Monday Morning Insights

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    Pastor Sells Out, Literally!

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    A congregation has lost faith in their pastor, after he sold their church without telling them, and scammed them out of more than half of a million dollars.

    And here's one more story about this fiasco...

    A for sale sign never went up in front of the First Congregational Church in Ripon. Local police say the pastor peddled it on the sly and was spending the proceeds on big ticket items. It's no doubt an understatement to say church members are shocked.

    "It came out of nowhere, we didn't have a clue", says Church Leader David Prater.

    Church members didn't have a clue that their church, which has stood on the corner of Main and Acacia streets in Ripon for over 50 years had been sold. Police say the church pastor sold the church and a small cottage next to it for $525,000 dollars and pocketed the money. Church Council president David Prater said the news left them stunned.

    "We were devastated, we didn't know how to explain it to anyone. People were hurt. People were crying", says Prater.

    Sergeant Ed Ormonde said pastor Randy Radic put the money in a special account and started spending.

    "There was approximately $460,000 that was deposited in the account. Then over a period of about two weeks almost half of the money was deposited into other accounts or withdrawn in cash.", says Ormonde.

    $102,000 dollars went for a 2006 BMW, which police have seized, along with about $350,000 in cash. Ormonde says the bank account and transactions made bankers suspicious and they contacted church leaders. The 52-year-old Radic faces felony counts of embezzlement and forgery. And the church's small congregation still can't believe it.

    "He was a very good teacher and a good preacher", says Prater.

    Prater says visiting pastors are helping them with Sunday services now. Soon they'll be looking for a new permanent pastor. They do have to sort out their finances first But they've hired an attorney to help.

    And we wonder why the unchurched are so skeptical of the church today.  I’d like to say that this story surprised me, but sadly, it seems it’s getting harder and harder to surprise me these days!  Read this story about how a pastor in CA actually sold the church building; bought a new $106,000 BMW, and the media story that ensued...  (This from Channel 13)… You can actually watch the video of the report with the interview of the church board member, etc…

    Comments

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    1. Rich Kirkpatrick on Fri, November 04, 2005

      Gifting does not equate to character.  This is the lesson I get from this story.

    2. Bernie Dehler on Fri, November 04, 2005

      I don’t understand… the Pastor thought he could actually get away with it?  To call the Pastor “stupid” would be too much of an understatement… How could any reasonable person, even devious person, expect to get away with it?  The paper-trail is too solid… With his brain capacity, it scares me to think what he must have been teaching from the pulpit…

      Obviously, a huge oversight issue too.  Obviously, the “elder board” is very lame…

       

    3. JCE on Fri, November 04, 2005

      What is really most amazing to me about that story is that this so called Pastor (NOT)did what he did the way he did it.  I’m not so surprized about the wickedness of his heart, that’s a common trait for sure, but if he’s going to take the Church for a manipulative ride to finance his escapades and lusts, why didn’t he just follow the pattern of successful church marketing we’ve been talking so much about, and get them to pay for all that stuff for him willingly, just like the big guns do?  But then maybe straight forward stealing, in one sense, has a little more integrity to it.

      No, it really is very sad and I’m sure the pain of the church members who had placed their trust in this man, is running deep right now.  My prayer is that there would be a focus on getting them some true pastoral ministry to bring healing and restoration into their midst before the enemy is able to plant a hardy crop of bitterness.  Betrayal by the very ones who are supposed to love us the most, is still today, as central to following after Jesus as it ever has been. Maybe this event will be used of the Lord to bind them together in a deeper pursuit of authentic relationship based Christianity. I hope so.

       

    4. The General on Sun, November 06, 2005

      Many pastors sell their church…not the building, but the reputation, the hearts that Jesus died for, the peace and unity in favor of THEIR programs, etc.  One young pastor recently kicked out the founding families who bought the first church but he wanted a Bigger one…refused to listen to wise advice, wrote hateful treatsies that were full of lies and turned friends against one another of many years.  So far he has gotten by with it.  I think selling the building would be easier to accept than the sham of pretending you are a man of character when you are a wolf in sheep’s clothing.  The emotional scars that this man caused in “selling out” the wonderful work that was established by love, sweat, tears, and the hand of God long before he came so he could be center stage…is more painful—at least the man in the above story revealed his sin to his flock AND the world.  Ours is still practicing being a minister when he is as fake as his degree on the wall.

    5. Pastor Dan on Mon, November 07, 2005

      sounds like he just snapped…  what a shame…

    6. RevJay on Mon, November 07, 2005

      Quote, Pastor Dan, “sounds like he just snapped… what a shame…”


      If this isn’t the truth… It could be… Love to follow on this tragedy and see what happens to the guy.

      Congregations are too trusting in their “man of God”, but we all pray that the Holy Spirit keeps us convicted and away from all evil that would tarnish the reputation of the church and the testimony of the Lord.  Men will fail and we can fall into deep sin and ruin our ministries. Let’s all pray for this mans life and his return to Christian service, lest we too fall into temptation.  RevJay

       

    7. Roger Allen on Mon, November 14, 2005

      On one level I find it odd that the transaction could even take place under the most liberal of real estate laws.  On another level, I agree with one of the comments above; teaching/preaching ability does not equal good character.  On even another level, I wonder modern preaching to “reach felt needs,” which tends to be topical and temporl in nature doesn’t begin to erode the spiritual nurturing a pastor needs for His own soul?  We are all but grass, and except for His grace, we are capable of much worse.

      Because He is with us,


      Roger Allen


      Portsmouth, VA

       

    8. Ron Roy on Mon, November 28, 2005

      I believe the Elder Board of this church should examine themselves before they attempt to Candidate for a new pastor. It is for them to examine themselves as to why they hired a good teacher and speaker instead of a God Called servant that the Lord appointed for this Church. Who hired him? Who prayed and counseled him? Who really cared about him? They are not blameless but the Pastor will now go to trial and the Church (authority) will now be turned over to the world. Should we not rather be defrauded and to restore this Pastor at least to the place he was when he became part of this fellowship?


      And if any of you self righteous Pastors have anything else to say, let it be as an Ambassador with a Word of Reconcilliation. This Pastor clearly needed Deliverance and no one was there to minister to his needs. Restore such a one except you too be tempted? Has the accuser of the brethren now become my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus?? Amen. I could go on and on not in defence of this Pastor but in intreating all of us to spend more time preventing situations like this, instead of trying to deal with them as they surface. That is what Spiritual Warfare is all about, guarding yourself and the Devil cannot touch you. (1Jn. 5:18)


      In His Blood,

      Ron Roy

       

    9. Cobus van Rooyen on Mon, December 05, 2005

      Very sad situation. It disqualify a person to speak if you do not know the background of this pastor. What really bothers me is the Elder board of this church. Where is the financial committee of this church? How many people sign the cheques? I also do not see in the report if Biblical reconciliation and restoration were followed and if they do have a policy in the church for mediation and arbitration? Sad very sad, many churches need more accountability structures, propper feedback and refocus times on the affairs of the church.

    10. Larry Dickey on Thu, December 08, 2005

      This ALMOST happened to my home church in So Calif several years ago. The pastor had the church and the seven acres that it sat on sold for a little uner $2 Mill. He just needed one more signature from the last trustee to complete the deal. None of the other signees even read what they were signing.


      This church in Ripon must have been very naive to have set up their constitution so that something like this or even a quite take over by another group could legally be carried out.


      Too many of our churches are still thinking and are set up from 30-50 years ago when this could not have been even thought of let alone get done.


      There needs to be changes in our by-laws and church constitutions to keep people like this from hurting the church and hindering the work that needs to be done in our communities.

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