December 7, 2017
The following is a brief history of organizational conflict which has transpired over the last forty years between the interlocking organizations known as the U.S. Center for World Mission (USCWM) aka, Frontier Ventures (FV, Venture Center)/William Carey International University (WCIU) /Frontier Mission Fellowship (FMF) {known as “The Order”} and their relationship with other individuals and collaborating organizations.
This is a synopsis of each conflict beginning with the person or organization’s description, what happened, and the final outcome. It addresses how conflict was put to silence, resolved or how it continues to affect the lives of others.
Not all stories are fully known as the mission community holds to a code of silence. The list of incidents while not conclusive, demonstrates that a bitter root which is hidden and remains unrecognized by wise elders will only grow and bear much bitter fruit.
While we are commanded in the body of Christ to maintain unity and to “Follow peace with all men, and holiness,” we are also commanded to look “diligently” and to examine ourselves “lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness spring up to trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.”
We must all examine and test and evaluate ourselves to see whether we are holding to our faith and showing the proper fruits of it.
NKJV Hebrews 12:14-16/Amplified Bible 2 Cor. 13:5.
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The Story Begins…..
1976 Bob & Doris
What Happened?
Bob started the Last $1000 Campaign to finish paying off the campus and the 147 homes and 400 person dorm which was to act as their self sustaining model to support their ministries which now brings in approximately $6 million a year through rents alone.
The Outcome:
The US Center for World Mission purchased the entire 17 acre campus including the 147 rental houses surrounding the campus and burned the mortgage. Bob and Doris were both dismissed by Ralph Winter following the successful LAST $1000 Campaign. They were not invited to the Mortgage burning ceremony and have had little to do with the Center for nearly thirty years.
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1980 Brad Day
Brad Day was a member of WCIU Staff from 1980-1984 and administrative secretary of Lutherans for World Evangelization from 1982-1990.
What Happened?
The Outcome:
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Steven C. Hawthorne Co-Editor of Perspectives on the World Christian Movement Reader
1981 Steve C. Hawthorne
Co-authored Perspectives on the World Christian Movement Reader with Ralph D. Winter. He is the founder of Waymakers and lives in Seattle, Washington.
What Happened?
“By 1981, the outside readings for the (Perspectives) class were gathered in book form with the help of Steve Hawthorne and others. And in 1983, workshops to train coordinators began on the Center campus. No one seemed to know what transpired in the break between Ralph Winter and Steve Hawthorne. His is an example of the Code of silence. A missionary who shall remain unnamed wrote:
“Seven years ago (1991) I received wise advice from Steve Hawthorne who had been similarly disenfranchised from a significant leadership role at the USCWM. He said to me in my leaving an agency, “Walk away and keep your mouth shut.” I tried, and I am so thankful that I did.”
The Outcome:
Steven Hawthorne “works with WayMakers, a mission and prayer mobilization ministry. He travels widely helping the Perspectives course get underway in strategic settings.”
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Robin Wainwright
1988 Robin Wainwright
“Paraclete Mission Group was founded by a group of businessmen who financed a campaign to pay off the mortgage of the United States Center for World Missions in Pasadena, California. Not only did they help financially, but they also felt the need to come alongside the agencies that were headquartered at the U.S. Center.
Paraclete founders: Keith Butler, Allen Finley, Gary Ginter, Thomas Graham, Robin Wainwright, Phil Elkins, and others.
What Happened?
Paraclete raised $12 million through the Jubilee Fund raised by Gary Ginter in order to underwrite a balloon payment that was due for the USCWM. Because of the poor management of the US Center for World Mission, key investors pulled out. However, Gary Ginter still managed to be able to pull together the $12 million and they were able to get an extension from July to December 1987 when the Last Thousand Campaign was able to raise the full amount to pay off the campus.
Robin Wainwright confronted Ralph Winter about the illegality of co-mingling family and ministry funds.
The Outcome:
Robin was fired from the Board.
‘We left in 1990. Paraclete’s focus broadened to assist other evangelical agencies, churches and cross-cultural workers (regardless of location), especially those reaching unreached people groups. Paraclete has now grown to 75 associates in 60 countries helping non-profits to get set up and be compliant. When asked about the sale of the campus, he said there were promises tied to property.’
