As the Philadelphia Church of God hurtles down its spectacular financial death spiral, the once-proud outfit has been unceremoniously told to vacate from its swanky long-term lease on prestigious David Marcus Street in Jerusalem. The very building they crowed about securing in 2022—because only the best will do for God’s most elite remnant—now belongs to someone else.
It housed the late Dr. Eilat Mazar’s archaeological library and research, the spoils they eagerly claimed after she mysteriously bequeathed her life’s work to them. (Because nothing screams “divine favor” like inheriting dusty artifacts from someone else’s decades of toil.) This was their grand imitation of Herbert W. Armstrong’s “iron bridge” with Benjamin Mazar: twenty years after the original digs died with Armstrong in 1986, PCG wormed their way back in with Eilat on the City of David and Ophel excavations, strutting around like they’d single-handedly reinvented biblical archaeology.
But the Armstrong Institute of Biblical Archaeology was always mired in controversy. Critics slammed it as little more than a slick apologetics outfit pushing maximalist, literalist interpretations designed to “prove” the Bible at all costs—cherry-picking finds to prop up PCG’s end-time narrative while dismissing mainstream scholars as godless minimalists. Their work was routinely accused of bias, politics, and turning science into propaganda for Gerald Flurry’s prophetic fantasies. Yet none of that stopped the tithe pipeline.
Yet here we are. With an aging, shrinking membership, disillusioned victims finally waking up to the spiritual abuse and nonstop financial fleecing, the coffers are bone dry. Extreme budget cuts have landed like divine judgment. The Armstrong Institute of Biblical Archaeology building on David Marcus 1 has been sold. Staff and volunteers must vacate by the end of August 2026. Brad Macdonald piously bleated that God will “choose another building in Jerusalem for us.” How touching—right after this one got yanked.
And don’t forget the crown jewel of fiscal incompetence: they’re still chained to that grotesquely overpriced Edstone mansion in England that no one has expressed any interest in since on the market, quietly hemorrhaging cash while the Gulfstream guzzles fuel and the dancers keep prancing.
This is peak Armstrongism in all its hypocritical glory: preach imminent apocalypse while living like minor royalty on other people’s sacrifices, then act shocked when the money evaporates. The Two Witnesses can’t even keep their fancy Jerusalem apartment. The “great Work” is imploding under the weight of its own extravagance, yet the desperate, guilt-soaked pleas for more tithes will only grow louder and more hysterical.
Truly a masterclass in end-time stewardship. Keep sacrificing, you glorious tithe slaves—Gerald still needs that next tank of jet fuel, another round of applause for the family dance troupe, and fresh “revelations” to justify it all while the whole glittering empire circles the drain.
Truly a masterclass in end-time stewardship. Keep sacrificing, you glorious tithe slaves—Gerald still needs that next tank of jet fuel, another round of applause for the family dance troupe, and fresh “revelations” to justify it all while the whole glittering empire circles the drain.
hattip to two different readers here for information.
From The Exit and Support Network
Armstrong Institute of Biblical Archaeology Sold:
May 28, 2026
I was more than surprised to see in the May 22, 2026 Friday Philadelphian under “Jerusalem” that the Armstrong Institute of Biblical Archaeology (AIBA) was sold and to be vacated by August.
“Staff received notification that the sale of the institute building on David Marcus 1 was finalized: The building will be vacated by the end of August, with the help of the summer excavation volunteers.”
Brad Macdonald said that God “will choose another building in Jerusalem for us.”
GF “approved plans” yesterday for Chris Eames (whose visa expires in a few months) to move to Edmond in September following the excavation.
I did a search and found the property had been a long term lease to the AI. Then today found an article in The Times of Israel about property deals. Don’t know if there is any connection but the institute was very supportive of the City of David development. The Institute is in the Talbijeh district. –[name withheld]
8 comments:
I get the distinct impression that these new financial issues centering on PCG are not solely due to tariffs and the war against Iran. Sounds as if they were just barely hanging on, with insufficient reserves and hoping for the next sweet spot, and it just has not materialized.
Complicating matters, it appears as if Edstone has been a "money pit" (See excellent Tom Hanks motion picture) rather than a shrewd investment, and you have to wonder about the depreciation of a corporate Gulfstream jet as well.
Do we know how many baptisms have resulted from amongst the people who have seen Celtic Throne? How about donations?
Well, it appears they’ve taken out a large loan, assuming to float their debts, and commanded a church wide fast months ago. They seem to be slipping as financially as fast as members are leaving. Good.
