The Real Story of the First One Hundred Years of the Church

 The Real Story of the First One Hundred Years of the Church

Lonnie Hendrix

Shortly after Herbert Armstrong became affiliated with the Church of God, Seventh-Day in Oregon, two of his associates collaborated in writing A History of the True Religion From 33 A.D. to Date. Andrew Dugger and Clarence Dodd published their work almost one hundred years ago, and it has largely remained the way that these Sabbatarians recount the history of their organizations since it was published. Unlike other Sabbath-keeping Christians (e.g. Seventh-Day Baptists and Seventh-Day Adventists), these folks have insisted on claiming that there has always been a group of Christians who kept the Sabbath – from the Church’s foundation up to the present time. The premise is that those Sabbath-keeping folks constituted the “true” Church down through history, and that all Sunday-keeping Christians represent a “false” brand of the faith.

In Dugger’s and Dodd’s words: 

A history of the true Church of God could not be written without taking into consideration the lives and work of the outstanding leaders of the Gospel Age, that is, the apostles Paul, Peter and John; for by, or under their direction, most of the New Testament Scriptures were written, and the fortunes of the church advanced during the first century, and fashioned for future centuries. 

While there is nothing wrong with this statement, Dugger and Dodd used it to wipe out a great deal of real Church history. After going through a brief summary of the work of those three men, they wrote: 

It has already been shown that the New Testament name for the true church organized by Jesus Christ was the ‘Church of God,’ and as we leave the New Testament writings and launch out into secular history, which we must do, as the New Testament narrative only carries us to about 96 A.D., we will find the same name brought to view down through the Gospel Age. These people, however, have always been called, by their enemies, by other names. The name ‘Nazarenes,’ applied to them by the world, during the first period following the days of the apostles, will be considered first.

Did you catch that? They want to start their history in 96 A.D. – assuming that the writings of those three men support their position, and that nothing else happened between 33 A.D. and that year to contradict their narrative!

Similarly, in his booklet Where is the True Church? (1984), Herbert Armstrong wrote: 

So it was, that before A.D. 50 (the Church had been founded in A.D. 31) a fierce controversy arose as to whether the gospel to be proclaimed was the gospel OF Christ, or a gospel ABOUT Christ. Soon the curtain was wrung down on historic records of the Church. It evidenced the fact that a vigorous cooperative and systematic effort was made to destroy historic records of church happenings of the next hundred years. It was the ‘LOST CENTURY’ in church history. When the curtain of history is raised about A.D. 150, it reveals a church calling itself ‘Christian,’ but one totally different from the Church Jesus founded through his apostles in A.D. 31. 

Now, once again, the reader will notice that Armstrong ignores a century of Church history and doesn’t support any of his statements with any sources or evidence!

Even so, Mr. Armstrong’s successors among the Armstrong Churches of God have adopted a similar narrative about the origins of their organizations. In his Where Is the True Church? and Its Incredible History! (June 2026), David Pack wrote: 

John’s death, in about AD 100, ended the apostolic era and what constituted most of what is considered the Ephesian Era. We have covered some of the details of where the apostles served and aspects of their work. Polycarp introduces the Smyrna Era, but we need to backtrack and summarize certain events of the Ephesian Era, and consider their implications.

Like his mentor before him, Pack believes that the seven churches of the book of Revelation represent seven church eras. In fairness to Dave, he does go back and mention the great fire in Rome (64 CE), and Nero’s persecution of Roman Christians. Likewise, he does also mention the Roman war against the Jews, but he minimizes its impact on the Church. He went on to write: 

The majority of the Church, who were so willing to give up the truth they once embraced, proceeded to shun and condemn those who held fast to what they had all formerly believed. Those ‘Nazarenes’ who chose to remain loyal to the teaching of the apostles were accused of being divisive—deemed guilty of creating ‘schisms.’ We will see that this pattern reappears much later, near the book’s conclusion.

Once again, for Pack, these Nazarenes constituted the “true” Christians – everyone else was an apostate!

Next, we will take a brief look at the self-proclaimed Armstrong Church of God expert on the early history of the Church, Bob Thiel. In his History of Early Christianity, Thiel wrote: 

According to the New Testament, true Christianity was practiced throughout many areas of Asia Minor in the first century (this area is now in the country of Turkey). Most (between 14-20) of the 27 books of New Testament were written to or from church leaders in Asia Minor. (Even Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox leaders recognized that Asia Minor had early "apostolic succession"; essentially what they refer to as the early "apostolic see of Ephesus.") 

