Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. (2022) Movie Script

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Every woman is not built for
the great responsibility
of being a first lady.
Lee-Curtis and I...
we're just gonna get
to the other side.
Always, we're gonna get
to the other side.
You know...
Have you ever seen a rat
go from the inside of a house
to the outside of a house?
They chew through.
So we're-we're gonna gnaw
through the hardest parts.
I mean, not that
we're rats, obviously,
but just that tenacity.
So that's good. You can cut.
Now, ever since
I can remember
I been poppin' my collar
Poppin', poppin' my collar,
poppin', poppin' my collar
Now, ever since
I can remember
I been workin' these hos
And they better put my money
in my hand, in my hand
Now, ever since
I can remember
I been poppin' my collar
Poppin',
poppin' my collar...
God favors those who favor him,
both spiritually and physically.
I mean, check me out.
Don't it look like
I been favoring the Lord?
Pastor Lee-Curtis Childs
and wife
First Lady Trinitie Childs
together have donated
enough money
to pay off the entire debt
of the county.-Praise Jesus!
God loves those who worship him.
You know that Rolls-Royce
out there in the parking lot?
I didn't buy that.
The helicopter?
It's not really mine, no.
All of these wonderful things
are because I worked hard
and invested in God!
Pastor
Lee-Curtis Childs is letting
both the mayor and the governor
host their fundraisers
at his megachurch.
The new learning center
at Wander to Greater Paths
Baptist Church
helmed by First Lady Trinitie
Childs promises to bring
quality education
to underserved communities.
I love my faithful daughters
and my spiritual sons!
And I am devoted to y'all.
Every last one of you.
And with that same devotion,
you, too, can be prosperous.
You, too, can be blessed!
Amen!
Pastor Childs!
Pastor Childs,
are the allegations true?
- Sir!
- No comment.
First Lady,
do you have any comment?
A little space, please.
Thank you very much.
First Lady Childs,
will you stay?
Maybe I should
dip into the Old Testament
a bit more.
Mm. Mm-hmm.
I like some of
the Old Testament.
It's got rigor.
Could be good for our new look.
Straddling the new and the old.
I could perfect
a good powerful straddle,
don't you think?
Uh, baby.
Uh, scraping.
That's Memaw's china.
Something on your mind?
Mm.
We just have a big day
ahead of us, that's all.
It's about the cameras.
And you're nervous.
- Don't be.
- It's just making sure
that this doesn't end up
poorly for us.
Anita Bonet is
a renowned filmmaker.
- I've never heard of her.
- Come on, now.
She done won awards.
Be all up and through
them film festivals.
Okay. Well...
This is gonna chronicle
the ultimate comeback.
This Easter is our revival.
Our renaissance.
We winners, baby.
You married a winner.
And that's all I intend to do.
Hey, I'm Rocky up in this fight.
Rocky didn't win.
How's that, now?
Well, he-he went the distance,
you know, the whole 15 rounds
against Apollo Creed,
but he didn't...
he didn't actually win.
All right.
But he did win in Rocky II.
Lord, baby, how many times
I got to tell you?
Get past the first movie.
That one's all setup!
Lord have mercy.
Jesus, they're here.
Mm.
Mm.
We're doing this.
Showtime.
This has
been our place of ministry for,
whew, well,
almost nine years now.
You know, we-we started out
small but just grew like weeds.
- Didn't it, hon?
- Sure did.
And before long,
we had all this.
That's all through the
blessings of the Lord, though.
26,000 members
every single Sunday!
It was a sight to see.
Mm-hmm. Yes, it was.
Now, I'm telling y'all,
you should have seen this place
when it was jumping.
Course, it hasn't looked like
that for a while, obviously.
No. No.
But we gonna get that all back.
Oh, yeah, we will.
Have this place looking all...
Oh.
- Shit. Shit!
- Oh. Oh, boy.
- Oh, my goodness.
- Now, how in the good Lord's
lush green earth is anybody
supposed to take me... -Okay.
And the resurrection
of my church seriously if I...
- It... Yes.
- These are Fianos!
Those are... that's an Italian brand.
- Sorry.
- So...
- Uh, we can edit around that,
- right, Anita?
- Yeah.
- Can she hear?
- I don't know.
Anita!
Ah. That's right.
Y'all the fly-on-the-walls type?
They're not gonna talk back
to you, baby.
That's not how they do this.
Okay.
Y'all got to excuse
my unholy language back there.
- Yes, yes.
- I just...
Yes. I would've got mad at that, too.
- Whoo.
Even, uh, Jesus lost it
in the temple that day.
It probably was gum
in the temple, too.
Okay, strength of the Lord.
Won't he do it?
- All the time.
- Won't he do it?
All the time.
Oh. Okay.
Uh, over there is
our creative arts center.
They ain't ready. Come on.
That's where our world-renowned
dance ministries rehearse.
We got hip-hop.
We got ribbon twirling.
- Miming.
- Right in there.
Now, have y'all ever seen
praise miming?
'Cause we do it all the time
here, right, Trin?
- Uh-oh.
- Ooh, boy!
Uh, y'all l-look
at the railings?
You know, we like to keep
a few options here
on the church's campus.
Never know when you're
gonna need something. -Yeah.
This one time, a White House
correspondent stopped by...
Oh. -...and I had on
something fantastic.
- Yes. Yeah.
- It was a pinstripe.
But...
do pinstripes evoke
matters of state? No, no.
Luckily, we had all this here
to switch it up.
- Mm-hmm.
- And this is just as important
- as any White House visit.
- Yeah, yeah.
- All right?
- Ab... Yeah, absolutely.
So, uh, what are you
thinking, hon?
What is calling you
for our first Sunday back?
None of these.
- Mm-mm. Nothing in here.
- No?
See, our first Sunday back
is Easter Sunday,
- and that... right?
- Yeah, yeah.
That deserves something special.
Something new.
- Uh, yeah.
- Yeah.
- You-you sure? Nothing in here?
- May I?
I'm gonna tell you what I'm thinking.
- Oh. Okay.
I'm thinking Prada.
- Right?
- Mm.
There is...
I'm t... I'm telling you,
there is just something about
a pastor in Prada.
It just... it gives you chills.
Well, I have been blessed
with some beautiful Prada.
What you think?
- Uh, purple Prada?
- Hmm. I like the color.
