Layoffs have come to Headquarters of The Restored Church of God

 

Blood In The Water

 

The most pointless Restored Church of God Ministerial Conference in its history has finally concluded. From Sunday until Thursday (June 11-15), visiting “ministers” and their wives were subjected to a week of ever-changing, yet, somehow still BORING lectures by their Pastor General. The audience was privileged to watch the erratic progression of David C. Pack’s evolving delusions in person.

 

With all the notes that needed to be blotted out during the five days, they must have gone through a crate of thick-tip Sharpies at the front desk.

 

The Restored Church of God has officially become a global center of chaos, confusion, and stupidity. Do not be shocked when a sinkhole someday devours the entire Campus because the unstable ground over there is constantly shifting. No one can keep their balance while David C. Pack is at the helm.

 

Oh, to be a fly on the wall when Brian Jackson, Larry Cockshutt, Andre Rouzan, and Nestor Toro try to answer questions from their congregations about what they learned during the Conference. To sift through which “knowledge” needs to be thrown out and what survives will take a razor blade, Scotch tape, and a bottle of aspirin.

 

 

I purposely chose strategic procrastination by holding off reporting on the Ministerial Conference until it was concluded. Watching Dave throw out what he taught the day before (TWICE) revealed the wisdom in exercising such patience.

 

To help anyone grasp the scope of what was said this past week, hearing how David C. Pack concluded “The Greatest Unending Story! (Part 447)” will grant a proper perspective.

 

Flashback Part 447 – June 6, 2023

@ 2:01:16 I can’t fathom what else I could tell you…I don’t have anything else. Once that last Mystery ended, the well is dry. The cupboard is bare.

 

Grandpa Dave had nothing else to say. Oh, really?

 

RCG 2023 Ministerial Conference

June 11 – Part 448, Part 1     1:43:10

June 11 – Part 448, Part 2     0:45:20

June 12 – Part 449                  1:54:29

June 13 – Part 450, Part 1     1:12:44

June 13 – Part 450, Part 2     1:33:01

June 14 – Part 451, Part 1     1:16:50

June 14 – Part 451, Part 2     0:55:37

June 15 – Part 452                  1:37:00

Total – 10:58:11

 

For a guy admitting the well was dry, he somehow managed to conjure eleven more hours of content in time to face a room full of people. That cannot just be a coincidence, brethren. Even after the visitors went home, they received yet more revelations yesterday.

 

June 17 – Part 453   1:32:20

June 17 – Part 454   1:26:56

 

Over 7 days, David C. Pack spoke 10 Parts for 13 hours, 57 minutes, and 27 seconds.

 

One pattern that became clear after listening to the entire Ministerial Conference is that Dave knows how to take very little content and stretch it out to seem like he is saying a lot. Hence, the high boredom factor.

 

 

The biggest news of the Conference is NOT the upcoming first date for "things" to happen.

 

Tammuz 1—June 20, 2023

 

The biggest news is that there is blood in the water in Wadsworth.

 

Layoffs have come to Headquarters

of The Restored Church of God.

 

This announcement seemed to come out of nowhere for no apparent reason, yet Dave’s financial concerns were hinted at on Day Three when he discussed world news.

 

Part 450, Part 2 – June 13, 2023

@ 24:32 The banking crisis. We could go on and on about that.

 

@ 24:47 You’d be interested to know, but I can’t really say, and I don’t have time, and I don’t think I would tell you.

 

Pause. David C. Pack is bringing something up that he cannot really say, does not have the time to say, yet is taking the time to say he does not have the time to tell the audience what he would not tell them even if he had the time. A double-minded man is unstable in ALL his ways.

 

David C. Pack is double-minded. David C. Pack is unstable.

 

@ 24:52 We’re taking some rather extraordinary measures to protect the reserves of the church. You know, the FDIC limit replies to us, as well. Our staff has to be paid. The Work has to be done. The ministers have to be paid (those on salary), and so forth. There’re all kinds of expenses. If our bank collapses, what does that mean?

 

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was created by Congress to guarantee all bank deposits in the United States for each account up to $250,000. Due to the nature of what they do and how they do it, there are very narrow ways in which The Restored Church of God could take “some rather extraordinary measures” to protect their reserves.

 

The Magnify Money website has an article explaining what faithless Dave could do to protect his money.

 

•  Open accounts at various banks: Each depositor is insured per bank, per ownership category. You can open accounts at the same bank, each under a different ownership category, or open a new account at more than one bank.

 

This seems like a no-brainer, but hardly “extraordinary measures.” Maybe it could be phrased that way if more than ten bank accounts needed to be opened. How many empty bottles of Tums under Carl Houk’s desk could be an indicator.

