The Preachas Son

And so it starts

Jamal and Lexx ended up at this house party ……. Jamal called Deuce and he met him there …… they talked for a while, but Deuce ended up leavin at bout 4 …… Jamal waited for LExx who had disappeared into the backroom …… “Prolly being a hoe in there …” he mumbled as he sat on the couch …….. The next thing he knew .. it was 8 am …… HE jumped up and looked around … folk were passed out on the floor …… He went to the back room and banged on the door ….. “LEXX!!!!!” no answer .. he opened the door and saw Lexx passed out snoring on the bed with two other dudes …. “I don’t even wanna kno ……” Jamal mumbled as he slapped Lexx’s arms …..
 
“WE gotta go …. I am not tryin to hear Rev. Brown’s mouth ……” Lexx didn’t move ….. “Lawd …. Well at least give me the keys …….”  Jamal searched for his pants ….  LExx started to move by then ….. “Girl just pick me up later ……” and rolled back over ….. Jamal raced out the house …. He had his clothes in the car …..but he still had to make it to Portsmouth .. and he was definely in Ocean View …..
 
Over at church Rev. Brown was in a meeting with the other elders of the church ……… and she was not enjoying it so far ……… Bishop Edmonds was giving his take on how the church should handle homosexuality in the church ….. 
 
“But ….. I don’t think this is what The Lord was speaking about in that chapter Bishop Edmonds …..”  Rev. Brown held her ground ……. Within the last few months, Bishop Edmonds had assembled a sort of ‘Witch-hunt’ ….. well more literal …. ‘Fag Hunt’ …….  “Rev. Brown …”  Bishop Edmonds closed the bible and took his glasses off …… “I think that you are growing soft on us …. That the enemy has invaded your mind ……..and more importantly …. Your heart ….. The Lord makes these things plain ….. I’m not going to apologize and  change that  …. Even for your own child ….”
 
The last statement struck a chord ….. “What does my son have to do with this????  This is nothing but a personal vendetta much to the liking of the Crusades in the Middle Ages or the Salem witch trials …… True the word of God speaks to homosexuality …. But in Corinthians …… 13th chapter …… The greatest of these is Love ….. and that is what we should be preaching ……”  Rev. Brown hated having to debate her son and other’s fate …but this new plan ….. this was not of God … this was a man thing and she would not have any part of it …….
 
“Rev. Brown …… This is not up for discussion ….. the new policy will be effective …. all persons serving in ministry capacity …..including the choir …….. will not be allowed to serve if there is doubt concerning their sexual orientation and that’s final ……” The other ministers looked at Rev. Brown ……… No one had ever challenged any of Bishop Edmond’s rules ….. until now ……. “Well Bishop …… while I understand your point of view and the chain of command here …. I must ask that we agree to disagree on this issue ……”  and with that she put on her hat ……. And got up to leave ….. “ I didn’t dismiss you Rev. Brown ….”  She turned and looked at him …. “You’re right … I am excusing myself …..” and walked out of the room ……..
 
“My god my god …. Please guide me ……..please tell me the voice I am hearing is you ….”  She said as she got in her Lincoln ….. ‘Everything is going to be alright’ came on the radio ….. She smiled as she pulled out of the church parking lot ……….
 
Jamal got to church just  as Sunday school was getting out …… He was in the choir room wen the minister of music came in …… Jamal was in there with Mitch and another guy …. “Look Mal and Mitch … I’m sorry but you guys can’t sing today ……”  She said with her head lowered ….. “Look .. I kno we missed rehearsal but come on …….” Jamal said …… “Look Mal .. its not cause of that … Bishop Edmonds …. He …. Uh … has this new policy about ministering and homosexuality ……. And you guys wont be allowed to sing anymore ……. And its not just the choir … any ministry …. Including deacons, and ministers …. He doesn’t want them in his church ……”
 
Jamal looked at Mitch and was speechless …… “So that’s it??? Peggy .. and u gonna let him do this??? U kno this is not right ….” “Look Mal …. I love u .. u have a great voice and everything … but I don’t agree with you guy’s lifestyle … its … its not right …and I can’t change what the word of God says ……..” Mitch and Jamal looked at each other ….. “Funny how folk turn on u wen  the spotlight aint on them ……. I wonder if Bishop Edmonds would be okay with you sleeping with Dea. Harris ….. wen both of you are clearly married ….. Aint that a sin as well??”  Mitch didn’t miss a beat …..
 