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Don Richardson.
1988 Don Richardson
What Happened?
Don Richardson was on the Board of the US Center for World Mission and taught in Perspectives. The Richardson family lived in the Hill House located at 1612 No. Hill on the WCIU Campus. When Ralph Winter the founder said he wanted to be named Abbot of the Frontier Mission Fellowship which would give him the same power that an Abbot had over a monastery- Richardson disagreed with his request and was asked to resign.
The Outcome:
Don Richardson resigned from the Board of the US Center for World Mission. He continues to write and speak worldwide. Update: Don Richardson passed into eternity on December 23, 2018.
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Don McCurry
1996 Don McCurry
Founded in 1979 at the U.S. Center for World Mission, the Zwemer Institute became a major resource and training center for Christians seeking to engage Muslims with the gospel. This need was highlighted with the emergence of the Lausanne Movement and grew out of a consultation led by Dr. Don McCurry, the first Zwemer Director. He also taught in the Perspectives program.
What Happened?
Zwemer Institute for Muslim Studies had a number of problems with the USCWM that remain undisclosed. However, when Ralph Winter the founder said he wanted to be named Abbot of the Frontier Mission Fellowship which would give him the same power that an Abbot had over a monastery-Don McCurry disagreed with his request and was asked to resign from the Board. Warren Chastain a Zwemer scholar mentioned that Winter’s view on contextualization in the Muslim world bordered on syncretism.
The Outcome:
Don McCurry resigned from the Board of Directors of WCIU. Zwemer Institute is now located at Columbia International University in Columbia, South Carolina.
“The “Jesus mosque” phenomenon is creating excitement in mission circles, but it has plenty of detractors. “It is syncretism,” charges Warren Chastain of the Zwemer Institute of Muslim Studies. “The motivation is good, but the price you pay is too high. You’re making Muhammad another of the religious authorities—someone besides Jesus and the apostles setting up your practice and theology for the church.”
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Jim and Monika G
1989 Jim & Monika
Monika G was a student in the TESOL (Teaching English as a Second Language) program at William Carey International University and Jim G worked with Jim Ziervogel, the Director of The Institute for Chinese Studies, a collaborating organization.
What Happened?
After Monika G graduated from the TESOL program she discovered that the program was unaccredited and like many of the students was unable to get a job as her degree was unrecognized.
The Outcome:
Jim and Monika G served in China as missionaries and returned to their California hometown where they work with a local nonprofit in community development. The Institute for Chinese Studies now known as China Source has since moved to Orange, California and Hong Kong.
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Woman eating out of a garbage can. Not Becky. But no one should have to do so.
1989 Becky S.
Becky S. was invited to the US Center for World Mission to be Ralph Winter’s Secretary. A donor raised money for the position to which she was highly qualified to assume.
What Happened?
Upon arriving, Becky was told that she would not be Dr. Winter’s secretary. She was left high and dry and then was assigned to Ministry Accounts at a low wage and told she would have to raise her own support. She worked with Mrs. Fawn Imboden, the CFO of WCIU who was also in charge of Ministry Accounts for USCWM.
The Outcome:
One day she working alongside Mrs. Imboden who spoke about a person who was to be hired by Dr. Winter as his secretary and she was mistreated. Becky said to Fawn, “That was me.” She left the center broke and worked her way back home to Ohio and ended up on the street and eating out of garbage cans. She survived.
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Elizabeth and James at Fuller School of Intercultural Studies Graduation 1999.
1997 James & Elizabeth
James and Elizabeth Stephens were radical Buddhists for 16 and 14 years respectively and were both became Christians in 1984 after James suffered from a life changing accident in Himeiji Japan.
During the Perspectives course, James was challenged by Ralph Winter to consider establishing a Christian Center which would focus on reaching Buddhists. They moved to Pasadena in 1988 where they served under the legal umbrella of the US Center for World Mission as a collaborating organization (1988-1997).
In 1996, James was awarded a full tuition scholarship to study at Fuller School of World Mission (Fuller School of Intercultural Studies). In February 1997, they were served an eviction notice by William Carey International University and a letter was sent to all their constituency which contained false and defamatory information. And the Stephens were sued in court by the Order.
