PCG: Flurry Was Worried About Too Much Speculation As The Wall Cried Out…

Screenshot of PCG article

Students at Herbert W Armstrong College, on the cult compound of the Philadelphia Church of God, have been given a foretaste of what the PCG imagines the Kingdom of God will be like with a new mural recently painted in the old John Amos Field House. That building was the center of college and church life for many years till Flurry built his mini-me auditorium patterned after the Ambassador Auditorium in Pasadena, CA. 

The JA Field House is still used for basketball, dining, and as a student lounge on the old stage. Sadly the students were subjected to a boring old white wall. But in good COG fashion, someone stepped up to the plate and designed a painting envisioning PCG's imagined world to come.

Evangelist Wayne Turgeon, who oversaw the buildings and grounds department for a number of years before transferring to the United Kingdom-Europe-Africa regional office, said the inspiration for the project came years ago because, with the curtains now open most of the time the stage’s empty white wall seemed to be “crying out for something to fill it up.”

The original concept for the wall was to be a painting of the "New Jerusalem" that the PCG expects soon to descend from on high and plop down at the exact center of the earth. But unfortunately, Gerald Flurry thought that that would involve too much speculation as to what it looked like. 

The original subject of the painting was New Jerusalem, but Pastor General Gerald Flurry said he felt that depicting it would rely too much on speculation.

Imagine that, Gerald Flurry worried about too much speculation! Who would have ever thought that considering the bizarre speculations that come out of his aging mind right now? 

King Flurry then approved a painting of their imagined kingdom to come.

He then approved a scene from the Millennium, the prophesied 1,000-year period of world peace under the government of God.

Gotta get government in there somehow. 

After many discarded ideas had made it into the Kingly dumpster, a design was envisioned and approved.

Artists created several drafts but had a hard time deciding on one. For this and other reasons, the project sat untouched for years. But in early April, Dorning sketched the draft that would become the final version, and the project was underway.

I do appreciate the Temple to Zeus with its Greek phallic columns rising in the background and the father walking the tiger on a leash in the supposedly peaceful kingdom. As one person pointed out on Facebook, "this is a COG where sex and control are always in the background".

Mr. Turgeon expressed his hopes that the mural will “inspire the students, and any other members who see it, to think immediately of the incredible future that lies ahead for all of mankind.”

I also can't help but compare it to the Jehovah's Witness's Kingdom of God paintings that adorn their literature:

 

PCG: Famine of the word will happen when Gerald Flurry's booklets are no longer available..Wut?

Just when we think Armstrongism cannot get any crazier, along comes Wayne Turgeon of the Philadelphia Church of God cult that is based in Edmond, Oklahoma. Wayne is not known to be the brightest bulb in the box, even when he was a student in Pasadena and worked in the Auditorium.  Wayne was just one of many narcissists the college pumped out and dumped on the church as being educated in the truth. Like so many that were failures in the WCG, he jumped to the Philadelphia Church of God as a ready place of employment.

Wayne has a long history of spiritual abuse in the PCG at members and other fellow ministers that have been talked about here and on other websites.

Turgeon was sent to England to oversee the Edstone campus of the so-called :college: of the PCG while Lil's Stevie had more important things to do in planning a new office and institute in Jerusalem.

Today we add yet another entry to Dumb Things Wayne Turgeon Says file:

Wayne Turgeon and GF’s Messed Up View of Bible Prophecy:
March 12, 2022 

 

Wayne Turgeon gave a Bible Study from England last week on “Isaiah” Chapter 6, Part 2.” He barely mentioned “Ukraine” when he started out and that was only because “his wife wanted him to.” There “were more important things” to cover than Ukraine. 

 

In Turgeon’s messed-up view of Bible prophecy he linked Isaiah 22:22 to PCG because the verse mentions the words “Key of the house of David” which he said means the descendants from David, meaning PCG. GF is so hung up on his “New Throne of David” that Turgeon said GF wrote that the only way it would be possible for all the splinter groups to unite is if they “all united through the Key of David.” 

