PCG: Armstrong Auditorium Mission

Rendering of Armstrong Auditorium (Rees Associates)

The following was reported by Ray Hibbard in the Edmond Life & Leisure:

World-Class Performing Arts Center to have September grand opening

The mission of the Armstrong International Cultural Foundation’s performing arts series is to champion Oklahoma as a world class center for the arts by bringing monumental cultural experiences to the Heartland of America…All in all, it is a $20 million facility for Edmond…

Outside the entrance to the auditorium will be Swans in Flight, a bronze and steel sculpture by internationally renowned British sculptor, Sir David Wynne. Wynne is scheduled to attend the Grand Opening event Sept. 5, 2010. http://www.edmondlifeandleisure.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=81&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=4512&wpage=&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=2528&hn=edmondlifeandleisure&he=.com

Armstrong International Cultural Foundation is affiliated and controlled by Gerald Flurry’s claimed Philadelphia Church of God (PCG). Armstrong International Cultural Foundation seems to be patterned after the old Pasadena, California-based Ambassador International Cultural Foundation.

According to Ray Hibbard, PCG spent millions and millions of dollars in order to promote the glory of Oklahoma. That’s the mission?

What Ray Hibbard wrote is consistent with what PCG is claiming at its Armstrong International Cultural Foundation website:

The mission of the Armstrong International Cultural Foundation’s performing arts series is to champion Oklahoma as a world-class center for the arts by bringing monumental cultural experiences to the Heartland of America.

In this writer’s opinion, the real purpose for building Armstrong Auditorium seems to be to produce a physical relic similar to the old Ambassador Auditorium in Pasadena, California. Since its inception, PCG leaders have purchased various ‘relics’ of the old Worldwide Church of God including relics related to the old Ambassador Auditorium (see PCG Added Another Relic). The Swans in Flight sculpture is one of those ‘relics’.

According to the article, PCG spent $20,000,000 on this project. As PCG has approximately 6,000 members (including those outside the USA), this equates to something like $3,000 for almost every attendee. If PCG has more members, I have seen no evidence of this–any who have a better documented number are encouraged to contact me. Even if PCG has more people, the focus on the building seems disproportionate, but that is apparently PCG’s priority.

Now PCG’s leaders will say that they are only walking in the footsteps of the late Herbert W. Armstrong. But they have put the proverbial cart before the horse. Herbert Armstrong had the Ambassador Auditorium constructed for many purposes (including the fact that when he was alive there were more than enough members of his church in Southern California to fill it for services each week). But the main purpose that Herbert Armstrong had it built was to support his international public proclamation mission.

But this emphasis and mission is not what PCG has. Actually, since declaring himself a ‘prophet’, PCG’s leader Gerald Flurry has claimed a variety of revelations and titles to himself.

In the July/August 2000 edition of Royal Vision, Gerald Flurry specifically calls or refers to himself the following variety of titles (listed in the order they occur in that issue): that prophet, the last voice, a third voice, the physical head of God’s work, the last and final voice, a prophet, God’s man, one that was prophesied by Jeremiah and Ezekiel, this watchman, end-time watchman, a prophet to the nations, Christ’s man, a breaker, a modern type of Micah, this king, this counselor, the breaker whom God has chosen, God’s watchman, prophesied by Habakkuk, a lawgiver, His lawgiver, God’s leader, an end-time Malachi-type prophet, the one who fulfills Zechariah’s role in the end-time, ruler over His household, a type of Elisha, the conduit, God’s true prophet, the voice, that voice, type of Joel, a preacher of righteousness, this man (of God), an end-time Obadiah, a warrior for God, the one God actually wants us to focus on, and only a messenger–at least one of those titles he is taking refers to Jesus. The titles of the articles, all of which were written by Gerald Flurry were (in order of appearance, all CAPS from G. Flurry), THAT PROPHET PART ONE: WHO IS ‘THAT PROPHET’?, THAT PROPHET PART TWO: A NEW THING, THAT PROPHET PART THREE: GOD’S WATCHMAN, THAT PROPHET PART FOUR: THE THRONE AND LAWGIVER, GOD’S COMMAND, ZECHARIAH’S FLYING SCROLL, THAT PROPHET PART FIVE: THE ELISHA WORK, and THAT PROPHET PART SIX: THE VOICE OF THE DAY OF THE LORD. He also calls PCG “God’s greatest gift” (p.12).

Furthermore, Gerald Flurry wrote,

And I have been the conduit for revelation from all the major and minor prophets, Colossians, Lamentations, Daniel, Revelation, the former prophets and other books. All this prophetic revelation has come from God through THAT PROPHET (p.33).

Many people believe that when the Bible uses the term “that prophet”, it was a reference to Jesus coming, not Gerald Flurry.

Gerald Flurry wrote,

Almost every book or booklet which I have written is filled with prophecy…Do they even have a smattering of the abundance of new revelation which God has rained down on His people through me? (p.15).

I have the authority of of God’s watchman–THAT PROPHET…God sets ONE WATCHMAN at a time (p.17).

He also wrote,

This verse indicates a NEW COMMISSION for the PCG…This trumpet-blowing commission is directed towards me personally (p.18).

So the mission, the “NEW COMMISSION” is something to do with Gerald Flurry personally. That, I do believe.

Physical ‘relics’ likely assist him in his real mission, as Gerald Flurry may believe that they make him more credible.

Two articles of possibly related interest may include the following:

Teachings Unique to the Philadelphia Church of God Simply calling oneself ‘Philadelphia’ does not make one so (see Revelation 3:7-9), nor does Gerald Flurry calling himself “that prophet” make it so. This article provides many quotes from this group which claims to be faithful.
What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons? Did Catholic and Orthodox “saints” endorse or condemn idols and icons for Christians?