When It All Falls Down Read Free

Lewis says.
    Pastor Lewis doesn’t say anything. I can only imagine what is going through Pastor Lewis’s mind. In truth I could’ve let the whole incident go. I have my money, the church has an exit strategy, the girl is at the hospital, and the church will pick up the tab. But my father used my mother and I as punching bags until I got older, and for that alone I can’t let it go.
    The door opens wide enough for me to see Pastor Lewis’s pig nose. Pastor Lewis then opens the door all the way to let me in.
    â€œCould I get you guys anything?” First Lady Lewis asks.
    â€œWe’re fine!” Pastor Lewis speaks for both of us as he slams the door shut and locks it.
    It takes me a moment to position myself while Pastor Lewis’s back is turned. As soon as Pastor Lewis turns around I cock back my right hand and fire right to his pig nose. I feel the sting of my hand that suggests I will be in a lot of pain later, but for now it feels good. While Pastor Lewis holds his nose and says muffled curse words at me, I use the time to locate the stereo on his desk. Over the last week I have become familiar with Pastor Lewis’s office. I turn on the stereo and James Cleveland bursts through the speakers, which allows for me and the not-so-good pastor to talk.
    Pastor Lewis manages to recover from the blow and makes his way toward me. His body is exposed and he has made the mistake of mistaking me for a nineteen-year-old girl. Pastor Lewis swings with an overhand right and I block his punch and counter with a hard punch to the sternum. Pastor Lewis falls down to one knee and gasps for air.
    I kneel down in front of Pastor Lewis. “I had to drop a young girl off at the emergency room. Tell me why I had to drop a girl off at the emergency room?”
    â€œYou don’t understand.” Pastor Lewis winces as he speaks.
    â€œExplain to me how your meeting to end the affair with a nineteen-year-old ended with the girl having a black eye and other possible bruises.”
    â€œI went to break it off as you said, but she had on this lingerie and I couldn’t resist.”
    The one thing I hate worst than liars are pastors who lie. “I specifically told you not to meet with her without me and certainly not at some hotel!”
    â€œShe tricked me, man. The devil has corrupted her. She threatened to tell my wife, to confront me in front of the congregation. I lost it, man! I lost it for a split second.” Lewis looks up at the ceiling. “Oh, Father, forgive me! Lord, I don’t want to go jail or lose my family.”
    I get up and walk away from Pastor Lewis. At this point I can’t stand the sight of him. I take a seat on Pastor Lewis’s desk and look at the pictures of Pastor Lewis and his wife and three children: Aaron, Janice, and Benjamin. For as long as I shall live, I won’t understand what makes a man give away his treasure for trash.
    â€œWhat happened to you?” My question breaks the chorus of Pastor Lewis’s sobs. “You used to walk in so much anointing and power that I thought you would be like the prophet Elijah and walk right into heaven. But now . . . now you’re down here on earth with the rest of us. I never expected to get a call from you. Never in a million years did I think that the mighty Pastor Lewis would need my help.”
    â€œMinister Dungy, you got to help me.”
    â€œI tried to help you, but I can’t. It’s done; the church is going to remove you as senior pastor. There’s nothing more I can do.”
    â€œThere’s something that can be done. Please don’t let them take my church away from me.”
    â€œNo man is bigger than his church. You did this to yourself, and if I were you, I would be more concerned about losing my family. That’s what’s really important.”
    That is the one thing I’ve learned over the years, that a title means nothing if your family isn’t in your