Exploiting Widows—The Restored Church of God Offloads $2.8 Million Debt onto Its Members (Part 1)

 

Exploiting Widows—The Restored Church of God Offloads $2.8 Million Debt onto Its Members

Second Update May 3, 2025: This article on the exrcg.org website has been updated to reflect the additional property that listed as sold on May 3, 2025. The total sales are now $3.1 million by twenty-three people for thirteen houses.

Update May 2, 2025: RCG sold two more houses valued at $465,000 to members, bringing the total to twelve properties. One of the new buyers is also a widow.

Keep an eye out for 341 Akron Road to be sold soon. The two other external Campus properties are not viable options for new buyers. No one attending The Restored Church of God can afford the $500k Eyesore, and the Hartman Road property hosts the horse barn and pasture.

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Pastor General David C. Pack gleefully declared during “The Greatest Untold Story! (Part 568)” on April 5, 2025, that the Restored Church of God is officially out of debt with extra funds in the bank. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization turned a profit while perpetually teaching that the imminent return of Jesus Christ was only days away.

Part 568 – April 5, 2025
@ 00:23 I wanted just to tell everybody, and I trying to remember if it was April 1st or 2nd, but the debt is gone. Completely gone, and income is still pouring in. And not only that, we're growing faster, literally, every week than the week before.

@ 01:04 Again, in not just no debt, but a lot left over. I couldn’t have dreamed. …The number was not huge that we needed, but it was large.

In addition to public donations by non-member “co-workers,” approximately 1,250 adult members globally pay first tithe, excess second tithe, tithe of tithe, third tithe, Holy Day offerings, free-will offerings, fundraisers, and the “sell all” doctrine known as Common, The Restored Church of God now enjoys a debt-free 104-acre Headquarters Campus in Wadsworth, Ohio.

During “The Greatest Untold Story! (Part 536)” on September 18, 2024, David C. Pack pressured the entire church to pay Common before Jesus Christ was to return 15 days later.

Part 536 – September 18, 2024
@ 44:50 The best you can do if you sell all the best you can do is save yourself. You can no longer benefit God’s work. It’s too late. You can benefit yourself, and whatever God says about you shoulda done it sooner, and He will judge you for that.

@ 45:34 I hate to put it that way, but I’m here trying to save your life. There’s no way we’re going to benefit.

@ 1:08:55 If you won’t obey this great test of faith, you simply do not believe the Kingdom of God is coming.

Founded in May 1999, The Restored Church of God publicly claims it preaches the Gospel of the Kingdom of God through a "vast array" of free literature and videos and holds a unique, true understanding of the doctrines of the Bible. However, privately, David C. Pack has set 125 failed dates for the return of Jesus Christ since August 2013.

The Restored Church of God’s Headquarters Campus is out of debt. How did they do it?

The Restored Church of God sold twelve Campus houses
worth $2.8 million to Headquarters members
to offload its debt.

Two of those members is a widow.

The Restored Church of God’s debt relief was carefully coordinated by David C. Pack and negotiated behind the scenes.

While preaching that the Kingdom of God would arrive within days and claiming that neither he nor the church would benefit from the money, David C. Pack quietly approached select members in the Headquarters congregation from early 2024 through April 2025 and asked them to buy houses adjacent to the Campus worth $2.8 million along Akron Road and Hartman Road.

David C. Pack got out of debt by putting two widows into debt.

2 Peter 2:3  
And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you.

The great irony of this financial arrangement is that David C. Pack teaches that only faithless members have not yet paid their Common. Fortunately for him, seventeen faithless people at Headquarters could afford to buy a Campus property.

This information is publicly available on the Medina County Auditor’s website. Under the Advanced tab, type in the Seller's Name field: "restored church" to find the property records.

March 20, 2024 – 852 Akron Road – Pablo Ruiz
RCG Bought 5/22/20: $105,000
RCG Sold: $200,000 [+$95,000]

April 3, 2024 – 754 Akron Road – Justin Frazier
RCG Bought 5/16/18: $252,000
RCG Sold: $325,000 [+$73,000]

April 24, 2024 – 8421 Hartman Road – Raymond & Kirsten Garb
RCG Bought 8/4/17: $85,000
RCG Sold: $154,700 [+$69,700]

March 11, 2025 – 303 Akron Road – [Widow]
RCG Bought 1/18/12: $100,000
RCG Sold: $199,000 [+$99,000]

March 27, 2025 – 383 Akron Road – Garrick & Larissa Oxley
RCG Bought 1/20/15: $140,000
RCG Sold: $222,000 [+$82,000]