You know what?
We don't want to go
too extravagant.
Yeah, we want people
to really see us,
look deep into our souls,
and I don't think you quite
get there with the purple.
This is nice, too.
Y'all can get...
- That's cute!
- Yeah, it's real cute.
- Oh, my goodness. I like it.
- I like it. I like it.
- I like that, too. I like it.
- I like that. Come on, now.
- Oh, you got the peach Prada.
- I got the peach Prada.
- The periwinkle Prada.
- The periwinkle Prada.
- The pearl Prada.
- Pearl Prada. We got a...
Lord have mercy.
I got a pearl...
Look at him. Look at him!
Some
people think it's excessive.
My old deacon board.
They get so riled up about
some of these divine additions.
And it just got, uh...
unmanageable.
I prayed on it, though.
And God eventually told me
to just be free.
See, the Lord revealed
unto Lee-Curtis that deacons,
well, they just... they didn't
work for our ministry.
- Mm, you know what he told me?
- Hmm.
He told me that I needed to be
rid of such an ungodly
governmental structure.
Yeah, yeah.
That-that was a quote, too.
Because what good are disciples
if they are undisciplined?
It's not to worry, though.
It's, uh, just
a slight unpleasantness.
All a thing of the past.
And now look.
Now we've been blessed
with an indoor fountain.
- Yeah.
- Baby.
Baby, go turn the fountain on for me.
- Oh. Yes.
Sorry. Excuse me.
- Wait till you see it.
- Here we go. Here we go.
Mm.
Mm.
What you think? Come here.
Mm.
- Give them the finger.
- Okay.
- Bang.
- Oh, right here.
- Smile. Smile.
- Mm-hmm. Okay.
All right,
caller, you're on the air
with LT and Jamila
here on WRX 104.
And we're about to get into
this whole Wander to
Greater Paths situation.
What are some of your thoughts?
I mean, I'm really
hoping they open back up.
Pastor Childs and his sermons
were the reason
I got my shit together
and stopped running numbers and
dedicated my life to Christ.
Ooh, and if they looking
to put folks in the movie,
I just want to say
that I act and sing.
I do hair. I could do...
Prominent megachurch pastor
Lee-Curtis Childs faces
allegations of
sexual misconduct.
He maintains that
all the allegations
against him are false.
Criminal charges are not
a part of the discussion, but
a settlement is on the table,
with many speculating
the payoffs have begun.
Niggas keep shouting
"victim this, victim that."
Ain't no motherfucking victims.
Y'all tell me.
The pastor break the law?
No? A'ight, then.
As a result of the allegations,
Trinitie Childs, the first lady
of the Baptist church,
has been mum
but has stuck by her husband.
What I don't get is his wife.
How could she not know?
How could she stand
being with a man like that?
Ugh. Just makes my skin crawl.
Please.
A little space. Thank you.
Do you have any comment?
No comment?
Although we're both pastors
at Heaven's House,
the Pastor and First Lady Childs
have been a huge inspiration
for us,
as up-and-coming
church leaders, of course.
But also as-as a couple
covered under the Lord.
- It's just...
- Uh...
It's so sticky.
- So sticky.
- This situation.
But we only pray for the best
- for everyone involved.
- Mm-hmm.
And prayer works, y'all.
When all this was
first going down,
I prayed that
the first lady would
un-file those divorce papers
she served the pastor.
And look what the Lord did.
Kept those two beautiful souls
together.
That is a silver lining
if ever there was one.
That and
our congregation growth.
Now, not that we wish
anyone's downfall... -No.
But the fact that these
souls had another church home
to go to
for the good Word of God,
- that is also a blessing.
- Amen.
'Cause we want to help heal
this community. -
- Right?
- Yes.
And-and I just hope
that the Lord will see everyone
through this, uh, absolute
landfill of a circumstance.
- We could only hope...
- Mm.
To achieve
that sanctified success
that Wander
to Greater Paths has.
One of these days, huh?
One of these days, huh?
One of these days
- One of these days
- One of these days
- One of these days
- One of these days
Hey, did-did y'all find,
um, parking okay?
'Cause we had to add
a little, um,
overflow section
to the parking lot recently.
You did?
Okay. All right. Wonderful.
- One of these days
- One of these days.
Um...
let me tell you something
about the devil.
He'll creep up on you
and just crawl his way into
your life and under your skin
like a...
roach under the floorboards.
He'll hold on tight, too.
Uh, look.
Look.
- We've prayed. Okay?
- We have.
We-we-we are past this stage
in our lives now.
Now we are here.
- Right here.
- Yes.
And, uh, ready
to get back to just
- doing good Christian work.
- Mm.
Anyways, so we got
some good people outside
waiting to come in and meet y'all.
- Yeah.
They are...
our real followers.
- Yeah.
- Mm-hmm.
They stuck by us.
Even with all the awfulness
- that-that folks was conjuring.
- Yeah.
And they're gonna be
sanctified witnesses
to what you all
are about to see.
Oh, we're here
because we want to be.
When I was coming up
through the church,
you didn't just up and leave
your place of worship
because of any old thing.
Mm-mm.
Besides, wasn't nothing
even confirmed.
I bet this whole talk
of a settlement
is just to get the thing
good and over with.
I don't think that you're posing
the right questions here,
my beautiful sister.
When will we,
as a Christian culture,
realize that
we got it all wrong?
Pastor Childs is just
ahead of his time.
He's a visionary.
Well, little Aria here
only likes a few things.
That's paintball guns,
real guns, church
and that TV show
where the little animals talk
in the high-pitched voices.
Once you weigh everything out,
church was the least taxing,
so we try to do it
as much as we can.
Don't we, little Aria?
Come back down here.
Now, let me tell you something.
The church I came up at
when I was a little girl,
the musical director
was found out
to be in one of
those sex groups.
You know, those, um, um...
- Orgies.
- Uh, yup. Mm-hmm.
And-and not just
the regular ones.
Had him crawling round
on all fours,
pretending he was
a horse and such.
You know what the elders did?
They kept him.
His service had done
more for our church
than just any old discretions
could soil.
Pastor Childs' word saves folks.
And you don't just go
replacing somebody
with the spirit of the Lord
in him like that.
A lot of the former
WTGP members ran right on over
to Heaven's House
with Pastor and Pastor Sumpter.
- I just don't think...
