Beloved Apostate

by Joseph Perrello
Published July 13, 2005

An excerpt from Josprel's forthcoming novel, "Beloved Apostate." Josprel requests reader' critiques of this excerpt. Please send you comments to: josprel@localnet.com.

Prologue

This second March Sunday was typical at Highway Christian Center, of Clarion, Ohio. The sanctuary overflowed with worshipers. So did the main foyer, the eight nurseries, and the various Kids Churches. The head usher's final tally was 61,643 -- a gain of 128 over the previous week.

The lights dimmed. On each side of the platform, anteroom doors opened. Six bevies of worship-dancers -- the Miriams -- decked out in iridescent, floral-print maxiskirts, with matching blouses, pirouetted from them. As they whirled, a jungle of drums, keyboards and amplified uitars paced their movements with a throbbing hyper-rhythm. The drummers increased their beat; wrapped in a cacophony of numbing sound, most of the clapping worshipers came rocking to their feet.

Focused in halos of spotlights tuned to various hues, with choreographed moves, the Miriams interwove through the isles of the immense auditorium, their shimmering skirts splashing the sanctuary with vivid colors. Eyes lifted heavenward -- hands elevated high above their heads -- they spanked tambourines. Pirouetting up the center isle to the front, they faced the people, and still beating the tambourines, they joined in the congregational rock session.

On the platform, attired in white turtleneck tops and red suspenders, some twenty members of the worship team moved to a row of mikes angled to the right of a wide, transparent podium. The girls’ suspenders secured maxiskirts matching those of the Miriams. Oversized, hang-bottom, blue trousers dangled from those worn by the boys.

A screen scrolled down from its mooring behind a valance high above the platform. On it, through a porthole in the massive media booth that overhung the rear of the auditorium, a projectionist aimed the lyrics of a chorus. And to accelerating drumbeats, the worship team led the congregation in a rousing, clapping rendition of, AI belong / Yes, I belong / I belong to the family of the Lord of Hosts / Oh, He's mine / Yes, He's mine / My great Elder Brother is my Lord.

Enthroned in plush chairs set to the right of the podium, two men sat, clapping to the music. The one in faded blue jeans wore a long, russet ponytail and horseshoe mustache. His vividly colored cowboy shirt and string tie clashed outrageously with the clergy garb of the man next him.

He leaned toward his companion. "There's a wonderful flow of God's Spirit in the service. God is moving on the people. I'm sure you sense it."

The cleric punctuated a smile with a short nod. "Oh yes, Darnel; I certainly do! Highway's dancers and musicians will greatly enhance our upcoming Christmas rally."

Darnel's head bobbed. "Thank God for restoring the arts to His Church. Highway seeks to flow with the Spirit's move in this generation."

Then both joined in the singing.

Several choruses later, a deep hush descended, broken when a sublime wave of musical hallelujahs gushed from one of the Miriams. In a clear alto, the melody surged, as though alternating between the divine and the mundane. Softly backed by the musicians, the other dancers and the worship team blended in; hands stretched high, the congregation followed.

A second wave of ecstasy swelled. It, too, featured enraptured singing, but with vague words. Moving to the podium, Darnel stood with closed eyes, and a hush followed. A male voice, resonating from the congregation, shattered the silence. In a fervent monologue of tongues, it flowed, inspiring a new high of ecstasy.

When it concluded, Darnel announced, "Jesus has just spoken to us through our brother. This is His message: `I am your Lord. Division and strife long have weakened my Body on Earth. Thus, it has been unable to assail the gates of Hell. However, my Father has ordained a new thing for this generation. He is uniting my fractured Church.

"`Do not my Scriptures vaunt the beauty of brethren dwelling together in unity? Before I took the cross, in my High Priestly Prayer, did I not pray that my people might be one, even as my Father and I are one? My Father loves me; therefore, nothing I ask of Him will He deny. Even now His Spirit works in my Church to fulfill my desire for the unity of my people.

"`This work of the Holy Spirit is as fresh wine, poured forth to heal the grievous wounds inflicted by the many centuries of strife within my Church -- my Body. Drink of this fresh wine! Be healed! I, your Lord, desire this.'"

After a short lull, Darnel nodded. Instantly, the musicians unleashed a version of "Amazing Grace" that devoured the silence at a "warp-allegro" throb! Thundering through the speakers with an earsplitting roar, the tortured melody vibrated the seats! To this din, the ushers took the offerings, while the Miriams and the worship team filed into the anterooms.

A Country Gospel group sang. "Well! Darnel exclaimed, noting the enthused applause that followed, "Certainly seems you want more of that!"

The applause resumed, and he gestured for silence. "No more this morning. This was just a teaser for what we'll be enjoying tonight.

Beginning at 6:30, the entire service is being turned over to the Glory Land Singers. I know you'll be here!

"On entering our parking lots, you no doubt noticed the colorful circus vehicles near our gym. The Sortuni Family Circus is in town! And, where else, but at Highway Center? Papa Sortuni says not to worry; his lions and tigers only eat vegetables."

Darnel paused for the chuckles to fade.

"Many of you have purchased tickets to this family event. Those who haven't may purchase them from the ushers at the exits of the sanctuary."

"I've been asked to announce that those who'll be boarding our buses for the Washington pro-life rally must be in educational building "A" no later than eight tomorrow morning. Please read the other announcements in our newsletter. If you're not on our mailing list, you may get a copy of the latest newsletter from an usher. Ask to have your name placed on our mailing list.

