While ordinary church members are asked to sacrifice and contribute their tithes, the Philadelphia Church of God has its own way of spreading the message:
a Gulfstream G4 hopping across the Atlantic and Mediterranean.
Based on estimated operating costs, this Oklahoma City–Ireland–Cyprus–Israel journey and a projected return could represent roughly $154,000 to $212,000 in aircraft operating expenses.
Apparently, proclaiming the Kingdom comes with a rather impressive travel budget!
November 5, 2026 A. Philadelphia Church of God (Gerald Flurry) - Gulfstream G4 from Shannon, Ireland to Larnaca, Cyprus to Tel Aviv, Israel. B. 1430 GIV LLC (Revival Today/Jonathan Shuttlesworth) - Gulfstream G-IV from Pittsburgh, PA to Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://t.co/WYVGdtEYO6
— pastorplanes (@pastorplanes) November 7, 2026
Reconstructed flight itinerary
The November 4 flight report identifies Oklahoma City to Shannon. The November 5 report identifies Shannon to Larnaca and then Tel Aviv.
Sotwe+1
Approx. flight time
Oklahoma City → Shannon
8.1 hours
Shannon → Larnaca
4.6 hours
Larnaca → Tel Aviv
0.4 hours
Tel Aviv → Shannon (estimated return)
4.9 hours
Shannon → Oklahoma City (estimated return)
8.1 hours
Total
26.1 hours
These are great-circle distance estimates using approximately 459 knots cruise speed. Actual flight times depend on routing, winds, and operating conditions.
Estimated operating costs
GlobalAir's October 29, 2026 Gulfstream IV operating-cost report provides:
Variable operating cost: approximately $5,922/hour.
Fully allocated operating cost: approximately $8,148/hour.
Globalair.com
Estimated cost for 26.1 flight hours
Variable operating expenses
$154,268
Fully allocated operating expenses
$212,255
Estimated fuel component alone
$87,915 Using 447 gallons/hour and an illustrative $7.55/gallon fuel price.
CRAFT
What about charter-equivalent cost?
For comparison, published Gulfstream G4 charter rates are approximately $14,500–$16,500 per flight hour.
CRAFT
At 26.1 hours, that represents approximately:
Lower estimate: $377,725
Upper estimate: $429,825
This is a comparison of charter pricing, not what PCG necessarily paid.
What did the trip potentially cost tithe payers?
Estimated full-trip operating expense
$154,000–$212,000
Assuming the return was via Shannon, with approximately 26.1 total flight hours.
This estimate excludes any unusual additional expenses, such as special handling, accommodation, ground transportation, and other travel costs.
The question worth asking
The Philadelphia Church of God regularly asks members to support its religious mission financially. That makes it reasonable to ask what purpose these international trips serve, who travels aboard the aircraft, and whether the expense is justified by the benefit to the membership.
A Gulfstream crossing the Atlantic and Mediterranean is certainly a comfortable way to conduct church business. Whether it is a responsible use of donated funds is another question entirely.
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