 

The next option is the most intriguing. If they did this, consider it healthy fodder for a future Netflix documentary discussing the financial collapse of The Restored Church of God filed under “bad decisions.”

 

•  Open joint accounts: Maxed out your single account coverage? By opening a joint account with one or more people who you trust, you can expand your FDIC coverage beyond $250,000.

 

 

Stroll down Imagination Road. Covetous Dave convinces Bradford G. Schleifer to put a quarter-million dollars in the bank under his name. Brad’s wife would own another $250,000 account.

 

I have often repeated that I believe Brad to be a smart, savvy guy. I personally like him. But, I also believe to my core that he buys NONE of Dave’s malarkey. What is to stop Brad and his wife from LEGALLY bailing on RCG, taking his in-laws and half a million dollars to move to the Cayman Islands? Nothing.

 

Perhaps Dave wanted to spread the reserves around even more. What if Grandpa Dave also trusts Ryan Denee and his wife enough to let them curate another $500,000? There would be some serious, hushed conversations about that scenario in the Denee bedroom. Ryan could finally go back to running his own Nursery to grow trees and flowers all day without Dave in the picture. What would stop them? Nothing.

 

Both couples could legally walk away from David C. Pack and The Restored Church of God with a half million dollars in their suitcases. Dave would have bitter flashbacks of the demise of The Global Church of God while the Schleifers and Denees sip Mai Tais thankful the years of sacrifice were worthwhile.

 

I am not saying those couples will do that, even if the circumstance were ripe. But, knowing both couples enough, I believe that scenario is entirely POSSIBLE.

 

 

Dave’s Nervous Nelly banking comments were followed up the next day when he leaned into his financial sweats by announcing six layoffs at Headquarters.

Part 451, Part 2 – June 14, 2023

@ 06:15 So, we reached a point where we realized we're gonna send some people to the field…we're doing everything we can to cut costs.

 

Things are going poorly enough across from Giant Eagle that they need to remove salaries from the payroll. This is announced shortly after the Pentecost offering, which must have been a disappointment.

 

@ 06:25 And I'll tell you now, I know I was more inspired than ever before. I know that. I really, really understand that in light of what we're learning here.

 

At this point in the Ministerial Conference, Dave was teaching the First Kingdom to Israel was a period of three months that ended on the Feast of Trumpets in September. It seemed oddly disconnected that the return of Jesus Christ was so imminent, yet he was laying off Headquarters employees.

 

Whether he was "inspired" to teach the three months or "inspired" to lay off employees is unclear. Worthy of note, the three-month teaching was dissolved THE NEXT DAY. This "inspired" concept was erased in less than 24 hours. Inspired by which spirit, Dave?

 

@ 06:35 So, first, let me just say the Orels are going to go to Atlanta. We love them. We need them here. Losing each one is a big loss…So we're gonna send them both to Atlanta, and they'll be a wonderful blessing there.

 

Transfers away from Headquarters are sometimes veiled punishments. If Dave has had enough of someone for whatever reason but still finds them useful, he banishes them “to the field” to serve the church for free. He essentially gets part-time volunteer work from people without having to see their faces. Sometimes it is more about putting someone in their place for not gushing over him rather than a decision to assist the brethren in that area.

 

Kenneth M. Orel (The Chicago Heavy) is the Headquarters Pastor and the Fundraising Coordinator. His replacement was not yet named during the Series, but I would put my money on Edward L. Winkfield (Stepford Prime) taking the mantle. Dr. Frederik Jaco Viljoen (Doctor Feelbad) could also fill that role.

 

When I heard Ken's name, I wondered about the punishment angle. RCG's finances are hurting, and his fundraising efforts have been an obvious disappointment.

 

On top of this, the name I hear most often as being the reason some finally leave The Restored Church of God…is Ken Orel. His sermons tend to tick people off, especially when he counsels members and uses them as subjects for sermons without their permission. That is a legal liability, by the way.

 

Ken is the same guy who instructed parents to kick their teenagers out of the house if they no longer want to attend RCG. This wise counsel to parents comes from a man who has no children.

 

 

@ 07:01 Shawn Palmer will go back to Las Vegas, where he's pastored before. He can pick up his job…Shawn, where are you? You know about this, don't you?

 

The audience laughs as if this is funny, but it is feasible that he was not notified. Sometimes folks learn things from the front of the room like everyone else. Apparently, Shawn did know, but that is not always the case. Finding out you will be laid off in a room full of your peers would not be the best memory from the Ministerial Conference. 

 

@ 07:33 Dr. Ranney and his wife…both, of course, employees, just like the Orels are. So, if we send the two Orels, we lost two employees, and they do a lot. But Dr. Ranney and his wife are both employees, and they do a lot. So, Dr. Ranney is a natural field minister. I would love to have either one of those men if I needed a pastor.And so he's gonna go to Kansas City.

