The myths and legends that abound in the Church of God are endless and many of the leadership in various COG's use that to their advantage. It's never used for anything good but as a tool to instill fear into their followers and keep them in line. It can be anything from the myth of British Israelism, make-up, clothing and hair styles, technology, to tithing.
After British Israelism, tithing is the biggest tool used to instill fear into members. Ignoring the fact that it is not a New Covenant expectation, tithing is used as a way to control members. Instilling fear in members that if they do not tithe they will be severely punished by the god of whichever leader is bellowing about it, to even worse consequences if they dip their hands in the second tithe jar to pay for an emergency expense.
When ancient Israel tithed it never went to one leader so he could build up his personal surroundings with new palaces, flocks of animals, gold and silver, employ the best craftsmen at the time or have a stable full of the latest model of double hump-backed camels ready to use to help spread the word to faraway places. It went to a centralized place where it was used for the Temple or dispersed as needed when things were done right. But, like today, some of it went into the pockets of some of the high and mighty Pharisees that made life miserable for their followers.
Today's COG leaders use tithe money for whatever they want, even lining their own pockets with it and enriching their lives and their families. From building beautiful homes, filling them with beautiful decorations, having the latest technology at their fingertips, having the best vehicles, buying personal jets, and building huge elaborate buildings on campuses as their legacies. None of that is spreading the gospel.
Gerald Flurry is the king of enforcing tithing by using fear. Not only is tithing used as a weapon but demanding members give special funds for buildings, jets, and other "important" things is also used. They don't care that their devotees are triple tithing as they demand special contributions for their vanity campuses or pet projects, demanding that they tithe on their tithes, give offerings on holy days, and harangue members with fundraising co-worker letters while they themselves are above it all because they have labeled themselves as Levites.
GF’s fear tactics are getting stronger. If members dare to get into their 2nd tithe, it’s considered not only “stealing” (as HWA used to say) but now is “embezzling“! He says it “does not work” to do that and if they refuse to set aside their 2nd tithe, or get into it, they will “surely suffer financial and spiritual penalties for disobeying God!” To strengthen this fear tactic, he says, “Quite a number have learned the hard way that ‘this borrowing’ does not work.”
First of all, tithes are not commanded under the New Covenant and neither is keeping the O. T. festivals, but all HWA cult leaders (con-artists) must enforce tithing by twisting Scripture, or they themselves fear they won’t be rolling in the dough anymore. –[name withheld] Exit and Support Network
Flurry and the PCG recently bragged through Andrew Locher that the PCG was now debt-free and owed money to no one. I am sure members breathed a sigh of relief that they could ease up on sending in their last dime for Flurry's latest demand. But that relief did not last but a few days when Andrew Locher opened his mouth and told members that they were expected to continue to fund the Flurry family's private jet and to continue to give for big projects Flurry's "god" has in mind for the PCG.
“Thanks to your sacrifice in the aircraft fund and other fundraisers,” Mr. Locher said, “the purchase price as well as a new paint job, avionics and safety upgrades, and planned (and unplanned) maintenance has all been paid. … Already this year, we have made several trips, with additional flights already planned. Thank you so much for your sacrifice! We still average nearly $80,000 per month in operating expense.This figure fluctuates quite a bit depending on our flight activity, but we can still really use any contributions you can make toward the aircraft fund.” (Excepted from PN, 5-7-21)
“There is no doubt that God has big projects in mind, so let’s keep pace with God and continue to give as we are able.” (Ibid, Andrew Locher) Exit and Support Network
"Keeping pace with God" is helping the homeless, feeding the poor, helping refugees, caring for their neighbors, and not lining the pockets of Flurry, Pack, Weston, Kubik, Thiel, or the rest of the leaders of the COG's. They above all should be giving the most to their churches to the point they have nothing. They are all like HWA though. They have huge homes filled with fine art, gold, silver, fancy offices, fancy campuses, and more. Even while demanding members tithe and give all they could HWA never tithed 10% on his income. The COG is filled with hypocritical leaders who make demands upon their followers that they themselves never keep.
The only embezzlers the Church of God has right now are its leaders.