The Outcome:
Five years later, the Order’s Chief Financial Officer, Mrs. Fawn Imboden contacted James and confessed to bearing false witness against him to the leadership of the Order forcing them to go to mediation. See Legal Brief:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2mKA163L1iES1g3ZEFQSm1jWVQxMWlGSzlkOXBvbEFkUDdN/view?usp=drivesdk
The Stephens continue in their ministry to Buddhists.
In 2017 James was contacted by David Clancy and Patty Tessandori who were both whistleblowers who worked for WCIU and Frontier Ventures and ended up being fired after their vigorous opposition to the sale. David Bogosian recommended that they get in touch with James because of his past battle with the Center. James joined the effort to Save the campus as a volunteer and was again taken to court by a member of Frontier Ventures, dba USCWM in order to silence his documentation and open questioning of the sale. The case was dismissed.
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1997 Jim & Irene
Jim and Irene Gaus lived on the WCIU Campus. Jim was the WCIU Housing Manager. He worked previously for World Vision and Pastor Chuck Swindoll at Fullerton Evangelical Free Church.
What Happened?
Jim diligently worked to bring the housing on the WCIU campus up to code in order to procure insurance for the University’s property. He and Irene were very community minded.
The Outcome:
Jim was fired from his position as the Housing Manager and instructed not to talk to anyone on campus. He later became quite ill and was evicted from his home on the campus. It was reported that Mrs. Fawn Imboden, the CFO for the Order said during a spate of evictions that the “Center is not a hospital.”
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1997 Lydia Benjamin
Lydia was a missionary from Sri Lanka and served as a volunteer at the USCWM and WCIU and was an active participant in the community. She was physically handicapped and lived in an apartment attached to a garage where Mrs. Fawn Imboden lived with her family.
What Happened?
She was evicted.
The Outcome:
Lydia was evicted about the same time as the Stephens and Gaus families. Her whereabouts are unknown.
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1998 Jim & Ava
Jim Kramer served as the head of media for the US Center for World Mission. Ava worked as an elementary school teacher for Arcadia Christian.
What Happened?
When Ava heard that the Stephens took the “Order” to court she could not believe it. So, she went down to the Pasadena court house and found out that quite the opposite was true. The plaintiff was William Carey International University. She then confronted the leadership of the US Center who did not care for her correction.
The Outcome:
Ava was so poorly treated that she was driven to despair. Jim and Ava left the USCWM and moved to India where they served in media and missions.
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Phil Elkins, founding member of Paraclete.
1998 Phil Elkins
Phil is the director of the Language and Culture Institute and was also one of the key figures behind the curriculum at Fuller. He directs the Holy Land Trust and serves with Paraclete, a missionary consultancy.
What Happened?
After the Stephens incident at the US Center for World Mission they sought housing and contacted Phil Elkins who invited James to teach at the summer LA Missionary Internship training. During that time James related his experience with the US Center to Phil Elkins. Phil told James that as a member of Paraclete he did a study for the US Center for World Mission (FV) and documented on tape over thirty hours of similar cases of institutional conflict.
The Outcome:
Phil signed a non-disclosure agreement with the USCWM/WCIU so was unable to tell James anything more than that the study existed.
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2000 The Bogosians
Phil and Juliet Bogosian served on the staff of the US Center for World Mission. They lived in campus housing with their eight children-Lydia, Peter, David, Naomi, Joseph, Mary, Ruth and Paul.
What Happened?
Their son Joseph worked for Fawn Imboden and WCIU housing and originally served the eviction notice to one of the Stephens’ children who at the time was 15. He later ran into the Stephens in Sierra Madre. He told James that the same thing happened to his family who were evicted from WCIU housing.
The Outcome:
Phil and Juliet Bogosian moved to the Philippines where they continue to serve in missions mobilization. Joseph later apologized to James Stephens.
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2001 Bill & Amy
Bill and Amy Stearns served on mobilization staff at the US Center for World Mission.
What Happened?
We don’t have any information.
The Outcome:
One does not know who else has gone through abuse. One party who had left the Center was reviewing a box of documents and found a note from Bill and Amy Stearns dated January 16, 2001 Re: Cessation of Christian Fellowship with WCIU/USCWM.