- Excuse me?
The, uh, Sumpters, did you say?
He has so much love.
It's just about written in the
Bible that he should spread it
as far and wide as he can.
Now, to whom it spreads to...
well, that's gonna require
our deepest prayers.
But he'll get right.
I believe him.
You know what, let me just go
spruce myself up a bit,
then we can really get
this thing started off right.
Y'all just give me one moment.
Gonna get my good jacket.
Oh, my goodness.
Um, Anita, can we...
Can you cut for a sec?
I just want to clarify some
things before we...
before we get started,
just make sure
that we're working towards
the same goal.
Okay?
You know, it's, uh, well...
Lee-Curtis is working
so, so hard.
So hard.
And so am I, you know?
You-you...
You got to be strong
to be a first lady.
Smart. Uh...
Diligent. Uh, uh...
It's-it's real mental
and psychological gymnastics.
And, um...
well...
The pastor may be
the-the head and face
of a congregation, but...
the neck and-and the spine,
the-the...
the structure?
That is all the first lady.
And so...
I just need to make sure
that we are structurally sound.
Okay, Anita?
I-I... I need to know that
we're on the same team.
That we want to make
a great film because... -Hey.
Well, because that's what
we want to make. -Hey, hey.
Hey, hey, hey.
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
Baby. Baby! Come on, now.
I already told you that
these are good people.
Yes. Yes. Yes.
They only care about
what the world cares about.
And what the world cares about
is a man of God
back and better than ever
as a new and improved preacher.
- Ain't that right, y'all?
- Mm-hmm.
Uh, so like I said...
we got some good people outside
waiting to come in
and meet y'all.
- Oh, boy.
- Mm-hmm.
You there.
Yeah, with
the big old microphone.
Come in closer, son.
- No, no, that's...
- It's okay.
- Closer. Come on, son.
- I think that's good.
Right there. -You gonna want
to hear all of this. All right?
Yeah. -They gonna want
to hear all of this.
Everybody can hear.
All right, everyone.
I've gathered you here today...
- Mm.
To culminate
the first day of my rebirth
the right way.
I am new.
Mm.
And I will submit my newness
right here in front of you
and in the eyes of the Lord.
But first...
you gonna see
what all the fuss is about.
- Showtime!
- Oh. Uh-oh.
Come here.
- No, no, no.
- No, no. I just...
I'm just trying to see
if I can get a rise out of her.
- No. No.
- Hey, now!
Today's word.
Restraint
in the name of the Lord.
Now, who here can name
an instance from the Bible
where the lack of restraint
was punished?
Little Aria, go ahead, baby.
Um, well, um,
in my last class, we, um,
learned about Adam and Eve.
And they were bad because
they didn't listen to God.
That's right, sweetheart.
Look at you making your way
in a grown-up service.
This little baby is right on it.
Mm. Did Eve show restraint,
little Aria?
No, Pastor Childs.
Did she ignore God's graces
and allow herself to be swayed
by temptation?
Yes, sir, Pastor Childs.
Yes, sir. -Ooh.
Women!
The "wo-man."
The birther of the original sin.
But you have the blessing
of restraint deep within you.
- Can I get an amen?
- Amen!
But
you're gonna need to suit up,
because the journey
to holy restraint is a battle.
- Right.
- And to win that battle,
you gonna need every tool
that you can think of. -Praise!
You gonna need
the sword of the Spirit
to cut through evil!
You gonna need the shield
of faith to keep the devil
from penetrating your soul!
But you got to bring yourself
to our Lord and Savior
in order to receive them.
Yes.
Are you ready
for your blessings, baby?
I want all my blessings!
Then come get 'em. Ooh.
Oh, Jesus!
Hallelujah.
Bless this child.
Praise you, Jesus.
I know he's all right
- Oh, yes, yes!
- Yes, God.
I know he's all right
- Thank you, Lord Jesus.
- Praise him, baby.
Yes, praise him.
Lord, God Almighty.
Yes, Lord! Yes, God!
Come on!
I love the theater.
Yes, Lord God.
Mm.
I feel you in me.
I feel you deep within me.
Hallelujah.
You know what you were
pushing me to be.
To be the best possible version
of myself that I can be.
You're pushing me
to be brand-new.
To be brand-new!
I have been
crucified with Christ,
and I no longer live.
But Christ lives in me.
The life I now live
in the body, I live by faith
- in the Son of God...
- Whoo.
It's chilly.
Who loved me
and gave himself for me.
Lord, we come to you
on this glorious day.
Allow us to stay strong
and know that when man falters,
- God stays steady and sure.
- Yes. Yes, God.
Buried with him
in the likeness of his death.
Raised with him in the likeness
of his resurrection
to walk in the newness of life.
Yes, Lord.
Yes, Jesus.
Oh, God. Yes. Yes, God.
- Hallelujah!
- Praise!
Saved...
Saved again.
- Hallelujah! Thank you.
- Hallelujah! -Praise!
Saved again!
Hear us, Lord. Thank you, Lord.
In Jesus's name we pray.
- "Ay-men!"
- "Ah-men!"
- Now, I thought we said...
- No.
No, no, no. No. Uh...
We agreed, remember?
We agreed that "ah-men"
was a little... -
No, but I just think we got to
keep up with the times. Right?
And all the people that's hot
and popping on the Internet,
- they say the "ay-men."
- Okay.
Remember,
we are on the same page.
- Yeah. Yes, we are.
- Okay? Right.
- Of course we are. Yeah.
- Yeah. Okay, okay.
Uh, Anita, we're gonna take
that last part, uh,
one more time, okay?
Everyone, we're gonna take
that last part one more time!
Okay.
In Jesus's name we pray.
- "Ay-men!"
- "Ah-men!"