What scripture clearly shows, is that although there were Christians in various areas, the focus for the New Testament writers were the churches in Asia Minor. And interestingly, the last book of the Bible is specifically addressed to the churches of Asia Minor (Revelation 1:4,11). The last of the original apostles to die, John, died in Asia Minor and his disciple Polycarp of Smyrna was a major leader there. Those there also taught the true gospel of the kingdom and opposed others who promoted a different gospel. There were actually two major groups that claimed Christianity in the late second century that claimed succession from the apostles, and only one of them has remained faithful--for some further details, please see Early Church History: Who Were the Two Major Groups Professed Christ in the Second and Third Centuries?” Later, in the same article, he wrote: “While scholars have a variety of opinions, this page itself will simply mention the following beliefs held by true Christians in the second century, with links to highly documented articles on each subject (which are primarily based on the Bible and early historical writings). Amazingly, a leading Protestant scholar (H. Brown) has admitted: It is impossible to document what we now call orthodoxy in the first two centuries of Christianity (Brown HOJ. Heresies: Heresy and Orthodoxy in the History of the Church. Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody (MA), 1988, p. 5). In other words, much of what now passes for ‘orthodox Christianity’ did not exist in the first two centuries after Jesus was crucified and resurrected. This is basically because while there was only one original church, another major group emerged in the second century who changed certain original Christian practices and became what most now seem to feel represent ‘orthodoxy’ (for details, please see Early Church History: Who Were the Two Major Groups Professed Christ in the Second and Third Centuries?)” 

OK, I gave Bob a little more space just because he claims to be an expert!

Unfortunately, all of this Church “history” from Dugger and Dodd to Bob Thiel is inaccurate and misleading – and I’m being generous! Instead of historically accurate accounts of Church history, these men have carefully crafted historical fiction and propaganda to support their narrative that they alone represent the “TRUE” Church. By the way, a good rule of thumb: history written with an agenda or to prove a thesis never turns out to be historically accurate. The folks who write this kind of “history” are looking for evidence which supports their beliefs, and they ignore any and all evidence which contradicts their narrative!

For those of you who may be interested in the real story of what happened during the first one hundred years of the Church, I’d like to invite you to read my twelve-part series on my own blog. My narrative is evidence-based. It presents an extensive exploration of Scripture and looks at the other sources available to us from that period (e.g. the epistle of Barnabas, epistle of Clement, epistles of Ignatius, epistle of Polycarp, The Didache, The Shepherd of Hermas, Josephus, etc.) This evidence-based perspective concludes: 1) that First Century Christians were familiar with most of the writings which became our canon of the New Testament, 2) that the vast majority of Gentile Christians NEVER kept the Sabbath, Holy Days, or clean and unclean meats, 3) that Jewish Christianity was largely destroyed by the events of 70 A.D., 4) that most Christians, Jewish and Gentile, gathered on the Lord’s Day (Sunday) to fellowship and worship, 5) that pagan influences on the early Church were minimal at best. Don’t believe that my summary is accurate? I invite you to take a look at the evidence and decide for yourself.

The First One Hundred Years of the Church (Part 1)

The First One Hundred Years of the Church (Part 2)

The First One Hundred Years of the Church (Part 3)

The First One Hundred Years of the Church (Part 4)

The First One Hundred Years of the Church (Part 5)

The First One Hundred Years of the Church (Part 6)

The First One Hundred Years of the Church (Part 7)

The First One Hundred Years of the Church (Part 8)

The First One Hundred Years of the Church (Part 9)

The First One Hundred Years of the Church (Part 10)

The First One Hundred Years of the Church (Part 11)

The First One Hundred Years of the Church (Part 12)

RCG Newsflash: The Cleveland Scene Exposes David C. Pack & The Restored Church of God

Newsflash: The Cleveland Scene Exposes
David C. Pack & The Restored Church of God

The Cleveland Scene news site is shining a light on the shady religious practices of Pastor General David C. Pack of The Restored Church of God. Released online on June 3, 2026, the expose is titled, “Former Members of the Restored Church of God in Wadsworth Say They Were Left Financially and Spiritually Bamboozled.”

Reporter Mark Oprea called me about this time last year to ask questions about the exrcg.org website and my motivations behind exposing an obscure church operating out of Wadsworth, Ohio. We have since spent hours on the phone and in person discussing the theological nightmare that is The Restored Church of God. He had access to sermons and videos posted on the YouTube channel to confirm what is reported about David C. Pack is accurate.

I proved to him that the best way to discredit David C. Pack is to listen to David C. Pack.

Mark interviewed dozens of former RCG members on the record, including Kevin Denee, Elizabeth O’Leary, and Peter Baerg. The article covers a variety of topics, including the financial fleecing of the brethren via Common, failed dates for the arrival of God’s Kingdom, the self-proclaimed divine authority of David C. Pack, and the cancerous religious roots planted by Herbert W. Armstrong and the Worldwide Church of God.

The story about how RCG offloaded $3.1 million in corporate debt onto the members, including some widows, was oddly absent from the final article. Overall, those close to RCG who have read it acknowledge it is well-written and are pleased with how the Cleveland Scene covered the story.

Mark reached out to RCG directly to interview them with prepared questions. They hid behind the front gate and issued a generic, authorless response. It is too risky these days for a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization to attach a real name to a public statement.

Their laughably faceless “Communications Team” is really just Edward L. Winkfield cowering behind his desk with Bradford G. Schleifer hovering over his shoulder.

 

This is RCG’s official non-statement:

Hello Mark,

Thank you for your questions.

Information regarding The Restored Church of God, including its beliefs, history, sermons, publications, and teachings, is available at rcg.org for those interested in learning more.

With respect to your questions concerning the Church’s teachings, we teach biblical tithing and voluntary giving principles based on scripture, consistent with longstanding Christian teachings regarding supporting the Word of the Church. We also teach the gospel of the soon-coming Kingdom of God as preached by Jesus Christ (Mark 1:15)—a future world-ruling government that will bring peace, restoration, and righteous leadership to the Earth, in which faithful Christians will ultimately rule and reign with God and Christ (Romans 8:16-17).

