John Shrader 20: The Little Plane that Dared

[Gobsmacked]

22 minutes ago, CTRLZero said:

His sign-offs are getting longer.  This looks like a résumé.  He really is bemoaning everything. 

He is trying to make his nasty mean ass grifting gig look relevant to the hapless sheeples back home in Daddies church who for some totally unknown reason are still sending him wongas - or are they? Perhaps that’s becoming a problem. Perhaps they are slowly beginning to see him for what he really is. 

[Xan]

1 hour ago, NoneIsEnough said:

John seems to be on a down swing right now. His latest long screed, present without comment. It's too long for me to disect this early in the day.

I read through it.  John is peeved that other missionaries don't have the high standards that he does.  He doesn't just want people to say they're saved.  They have to really be SAVED.  He beats his chest and says that he sometimes feels like a failure but Esther keeps reminding him to be patient.

Frankly, if I were his sending church, I'd cut him off.  He really hasn't made much difference in Zambia.  If he were building school houses or installing water pumps, that would be different.  Nope.  He's just harassing people one-on-one to try to get them to be his disciples.  I think he could pack up and leave tomorrow and there probably wouldn't be anyone in Zambia sorry to see him go. 

I still have real trouble reading anything he writes and not thinking about The Poisonwood Bible.  And even that preacher wasn't as lazy and offensive as John is.

[Inky]

5 hours ago, Gobsmacked said:

He won’t have heard about Birmingham’s famous bullring market then???? There are no words. John knows nothing of working class  England. Nothing of Birminghams solid working class history. Nothing of the animal trading markets over hundreds of years giving the bullring area its name.  He is an ignorant clownish Baffoon plonker living on other folks hard earned money doing nothing to contribute to the world or even the financial situation of Kafue. I hope you are reading here John you total ignoramous.  (Sorry about any spelling I have so much smoke blowing from my ears I can’t think straight).  I feel so sorry for your poor children also any future ones - hopefully no more after the one due - you treat Esther as a brood mare. You are the evil one John. False prophet bouncing around Zambia. Ugh. 
 

rant over. 

John MUST have read your rant and now he's got the sads.... Don't you feel terrible! (Sarcasm combined with laughter)

[Ozlsn]

15 hours ago, NoneIsEnough said:

These make for thrilling stories, but, having Lived, Loved, Learned and Labored among the precious Zambian people

Oh John. You're making not a dint in Zambia. Go home and Live, Love, Learn and Labor among the precious Texan people instead maybe?

15 hours ago, NoneIsEnough said:

few Americans, Independent Baptists (one missionary and one visiting preacher), showed up there in Mongu for just 24 hours, handed out some tracts and had an "impromptu service" on the street, literally in the exact same area where our church plant, Freedom Biblical Baptist Church plant is and where Bro. Scrivner serves, then made a video about the "18 professions of faith" that were made in that short visit, about what a fruitful field this is, and then, to my great surprise, claimed there was no Bible Preaching Church there, and that money needed to be raised to buy the missionary a 4x4 so he could go there and plant one!

So this guy 1. Failed to notice John's planted but invisible church; 2. Is a more successful grifter than him. I bet the 4x4 even runs...

[SamanthasMom]

I wonder if he has any plan for when his father’s church no longer supports them. Can he even buy plane tickets for everyone to get home? What kind of work could he do in the US?  

[ignorantobserver]

15 hours ago, Xan said:

I still have real trouble reading anything he writes and not thinking about The Poisonwood Bible.  And even that preacher wasn't as lazy and offensive as John is.

I only discovered the Poisonwood Bible very recently, so I read it with John in mind. The most depressing thing I concluded from it is that religious fundamentalism (at least of the IFB-type) has become more, not less, of a problem since the mid-century. Sure, there are obvious parallels: wanting to baptize people in a crocodile-infested river sounds just like John. What is really astonishing however is that while, as an individual, the father is even more of a fanatic than John, he comes from a much more mainstream background and it shows. His actions make more sense to a modern reader in that he goes to a place where people aren't already Christians and tries to convert them ;  arguing with other missionaries is only a very small portion of his "work". He never wastes time writing polemic poetry about long-dead theologians. His paperwork is in order, his "mission" is legal. While he refuses to listen to the locals when they try to warn him about dangers, he does take other white men seriously, so he takes the advice about malaria prevention he presumably received in America and brings real medicine instead of colloidal silver. His daughters went to public school in America ; they homeschool out of necessity, not ideology, and their curriculum is preparing them to succeed in college. Some of the stuff he brings is actually useful (gardening tools for example, even though his garden fails because he won't listen to the locals). His daughters and wife act and think like normal people from the time period and are only superficially obedient to the family patriarch ; he doesn't even try to forbid his daughters from wearing normal clothes, painting their nails, playing with boys etc.

