the church story

“anybody home ?”

“Andy are you ready?”

Someone was at the door.

Andy was still enjoying his sleep when he heard his friend’s voice.

“I never wake o” Andy replied as and took a quick look at the circular wall clock hanging on the left wall of the rented one bedroom flat he just packed into.

The time was 9:47 a.m.

Empty bottles of his favourite kind of liquid-star beer, was scattered around  the red rubber carpet in the room like toys in a baby’s room.

He'd had a wild time the night before and was suffering from a hangover.

Few minutes later , he reluctantly forced himself off the bed and walked over to the door. He opened the door and let Obi in.

Obi was Andy’s next door neighbor who had made it his duty to bring Andy to the lord. He had a long talk with Andy the night before and had invited him to worship in church the next day.

“are you not coming again” Obi asked as he looked around the room and shook his head.          

Andy looked up at Obi with a surprise expression on his face.

“to where ?”

“to church “ obi answered.

“I don’t think I can make it “ Andy retorted .

“but you promised you would today”

For the next 10 minutes Obi had to beg , cajole and say all sorts of things to persuade Andy to come with him.

Finally Obi won.

Andy got up and went into his bathroom to shower.

12 minutes later he was dressed up and ready to head out to church.

Andy had not been to church in the last 2 years. He always argued that churches had become business premises. He called the pastors CEOs and the members marketers.

As he sat down with Obi in the tricycle heading to church he hoped what happened 2 years would not repeat itself today in church.

They got to the church around 10:32 a.m.

Too late.

They had missed Sunday school.

They were both ushered to sit 4 rows from the last seat in the back of the church. Up on the pulpit the choir members, adorned in their purple robes were ministering . Their robes reminded Andy of the matriculation ceremony he did a few months ago.

He surveyed the church with his eyes.

It was filled with more young people than elderly people. The colourfully dressed members of the congregation shook their heads to the song that was rendered by the choir.

He started nodding his.

Obi looked at Andy .

A wide smile appeared on his face . He was about to win a soul.

Minutes after the choir ministration, the pastor of the church came to the pulpit where he introduced a guess pastor who had come from another church.

Pastor James walked up the pulpit and got the mic.

He was a young handsome man. Well dressed and looked like something straight out of a GQ magazine.

He said a short prayer and introduced the sermon for the day.

Andy listened attentively to the sermon to the end. It was about the story of Abraham.

Soon after the message it was time for offering.

“if you want to get Abraham blessings you need to make Abrahams sacrifice”.

The pastor said softly like he was talking to his wife.

“Those with N100 000 to give to God ,please get up on your feet for special prayers” he added.

The church went silent like a graveyard.

Nobody stood up.

After what seemed like forever.

Andy stood on his feet and looked around the congregation.

Obi could not believe it .

Not only was Andy in church ,he was about to make a donation.

Wow. He thought .

Even members of church looked backed and wondered who the next comer was. The new comer that was about to save them from the embarrassment of the new pastor.

Andy walked out of the church and headed home.