 

Turgeon said GF believes Isaiah 22:25 is talking about “the famine of the Word.” Then people in the world “will wish they had every book and booklet of Mr. Flurry’s”; therefore, Turgeon said, “get those booklets and study them and mark them.” (i.e., underline all over in them) Since when has GF’s booklets been more important than the Bible? Since when does someone need GF’s interpretation of the Bible? A good Bible commentary will explain these verses much better than GF’s “new revelations.” 

 

PCG believes Amos 7:10-11 is referring to Joseph Tkach Jr. going to the leader of the land, that he called, Mr. Jeroboam–and said “Mr. Donald Trump is his official name.” How the h*** is Tkach Jr. going to go to the “leader of the land” when he (Tkach Jr.) retired at the end of 2018 and Greg Williams replaced him as GCI’s President?! He added, “So he (Trump) has got to get back in office” and for members to “be patient.” Does GF have inside info that the rest of us don’t have? Or has he merely lost his marbles? 

Then, like any good COG false teacher/prophet/apostle/Elijah, Wayne goes on to claim that intense persecution is coming due to what they preach. Wayne is about as dumb as Bob Thiel is in this department. 

He said, “We are making ourselves a target for some intense persecution” by broadcasting and printing about the rising Beast of Revelation 17 and warning that the nations of Israel are “quickly losing their power” in this so-called God is cursing America mantra of GF’s. “We have had it good so far” Turgeon said, “The grass is still green,” etc., “compared to the terrible persecution that is coming.” 

 

Turgeon is losing it, along with GF. No matter who is in the presidential office in the future, Tkach Jr. isn’t going to go to him and cause PCG to receive “intense persecution” by being kicked out of the country. This is nothing but lunacy. If he is interested in true persecution, he needs to take a hard look at what Christians in other countries like Nigeria (or even Ukraine) are enduring. But that doesn’t count in Turgeon’s well-worn fear book. 

 

GF absolutely cannot get his head out of the O.T. Even when he does go to the O.T., have you noticed that you never hear him reading from the Psalms? It’s always some minor prophet book where he tries to see “modern-day Israel” in it. You never hear him talking about Jesus or grace or salvation, the most important subjects in the entire Bible. That’s too “dull” for him. God have mercy on his soul at the Judgement seat. –Anonymous Exit and Support Network

Not only is Gerald Flurry unable to get his head out of the Old Testament but almost every single COG group out there is in the same boat. The Old Covenant trumps the New Covenant in every aspect. Jesus still embarrasses the Church of God 80 some years down the line. They would much rather be seen worshipping at the feet of false prophets/ministers who preach false prophecies than being seen as followers of Jesus.

Philadlphia Church of God Cult: Kicked out of PCG because she was a "threat to their cause"

We have had a lot on here over the years about how the PCG and particularly Cal Culpepper and Wayne Turgeon have treated members like dirt. Both of these men are particularly despised in PCG circles for their extreme nastiness and unbiblical ways of dealing with people. 

Exit and Support Network had this letter up from a young woman who was kicked out of PCG by Culpepper over mental health issues. 

The Church of God over the decades has treated members with mental health issues in appalling ways. From being told they are possessed by demons, telling them that medicines that could assist them were wrong, to outright kicking them out of the church because they "looked bad". The church looked down on mental health professionals and called them all kinds of names and disparaged their professions all the while claiming that all a person needed to do was to draw closer to God and stop sinning because that was the main issue of their mental health issues.

I Was Described as a Threat to PCG’s Cause:
August 15, 2021 

 

I am a child who was mentioned in Case #3 in “Abuses I Was Aware of in Philadelphia Church of God.” I would like to elaborate on that story and talk about where I am now. 

 

The reason I was thrown out was because of my mental health. I was deeply depressed, self harming nearly every day. It got to the point that I was admitted to a hospital. When the PCG found out what happened, my dad read a letter that was addressed to me. PCG described me as “a threat to their cause.” 

 

I had so many friends that I deeply miss from my time there, but I know I’ll never see them again. As far as my life after this, I’m finally getting help and going to therapy. I tried to go to a church to appease a friend, and as soon as I entered I felt an overwhelming sense of dread. I haven’t been back since. 