RCG’s focus remains on preaching the gospel, providing free educational resources, and helping individuals and families live more stable and successful lives.

As a general practice, we do not comment on private member matters or internal administrative affairs.

Public tour dates are announced periodically on social media or at rcg.org. At this time, we are not participating in interviews.

Regards,
RCG Communications Team

The highlights noted are mistruths and flat lies.

“is available at rcg.org”

A few select sermons are, but mysteriously absent is “The Greatest Untold Story!” Series that just recorded Part 636 this past weekend. There is also a long list of discontinued literature that is not available on their website, including Is "That Prophet" Alive Today? The Rise of False Prophets, The Bible’s Greatest Prophecies Unlocked!, How God’s Kingdom Will Come—The Untold Story!, The Bible’s Difficult Scriptures Explained!, I Will Send Elijah to Restore All Things, and Herbert W. Armstrong: His Life in Proper Perspective.

Try to find any literature that nails down exactly how God's Kingdom will come. You cannot because it changes week by week, and they know that.

The coercive cash cow financial perversion known as Common is such a vital truth of God that there is not a single mention on rcg.org. Only after people commit to attending are they privileged enough to learn about that financial blessing and test of faithfulness.

“consistent with longstanding Christian teachings”

They meant to type out “longstanding Worldwide Church of God teachings.” But that is no longer true, either. David C. Pack has dismantled so much of HWA’s doctrines that RCG no longer even resembles the Splinters they so desperately separate themselves from.

They recently discontinued The Government of God—Understanding Offices and Duties because David C. Pack blew all that up. Everyone in RCG is an elder now and is only ordained once. Being an evangelist and a prophet just means you have a gift. I wonder if Brad had to sweat through a pay cut. Dave also confessed that Local Elder, Preaching Elder, and Pastor-ranked ministers were made-up positions invented by HWA. He also sheepishly admitted that the United Church of God was actually right with their governmental structure all along.

I never did see the draft of Dave’s apology letter to them after he accused them of being the Synagogue of Satan. Water under the bridge, I suppose.

But apostles are still apostles, wink-wink.

“We also teach the gospel”

But not loudly. After eliminating their $3.1 million in corporate debt one year ago, they have still done nothing to elevate their standing on the world stage. They may exploit the gospel for their own internal purposes, but it cannot be argued that it is their focus.

I challenge RCG's Chief Coward, Ryan Denee, to explain to anyone about the great marketing efforts they have made in the past year, paid for with all that sweet widow’s cash. No new World to Come videos. No new literature. No social media campaign. No public Bible studies.

Just more gardens, more trees, and a reduced groundskeeping staff. You know, just like the idyllic city on a hill.

The “gospel” RCG now teaches is Dave’s bastardized version dipped in his imaginary malarkey.

“RCG’s focus remains on preaching the gospel”

No. RCG's true focus is keeping the campus lights on and the grass sprinklers pumping. David C. Pack is a permanently-sitting prophetic bloviator larping through every Sabbath, befuddling his brain-dead audience with a remixed remix of his malarkey remixed. “The Greatest Untold Story!” is the focus of The Restored Church of God because that IS their gospel. Anyone in that biblically corrupt organization who thinks otherwise is lying to themselves.

Those 144 false dates for the coming Kingdom to Israel, Kingdom of God, Jesus Christ, or Daniel’s 1335 did not math themselves into existence. That is all on false prophet, false apostle, false teacher, blaspheming hypocritical liar David C. Pack, despite his desperate efforts to convince everyone to the contrary.

The focus in RCG is on David C. Pack. Dave knows this. Brad knows this. Carl knows this. Ed knows this. Jaco knows this. Salasi knows this. Frank knows this. Jim and Andy know this. Mike knows this. Even “the littlest Denee” Ryan knows this.

“live more stable and successful lives”

Those who live the most stable and successful lives in The Restored Church of God are those who leave The Restored Church of God. That entire organization is a toxic pit of spiritual corruption. David C. Pack does not teach what he does by the inspiration of God or the Holy Spirit.

The Cleveland Scene article exposes the doctrines and practices of Pastor General David C. Pack and The Restored Church of God. I am grateful for Mark Oprea’s interest in this story. The more publicity RCG receives, the more people who can be warned about what kind of spiritually bankrupt organization they really are.

Just shine a light on them and watch them scurry.

Marc Cebrian
See: Newsflash: The Cleveland Scene Exposes David C. Pack & The Restored Church of God

The Damning Legacy of COG Prophecy Addicts. God Called Them False Prophets — Why Are You Still Sending Them Tithes?

Doug Winnail is back with another heartfelt plea about how crucial Bible prophecy is to “the Church” and their earth-shattering message to the world. How touching. The only teensy problem? Not one single prophecy from Rod Meredith, Gerald Weston, Herbert Armstrong, or their endless parade of spiritual heirs has ever come true. Not. One.

