A Study With Paper
David C. Pack unintentionally reveals moments of who and what he is from time to time.
During “The Greatest Unending Story! (Part 437)” on April 23, 2023, what appeared to be a mild kerfuffle was actually a mini-character study with paper. Not on paper but incited by the topic of paper.
To fully appreciate the analysis, watch the 87-second video first.
This transcript is for those who can no longer stand the sound of his voice. If you watched the video, feel free to skip this.
Part 437 – April 23, 2023
@ 10:11 "And behold, in this horn, there were eyes, like the eyes of man and the mouth speaking great things." Now, I had this marked upstairs, but I have the wrong document here. I didn't get the correct document. So, my eyes are gonna hafta work on this a little bit harder. I had all kinds of caps and stuff. So, "I beheld till the thrones were cast down and the Ancient of Days did sit whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head was like the pure wool. His throne and fiery flame and wheels as burning fire." So, here is this horn in verse eight, who seems to be here before God comes with judgment. And I'm gonna ask one of the men to go upstairs and get that other document because there's other stuff on here that I really do need. Now I work with a lot of paper. Please forgive them. They do the best they can. And it is just it's a challenge. There's just mountains and reams of documents and research we deal with. And I will say this, they sent me down here with a document I'm not supposed to have. So in their mind, they probably helped out. And it's a big document, and I covered it on Thursday. Except they expanded it because they're profitable servants. But I'm actually not covering it today.
This incident reminded me of the torture those around Dave have suffered over the years. The seething darkness just below the surface bubbles up with accusatory jabs and bitter, condescending critiques disguised as humor.
At times like this, I feel sorry for Jim Habboush and Andrew Holcombe all over again. I personally like those guys despite my pure disgust for the doctrines they invent. After they leave RCG, both will need therapy to work through the mental and emotional trauma their proximity subjects them to.
That is not a joke, nor do I say it flippantly. Working closely with David C. Pack damages people.
Regardless of how “light” this may appear, there was hell to pay upstairs if history is our guide. The greatest sin you can ever commit in The Restored Church of God is to inconvenience Mr. Pack.
Over the years, I have watched Dave throw people under the bus from the front of the room. The mangled bodies crushed under the tires create a cushion between blame and himself. Nobody is safe when a thorn in the flesh has a name attached to it, whether it is a family member or a high-ranking minister. Under the right circumstances, anyone can become public meat for the grinder.
Be sure to ask Ryan Denee if he forgot about the time(s) it was his turn.
During Part 437, Dave's two assistants did him raw, and he could not let it go quietly.
@ 10:17 Now, I had this marked upstairs, but I have the wrong document here. I didn't get the correct document.
He did not receive it. He was supposed to, but someone on his team let him down.
In this case, I give Jim and Andy the full benefit of the doubt. Those guys are so determined to do things right and are such Nervous Nellies about making sure their apostle is well-attended, I would bet them $20 that they gave Dave the sheet, but he forgot to bring it with him.
I stand beside Jim and Andy on this one because I have witnessed similar instances where Dave was entirely to blame after he blamed someone else.
But the point is, the knee-jerk reaction of the Pastor General is to blame someone else. As is his custom.
A good friend of mine told me the story of how he placed a piece of paper in Dave's hand. But a few days later, in a meeting, Dave called him out in front of others for never providing what he requested. My friend tried to set the record straight before witnesses but soon learned a bitter Headquarters lesson.
The lesson was: the boss is always right even when facts and reality prove the opposite.
@ 10:23 So, my eyes are gonna hafta work on this a little bit harder. I had all kinds of caps and stuff.
Meaning: Your incompetence makes me exert more effort, fellas. Woe is me.
@ 10:54 And I'm gonna ask one of the men to go upstairs and get that other document because there's other stuff on here that I really do need. Now I work with a lot of paper. Please forgive them. They do the best they can.
This may sound like Dave is defending them, but he is the one leveling judgment that will require forgiveness. His later comments prove it was already on his mind.
The best they can do is not good enough for the apostle. Both men failed him even though they tried really hard.
Neither one of those guys are slackers. He could not find better men to serve him. But their best was still a disappointment. He will put a bow on that in seconds.
@ 11:10 And it is just it's a challenge. There's just mountains and reams of documents and research we deal with.
This further excusing feels like Dave insulating himself rather than them. Maybe he realized he had left the document curled behind the urinal handle. Or it was still under his coffee mug in the Third Floor Executive Imaginarium.
Call me, guys. Dr. Ranney has my number.
This is where the rubber meets the road. This is the real heart of the matter and why it is worthy of an article.
@ 11:17 And I will say this, they sent me down here with a document I'm not supposed to have.
Here is the bow wrapped in forgiveness.
Dave volunteers an entirely unnecessary comment to throw salt in the wound. He went out of his way to further inflame the situation by publicly pointing out YET ANOTHER flaw in his assistants’ execution.
They really botched things when they forgot to give him a vital document but also plagued him further with one he did not want.
A decent human being would have let that go. A man expressing outgoing love and concern would not bring it up. An empathetic person would hold his peace.
But not David C. Pack. If you wrong him, people will hear about it. As I am sure, they did after the message. Someone's backside got tanned after the elevator door closed.
@ 11:22 So, in their mind, they probably helped out.
Their help was an illusion. It was all in their mind and not reality. Dave is so good at recognizing that when the thoughts are in the heads of others.
This is like when a cat leaves a dead bird on your doorstep as a gift. The cat thinks it is helping you. You may be repulsed, but you can appreciate the sentiment.
Jim and Andy placed a dead bird beside Dave's Bible at the table. And he just had to say something about it because it is his nature.
@ 11:25 And it's a big document, and I covered it on Thursday.
The distracting document offending his eyes was worthless because it was old information and useless to him today.
@ 11:28 Except, they expanded it because they're profitable servants.
They wasted their time expanding something unessential.
@ 11:32 But I'm actually not covering it today.
When Dave prepares with his team, they do not know all of what Dave will cover. Even when Brad Schleifer is involved, he cannot say for sure what elements Dave will or will not teach when he goes to the front of the room.
Trust me, we tried.
Even if I checked in advance with Brad, Jim, and Andy that XYZ would be covered, Dave would step down without covering it. The man is a walking tornado. Unpredictable, chaotic, and destructive. The tornado goes where the tornado goes when it wants to go there. You can try to predict where it will touch down, but you just cannot know for sure. That is David C. Pack.
To double down on that $20 bet with Jim and Andy, I suspect they had that Kingdom document up there because it would support material he decided at the table to NOT cover. They probably discussed him covering that beforehand, but he made a non-verbal decision at the table and, in his mind, found it pointless after he sat down.
That means there was no way of knowing Dave would not refer to the irritating eyesore document. Yet, the way his mind works, he decided later he did not need it, but it was still their fault for providing it.
Or it was a simple “just in case” consideration that received a church-wide slap in the face.
There is a common Headquarters saying in regards to David C. Pack.
“Damned if you do. Damned if you don’t.”
When available, there is sometimes the backup plan.
“Let Brad handle it.”
Much character study can be gleaned from brief moments when you slow down to examine them. Reading Between the Lines helps a bunch, but so does seeing the patterns and recognizing them for what they are.
This character study supports all the others regarding who and what David C. Pack is. That picture is crystal clear and never shifts.
Look at all you got to see just because of a piece of paper.
Marc Cebrian