“Wow. You’ve done an important, tough thing that a lot of us who’ve been institutionally abused by the USCWM just didn’t have the tenacity to see through. 2 Thess. 2:16-17
Bill and Amy Stearns write, teach, and train, challenging the local church to new vision in missions. The Stearns’ experience in mission mobilization, youth work, media, and church-planting has taken them around the world. They are also the co-authors of with the Vision they currently live in Barcelona, Spain.
Bill passed away not too long ago.
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2016 Silvia
Silvia Rodriguez began work as a front desk receptionist for William Carey International University and then was promoted to work as residence director of Gladys Aylward Hall, and finally as the Housing Director.
What Happened?
Silvia suffered from organizational abuse as an employee at William Carey International University. She was not paid overtime and not allowed to fill out overtime sheets. She called into a whistleblower hotline at work and they used her “supposedly anonymous” complaints against her. She began having heart problems as a result of the stressful conditions.
The Outcome:
She was fired before Christmas in 2016. She has since filed a lawsuit against WCIU for 1) Harassment; 2)Failure to pay overtime compensation; 3) Negligence; 4)Retaliation; 5) Wrongful termination in violation of public policy; 6) Violation of California Business and Profession’s code 17200 Unfair competition; 7) Intentional infliction of emotional distress.
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David and Patty Clancy
2017 David & Patty
David Clancy served as the Personnel and Human Resources (HR) Director for Frontier Ventures, and as a Benefits Administrator for their sister company William Carey International University. David was hired by Frontier Ventures after volunteering for 13 months. David was in the process of becoming a support raised missionary for Frontier Ventures (USCWM) with his wife Patty Tessandori Clancy. Patty works as the PhD Program Administrator at WCIU.
What Happened?
As Frontier Mission Fellowship, Inc., dba Frontier Ventures Personnel and Human Resources (HR) Director, David discovered serious mismanagement issues and attempted to rectify them through soliciting top non-profit attorney’s opinions and received written opinions that expressed serious concern over their fiscal mismanagement. The Chief Operating Officer Kerry Jones who makes $150,000 a year (combined from his position at WCIU $75K and the interlocking parent organization the Frontier Mission Fellowship dba Frontier Ventures another $75K) after receiving these reports failed to inform the Board of these serious violations.
The Outcome:
When David Clancy followed up on his responsibility, he forwarded a report to the Board with his findings and recommendations, David was subsequently subjected to a campaign of bullying, harassment and retaliation and finally wrongfully terminated. The rent on their residence on campus was then raised from $1360 to $2,060 per month including utilities. Then WCIU Property Services began charging ever escalating utility bills (on shared meters) to the point where in August 2017 the Clancy’s were hit with a $475 electric bill and a $603 water bill. David Clancy spoke to the City of Pasadena and they told him that their family was paying enough in water to fill more than 3 swimming pools. Their combined utilities bill totaled $1,103 per month for a small 3 bedroom house with only one bathroom and no laundry facilities. Since utilities were included in their rent previously, their rent essentially went from $1,360 per month to $3,163 per month, more than doubling their rent in 7 months! While at the same time removing David’s salary. Patty continues to work for William Carey International University for the PhD program. Because of the escalating out of control utility bills, the Clancys had to move from the WCIU Campus Housing to a privately owned home nearby.
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Renovated Mott Auditorium Pasadena International House of Prayer
2017 House of Prayer
At the heart of Pasadena International House of Prayer (PIHOP) is the day and night prayer room, inspired by David’s tabernacle. It is patterned after the Moravian’s 24/7 prayer meeting and focuses upon praying for the city, nation and the world’s unreached.
What Happened?
The Pasadena House of Prayer spent approximately $100,000 to renovate Mott Auditorium which is a building on the William Carey International Campus which also serves as the home for Epic Church. On a Facebook post Clare Ryan states, “Love LA was blocked from being on the campus by the same people who illegally and unjustly removed PIHOP from the campus. I agree with you, Daeryeong Kim. Praying that all of the righteous programs activities and people would be able to return to worship in Mott freely.”