(because commercial cattle class is far too worldly for a latter-day apostle with delicate health) and the extravagant Celtic
would be a lot cheaper flying business class than keeping a private jet
Yes, 10:27! That is what rock stars do when coming down from peak popularity and performing at small clubs and state fairs. The thing is, Flurry never had the peak popularity that HWA had, in terms of audiences, income, or ability to fill arenas. Switching from a musician's reference point to corporation or business, PCG was never in the size range, or gross income level of the corporations which typically have corporate jets. Flurry was in the business of imitating HWA, and having many of the accoutrements HWA had, (sometimes literally things formerly owned by HWA) whether appropriate and fiscally prudent, or not.
In life, many of us chose role models, successful people, as imitable examples. That is the way the wisdom of experience is passed along. Some forget two very important words, one a short one, one a little longer: "as appropriate" HWA had advisers counselling him, advisers familiar with business ratios. They would have known the specific conditions under which owning, or leasing, a corporate jet is sustainable, and the point at which the expenses would cut into the bottom line activities included in the the mission statement of the church. On a personal level, many have wants or aspirations beyond their needs. They are able to juggle things around and sacrifice in other areas to the point where they can afford these things "on paper". The problem is, maxxing out only works (kind of) when your opportunities and abilities are on a healthy growth pattern. It was never a given that anyone could take HWA's doctrinal package, imitate his style and policies, and be just as successful as HWA. The types of people who would believe that are the kind of folks who imagine that if only they had Eric Clapton's guitar, they could play just as beautifully as Eric, and earn the level of income that Eric enjoys. I'm sure that moderately intelligent individuals see the fallacy in this type of thinking.
There is a tendency amongst the disciples of Herbert W. Armstrong to attribute all of HWA's successes to God. Isn't that what HWA told us? What if that was simply false modesty, and part of "selling" the package? To date, nobody has been able to take HWA's "package", imitate it as closely as possible, and enjoy the same level of success with it as HWA! I take that, file it with everything else we have since seen and learned, and it just becomes another factor proving that God never was with HWA in the first place. HWA was very skilled in creating an ornate illusion, died with the most toys, and won. The seekers of, or claimants to his mantle have had 30-40 years to prove me wrong on this. Nothing like the HWA phenomenon has risen in the ACOG world during that time. A black leather jacketed teenager from the fifties might quip, as he combed his greasy ducktails, "Like, this is nowheresville, man!" And, he wouldn't be wrong!
BB
PCG Tithe payers paid for Eliat Mazar’s “works”… About 4K in books and research. They definitely did not inherit them. It was “sold” to them prior to November 2021. They (The tithe payers) paid 500k to sponsor Eliat’s archaeological works with the support of Hebrew University. When she died, Eliat’s sister, Avital Mazar, also sold them all of her living room furniture belonging also to her grandfather. Wonder what they will do with these useless dusty articles that don’t support Christ’s real commission in a dangerous country that is in conflict?
Just go to the Holy Land and stay in Jerusalem PCG, they will be persecuted in no time. Perhaps that'll be the testing and trials.
Blow the Trumpet
If anyone is interesting in buying Edstone Hall, here is the link https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/165482165#/?channel=RES_BUY -- just £6m and it's yours.
THE INEVITABLE DECLINE OF A FALSE CHURCH
THE INEVITABLE DECLINE OF A FALSE CHURCH
Because of all the false prophecies made by cult leader Gerald Flurry members of the Philadelphia Church of God (PCG) are leaving in increasing numbers. Church income is rapidly declining. Ex members speculate as to how much longer the church headquartered in Edmond Ok can last.
WHY THE DECLINE
Gerald Flurry's prophetic credibility continues to erode,
Membership declines accelerate,
Younger members do not replace departing older members,
Tithing income falls significantly year after year,
The church struggles to maintain its large Edmond campus, college, auditorium, media operations, and international activities,
There have already been layoffs, and cut backs in many areas.
The key question becomes whether expenses can be reduced as fast as income declines.
And there is the PJ, The Flurry families Private Jet. A luxury that consumes massive amounts of money.
PCG's Edmond headquarters includes administrative offices, college facilities, the Armstrong Auditorium, media operations, maintenance staff, housing, and extensive grounds. Maintaining such a campus requires a substantial and continuing revenue stream. Which has been drying up faster than Lake Mead
Under the decline:
• A 25%+ annual decline would put intense pressure on maintaining large facilities and media operations unless significant reserves existed.
Inevitable Outcome:
Most organizations do not immediately collapse. Instead they typically:
Reduce staff.
Consolidate departments.
Cut media spending.
Sell assets or property.
Scale back building maintenance.
Eventually operate with a much smaller headquarters footprint.
We can expect the Edmond campus to shrink before it disappears entirely.
As the income is highly dependent on a shrinking core membership, the decline will become visible much more quickly.
Post a Comment