John Shrader: Killing Snakes & Grifting Appliances for Jesus

[Palimpsest]

In the original Team Zambia video Bobby Bonner is shown and John does not state, but very heavily implies, that he is going to work with him. This seems to be the video he showed churches while on deputation. I think that originally John and David went to visit I AM Ministries and that is where all the footage comes from, but I AM didn't want either of them. I would think that after years on the mission field they could see right through John Shrader.

You said what I said far more succinctly. :)

I can't put my finger on why I think this but I have the distinct impression that Rea is still planning to go to Kafulafuta. I may be wrong.

[Palimpsest]

From John's father's FB:

"Rick-Jodi Shrader

3 hrs ·

Attention to those local friends of Missionary John Shrader. Tri-County Baptist is flying him in to preach Feb. 15th. It is a special Sending Service. Join us if you can."

John is coming all the way back to talk at a super speshul service. I wonder if the whole family is coming with him? Would he leave them in Zambia?

IMO, desperation move and last ditch defense. John's "Mission" is on the rocks.

[formergothardite]

Rea is an idiot, but he seems like he could be a traditional IFB missionary, while John never really has. So Rea might be able to join I AM, but John with his "I'm going to need a plane, a brand new Troupie, a full sized fridge and freezer, and lots of other things as soon as I get on the mission field." well, no mission organization is going to want to work with a greedy person like that. I bet all the missionaries that had been there for years were giving John the side eye when he started talked about all the things he "needed".

[Palimpsest]

Kevin Peske of I AM was certainly giving John the side-eye about the Troupie on Facebook. John was claiming the Troupie was a necessity and asked what Peske drove. Peske told John in no uncertain terms that a 10 year old pick-up truck (forget the make) was more than adequate for his own needs in Zambia. It was rather funny.

[Gobsmacked]

I hope the local church ladies help Esther with the children when John travels home to America.

How much will Johns fare cost his dad's church?

[JeanieCat]

I looked on Expedia and the cheapest return flight I saw was @$1800 US. That's from Houston to Lusaka w. 2 or 3 stopovers. I'm sure there are a real range of prices depending on the airline and timeframe!

[socalrules]

Am I wrong to worry about Esther and the kids' safety whole John is gone? John seems to be so boisterous about the expensive things they have there that I am sure a lot of people think that they are rich. Maybe even think that there is cash hidden on their home. I worry that someone may try and break in whole the man of the house is gone.

[Palimpsest]

Yes. I hope someone will keep an eye on Esther and the children and that John tops up the food supply and electricity meter before he leaves. As far as church ladies go, aside than Mrs. Phiri, have they mentioned making any female friends or interactions with other families in Kafue? Didn't they once mention having dinner and fellowship with another very new missionary family?

Also, I supposes there is the family they stayed with in Lusaka when they first arrived with no visas and nowhere to live. The Sauders? Justin and ? John managed to damage the guy's car within days of getting to Zambia.

I truly hope John and John's doctrinal problems haven't managed to alienate the whole missionary community in Kafue. Esther will need support.

[Coconut Flan]

I see this all as cover for daddy getting John home to try to talk some sense into him.

[Howl]

My suspicion that he's coming back by himself to talk to churches who dropped him to plead his case as he doesn't have enough support ($$) to stay in Zambia for much longer. And/or drum up new support from gullible churches.

Yes, and likely the talk (sermon) John delivers will clearly specify his doctrinal positions -- probably with Daddy's help on the text, to make sure John doesn't mess up.

Also, since this is a Sending Service, will there be another family there getting ready to depart on a mission or is John himself the speshul Sending?

One more question. This was probably discussed in the earlier Team Zambia thread -- does anyone remember the estimated cost to fly Team Zambia the entire family to Zambia last June?

[Gobsmacked]

The best idea would be for the whole family to travel home together. Esther can catch up with her family. Unless the Keller parents have taken a secret trip to Zambia they haven't met Steven.

Esther could refuse to go back to Zambia. The church could refuse to send her and the children back .

John could return, pass all his grifted goods to the local people/the Saunders family.

Bingo!