 

That is actually funny because David C. Pack has no need for a pastor. Nobody in the world corrects him. He counsels with only those he chooses. They have to do what he says. He does not have to do anything anyone else says. That is a cushy deal.

 

@ 8:29 So they're just absolutely natural pastors. They can go visit some of the other ministers, too…You know, I walk with Dr. Ranney on a regular basis and, you know, like cutting off a hand. …and [Mrs. Ranney] works for Ed Winkfield. Now Ed is sitting wondering, "Uh oh."

 

Ed is losing someone from his department, and he is learning about it in a room full of his peers.

 

@ 08:56 So, I'm gonna just make a sacrifice…I'm gonna give up my secretary, and she's gonna go down. She's dynamite. She'll go down there, and she's gonna work for Mr. Winkfield.

 

This is GREAT news for her. No more being Dave’s eyeglasses minder so he can adequately suck them during the prayer. No more refilling his water glasses with a 3x5 card on top to keep out contaminants. No more stressing that his coffee mug is warm enough BEFORE the coffee is poured into it. No more fretting about Dave’s coffee being “the right color.” Too light means too much cream. Too dark means not enough. You are sorely mistaken if you think those are fictional or colorful exaggerations.

 

Dave’s newly-former secretary will discover what a relief it is to be out from under his looming passive-aggressive shadow. I could feel Ryan Denee’s wife’s heart sink upon hearing this announcement. She thought she had left all that behind years ago. Dooh! This would be another good reason to skip town with a half-million dollars.

 

 

@ 09:10 So, I'm gonna have to function without a secretary. But that's not where it ends…I'm gonna tell you all now, my wife is gonna go off salary. Partly because she loves to volunteer. She's got too much to do.

 

“Too much to do," and she is being laid off? Make sense of that. Unless she has too much to do in her personal life, and this clears the way for her to avoid her husband for even more hours throughout the day. Babysitting, horses, and gardening can occupy a lot of time.

 

I adore Mrs. Pack and cannot wait to share a cup of coffee with her after all of this is over.

 

 

@ 09:43 But a lot of this will also cut certain costs…we'll do it. The Ranneys can do it on less, although he could get licensed if he wanted to if time went on. I don't think he's gonna have enough time.

 

“cut certain costs”

 

Dave never explains during these messages WHY they need to cut costs. How bad the financial situation is in The Restored Church of God must be a secret. The brethren will have questions for their returning "ministers." The CAD email inbox is probably flooded by now.

 

Brad may have covered that topic in the “State of the Work” lecture. Even if he did, he would use his signature spin techniques to put a less-dire face on the organization's decline.

 

In hindsight, maybe buying the $500,000 fixer-upper last year was not the best fiscal choice.

 

“if time went on”

 

Trust me, Dr. Ranney is spending his entire Sunday on the phone, securing his next position. He is busy typing emails and re-establishing old business connections. No matter what he says publicly, there is no way that man is resting on his couch waiting for Dave to be right about prophetic timing.

 

When push comes to shove, Dr. Ranney is a practical thinker. His faith in Dave is being tested right now. My personal hope is that this is his wake-up call. He gave his Common. He left his lucrative career. He gave up his personal time hearing Dave blather out nonsense on those walks and in the Main Hall Meat Locker. Now, he is being cast out the gates with hugs and smiles and a foot impression on his backside.

 

Going out into the field as an unemployed doctor cannot fill his heart with joy.

 

 

@ 10:01 So, I will just say to all the brethren who are out there listening, we're all doing our part. I'm trying to do my part both in, I'm gonna lose some help, and I'm gonna, we're gonna lose income.

 

He almost said, "I'm gonna lose income." Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Maybe he sees the wives unable to tithe as the lost income.

 

Then, out of nowhere and entirely off-topic, David C. Pack utters the most bizarre statement of his career. These are his very next words.

 

@ 10:10 I will I will not surely die. I'm fine. I'm fine.

 

Why is he invoking what Satan said to Eve in the Garden? How does that fit him losing his secretary or laying off six Headquarters employees? Surely die? That is so strange and creepy. Why has death entered the picture?

 

“I’m fine” is as though everyone should be concerned about how this affects HIM instead of the other five people being cast out without an income. That is precisely how a narcissist would think.

 

@ 10:16 But anybody who has Common out there, we want to hit it. We want to really get going. We're doing everything that we can here…Shawn Palmer going off salary. My wife going off salary. It helps us. It gives us a little more punching power.

 

Punching power to do what? Distribute more inaccurate literature? Buy more trees and flowers?

 

@ 10:42 But I would just ask…all of you listening in be thinking, can you do more? Can you do more? Sell all. I know we've been doing that, but this is a great time to be thinking about that.

