John Shrader 14: Preparing Toilet Paper for Zambia

[WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?]

4 hours ago, subsaharanafrica said:

The one thing I can’t wrap my head around is that the Kenyans tend to send their kids to boarding schools in the UK once they reach the British equivalent of high school. 

There's a local charity here that helps pay tuition for students (largely girls, but some boys, too) to go to high school in Kenya. The man who started it is from Kenya, but came to the U.S. for college and has been a citizen for years. (IIRC on all this.) He was visiting family in Kenya and met teenagers who had passed their high school entrance exams, but couldn't afford the tuiton to attend. Originally, he just found sponsors here to pay tuition, but now they have a girls' boarding school as well. 

http://www.caringheartsandhandsofhope.org/

I'm pretty sure the founder is a Christian, but I think education is his goal, not proselytizing. I suppose families who can't afford Kenyan high school tuition would probably never consider a UK boarding school.

[Palimpsest]

BREAKING NEWS - and not about the baby.

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16 mins · 

Detained and threatened with arrest if I preach at our own church property!

 

Not detained enough to keep him off Facebook.

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Really, really, really needed this quote from George Mueller today...also Psalm 20 yesterday and Psalm 21 today.

Satan is super mad here in Zambia...he's throwing everything at us including the kitchen sink...

but God is working.

Big time!

 

How?

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Can't wait to see how He works this terrible situation out for good. There's some wicked men trying to get us removed from this place of Kafue so they can attempt to take over the mission church and even steal the property.

Um, yes.  We did wonder how you could "buy" that property without putting it in the name of nationals.  Pigeons (or dead chickens) coming home to roost, perchance.

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Everyone here is totally flabbergasted. The Law is being perverted, and my Zambian friends are in shock.

What Zambian friends?  You only talk about the lost.

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 I've been threatened with arrest today by Immigration officials if I go and preach at our own church plot!

Is immigration finally catching up to John?

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They would not tell me what law I was violating or where I was not in order. They just told me I was only allowed to preach up in the Copperbelt where the mission we are under is registered, which is not the case according to the law.

Guess so!

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All our papers are in order so this is a clear case of corruption.

Your corruption, John.

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The Zambian brethren are really upset at what's going on!

Bros Phellion, David, and Brian.  All the others have left.

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We've broken no laws, and that threat (to arrest us for preaching on our own property) is in itself an illegal one!

You have skirted many laws.  And you DO NOT OWN THAT PROPERTY!  Foreign nationals are not allowed to purchase property - you admitted that yourself!

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It's a long story, I'll make a video about it after God delivers us from these wicked and unreasonable men, and their attempts to pervert the law against us and the church.

We may have a long wait for the video.

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We have seen some glimpses of how God is already moving, incredible and amazing stories...I can't wait to see how He works all this together for good! I also can't wait to share the unbelievable "Divine appointments" God has orchestrated just in the last two days!

Really.  We were expecting to have a former convert confess his "sins against Almighty John" today.  You hinted at that possibility.

Instead we get this DRAMA 111!!!!!111eleventy!!!!!!11111

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I'll keep you posted, until then, please pray.

I don't pray.  I will certainly send positive thoughts to Esther in the hopes that she can deliver what now looks like a Christmas baby safely.

I'm sure the very last thing Esther needs right now is John in crisis mode.  My thoughts are with her and the baby.

And with those 10 other poor children.  I hope John is screeching on Facebook and not melting down right in front of them.

[formergothardite]

It sounded like John knew this was coming since he requested prayer for today. It also appears that the person who actually owns the property has decided to place a restraining order against John. Literally no one who has paid attention to John's half-assed "mission" is shocked that this happened. I'm only surprised it took this long

John getting in trouble with immigration and getting arrested would serve him right. It isn't like he is actually going to help Esther or the children if he is at home. Wasn't he planning a trip to another country very soon? If he pisses off the right people he might not be let back in if he leaves. 