They rifle through Scripture like it’s a prophetic buffet, cherry-picking verses backward to retrofit whatever crisis is trending this week. The golden oldie “Brethren, we have less than five years left!” has been recycled longer than some of these “leaders” have been alive. Five years became ten, twenty, thirty… and now we’re approaching a full century of Herbert W. Armstrong’s prophetic dumpster fire. His predictions didn’t just fail—they failed spectacularly, publicly, and repeatedly, littering church history like embarrassing roadside wreckage.

And the current crop of COG prophecy addicts? They’re carrying the torch with pride:

• Bob Thiel, whose “dreams” apparently carry more weight than actual Scripture. 
• Gerald Flurry, still waiting for his magical rock to pulverize the nations while he plays king in his Edmond compound. 
• Ron Weinland, who set multiple return-of-Christ dates, missed every one. He just shrugged and bought his wife some more diamonds. 
• Dave Pack, the undisputed champion of “Any Day Now… Again!”—a man who’s declared the end so often he makes doomsday preppers look patient.

And dozens more just like them, each with their own “special understanding,” urgent timeline, and loyal followers who apparently skipped Bible class.

Because here’s what Deuteronomy 18:20-22 actually says (you know, that pesky part they always forget):

But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak… if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.

One strike and you’re out. No mulligans. No, “we were mostly right on the general idea.” No, “just wait a little longer, brethren.” God doesn’t grade on a curve for false prophets—He calls them liars. Yet these men have built entire organizations, bank accounts, and egos on a mountain of failed dates while daring to call themselves God’s true servants.

Jesus warned about exactly this in Matthew 24:11 — “Many false prophets will arise and mislead many.” And in Matthew 7:15-20, He said you’d know them by their fruits. Spoiler: endless broken prophecies aren’t exactly “good fruit.”But sure, Doug. Tell us again how Satan is deceiving people into discounting prophecy. The far bigger joke is how he’s got an army of self-appointed watchmen (Ezekiel 3 and 33 get thrown around a lot) who are themselves the very false prophets the Bible repeatedly condemns (see also Jeremiah 23:16-32 and Ezekiel 13).

And so the tragic farce rolls on.

Decade after decade, these self-proclaimed prophets have peddled their doomsday dreams like carnival barkers, only to watch their bold predictions collapse in humiliating silence. Families have been torn apart, savings drained, lives put on perpetual hold—all for the sake of a fantasy that never arrives. Yet instead of repentance, we get fresh revisions, new “urgent” updates, and ever-more-desperate pleas for more money, while there’s still time.”The trail of wreckage stretches back nearly a century: from Armstrong’s Germany-will-rule-Europe-and-invade-America fiascoes to the modern circus of Thiel-Flurry-Weinland-Pack and company. Each one a walking, talking violation of Deuteronomy 18, each one still collecting tithes and issuing edicts as if God Himself had not already exposed them.

How much longer will people keep following these spiritual frauds? When will they finally open their Bibles, read the clear warnings, and walk away from the con?

The real Jesus never built His ministry on a never-ending countdown clock. He called people to repentance, faith, and genuine fruit—not to a lifetime of chasing vindication through failed headlines. Maybe, just maybe, it’s time to stop obsessing over the next rewritten prophecy and start following the One these men claim to represent… before another generation wastes its life on lies dressed up as “God’s Work.”

Have a truly profitable Sabbath, brethren. Spend it on actual Scripture instead of the latest prophetic fever dream. Your future self—and your bank account—will thank you.

The Importance of Prophecy: Jesus told His disciples to stay alert and watch for the fulfillment of Bible prophecies that will mark the approaching end of this age (Matthew 24:42–44; Mark 13:32–37; Luke 21:34–36). Jesus also warned, in the parable of the foolish virgins, that many will be caught unprepared by the sudden surge of events that will precede His return (Matthew 25:1–13). God has given His Church “a more sure word of prophecy” (2 Peter 1:19, King James Version) so we can warn the Israelite nations and the world of the prophetic significance of world events. It is an awesome responsibility to be commissioned as a watchman (Ezekiel 3:16–21; 33:1–11). It is also sobering to see that Satan has deceived the world and many in the Church to discount the importance of prophecy. We must never take Bible prophecy and our commission lightly.

Have a profitable Sabbath,

Douglas S. Winnail

Jesus’ Second Coming Itinerary: Church Politics, Then Maybe the Apocalypse and Satan (If He’s Not Too Tired)

Ah, yes—the perpetually seething, grudge-holding God of Armstrongism. The divine equivalent of that uncle who’s been stewing since 1975 about how the family ruined Thanksgiving and now shows up to every reunion with a baseball bat and a spreadsheet of grievances.

Why is He always so angry?

Because in the Armstrongist universe, God’s emotional range is basically “wrath” with occasional brief pauses for more wrath. This isn’t the “God is love” guy from the New Testament. This is Old Testament Greatest Hits: God as cosmic axe-wielding executioner who’s really upset about church organization charts, failed prophecies, and anyone who dares to keep the Holy Days without sending enough money to the right headquarters.

The theological roots remain the same: a heavy, lopsided diet of angry prophets, British Israelism, and end-time obsession that turns every minor church drama into cosmic prophecy. The various self-appointed leaders position themselves as the One True Remnant™, so anyone running a competing splinter is automatically a rebel against God Himself. And we all know how God handles rebels in their favorite scriptures—fire, slaughter, and zero chill.

