LITMIR.BIZ

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you get in at the right time. But if you’re the last person coming in, you’re usually the one left holding the bag.”

      “An empty bag,” Reverend Beam said.

      “And it looks like that’s what happened here. That shady dude had access to the radio station sell. He didn’t have Pastor Landris’s money anymore, but if he could unload the radio station brought to him where they were asking for only $4 million when it was valued at $10 million, it would be like pulling $6 million out of nowhere. Paper money,” Reverend Grant said. “The shady dude didn’t count on having his operation shut down suddenly like it was. So in truth, he no longer had the cash—even if he wanted to—to refund to Pastor Landris or the cash to pay the radio station folks to complete the deal. The radio folks were desperate by the time they found out what was up. They ended up contacting one of my business friends about either buying the station or finding them a quick and reliable buyer.”

      “So who ended up buying the station?” Reverend Knight asked.

      “A conglomerate that pretty much buys radio stations in trouble at a premium. So things worked out for all concerned,” Reverend Grant said.

      “All concerned except good old Pastor Landris,” Reverend Walker said with a grin. “So Pastor Landris’s money is tied up, and it appears he must not have much left to work with. Because if he did, he would buy some land and build a really nice sanctuary instead of trying to buy that run-down building of ours.”

      “Seems he has enough to pay $300,000 to fix it up,” Reverend Knight said. “I did tell him I knew a guy who could do it for $200,000.”

      “Why would you tell him that?” Reverend Walker asked.

      “Because I do know someone.”

      “Then you should have told him you know someone who could do it for $275,000, and we could have added the difference to our nonprofit fund,” Reverend Theodore said.

      “Let’s get back to the building for now. Do you think he’s going to take you up on your offer to let him use the building for nothing?” Reverend Walker asked.

      Reverend Knight shrugged. “I don’t know. He’s sharp, that I do know. And he knows something is up. I told him to pray about it. I emphasized that there were no strings attached,” Reverend Knight said. He didn’t mention anything about his other offer to Pastor Landris to hook up with him. If Pastor Landris had already agreed to do that, this conversation wouldn’t even be taking place right now.

      “So we’re really going to just give him the building?” Reverend Beam asked. “’Cause if we’re just giving it away, I could use one. Y’all know we’re leasing a storefront, and our congregation has been praying mightily for God to bless us with our own place. This would truly be an answered prayer.”

      “Do you have $200,000 to fix it up?” Reverend Walker asked, knowing the answer.

      “No, but the bank might loan it to us now.”

      “Please. You can’t get a loan for $100,000 to build new. You just need to stay where you are and see if you can’t get that tired congregation of yours to add more than the six families that have attended since the church’s inception some ten years ago,” Reverend Walker said. “Exactly how many people do attend your services on Sundays?”

      “About seventy-five…more or less. And two new families joined recently.”

      “More? Who are you fooling?” Reverend Walker said. “Most times it’s less. I’ve never been there when it was more than fifty people. Maybe on a program day, you pull in seventy-five.” Reverend Walker shook his head. “When you celebrate your pastor’s anniversary and invite all of us here who have a good following, that’s the only time you ever see more than seventy-five folks.”

      “Let’s try to stay focused,” Reverend Theodore said. “The fact is, we need to put a stop to these mega churches. There’s that fellow talking about building a city of deliverance called ‘sought out’ or something like that. Then there’s another guy with plans to build a city on the other side of town, only with a shopping center. All of them are getting on television trying to act like they’re big shots. I’ll have you know, I knew every single one of them back when. Back when they were broke.”

      “All they’re trying to do is get more people to come to their churches,” Reverend Beam said. “People want to feel like they’re somebody, and these churches allow them to become a member of ‘the club.’ With more bodies in their pews, they can build bigger buildings while the rest of us are left struggling for people and money to survive.” He looked at Reverend Knight and Reverend Walker, who both had a substantial number of members. “I’m not talking about you, Poppa Knight or Reverend Walker. I know what you two are about. You’re doing God’s work for sure. But too many of these folks are getting out of hand. Somebody needs to stop them; somebody’s got to take a stand.”

      “Now, here comes Pastor Landris. Already been on national television, unlike some of these wannabe, little shots around here. Do you have any idea what will happen if he sets up shop—hangs his shingle out, stating he’s open for business? We’re all sunk! Sunk! That man has charisma. He’s anointed,” Reverend Grant said. “I used to watch him all the time on television before he went off the air. In fact, I’ve preached more than a few of his sermons, word for word. Of all places, he would decide to move here.”

      “This area can only support so many large churches,” Reverend Theodore said. “I just have a feeling if Pastor Landris gets things rolling, he’s going to put a lot of us slap out of business. I’m talking slap out, and that includes Reverend Walker and Poppa Knight.”

      Reverend Knight started shaking his head. “This is kind of sad, y’all. We’re sitting here talking about a fellow preach-brother as though we were some gang members defending our territory. ‘He’s going to put a lot of us slap out of business’? Reverend Theodore, what’s that all about? We’re acting like he’s the enemy. He’s telling people about the Lord. He’s bringing people to Christ. Isn’t that the business we’re all supposed to be in?”

      Reverend Walker squared his body in front of Reverend Knight. “What’s up with you? Sounds to me like you’re starting to like this fellow. You backing out? Having a change of heart? If you are, let us know, and we’ll be glad to let you out before you get in too deep.”

      “Out of what?” Reverend Grant asked. “Out of the group, or out of our plan?”

      Reverend Walker looked hard at Reverend Knight. “That’s entirely up to Poppa Knight here. Ain’t that right, Doc?”

      Reverend Knight looked back at him and stood up. “I know you’re not stepping to my face with all that noise. I would suggest you take a few steps back and calm yourself down.” He waited on Reverend Walker to do as he had just suggested.

      Reverend Walker snickered a little and took two deliberate steps back. “Better?”

      “Better,” Reverend Knight said and sat back down. “Now listen to me. All of you. We are not thugs. Pastor Landris is still our brother in the Lord, regardless of what any of us think here. When I made that offer to him to give him that building at no charge, I meant it with sincerity. We are not about lying like that. After I spoke with him that first day, I admit, I did see something special in that young, dreadlocks-wearing, preacher—”

      “Don’t tell us you’re bonding with him and would like him to become a part of our group?” Reverend Grant said.

      “I’m merely stating that what I said to him today, I mean for us to keep our word on. If he comes back and tells me he wants the building, I want to give it to him just like I said I would. He will be putting his own funds into fixing the place up. He can use it for as long as he wants—”

      “Within a reasonable time limit,” Reverend Theodore said. “We decided no more than five years.”

      “Five years, with a clause allowing us to rescind it at any time at our discretion with

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