[formergothardite]

Someone responded with this:

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The every local church registration is what the problem is. Without have each local church registered, immigration will start shutting them down.

That is a bit confusing, but I think the guy is saying that each church has to be registered.

John responded:

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This is a targeted attack by men who have lied to immigration. The only problem the Officers could tell me was they didn't like our sign. I kept telling them it's a simple fix...just change the sign. Now they have said I can only preach up in Kalalushi. Period. Nowhere else

Why would immigration be sent out over a sign? Something isn't adding up with John's story.

John then makes post after post.

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I asked them what law I was violating. No answer. I asked them what the complaint was. No answer.

 

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I have been receiving threats from former church members...

But were they written in blood?

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We had to cancel Bible study tonight

 

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I'm making some calls tomorrow and meeting with a very influential man in the morning. 

 

[Palimpsest]

12 minutes ago, formergothardite said:

It sounded like John knew this was coming since he requested prayer for today.

I disagree.  I really don't think John did see this coming.  His last Blind Item was for someone about to confess.  

I think this shocked him - because his arrogance knows no bounds.  But some combination of former converts have apparently finally blown the whistle on him.

What is remarkable about the above diatribe is that John KNEW he has been skirting the regs. and living on borrowed time. 

NOTHING adds up about John's story.

He KNEW his "mission" was supposed to be under a "mother church."  He KNEW he had been grandfathered in with a rubber stamp by the pastor in the Copperbelt.  He KNEW his "church" and "mission" were in jeopardy.  He was asking for prayers about it not long ago.  He wanted to disobey the law or finagle ways to stay there.

We have it all documented here.  

Sorry for shouting.

 

 

 

 

 

[formergothardite]

3 minutes ago, Palimpsest said:

I disagree.  I really don't think John did see this coming.  His last Blind Item was for someone about to confess. 

I went back and read it and see now that he was talking about the testimony. 

What I would love to know is who actually owns all that property. He has always been very vague.  Who owns the magical well that never gets mentioned? I'm confused about John's living arrangements. Is he living in what was once part of the church or is he now renting from someone else? I know he left the one house because of the demon landlord. If his house is tied in with the church property then he is in big trouble. 

[Palimpsest]

To the best of my recollection:

John and family live in the original rented Timothy House.  (He booted out the converts when the landlady of the house on the hill got possessed by demons).

John "believes" that he bought land next to the original Timothy House.  Much discussion and John's admission that he can't buy land as a foreign national.  IF the land was bought legally, it had to have been put in the names of nationals.

On that land there is the "church," a new Timothy House built by the former converts (now called the Sunday School), the well, and the defunct chicken coop (now the tract and Bible storage shed.)

[Palimpsest]

And John N Marcia Riggs chimed in.  They have been missionaries there since 1994:

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John N Marcia Riggs The every local church registration is what the problem is. Without have each local church registered, immigration will start shutting them down.

True.  Every local church has to be under a "mother church."  We can read the regs too.  Shrader declared that he would rather leave than be under an approved by the govt. "mother church."

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John Esther Shrader This is a targeted attack by men who have lied to immigration. The only problem the Officers could tell me was they didn't like our sign. I kept telling them it's a simple fix...just change the sign. Now they have said I can only preach up in Kalalushi. Period. Nowhere else

I think the person who lied to immigration was John.  

John's rubber-stamp is Pastor Ackim Mulaisho.  He is the "Zambian Independent Baptist pastor who oversees the Liberty Baptist Mission, the legal authority which allows us to enter and serve as Missionaries here in Zambia."  Actually grandfathered in because Liberty Baptist pre-dated the "mother-church" requirement.  If John is to be believed.

And Pastor Ackim is indeed in Kalalushi - the Copperbelt - not in Kafue.

[Carol]

1 hour ago, formergothardite said:

I went back and read it and see now that he was talking about the testimony. 