Knuck if you buck, boy
- Crime Mob, ho
- Knuck if you buck, boy
- Knuck if you buck, boy
- Crime Mob, ho
Knuck if you buck, boy
- Knuck if you buck, boy
- Yeah
Knuck if you buck, boy
- Get around
- Knuck
It's going down
Yeah, well, I'm a gat totin'
Pistol holdin' nigga
on yo' damn street
Stompin', jumpin', bumpin'
And we crunk
off in this damn thing
Throwin' them bows
up at these hos
They screamin',
they bleedin' from they nose
But when we start to swing
We make them niggas
hit the flo'
Ain't no game
off in this thing
We be deep off in yo' party
Crime Mob niggas
gettin' started
Ellenwood niggas
is the hardest
So if a nigga come and run
they mouth just like a ho
Punch 'em dead
up in his nose
And stomp his ass
down to the flo'
Yeah, we knuckin'
and buckin'
And ready to fight
I betcha
I'm-a throw them things
So haters best
to think twice
See, me, I ain't
nothin' nice -
And Crime Mob,
it ain't no stoppin'
They be like
Saddam Hussein, Hitler
And Osama bin Laden
Now they steady gun poppin'
and I am actin' a fool
I wish a hater
would get crunk
Up on this Crime Mob crew
Now enough is enough, boy
Rough and get stuffed, boy
Luck is a must, boy
Knuck if you buck, boy
Knuck if you buck, boy
Knuck if you buck...
Knuck if you buck, boy
Knuck if you buck, boy,
knuck if you buck, boy
Knuck if you buck,
boy, knuck...
They used to be so...
midsized.
So average.
I never noticed
how young they are.
Shit.
They gonna take everyone.
They gonna take 'em all.
I did feel the Lord
in your word today, Lee-Curtis.
- You love God?
- Yes.
Is he deep in your spirit, baby?
- Yes.
- Do you feel him?
I need to feel him.
Please let me feel him.
Wait. Wait, wait, wait.
- What? What?
- Wait.
I just...
I thought we were gonna...
You what? What?
Well, I just...
I thought we might,
we might try it
the regular way tonight.
- Yeah, okay. Okay. Come on.
- Okay. Yeah.
Come on.
Okay.
Oh, that's nice.
Right there. Oh, right there.
I'm there.
Yes. Right there.
- I'm there. I'm in there.
- Right there.
Wait.
Oh, I love you.
Are you, are you, are you,
are you all the way in?
- I'm there. I'm there.
- Are you...
It's just... I just got...
Well, just... hold on.
Just give me a second.
Okay. It's okay. Okay.
- Come on.
- All right.
- Can I help?
- Not yet.
Come on, please. Please.
Okay. Okay.
- Hey, uh...
- It's okay.
- Can we, um...
- Yeah?
Can you just, can you just
do the other thing?
Please, baby.
I-I really need you
to help me out here.
Yeah, baby.
Of course.
Thank you, God.
Y'all want to know
where God has really blessed me?
Where I'm the richest
and the most prosperous?
Not that I'm not
eternally grateful
for the jets and the cars
and the designer suits.
But where God has really
showed out his blessings
- is in my marriage...
- Uh-huh.
To my wonderful wife.
Now, I...
I have to be honest.
Marriage is hard.
It's work.
It is the only thing in my life
that I've been blessed with
that requires true energy
to sustain.
But it is, without a shadow
of a doubt, a blessing.
Yes!
Man is made for woman,
woman is made for man,
and it is a beautiful thing.
And it is written
and it's the Word of God.
Now, what is not beautiful
and what is not
made out of God's love
is the homosexual agenda.
It disregards,
it disrespects,
and it devalues the marriage
I work so hard for every day.
And not just mine.
Yours.
And yours.
And yours. And yours.
And yours.
Speak on it, Pastor!
It is man and woman
and marriage.
That is the only way
to prosperity.
And that is the only way
into the kingdom of God.
Take it from me.
I am the prophet
with the beautiful wife
and the gorgeous Bugatti.
So you just got to get it close
to the scalp,
like as tight as possible.
And then this beauty here
goes on like so.
And voil.
This the style
the church ladies like to get.
It's got to be slick
and laid to fit
all the adornments on top.
Because if there's one thing
those church ladies love,
it's a good hat.
We're gonna be all right...
Sanctuary!
In the church,
we have this saying:
"Come as you are."
But, you know, that-that's
mostly sentiment, of course.
Sure, you could just,
I guess, roll out of bed
and come praise the Lord
in your T-shirt and flip-flops,
I guess.
But we also have another saying:
"God don't like ugly."
Whoo!
Whoo-hoo-hoo!
Do you see this, Anita?
It's like a work of art.
Don't you think?
Oh, my God. What is...
Ooh.
What is this?
Mm.
Come here, Anita.
Go ahead. Touch this.
This is crystal beading
and spider silk.
A combination like this is...
it is holy and sexy all at once.
Imagine.
Wait a minute.
Isn't it the most remarkable
thing you've ever seen?
The first lady comes in here
a lot these days. Mm-hmm.
It's a rough spot to be in.
But, whoo, these men...
They'll do it to you,
won't they?
Chew you up, spit you out,
and then curse you
for not giving them
enough nutrients.
That woman deserves
every hat in the store.
Uh...
Would you just, uh...
would you excuse me?
Thank you.
Uh, no, no, no.
Uh, I-I think we're good here.
Okay, we've-we've got...
we've got enough.
Anita...
I said we are done.
All right?
God bless. Thank you.
Word on the street is that
this Wander to Greater Paths
lawsuit is closing in.
And it's got the streets shook.
What's going on, caller?
Yeah, they were young,
but they were adults.
Uh, they agreed to doing
all that shit. Right?
These niggas was what,
like 18, 19, 20?
That's grown as hell.
This ain't even like that mess
with the priests and stuff
you be hearing about.
Those be actual, factual kids,
you know what I'm saying?
I don't believe the pastor did
none of that such shit
with them niggas.
Every time a Black man
get some power,
here come folks
trying to tear him down.
It's a damn shame.
Mm. The way I see it,
the first lady is doing
what she needs to do.
That's grown woman stuff
right there.
That lady right there is strong.
Y'all waited for me?
I thought I said
you could just...
You know what? It's fine.
I just had to finish
some last-minute shopping...
Girl stuff... and I just did not
think that you all would even
- be interested, so I...
- First Lady?
First Lady.
Sister Denetta.
How are you?
Oh, look at you.
Look at you.
Oh, bless your heart.
Look at you.
And bless, also, your own heart.
And they are?
Oh, well, we're just
documenting this time
in our lives.
Me and Lee-Curtis, obviously,
with, uh, you know,
building our church back up
and working towards our
first service back this Easter.
- Easter, you say?
- Mm-hmm.
That's so crazy.
You know that's when
the Sumpters are opening up
their new Heaven's House
location, right?