 

Sell all again more, folks. If they have not done so by now, hopefully, they never will.

 

 

The decline of The Restored Church of God is more apparent than ever before.

 

Though I am an unordained non-prophet/non-psychic, I predict that once Tammuz 1 (June 19) fails to produce biblical fireworks, another house on Hartman Road will be put up for sale. Fewer employees mean fewer tenants. Fewer tenants cover less of the mortgages. Mortgages and property taxes eat reserves. Solving one financial issue creates another.

 

The Restored Church of God is in a financial crisis of undetermined severity. No matter how the “ministers” want to spin it, a “transfer” is just church-speak code for layoffs. In reality, people at Headquarters are being “transferred away from employment” to cut costs.

 

layoff

a discharge of a worker or workers because of economic conditions or shortage of work

 

Dear brethren of The Restored Church of God, there is blood in the water at Headquarters. Swim away as fast as you can.

Marc Cebrian

See: Blood in the Water

I Was Never In This For The Money!

 

Turn on sound, if needed

Satan continues to persecute the Great Bwana to Africa. The Great Bwana has been living in abject fear of "deep fakes" making fun of him in order to discredit him.

Though, with this latest ramp-up in persecution the real truth comes out!

PERSECUTION!!!!!!!!!!!

Submitted by a reader...

Jon Brisby Opens Pandora's Box Concerning Porneia

Church of God, The Eternal

Current leader Jon Brisby is the successor of the late Raymond Cole.

From a reader

In December of 2021, Jon Brisby pastor director of Church of God, the Eternal, opened Pandora's box concerning the teaching on Divorce and Remarriage. In two messages entitled "Just what do you mean the faith once delivered" numbers 48 and 49, he delves into the interpretation of the word "Porneia". Using scripture to support his message, but excluding other scripture, sets up an easy-to-knock down argument on one hand similar in nature to his topic, while on the other hand presents the argument he has formed around the word Porneia. His assertion postulates that the definition of the word Porneia is much more expansive in meaning than just merely pertaining to sins of a sexual nature, i.e. fornication, adultery, etc... His tactic makes his argument look legitimate because the easy argument he sets up can be clearly seen in scripture, which makes sense and is easily knocked down, but the assertion that he is trying to make look legitimate on the other hand, is convoluted in Greek and Hebrew and bogged down in multiple scriptures that he has put together himself. This blurs the listeners ability to discern the error because of how the two are mixed together. It all seems legit.

Ironically, this little church group screams to the heavens in defense of this teaching as it was taught prior to the changes made in WWCG 1974. Here we are almost 50 years later, and the sanctity of marriage is yet under attack once again within this little group. In short, Mr. Brisby states that God would have never bound a marriage that has fraud (Porneia) involved in it if the fraud happened prior to the marriage. Porneia he says, has a broad definition, and because of this, the word does not pertain to sexual sins alone. He elaborates more on this broad meaning in #49.

If you can already see where this is going, then you can see Pandora's box wide open. When we date a person with marriage in mind, and we get serious about it, how many agreements or promises are made between the two during courting? How many of those are serious? How many of those may be inconsequential to either party? If I follow Jon Brisby's logic, if I lied about my love for chocolate cake (which she hates) prior to the marriage, and then she discovers this in marriage; God never bound it because it is fraud or Porneia, and she can divorce me according to mans law. As laughable as that sounds, that's the box this man has opened. 

This man is clever, and it takes an astute alert listener to hear the interwoven layers of deception. This group as of the past few years has had some issues with marriages, and it is no secret that there are favored ones who Jon would like to keep in the congregation. Money, i.e. tithe payers is always at the root of it. Why not joggle teaching around a little to keep these favored ones around with the future option of a new mate available to them? Now justified by convoluted teaching that if confronted, would get you kicked out. Seems like a well played plan to me.

The Most Spoken About Entity In Armstrongism

The Philadelphia Church of God recently finished celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles, a period of time that they claim portrays the millennium and eternal peace and happiness. Then, just like a typical COG immediately after the Feast, they start harping about Satan, politics, and other useless topics that constantly occupy their minds.

Satan even rears his ugly head the day after Passover when COG followers believe all their sins from the previous year have been wiped clean. They now have a clean slate for another year of grievous sins as Satan starts filling up their scorecards.

Satan, particularly in the COG, is the entity that is mentioned the most in sermons, articles, and broadcasts. Satan is the powerful god of this world and apparently in the eyes of many COG leaders and ministers, He is far more powerful than that seldom-mentioned dude, Jesus Christ. Mention Satan and church leaders and ministers' eyes light up because they have a lot to say about the guy. Mention Jesus and they immediately shut down not knowing what really to say.

Biblical Archaeology Society has this interesting history of Satan in Judaism and Christianity.