 

I don’t know if I’ll ever heal from it, but I’ve at least accepted that it happened. –Child survivor of PCG [name withheld]

Case #3: [This was as recent as 2013] 

This concerns a member from Louisville, KY. This man was a loyal servant of the congregation. He went to all of the PCG activities. He did the garage sale for the building fund, was in Spokesman’s Club, went to the cookouts, picnics, etc. He had joint custody of his 15 year old daughter. The girl was torn between her dad and mom. Cal Culpepper verbally abused the girl at a PCG activity in Ohio. The girl was then condemned by Culpepper and told to not come to services. The father was told not to have any contact with the girl (15 years old) at all. The man refused and was disfellowshipped. 

 

There are many more cases like this but these three will suffice to give a picture of the unbiblical and illegal practice of abandoning your minor teens. 

 

In a recent PCG sermon it was stated how the non-PCG performers who do the Concert Series at God’s House [Armstrong Auditorium] gush and rave telling the HQ people how they were “treated like Kings” with fine dining and accommodations while they stayed at the Auditorium. I wonder if these people were told how minor age children were being tossed out in the street by orders from PCG ministry? Would they still be willing to perform for the Philadelphia Church of God? 

 

I have witnessed much suffering amongst the youth in PCG. One girl in the congregation was told by Wayne Turgeon she could not go to the college because she was “too fat” and did not “fit the proper image of the church.” Many of the youth are leaving PCG. 

 

There are a lot of people with drinking problems in the PCG. One “contact person” in a Kentucky congregation sometimes comes to services high. But he attends Spokesman’s Club and is in good with the regime. 

 

There are ministerial scandals (especially in the North West region) going on. One minister was carrying on a two year affair with a woman in a congregation! He tried to get his wife to leave him. When that did not happen, he tried to convince the PCG that she was “crazy or demon possessed.” He took it to HQ and they suspended the wife. Then it came out about the affair and they kicked him out and let her back. 

 

Also, J. C., a member, was doing security detail at a HQ function in Edmond, OK a few years ago. Grant Turgeon1 (son of Wayne Turgeon) came into an area off limits to people. When confronted by J. C., the little Turgeon said, “Do you know who I am? My father is Wayne Turgeon.” Later, this member was accosted verbally by Wayne Turgeon for telling his son where to go and was suspended not long after. 

 

Whenever I walked into services, there would be no warmth at all; no encouragement from the podium, no mention even once that God loves us–just law, judgment, threats, and doom.

By Chris

For more first hand abuse check put these addtional letters and articles on Exit and Support Network:

Recommended Material:

Profile on a Sociopath (A number of abusive, religious leaders may exhibit many of these behavioral characteristics)

Grant Turgeon Has an Attitude (2013 letter to ESN)

Crazy statement by Wayne Turgeon (What Wayne Turgeon once said)

Related Testimonies:

Cal Culpepper Continues to Threaten and Intimate Members (5-14-14 letter to ESN)

Fear and Dread in PCG (5-24-13 letter to ESN that covers Culpepper)

Frightening Incident With Cal Culpepper (4-29-13 letter to ESN)

Why I’m Ex-PCG (8-28-14 testimony; cruel and cold-hearted abuse by Culpepper)

True Love Lacking in PCG Members (3-6-07 letter to ESN)

Footnote by ESN:

1 Read: Grant Turgeon Has an Attitude (1-3-13 email to ESN)

PCG's Wayne Turgeon Gets His Comeuppance From Swiss TSA Agents

 

Wayne Turgeon, of the Philadelphia Church of God, recently got his comeuppance, though, like Bob Thiel, he looks at this as persecution. Turgeon is well known to PCG members and exCOG members as being one of the more abusive ministers in the PCG.

It was hilarious to read the following report on Exit and Support Network about Turgeon's latest exploiters which this time let him know the world does not revolve around him or his opinions. Just like Bob Thiel, Turgeon went and threw a self-righteous fit that he was being persecuted. Then he had the audacity to tell PCG members that hearing his story should inspire them to pray for the ministers in PCG around the world as they face persecution.

There is not one single minister in any of the Churches of God who has suffered any persecution for what they believe. Not one!

It is so funny to watch COG ministers pitch fits when someone stands up to their boastful arrogant personalities. They whine like little babies.