April 2, 2025 – 293 Akron Road – James & Sarah Habboush
RCG Bought 7/18/12: $220,000
RCG Sold: $240,000 [+$20,000]

April 2, 2025 – 331 Akron Road – Samuel & Angela Baxter
RCG Bought 7/31/15: $145,000
RCG Sold: $253,500 [+$108,500]

April 2, 2025 – 321 Akron Road – Charlie & Brandy Sarracco
RCG Bought 7/21/15: $156,500
RCG Sold: $253,000 [+$96,500]

April 3, 2025 – 313 Akron Road – Frank & Jody Lydick
RCG Bought 12/3/15: $220,000
RCG Sold: $330,000 [+$110,000]

April 25, 2025 – 361 Akron Road – Samuel & Nicole Maiden
RCG Bought 9/5/14: $132,000
RCG Sold: $235,000 [+$103,000]

May 1, 2025 – 351 Akron Road – Chauntel & Calah Houk
RCG Bought 2/27/18: $150,400
RCG Sold: $220,000 [+$69,600]

May 1, 2025 – 369 Akron Road – [Another Widow]
RCG Bought 8/10/15: $135,000
RCG Sold: $245,000 [+$110,000]

RCG Sold Properties to RCG Members Worth $2,877,200

 

RCG’s Debt Cycle Summary

1–Members gave David C. Pack their money to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.

2–David C. Pack used the members’ money to secure bank loans to buy houses, upgrade, and maintain them.

3–David C. Pack asked members to move into those houses and charged them rent. Members paid rent to RCG on houses that were bought with their money.

4–David C. Pack asked members to buy the houses he bought with their money after they had been paying rent on them.

5–The Restored Church of God escaped corporate debt by putting members into debt while profiting from the increased home values.

6–David C. Pack has taught 125 failed dates, and The Kingdom of God has not arrived, but members continue to pay RCG tithes, offerings, and Common.

A Tale of Two Exploited Widows

Directly motivated by David C. Pack’s greed, there are heartbreaking stories in RCG’s history about the treatment of widows. Their identities will remain anonymous, but their cautionary tales are a warning for others.

Matthew 23:14
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayer: therefore you shall receive the greater damnation.

Zechariah 7:10
And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor…

Exodus 22:22-24
You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. If you afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto Me, I will surely hear their cry; And My wrath shall wax hot…

God has a special affection for widows. Pastor General David C. Pack does not.

David C. Pack built his religious empire using other people’s money and said behind closed doors, “You never use your own money to build a business. Use other people’s money.” This is how The Restored Church of God’s Campus was financed.

Widow #1

In March 2025, Widow #1 paid $199,000 for a house connected to the Headquarters Campus to help The Restored Church of God get out of debt. But this is not the first time she has been asked for thousands of dollars by David C. Pack.

She received an inheritance after her mother died. Her husband was a deacon, and they had assets, including a nice trailer on 1.5 acres. Her husband was diagnosed with bladder cancer, but he refused treatment so he could “walk in faith.”

Complications from the untreated cancer caused a blockage in his urinary tract. He became debilitated when he suffered a stroke from a blood clot. She was her husband’s caretaker until he died.

With direction from David C. Pack, agents of The Restored Church of God pressured Widow #1 to pay Common to The Restored Church of God. She pledged her funds, but moving assets through probate and real estate banking entities takes time. The Pastor General has a poor understanding of how long financial matters take to execute, even with willing donors. Multiple sources confirm that David C. Pack often expresses frustration that receiving funds “takes too long” and has accused members of stalling.

David C. Pack told the minister involved, “She’s procrastinating. Get that money.” The former employee also noted, “Pack lusts after money. He kept telling me, Get that money. Get that money.”

They got her money from the real estate sale and inheritance from her mother. She is now a Headquarters employee who purchased a $199,000 home so David C. Pack can ride his horse in peace, knowing the Campus is debt-free because of the generosity of a widow.

But she is not the only one with a story worth telling.

Widow #2

Widow #2 once enjoyed a house by a lake with her two children and her husband, an insurance broker. After he died suddenly, she was left with over $900,000 in a life insurance policy payout. Her husband planned to ensure she and their children would be cared for after he was gone.

Then, David C. Pack sat her down alongside two other ministers and pressured her to give it all to the church. Because she was a faithful woman who believed RCG was “the one, true church” and David C. Pack was an apostle, she was willing to give “until it hurt.”

The scheme that David C. Pack pitched was for her to think of giving all her money as an investment. Her spiritual reward would be in the Kingdom of God, but since he wanted to make sure “she was taken care of,” RCG would grant her permanent third tithe assistance each month of around $2,000. That was half the monthly budget for all third tithe assistance in the church.

