Bishop Sullivan B. Kirk, a charismatic and wildly popular church leader, is challenged beyond the comfort zone of his well-ordered and successful lifestyle when two young boys, a vengeful father, and the transparency of truth all converge to bring Babylon to his doorstep.
After years of successfully providing educational and recreational programs for numerous underprivileged pre-teen and teenage boys, the secrets, lies and deceptions that Bishop Sullivan B. Kirk has worked hard to shield from everyone, is now about to destroy his well-ordered and successful lifestyle; and, possibly, land him in jail. Two of his most trusted young followers, now of the age of consent, have come forth to announce that they have been sexually abused by Bishop Kirk since they were young boys in the Bishop’s care. And they have hired one of the city’s most formidable attorneys to sue the Bishop for a huge amount of punitive and financial damages.
Jabazz Williams, a senior youth leader and paid employee of Bishop Kirk’s Walking in Faith Church, and Antwan Graham, his best friend, have recently been cast aside by the Bishop in favor of younger boys. They can’t get the Bishop to return their phone calls; he refuses to have anything more to do with them, and they are angry. Together, they agree that it is time to “bring the Bishop down.” After all, they have been with the Bishop since they were five or six years old; and they know what the Bishop has been up to, then and now. Lately, they have come to see the Bishop for who and what he really is---a pedophile.
Charismatic and popular, Bishop Kirk is head of one of Atlanta’s largest and most successful Black churches; and he is not about to allow his young accusers to bring down his empire and ruin his name and reputation. But what the Bishop does not know is that others are beginning to suspect the same truth about him; including Josh Crenshaw, owner of Titan Arms Security, the firm that provides personal bodyguard and protective services to the Bishop. Josh’s best friend and business partner, Devon Spencer, is even more committed to blowing the whistle on the Bishop, even if it means the potential loss of the services contract with the Bishop; or of jeopardizing his relationship with Josh.
For nearly ten years, Josh Crenshaw has quietly managed to look the other way in order to maintain his lucrative contractual obligations as head of security, as well as his loyalty to the Bishop. But, lately, sparked by his fiancée Wendy’s concerns about the rumors swirling around the Bishop’s activities with young boys, Josh is becoming increasingly concerned that what he knows might place his personal integrity at risk; not to mention the possible legal ramifications that could ensue.
Devon Spencer, on the other hand, possesses no conflicts about his willingness to see justice done by blowing the whistle on Bishop Kirk. So he offers his support to Jabazz and Antwan, and the stage is set for a confrontation that threatens to involve the entire Black community of Atlanta. Along with Darryl Sawyer, another former favorite of the Bishop, the four of them present their case to Attorney Judy Goldberg, and the stage is set for a potentially dirty and vehement confrontation.
Once the matter is settled, Jabazz’ estranged father, consumed with guilt for abandoning Jabazz and his mother when his son was a baby, vows to avenge his son’s treatment at the hands of the Bishop; plotting to take matters into his own hands. In his drug-induced state, he sets out to confront the Bishop, in what may prove to be a lethal and inevitable climax.
DISCLAIMER: This book is based on some true events, however, has been fictionalized and all persons appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real people, living or dead is entirely coincidental.
Excerpt from THE BISHOP by Patricia Pope
Wendy one of the female characters in the novel has come to a crossroad in her life where she has run out of options!
She promised Jesus and all the saints that if she could survive this deadly sin, she would turn her life around forever. She promised that she would make a choice and stand by that choice under all circumstances. That choice would be God. She needed just one more chance. A chance to stand.
The fourth week of fasting from drugs, food and praying, she opened her email and the results of her HIV test stated: negative. One other line warning her to be tested again in six months seemed irreverent but she understood to be necessary. She sensed the tender voice of Jesus as she had not experienced before and a realization that held her steadfast.
The Holy Spirit touches the heart and the mind, the spirit and the soul of those called. No man, no demon or any form of command can change that or control God's will. Falling to her knees for a second time, she thanked him for replacing her fear with faith. She went into drug rehab that afternoon. Because it was her third trip to rehab, she was placed on the outer perimeter somewhere near London's mountain range in a therapeutic community.
http://patriciapope.com/thebishop/readmore/#.U9w5pWNZhAc
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© 2014 All rights reserved. Book excerpt reprinted by permission of Dwan Abrams on behalf of Patricia Pope, the author. Do not reproduce, copy or use without the author's written permission. This excerpt is used for promotional purposes only.
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Meet the Author
Patricia G. Pope is an award-winning author, featured speaker, and celebrated freelance journalist.
A sought after speaker, Patricia was referred to as a “younger Maya Angelou,” during a book signing and a CBS affiliated filming in Harrisburg, PA. She responded by stating “Having my name in the same sentence with Maya Angelou is all-inspiring. Maya Angelou is of royalty in the literary world and the world of humanity.”
Patricia is the holder of many awards and medals with a degree in Drug Management and Supervision. She studied drama in Los Angeles, CA including a two year stint with Jed Horner at Screens Gems. She is a retired Federal employee and is noteworthy as the first black, female, minority to be promoted within the ranks of the Public Safety Service. She views writing as her “go to” stress reliever.
“Colored Waiting Room”, which deals with the conflict of a Black female entangled with the good ole boy system in rural East Tennessee, is an award wining novel and has received rave reviews. A second novel, “The Bishop”, recently released, examines misconduct and misconceptions within the wall of modern day churches. Both novels have been optioned for major movies with “Colored Waiting Room” currently in development.
Awards: Mary Walker Foundations Image Award, Forensic Award, Black History Month Honoree, Bessie Smith Foundation Honoree, Operation Push Honoree, Honoree of Positive Minds Book Club, Honoree of Friends of Black Children
Patricia G. Pope Contact Info
http://www.patriciapope.com
http://thebishopthebook.com
http://coloredwaitingroom.com
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Reference: The Bishop
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