In the Hebrew Bible, YHWH’s greatest enemies are not fallen angels commanding armies of demons, nor even the gods of other nations, but, rather, human beings. It isn’t the devil that spreads evil across the face of creation—it is mankind. Other than human beings, YHWH has no nemesis, nor are there malevolent spiritual forces not under his authority. YHWH is ultimately a god of justice. He is behind the good and the bad, behind the blessings and the curses. It is within this divine court of justice and retribution that Satan has his origins. 

 

The Hebrew word śāṭān, meaning “accuser” or “adversary,” occurs several times throughout the Hebrew Bible and refers to enemies both human and celestial alike. When referring to the celestial adversary, the word is typically accompanied by the definite article. He is ha-satan—the Accuser—and it is a job description rather than a proper name. From the Accuser’s appearances in the Books of Job and Zechariah, it seems that the job entails calling attention to the unworthiness of mankind. The Accuser is essentially the prosecuting attorney of the divine court of YHWH, and part of his job includes collecting evidence to prove his cases. With this bit of knowledge in mind, it isn’t difficult to envision the various “outcries against sin,” such as that against Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:20–21), as the voice of the Accuser. 

 

It is difficult to determine at which point in Israel’s history the Accuser began to take on a much more sinister role in the Israelite/Jewish belief structure, or how heaven’s great prosecutor became the prince of darkness (Ephesians 6:12). It is certainly easy to make the connection between Israel’s time in exile and the likely influence of the cosmic dualism of Persian religion.1 However, even within books written well after the return from foreign lands, the Accuser is still a self-righteous lawyer. Though if 1 Chronicles 21:1 is any indication,2 they began to believe the Accuser wasn’t above getting his hands dirty. 

 

It is perfectly clear, however, that by the first century C.E., Judaism developed a belief in the divine forces of darkness doing battle against the forces of light. This can be seen within the New Testament and other extra-Biblical writings such as those found among the Dead Sea Scrolls. There are likely several factors that inspired these developments, including the influence of Persian, as well as Hellenistic, religions. 

 

If there was an army of evil spiritual forces making war on the righteous, they had to have a commander. It is at this time that the impersonal and lofty Accuser began to acquire the various names and titles that have filled the writings of western civilization for 2,000 years. The Greek word diabolos (from which “devil” is derived), meaning “slanderer,” comes from a verb that means “to hurl” (i.e., accusations). 

 

Diabolos was typically used as the Greek equivalent for the Hebrew śāṭān (in the Septuagint version of Job, for example), though it was not uncommon to simply transliterate the word into the Greek satanas (1 Kings 11:14). Other names used for the leader of the forces of evil at this time include Maśṭēmāh, which means “hatred” (1QM 13:4, 11; Jubilees 10:8), and Belial, a popular name among the writers of the Dead Sea Scrolls, which means “worthless” or “corrupt.” “Children of Belial” (Hebrew: bene-belial) was a typical phrase used to describe evil people in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Deuteronomy 13:13; 1 Samuel 1:16; 2 Chronicles 13:7, etc.). If someone were searching for a name that personified evil in the Hebrew Bible, it would be Belial, not Satan. Interesting enough, the name only occurs once in the New Testament (2 Corinthians 6:15), as Paul’s stark contrast to Christ.
It is also in this period that we begin to see the development of the tradition of equating the talking serpent in the Garden of Eden with Satan (Life of Adam and Eve xi–xvii). 

 

Etruscan fresco of Typhon from the Tomba del Tifone in Tarquinia, Italy, c. third century B.C.E. According to Greek mythology, the montrous Titan Typhon battled the mighty Zeus, who bound his foe in the dark depths of Tartarus to bring about a new era of peace. 

 

Satan’s role in the New Testament, though highly expanded, has much more in common with the Accuser of the Hebrew Bible than the commander of the armies of darkness that is typically portrayed in the Dead Sea Scrolls. Even though he is given such lofty titles as “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31), “father of lies” (John 8:44), “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4), “ruler of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2), and Beelzebul, “ruler of the demons” (Matthew 10:25; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15), Satan is essentially treated as nothing more than a glorified prison warden who has been corrupted by his own power. Throughout the Gospels, Satan’s “kingdom” is never considered to be a burning underworld full of the tormented dead, but, rather, is equated with the bondage of sin and the curses brought upon humanity for acts of unrighteousness. According to Jesus (Matthew 12:29; Mark 3:27; Luke 11:21–22), a “strong man” (Satan) must be bound in order to plunder his house for treasures (humans), and it is clear he viewed his ministry and that of his disciples within this context. All other references to Satan in the New Testament, including those in Revelation, reflect this struggle for spiritual freedom. 