The Outcome:
Pasadena International House of Prayer was evicted from Mott Auditorium and given only six days to vacate. They were given no reason and no explanation. They moved back into their old digs on Lake Avenue in Pasadena.
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2017 Lesley & Mike
Lesley Bain is the wife of Mike Bain, the Director of Operations for Perspectives on the World Christian Movement. Leslie worked at Frontier Mission Fellowship dba Frontier Ventures in the Personnel and HR Department with David Clancy.
What Happened?
Lesley Bain worked with David Clancy and witnessed the institutional abuse at Frontier Mission Fellowship (FMF) dba Frontier Ventures (FV), formerly the US Center for World Mission (USCWM).
The Outcome:
Lesley Bain gave a deposition and spoke about the institutional abuse she saw occurring at FMF-FV and their integrated sister organization WCIU. She testified under oath that the General Director Chong Kim of the Office of General Directors (OGD) asked her not to speak and instead to plead the fifth at the deposition. She did not plead the fifth. Lesley, was very concerned that her family would be retaliated against.
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2017 David Farrow
David Farrow, a retired colonel in the US Army very interested in mission.
What Happened?
David heard that the Frontier Mission Fellowship/Frontier Ventures was planning on selling the WCIU Campus. At the time he was renting campus space for his mission endeavors. After hearing about the sale of the campus he posted his observation on his Facebook page. He was contacted by Kerry Jones, the COO for WCIU to remove the post claiming that it was false and misleading. On top of that he was told to apologize to Kerry Jones for posting it. He humbly said, I will be the first to retract the statement if it is indeed true that you are not selling the campus. It would make me the happiest man on earth. “All I need from you is a letter stating that WCIU/FMF/FV (USCWM) is not selling the campus.”
The Outcome:
Michael Spence who rented an office that David Farrow shared was contacted by WCIU and told that he could no longer rent to David Farrow. David Farrow out of respect for Michael Spence moved out of his office. David Farrow never received that letter and subsequently established Save the Campus Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/Another40years/
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2017 Barbara Torres
Barbara Torres worked for WCIU.
What Happened?
An employee at William Carey International University. No further information.
The Outcome:
Barbara Torres settled with William Carey International University. She signed a gag order. She can’t go onto the campus, can’t talk to anyone, can’t tell anyone she sued, and had to move out of housing.
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2017 Eduardo Reyes
Eduardo Reyes worked for WCIU as their electrician for seven years.
What Happened?
No information.
The Outcome:
Eduardo Reyes settled with William Carey International University and signed a non-disclosure agreement. He lives on campus housing.
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Save the Campus Posts
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Laura Rector
“Some practical questions: a) If the campus is sold is there any chance things may improve from tenants’ perspectives and current tenants could be kept on (i.e. repairs made, dorm policies/management improved, etc)? Could the new owner choose to allow tenants to stay and run things in a more professional manner and make things better? b) If not, how many local residents will be displaced from both the dorm and off-campus housing? c) What protections/assistance will be provided for them since the leases are technically month-to-month even though some dorm residents have been there since the 1980’s. Does current housing law in the state/city protect them in any way and if not what can be changed to protect them, particularly those who are both employed/housed by the center (double whammy! Losing one’s job will make it difficult to get new housing and there is the concern of retaliation). d) How many jobs will be affected by such a sale (cafeteria, maintenance, housing, technology)? Does the mission center/university have plans to help those staff members transition with severance pay, job search assistance, etc? e) What legal challenges does the campus face beyond those initiated by this group or the lawsuit below? It would help to know some of these things to be able to evaluate the situation. Thanks!!”
Second Post by Laura Rector
Sorry, but a few more questions! Has your group met with any local housing groups to discuss the sale? Or has Frontier Ventures? How many of the existing residents qualify as low-income residents? (A developer cannot raze the place and build condos without city approval, changing the zoning, and then must replace the homes of low-income residents on a 1:1 ratio. Those are some significant hurdles for any potential buyer unless they want to manage the property ‘as is.’ Do any of the WCIU housing units count toward the city’s affordable housing count? Has the surrounding neighborhood been given the opportunity to ask questions and get involved by either your group or the mission center? Sorry for so many questions, but I guess I need more information to weigh and evaluate the situation.
