was always about justifying Herbert Armstrong or some other COG leader or doctrine.  It never included mentioning Jesus.  God forbid a true COG member would EVER discuss Jesus with pagans!!!!!! Ghastly days!

Notice: We are encouraged to “give an answer.” This implies that someone asked a question first. One thing that makes God’s Church vastly different from any other church is that we do not initiate religious discussions. We do not go door to door with the gospel. We do not argue for hours with unconverted family members, trying to convince or force them to come into the Church. We do not embark on missionary journeys to baptize pagans in Africa and South America.

But, if asked, we should have been paying enough attention during Church services, and exerting enough effort in personal Bible study, to give a satisfactory answer.

God’s way of life works. People are naturally intrigued by it. It is up to us to set a right example and to give an answer that would make God proud. 

God's way of life does work if the person is following Jesus, but does a COG way of life work as a way of making God proud?  Considering the horrific track record of the Philadelphia Church of God in leading people to suicide, breaking up families and marriages and teaching members to abandon handicapped children in the mall, how could God EVER be proud of the PCG?