'A story of God's grace'
 

Baptist minister Manoj Raithatha introduces the updated edition of his book Filthy Rich - How the property crash saved my life, which as well as being a witness to the power and goodness of God, speaks to the economic and social issues of our times

The UK is currently mired in economic uncertainties and a cost-of-living crisis, and confronting profound questions of race, immigration and identity. As a onetime buccaneering, Asian entrepreneur from a Hindu background, my dramatic encounters with failure and the grace of God, experiences that have now led me to the priesthood, are ones that seem as relevant today as ever.

In 2008, my family’s lives were turned upside down. It was meant to be the year of fulfilling dreams and aspirations. I was a property trader back then, involved in the buying and selling of new-build apartments. As the property market grew, so did my business. By 2007 we had an annual turnover of approximately £70m. Suffice to say, I was filthy rich and loving it!

Yet my expansive property portfolio and luxury lifestyle did little to meet a deeper need, one that always surfaced when I met my mother-in-law. Whilst I was raised Hindu and my wife a Christian, faith was on the periphery of our lives. I mean, why engage with God when you seem to have it all? Yet, my mother-in-law was by far the most generous and content person I knew, and this despite living in a council flat whilst we were shuttered up on a private estate. It would be some years before I understood why, but her contentment in something far more precious than worldly possessions challenged me.   

I had banked on 2008 being the year that would catapult me into The Sunday Times Rich List. I had spent endless hours trying to figure out if I could make it and, according to my calculations, success was on the horizon. But nothing prepared me for what happened next. As we moved into the new year, the credit crunch literally tore apart my business and put me into the firing line of numerous creditors, some of whom I had given personal guarantees. But this was not all – deadlier challenges lay closer to home.

As a child, my son, Ishaan, had grown accustomed to frequent visits to the hospital with breathing difficulties. Often these would result in him being admitted for a few days until his breathing began to regulate. But in February 2008, the nebulizer failed to work and before we knew it the doctors and nurses were fighting desperately to save his life.

For four days, my wife and I wept by his side. All seemed lost till we started to welcome the prayers of a Christian couple we had recently befriended, and other Christians they informed. On the fourth day after Ishaan’s admission he turned a dramatic corner. Despite our consultant’s expectations for the worst, he suddenly sat up in bed, and we wept tears of joy as we witnessed God’s miraculous intervention. Amidst the elation, and to the amazement of my wife, I committed there and then to visit our friend’s church. A few weeks later, the course of my life would completely change as I gave my life to the One who gave His life for me.   

Testimonies are a powerful witness to the power and goodness of God and for this reason I am delighted that my book has found itself in print, firstly through Lion Hudson in 2015 and now in an updated version with Instant Apostle.

In the intervening years, I have become a Baptist minister and taken up a new role with the Evangelical Alliance, things which I am able to reflect upon in this new edition. Society around us has also changed, with far greater awareness of race and questions of identity, and my own story as an Asian man, as well as my marriage to a Black Afro-Caribbean woman, speak prophetically to these.

When one writes a book, one invariably has a variety of hopes and dreams for it. In my case, there are many and they all hinge on one word – ‘impact’. I hope many non-Christians will read it and come to know the love I have encountered in Christ Jesus.

As a former Hindu, I hope particularly for those of other faiths to come to know their need for a saviour.

As an entrepreneur, I hope those in the world of business will come to appreciate how they can use their business skills to advance God’s kingdom.

And as a Christian leader, I hope that my story will be of benefit to believers in positions of influence as they seek to serve the Lord’s purposes with humility and passion.

Wherever you are in your faith journey, I hope this story of God’s grace will bring you the encouragement and hope to continue seeking after Christ.
 

Manoj Raithatha serves as the minister of Pinner Baptist Church, chair of the board of the Evangelical Alliance and advisor to Instant Apostle Publishers and the Hope 15:13 initiative. Manoj is author of Filthy Rich, How the property crash saved my life and co-author of Building the Kingdom through Business

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