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Post by James Stephens
Latest Discovery
December 1, 2017
John Chau who worked for WCIU and who sat for a deposition on the Silvia Rodriguez case and was allied with WCIU has now been fired. He’s asking if it’s too late to sue WCIU. He subsequently denied that was the case.
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Typed in WCIU at the Los Angeles County Courthouse computer. Discovered three pages of litigation. 25 cases in which they are suing and 8 people who are suing them thus far. That is just in Los Angeles Superior Court and does not include cases in Pasadena which is part of the California Superior Court system.
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December 16, 2017
During a chance meeting with Greg Parsons he was asked by James Stephens, “Are you selling the campus?” To which Greg replied, “Yep.”
James then asked, “Are you selling it to Providence Christian College?”
Greg replied, “I’m not allowed to say anything, but details will released as to who we’re selling it to in a few days.”
That confirms the Order is selling the campus. Three days, that would be Tuesday, December 19, 2017.
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December 18, 2017
Visited the Pasadena Court House briefly and did a search of William Carey International University lawsuits and found 2 screens of items. Here’s one.
December 21, 2017 Excerpt from an Update from William Carey International President Dr. Kevin Higgins on the sale of the campus. So is this the announcement that Greg Parsons said they were going to release in a few days about who’s buying the campus? Not much new to see here. https://www.wciu.edu/news-events/2017/12/20/latest-news-from-wciu
——————Excerpt below———-
“In a prior communication, I outlined the possible sale of a portion of WCIU’s property, our ongoing commitment to maintaining a “footprint” in Pasadena and the vision we have for the future.
Throughout this process, the WCIU Board has kept three main questions in play as we start to assess offers that emerged:
- How much does the buyer share the values of WCIU?.
- How will this buyer enable the minimum disruption to our own operations and functions as well as that of our wider community of partners, collaborators, and tenants?
- Does the offer in question represent a mutually beneficial financial value?
I am excited to report that we have entered more serious discussion with a specific potential buyer who fulfills these criteria. At the time of this writing, this is still a non-binding relationship. Either we or they can end the discussion at any time without any risk. In this period, we are engaged in the details of what might be sold, what will be kept, and how we might work together in the future as well.
Next?
There are still a number of challenges: we need to agree on all the exact details, and that will take time. Even once we get to that agreement, there will be significant time needed as the buyer would need to secure their funding.
While details are still being discussed, I can say at this stage that more than half of the houses as well as Hudson Taylor Hall are all not in the sale and will remain in the hands and use of WCIU and FV.”
————-end of excerpt————
Do the Math. 147 homes divided by 2=at least 73 homes or more. That still means 400 residents of Gladys Aylward Hall stand to lose their residences plus lets say 55 homes times an average of 4 residents per home or 220 residents. That is a total of 620 residents potentially displaced by the sale! That’s a whole lot of people, not including Judson Academy’s students, and the 8 worshiping congregations on campus. A lot is up in the air because the process is NOT TRANSPARENT. I was reading The House That Jack Built about Jack Ma and Alibaba. He was asked why Alibaba was so successful and his response was threefold. 1) Run your company so it is 100% legal; 2) 100% transparent; and 3) Customer service first. Valuable advice from a secular company.
……..
Wednesday, February 14, 2018.
Listing of links to articles pertaining to WCIU.
http://www.standardnewswire.com/news/3875713547.html
We are not a sending agency but rather exist to serve the mission community, especially related to the frontiers. We consider those we serve to be the real champions.”
Q: What is FV doing sponsoring summer teams? Whose dollars are they spending? What mission group are they supporting? Are those going on the trips required to raise their own funds? Is this not a contradiction of their own mission statement? This sounds like they are getting in the business of spiritual tourism. We have a glut of short term mission trips being sponsored by churches, mission’s, travel agencies. Doesn’t make sense to me when their home base is falling apart!!
RIGHT 1) “A group of former donors and employees have accused the organization of working against Winter’s vision.”
TRUE 2) “If the sale goes through, they fear it will unravel Winter’s work..
WRONG. 3) “(it) will potentially displace nonprofits renting space on the campus..”