Wayne Turgeon has preached in the past about how members need to behave in certain ways–obedient, patient, long suffering, don’t answer back, do as you’re told, especially with those in authority. Exhibit the fruits of the Spirit.

Well, he recently got a taste of his own medicine. In a recent Bible study he took much time at the beginning to tell a convoluted story about his and his wife’s woes of being denied into this one country (that he wouldn’t name but at the end he mentioned the Alps), and how it took hours and days. All because the rules had been changed due to a technicality and how they were stringent. Being grouchy and short-tempered is nothing new for Turgeon, although he had the members laughing at his plight.

He related more and more problems as he went on saying the latter ones were due to his not contacting this country’s Embassy. Turgeon was short-tempered with several of those he had to deal with and who grilled him with many questions.

He explained that the reason he was going through all these details was to inspire them (the brethren listening) to PRAY for God’s ministers–all around the world. “We don’t know how long this (pandemic) is going to last. But I need to meet some members that haven’t been visited in awhile; I need to meet new contacts that want to come into the church.”

He later asked the authorities for a form (it was 4-6 pages long) so he could complain about his treatment. It was in English but he would have to pay to get it translated into whatever language they have. So he eventually tore it up because it would be too much hassle and may make his future visits tougher if he tries to go back and they (the authorities) had it on file.

Then he said he started wondering “if they might be checking out the Philadelphia Church of God” and the names of those members and the prospective members in those countries he hoped to visit. [Oh yes, Wayne, they might find out what is behind PCG and how much money GF is pulling in and you wouldn’t want that.]

At 1 AM some men come out dressed in military uniform with pistols and he said it was a “little bit intimidating.” (These men were carrying a big wad of papers for them to sign, but Turgeon refused because only one page was in English.) He admitted that he “made several frustrating comments” at that time such as: “If I was back in the U. S. I would be calling my lawyer!” (He told the brethren he didn’t have a lawyer) “I have no rights here! This is being run like a Nazi dictatorship!” He said they (he and his wife) could had been sitting there for hours and if they hadn’t gone on back to check on them they could have been sitting there all night! He said it flustered the officers and the main guy’s hands “started shaking.” Turgeon said, “So we must have had them intimidated.”

Then these officers call security and finally, Turgeon and his wife are escorted to the TSA after 1:30 AM and back out to the lobby. His tote bag was swabbed for drugs. There were bright lights, people talking out loud, etc. At 2:30 AM he falls asleep on an end table and is awaken by three armed immigration officers in the lobby of this airport demanding to see his passport. So Turgeon blurts out, “They took my passport!”

At 8 AM, after it being “tortuous” to try and get any kind of rest, they go to Gate 4 where they were told to go. The first men there at this immigration office were friendly and in T-shirts, jeans and sneakers. But two military security guards had to drive them in an armed vehicle right up to the plane and escort them inside the plane. 

 

Turgeon said he believes it will “only get worse not better as time goes on.” He was glad he gave a study on Acts recently (thinking about what the Apostle Paul went through). He emphasized that members are to “Please PRAY for the ministry. We are not going to quit. They are going to have to kill me first.” (This was the fear part.)

PCG Wayne Turgeon: Christ died only for PCG Members Though Only After They Have Read As Much PCG Literature As Possible Which Replaces Their Sin

 

A Philadelphia Church of God insider sent Exit and Support Network comments from Wayne Turgeon's lastest sermon leading up to the COG version of Passover.

Turgeon exemplifies all that is wrong theologically with the PCG and demonstrates how poorly educated he is in theology. He is an AC graduate from Pasadena, a school not know for sound theological education, who is now fully embedded in the Philadelphia Church of God cult and married into the hierarchy of the leadership. It is no shock that Turgeon utters his blasphemies due to his bad theological training.

Items in blue are links to excellent articles on the ESN site.

He discounted Christ’s sinless life when he said Christ could die because His Father was God and Mary was his human mother and that he was “part God.” This was an heretical statement as Jesus was fully God and fully man. (Read: The Two Natures of Jesus) He said Christ came to earth with the “risk that He might fail.” HWA was known to say that Jesus “could have sinned.” 

This has been standard COG fare from the begging when HWA determined that his Christ was too weak and that with enough coaxing that he could have been tempted to sin.  This is not unique to PCG, but Bob Thiel, UCG, RCG, LCG all think this same thing.

