What is more important: a rudder or grace?
Silly question?  I agree.  Obviously grace is more important.
But what say you of this story of a rudder that steered a ship
clear of grace for twenty years?  Would you say that rudder
was as issue?  Would you hold that rudder responsible?
Especially if the rudder itself made the admission and confession.
Well, half confession.  Sin was showing up in its behavior.  What
does that mean?  I don't know.  No one asked that to be clarified.
Oh, yes, one brother did think that should be gone into a little.  Or not
even that question, but when the ship has run amok for such a long
time - wouldn't true restoration have something to do with speaking
with the brothers fellowship?
That's when "YOU'RE THROUGH!" went through the phone to poor
John's ears like the sting of a scorpion.  (While Stewart slammed the
phone down).   The very next meeting Jimmy
(before Stewart was to make his grand entrance) was trying to get a
"commitment" out of John to not talk.  "John, are you going to say
anything at this meeting?"  John is a bit perplexed as are the rest of us
waiting for the answer - (disregarding the absurdity of the trying to
extract a vow of silence.)  John says, "I don't know.
I may have something to say."
He's taken from his wife and escorted out.
You know on Stewart's stage as many scenes as possible are contrived.
And in the subsequent weeks the brothers are absolutely verboten to even
be within 5 city blocks of John as, Stewart has informed us, "he's poison."
And that kept me away too.
And it is strangely ironic - in many ways, as I will point out and inform
you. (Forgive me; I've known about this stuff for a long time - but I value John's
friendship and the right to his privacy.   In my humble opinion, I think
"enough out there" to make it plain to anyone that the Emperor is indeed
STILL wearing no clothes.  There's so much evidence - of course, you've
got to be clear thinking and open minded, and those still there are still in
their custom built cages. YOU HAVE WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU!
If you'll remember my story; I won't go into it here...)
It is ironic for two reasons: the way John was treated versus the way John
treated the brothers.  And the business.  (Ah, what a tangled web we weave!)

John is the true Christian brother.  Before he was character assassinated as
being poison, so that no one would see his face again (talk about being
ostracized! - well Stewart had a lot to protect: couldn't have John saying
things at a meeting in front of everyone that made common sense and Stewart
would have to deal with that!) John fed, clothed, and put a roof over many a
brother's head.  He didn't ask that they make a long drawn out confession
or "make their behavior right."  No, they were met with unconditional love
the Bible way.  When he saw his brother in need he helped them.  He employed
them, and gave them a means of support and getting back on their feet.
(Yes, in those days some got high and drank - but what do you expect after
the abuse and pain these brothers had been put through and were trying to
shut out.  Now there are thousands out of those confines of Cobu and the
confines of relying on pain killer.  They are truly relying on Jesus.  Isn't
easy after you've been brainwashed by a rudder steering you in wrong directions.
So you have the thousands out here, and the less than a hundred in there.
We have true faith; and you have a club.  We have freedom of choice and
obeying our conscience - or conform to a cookie cutter Stewart puppet.
The choice is yours.  Are you pleased with the results so far?)
Before I give you the business about the business, let's get into some
history. (Like I said in my story "How Can I Help the King?" it is great when you have
members who don't remember or even know about the humble beginnings.
The divorce and marrying the church secretary and all the rest of it.
So newer members are certainly naive and that's the way he wants it.)

Back in the 1970's the Forever Family was booming.  The Jesus movement had
been dying out, but not the Forever Family.  Thousands were getting saved.
Houses were over a hundred in many states on the East Coast and Ohio.
There were miracles and healings - not a whole lot, but they were there.
God was with this fellowship in a big and visible way -
the way I consider most important:
    Joy.
No, not Irey, of course.  I mean sincere, ear to ear, grinning joy.  That
brought even the aged like Richard Wurmbrand, Brother Roger, and others into our
midst.
Where did the joy go?
Well, from where I am viewing, and from what I have heard; the more Stewart
took over the fellowship - the more Jesus was ushered out.  Plain and simple.

Till in the 1980's, Stewart was so much into hiding and remaining alone the
entire church nearly collapsed.  And that's where the infamous "dark room"
type things started happening.  We won't touch that here.  (And poor Gayle
had to bear the brunt of it.)

Then we come to 1989.  Grace!  With shouts of Grace, Grace to it!
But let's be honest, brothers and sisters, after this "grace" meeting, and
the universe stood still (yes, I'm quoting Stewart about the universe there)
wasn't it business as usual?
Be honest.  Let your yes be yes and your no be no.  Call an ace an ace.
After Stewart "discovered" grace - wasn't it business as usual?
What is that saying about the rudder?  Would you say it's an issue?
He used to always say, "Why do they want to make me the issue?"
Well, someone has to talk about that big white elephant in the room,
sitting up there in front waving his arms and telling us how we're all wrong.

Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?  The only thing is, it is our
fault, because we sat there and lapped it all up - and we loved it!  Well, brothers
and sisters, my eyes, and the eyes of thousands are opened.  Time for you
to do the same.

The business?  Once again, John.  This is so sad.  Olde things is simply an
old idea.  The brothers that John helped?  They learned how to strip and
refinish (not tax deductible) and how to do demolitions.  Yes, the Olde
things you are doing now were being done two decades ago by John and other brothers.

Only John runs a legitimate business, an ant pushing a rock up a hill.  And
he's still in business.  A success.  (Like the thousands of us who have left the
bubble of Cobu and gotten on with our lives and finally are flourishing in faith - a
real faith - not contrived from some recipe.  BTW - how's your joy?)
You're not going to try and tell me Olde Things is so successful because God
is blessing it?  So God is blessing the Moonies and the Nation of Islam too?
(Who knows, maybe He is).  But my main contention is Stewart is full of it
- and us out here are full of faith.  What is more important - a rudder or
grace?
Deal with it.