Enter the Divine HR Hitman: Jesus Returns to Settle Splinter Scores.

According to Dave Pack’s teachings, when Jesus returns (the second time, before any rumored third time), His first priority isn’t comforting the suffering or battling actual evil empires. Nope. He’s going to personally slaughter three Church of God leaders one at a time, like a cosmic game of whack-a-mole with extra fire.

“Open the doors and let the fire devour the cedars.” 

Then, after that invigorating church-sanctioned hit job, He’ll spend years mopping up the rest of humanity. Priorities!

Now let’s add the full cast of characters this perpetually pissed-off God apparently has beef with:

• Dave Pack (Restored Church of God): The man who wrote the script. His version of Jesus starts with executing three rival shepherds in sequence. Pack has long positioned himself as the final apostle, so naturally his version of Christ shares his exact enemies list.

• Gerald Flurry (Philadelphia Church of God): The “That Prophet” who built a mini-empire in Edmond, Oklahoma, complete with his own Armstrong College and a very expensive auditorium. In the Pack prophecy lens, Flurry is almost certainly one of the three cedar shepherds getting divinely barbecued first. God (or at least Dave’s God) is apparently furious about all that Malachi’s Message merchandising and those fancy concerts.

• Bob Thiel (Continuing Church of God): The dream-interpreting, double-portion prophet from California who split from LCG after claiming God spoke to him through earthquakes and nightmares. Bob’s endless “prophetic updates” and endless begging for “co-workers” make him prime fodder for the divine slaughter list. Jesus returns… and immediately has to deal with Bob’s latest dream newsletter. The sarcasm writes itself.

Picture it: The King of Kings descends, the sky splits open, and instead of “Peace on Earth,” it’s “Hold on, I need to handle these three COG preachers who wouldn’t submit to the correct hierarchy.” Dave, Gerald, and Bob—the holy trinity of end-time rivals—getting taken out one by one while the rest of humanity watches in confusion.

Sarcastic translation:

“Welcome back, Lord! What’s your first miracle?”

Taking out the guys who run the other tiny Sabbath-keeping groups. They used the wrong logo and didn’t recognize My true servant.

It’s comically petty. The Creator of galaxies returns… and His top priority is settling scores between competing Armstrongist splinter groups. Not Satan. Not the Beast Power. Not global tribulation. Just church politics with extra violence.

Why does their God need to be this violent, perpetually pissed-off creature?

• Control mechanism: A raging God is perfect for tithing and loyalty. “Send it in or you’ll end up like one of those three shepherds Jesus personally executes.”

• Prophetic one-upmanship: Each leader (Pack, Flurry, Thiel, and the rest) has to sound more urgent and apocalyptic than the others. Herbert W. Armstrong set the tone; they’ve just cranked it to 11 and added specific names, timelines, and body counts.

• They worship the God of the Law, not Grace: Jesus gets reduced from loving Savior to angry enforcer who’s mostly coming back to punish everyone who didn’t keep the Holy Days correctly or support the right “work.”

• Massive ego projection: When your entire identity is “I alone am God’s faithful servant while Flurry, Pack, Thiel, and the Laodiceans are all scum,” it’s convenient when God shares your exact temper and hit list.

The irony is thicker than a stack of old Plain Truth magazines. These leaders have been wrong about dozens of dates and prophecies for decades, yet their version of God is so obsessed with doctrinal purity that He’ll start the end-time slaughter with other Church of God ministers. 

Classic Armstrongism: a small, angry religious fiefdom projecting their own pettiness and rage onto the Almighty. The God they describe doesn’t seem interested in mercy, relationship, or emotional stability—He just seems exhausted with all the splintering and ready to burn it all down, starting with the competition. 

What a loving plan of salvation.

RCG/David C. Pack Newsflash: The Kingdom Will NOT Come on Pentecost

 

David C. Pack of The Restored Church of God may be a false prophet, but he is absolutely predictable.

During “The Greatest Untold Story! (Part 635)” given on May 17, 2026, the Pastor General piled on yet more proofs that the Kingdom to Israel would begin on Pentecost (May 24, 2026 – Sivan 8). But, not really.

While seemingly confirming Pentecost, he un-invented the initial Kingdom to Israel that was to occur prior to Pentecost. Dave built in much wiggle room to flee from the eventual Pentecost date failure while sprinkling in doubt and revised ambiguous language, leaving the impression his new points were “immense.”

The Pentecost Proofs are Immense!

The very next day, he dissolved hopes for the Kingdom arriving on Pentecost 2026.

The very next day after Part 635 was delivered, Dave spent a total of six minutes during his New Moon Special Comments on May 17, 2026, to dissolve five hours and seventeen minutes of preaching from “The Greatest Untold Story!” Parts 633, 634, and 635.

How sad that RCG brethren are now forced to come to Sunday worship services when the new moon falls on it. The drastic changes Dave and company continue to manufacture the further away WCG shrinks in the rearview mirror, should disturb all the Herbie die-hards still clinging to the last remnant of a bygone era. The Restored Church of God is not even a Splinter anymore, but some deformed hybrid of Sabbath-keepers and Dave idolators.

