“Would it have killed you to travel with my grandchild? Eh? Making me have to wait all of two years to see my own grandchild. Eiiii Erica!”

Archbishop Rhamses King had just arrived in his beautiful mansion, where he’d been greeted by his eldest daughter, Erica, and his eldest son, Moses. He may have been known to the public as a firebrand Pentecostal preacher with a massive global church and a bold tongue, but he was a softie for his grandkids. As soon as he laid eyes on Erica’s child, he picked her up and fawned over her like she was his first child instead.

“So you basically came for her and not for me, eh? I’m your first daughter oo. You better remember that.”

Still playing with the baby, he responded in a baby voice. “Mercy, tell your mother that jealousy mama is not a gift of the spirit. Tell her that we have a two-week conference coming, and that she and I will be spending plenty of time together anyway, so she should leave us alone.” While the two guys who guarded the bishop at all times continued to unload the car, his personal assistant came and whispered something to him. He nodded, and the assistant went back into the car.

“Moses, are you part of the meeting with Kusi today?”

“Please no, sir. I wasn’t even aware of the meeting.”

“Come with me, let’s go to his office. Its time you learned the insides of the organization you’re going to inherit someday.”

“Alright, sir. I’ll go change.”

Moses left to change while Rhamses continued to play with his grandchild. Erica spoke in a low tone. “I take it Kusi spoke with you about the changes he thought were needed?”

Rhamses answered in like tone, “Yes, he did. What do you think?”

“Well, Wilson has always supported Reverend Mason as a minister of God. It doesn’t seem like a bad idea.”

Archbishop smiled. “Does Wilson support Mason as his replacement in a coup attempt on his head?”

That response had Erica quiet for a bit as he continued. “Where was the tact? Where was the leadership when Kusi decided to make a unilateral decision like that? And then he went and threw his weight around in front of the guy like he had some power? Now the guy thinks I’m behind a silent overthrow? What kind of anointing was that? And where were you when all of this was happening? Aren’t you the voice of reasoning?”

The baby started fussing, so Erica took her and sent for a bottle. “Archbishop, you know there’s no reasoning between those two tempers. Kusi may have been wrong but he was provoked. The continued disrespect to his authority by Wilson doesn’t help anyone. The general consensus among all the branch pastors is that Wilson’s arrogance inhibits the chances of any good relationships being fostered between his branch and the others.”

“I hear two branches support him.”

“Yes, but those two are also headed by pastors who are just like him, only they aren’t as bold about it as he is. They all think they are above the rest of us, but that could mean that they break away if we don’t reel them in fast.”

Archbishop watched as Erica fed the child as he sat in thought. “I know the rest of you don’t think that he belongs, but I really like Wilson. He has done more for that branch than any of the other pastors before him, even when they were doing well. That branch has gone through six head pastors in four years, and one of them almost went to jail. Wilson was the one supposed to stabilize them, and now you and your husband tell me he might break away if I don’t remove him?”

“Daddy, all I’m saying is that Reverend Mason will be more agreeable. We won’t have half the problems we’re having now with him as the head.”

“Erica, you and I know that Mason is not ready for this level of leadership. He’s a great assistant pastor to Kusi, but he’s not ready.”

“Well, you were not ready to be a pastor when you founded this church, yet here we are. He’ll find his way somehow.”

Rhamses looked at Erica with surprise at that statement, but Erica looked away, holding to her point but knowing just how dangerously close to the edge she was. Rhamses figured she knew she was too close to the limit, so he let her off the hook. “And will Kusi agree with your sentiment?”

Now Erica became hesitant to speak. Rather than jump in, Rhamses chose to let her squirm while she thought of an answer, enjoying the sight of her struggle a little. “Well, Kusi has his own ideas as to who should replace Wilson, and Mason is admittedly not even on the list.”

Rhamses threw his hands up. The baby was now full, and Rhamses took her from Erica as she tried to make her case. “Whatever Kusi thinks, this is still your church. He will be fine with whatever decision you make.”

“Tell me something else I don’t know, my daughter. Is the sky green now? Do fish now breathe through lungs? Have cats started to run faster than airplanes? I need someone who can take over and not miss a beat, not just someone who will listen. Wilson, for all his stubbornness, is a bonafide leader. The whole of that church respects him, as do all of you, whether you know it or not. Ministry isn’t puppeteering; it’s the work of stewarding people’s souls. Souls, Erica. That is the point of what we do.”

Moses came back, dressed up in a suit. Rhamses saw him and shook his head. “Son, if this is how you dress to see your brother-in-law, I would love to see how you dress to meet your father-in-law one day.”

Rhamses got up, handed the baby back to Erica, and the three walked to the car together. Moses got in but Erica stopped Rhamses before he could get in as well. “Will you at least think about it?”

Rhamses gave his daughter a peck on the cheek. “Always, my daughter. Make sure my soup is ready when I get back.”