However, unlike John, he really moves his family into a village with stone age technology in the middle of an actual jungle where they are in danger from predators, snakes, the titular poisonwood, natural disasters and an ongoing civil war. I am grateful that John is less of a real believer and had the good sense to set up shop in a real city in a politically stable country with some infrastructure and modern conveniences, where his cluelessness is much less likely to get his family killed.

[AverageGiraffe]

On 8/7/2022 at 2:07 PM, NoneIsEnough said:

John seems to be on a down swing right now. His latest long screed, present without comment. It's too long for me to disect this early in the day.

  Reveal hidden contents

When Will We Get Serious About Souls? (Or do we just keep playing the "numbers" game?)

My heart is heavy tonight, but I'm so grateful that the Lord Jesus will praise faithfulness one day (Matt. 25:21,23). Fruitfulness of Souls is up to God, for it is He that "giveth the increase", according to I Cor. 3:6,7.

One blessing of reading and studying our Baptist Heritage and History is that you often find those that were so very faithful, but not extremely fruitful, according to what many consider today, even after many decades of dedicated service.

This is of great comfort to those of us who deeply desire and would love to see many more come to Christ, but are often disappointed in how many actually do.

I am thinking right now of a faithful young Zambian man, Bro. Scrivner Junior, who is in the Western Province of Zambia, in a city called Mongu, who has faithfully laborered with and alongside Truth Biblical Baptist Church here, and whom our church members here in Kafue are honored to support with their prayers and finances. He grew up in a Godly, Christ-honoring home in Southern Province, and he fears the Lord. After labouring for more than 3 years, faithfully witnessing, preaching, and teaching, he has led one single soul to Christ there, Bro. Humphrey. That man's relative, who is now church disciplined, claims to have led him to Christ, but there was no "new creature" change in Bro. Humphrey until AFTER Bro. Junior led him to Christ, when there was true brokenness.

A few Americans, Independent Baptists (one missionary and one visiting preacher), showed up there in Mongu for just 24 hours, handed out some tracts and had an "impromptu service" on the street, literally in the exact same area where our church plant, Freedom Biblical Baptist Church plant is and where Bro. Scrivner serves, then made a video about the "18 professions of faith" that were made in that short visit, about what a fruitful field this is, and then, to my great surprise, claimed there was no Bible Preaching Church there, and that money needed to be raised to buy the missionary a 4x4 so he could go there and plant one!

I actually emailed the pastor from American to inform him of the Freedom Biblical Baptist Church plant there, but he was not at all interested, sad to say. He had his numbers.

What Americans don't seem to realize, many times, is that a short visit to a field, especially Africa, can yield "professions," and if that's all you are after, they are EASILY obtained here, if that's what you're seeking.

One Independent Baptist missionary claimed to me that they had lead 1,000 Zambian youth to Christ in the schools in one week when I first met him, and their church claimed another 1,000 "saved" one year in their Zambian town. When I questioned a young Zambian man at that same church at the end of that year, I simply asked him how many of those 1,000 "saved" were even regularly attending the church? (not even Baptized and added), he truthfully admitted "one or two." Out of a thousand claimed to be "saved!" Another former missionary based here in Zambia claims a half a million "saved" in about 20 years or so, and that multiple entire villages were led to Christ in a single night!

These make for thrilling stories, but, having Lived, Loved, Learned and Labored among the precious Zambian people for more than 8 years now, and based on my research, and first-hand accounts of the Nationals, I can say without hesitation that's all they are...stories (I'm not saying NONE of them got truly saved, but I can say 100% for sure that MANY of them, possibly even MOST did not). Hundreds of thousands of TRULY saved Zambians would turn this nation of only 18 million people upside down!

It's exciting to see professions, but... what if they're not real?

What if, when the money stops flowing, then the churches disappear, or change their doctrine and basically become pentecostal or something else, even while keeping the name "Baptist"...which is exactly what has happened here, time and time again. Any honest missionary will know what I'm saying is Truth, but how many have the courage to admit it?

What then dear friends?

Are we seeking to please men, supporters, or Christ?