One of those ministers privately urged her to keep a portion large enough to protect herself from a rainy day, pay for future healthcare, and have the ability to afford a small home. She would have gladly given most of it if he had not warned her.

She sold her original home, moved, and bought another one in Wadsworth. She gave RCG funds from the home sale and her husband’s insurance payout.

She has since remarried after giving her Common and remains a member of The Restored Church of God. She was not the second widow who bought a Campus home.

David C. Pack tells the brethren of The Restored Church of God who and what he is. If only they had eyes to see and ears to hear what their Pastor General said to the church in 2024 when he urged them to send in their Common before Jesus Christ returned on Trumpets.

Part 536 – September 18, 2024
@ 32:17 And and and brethren, it should be pretty clear, there’s no way I am doing this so the church can benefit from it unless I am an unbeliever and do not believe the Kingdom is coming this fall. So, there’s no way I could be doing this. It's impossible, unless I am a grand liar, that I could be saying, "I don't want your money." I don't get your money. I don’t get a pay raise. 

James 1:27
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

We are commanded to visit a widow in her affliction, not cause it.

Psalm 146:9
The LORD preserves the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked He turns upside down.

David C. Pack does not relieve the widow but exploits her.

Isaiah 10:1-2
Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed; To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!

Common is an unrighteous decree. Widows are prey for David C. Pack while he says, “Get that money.”

Malachi 3:5
And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, says the LORD of hosts.

David C. Pack oppresses the widow without fearing God.

The Headquarters hirelings in The Restored Church of God are no less guilty as they silently stand by, complicit in a system of spiritual and financial exploitation.

Isaiah 1:17
Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

Bradford Schleifer, Carl Houk, Edward Winkfield, Jaco Viljoen, Frank Lydick, Salasi Jezhi, James Habboush, Andrew Holcombe, Raymond Garb, and that notable coward, Ryan Denee, refuse to plead for the widows.

Ezekiel 22:27-29
Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain. And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus says the Lord GOD, when the LORD has not spoken. The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy…

Bradford Schleifer, Carl Houk, Edward Winkfield, Jaco Viljoen, Frank Lydick, Salasi Jezhi, James Habboush, Andrew Holcombe, Raymond Garb, and that notable coward, Ryan Denee, are ravening wolves supporting dishonest gain.

These enablers willfully disregard the blasphemy, hypocrisy, and lies of their human idol so they can maintain their positions of power in a spiritually corrupt yet debt-free organization.

David C. Pack’s “The Greatest Untold Debt Story!” is far from over. This is Part 1.

Marc Cebrian:

See: Exploiting Widows—The Restored Church of God Offloads $2.4 Million Debt onto Its Members

For Enhanced Credibility

The little tidbit below is from a forward in COGWA's Discern magazine titled, Christianity’s Strange Story, by Clyde Kilough that covers articles about Christianity, Pentecost, and Constantine.

It starts off about Pentecost and makes the claim that almost all Christian churches today claim Pentecost as part of their story. They supposedly do it to "enhance their story" about themselves, unlike the Churches of God, who use it to...uh... enhance the story about themselves. Armstrongism is sooooo fun!

Pentecost—it’s an odd word with a strange story.
Its Greek origin simply means “count 50” (referring to calculating its timing), but there is nothing simplistic about its Old Testament origin and New Testament explanation. Together they reveal some of the deepest meanings of God’s work with humanity. 

 

Today virtually all Christian denominations commemorate Pentecost, claiming (for enhanced credibility) to trace their lineage to that holy day in the first century that clearly marks the beginning of the Church.

Armstrongism is also guilty of this! It claims direct lineage to the 1st century church and claims to practice 1st century Christianity, which it clearly does not do.

Armstrongism has taken in all kinds of myths and stories to enhance its credibility and perfect image over the pagan so-called Christians that they see surrounding it. We have the absurd British Israelism myth, the one true church, the becoming God as God is God, church eras, church government, and many more extra-biblical enhancements that make Armstrongism unique.

Kilough goes on to say this:

That day’s events literally altered the course of world history. We cannot fathom what today’s world would be without the impact of the religion(s) that emerged. Even hardened skeptics are forced to admit that something powerful occurred. How else could a body of believers suddenly appear, quickly permeate the Roman Empire, and so upset the established religions that they would rail against Christians as “these who have turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6)? 

 

Today, though, it’s the world that appears to have turned Christianity upside down. Or is it possible that an imposter “Christianity” that Jesus Himself forewarned us about is now reaping the fruit of the seeds it sowed long ago? That’s another topic in this issue: “How an Emperor Corrupted Christianity.”

