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The Philadelphia Church of God (PCG) is an international church based in Edmond, Oklahoma. PCG traces its roots to the Worldwide Church of God (WCG), founded by Herbert W. Armstrong, and teaches a "new revelation" which its founder, Gerald Flurry, says God has shown to him from the Bible since Armstrong's death. It was founded with the stated purpose of continuing Armstrong's teachings, which were repudiated by WCG after its founder's death in 1986, as it embraced mainstream Christian beliefs like the Trinity that had formerly been rejected.

PCG, is the trunk of the tree of the splintered branches of the Churches of God (COG). PCG states that it is carrying on Armstrong's legacy after the doctrinal changes made by new WCG leaders Joseph W. Tkach and his son Joseph Tkach Jr. Now

Founders

Gerald Flurry is the pastor general of the Philadelphia Church of God and editor in chief of the Trumpet news magazine, which he began publishing in 1990. He is also founder and chairman of the Armstrong International Cultural Foundation, known for its cultural, charitable and humanitarian activities, and founder and chancellor of Herbert W. Armstrong College in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Mr. Flurry has been an ordained minister for over 35 years. He formerly served under Herbert W. Armstrong as a pastor in the Worldwide Church of God. After being excommunicated from the Worldwide Church of God for resisting sweeping doctrinal changes, Mr. Flurry founded the Philadelphia Church of God in 1989.

Gerald Flurry has visited over 20 countries in such critical areas as the Middle East, South Africa, Europe and Asia, meeting with key international news analysts. He has authored over 30 books including Malachi’s Message to God’s Church Today, The God Family Vision, and The Last Hour.

Mr. Flurry successfully defended the Philadelphia Church of God’s right to publish and freely distribute 19 titles by Herbert W. Armstrong, obtained through a six-year legal battle against the Worldwide Church of God, which attempted to use the books’ own copyrights to keep them out of print.

As presenter of the Key of David television program, which he began in 1993, Gerald Flurry proclaims the wonderful good news of the soon-coming return of Jesus Christ to Earth—to save mankind alive and usher-in the peaceful, happy, wonderful World Tomorrow. This thrilling, transcendent hope permeates all of his messages. Through broadcast, print and personal appearance campaigns he also prophesies again in the tradition of Herbert W. Armstrong a sobering warning of the unprecedented world troubles just ahead, which will precede Christ’s second coming.

Gerald Ray Flurry was born April 12, 1935 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to parents Clarence (deceased 1977) and Jicie (deceased 1997). He married Barbara Brewer, September 5, 1964 (deceased 2004). Mr. Flurry lives in Edmond, Oklahoma near his children, Laura and Stephen, and his six grandchildren.

Media projects

PCG sponsors media projects, including television shows and regular publications, to preach its message and continue the legacy of Herbert W. Armstrong.

The Key of David

The Key of David is a weekly religious television program hosted by Gerald Flurry, in which he discusses world events and issues from his perspective of the Bible and its prophecies, covering topics such as the human mind, politics and war.

The program is aired in Africa, Australasia, Canada, Europe, Latin America, the Philippines, and the United States.

The Philadelphia Trumpet

The Philadelphia Trumpet is PCG's monthly news and prophecy magazine.

The Trumpet Daily

A program called The Trumpet Daily featuring Flurry's son Stephen premiered 9 May 2011.

Activities and educational institutions

PCG runs several foundations and educational institutions aimed at promoting Armstrong and Flurry's teachings to its members and their children.

Herbert W. Armstrong College

The PCG administers a small liberal arts and theology college, Herbert W. Armstrong College, located in Edmond. The college was established in 2001 as "Imperial College of Edmond," but was renamed after objections by Imperial College London. Armstrong College graduated its first class in 2006.

Imperial Academy

In August 2008, Flurry founded Imperial Academy, a primary and secondary school for the children of church members patterned after the WCG's Imperial Schools.

Philadelphia Youth Camp

The Philadelphia Youth Camp (PYC) is the youth camp of PCG. PYC campers participate in athletic activities and a wide variety of social and educational activities during the three-week event, encouraging teamwork and cooperation. Church doctrines are also stressed throughout the children's camp experience, both in day-to-day activities and in sermons and Bible studies. PYC is located in Edmond, Oklahoma, but PYC camps are also held annually in Australia and the Philippines.