What if the faithful, humble, Zambian who labours for years to lead a single soul to Christ, like my friend in Mongu, but then that man takes a bold stand against his culture for Christ (something very rare here), even turning down the invitation of his Lozi King (the ONLY tribe in Zambia with an official King, not just a Senior Chief), in order to honor and follow and please Christ.. what if that is real, and what if... what if those quick to profess (just like has happened to us again and again here), what if those people are merely excited, don't really understand, or maybe even have an ulterior motive to please the Americans in hopes that the resulting relationship might reap desired benefits or rewards?

There is much on my heart, and much more I would love to say, to expose, to speak Truth, but I've said enough for now.

To the church planters, faithful pastors in difficult places, or missionaries, be they in America, or on a foreign field, who have labored, wept for souls, longed to see more saved, and at times felt a failure, but you were or are careful with eternal souls, caring more about Eternal Regeneration than mere Exciting Reports, I say this:

I stand with you, I weep with you, I feel your pain and heartache and share your longing and desire to see more precious souls saved.

I have lost friends I counted dear over this.

I have lost support.

I may lose more.

But I stand with you, and if you need to reach out to me for encouragement, fellowship or friendship, please don't hesitate to do so.

I have several friends that have recently awakened to this serious and critical issue. Their greater clarity and growing convictions in this matter have encouraged my heart more than they realize. There are also several Pastors that have also encouraged me greatly in this as well, truly precious to me, more than words can express.

I at times, humanly speaking, feel very alone here in Zambia.

Very much like a failure.

My hopes and dreams of training men to serve the Lord have largely been disappointed, dashed, and at times, FELT destroyed.

I know Christ called my dear, precious wife and I and our family here. Of course I've had my doubts at times, but the Lord has made it ABUNDANTLY clear, without a shadow of a doubt, that THIS is where HE wants us to serve Him.

I am also not endorsing or excusing laziness. We have personally printed and distributed over a million pages of Gospel literature here, along with hundreds of thousands of John and Romans. I have ministered in 6 of the 10 Provinces (Zambia is roughly the same land mass as Texas), and I spend 5-10 hours one-on-one or small groups sharing the Gospel of Christ with lost sinners. We MUST be sowing the Seed and being faithful witnesses!

I thank the Lord for my darling wife Esther, who often reminds me when we are broken-hearted over the lack of true Spiritual hunger, response, and brokenness... that we just must keep staying faithful.

Amen. Truth.

If the Lord has you, dear friend, at a time of true fruitfulness, and by that I mean, as Christ said, true fruit that will "remain," then I rejoice with you. True fruit will be like Acts 2 or I John, it will "continue."

But to others, my Fellow Follower, may I extend that same encouragement to you. If the field you labor in seems hard and unresponsive, take heart. Stay Faithful. The Lord Jesus Christ is keeping notes, and it will be His Commendation ALONE that will matter in the end.

Thanks for letting me share my heart,

Bro. John Shrader

Pastor for 10+ years in America (2001-2012)

Local Church-Sent Historic Biblical Baptist Missionary (with my wife and 13 children) to

Zambia since 2012 (8+ yrs full-time in country)

Sub-Saharan Africa

 

 

I've only been following the Shraders for maybe a year and a half now so this comparison might be old news but I also follow the Andersons and it is striking to me how different Steve and John's approach to "soul winning" is. Steve and is NIFB cohorts go door to door, talk people into praying a prayer, and move on-- they're saved, we don't need to worry about resources or teaching or a church, fuck 'em, we  got our numbers and it counts. John, if the "saved" individual doesn't immediately start spending 20+ weeks on church and bible study and completely change who they are as a person, doesn't count them as saved. 

I grew up in a Baptist church, I understand the ideas of once-saved-always-saved and that sometimes people get caught up emotions and don't actually make an internal commitment, or whatever. But the extremes these two take, and how absolutely opposite end of the spectrum they are, is wild to me. 

[Xan]

33 minutes ago, AverageGiraffe said:

John, if the "saved" individual doesn't immediately start spending 20+ weeks on church and bible study and completely change who they are as a person, doesn't count them as saved. 

Frankly, I've never seen anyone like this before.  He must ask people if they've been saved and then he won't take yes for an answer.  They have to be coerced for hours and hours to say exactly the right words and, even then, they have to be willing to be at every service and be willing to convince other people to come along.  Then again, this is someone who re-wrote hymns because they didn't exactly stick to John's brand of Christianity.  He's a whackadoodle.  