Zambia free of John Shrader. :D

[Milly-Molly-Mandy]

Also Johns sister is incredibly unwell with terminal cancer so it might be to say goodbye to her as well.

[SPHASH]

I looked on Expedia and the cheapest return flight I saw was @$1800 US. That's from Houston to Lusaka w. 2 or 3 stopovers. I'm sure there are a real range of prices depending on the airline and timeframe!

Prices depend on day of departure, time of departure, availability, and class of service. One way tickets are often more expensive than return ones.

[church_of_dog]

The best idea would be for the whole family to travel home together. Esther can catch up with her family. Unless the Keller parents have taken a secret trip to Zambia they haven't met Steven.

Esther could refuse to go back to Zambia. The church could refuse to send her and the children back .

John could return, pass all his grifted goods to the local people/the Saunders family.

Bingo!

Zambia free of John Shrader. :D

Yeah, I was kind of wondering whether this was a "saving face" way for them to leave Zambia -- they travel home for what is ostensibly just a special preaching opportunity (or whatever it is) and then once they're home they "discover" that one of them is ill or some other logistical reason why they can't return to Africa. But of course that will only work if they do all come back now, not just John. I guess we'll find out soon enough.

[Gobsmacked]

I strongly suspect that John is the speshul sending!!!

Retrospectively of course.

[Mitz_]

What is a "sending service" ? I imagine it to be a church service to "encourage" and "support" missionaries before they leave for their mission. I imagine that this service is speshul because it is uncommon for a missionary to return from his mission to attend a sending service. I do not really know what a sending service is all about but pastor Rick makes it sound like it is a thing. Is it a thing?

[Milly-Molly-Mandy]

What is a "sending service" ? I imagine it to be a church service to "encourage" and "support" missionaries before they leave for their mission. I imagine that this service is speshul because it is uncommon for a missionary to return from his mission to attend a sending service. I do not really know what a sending service is all about but pastor Rick makes it sound like it is a thing. Is it a thing?

Yeah i wondered this. My lovely source has gone silent so if anyone who has been involved in those sort of churches knows please share!

[salex]

Also Johns sister is incredibly unwell with terminal cancer so it might be to say goodbye to her as well.

This way, the church can used church / tax free funds to fly him back which they couldn't do as well if it was said to be a family visit.

Plus, I suspect he has some 'splainin' to do.

[formergothardite]

I had to call my mother to ask about a sending service. :lol: Our church never sent any missionaries but she said that churches that did send out missionaries would usually have a service where the missionary would preach and the men of the church would pray over him and his family. A meal usually followed the service. I explained John Shrader to her and she said that she didn't think it was something that they would bring him back to do, especially since he has been on the mission field for months and he will be leaving a wife and many young children in Zambia.

I think the church is doubting and/or Daddy Shrader is going to try to talk some sense into his son. I wouldn't be surprised if he was the one who told John to stop constantly bitching about it on the internet. Milly-Molly-Mandy's source is right, the more John talks and the more these supporting churches learn about him the less likable and trustworthy he becomes. And I bet Daddy Shrader knows this, but John is not one to tolerate people telling him what to do.

[Palimpsest]

Prices depend on day of departure, time of departure, availability, and class of service. One way tickets are often more expensive than return ones.

Yes, and they may have bought return tickets last year for that very reason. That would be good.

Having John leave on Mon. Feb. 9 (Monday is usually the cheapest day to travel, he's whined about jet lag before, Dad needs to talk to him, and they want him bright eyed and busy tailed for his big speech) and returning on Feb 23rd -- I found a round trip for $1,564. One way on a Monday is S1,700.

Flying the whole family (round trip) assuming 1/2 price for the kids and 1 child in lap (something I wouldn't wish on anyone on flights that long) and travel from Houston to Katy -- call it the $10K zone.

[SPHASH]

Yes, and they may have bought return tickets last year for that very reason. That would be good.

Having John leave on Mon. Feb. 9 (Monday is usually the cheapest day to travel, he's whined about jet lag before, Dad needs to talk to him, and they want him bright eyed and busy tailed for his big speech) and returning on Feb 23rd -- I found a round trip for $1,564. One way on a Monday is S1,700.

