Rising Up

Allow us to share some news about an exciting project we are involved in.

The Philadelphia Church of God (pcg), which publishes this magazine, also sponsors the Armstrong International Cultural Foundation. In addition to supporting projects like the archaeological excavations on King David’s palace in Jerusalem, the foundation stages a concert series for the local community here at our headquarters facility in Edmond, Oklahoma. For several years now, we have brought world-famous performing artists to Edmond from all over the globe, including the Canadian Brass, Vienna Choir Boys and the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet. This past December, we hosted the internationally known 5 Browns to a sellout crowd.

To this point, we have staged those performances in a multipurpose building on our campus. It has served adequately. But earlier last year, when we announced at a King’s Singers concert that we were moving forward with plans to construct a new multimillion-dollar performing arts center, the audience spontaneously broke into a lengthy and spirited applause.

We broke ground on the new structure in January of 2008. Now, a year later, all of the basement work has been completed, and the steel is being erected. Our excitement for the auditorium’s completion—due in about another year—is growing daily.

Many in the community are excited along with us. When Edmond Life and Leisure’s Dr. Clif’ Warren came to review the 5 Browns, he commented on our concert series: “A packed, sellout auditorium of 700 attendees suggests that the success of the quality programming of the Armstrong College arts agenda may portend their crown jewel [Armstrong Auditorium] planned to open next year may outgrow its seating of only 800 well before the building is completed.”

Armstrong Auditorium is made possible by special gifts from members of the pcg and other supporters as a monument to the honor and glory of the living God. Since we believe God’s way of life is that of serving and giving, we are eager to share the benefits of this hall with the community. When it opens in early 2010, we plan to host numerous concerts, lectures, master classes, special educational performances for school children, and other major community activities. This is a gift to the community, and we believe it will prove to be a magnificent cultural jewel in the crown of Edmond.

This building, in a very real sense, will embody the way of togetherness, cooperation and love—of continually striving to put God first in our individual lives and to love our neighbors as ourselves. It represents a way of life that strives for godliness and excellence in all things, that promotes marriage and family, upholds God’s commandments and the laws of men, and upbuilds communities. It’s a way of life filled with robust activity, rigorous accomplishment and exciting opportunity—and one the Prophet Isaiah said will soon spread over all the Earth.

We seek to share that way of life now. This is why we do not ask for money on our television program and why our many magazines and publications carry no subscription price.

We feel that the steel rising up out of the ground in our front yard typifies an effort to build nobleness of character in service to God and fellow man. We will continue, with God’s help, to practice the giving, serving, sharing way of life—to strive, within a world of mounting evils and ills, to show the beauty and hope in God’s creation, the awesome potential in the mind of man that He created, and the joy that the way of give truly brings to all who embrace it.