[AverageGiraffe]

19 hours ago, Xan said:

Frankly, I've never seen anyone like this before.  He must ask people if they've been saved and then he won't take yes for an answer.  They have to be coerced for hours and hours to say exactly the right words and, even then, they have to be willing to be at every service and be willing to convince other people to come along.  Then again, this is someone who re-wrote hymns because they didn't exactly stick to John's brand of Christianity.  He's a whackadoodle.  

It's very odd. I'm no longer religious but I remember growing up learning that it was important to be able to explain the gospel simply, accurately, and accessibly but also relatively quickly-- we were supposed to have a deep enough understanding of it to be able to convey our point in a straightforward way. The IDEA that it would take hours and hours and hours for multiple days doesn't align with any baptist ideology I'm familiar with. As contrasted with Steve, we were also taught to help "new believers" plug into a church, provide support, exchange contact info, etc. I don't ascribe to any of that now but I don't understand either of these extremes from a "we want to grow The Church" perspective or a doctrinal perspective, frankly. Like yeah there's the whole "you'll know them by their fruit", "new creature" stuff but sheesh. 

IDK it's just all very baffling to me and I find John absolutely exhausting. The very conservative church of my youth would not be a fan, and that's saying something.  

[ignorantobserver]

23 hours ago, AverageGiraffe said:

John, if the "saved" individual doesn't immediately start spending 20+ weeks on church and bible study and completely change who they are as a person, doesn't count them as saved. 

My best guess it that this isn't rooted in actual theological ideas but rather in the fact that John fancies himself a cult leader. After being "saved", he expects people to immediately become his personal playthings, play along with everything, submit to his every whim and generally be there all the time.  It could be a childish "out of sight, out of mind"-situation : if they aren't around every single time John thinks about them, they have necessarily fallen from grace. If he forgets them, they no longer count and are no longer part of the saints. I mean, what else could a real, true Christian ever want to do but hang around John's church ? Alternatively, he is vaguely aware that he needs to justify his results to his sending congregation and having ridiculous requirements for the people he "saves" allows him to explain why he only converted a handful of people.

[Bastet]

After eight years in Zambia, has John learned any of the local languages?

[rosamundi]

On 8/5/2022 at 4:12 PM, Xan said:

There are a few Facebook posts from John.  He's putting up "inspirational" quotes again.  The latest is a crazy post about Satan worship.  Somehow, he thinks the opening of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games is a tribute to the devil.

To be honest, I'm not sure where to even start with this.  The bull was built there to help show the city's industrial heritage.  The women pulling it were not devil worshipers but were illustrating people breaking free of chains.  John just went full-on crazy with this.  To John, everything either is a symbol of God or a symbol of Satan.  "If all you have is a hammer, you will start treating all your problems like a nail..."

IIRC, various American Christians got very upset about the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony, as well, both the Industrial Revolution part and the NHS part - they decided on no evidence that the giant baby in the NHS segment was glorifying abortion, and the Industrial Revolution bit was about the devil. Oblivious to any other country's culture and history, they look at everything through their own lens of fear and ignorance.

I admire the Zambian people for their patience and grace, I'd have run him out of the country on the first plane seven years ago.

 

[NoneIsEnough]

On 8/5/2022 at 8:12 AM, Xan said:

There are a few Facebook posts from John.  He's putting up "inspirational" quotes again.  The latest is a crazy post about Satan worship.  Somehow, he thinks the opening of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games is a tribute to the devil.

  Reveal hidden contents

To be honest, I'm not sure where to even start with this.  The bull was built there to help show the city's industrial heritage.  The women pulling it were not devil worshipers but were illustrating people breaking free of chains.  John just went full-on crazy with this.  To John, everything either is a symbol of God or a symbol of Satan.  "If all you have is a hammer, you will start treating all your problems like a nail..."

A friend of mine was volunteering at the Commonwealth Games and posted some pictures of that Bull and I just had to chuckle. I was going to ask him if he knew he was a satan worshiper, but didn't want to have to explain John to him. 😂

Edited August 11, 2022 by NoneIsEnough

[Xan]

10 hours ago, ignorantobserver said:

My best guess it that this isn't rooted in actual theological ideas but rather in the fact that John fancies himself a cult leader. After being "saved", he expects people to immediately become his personal playthings, play along with everything, submit to his every whim and generally be there all the time.  It could be a childish "out of sight, out of mind"-situation : if they aren't around every single time John thinks about them, they have necessarily fallen from grace. If he forgets them, they no longer count and are no longer part of the saints. I mean, what else could a real, true Christian ever want to do but hang around John's church ? Alternatively, he is vaguely aware that he needs to justify his results to his sending congregation and having ridiculous requirements for the people he "saves" allows him to explain why he only converted a handful of people.