- The Sumpters?
- Mm-hmm.
- Really?
- Mm.
- This Easter?
- Mm-hmm. Yes.
Of course,
this might make things
a little more complicated
for y'all.
Well, anyway,
you just keep on praying.
And I'm sure
plenty of the old congregation
will come right on back through
good old
Wander to Greater Paths' doors.
Well, that is for sure.
I know they will. Yes.
But you won't, though.
Right? You and your family?
Word is that y'all done...
y'all done went and got
yourselves a new church home.
Oh, well, sweetie, I had to.
You know I do career counseling
at the community college.
- Mm.
- It just wouldn't look right.
You understand.
- Hmm?
- Mm-hmm. Yes.
No, I understand.
Of course I understand.
But prayers up for y'all.
Prayers up.
- You so hood.
- I keep it real.
No, look. Ghetto thing.
Well, I got to get going.
- You have a blessed one.
- Oh, my goodness.
- And you have a blessed...
- Okay.
Look, you don't get to pick
how the devil torments you.
You see what I'm saying?
Now, I volunteered
for this, right?
I chose for y'all
to come down here to truly see
and to show the world
what I'm really about.
And I promise to God,
this is who I am.
You know?
I did not hurt anybody.
No, no, no, no.
Hurt? Nobody was hurt
with me or by me.
If anything,
I was too warm, okay?
Was too generous.
You know, part of this whole
thing that I remain proud of...
And I will not budge on this...
Is that I did mentor
those individuals
who are all now
so, uh, bothered.
I was a light and
a guiding force in their lives.
That's all that was.
It was me being a giver.
I'm a sinner.
Okay?
Like any other human being.
But, uh...
I'm no, uh... pervert.
I'm no criminal.
A sinner, yes.
But all that other
horrible, awful stuff? No.
You can check the facts on that.
I am not a criminal.
That's not me.
I, uh...
Just one moment.
This is Lee-Curtis Childs,
pastor of Wander
to Greater Paths Baptist.
Sh... Uh, yeah.
Gary, yeah, we can,
we can discuss it now.
Anita, I'm gonna need y'all
to give me
a little bit of privacy
here for a sec.
Just one sec, Gary.
Lee-Curtis, we need
to chat about something.
Uh, Anita, can you,
can you guys give us the room?
Uh, they're already on their way out.
- Good.
Uh, and I got Gary on the line, so...
- Oh, good, good.
Um, can you hold on
one sec there, Gary.
What is that?
That. What is, what is that?
Oh, you've never seen
a church hat before?
- Yeah.
- No, I just picked it up.
I thought it might be nice
for our first Sunday.
For somebody's
great-aunt Thomasina maybe.
I mean, come on, baby.
That is so not our style,
you know?
You gonna make us both
look... ol-old.
Right?
Hey, there's my beautiful girl.
Uh, hey, Gary, I got, uh,
Trinitie here, too, now
if that's better.
So, uh, so, um... Did you need
to say something to me?
Uh, uh, uh...
N-Not-not important right now.
Hmm.
All right.
Uh, so, uh, Anita,
I'm gonna need y'all
to skedaddle now, okay?
Thank you.
One second.
Uh-huh.
Yeah, Gary, we're both on.
Mm-hmm. -They don't know
how to act around it,
- you know what I'm saying?
- Mm.
Oh, well,
that's promising.
And-and what all do we owe,
to tie everything up nice and...
- Can you zoom? Can you...
- It says, "Stay humble."
Now, wait just a minute.
We've already shelled out...
This is strong-arm robbery.
I don't want
to shell out another...
Jesus fucking Christ!
Uh, let-let's not use
that language, Gary.
Not here. Okay?
These were not boys.
These were a group of adults
that made consenting decisions.
And you make sure that
that is in the paperwork, too.
Okay?
These folks are overcome
by demonic spirits.
And they're trying to make
their ways into your lives,
one evil step at a time.
Hold on, now.
You've only mentioned four.
So, wait, who's the,
who's-who's the holdout?
Just Khalil?
Well, if he won't take it,
then he won't take it.
All right, Gary.
Let's just do it.
Yes, yes, whatever
the amount is, we'll handle it.
We just can't have this burden
on us anymore, on our church.
For the love of God, let's
just do what we have to do.
'Kay, I just called a play,
I just called a play...
Oh, hell yeah.
Ball is everything, man.
Everything.
Since I learned
how to walk, on God.
And, you know,
being from around here,
man, all the leagues
started off in the churches.
Man, I shot my first three
on Wander to Greater Paths.
The courts are beautiful, man.
I used to hit 'em up
just to shoot around and stuff
on the weekends
when I went home.
Now... now I got
to find somewhere else to go.
So you enjoying your time here?
I mean, working with Anita
and the film
and doing the whole sound thing?
Yeah, it's solid.
You get to go to new places,
meet interesting people.
Interesting people.
Yeah, I bet.
Okay, all off. Whew.
That was a lot of tape.
Oh, boy.
Thanks for meeting me in here.
I get a little shy doing this
in front of the whole crew.
Ah, it's all good. All good.
Oh, uh, by the way,
I know I got a bit sensitive
the other day when
I kicked y'all out of there.
Um...
And I know
it's all about to come out
and Trin is gonna
want to kill me
for telling too soon, but, uh...
it's over.
I'm good.
I'm sorry. I don't, I don't...
Well, we, uh...
we-we've settled.
That's what that whole
phone call was about.
Uh, all parties
came to an agreement,
and, uh, that's it.
You know?
Put all that, uh,
rah-rah stuff to bed,
and, well, that's all she wrote.
I'm free.
The war is won.
Wow. That's...
that's g...
that's good for you.
Yeah. Thank you.
Wait, hold-hold on for a second.
How much you want to put
on this first shot?
Hmm?
Oh!
Man.
All right.
- Whoo!
- Oh.
Oh, nah, nah.
Nah, I'm no good. I'm no good.
All right. All right.
Well, rebound me, then.
There we go.
Cool job you got, man.
Working on a movie like this.
It's gonna be big, you know?
Uh...
Should be cool. Yeah.
Yeah. You're a lucky young man.
It's a phenomenal opportunity.
How old you got to be
to get a gig like this?
At least 19, 20 years old,
I'm thinking.
- I mean, yeah, probably.
- Yeah.
I'm 26.
Really, now?
