So it was the first time that I was going to hear and meet my most favorite preacher and pastor for my first time, I been anticipating this day for months now. Bishop Jones was finally going to be preaching in my hometown in Miami, I been following his preaching tour for the past months and someone gave me a free ticket to hear him speak and to have free lunch with him. Bishop Jones was known to be one of the best and anointed speakers in America. I looked up to him so much he had so much eloquence and modeled such a godly and holy lifestyle to many people who liked hearing him. The moment and day finally came where I was heading to the church he would be speaking at; I put on my best three piece suit, it had a multi style of brown and black patterns all over it. It had a brown seam along the pants that complemented my brown dress shoes; I also wore a three button black and brown vest that brought out the lines along the jacket. I put on my best cologne on which was the Unforgivable line from P.diddy, figuring that maybe the cologne would spark a mini conversation since he mentioned on an interview that was his favorite cologne. I even washed my car because if I was going to look and smell like a million bucks it’s only appropriate to pull up like one. So as I was pulling up my heart began to race in excitement to finally see Bishop Jones speak live for the first time, and got out to lunch with him. As I was lead to my seat by the usher the worship leaders made their way up to begin worship. After 45 minutes of worship and a couple announcements made by members of the clergy finally Bishop Jones was being introduce while he was being introduce the whole crowd stood up and cheered like a crowd of people at a football stadium the pews rang with people’s applause and shouts of excitement all over the church. After Bishop Jones spoke I was lead to the back to meet him personally, I heard a little yelling from his dressing room but didn’t put too much thought about it, I guess the anxiety sort of ruled out my suspicious of who that might be. As I was let in his dressing room his armor bearers patted me down and allowed me in, I looked and their he stood with a smile on his face. He greeted me by name and asked for me to sit on his couch. I began to sweat in nervousness as he asked me to him little about myself. I began to tell him and he told me a little things about himself and ho he accepted the call to ministry, after 15 minutes his assistant brought in some food from a nearby restaurant so we could eat, and continue to talk, he seemed very nice and everything I imagine him to be, he was humbled and very practical, we spoke as though we knew each other for years. We laughed about different things and life situations all of a sudden I began to ask questions.
Me: Hey Bishop I heard rumors about money being stolen from a lot of the churches you oversee what you say about that
Jones: Ummm I have nothing to say about that you know people will always try to destroy God’s establishments with false accusations.
Me: But I also heard about you getting accused with buying expensive items such as cars, jewelry and electronics from you many ministries account.
Jones: Well the word does say you will get persecuted for the sake of Christ
Me: what do these accusations have to do with being persecuted for Christ?
Jones: well when you get successful in ministry people will always have something to say, it is as though just because you preach the word people and Christians expect you to live dirt poor like them!
Me: (I notice a little irritation in his voice, but my curiosity got the best of me) So what about rumors of your flirty comments to the women in your congregation.
Jones: (silence)
Me: Or your wife giving you a certificate of divorce because of rumors of adultery being committed.
Jones: Why did you really come here? To accuse me?? Or judge me based on what you heard?
Me: No I came for truth, its hard defending you when media and the church is dismissing you as being a Man of God, sure you still have followers but for how long will they sit under you while all of this is still being circulating?
Jones: (clearing his throat) Listen ministry is full of dumb ignorant Christians that think they know what they are talking about but no one knows squat! What I do is between me and God and no one else.
Me: And Bishop what is it that you do?
Jones: As I said it’s between me and God!
Me: (Noticing his anger I paused) All I ask is one thing Bishop is all the rumors correct
(A silence haunted the room as I waited for his response, wanting to hear a no but believing deep down it was all true)
Me: Well Bishop is it true or not, tell me
(His assistant walked in as though it is right on cue)
Assistant: Jean sorry but Bishop has other engagements and meeting
Me: (At that moment I knew everything I heard was true, I looked over and seen his head hung over and my heart broke to know that my biggest inspiration had fallen and lied too many about his lifestyle)
He stood up and coldly shook my hand and walked out
Months after my encounter with the Bishop I was watching TBN and he was on it, I felt like changing the channel but something sparked me to watch, he took the mic and said
Jones: I have decided to step down from my position as Bishop
My mouth dropped and tears fell down my eyes as my superman hung up his cape.
One thing that I wonder about, though, is the transition between the prose section and the dialogue. Of course, one difference is just that, that there's prose then there's dialogue. But another difference that seems pretty sudden and unexplained is the change in tone--first the character (who is the character, by the way, you? or a fictionalized version of you?) seems totally positive about Bishop Jones, then, suddenly, there's the pretty frank and harsh questions. I'm curious about what to make of this shift.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I enjoyed reading this story. And I thought that the last line in particular was moving.