What I would love to know is who actually owns all that property. He has always been very vague.  Who owns the magical well that never gets mentioned? I'm confused about John's living arrangements. Is he living in what was once part of the church or is he now renting from someone else? I know he left the one house because of the demon landlord. If his house is tied in with the church property then he is in big trouble. 

I want to somehow incorporate Demon Landlord into my epitaph.

[Howl]

Of course, John can't, simply can't, be honest about his openly flaunting immigration law re: missionaries.

Were complaints lodged by the people in "the compound" who have been wall papered with Johns and Romans tracts, or people in the villages John has visited?  The style and content of his delivery of the Gospel (preaching shouting for hours) has got to be annoying to many people and many Christians may be truly offended when he implies they aren't saved or are following a false doctrine. 

Alternately, he's been ratted out by someone who knows the details of exactly what he's up to. 

Who's the Very Influential Person John's going to talk to?  John's had some interactions with the local police, but I wonder if he's now crossways with immigration and dealing with a totally different set of people.  

So wishing for Esther to have an uneventful delivery of a healthy baby!  If John's in the slammer,  hopefully neighbor ladies will lend a hand. 

[Carol]

OH MY GOD!!!  Someone has to write a song, "John's In the Slammer"!!

Please Jesus, make someone do this and I will never sin again.

You Faithful Servant, 

Carol

[SPHASH]

Dear John please read Romans 13:1-14. https://bible.org/seriespage/26-laws-land-romans-131-14

[Lurky]

I am always in awe of the hubris of Shrader-types, who genuinely believe that Rules Are For Other People, and that everyone should bow down and allow him to do whatever he wants, because by dint of being a Great White Saviour, just being in Africa (a continent that is, of course, a backwards monolith, best represented in the old black & white Tarzan films) he is improving lives.

But it makes me wonder - what would they think about a Black Christian preacher doing what they do?   I always enjoy Brits and USAians getting horrified when Black African missionaries come to our countries, but imagine Shrader junior and senior if someone who got into the USA on a specific visa to do something in, say, Chicago, rocked up in their town, started building on land they couldn't legally own, were preaching that everyone else was wrong and not a real Christian, targeted the kids, turned up to funerals and started preaching, and was living a life of luxury with mutiple vehicles, their own 'plane, etc etc that was clearly grifted money.   And then they read this preacher's facebook, full of postings about how everyone who called themself a Christian was really Satanic etc.   Of course they'd be calling Immigration and the local authorities and anyone else they could think of....

[formergothardite]

Do not be dismayed! John has had time to write another poem about his suffering. Is this like three poems in a week? That might be a record.

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Though Demons Rage"

Though demons rage and Hell assaults, with devil's fury lashed
We need not fear for God is here, though all against us is cast
For Satan's a defeated foe, the Cross has triumphed sure
And let him use all powers of might, God's churches still endure
For Satan hath a little while, to mock and to attack
But faithful one be not dismayed, for God has "got your back"
Like Gibraltar's rock stands fast and sure, through centuries of assault 
Our "Rock" the Christ stands surer still, than rocks of mighty basalt
For Christ has won the vict'ry, over Satan through the Cross
He triumphed over them openly, our gain was through His loss
Yes Satan has his helpers, vile men on every side
But God has mighty warriors, that in fiery chariots ride
And God is always working, thought often it's unseen
He is not found to be surprised, at Satan's wiley schemes
For Satan need not bother, those who threaten not his ways
But demon fury rises, 'gainst the faithful in "the way"
He has many who will help him, seek to persecute and destroy
But though the way be straitened, we need not lose our joy
For Satan is defeated, though the end is yet to come
But when he thinks he's winning, there still is God the Son
For Satan lost the battle at that Cross so long ago
Though demons rage with all powers of hell,
Never forget Satan's a DEFEATED foe!

Bro. John Shrader 
Zambia

 

 

[Howl]

Heh, TL;DR!  John's in a manic phase for sure.   