The total 99 minutes, which included 26 God-inspired points proving the Kingdom would arrive on Pentecost from the previous day, were wished away into the cornfield. It seems that his "immense Pentecost proofs" were not so vital after all.

He also had to un-proclaimed that “The Greatest Untold Story!” Series was concluding “within 24 hours,” after admitting he had no credibility. At least he got something right.

No new date was set, and the brethren in The Restored Church of God were urged to exercise patience because these necessary updates were God's fault. So, if brethren want to blame someone, do like their Pastor General does and blame God.

The Kingdom Will NOT Come on Pentecost!
May 24, 2026

Marc Cebrian

See:  RCG/David C. Pack Newsflash: The Kingdom Will NOT Come on Pentecost

How Four Random Street Signs Convinced Grown Adults They Were on Holy Ground

Over the decades, the Church of God has been blessed with an endless parade of crackpots, each one more unhinged than the last, peddling their precious pet theories, wild speculations, and outright bald-faced lies. It’s this proud tradition of gullibility and zero discernment that has allowed modern con artists like Bob Thiel and Dave Pack to flourish, happily vacuuming up whatever few desperate, wide-eyed followers they can find. Nothing says “led by the Holy Spirit” quite like flocking to the newest liar with a website and a printing press.

Liars have always found the most fertile, well-fertilized ground in the Church of God. It’s practically their spiritual homeland. We’ve endured generations of lying false prophets who knew the exact timeline of end-time prophecy — every single time. (They were wrong, of course, but the next one will definitely be right. Just wait.)

We’ve had genuine crackpots who stood up and declared that four egrets in front of the Auditorium were about to come alive, grab the whole building, and fly it to Petra like some divinely sanctioned Uber, with a fifth egret acting as celestial navigator. And yes, some actual functioning adults left the church to follow this majestic egret-based theology. Truly, the finest minds at work.

Then there was that absolute masterpiece of biblical exegesis floating around Pasadena when I got to college: the unshakable belief that God Himself had personally branded the campus with His sacred name through — wait for it — street signs.

Green Street, Orange Grove, Del Mar, St. John

First letters? G-O-D-S.

GODS.

God’s campus. God’s church. God’s holy vending machines. Some genius actually convinced people this was divine proof. Because obviously the Creator of the Universe moonlights as a city planner in Southern California.

But here’s the real kicker — the biting truth they never want to admit: flip those letters around and it spells DOGS.

And honestly? That makes way more sense. God didn’t claim that campus — He let the dogs have it. The whole thing has been one big theological dog park for decades. A place where every stray crackpot theory could run around off-leash, hump each other’s legs, and leave little steaming piles of false prophecy wherever they pleased.

And the funniest part? That “God’s campus” belief is still limping along today as a housing development and a College-Prep private school, even though the Almighty apparently looked at the property, said “Yeah, I’m out,” and abandoned it decades ago like a bad blind date. But sure, keep clutching those street names, folks. Divine endorsement never looked so… canine.

Maybe this is a prophetic truth that will allow Samuel Kitchen to buy the Ambassador Auditorium and HWA's mansion. This is the COG after all, anything is possible.

What an absolutely stellar, rational, and spirit-led organization this has been. 

Peak 1st Century Christianity. .

Dave Pack News Flash: The Kingdom Comes on Pentecost – May 24, 2026

RCG/David C. Pack Newsflash:
The Kingdom Comes on May 24, 2026.
Let’s Try Pentecost… Again!

David C. Pack of The Restored Church of God spent 85 minutes over-explaining why his God-inspired teachings about the Kingdom arriving on the Second Passover were not so inspired. He neglected to realize that each time he throws down the Doctrinal Uno Reverse Card, he is admitting God had nothing to do with his latest dismal swamp-load of nutritionless malarkey.

During “The Greatest Untold Story! (Part 633)” on April 25, 2026, the inept Headquarters mathematician went from knowing 1000% to knowing 0% that the Kingdom would arrive on May 1, 2026 (Iyar 15).

The Kingdom Will NOT Come on May 1, 2026!

Part 633 – April 25, 2026
@ 1:53:18 I certainly no longer believe there's any chance, zero, that we're waiting for the Second Passover.

@ 1:25:03 The Great Day of God’s wrath starts the Millennium. But there’s another day of wrath that has to come at some Feast of Tabernacles. It’s impossible that this is wrong. Therefore, nothing is going to happen on the Second Passover.

For his own sake, Dave really should remove the phrase “impossible that this is wrong” from the RCG vernacular. That just provides more golden content for the mockers and scoffers.

The Pastor General previously wagered the integrity of God’s Word as collateral for his understanding of the length of the Kingdom.

Part 632 – April 18, 2026
@ 14:01 Well, the end of the book [Daniel] tells you that the sacrifices stop and the abomination is set up with 43 months to go. 1290 days, divide that by 30. 30 days per month, 43 months. Therefore, and I'm gonna state emphatically, this is what the Bible says. I will absolutely stake stake God's Word on it. Therefore, the Kingdom is 86 months. Not a minute more or less. Period. It has to be, or we can't know and understand what is simple math.

Dave loves to set himself up for ridicule. A week later, Dave admitted his doctrinal errors were “theoretical.”