Huh.
Hey, you know what I do
to stay looking fresh?
Strict shaving regimen.
Yes, sir.
I take off five years
when I trim up these whiskers.
Eight if my moisturizing
routine is tip-top.
Put you on game, son.
That's important
in your industry, isn't it?
The air of youth.
Uh, not really
on my side of things.
Yeah.
I could definitely put you on.
Hey, say,
when this movie is done
and the church is
back and booming,
you should come and do sound
for our audiovisual department.
That'd be real nice,
wouldn't it?
And then after that,
well, I-I know a lot of folks
in the industry.
I can make some calls.
Just for you, though.
I don't ordinarily do
that sort of thing.
Oh, that should...
that, you know,
that could be... cool.
Cool? Cool. Cool.
Mm.
So much scruff.
My boyfriend digs it, so...
Well, we can't convert them all.
Ain't that right?
Just getting off the mics.
I'm-I'm just...
I'm-a, I'm-a pack up my kit.
Uh-huh. Uh-huh.
It's good talking to you,
young man.
You let me know if I can do
anything for you, okay?
Hey.
Did you give him anything?
What?
No, I just offered
to help him with...
We just got robbed for
an obscene amount of money,
all for this to go away,
so we can't afford
for you to go back
to being your generous self
with people.
My God, we need peace,
so you can get back
in that pulpit and preaching...
and get me back on that stage.
Heaven's House is
opening its doors Easter.
Same as us.
What?
How do... uh, who says?
Uh...
Is this what you were trying
to tell me before
at the office when...?
Because surely you wouldn't
have kept something
like this from me.
Yeah?
Yeah.
I just found out myself today
when I, when I...
I booked my hair appointment
with Yvet.
- You know, that Yvet...
- Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
I mean, sh-she knows
everyone's business,
- and that's how I...
- Yeah.
Fuck!
Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!
- Got it all out?
- Yup.
Okay.
Well, good.
Let's go for a ride.
Okay, Mr. and Mrs.
Sullivan, you can come on in.
Oh, uh, Pastor Childs.
First Lady.
We were hoping
you might have a moment.
Well, I'm afraid we have
a slew of
marriage counseling sessions.
Oh, we won't be long, I'm sure.
And as for this lovely couple,
they already look like
forever to me.
Yes, they do.
Well, this is unexpected.
This is a pleasant surprise,
but it's unexpected.
It's a big commitment, marriage...
- Yeah.
But, um...
it always starts with
having God at the center.
That's how it lasts.
- Mm-hmm. -Right?
- I'm sorry.
- What's-what's that, now?
- Uh...
You did come
for marriage counseling?
We typically do newlyweds
or newly engaged. -Yeah.
But every so often,
we get a seasoned couple.
Sure.
No, that's not...
We don't, we don't need
counseling. Right? -Yes.
Oh, God. Yes. Yes. -We counsel
plenty of folks ourselves,
and believe me, uh,
we're not the kind of marriage
that's in need, so...
- Not at all.
- I see.
Then what can we do for you?
Well, Pastor Sumpter
and Pastor Sumpter.
No, it's your opening date
for your new location,
which is great, by the way.
Oh, it's so nice.
- Amen.
- We love it.
I mean, don't get me wrong.
This place is where we got started.
- Mm-hmm.
But Heaven House 2.0, ooh...
- It's gonna be amazing.
- Oh, I bet.
Ah, I bet.
And I am sure
that the Lord is gonna be
coursing right on up through
there when you open. -Oh, yeah.
It's just that...
well, it can't be the fourth.
One more time, now.
Uh, she's saying
you-you can't open up.
Not-not this Easter. All right?
- It-it doesn't work.
- Yes, exact...
- Thank you, honey. Thank you.
- Oh. Well, I...
I just don't see
how that's possible.
- Well, surely it's possible.
- Yes. Yes.
All-all things are possible
with God.
- That-That's Matthew 19:26.
- Come on, now. Yes, it is.
No.
I don't think it is.
See, uh... we've been
preparing for this day for
- like a year now.
- Mm-hmm. Amen.
It's a big step for us.
And, you know,
Easter is so perfect
for something like this.
- A revival of sorts.
- Right.
Exactly.
And that is just what
Wander to Greater Paths needs.
A revival.
Uh, which is why
we also chose Easter.
- We did.
- You see?
And we chose that date
a while back, believe me.
So, really, it just comes down
to this point.
Um...
We cannot both reopen
our churches on Easter Sunday.
It would be, well, it would be
too confusing for folks, you know?
- Mm-hmm. Yeah.
They would have to choose,
and, well...
Right.
They'll make their choice,
I think.
Look, uh, we adore y'all.
Really.
We used to be
congregation members at WTGP.
Right.
Until we struck out on our own.
Uh, it's just...
We belong here.
We believe in the Gospel,
and we believe in the Word
and all the hard work
that we've done
- to get to this place...
- Mm-hmm. Mm.
Where enough, uh,
enough people will hear us
for it to make a difference.
That's all we've ever wanted.
So we can't do
what y'all are asking.
- What we can do is pray.
- Mm.
That there are enough souls to
go around for all of us. -Amen.
Y'all want to pray?
We got two gathered right here.
- We are okay.
- Right, y'all.
- Y'all start it off.
- Yeah, you all.
Mm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Okay.
All right.
- Heavenly Father...
- Mm.
We thank you for this space
to come together
and build and heal
this community, Lord. -Amen.
We thank you for the grace
of these beautiful,
powerful leaders
coming in
and showing us the way,
being role models in
your mighty name, Lord. -Mm.
- Oh, Lord.
- Hallelujah. Mm.
So, hey, we-we figure
something else out.
You know, we just...
We push forward.
Fuck the Sumpters.
I mean, bless them in
the work they do, but really.
Did you hear me?
- I said, we...
- Right. Right. Yeah. No.
Uh, baby, I heard you.
So I been thinking.
We do what we do best.
We outdo them.
We put on a show so good
folks won't think twice
about another church. -Mm-hmm.
Yeah. -They opening
this Easter Sunday.
Right?
So it's like you said.
Fuck 'em.
They just doing it to spite us.
I know it. You know it.
But there's no spiting us, baby.
Okay?
Easter is in
just under two weeks.
So, we reopen
this Sunday instead.
- Wait. This Sunday?
- This Sunday.