What about today's imposter Christianity that permeates the Churches of God? We see men like Bob Thiel, Dave Pack, and Gerald Flurry who have made a mockery of Christianity, the church, and Jesus himself. Liars in the Chruch of God are given places of honor in today's COG movement, so Armstrongism shouldn't be so quick to condemn the "worldly" Christians around them. 

That’s part of traditional Christianity’s strange post-Pentecost story. It’s akin to a “switched at
birth” shocker, with the aged Christianity not much resembling its infant counterpart. What happened?

If you want to see a "switched at birth shocker," then look at the abysmal mess that Armstrongism is in today! How can any of them honestly believe they are practicing 1st-century Christianity? How can any of them claim to be heirs of the Holy Spirit sent at Pentecost?

Are You Tired Of Constantly Having to "Qualify" In The Church Of God?

Anyone who has been part of a Church of God for even a small amout of time will have heard numerous sermons on "qualifying" or read countless articles exhorting you to make sure you are doing all kinds of things in order to "qualify" yourself before their angry god snuffs says you out or says you arent allowed into their kingdom.

I found this quote below the other day while surfing some of the COG websites. When I copied it for a later post, I forgot to write which group it is from. It really doesn't matter who wrote it because this is standard COG thinking, and like most other things, the demands of it are totally wrong.

For one to enter the kingdom of God one must qualify! Just like Jesus Christ had to qualify! We must qualify before God can trust us to run & rule his universe and his kingdom. The same as when we are called it into God's Church we must prove to God upon repentance of turning from our own selfish way and walking and living God's way of life! In repenting we are qualifying! Qualifying to receive the Holy Spirit! For the terms for receiving the Holy Spirit is to repent and to believe. If we do not repent through the action of turning around and no longer walking our own way but now walking according to God's way, the Holy Spirit cannot dwell within​ us. Upon repentance then upon believing God's word you have been qualified yourself to be baptized and to receive the holy spirit of God! So ask yourself this, are you turning to God and repenting of walking contrary to his way everyday? One way we can disqualify ourselves is by not repenting! God's way is not our way! The natural mind as mr. Armstrong has taught is hostile to God's way of life! That is what the Bible teaches! So one way to disqualify ourselves is to go on thinking and walking in our own ways! According to what we think is right because we agreed with God. Simon magus believed the gospel. But he did not want to stop his own way to turn around and start obeying God! He did not want to repent! What about you question mark what about me? Do we study God's word just to make us to feel good about ourselves? Or are we seeking to obey God and to walk in all his ways? Constantly repenting of any change of course? Are we daily qualifying so that God may give us the Holy Spirit everyday? Or is it just one day a week type of thing? You won't enter the kingdom of God will be in just a Saturday church goer! We must be qualifying and all the booklets and all the sermons and writings of God's chosen apostle and his church are there to help! What the worldwide Church of God preaches and teaches is a very Living Word of God! Those very words in your Bible are words of life and words of spirit as Christ has said. They are for us and for our learning. The purpose of God's Ministry is to build up and to edify the Church of God. And that is being done by and through the holy spirit of God in the membership! If you attend some other church and listen to a minister that is not teaching exactly what Christ gave to the apostles then you will receive another spirit and another gospel and you will follow another Christ as Paul warns! So are we qualifying? Are we repenting and turning to God without whole heart? Are we obeying God and all things? If you are led by the holy spirit daily God will lead you! And then you will be called the people of God and then you will be a part of the Church of God. 

 

Basic Christianity understands that Jesus does not call the qualified; rather, he qualifies the called. Calling the unqualified has always been God’s specialty. We can look to the heroes of the Christian faith—David, Solomon, Joseph, Esther, Ruth, Moses, Miriam, Deborah, Lydia, and the list goes on.

Sadly, Armstrongism valued works over Jesus. The law trumped everything, and that is why Jesus was not discussed all that much, and when he was, he was constantly angry about something, and lo, we had better get our act together if we expected to rule with him.

Members were seldom told to to step out in faith, embracing Jesus' calling and trusting him to guide us every step of the way. 

 

My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1 

 

We may not be worthy or feel worthy, but there is only one who is truly worthy, and that is Jesus Christ. Revelation 1:17-18.

No one needs to live in fear of being disqualified or losing one's salvation because one did not follow the endless checklist of some COG group. Their own ministers and leaders can not and do not do most of the things they demand of their followers, so why should you waste your time?

He saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which has now been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” 2 Timothy 9-1 

 

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30 Living Bible

The Message says it best in more contemporary terms, especially those burdened down by Armstrongism:

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly. Matthew 11:28-30