Part 633 – April 25, 2026
@ 1:40:09 The Second Passover, if I could just put it this way, is unlawful to start. But so is Pentecost. The Second Passover looks right. But it's not. It's not. It's unlawful. You now know it. And this will be an important message to listen to again. The Second Passover is a theoretical season regarding going to Jerusalem.

By his own admission, David C. Pack taught lawlessness. This has been the assertion of exrcg.org from the inception. The brethren in The Restored Church of God are left without excuse for paying the salary of a false apostle, false prophet, false teacher, and blaspheming hypocritical liar. You get what you pay for.

With the Second Passover out of the way, it was time to heal and move on from all this prophecy date-setting business. Okay. Not really. The apostolic desperation magnet embedded in Dave's head snapped toward the next Holy Day: Pentecost. Again.

For those who detest Dave and cannot listen to him anymore, I urge you to check this out. At 1.5x speed, this is pretty hilarious.

The Kingdom Will Come on Pentecost!

May 24, 2026

This is one of the most effective takedown videos I have ever produced. David C. Pack from the past destroys David C. Pack today. The man embarrasses himself so easily that I do not even break a sweat.

Dave knew nothing would happen on the Second Passover?
Past Dave Countered
Correct understanding of the New Heavens and New Earth?
Past Dave Countered
Does the Kingdom of God come at Pentecost?
Past Dave Countered
Would God mislead him?
Past Dave Countered
The day that cannot tarry is Pentecost 2026?
Past Dave Countered
The new Kingdom structure cannot be altered?
Past Dave Countered
God’s plan has three Kingdoms?
Past Dave Countered

Dave began “The Greatest Untold Story! (Part 634)” on May 2, 2026, with a victory lap because nothing biblical happened on the Second Passover. Supremely disturbing blindness in 3…2…1…

Part 634 – May 2, 2026
@ 00:24 But if I should say, well, the Second Passover was not in play. It would have been yesterday, midday. I'm not always right, but I was right about that. So, you take your wins where you get them. The timing.

Dave taught it. Dave untaught it. Dave basks in the sweet glory of his magnanimous correctness for unteaching it after he taught it. Calling it a “win” took my breath away. Then I howled in laughter.

His cognitive dissonance is so severe that I believe the story of David C. Pack of The Restored Church of God will not end well.

@ 1:01:51 “Mr. Pack, are you saying the Kingdom to Israel comes at Pentecost? Or are you saying it the Kingdom of God comes at Pentecost?”

@ 1:02:28 Why would he [Luke] record this for us? …What the only answer you could be if it didn’t have to do with Pentecost is God wrote it 35 years later, put it in His word to mislead us. Does that sound like God to you?

@ 1:06:58 We're waiting for a day that can't tarry. For what is now the Kingdom to Israel. What other day besides Pentecost cannot tarry for us? What would you say?

I would say David C. Pack does not know what he is talking about. David C. Pack is not led by the Holy Spirit or God to teach such things. Nothing will happen on May 24, but David C. Pack will continue to gloat.

Marc Cebrian

See: News Flash: The Kingdom Comes on Pentecost – May 24, 2026

Dave Pack: The Prophet Who Never Fails…to Fail

What a masterclass in cult leadership we’re witnessing with Dave Pack of the Restored Church of God. For years now, the man has been running the same tired con with the precision of a Swiss watch—except instead of gears, it’s powered by pure, unadulterated narcissism wrapped in a cheap humility costume.

Pack’s latest sermons follow the predictable script: he acts shocked—positively floored—by these fresh “revelations” about his own towering prophetic destiny. In his April 18, 2026 sermon (Part 632 of The Greatest Untold Story!), he declared himself “1000% certain” that the Kingdom of God and Christ’s return would arrive precisely at sunset on the Second Passover, Friday, May 1, 2026 (Iyar 15 on the Hebrew calendar). He tied it all together with an “avalanche of proof”: Daniel was finally understood (again), RCG was founded on the Second Passover (again), and—get this—his own last name “Pack” was no coincidence but a divine sign linked to Passover itself. He even called it the last date he would ever teach. “If it’s wrong, then it’s wrong,” he shrugged with theatrical finality. His thoroughly marinated followers ate it up like it’s gourmet. The already-indoctrinated nodded sagely and thought, “I knew Mr. Pack was Elijah. We just have to let the poor guy discover it on his own.” How generous of them.

Any future escalation—whether he claims to be one of the Two Witnesses or the next best thing—will be swallowed just as smoothly. All he has to do is drop a vague “That’s interesting…” or “This is big,” and their well-trained brains fill in the blanks faster than you can say “cognitive dissonance.”

May 1, 2026 came and went like every other “unassailable” date before it. No trumpet blast. No Kingdom descending on Wadsworth, Ohio. No Christ appearing to validate Pack’s endless self-promotion. Just another ordinary Friday that exposed the 140-plus failed prophecies he’s racked up since 2013. This wasn’t some minor miscalculation; it was the capstone of a years-long parade of flops: March 29, 2025 (Jesus’ birthday, naturally), August 4, 2025, October 6, 2025, December 5, 2025, December 19, 2025, and earlier whispers of February 1, 2026. Each time Pack went “all in,” called it “impossible to be wrong,” and assured everyone this was finally the one. When the dates sailed by without so much as a whisper from heaven, he simply laughed it off, pivoted to the next “revelation,” and reframed the failure as “progress” or “God working things out in real time.”