So let's say that John is to be deported.  Who pays for the plane tickets to get the entire fam returned to the US?  Or will John just start screaming for God to come up with the $$$$$$$$$?  If deported, they'd be leaving an incredible amount of valuable stuff behind, all paid for by donations: personal belongings, a fleet of cars and trucks, John's "library", a shed full of sunflower seeds and so on.  Or is it time to actually move to the Copperbelt? A new gig in Singapore?  What are other English-speaking, Christian-dominant nations desperately seeking a Traditional Baptist missionary with a bazillion kids to lead people who aren't the right kind of Christian from the darkness into the light?  Um, the US?  We're rapidly losing our ranking as a first-world country and John could never be deported. 

[Gobsmacked]

I hope they are deported. Esther can go and live on her parents land in a large trailer. Her parents can help her. They owe her bigly for marrying her off to Johnny boy. It will be a struggle but I suspect her whole life is a struggle  at present. Baby due any day now. Toddlers running around, manic husband who doesn't help, just writes useless ' I'm being persecuted 'pomes. 

The Duggar relatives can pay the fare back for Esther and kids. Just leave John in his own personal swamp. 

( using trump words as Johnny no doubt thinks he's just a fabulous presidunce).

John's genius father can work out a re-imbursment plan with J-B once Esther and kids have landed in Florida minus Johnny.

I truly dislike John, as much as it's possible without meeting him. Yuk. 

[Palimpsest]

I bet John was up all night writing that terrible poem.

You know, it might just be possible for John to wiggle out of this.   He has the luck of the Devil.  I'm just surprised this hasn't caught up to him before. 

Probably no-one wants an international incident.  Arresting a missionary just before Christmas, with his very pregnant wife and 10 (or 11) children becoming victims of the state, will not play well.  Bad publicity, to say the least. 

Deportation takes a long time, and it could still be sorted out if John obeys the rules.   He'll plead ignorance of the laws and regulations (although his Facebook posts show he was well aware.)  He might weasel his way out.  I hope not.

However, he could get into really serious trouble if he disobeys the police order and preaches again anytime soon.  There is a good chance he will do that - because "persecution" and he "won't let Satan succeed in stopping him from preaching."

Or, as John is actually a bit of a coward, he could simply retire to bed for the duration and just milk the situation for sympathy from his followers.

As far as I can see, the issue is that "Truthiness Historic Biblical Baptist Church" is not on the registry of churches.  John's missionary status is dependent on Pastor Ackim, so his church sign should say Liberty Baptist Mission.  Furthermore, he is "supposed" to be under Pastor Ackim's authority and only preaching in the Copperbelt.  He's not supposed to be running around setting up his own church in Kafue and reaching out to villages.  

[Botkinetti]

@Gobsmacked I truly dislike John too and I can’t figure out why he irritates me so much. I think most of the other men we discuss are more dangerous and unhinged but John endlessly pretensiouly prancing about blithering on about persecution just makes me want to slap him.

[formergothardite]

4 minutes ago, Palimpsest said:

As far as I can see, the issue is that "Truthiness Historic Biblical Baptist Church" is not on the registry of churches.  John's missionary status is dependent on Pastor Ackim, so his church sign should say Liberty Baptist Mission.  Furthermore, he is "supposed" to be under Pastor Ackim's authority and only preaching in the Copperbelt.  He's not supposed to be running around setting up his own church in Kafue and reaching out to villages. 

Thank you for explaining this! I have been trying to wrap my head around why he said a sign was the problem, but now it makes sense. So John illegally started a church and by law should only be preaching in one area?

5 minutes ago, Palimpsest said:

You know, it might just be possible for John to wiggle out of this.   He has the luck of the Devil. 

I am pretty sure Daddy Shrader will produce whatever money is necessary to pay any fines to ensure John stays in Zambia. He doesn't want John and his large family to arrive back on his doorstep. 

[Palimpsest]

2 hours ago, formergothardite said:

So John illegally started a church and by law should only be preaching in one area?