 

He said Christ died only the members (in PCG) in spite of the Scripture that says Christ “died for all“; in spite of Jesus being the “Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world;” in spite of Jesus dying for sins “once for all“; in spite of how Jesus “put away sin.” (Read: The Sin Question) 

 

Referring to the Passover he made the bold claim that (members in PCG) could be keeping the Passover “for all eternity” and he would be fine with that. This was another Turgeon myth since to observe the Passover is to say Jesus never came. (See our Q&A “How can I observe Passover if I’ve left the group?” 

This too has been the standard teaching of the church that everyone would be keeping all the Jewish holy days in the Kingdom of God. If, as various COG leaders claim that the holy day's all point to the return of Christ and the kingdom, then why would people be still keeping that stuff with Jesus dwelling among them? There is no point in that happening. There is no point at all in keeping Passover for eternity. Just more bad theology. 

He let them know they were “guilty for Christ’s death” and when they sin they “put Christ to death.” In spite of Christ saying it is finished. (Refer again to The Sin Question) 

This too has been a regular church teaching through the last 8 decades. As COG members we were essentially told we were guilty of killing Chris over and over every year on the gym or masonic lodge stage. People would weep sitting there believing that they had killed him once again. The trouble was as soon as they left the gym or lodge, Jesus was left there too for another year, hardly ever spoken of again for another year. Ministers would take great glee in putting a microphone in front of the matzos as they broke them so that members could sit there in anguish and feel guilty. 

More idiocy was telling the members that reading as much of PCG literature as they can (which he referred to as “righteousness”) will “replace sin.” 

PCG believes that Mystery of the Ages is on par with the Bible and essential for salvation. <ost PCG members d not realize that Gerald FLurry thought Herbert made mistakes in the book and has rewritten those comments to fit the current understanding of the PCG. After all, God has revealed more stuff to Gerald than HWA ever received from God  

He warned them that if Satan could fall like he did, then they have to be “on guard” because “no one is indispensable and can be removed at any time”–if they don’t remain faithful. 

More scare tactics to keep the gullible compliant and submissive. Because they refuse to follow Jesu or acknowledge any of the things he did, this is their end result. 

He showed his lack of wisdom when he said that after Adam and Eve sinned God the Father decided to send Jesus to earth to straighten the mess out. This is an absolute lie because it was God’s plan from the very beginning to die for our sins, not just at the time Adam and Eve sinned. Before He laid the foundation of the world Jesus knew man would sin and perish without his help. See: “Was it God’s plan from the beginning for Jesus to die for the sins of mankind?” [offsite article] 

 

He revealed his true arrogance and hardness of heart when he admitted that he has a “knee jerk reaction when he is corrected” and that he will “never admit that he has done something inappropriately” and that praying for correction is “difficult for him.”

This is the same heretical crap that Rod Meredith said when he claimed he had never committed a major sin since he was baptized. 

This holier-than-thou attitude has been Turgeon's problem since he was in Pasadena. His arrogance and narcissism made it impossible for anyone to correct or even teach him. He knew it all and acted like it.  That's part of the reason he was never ordained till he left WCG and joined the Flurry cult. Now he is in England where his abusive tactics and heretical teachings will have new ground to take root in. More young people led down the path to hopelessness and mental anguish.

PCG Wayne Turgeon: You don't know who you are messing with if you mess with PCG

 

When I came to Pasadena in the mid-1970's it was still the era ministers were saying a lot of weird stuff (not that has ever stopped since then). 1975 in prophecy was sitting on their doorstep and nothing was happening. The church was still reeling from major defections of ministers when Walter Sharp left and new splinter groups were starting. Then the receivership hit and the craziness amplified. One of the things I heard over and over was that the State of California, the Governor and the Attorney Geranl had better be really careful because the Almighty God was standing behind the "work" and terrible things would soon be happening to those who persecuted the church.

That mythology still exists in the extreme COG splinter cults like the Philadelphia Church of God and that brings us to our buddy Wayne Turgeon. If there has ever been a better example of a self-righteous jackass in the church, it is Wayne. From his days as a puffed-up student and Auditorium usher to his marrying into the Flurry clan, Wayne is a walking textbook case latest DSM-5.