 

Over the course of several centuries of influence from many different cultures, the defeated Accuser of the Christians would go on to appropriate aspects of various divine enemies (Typhon, Hades, Ahriman, Hela, to name but a few) to become the complex mythological monster that was thrown out of heaven at the beginning of time to rule the fiery underworld and torment the souls of the damned. Such a character makes for great movies and Halloween costumes, but would have been virtually unknown to anyone in Biblical times.

The Church of God movement has created its own unique understanding of Satan and the power he has over people. Far too many believe that power is unparalleled. In their eyes, Satan is equal in power to God. 

Yet Christians who understand what Jesus accomplished do not live in a constant state of fear.

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers [satanic power included], nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38–89

“He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4)

 

Gerald Flurry's Latest Pathetic Snow Job On HWA and The WCG

 

Gerald Flurry sent out a letter today supposedly directed towards all present Church of God members and the unclean Laodiceans who have left the church An Open Letter to the Churches of God. It has to be the biggest snow job I have ever seen! He waxes eloquent and longingly for the days of the past when the church was supposedly one big unified family doing marvelous works as families were restored to wholeness and tranquility.

Reading it almost makes you want to gag at how syrupy and nostalgic it all is. 

Flurry writes:

Herbert W. Armstrong was part of something great. That Church was a work of miracles.
Do you remember that glorious history? Too many of God’s people don’t. God challenges us to always keep the big picture. 

 

Over Mr. Armstrong’s 55 years in Jesus Christ’s ministry, the work blossomed. It started as nothing and grew into a huge, Spirit-led work that spread God’s beautiful truth throughout the world. 

 

Mr. Armstrong oversaw a work that was based on the principle of give—which is what God’s love is. By the end of his life, each month the Church was giving 8 million free monthly copies of the Plain Truth newsmagazine (which the Trumpet magazine is patterned after). We gave 6 million copies of The United States and Britain in Prophecy, not to mention countless other magazines, newspapers, books, booklets, tracts and articles—all free. We made the World Tomorrow broadcast freely available on over 400 television stations. 

Flurry obviously never spent much time around Pasadena where the principle that ran everything was the principle of GET. More money, more power, higher rank. better homes, newer cars, etc. Corruption walked the hallways of the Hall of Ad, Finance Offices, and the Office Facilities building finding shelter in many of the top leadership of the church.

Do you remember that history? God put our tithes and offerings to magnificent use, and we were happy to be a part of such a noble cause. 

 

The Ambassador International Cultural Foundation, which Mr. Armstrong founded in 1975, freely sponsored humanitarian projects including archaeological digs, schools and anthropological excursions. Its activities stretched from Bombay to Brussels; the Philippines to the Netherlands; Tokyo to Cairo. We hosted projects in Jerusalem, Jordan, London, Nepal and Okinawa. Why? Because Mr. Armstrong wanted to preach the gospel “for a witness unto all nations” (Matthew 24:14). 

 

Using the international contacts Mr. Armstrong established through the cultural foundation, God opened doors for him to meet high-ranking officials around the world. Mr. Armstrong was invited to speak publicly on many occasions, and he took those opportunities to preach the gospel—to tell people about God’s master plan and about their incredible human potential. These events opened the way for personal appearance campaigns, where he spoke to hundreds of thousands of leading people in various countries. 

Who can forget HWA preaching about "a strong hand from someplace" Again, too embarrassed to talk about Jesus he had to dress his words so he did not come off as too religious. 

Do you remember that history? 

 

In the wcg’s hometown of Pasadena, California, we hosted the concert series, staged in the Ambassador Auditorium, which attracted world-class performing artists and brought a standard of excellence to the community. Physically, it was the crowning achievement of a work that over decades had built great resources to draw on for the betterment of mankind. 

The concert series, funded almost entirely from tithe money was a financial boondoggle that the church had to highly subsidize. Ticket sales never covered any of the events. While impressive concerts were held there, some of them even historical, the concert series was never a tool to witness about the gospel to anyone. When and if anything was ever said it was about people using their God-given potential. Jesus was just too damn embarrassing  

Under Mr. Armstrong, the Church of God practiced the way of give—of godly character, generosity, cultural enrichment, true education—of beautifying the environment and caring for fellowman. Mr. Armstrong never deviated from his God-given commission, and the work prospered! His work acknowledged God’s desire to have all men saved and brought to the knowledge of His truth (1 Timothy 2:3-6). It was an inspiring display of God’s love for all mankind. 

The way of "give" only extended as far as sending out literature, supposedly "free". As we all well know that "free" came with a 30-40% tithing statement if you joined up. 

When Mr. Armstrong died, he was highly praised by leaders and prominent individuals from around the world. Even unconverted people could clearly see what a towering legacy of love and generosity he left behind and were deeply impressed by it. Certainly we in the Church all recognized on a much deeper level what he had achieved. 

