Philadelphia Church of God

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The Philadelphia Church of God (PCG) is one of several major churches to form in the wake of the Worldwide Church of God's major doctrinal revisions of the 1980s and 1990s. The PCG, which is directed by Pastor General Gerald Flurry and headquartered in Edmond, Oklahoma, claims to be the only break-away church that is truly following in the footsteps of Herbert W. Armstrong, the founder of the Worldwide Church of God. The PCG engages in a wide range of evangelic activities, including airing a television program (The Key of David); publishing a free monthly magazine discussing Christian living and the relevance of current events to biblical prophecies (The Philadelphia Trumpet); administering a small liberal arts and theology college (Armstrong College); providing a yearly performing arts series to the public that brings national artists to the college campus (the Armstrong International Cultural Foundation); preaching the Gospel to the public (Public Speaking Campaign), authoring a number of books and booklets, most of which are free to the public (such as Raising the Ruins and Repentance Toward God), and participating in a large scale archeological project with Israeli archeologists in Jerusalem (the Jerusalem Foundation).

1 Doctrines of the PCG
2 Doctrinal differences of PCG
3 Publications
4 Conflict with the Worldwide Church of God
5 Directive to cut off "Laodicean" Family Members
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Doctrines of the PCG

The Philadelphia Church of God diverges from mainstream Christian beliefs on many doctrinal issues just as the Worldwide Church of God under Herbert Armstrong did. Although the PCG believes in the divinity of Jesus Christ, the sacredness of the holy spirit, and the holiness of the Father, it does not adhere to the trinity doctrine. Rejecting the Christian Sabbath as being on Sunday, the PCG oberves the Sabbath on the seventh day, Saturday. The PCG maintains that these and other distinctive doctrines (see below) prove its identity as God's true church. Though this appears unique, on a larger scale the Catholic Church, for example, believes that its doctrines and religious observances set it apart as God's true church. The size of the PCG and its emphasis on biblical prohecy may have a role in isolating the PCG from mainstream Christianity, but the doctines of the church are primarily responsible for the divergence.

Primary Doctrines of the PCG include: ^[1]

• The Philadelphia Church of God believes and teaches the Bible is the full word of God, inspired by God, and thereby available for instruction.

• Each doctrine maintained by the Church is provable from the Holy Bible.

• Only God can cause a person to become a member of the Church; therefore we do not proselytize for members by any means.

• The Church's responsibility is to teach the laws of God to whomever may desire to learn at absolutely no cost.

• The Church does not seek financing from the public at large, but depends solely upon the tithes and freewill gifts from its members and coworkers; therefore we do not solicit funds from the public by any means.

• The Church teaches its members that the integrity of the family is critical to the health of the nation.

• Ministers are to be true servants to the membership and therefore must avoid extremes in lifestyle and lavishness.

• All members are to subject themselves to the laws and regulations of the government of the land while following the example and instructions of Jesus Christ.

• The Holy Spirit is a gift received from God, upon true repentance, which leads to salvation.

• Jesus Christ is the head of the Church, not any man.

• All men will ultimately be resurrected and those who are worthy will fellowship with God and Christ forever.

• Sin will ultimately lead to separation from God and Christ.

• Christ died to pay the penalty for our sins so that we may live an immortal life.

• We should rejoice in our trials because God is using our trials to build His character in us.

• The Church is responsible to inform the public at large of the soon-coming, glorious Kingdom of God.

[edit] Doctrinal differences of PCG

The PCG has also added some doctrines which were not taught by Herbert Armstrong at the time of his death in 1986 because they were not yet revealed to Armstrong. These doctrinal additions include. ^[2]

Acceptance of Malachi's Message as the 'little book' of Revelation 10, a book condeming the doctrinal transformation of the Worldwide Church of God after H. W. Armstrong's death.
Belief that their leader, Gerald Flurry, is 'that prophet' mentioned in John 1.

[edit] Publications

The PCG produces The Philadelphia Trumpet, a monthly magazine, and The Key of David, a weekly television program, both of which espouse the doctrines of the church and offer analysis of current events from their perspective. This analysis views many current events as portents of Jesus Christ's Second Coming. For example, from the Trumpet's April 2006 issue:

"Crises are developing...that will cause Europe to look to a newly strengthened Germany and end up bringing church and state together—from the weakening of the U.S. economy to danger brewing in the Middle East.

"And even though a united Europe and the rise of the Fourth Reich spell doom for 'many countries,' these gloomy events all lead to magnificent news...

"This fiery God is about to return and conquer the final Roman beast—which is rising powerfully on the world scene even as I write! It is dreadful and terrible, and Christ is about to return and destroy it forever!

"Get ready for the return of Jesus Christ. That greatest event ever to occur in the universe is almost here!"'[3]

[edit] Conflict with the Worldwide Church of God

The PCG was involved in a lengthy legal struggle with the Worldwide Church of God over the rights to publish several of Herbert Armstrong's works. The WCG, which had since refuted the controversial opinions of its founder, owned the copyright to the works but did not publish them. The PCG, believing the works to be an essential part of their religious practice, printed Mystery of the Ages without permission from the copyright holders. When they were sued by the WCG, they counter-sued, claiming that they had a constitutional right to publish the works.^[3] The legal battle dragged on for six years, at which point the WCG settled the issue by selling the rights of 19 of Armstrong's works to the PCG for $2 million.^[4] The story of this struggle can be found in the book "Raising the Ruins" by Stephen Flurry.

[edit] Directive to cut off "Laodicean" Family Members

In December of 2005, a sermon was delivered by the PCG's leader, Gerald Flurry, directing the membership to cut off family members formerly baptized into the PCG or WCG, as a warning of the impending Great Tribulation and to pressure them into returning to the church. Excerpts of the sermon can be found at the Exit and Support Network.