General (Dr) Paul A. Rader (Rtd), who served as The Salvation Army’s 15th international leader from 1994 to 1999, was promoted to Glory from Lexington, Kentucky, USA, on 18 January 2025 at 90 years of age.
Paul Alexander Rader was born to Lyell Mayes and Gladys Damon Rader on 14 March 1934, in the Bronx, New York, USA, and was raised in a wholly committed Salvation Army family. Paul spent his undergraduate years at Asbury University, then studied at Asbury Theological Seminary and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, graduating with BA, BD and MTh degrees.
At Asbury, he met and married Kay Fuller, who graduated with a BA degree in education. Together, they entered The Salvation Army School for Officer Training in New York (USA Eastern Territory) in September 1960 as cadets of the Soldiers of Christ Session. They were appointed as cadet-lieutenants to Newark, New Jersey in 1961, and were ordained and commissioned as officers in The Salvation Army on 14 June 1962.
Called to Korea
Lieutenants Kay and Paul Rader felt called to be missionaries in South Korea, and upon their commissioning they were appointed to the faculty at The Salvation Army Officer Training College in the Korea Territory. In their early years there, they studied the Korean language and became fluent enough to preach and teach in Korean. They served in a variety of capacities, including education, evangelism and administration, and in July 1967 Captain Paul Rader was appointed Assistant Training Principal.
In March 1972, Captains Kay and Paul Rader moved back to the USA with their three children, where they were assigned to Southern California Divisional Headquarters World Services Department (USA Western Territory) and received the rank of major nine months later. While in California, Major Paul Rader studied at Fuller Theological Seminary, earning his doctorate in Missiology.
In August 1973, they returned to the Korea Territory, with Major Paul Rader first serving as the Training Principal, then later as Territorial Education Secretary. In October 1977, he was appointed Chief Secretary and promoted to the rank of lieut-colonel.
A return to the US
After 22 years of service in Korea, in February 1984 the Raders went back to the United States for Lieut-Colonel Paul Rader to serve as Principal of the School for Officer Training in Suffern, New York. It was at that time that he was awarded a Doctor of Laws (LLD) degree from Asbury University.
In January 1989, Lieut-Colonel Rader was appointed Chief Secretary of the USA Eastern Territory with a promotion to the rank of colonel, and in October that same year was further promoted to the rank of commissioner and became leader of the USA Western Territory. In 1994, Commissioner Paul Rader was elected the first American-born General of The Salvation Army with an unprecedented unanimous vote, and he held this London-based role of international leader until 1999. During those years, Commissioner (Dr) Kay Rader was the World President of The Salvation Army Women’s Organisations. Together, they travelled to more than 75 countries, bringing encouragement, inspiration and growth to the work of The Salvation Army around the world.
A godly man
Upon retirement, General Paul Rader served as the 15th President of Asbury University from 2000 until 2006. As President, he was known to regularly attend events on campus, offering encouragement and support to undergraduate and graduate students alike. After retiring from this position, he lived his remaining years in Lexington, Kentucky with his beloved wife.
General Paul Rader was a godly man who lived in service to others and, most of all, to Christ. He was a lifelong learner with a deep commitment to education, the power of prayer and holiness. He was a devoted husband to Kay, his wife of 68 years, and was her strongest supporter as they shared in ministry together. He was also a loving father, grandfather and great-grandfather, leaving a legacy of love, integrity, humility and conviction. Through all his years, he maintained a sense of humour and a belief that we all hold the capacity to overcome.
An unwavering commitment and calling
General Lyndon Buckingham, the current international leader of The Salvation Army, has paid tribute to General Rader, saying: ‘General Paul Rader was a devoted servant and leader. I salute his unwavering commitment to his calling, his unrelenting vision for the growth of The Salvation Army and the sharing of the gospel to the furthest reaches of the globe.’
Chief of the Staff Commissioner Edward Hill added: ‘General Paul Rader was a dynamic and engaging leader who inspired me and countless other officers of my generation. I thank God for the power of the General’s preaching and teaching. We are grateful to God for calling General Rader into service and ministry within The Salvation Army, and we acknowledge with grateful thanks his commitment, servant leadership and example in the United States and Korea, and throughout the international Army. We know that many will have been blessed and impacted by his ministry, and we thank God for his legacy.’
General Paul Rader is survived by his wife, Commissioner Kay Rader, and three children – Edie (Jack) Moon, JP (Helen) Rader and Jennie (Ray) Purvis – as well as seven grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and countless extended family members, friends and colleagues. To them we offer our condolences and the assurance of our prayers, that they will experience a sense of God’s peace and comfort.
