One thing is for certain when it comes to Church of God leaders: they know they are not like the rest of us. The plebs in the seats exist to send in their hard-earned money so the anointed can live the lifestyles to which they have become accustomed. After all, they are specially set aside by God Himself for the awesome, exhausting duty of leading the one true church. What else can we expect when their spiritual godfather, Herbert W. Armstrong, surrounded himself with European treasures and American antiques, much of it purchased at premium prices from Harrods of London? The man even had his kitchen dish towels flown in from Harrods to Pasadena. Only the best for God’s best men!
When Pentecost ended this year, Sheldon Monson promptly went missing. He even skipped his assigned speaking schedule. Members were solemnly informed that he was “sick.” Then the entire family vanished. No one could reach them—not by phone, not by any normal means. Radio silence from the Monson compound.
Teens being teens, of course, eventually let something slip. The other young people at church latched onto it immediately. Big Daddy had promised his daughter a cruise… and a full month-long trip to Italy. Nothing unusual there, right? Every COG parent does that for a high-school graduate. Totally normal.
Amateur detectives among the membership started digging. Which cruise lines offer a month-long trip to Italy right after Pentecost? Turns out there was only one that fit the timeline:
- Cruise line: Silversea
- Ship: Silver Nova
- Departure: Miami, Florida - May 31, 2026
- Arrival: Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy - June 24, 2026(24 nights)
Key ports (among others): Praia da Vitoria & Ponta Delgada (Azores), Funchal (Madeira), Lisbon, Cádiz, Málaga, Barcelona, Marseille, Monte Carlo, Portofino (Italy), Livorno (Tuscany/ Italy), then Civitavecchia/Rome.
cruisetransatlantic.com
And the price tag for this little “family graduation gift”? Roughly (at a minimum) $12,000 per person. Just chump change for the average COG member scraping by on one income while still faithfully sending in first, second, and third tithe. It pairs nicely with the extra-large Suburbans the Monsons apparently require. Only the best for God’s best!
Now, if you were a seasoned Church of God leader in the grand tradition, you would of course write the entire excursion off as a legitimate church expense. After all, someone has to scout potential Feast sites and evaluate luxury cruise lines for future “educational” opportunities. I’m not saying that’s what happened here. I’m merely noting that this is precisely how the COG has operated for decades.
The question that keeps arriving in my inbox is simple: Did members’ tithes pay for this?
Picture the elderly widow carefully counting out her last dollars to mail in her tithe. Picture the family of six cutting corners on groceries so they can still “pay God what is His.” Meanwhile their spiritual shepherd is sunning himself on a Silversea balcony in Monte Carlo, recovering from the crushing burden of… missing a speaking assignment.
This is not an isolated episode. It is COG history on repeat.
Herbert Armstrong set the gold standard with his private jet, English china, and Harrods shopping sprees. David Pack has poured millions into the Wadsworth campus while members were told to “sacrifice.” Other leaders have long enjoyed luxury vehicles, high-end homes, first-class travel, and Feast of Tabernacles stays that look more like five-star vacations than humble holy day observances. The pattern never changes: the sheep tighten their belts; the shepherds loosen theirs.
Church of God elites simply do not care about the optics. They are God’s anointed. They deserve the best. They work so hard. The rest of us should be grateful they are willing to endure 24 nights of gourmet dining, ocean views, and Italian sunshine on our behalf.
Tithe money well spent, brethren.
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