Excellent analysis.  I think you're right.  John needs totally devoted followers and he's trying to establish the cult of John Shrader.  If the men are not willing to spend hours and hours each week listening, passing out leaflets, and trying to convert others, they're not saved yet and need more brainwashing.

I suspect the Texas congregation occasionally asks questions and that's why we get the posts about "not being fruitful".

[Botkinetti]

I wonder how many people are interested in Christianity but refuse to put up with John’s smug arrogance and find someone else to talk to. His ego couldn’t cope with that so he just shakes his head sadly and tells everyone it is not his fault but theirs.

[Ozlsn]

Well if they're interested it's also not like they're starved for choice of denomination.  John obviously gets at least a small crowd, by who knows what means, but overall he and his church contribute nothing to the local community. 

18 hours ago, ignorantobserver said:

John fancies himself a cult leader.

I'm sure he would be highly offended at the use of cult in there. He is Bringing The One True Word To The Poor Zambians - I think his mental image of himself is more fearless white missionary leader and father figure striding boldly to take the Word into perilous and unknown lands. 

The reality is that his church is walking distance from the Mall (or 4 mins drive), and his fridge has an icemaker.

[gustava]

1 hour ago, Ozlsn said:

He is Bringing The One True Word To The Poor BLACK Zambians - I

Fixed that for ya 🤢

[NoneIsEnough]

One GIANT eyeroll from me about his latest post. John wants to teach his "African Friends" about slavery. 

 

[Gobsmacked]

47 minutes ago, NoneIsEnough said:

One GIANT eyeroll from me about his latest post. John wants to teach his "African Friends" about slavery. 

 

They all know more than he ever will. He thinks Birmingham in the UK is demonic because they use a bull as a symbol for their city. Once again he is ignorant, arrogant and down right horrible. He is a false money grabbing prophet. ( He will agree although we certainly don’t about the prophet part)🤣.

[Ozlsn]

John... pull your bloody head in and try listening and learning about the history and culture of the place you are living in. It's more complicated than a simplistic YouTube video, and you're probably pushing buttons in people that you are completely unaware of. 

[Xan]

So much cringe.  Candace Owens is just saying that white people didn't invent slavery and they're the ones who ended it.  She's got wildly inaccurate figures for slavery totals in America too.  And she boasts about how many WHITE people on the Union side died defeating slavery.  No mention, unsurprisingly, of the black Union troops.  Somehow she skips over any discussion on the current crop of Republicans who walk around with Confederate flags on their shirts, trucks, houses, and everything.  She also says that the only people who are enslaved today are in Africa and it's black people owning black people.  She might want to have a word with some of the third-worlders who are trapped working off complicated debts in other countries.

[Howl]

On 8/10/2022 at 7:54 AM, AverageGiraffe said:

I find John absolutely exhausting.

I think almost everyone does.  And his insistence on preaching for HOURS...

[anjulibai]

Who is Candace Owens?

[Howl]

  

7 hours ago, anjulibai said:

Who is Candace Owens?

Honestly, the first thing that popped into my head was, "She's an attention wh*re!" 

As WIKI notes, Owens is "an American conservative influencer, author, talk show host, political commentator, and activist."  Her racial heritage is Black American and  Caribbean American. 

She began life critical of the Tea Party and Trump and has moved steadily right, finally arriving in wing-nut territory, anti vax, conspiracy theories, Big Steal, big Trump supporter, anti-BLM,  yada yada, and that's where she makes her money. 

WIKI: "Subsequently, Owens became a conservative, saying in 2017, 'I became a conservative overnight ... I realized that liberals were actually the racists. Liberals were actually the trolls ...'"

As noted, she's critical of BLM and doesn't think White Supremacy is that big a deal and that's the tip of the iceberg.  

She's the Black darling of the alt right. She's a person that morphed into a personality who spouts views that fit the times. There's no depth there, and certainly not intellectually. 

Fundys think she's the cat's meow.  For example, Shohanna Easling and her son went to hear Candace speak this year and thought she was incredible. 

John is obnoxious, but this encouraging his African friends to "watch and learn" about slavery is a new low, even for John. 

Edited August 13, 2022 by Howl

[SPHASH]

Candace Owens is a fucking bitch who defended Hitler

https://youtu.be/a-poqjet5mY