Before Turgeon was sent to PCG's Edstone, England cult college campus he left he made these comments:

PCG Members Told to Take a Stand and Die If Necessary:
February 19, 2021 

 

Before Wayne Turgeon moved to Edstone, England, he gave a Bible study where he kept quoting HWA and told how HWA in a 1984 sermon said (and I quote): “We are becoming God teachers.” 

 

He cited Romans 8:31 and then said, “How dare anyone come against a true Christian? They don’t know what they’re dealing with and what they’re messing with.” He went on to say, “But do we always realize who’s behind us, and who’s backing us when the times get tough? Or are we going to run like the flip-flopping politicians? Or are we willing to take a stand and die if necessary?” He added, “If we are loyal to God (translation: loyal to PCG govt.), He always watches over us.” 

 

He also said, “We pray we will all be together soon in that place of safety wherever that might be. Things are going to get worse before they get better.” –PCG source Exit &Support Network

Update About Father Searching For Children Trapped In Gerald Flurry's Philadelphia Church of God

It’s been 6 years since I’ve heard from my children. I’m always searching the web for information or pictures of them. They are not allowed to contact me because of the evil no contact ruling imposed on them under penalty of death by the evil cult leader Gerald Flurry. 

Just the other day a recently freed member of the PCG got in touch with me with information on my son Nathan and daughter Elise Moffett. Thanks to this person escaping the evil cult I was given some insight into what my children are going through. I am so thankful for the information and so thankful that this person took the time to send it to me. Because of it, I’m hopeful that my children will be among those that will soon be free from this evil mind-controlling cult.

Let me say that I was not told this information was confidential. So I feel free to publish it in hopes that it will encourage and help others that are going through this loss. I hope to hear more from this courageous person.

Here is some of what I was told (emphasis mine):

“Elise was working for Mr. Turgeon, as his personal assistant. Before that, she was working in the AC kitchen. I think she was happy to get out of the kitchen…. Personally, I think it would be excruciatingly boring to work for a guy like Mr. Turgeon, but at least its not Mr. Davis.... Nathan worked landscaping for the college for a while, but then moved out to start his own business.

There is one story I think you'll find interesting (and ridiculous). There used to be a rule about how much an AC student could drink when they were off campus. There was a 2-drink limit if you were over the drinking age, but if you were under it and you were at a married couple's house, you could have 1 drink. So I believe some freshmen went out and had two drinks at someones house, and it got back to Mr. Burns and Mr. Turgeon through the usual spies... (ugh... don't even get me started). So they came back and "reiterated" that the rules were you could only have 1 drink, and if you were under the drinking age, you could only drink if you were at a married couple's house. Now, since the rule had always been 2 drinks, some of the older students spoke up in their meetings and asked why it was being changed. Why punish responsible students by lowering the drink limit just because of freshmen? Mr. Burns and Mr. Turgeon replied that it had always been a 1 drink policy--which was clearly wrong, and every student could tell you that. Elise, being Mr. Turgeon's assistant, told him that it had originally been 2, but Mr. Burns told her "no, it has always been 1." Then, when Elise was telling this story to me she said "it was like 1984 up in there." "We're not changing the rules, it's always been a 1-drink limit!" 

So, yes, the story and the rule is all a little bit trivial, but I could tell it was a time where Elise was just frustrated about the ridiculous micromanaging and dishonesty among the higher ups. I, for what its worth, actually think that they are so used to doing this kind of thing that they begin to believe their own lies. Elise and Nathan are both very smart, and I am waiting for a lot of smart people to leave in the next 2 years when Trump leaves office. I am not sure if you know, but GRF says President Trump is the Jeroboam of Amos 7 who will kick the church out of the US and into "Judah." So if any of my family members are still in the church after Trump leaves office, I'm going to be ******************  “ (redacted to protect identity. but lets’ just say “upset”.

Again, THANK YOU to the caring person that sent me this information and congratulations that you had the courage to leave the cult. I pray that this person does not have to go through the loss of family because of their brave decision to leave. Let’s all pray for those newly freed and those still enslaved. We all know what they are going through.

Dan Moffett