I’m writing to share two stories about Cal Culpepper. Both of these stories have multiple witnesses and were not just my observation alone.
Cal was a strange man in my opinion, fascinated with wielding power. From my perspective he very much enjoyed the fear that he created in the minds and hearts of local congregations in New England (New Jersey, New York and Connecticut) where he was a regional director for a few years. He did not give off a sense of being approachable or loving. In fact, he didn’t portray ANY of the traits of a minister as outlined in the New Testament. A family member who attended Ambassador College shared that he was as arrogant then as he was when I attended the PCG.
Anyway, Cal once publicly berated his wife when he shared with the congregation that he had let her be in control of the “household finances” and it had all become a mess, according to him, and he had to take control over again. He said this to encourage men to take charge of their household finances. Throwing shade at his wife in the public forum of “church” was one of the least classy things I’d ever seen by a minister, not to mention unbiblical in principle. His wife had always been pretty kind to most people, from what I remember. I also thought his two boys were decent young men as teenagers, especially Doug. I hope they ended up being more socially adjusted than their father.
Cal was also a bit of a pervert, or at least he came across that way. He related the following story twice, once in front of the congregation on the Sabbath and another time during a men’s Spokesman’s Club meeting. He said he had always prayed for a wife with red hair. He didn’t mention praying about character, personality, upbringing, compatibility, aligned interests–just a wife with red hair. I thought it was absolutely bizarre that he basically shared his fetish with all of us with a straight face.
The second story occurred when a group of three or four of us single guys were carpooling up to Connecticut for Spokesman’s Club on a Sunday (a 2.5 hour drive). I remember the event so clearly that I know the exact mile marker on Route 80 east in New Jersey where it occurred. I was driving in the center lane and we were all chatting when I noticed a familiar car pass us at a high rate of speed on the left (I think he drove a Ford Taurus or Mercury Sable at the time). Cal Culpepper sped by us while reading his notes plastered on his steering wheel.
Everyone in the car saw it. We talked about it for 30 seconds and then dropped it. I don’t have any interpretation of this except that Cal could be a world class ass clown while at the same time berating people who were trying their hardest to live to the ever changing and capricious rules of the “church” [PCG]. I’m so glad I will never have to engage with that clown again in my life. He has no idea what it truly means to minister (serve) others.
By Caleb, Ex PCG member (northeast US)
April 15, 2025
Recommended Testimony:
Control and Abuse by Cal Culpepper (includes links to more testimonies and letters about Culpepper)
Back to Testimonies by Those Impacted by Philadelphia Church of God