“Don’t worry Mal ….. If they don’t want us here … we aint gotta be here …..” and they walked out the room …. Jamal’s phone rang as they made it to their cars …… joined in the parking lot by several other members accused of being gay ……. “Hey ma .. uh … wat is going on at church???” he asked ….. “that’s why I’m calling u baby …… I uh … well just come home .. we need to have a talk ……” *click*  ….. Jamal hung the phone up …. This couldn’t be good …. He hoped she wasn’t gonna revert back ……..
 
“Jamal!!!! Everyone!! Come downstairs now …. We are having a family meeting …….”  Rev. Brown and Dea. Brown announced as they entered the house …….. Groans and Moans followed the announcement as each of the 6 Brown kids, including Jamal entered the living room …….  “ok everyone sitdown please …. We need to talk …..”  Jamal sat down …. He knew for once he hadn’t done anything to make his mom mad …… or had he ……..
 
“I know you are all wondering why we called a family meeting …… and no it doesn’t have anything to do with Jamal …….”  Everyone laughed …. “But seriously …. Your father and I have come to a decision and we wanted you to hear it first from us ……”  Everyone cringed thinking the same thing …… divorce ……… “There comes a time …” Dea. Brown started talking …… “That things run their course …. You reach the end of the road and you have to either go left or right ………”   
 
“What your father is trying to say is ………  That sometimes the ending ……. Is actually the beginning ……. And well …… we have decided …….to start our own ministry ……”  They held hands as each of the kids looked at each other ….. and then at their parents …….. Jamal spoke first ……. “Let me get this straight …….. You’re leaving ST. Mark???? And starting a new church????? But why??? That’s our home ……”  “Yea ma!!” All the kids chimed in …….. “I know kids I know …… but as a Minister of the gospel ….. I have to listen to Christ when he speaks …. And he is saying that this is the time for us …. I know its going to be rough …….. but I need all of you on board for this ……. Especially you Jamal …….”
 
“Why me????” he asked ….. “Because …….God is saying that you have a special ministry and I am to have you in the church ……..”  Rev. Brown for once in a long time pleaded with her son ……… “Say yes … follow me as I follow Christ ……”  She held her hand out …….  Jamal thought for a second ….. What could happen???
Jamal knew that meant something …… but he couldn’t believe that …..
 
 
Church at St. Mark didn’t go well that Sunday ….. for one thing the new policy also meant the organist couldn’t play …. And several choir members, ushers, deacons, and the guy who worked the video camera were asked to leave …. The congregation for the most part was okay … but the service was not up to par ……… Bishop Edmonds tried to get it together …. But it wasn’t right ….. at the end of the service he went into his office and saw a letter from Rev. Brown ……..
 
Dear Bishop Edmonds, 
For some time now, God has been working on me to fully see his plan for me in his gospel …. And while I am grateful to you for taking me under your wing and guiding my family and I throughout the years, the time ahs come that we move forward in our ministry ….. We are leaving to start a new church .. one that is built on Christ holy word and not marred by man’s desire …… All I ask is that you pray for our strength in the Lord as we get out of the safety of the boat, and walk on faith in these trying days ……
Yours in Services
Rev. Mildred Brown
 
He balled the letter up …. “How dare she??????”  at the same time …. Jamal sat on his bed …. He was thinking about last night and today … it had been sometime since he was reminded that he wasn’t normal ……. *Knock knock*  “Can I come in???” his mother asked ….. “Sure ma …..”  Jamal sat up as she entered the room …… “Jamal … I want you to know that most of this has to do with you …. I’m sure you heard about the new policy at church …. And that’s not right ……. But I don’t want you to think by any means I’m saying that homosexuality is in God’s plan … I kno the God I serve doesn’t make mistakes …. And that if you truly believe in him, that any sin will be washed away ……”  “Ma … I’m just not trying to cause any trouble ….”  “And you wont, but I can’t sit here and allow you to think that its gonna be easy …….. The Bible tells us to love those who are not of the Lord …. And that is what he commands ……. The church we are starting …. Its built on Love … not Hate …. So just be patient ….. and I love you ……”
She hugged him and left him with his thoughts ...... "Lawd .. why can't things be easy???"  He closed his eyes and thought back to last night and how good he felt with Duece ...... And like clockwork ... he called ....... "EH shawty ..... u wanna go and chill ... I mean do you want to hang out today???"  Jamal thought ..... and said .....