"Unconverted" people clearly saw the gifts of Steuben Crystal and financial donations as quick entrances into their offices. No gospel was ever preached and if it accidentally might have been, there was never any follow-up or encouragement by the church to continue to instruct these leaders or their countries. Sure, doing an archeological dig helped out the countries they did it in or the setting up of schools to teach English or disadvantaged children. All of these did good, but no gospel was ever preached, Jesus was never taught. Yet, all of this was funded by tithe money that people send after they were fed slick stories on how awesome this new "door" for the "work" was to be. 

Do you remember that glorious history?  

Now, did Mr. Armstrong do all that? Certainly he worked hard to implement God’s law and government and to walk by faith. But was the work so powerful and effective simply because of Mr. Armstrong’s intellect or advertising expertise? Did Mr. Armstrong swing open all those mighty doors? 

 

No—the great God did that! 

 

It doesn’t take great spiritual discernment to recognize that God was behind that work—God was blessing that work—God was empowering and multiplying that work—as Mr. Armstrong submitted to Him. 

Yet, that "powerful "work" had already splintered and ruptured untold numbers of members over the decades. God sure was not able to keep his church unified, even though Pasadena brass was constantly saying the church was unified. 

No man could have ever built such a marvelous and wondrous work in this satanic world. It was built and sustained by the miracles of the living God!

Satan was a bigger god in the church than Jesus ever was. No one was mentioned more than Satan was. He lurked around every corner, behind every hedge, and in every office building ready to devour church members because God and Jesus were too inept to do anything about it.

Flurry continues:

Family Education 

What truly distinguished Mr. Armstrong’s accomplishments was that they were all built upon the foundation of God’s truth. God flooded Mr. Armstrong with biblical understanding, restoring all foundational true doctrine to His Church through that man. We learned and lived by the wonderful truths of God, and our lives were richer as a result. 

Anyone who has ever had a minimal amount of understanding of Christian belief knows for a fact that God's word was never lost. Jesus was never lost. Hundreds of millions of Christians have died in the faith knowing their standing was God was secure, unlike COG members who were always fretting about losing their salvation. Millions have been slaughtered for their beliefs while standing firm in their salvation, yet the COG arrogantly implies they were all too stupid to understand and therefore need CCOG leaders like HWA and Flurry to restore so-called lost truths to them.

Right at the heart of Mr. Armstrong’s teaching was his instruction about the God-plane institution of family (Malachi 4:5-6). He taught us how to build beautiful marriages and to rear happy children. We educated our children with Youth Educational Services lessons; we provided our teens rich experiences through the Youth Opportunities United program—with its sporting events, talent shows and summer camps. 

Flurry glosses over the rampant divorce rate in the church. The parents that abused their children mentally, physically, and sexually. The stalkers and rapists in the ministry. The pedophiles that were ministers. The pedophiles that were on staff at Imperial Schools. The children of evangelists and high-up ministers who were drug pushers.

Do you remember what life was like in the Church under Mr. Armstrong? If you were applying God’s family education, then you have personally experienced the blessings that come as a result! Do you remember that? 

Those that were abused can NEVER forget!  

Naturally, the Church wasn’t perfect; there were problems. Some members and even ministers did not implement God’s loving family government the right way. But the problem went beyond simple neglect. Revelation 3:9 tells us that “the synagogue of Satan” was actually at work within the Church of the Philadelphia era—under Mr. Armstrong! 

Here we go again! Powerful Satan continues to get the upper hand on Jesus and God thwarting them at every move.  

The Bible is filled with prophecies that show how God knew this crisis would happen—and actually allowed it in order to test our loyalty to Him. The Bible also shows that He is going to bring every abuse to judgment. God will not be mocked! I strongly encourage you to request a free copy of my book Malachi’s Message for a very thorough scriptural study of God’s perspective on what happened to His Church. 

Oh yes, write in for the book that Flurry stole and copied word for word from Jules Dervaies' The Letter to Laodicea.  For more information about Flurry's corruption see: The PLAIN TRUTH About Malachi’s Message And THAT PROPHET. Next to Dave Pack and Bob Thiel, the Church of God has never seen a more corrupt man than Gerald Flurry.

Many of God’s people have turned away from God altogether—because of the mistakes and sins of men. They are missing the big picture. 

Men like Flurry, Pack, Weinland, and Thiel are corrupt and spiritually abusive men who have turned untold numbers away from God. Lies and half-truths make up their so-called ministries. 

Do the sins of men change the truth of God? 

 

Mr. Armstrong has been dead nearly 34 years now. But did the Almighty God who empowered his work die? 

 

Is God too weak to do the same marvelous work today—simply because a man has passed from the scene? 

 

Absolutely not.

Ha Ha!