"We're honored to have my dear friend, Cardinal Prisal, with us. He returned from Rome, Tuesday, and called me with exciting news! I asked him to share it with you, firsthand. Let's give Cardinal Prisal a Highway welcome!"

The cardinal moved briskly to the podium and briefly clasped hands with Darnel, who returned to his seat. Scanning the vast sea of expectant faces, he waved down the applause and remarked, "I'm the one who's honored this morning. As your pastor has noted, my news indeed is exciting!"

He leaned forward, as though trying to press toward to his listeners. "I just returned from an audience with the Holy Father. I told him of the Christmas rally; that most of the denominations in our county are participating; and that we project an attendance of at least 150,000.

Now, I've known the Holy Father for a good many years; we've been friends since our seminary days. Never before have I seen him so enthused! He knows of Pastor Ladner and your church. His Holiness receives Highway's telecasts and often views them. He agrees with the Fresh Wine Movement.

"When I mentioned that Pastor Ladner and I sponsor numerous common projects aimed at uniting the churches of our county, he stated, `Praise God! All Christians should follow that example. We all must work to unite the Church!" And, this morning, Jesus indicated He feels the same!

"Now here's the most exciting part. The day before I left Rome, the Holy Father called me to his chambers. First, he asked me to convey his blessings to Pastor Ladner and to Highway Christian Center. Then, he told me that his first visit after the beginning of the new millennium will be to the USA! It will be called, `The Tour of Millennial Religious Unity.' His Holiness has invited Pastor Ladner and me to accompany him. He said he wants us to serve as examples of what the Church can accomplish when it puts aside its differences and works together.

"But there's still more! The Holy Father hopes to end his tour in our area -- with a visit to Highway! Think of it! His Holiness speaking from this pulpit! It's one of the greatest honors he can bestow on any church, even one of our own; yet, he has chosen to bestow it on you.

"As one much older than most of you, I am somewhat set in my ways -- not immune to feelings of sectarian bigotry. I confess a slight . . . no, let me correct that: I confess a profound envy of the honor bestowed on your church. I wish the Holy Father had chosen one of my own faith. It's a good example of how a bias can prop up sectarian walls. In spite of my deep affection for your pastor as my very close friend, I must check myself against the sin of bias and the spirit of division. And,
so must we all! This is why the Holy Father desires to visit Highway Christian Center, so that the whole world will see that our unity transcends sectarian walls.

"My own true brothers and sisters in Christ; I embrace you! I rejoice in the honor granted to you! May the Spirit continue to blend us together in the love of Christ! Amen."

Prisal raised his arms in benediction and took his seat. With loud "Amen’s," the crowd came to its feet. When the drawn-out applause ebbed, Darnel lifted both hands high.

"Say it!" he shouted, index fingers extended in the "One Way" salute.

"One God! One Christ! One Spirit! One body!" the people roared back, their hands mimicking his.

"You may sit. I'm reading from `The Book.' The Lord's words, as recorded in John's gospel, chapter 17, verse 11: `Now I am leaving the world, and leaving them behind, and coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your own care - those you have given me - so that they will be united just as we are, with none missing.'

"These words are part of what many theologians consider to be the High Priestly Prayer of Christ. It was prayed shortly before His crucifixion. It's a prayer for the embryo Church. In its timing can be seen the priority the Lord attached to the unity of his Church. It was among his very last concerns before his death. He gave it highest priority.

"Jesus was returning to the Father. He was leaving the embryo Church behind in the world. In verse 13, He voices his concern of the world's hatred for the Church because the Church does not `fit in with it . . . .' He was aware of Satan's power -- a power to corrupt the Church by strife and divisions. These sins in the Church are a symptom of its immaturity.

"In describing a church torn by divisions, the King James Bible uses the word `carnal.' It's a term employed by the great Apostle Paul to define our condition when we permit sin to dominate our lives. Because of the strife and divisions in the Corinthian church, Paul rebuked it for its carnality. You may read it for yourselves in that ancient translation, in the beginning chapters of the first letter to the Corinthians. Paul said harsh things about the Church and divisions.

"I conclude these few remarks with these thoughts: The Scriptures call Satan `the god of this world.' He is the god of divisions. He divided the angels of heaven through his rebellious pride. He divided man from God through his insidious lies. He divided man from the paradise of Eden through his beguiling deceit. He divided the people of earth by fostering opposing religions. Moreover, he divided the Church from itself through the carnality of schisms.

"However, the Heavenly Father is uniting the Church in our generation. He desires the unity of all religions! He is in the process of answering the request His Son has made for us to be one. Yes! It's true! In His High Priestly Prayer, Jesus prayed for the Church of our century! It's a request recorded in the third chapter of John's Gospel, verses 21 and 22. `I am not praying for these [His Apostles] alone but also for the future believers who will come to me because of the testimony of these. My prayer for all of them is that they will be of one heart and mind, just as you and I are, Father - that just as you are
in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe that you sent me.'

"So the Father -- by His Spirit -- is healing our schisms through the curative virtues of His Fresh Wine. Through the Fresh Wine revival sent upon our generation, the Body of Christ is drawing together again. The Church is being healed! Its strength is increasing! And, with this restored strength, its power is restored! It's a power to perform exploits -- to serve as the catalyst for the unity of all religions, and by this, to claim the kingdoms of this world for Christ! As Jesus has said, the indivisible oneness believers possess among themselves and with the Godhead, demonstrates to the world that the Father has sent His Son to us."

Darnel ended his sermon. He gave the benediction, and the service concluded.

Viewed 472 times