Flying the whole family (round trip) assuming 1/2 price for the kids and 1 child in lap (something I wouldn't wish on anyone on flights that long) and travel from Houston to Katy -- call it the $10K zone.

In international flights for Delta kids under two are charged 10 percent of the adult airfare provided they sit on a parents lap. So Sophia and Stephen would get that rate.

[Justme]

In international flights for Delta kids under two are charged 10 percent of the adult airfare provided they sit on a parents lap. So Sophia and Stephen would get that rate.

Could you imagine flying that far with a baby on your lap? Plus, trying to take care of their 6 (?) young kids??? :shock:

I don't think the whole family will come back now, just John Boy.

What a waste of money, hundred's of thousands of $$$ for nothing. When/if they do come back, they will have nothing. I can't imagine shipping all their stuff back. It would make more sense to leave it for other missionaries. At best, they will have a few suit cases of clothes. All these people donated money to what they believed was a good cause when they could have used it to feed and clothe their own families...

[Palimpsest]

In international flights for Delta kids under two are charged 10 percent of the adult airfare provided they sit on a parents lap. So Sophia and Stephen would get that rate.

I was looking at a KLM flight out of Lusaka. Per KLM babies in laps must be <2 and get a discount but it's not as small as 10%. How old is Sophia again?

Eh, scratch that question. Someone else will have to do the research and math because I'm going cross-eyed. :P .

Let's just say -- flying the whole family home for a couple of weeks = expensive! And all those appliances will grow legs and walk while they are gone.

If the Shraders are coming home for good, I can't help hoping that Arcade gets custody of at least the printers and appliances. I really believe that John has wronged that young man.

[Mitz_]

I had to call my mother to ask about a sending service. :lol: Our church never sent any missionaries but she said that churches that did send out missionaries would usually have a service where the missionary would preach and the men of the church would pray over him and his family. A meal usually followed the service. I explained John Shrader to her and she said that she didn't think it was something that they would bring him back to do, especially since he has been on the mission field for months and he will be leaving a wife and many young children in Zambia.

I think the church is doubting and/or Daddy Shrader is going to try to talk some sense into his son. I wouldn't be surprised if he was the one who told John to stop constantly bitching about it on the internet. Milly-Molly-Mandy's source is right, the more John talks and the more these supporting churches learn about him the less likable and trustworthy he becomes. And I bet Daddy Shrader knows this, but John is not one to tolerate people telling him what to do.

O.K. So a sending service is like a Godspeed kind of thing, not something you would do for a missionary that has already left. Thanks, Mom! Maybe the members are not entirely happy with being burdened with the albatross that is John. I feel for Bro. Rick, his daughter is really suffering and John is a pain in the ass. I hope he isn't abusing his position to keep John in Africa but I just can't imagine the majority being on board with this. I think this must be a very $eriou$ situation indeed to bring John in to plead with the masses.

There has not been any mention of John's family so I'm going to assume they will not be going on this trip. I just find it so hard to believe that they will be left "alone". I'm sure they have others looking out for them but omg they are just very vulnerable people what with all of that submit and obey upbringing.

[Palimpsest]

I had to call my mother to ask about a sending service. :lol: Our church never sent any missionaries but she said that churches that did send out missionaries would usually have a service where the missionary would preach and the men of the church would pray over him and his family. A meal usually followed the service. I explained John Shrader to her and she said that she didn't think it was something that they would bring him back to do, especially since he has been on the mission field for months and he will be leaving a wife and many young children in Zambia.

I think the church is doubting and/or Daddy Shrader is going to try to talk some sense into his son. I wouldn't be surprised if he was the one who told John to stop constantly bitching about it on the internet. Milly-Molly-Mandy's source is right, the more John talks and the more these supporting churches learn about him the less likable and trustworthy he becomes. And I bet Daddy Shrader knows this, but John is not one to tolerate people telling him what to do.

Please pass on my thanks to your mother for the info, formergothardite.

Yep, I think John (only John) is being brought back to Katy for some discipling disciplining by Daddy. And for a last desperate attempt to drum up more funding, under the guise of defensing himself against Satan. Oh to be a fly on the wall at that "Sending Service!"