Flurry then pulls a Bob Thiel and has to say he is the modern-day Elijah. The bullshit just keeps piling higher and higher! 

“My Father, My Father” 

When the Prophet Elijah was carried away in a whirlwind, his student Elisha was moved with emotion. “And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces” (2 Kings 2:12). 

 

Elijah was not Elisha’s physical father. But he was his spiritual father. That is because Elisha and the sons of the prophets came to God through Elijah. In that sense they were all his sons. 

 

Some people didn’t see Elijah’s office as one of importance, but Elisha saw that it was the only office that could lead and carry Israel forward! It was Israel’s only hope—then and now! He saw that, ultimately, all Israel would be governed by the teachings of Elijah. His statement, “My father, my father,” revealed a deep understanding and a beautiful attitude. God liked it so much that He used Elisha to succeed Elijah. God loved his attitude. 

 

Some people today scoff at such an attitude, but it is very biblical. The Apostle Paul told the Church members in Corinth, “I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you” (1 Corinthians 4:14). Paul considered his followers to be his spiritual sons. Why? “For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel” (verse 15). Paul was their spiritual father because they came to God through him. He called himself their spiritual father. 

 

Mr. Armstrong said the same to all of those who came to God, either directly or indirectly, through him. 

 

The original Elijah and the end-time Elijah held extremely important “father” offices for God. The Philadelphia Church of God, like Elisha, recognizes that fact. This is the foundational issue that sets the pcg apart from any other Church of God group. If you follow the Elisha example in this respect, God will make you a king with a headquarters position forever. Why? Because this foundational truth points us to God the Father. 

Such utter bullshit! For a Christian, the foundational TRUTH is Jesus Christ. Not some stinking turd leading some splinter group here in the United States.  As a side note: Why are all COG splinter groups led by WHITE privileged Americans? Why is no one from Europe, Australia, Africa, or the Philippines? Who is no one of color?

Do you view Mr. Armstrong the way God does?

Flurry continues to blabber on:

The God of Elijah 

After Elijah was gone, Elisha learned an important lesson. “He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over” (2 Kings 2:13-14). 

 

If you study this account in the original Hebrew language, you will see that the first time Elisha came up to the Jordan, he smote the water but didn’t speak—and nothing happened. Then he asked the important question, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” and smote the water, and the river opened up and he walked across! 

 

Do you want to know how to do the work of God today? How to have doors open for you—even rivers, if necessary? Here is the formula. Elisha knew where the God of Elijah was, and he was following his spiritual father. So God opened up the river for him, just as He did for Elijah. 

 

Where is the God of Elijah today? Where is the great Almighty God who did that powerful work?
Can you answer that question? Far too many of God’s people aren’t even asking it! 

 

God did not die with Mr. Armstrong! Yet none of the scattered churches of God have that kind of power. They don’t receive and proclaim God’s revelation. They don’t have the right government. And their works are frankly devoid of the kind of miracles and wonders that were almost routine when the work was led by Mr. Armstrong. 

 

We must find and remain with the God of Elijah! 

 

All baptized members of the Church of God during the Philadelphia era will be held accountable for the fact that they were with that God for so long. The tragic fact is this: Not only have most of God’s people left Him—most of them are not even interested in where He is! If they wanted to know, they would submit to God’s government and end up in God’s true Church.

This is such disgusting bullshit! there is no other word more appropriate for it than bullshit. God is no more involved in the Philadelphia Church of God than he is in the improperly named "continuing" Church of God.

Flurry then has a slobber-fest on how awesome his college and work are and ends with this:

And—most importantly—God has continued to bless us, as He did Mr. Armstrong, with new revelation. The living God did not stop speaking to His people when Mr. Armstrong died. He has continued to give us “present truth” (2 Peter 1:12) that builds upon the foundation of the truth He restored through Mr. Armstrong. The pcg produces over 100 books and booklets, the large majority of which contain new biblical understanding from the great God. 

How can God be blessing the COG with new revelation when Dave Pack and Bob Thiel claim they and they alone are the sole possessor of new revelation. They are either lying or God is. 

That is the single greatest proof that the God who inspired Mr. Armstrong is behind our work.
We hope you can clearly identify the same miracles and blessings that built Mr. Armstrong’s work. Most of all, we hope and pray that you can recognize the work of the God of Elijah! 

 

Our time in this age of man is fast running out. God is growing much more urgent in trying to reach His sons who have turned away from Him, because eternal life hangs in the balance. We urge you to respond to Him!

Jesus be damned! It's all about Flurry. No one has a more magnificent work than he does. No one! Eat your heart out Bobby Boy!  You are a nobody compared to Flurry!

Anyone, even a nominal Christian needs to run as fast as they can away from Flurry and his church. Your salvation may depend on it!