No. But, baby, we can't...
We not... we won't be ready.
- But this Sunday, we should...
- Now, think about it, baby.
Now is the perfect time
to come back.
See, everybody is
expecting Easter, right?
It's when Jesus rose again.
But if you think back
to those times,
nobody knew when he was coming,
if at all.
This is what it's really like
to embody the Lord
and walk in his image.
Jesus Christ was all about
the shock factor!
Okay, listen, no.
- Yes.
- All right?
Listen, this is too much.
There would be so much to do
in just a few short days.
We-we... No, no, no, we cannot.
It's Pastor
and Pastor Sumpter, Trin.
We can't compete
with a gimmick like that.
The Sumpters are snatching up
all our members,
and we need to do something
major to get them back.
And we can do it, baby.
We just got to make
a big enough fuss, right?
Pull out the pageantry,
really dramatize our return.
We gonna make a scene,
and it's gonna be so brilliant,
so seductive,
people gonna come.
They gonna come right on back.
Hey, look at me.
Look at me, Trin. Hey.
God built this whole world
in six days.
This whole big beautiful world,
all right?
Now, call me overzealous,
but I think
I can rebuild ours in five.
Wait. Lee-Curtis.
Wait. Lee-Curtis,
just listen to me, please.
- Lee...
- Come on!
- Tear it down
- We can make it
Start over again
We can make it
We can make
a brand-new start
Start over again...
We went all in for this one.
Lee-Curtis was blessed
with the most brilliant idea.
A roadside ministry.
Wander to Greater Paths
opens back this Sunday!
Yeah! This Sunday!
Now, this is the best way
to gain followers.
You know, our style is-is...
is more, uh, grassroots,
more genuine.
Folks out here... we do
this sort of thing all the time
in the name of God.
It's good. It's...
The more beeps the better.
It just, it just draws
attention to a worthy cause.
And I cannot think of a cause
more worthy than this right here.
- Hey, Trin!
Huh? -You ain't really
getting that many beeps, baby.
Huh?
- What you doing?
- What did you say to me?
You gonna have to do
a little more.
Give them a show!
You know, come on, girl!
- Uh...
- Shake it for the Lord.
Shake it for the Lord.
- I said, get it for the Lord!
- Yeah. Yeah.
- Get them honks for the Lord!
- Yeah! Yeah! -
Tap it on the patch!
Shake it for the Lord, girl.
Come on, now!
Shake it for the Lord, girl.
Mm. Shake it.
Hey!
You having
a blessed day, sweetie?
Huh?
Well, come on down
to Wander to Greater Paths.
We are back in action
this Sunday!
And it is gonna be amazing!
I can guarantee it!
The spirit of the Lord
is upon my heart,
ladies and gentlemen.
And that's what we are.
We are unique emanations
of love, joy and divine beauty.
Praise him!
- Heavenly Father, allow me
to minister these people
in the way
- in which they need to be.
- Yes, Lord!
Hmm. Uh, the settlement.
I'm not sure
that I can address that.
Uh, that's a bit difficult
for us, legally.
But that's all over
and done with, so...
Okay, okay, but, um...
you want to hear about
something really difficult?
Okay, so get this.
Um, did you know that, uh...
when we first started
going together,
Lee-Curtis was Baptist
and I was Apostolic?
And that's true.
Honk for the Lord!
So, yeah, we, um,
we know discomfort, believe me.
A little roadside spectacle?
It's nothing.
Yeah, we make it work.
Dynamic duo.
Yep. Batman and...
Oh, no, that's two guys, so...
Uh...
I never said I was
a perfect man,
ladies and gentlemen.
God doesn't make perfect men.
But what I am is a follower
of the Lord and his teach...
Hey!
Well, hello there.
It is a beautiful day
for worship.
Are you looking for
a church home?
'Cause Wander to Greater Paths
Baptist is back.
Oh!
Oh, ain't this some shit.
Oh.
God doesn't make perfect men.
But what I am is a follower of
the Lord and his teachings...
Uh-uh! Just fucking nasty!
- Just fucking nasty!
- Just stop.
All of y'all up in there
is disgusting!
Especially your
fuck-ass husband!
I'm not a perfect man,
ladies and gentlemen.
But I'm also not the man
that the media is
making me out to be.
You know, your nigga found
a fucking loophole, right?
Yeah, a fucking loophole!
Trying not to repeat the actions
that got me here
in the first place.
Anita, we don't need to get this.
- Yeah. Uh-huh.
Lee-Curtis...
He'll be right back,
so you can just stop shooting.
And for every sin
I've committed,
I have prayed equally as much.
I've been down on bent knee.
- God knows that...
- Pastor Childs.
Uh, hello. Uh...
M-Monterius West, Pastor.
Uh, I'm a member of
Wander to Greater Paths.
W-Well, I was until...
- Are you, now?
- Yes, sir.
I love your sermons.
Especially on the holidays
when y'all break out
them laser lights.
Them laser lights my favorite.
Uh, yeah.
I started that, you know?
Other churches doing it now,
but I was the first.
I believe that.
Uh, anyway, sir,
I saw you over here
while I was picking up
down the way, and, uh,
I hear y'all about to be
back preaching, and, uh...
I just want to thank you,
Pastor Childs.
My old lady brought me
to your Easter service
a few years back, and...
I been a different man
ever since, you know?
I-I don't really believe in
all that mess
they saying about you
in the news
and in the paper and stuff.
I know you a good man,
Pastor Childs,
and you gonna keep doing
them good thing
God be telling you to do
and keep inspiring
folks like me.
I believe that.
Thanks for that, brother.
Yes, sir.
You got your jewelry,
your dresses
and your weak-ass hats.
That's the real
foul-ass shit, bitch!
Real weak-ass shit!
- Fuck you, bitch! Yeah. Uh-huh.
- Stop it. Stop it. Stop it!
Let me tell you something.
Me and my husband... we practice
love and forgiveness.
We are Christians.
Not saints and not God.
And we are doing
the best we fucking can!
Girl, fuck you!
Fuck you!
God bless!
I'm not a perfect
man, ladies and gentlemen.
God doesn't make perfect men.
- What I am...
- No.
Nope. Nope.
See, uh, that's too distant,
Lee-Curtis.
We need to connect with people.
Make them feel why they need
you back in that pulpit.
