CHAPTER 5 – BATTLE OF THE BRETHREN

©OPEYEMI AKINTUNDE
AS INSPIRED BY THE CREATIVE ONE

The Mentor Trap

It’s Mabel here, still your gist plug, still collecting holy whispers from all corners.

There are different types of pastors in every big church.

There’s Daddy G.O. — the lion.
There’s Mummy G.O. — the eagle.
Then there’s Pastor Dan — the chameleon.

Handsome. Calm voice. Always smiling like Jesus just told him a joke. As a Music Pastor, all the female Choristers get distracted every Sunday. The kind of man that can greet you and your body temperature will rise spiritually o, of course. He is Edna’s Second Choice.

He wasn’t married. That fact alone made him the subject of 80% of our sisters’ prayer requests. Yet, somehow, he had managed to dodge relationship drama for years. Always saying:

“God hasn’t released me into that covenant yet.” Church people and deep sayings to cover up…

But the moment T.J. arrived…
His spirit became very… released.

Like the teen said in her voice note, It started subtle…

He began sitting close to the choir during service. As Music pastor, he mostly sat with other pastors at the Minister’s Stand, but Since T.J came , ‘Baba’ ( Pastor Dan ) felt he should be closer to his Choristers. I laugh in Ijebu Language.

He Started attending rehearsals very early because T.J comes 30 minutes earlier.

Started asking Sharon about T.J.’s background….random questions like:
“Where did she grow up?”
“Is she in a relationship?”
“What does she do, exactly?”
And unlike Sharon, she didn’t have answers because T.J didn’t give any. Sharon tried to get friendly, but T.J ensured to keep it simple and courteous. Even Sharon slipped one day when she said “ this lady is not your regular Christian Sister, She has walls around her, I have not been able to get her spill a thing about herself or even talk about others.”

Then, one Sunday after service, Pastor Dan approached her by himself near the gate.

I saw it because I was collecting Mama’s extra wrapper from the car. He leaned slightly forward…not too close to be suspicious, but close enough to say, “We’re having a private moment.” to anyone who wanted to interfere. As expected all eyes were on them.

“Sister Tijesuni… the Lord impressed it on my heart to guide you.” he said proudly. Other ladies would lose their home training if they heard pastor Dan say that to them.

She smiled. “Guide me, sir?”

“Yes. You carry something rare, and the weight of such grace must be balanced with structured mentorship. You’re a gift to this altar. Your voice needs a form of discipleship so it can travel far.”

“Sorry ooo Mentor Extraordinaire! Mr tour Guide! Did she say she needed a guide” I laughed. I had stayed glued to Mama’s car, where I stayed to hear the conversation.. See how it is Mentor that is begging someone to be his mentee…Laugh will not kee pesin! What will man not see on this surface called earth and in this plane called Church!

Wahala !
Wahala be like what again?
Wahala be like mentor wey dey use mentorship and discipleship chase babe.
(Wahala is like a mentor using mentorship and discipleship to chase a woman.)

But Grace be like what?
Grace be like when honour find you without you lobbying for it.
(Grace is when honour locates you without you begging or struggling for it.)

When you carry something, something comes looking for you, When you carry nothing, Nothing will come looking for you… Well! back to our story, What do you think My Sister T.J did to him, she served him hot tea respectfully…

She nodded slowly, thanked him, and walked away.

But looking at Pastor Dan, it looked like he was fine with it… it looked like he knew what he was doing… It felt like he just planted a seed…Nothing dramatic.
A Little seed because as I watched him watching her walk off, I knew: he wasn’t guiding her into growth. He was guiding her into a corner.

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

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