Pretty much.  I haven't got time today to search old threads for the quotes, so to the best of my memory . . .

When John first made landfall in Zambia in 2014, he had to be invited and sponsored as a missionary by a national pastor.  He blew it with the original plan to join the Kafulafuta mission (we know not how) and decided to set up on his own in Kafue. He was very vague about who his national pastor sponsor was until about 6 months ago.  It turned out to be Pastor Ackim of Liberty Baptist Mission in the Copperbelt.  I expect much money changed hands there.  Apparently his permit was restricted to working in the Copperbelt with Pastor Ackim, but that is new information to us.

In early 2015 Zambia decided to clamp down on scammers setting up fake churches and changed the law.  This change was not directly aimed at Poisonwood John-types, but was an attempt to control Peter Popoff-type Zambian nationals selling miracle water, and so on.

Under the new law, all churches had to be registered with the government and be under the authority of an established "mother church."  I think about 5 "mother churches" were identified by name.  (Think, Catholic, Episcopalian, Methodist, mainstream Baptist ...)   Existing missions like Liberty Baptist were grandfathered in, but John was supposed to be working with, and reporting to, Pastor Ackim.

Instead he set up his own church, which was never registered in Kafue, which is illegal.  So is his church plant under Bros. Phellion and David, for that matter.  (I forget the name of that village - except it isn't Chisobe!)

John asked for prayers for registering his own church last spring or summer.  He knew it was a long-shot (if not impossible) but he didn't want to be under the Liberty Baptist banner any longer.   I think he saw the writing on the wall back then.

 Zambia is now clamping down and closing unregistered churches.  This is not Satan attacking John personally.  It is the government catching up with a backlog of illegal churches - and John's is one of them.  

They will probably handle John carefully because Big White Missionary Guy.  However, I don't see how talking to "very influential people" will help him.  His church is illegal.  End of story.

[formergothardite]

I"m not sure if John will settle for working under and reporting to Pastor Ackim. I wonder what he will do if Daddy Shrader can't bribe someone into letting him play church. It would be rather hard to suddenly move his large family to another country so he could start a new church. 

[Palimpsest]

Pastor Ackim may need to pay a few fines himself before this is over.  John has been running all over the place trying to set up churches and Pastor Ackim was responsible for him.

It is one thing to get money to rubber stamp John from a distance but I very much doubt Pastor Ackim would want to work closely with or actually try to supervise him!  Surely he must have twigged by now that the guy is a renegade coyote who has never been able to be supervised by anyone.  Except Daddy.  Possibly. 

I do think John is up shit creek in Zambia.  He's definitely going to play this as PERSECUTION!!!!!!!111111eleventy!!11 and his leg-humpers are going to fall into line.

He may be able to bribe his way out of this mess, but I really hope he fails.  I'm going to give him 6 months before he  moves to the Copperbelt or gets the hell out of Dodge.  Either way, all the money his donors have put into the Kafue church is likely to be blowing in the wind.

When John originally "purchased" the land we looked into it because it was obvious that, as a foreign national, he couldn't buy property himself.  I also looked into the regulations about registering a church back then - because the land could be purchased by a church.  I can't remember all the details, but it was very clear that John would have needed primarily Zambian nationals on a local church board.  Any church would not be Big White Missionary Guy's personal fiefdom.

I speculated then that the land had been purchased using Roderick's name (and possibly others.)   If so, Roderick and Co. have every right to stop John from preaching or trespassing on their land! 

 

[formergothardite]

I do hope Rodrick and Co. owns the land and they can take it and do whatever they want with it. John would be very put out if they started a church there that was more successful than his!

[SPHASH]

Is David Rea having the same problem?

[Bethella]

4 hours ago, Palimpsest said:

However, he could get into really serious trouble if he disobeys the police order and preaches again anytime soon.  There is a good chance he will do that - because "persecution" and he "won't let Satan succeed in stopping him from preaching."

I can't see him skipping preaching for Christmas. I think it will be too much of a temptation.