Here’s how the deception works with surgical precision. Pack doesn’t just predict dates—he weaves a personalized gospel around himself. He compares his “journey of discovery” to biblical giants while insisting he’s only reluctantly accepting his role as the modern Elijah, greater even than Herbert W. Armstrong (whom he once idolized as Moses to his own Elijah). He floods members with marathon sermon series that reinterpret Scripture to fit his ego, then demands total loyalty. Doubt? That’s Satan attacking. Questions? That’s disloyalty. Leaving? That’s shaking the tree—his term for the “natural selection” that culls the weak and leaves only the most devoted enablers. The transcripts are public, the failures documented, yet he spins every external criticism as proof he’s right: “They hate me because I’m God’s man.” It’s gaslighting on an industrial scale.

And yet his shrinking membership continues to forgive him. Why? A toxic cocktail of masterful grooming, sunk-cost fallacy, and apocalyptic FOMO (fear of missing out). Many have sacrificed careers, families, and savings to follow him. Admitting Pack is a false prophet would mean admitting they’ve wasted years—or decades—of their lives. Instead, they reframe every flop as “Mr. Pack carefully working through his destiny with an abundance of caution.” The more dates fail, the more “elite” the remaining few feel: pioneers in the “true” church, dining at Christ’s table while the world burns. Pack nurtures envy of Armstrong’s early glory days, turning RCG into a delusional fan club of the “chosen few.” Critical thinking is reframed as satanic; persecution from outsiders (including ex-members exposing the lies) is proof of demonic activity and prophecy. They’ve been conditioned so thoroughly that even 140+ documented failures become evidence of his humility, not his fraud.

Finally, a prophet who’s opening up his innermost feelings! How humble. Never mind that it’s the spiritual equivalent of a selfie stick—everything always circles back to how special he is. To the faithful, this isn’t pathological self-obsession; it’s endearing vulnerability. They love him for it. They reciprocate. And Pack just keeps tightening the screws.

The paradox is delicious. Outsiders look at Pack and see a textbook arrogant false prophet. Insiders look at the same man and see the very model of modesty. When he compares himself to Herbert W. Armstrong, members don’t roll their eyes—they beam with pride at their leader’s restraint.

This isn’t isolated to Dave Pack. It’s the rotten core of the entire Armstrongist Church of God splinter world—a toxic ecosystem of self-appointed prophets and apostles chasing the ghost of Herbert W. Armstrong. Bob Thiel of the Continuing Church of God claims dream-inspired prophetic status and has his own trail of unfulfilled dates. Gerald Flurry of the Philadelphia Church of God crowns himself “That Prophet” while peddling failed timelines and relic worship. Ron Weinland of the Church of God – Preparing for the Kingdom of God once set dates for 2008 and 2012, declared himself one of the Two Witnesses, and even led his remnant from prison, with his followers welcoming him back when he was released as a martyr for the truth. They all stand on the shoulders of earlier giants of failure: Armstrong’s infamous 1975 prophecy flop, Gerald Waterhouse’s tireless promotion of Armstrong as the end-time apostle, and Rod Meredith’s own unheeded warnings and date-setting in the Living Church of God. The pattern is identical—charismatic control, endless “new truth,” failed dates reframed as growth, and a shrinking faithful core convinced they alone are the elect.

The Bible is crystal clear on such men. Deuteronomy 18:20-22 warns: “But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die. And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’—when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.” Jesus Himself cautioned in Matthew 7:15, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits.” Pack, Thiel, Flurry, Weinland, and their predecessors have produced nothing but rotten fruit: broken families, financial ruin for members, and a trail of dashed hopes. Their “fruits” are not souls saved or lives transformed—they’re loyalty tests, fear-mongering, and ego-stroking empires built on sand.

Escaping this devious thinking is simpler than the cult leaders want you to believe. First, read the Bible for yourself—without the leader’s 600-part sermon filter or a Church of God booklet by your side. Test every claim against plain Scripture (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Pray for wisdom without prejudice (James 1:5). Recognize the pattern: repeated failed prophecies are not “refinements” or “deeper understanding”—they are the biblical definition of a false prophet. Talk to ex-members who’ve left and thrived; their stories dismantle the “no one leaves and stays faithful” myth. And walk away. Real faith doesn’t require surrendering your mind, money, or family to a man who keeps moving the goalposts while calling it humility.

In the end, Dave Pack isn’t building a church. He’s curating a doomsday cult of the most devoted enablers imaginable—and he’s just one high-profile symptom of a larger epidemic rotting the Armstrongist world. The remaining members see themselves as brave soldiers of the Kingdom, ready for whatever glorious (or catastrophic) command comes next. They’ve already proven they’ll believe anything—including the 140th (and counting) date for Christ’s triumphant arrival in Wadsworth. When the final crash comes—and it will—they’ll either follow him into something darker or shatter completely when their “biblical parallels” turn out to be nothing more than the delusional ramblings of very clever, very arrogant men.

The saddest part? They’ll still call it humility. But the rest of us can call it what it is: a warning. And a call to break free.