Part III to Richard J. LaVerdure Open letters to the Brethren Of the
Forever
Family/Church of Bible Understanding.

This was done as Stewart and the Older Heavy Brothers (however; they would
take Stewart's Lead and act as a rubber stamp committee) judged reports of
the brothers actions.  Nightly meetings were when the voting would start
and
in front of all your peers you voted for or against inclusion into the
Honorable Council.  Then Stewart judged the whole body concerning this new
standard of  colors and if you were below an orange (which meant you had
some spiritual life) you were judged a brownie into your flesh and you
stood
condemned.  Of Coarse Stewart would encourage all who where judged a higher
color to encourage those lower then you to put that flesh to death and help
them do it.  This caused a great division with in the body and great guilt,
finger pointing, and fault finding.   Brothers and Sisters who were close
were eaten up with suspicion hoping that a slight indiscretion would not
come to the light of Stewart  and  his judgment.
     I have to take a moment here to describe an event that happened before
the church business got started that has pulled me through many a trial.
As
you know Stewart was absolutely fascinated with miracles and while we were
still living in the lofts he was able to get Ronald Coin to come and
demonstrate the continuing daily miracle.  That miracle being that Ronald
could see through a hole where his eye was.  That demonstration took place
in the Diplomat Hotel.  The auditorium was filled to overflowing and Ronald
demonstrated what Jesus had done for him and I truly was blessed for having
been there.  Ronald with his good eye all covered with bandages walked
around the auditorium without falling over anything and could see with the
glass eye in, it didn't matter, he could see.  That demonstration of the
Love and Power of  Jesus will be with me for eternity.   Praise God,
Praise
Jesus the Living Christ....
     Working the church business was wearing the brothers down.  For months
the daily work load was get to the business by 07:00 am, have a morning
business meeting.  Get your job site address and load your equipment into
the car or truck.  Work usually 12 to 14 hour day come back download the
truck of the equipment, turn in the money.  This wore us down, then you
would get discouraged, tired, and then the nightly meeting we would be beat
on for not leading people to Christ.  This infuriated me to the point I'll
call it the beginning of the end.  The program would be under suspicion
from
then on.  At this point in time Stewart had made a policy change stating
that we were to witness only to younger people and that older or more
mature
people were too much trouble.  When I first came into the Forever Family
the
whole world was game but that changed as more and more older Christians
would come and try to explain to Stewart his errors of interpreting the
scriptures.  I remember escorting many a brother in Christ who had tried to
show Stewart what he was doing wasn't  scriptural out the door.
     I remember a bible study that Stewart gave one night and it was called
the beast of the field.  Stewart was laying down the ground work for
further
division within the body with this one.  The next morning I went to work at
the carpet cleaning business and during the meeting the work group foreman
had decided that I was a beast of the field.  Instead of helping me get the
equipment together and loading it on the truck he followed me around and in
front of my peers he kept calling me beast.....  That brother was acting
more like a tormentor and doesn't know how close he came to eating a
knuckle
sandwich that day.  By this time most of the older brothers I had known
were
gone.  The harshness and lack of kindness within the body had pushed them
out the door.  Staying with the fellowship became harder and harder.
Finally one day we were at a morning meeting on a day off and the verbal
beating  had started Stewart was Concerned that the number of people
getting
saved was falling and he wanted us to do more, do more, do more.  The
hypocrisy I couldn't stand it any more and I let them have it (The Truth)
I
said "If Stewart wants more people Saved then he'll have to give us some
time off from making money long enough to have a real conversation with
someone."  Well I was judged and I became a brownie into the flesh.  All of
a sudden I had the mark and all the brothers and sisters I was close to
shied away from me...   Then I wasn't allowed to work in the carpet
cleaning
business anymore.  At this time Stewart had started to buy some of the
brownstone buildings in the Hells Kitchen area and I was put in charge of a
construction crew to gut and rebuild them for the church.  This naturally
cost a lot of money and I would get the money from Harry Weinbaum every
morning for the construction supplies I needed for the day's work.  On to
the seen comes a brother from Ohio named Jimmy Ginner.  I knew Jimmy from
having been out in Ohio to help start it out.  Well  he comes to work with
us one day and asks the question if I ever thought about leaving the
fellowship.  I said that in the past that I had but that's not where I'm at
today...  Well he goes to all the powers that be that night after work and
tells everyone that I can't be trusted.  I come into work the next morning
to get the money for the construction supplies and Harry Says Sorry Rich I
can't you were judged to have a bad spirit and you will be put into the
trip
apartment.  I'm shocked and stunned and I'm in trip apartment before lunch
and I'm relieved of my duties as construction foremen.  However; Jesus in
his mercy puts me in their with to of my dearest brothers Mike Pappi and
Chris Hirtler.  We have to do whatever is on Stewart Heart for the day.
One
day is proving your worthiness (faith) by getting business estimates for
the
carpet cleaning the next day leading souls to Christ.  Then getting a job
in
the world.  The brothers their were more real with each other then the
regular fellowship those in good standing.  Jesus really blessed us their
what ever they came up with to do Jesus blessed us with abundance and I'm
sure that infuriated them.  Nightly Jimmy Grinner tormented the brothers
and
sisters in the trip apartment.  Jesus would give us success and Joy and
Jimmy would come and rip into us.  Condemning us, finding fault, laying on
the guilt etc. Etc.  Finally the straw that broke the camel's back .  I was
joyful that the fruit of my witnessing was good fruit and the lambs were
coming around for feeding nightly.  Then the tormentor Jimmy Grinner shows
up and starts into me what are you so happy about and I explain that the
Lord was using me and that the fruit was good fruit.  Jimmy Grinner says "
Jesus can even use backsliders to lead people to him."  At this The Holy
Spirit says there is no more room for growth here get out.  I stayed around
for a day then I left.  I worked in town for a while and then moved back
Home only to find that my mother and father were glad to have me back home.
Fighting Guilt, Condemnation, Death, and Fear.  Faith Established
     However; when I got home the Church had put me through the wringer.  I
was not able to sit quiet.  The stories about God killing the different
brothers who had left tormented me.  I was certain that Jesus would take me
out for having left COBU.  I was full of guilt and condemnation for having
left the higher calling of God in COBU.  I was visually shaking from the
mind control.  The Lord in His Mercy had my mother get me in touch with a
good minister and through some bible study I realized God was still at
Large
and in Charge and that He still loved me even if I wasn't in COBU anymore.
I also realized that I was living for Jesus and not for a man or men.
Jesus
gave me success in all my under taking and I was blessed because I still
belonged to Him.  Once I got this into my head the Peace and Joy returned
and even though my family didn't understand me and the things I had been
put
through they loved me.  I realized I didn't have to beat Jesus down their
throats.  My concern after that was to help others who had left and that's
when I realized that Darlene Bruce and I would become man and wife.  The
Lord has been with us and are now the parents of eight wonderful and
beautiful children.

Now may the Lord Bless you
Peace, Grace, and Mercy be added to You
In Christ
Richard
Love the Brethren

PS Here's my e-mail address please feel free to drop me a line
laverdurerj@hotmail.com
Or call on the telephone 813-249-6374