Armstrong International Cultural Foundation

The PCG established a humanitarian arm called the Philadelphia Foundation in 1996 when it took over a project in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan that the WCG's Ambassador Foundation had left behind. In 2005 the name was changed to the Armstrong International Cultural Foundation. Since 1998, the foundation has sponsored a performing arts series in Edmond, Oklahoma, and in 2005 it began supporting archaeological excavations in Jerusalem.

In January 2008, the PCG broke ground on Armstrong Auditorium, an 800-seat performing arts center located on the Herbert W. Armstrong College campus in Edmond, built in the spirit of Ambassador Auditorium at Ambassador College. It was completed in September 2010, and became the venue for the foundation's concerts. It has three of the largest chandeliers in the United States. The Auditorium is hosting a world-class concert series including such artists as The Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields, Andre Watts, The Eroica Trio, and the Russian National Ballet Theatre.

Armstrong's writings

Despite the fact that the WCG owned the copyrights to Mystery of the Ages, written by Herbert W. Armstrong, Flurry decided in 1997 to print and distribute hard copies under the "fair use" clause of the copyright law. This book summed up Armstrong's teachings. The book had been put out of print and copies destroyed by the WCG leadership within three years of Armstrong's death. PCG published the book in order to distribute it. WCG's leadership rejected that the PCG printing of this book was "fair use" of their copyright and thus began a six-year court battle over fair use of the copyrights, with the WCG losing the initial round at the appellate level on February 18, 1997. WCG then appealed and won a split decision with the Ninth Circuit Court on September 18, 2000.

After this, PCG petitioned the twenty-six judges of the Ninth Circuit Court. After they all rejected it, the PCG appealed to the nine justices of the Supreme Court, but none would hear the case. WCG's leadership offered Flurry and the PCG all of Armstrong's works for three million dollars on the condition that internal WCG documents, memos, and emails obtained through discovery be handed back by the PCG. According to Stephen Flurry's (Gerald Flurry's son) book Raising the Ruins, this condition was regarded as a deal-breaker and the WCG was told to prepare to resume litigation. Within hours, the condition to the sale of the copyright was removed from the proposal and an agreement was reached. PCG agreed to pay WCG $3 million. In exchange, PCG would acquire the copyright to Mystery of the Ages and the other eighteen disputed works. In order to pay this amount PCG had to abandon coverage of The Key of David program on all TV spots except on WGN.

The Philadelphia Church of God now owns the copyrights to nineteen of Herbert W. Armstrong's works, including all his full length books.

See also

• Worldwide Church of God
• Herbert W. Armstrong

References

1. Martin, Tim (2000), "The Philadelphia Church of God", Profiles, vol. 17, no. 2, Watchman Fellowship
2. https://www.pcog.org/about/gerald-flurry
3. Imperial College of Edmond Changes Name, Herbert W. Armstrong College news, December 5, 2005
4. "The Weekend Web - January 6, 2008". The Trumpet. Philadelphia Church of God. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
5. "Foundational Education". Imperial Academy. Philadelphia Church of God. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
6. Philadelphia Youth Camp
7. http://www.americanseating.com/architectural/resources/A-ARM-11.pdf
8. http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/expert-lighting-installs-largest-chandelier-in-armstrong-auditorium-1322373.htm
9. Adam Kemp (15 July 2010). "Brand new, high-class Armstrong Auditorium hopes to be cultural jewel in Edmond". Retrieved 11 June 2011.
10. "Stephen Flurry, Raising the Ruins, Our Big Day, Pages 223-224"
11. Stephen Flurry, Raising the Ruins, page 220"
12. L. A. Mystery of the Ages suit transcript in full, The Journal: News of the Churches of God, March 1997.
13. Ambassador Report, May 1997, 'Flurry Wins Big in Court'. Retrieved 20-1-2009.
14. Worldwide Church of God v. Philadelphia Church of God, Case number 99-55850, September 18, 2000, PCG Information.
15. Ralph Helge, lawyer for WCG, quoted in PCG Information, heading 'Court Case Lost'.
16. PCG Information, 'Forced Settlement'.

External links

• The Trumpet Magazine
• Key of David television program
• Herbert W. Armstrong College
• Armstrong Auditorium
• Raising the Ruins

• Church of God (Armstrong)
• Church of God denominations
• Edmond, Oklahoma