TRUTH. Frontier Ventures has already evicted most of the remaining collaborating organization’s from the Campus facilities including Pasadena House of prayer which they evicted and gave six days to vacate after spending $100,000 on Mott Auditorium establishing it as a cooperative prayer space sharing it with Epicenter Church.
In their Predevelopment Review Plan for the City of Pasadena in September 2016 William Carey International University renamed Venture Center included a clause on page 3 calling for the eviction of Sovereign Grace, Excelsior High School, and almost all the remaining nonprofits.
It is as Robby Butler, former aide to the founder Ralph D. Winter and my former roommate for several years said, “the Center is the world’s largest non collaborative Collaboratory in the world.”
I can attest to that after suffering from a retaliatory eviction and wrongful termination 21 years ago. The “radix amara”– the bitter root has born fruit.
TRUE. Finally they have admitted the property is on the market. Something they consistently denied since Winter’s death. They no longer skirt talk of the sale by saying a portion of the campus is being sold. Technically according to the WCIU Master Plan which we have carefully read btw.. shows ALL OF THE CAMPUS, EVERY SQUARE FOOT OF IT IS BEING SOLD. President Higgins needs to read his organization’s documents. The 147 houses although owned by WCIU are not included in the Master plan. Neither is Hudson Taylor Hall which Frontier Ventures has a written agreement to occupy after its sale with a three year lease buyback written up in the RK marketing plan. The number of homes being marketed by RK Faith Based Partners, a company just established recently to act as a distressed property undertaker has packaged the North campus as well and 55 homes plus another 89 or so homes which will exacerbate the affordable housing crisis in Pasadena. The Just Evictiion housing people should be made aware of this coming catastrophe for over 89 families by their own admission as WCIU COO Kerry Jones told WCIU Staff to begin preparing 89 evictions and told the 92 staff they might want to start looking for new jobs.
My wife Elizabeth will attest to that and the difficulties of moving one’s young family and looking for new jobs as we were forced by WCIU/USCWM 21 years ago to move from our residence/place of ministry which radically disturbed our family’s domestic tranquility and after 21 years we have yet to fully recover.
LOSS OF VISION. WCIU President Higgins has only been at the University since August 2017. His assertions about the mission movement are not grounded in any historical understanding of its intrinsic role in the global movement as lived out by those calling the Campus our home base. . We served at the Center as a collaborating organization from 1988 to 1997 just after the Campus was totally paid for and traveled around the globe conducting courses in Europe and in Asia. A base in Los Angeles was not set up lightly recognizing that it is strategically located near Asia, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. There are numerous agencies in Europe located within a short flight to Africa. As far as Mr. Higgins slight on Southern California not being “the center of the mission universe” and his statement that “Globalization and technology make it possible to create hubs closer to the missionary work in Africa, Asia and Latin America” simply discounts the far reaching strategic brilliance of global companies like Apple, Facebook, Google, Hollywood, and many other corporations that have made a go of it here on the trendsetting west coast. Mr. “Higgins” might want to get out a bit more and recognize the immense treasure that exists here for advancing the goals he ascribes to. Diana Eck at Harvard, the Director of the Pluralism Project wrote, “Los Angeles is writing the history of Buddhism in America.” What is it that her research team sees that Higgins and his cohorts are overlooking? I do believe as does Dr. Jim Belcher that this could be a Harvard West in its earlier days. I believe that Pasadena and the surrounding Greater Los Angeles Metropolitan Area (GLAMA) has some of the world’s top minds and resources. It is as it were an Oxford West and even more distinctive. Why did the world’s most profitable ecommerce company lease 20,000 square feet in Pasadena for Alibaba films? Jack MA aspires to build the largest movie studio in the world. He chose Pasadena. Sometimes those living under the shadow of the lighthouse are the blindest. Time to open your eyes. Selling off this treasure believing the pastures of innovation are greener elsewhere betrays what God has bestowed on this fair city. It is a center started with a $100 and a dream. It is a base. A place we call home. A place which many have found encouragement. It may be time for the next generation to take the helm and for the present administration to step aside and pursue the projects wherever God leads them.
By the way the original price was $10 million not $25 Million. Its now worth upwards of $125 million.
(To be continued)
Save The Campus 