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to borrow money? In nearly all cases, THEY JUST DON'T. Banks a.nd
insurance companies feel that churches are a very poor risk -- and
even if they hold a mortgage, they say, "We could never foreclose
on GOD."
Mr. Rader has a good name, and unassailable reputation in the
financial and business world -- and he has used this personal good
name and prestige to upbuild the good name and prestige of both the
Worldwide Church of God, and of myself as its human leader.
One point of character that is GOOD is that Mr. Rader is one of
the most devoted FAMILY men that I know. His wife has travelled with
us, in our worldwide travels when Christ has SENT ME FORTH {the
word apostle means "one sent forth" with the Gospel) to all parts
of the world, fulfilling the GREAT COMMISSION which Cnrist committed
to me. And without Mr. Rader's unique and valuable assistance, I
could not have accomplished what Christ has accomplished through me
in this important worldwide activity.
Sure, he came to us from the outside commercial, financial and
legal world -- and rendered vitally important assistance NO ONE IN
THE CHURCH COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED! But, perhaps being in almost
daily continuous contact with me helped him spiritually -- the fact
remains that I could see him GROWING SPIRITUALLY, even beyond that
of some of our ministers who now have come to hate him ON NO EVIDENCE
BUT PREJUDICED AND DELIBERATE UNFOUNDED ACCUSATIONS intended to
defame him. He came to UNDERSTAND and COMPREHEND the spiritual know
ledge of God's Word, even beyond that of most in the ministry. And
the carnal mind CANNOT comprehend these spiritual truths -- it comes
only through the Holy Spirit. And it definitely was not the Holy
Spirit that led to this deliberate slander against him.
I was criticised for baptizing him. But he was with me daily,
and I saw in him a spiritual YIELDING TO GOD -- a repentance and
changed life -- and a belief and spiritual KNOWLEDGE greater than I
have seen in some who willingly swallowed this HATE propaganda sent
out against him.
One of the fruits of being Christ's disciple is, as Jesus said,
"If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you also. Mr. Rader
has SUFFERED PERSECUTION in order to SERVE the living Christ and
Christ's Apostle! And that persecution from within Christ's MINISTRY.
I think I should say, "Shame on us!" And on behalf of the charity
minded in the Ministry, I do apologize to Stanley Rader before the
entire ministry!
As most of you are aware, the Rader family has been living in
Beverly Hills. When Mr. Rader came FULL TIME with the Church and
its Work, he left behind -- broke off -- all social connections with
important Beverly Hills people, including some movie stars.
As I did, 51 years ago on conversion, when I simply forsook
this world and my former business associates and friends, and as the
Apostle Peter "forsook all" in order to follow Christ, so did Mr.
Rader -- and his wife with him. They now have given up their large
Beverly Hills home and moved to Pasadena. But I remind you that, in