CHAPTER 6 – BATTLE OF THE BRETHREN

©OPEYEMI AKINTUNDE
AS INSPIRED BY THE CREATIVE ONE

Two days later before Tuesday Bible Study, Edna was in Mama’s office discussing “departmental alignment.” Somehow, the topic swerved to T.J.

“Mama, we thank God for new people. But leadership should be careful about who lays hands on the people.”

Mama blinked. “Who’s laying hands?”

“I’m just saying… the new Sister looks like someone who may want to do that…Mama, when fire burns too bright too fast, it can become wildfire.”

I knew where that line came from. Pastor Dan used it before…on another girl he was “mentoring” two years ago. She left church after a ‘talk’ with Mama. Till today, nobody knows what happened. But I remember seeing her cry in the toilet after that talk.

The playbook was familiar.

By Thursday, Pastor Dan started texting her quotes.

I didn’t hack her phone…I’m not that kind of PA. But people forward things. Screenshots fly. Sharon knew how to get into people’s phones and screenshot their conversations. I am pretty sure Pastor Dan must have been charging his phone in the Choir office and Sharon with her ways must have been at the right place at the right time.

One of the texts read:
“Your spirit reminds me of Deborah; bold, powerful, but still needing the guidance of a Barak.”

God Abeg! I screamed in my room. See Holy rizz!

Another read:
“Let me be the umbrella that keeps your fire from burning out too soon.”

Umbrella? Would the fire not burn the Umbrella?
I laughed so hard, I dropped my phone.
But something wasn’t connecting, If Pastor Dan was after T.J, why was Edna using Pastor Dan’s quote.

T.J. didn’t reply much. Everyone noticed her choice of words in her responses. The Screenshot showed it. She would casually put the “Thank You” Emoji or “Prayer” Emoji or “Angel” Emoji. She stayed on her lane. Still came for prayer meetings. Still sang quietly from the back at the Choir stand.

But the tension was rising. Brother Solomon was closing in. Pastor Dan was closing in. It was beginning to look like a love triangle between T.J, and the two most eligible Bachelors in Church. Also T.J’s voice was beginning to attract attention. Edna was the best singer before T.J joined and it seem the baton was about to be taken from her and given to the new girl on the block.

Edna could sense it. The spotlight was about to be put on someone else other than her.
The same man- Pastor Dan- who once said “You’re the most spiritually disciplined woman I’ve ever met”… was now rotating his compass.

And jealousy doesn’t like second place.

That night, I sat in the church alone. I had a sudden burden to pray for T.J. There was a witness in my Spirit that the girl didn’t come in to compete, she only came to compliment.
To confirm my conviction, Grandma Kosoko…One of the earliest Grandmas whispered in my ears when I went to greet her after that evening service…
“This Church has been dark for some years.. I prayed… I prayed.. light came in but was short lived. I didn’t give up.. I kept praying…and it seems Light has stepped in wearing Ankara and Canvas, I hope they don’t kill the light like they did with Sunmbo” She had said
I looked at her and she nodded looking towards T.J as she had once again been cornered by Pastor Dan. She was wearing Ankara and canvas.

Sunmbo!
Grandma Just reminded me of her! The girl who had come two years earlier. She was in the Intercessory department, before we knew it, she and the teenagers were holding two hours prayers every Sunday after service.. In one month, we were beginning to see changes in the teens department. The teens were no longer restless. The “ who is dating who” gist had taken the back bench in discussions, it was more of “Fire, Purpose and Rhema conversations” that became the main topics.

What Changed?

Pastor Dan came into the picture!

Same playbook he is trying to use on T.J… was what he used on Sunmbo…

Mentor! Rhema Discussing partners! And somehow I think ( Not confirmed) they shared more, because she started looking at him softly while he became more dominant in their conversations.
He joined her in praying with the teenagers…He wasn’t invited.. He just invited himself and took over.
Yes! He took over! Telling Sunmbo she needed mentorship so as not to lead the teenagers astray. He told her… she had the zeal but not the training.

He was with Mama one Sunday after service… I had eavesdropped on the last part of the conversation…
“ Mama, When fire burns too bright too fast, it can become wildfire.” he had said to Mama.
This was the exact statement I heard Edna quote to Mama earlier that week.. I didn’t need a prophet to tell me..there was something shady happening already.
Because it was shortly after he said that Statement, that Mama sent for Sunmbo. I was not in the office when Sunmbo came around. The next thing I saw was her crying. I tried asking her the obvious question, but she wasn’t having it, She looked at me like she had been betrayed. She stormed out of the church and never came back!
And the interesting part!
No one dared reach out to her because news got out that Mama spoke with her!
Who dares speaks after Mummy G.O has spoken ! No one.
All of this flashed before me as I sat in the church and all I could whisper in prayer was…

“Lord… if this is a battle, let her wear the right armour.”

Because in Holy & Fire Altar Assembly…
Battles don’t always start on the altar.
They start in the heart and only the strong at heart wins.

To be continued… ( TO PAY FOR THE THE FULL ACCESS TO THE E-COPY of this Story, Kindly Chat +234-9069926797 to buy your copy)

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