Judas Church

Episode 6

Chapter 16

On Wednesday morning, Attorney Sonos called me with good news. Sarah Hill had come out of the coma and was being moved out of intensive care. I was glad to hear it and I called Tommy Hill to tell him so. He sounded like he was much relieved and we had a far nicer conversation this time around.

After talking with him, I left for work at Wegel & Co. on the fifteenth floor of the Transamerica tower, I found Glinton Sanford standing outside my office door.

"Have you made any progress on our proposal?" he asked as I turned the key in the lock.

"Some," I said. "But we're nowhere near making a decision on your marketing plan at this early stage. I've been doing some research into the prosperity gospel phenomenon myself."

"And?"

"If it's as exploitative as you say, I agree with you that people should know what the dangers are when they sit under that kind of teaching." I set my laptop down on my desk and sat down in the leather desk chair.

Glinton followed me in uninvited. He set a folder down on my desk. "You'll be interested in this then," he said. "Statistics on the current growth of the prosperity gospel movement — and remember it is global — as well as testimonies of former prosperity gospel victims."

"Victims?" I said. That sounded kind of harsh.

"Yes," Glinton said. "Victims of charlatan ministers who twist God's Word and deceive the people they are supposed to be trying to help. I hope every one of them—"

Just then, we were interrupted by a knock on the open door. My dad stuck his head in. "Jaidon, you need to—" he began. But then he saw Glinton. "Hey, don't I know you?" he said. "Glinton Summers?"

"Sanford," Glinton said. "I remember you."

"You're the guy who got me out of Morris Richmore's House of Wealth," my dad said. "Best decision I ever made." I didn't know my dad had ever attended a church. It must have been before I was old enough to remember.

"Yeah, you know he got put in jail for embezzling money from the church," Glinton said. "Seems like his six-figure salary wasn't enough for him."

"Good for him," my dad said. "All these crooks who call themselves preachers ought to be put under the jail. At least, they ought to give all the money they make right back to the people and the community."

"I agree," Glinton said nodding. "Maybe you can help convince your son to take up our marketing project."

"Well, I normally don't get involved in the day-to-day around here anymore, but, Jaidon, you take care of this man, you hear."

"Yes, sir," I said.

"It's good to see you again," my dad said to Glinton. "And talk some sense into my son's head while you're here. He's done got all religious on me."

Glinton laughed. It was the first time I'd seen him even crack a smile. "I'll do my best."

Chapter 17

An ugly feeling roiled in Pastor Thomas Taylor's gut when he received the anonymous message in his inbox. He immediately sent a reply asking for the sender's name and relation to City of Fellowship Bible Church. A moment later he got a response saying the message was undeliverable.

God, what should I do? he thought. He decided to address the matter head on.

"You never mentioned you were married," Pastor Taylor said after inviting Ferrian Flay into his office later that evening.