You're not gonna sit
center pew like always?
Uh-uh. No, no, no, no, no.
I-I want the view of the
average, everyday congregant.
All right. Now go on.
I'm not a perfect man,
ladies and gentlemen.
God doesn't make perfect men.
What I am is
a servant of the Lord.
- Now, a servant of the Lord...
- Wait.
- Wait.
- Hmm?
Where's your gut, hon?
Hmm?
I-I'm not feeling
any transference of raw energy.
You know what I'm talking about.
That's the stuff people love.
Well, you won't even let me
get up to that part, Trin.
See, I got to ramp up to it.
Okay, go ahead, then.
Ramp up to it.
I'm gonna be quiet.
Ramp up.
I...
am not a perfect man,
ladies and gentlemen.
God doesn't make perfect men.
What I am...
is a servant of the Lord.
And, folks, being
the Lord's servant doesn't mean
that you are not susceptible
to being lured or seduced
or ambushed by the devil.
But here is
the true test of faith.
See, the true test
doesn't happen when you falter.
Okay?
It is when you're low,
probably at the lowest you have
ever been in your life,
but you overcome it.
Mm-hmm.
Yes. Yes!
There ain't a person up in here
that hasn't been tested,
tempted or torn up
by hell's angel.
But we survive.
Stronger,
happier
and better to serve
than ever before.
Hey. Mm.
I'm better, y'all!
I am better and bigger
in the eyes of Jesus Christ.
And that is through the pain
and through the threats
of losing everything.
The things I've been through...
had me wanting
not another minute
on God's beautiful earth.
But it was my faith in him
that allowed me to persevere.
It was his glory and his grace
that brought me back here.
Back in front of you all and
back in the house of the Lord
where I am supposed to be!
Come on, now!
No, no, I am not
a perfect man, everyone.
Like I said before,
God ain't exactly in the
business of making perfect men.
But with his guidance
and his love...
Oh, Jesus...
His undying
and everlasting love,
he can and he does
make great men.
Oh, you're done.
Okay, well, that-that was,
that was great.
That was great, Lee-Curtis.
Really great. Yep.
But for our first Sunday back
after all of this,
that just doesn't ring.
See, you don't quite
acknowledge...
If you're trying
to make people...
If you think you can
fool people into thinking...
Well, you're just gonna have
to do a little bit better than
just dry excuses this time, hon.
When we get people
back up in here,
we need to give them everything.
That was everything.
That up there...
That was my soul.
And it's not dry.
That was the truth.
Then we should probably practice
and make it
a little more convincing, huh?
Trin?
Yeah?
You up, baby?
Yeah, I'm up, Lee-Curtis.
Me, too.
Something's not right.
We hurtling towards Sunday,
and something doesn't feel
quite there yet.
We just not really...
hitting it yet.
We need to do something big
out there for this last day.
Something with a little oomph.
Could really use
your brain on this.
I'll have to think on it.
Yeah. All right.
Mama?
This is too much, Mama.
You don't know
what you're saying.
Are you sure you don't want
Lee-Curtis to come down
and get some?
Uh, well, he'll be
a while longer.
Uh, I had to slip him
two Ambien last night
just to get him to simmer down.
He likes it. Don't worry.
So, out with it.
It's our last shot.
Oh, girl, please.
I don't know what's gonna
happen if we don't make it.
I'm sure some folks
will show up on Sunday.
I mean me and Lee-Curtis.
I don't know
if we can make it.
I just...
I'm here. I'm there.
I'm everywhere.
And I am working my butt off
for this man and this marriage.
And so is he, you know.
He is working, too. I see that.
I just...
I just don't know if-if
we're just working towards
the same thing.
Wow.
Sometimes my child can be
so damn foolish.
Are you a Christian?
I'm a Christian.
Say it again
so I'm absolutely sure.
- I'm a Christian, Mama.
- That's good.
'Cause you didn't
sound like it for a moment.
You don't know
if this is gonna work.
That's not for you to know.
That's for God to determine.
And he did that
15-something years ago
when he blessed y'all's union.
And look at
all the other blessings
that you have right now
because of what?
That man and your God.
The young.
So ready to quit.
Don't you think I thought about
quitting your daddy?
But every time I got shook,
I went right back to the Bible,
back to the Word,
prayed it on out.
And then I went back
to my husband.
And when did you have to stop
running back to the Bible
about Daddy?
When I buried him, baby.
Hey there, Mama Sabina!
Hey, love!
Y'all eating biscuits?
You know what I said to God
during my prayers last night?
I said, "Lord, show me the way."
"Show me what I need
on this final day
of the most important week
of our lives."
And then you know what he did?
Lee-Curtis, you know,
he wanted a little more oomph.
So, this is it, right?
This is the statement.
This is, "He is risen."
One time, I broke my toe.
I didn't think I was gonna be
ready for one of our services.
It was a women's ministry.
I prayed.
It was the baby toe.
There's no cast.
And I was in heels in,
I'd say, 48 hours?
So I've seen miracles.
The Lord, ladies and gentlemen,
is the be-all and end-all
of your eternity.
- Yes, he is.
- And eternity...
Oh, yeah! Uh, what? What?
- First one. First one.
- That's one.
Yes!
- God loves you.
- Yes, he does.
- God loves you, baby.
- God loves you.
- Well, God loves you
- God loves you
- God loves you
Yes!
- Yo! That's two!
- Two.
That's two. All right.
All right. All right. -
We bumping for Jesus over here.
- Bump for Jesus, everybody.
- Come on, now.
- Hallelujah
- Harlem shake.
- Lord Jes... -
- For the Lord.
That's right.
That's right, my sister.
He got tears coming down his
eyes but a smile on his face.
We should all be like that
for the Lord.
We should all be so grateful.
I see him!
- Yes! Amen!
Praise God. Praise God.
You ain't ready!
You ain't ready!
The only place you need to be
in a rush to go to
is heaven up above.
Ain't nothing on this plane
of any importance.
Hello. Hey, come on, now.
Trin.
- Hey, Trin.
- Huh?
Hey, baby, look, um,
we haven't been getting
all that many beeps as of late,
and I think, uh, well, I got
an idea for something bigger
to really get
these folks' attention.
Well, wasn't that
what our dear friend Jesus
was here for, hon?
Jesus is real great, and
it was a brilliant idea, baby.
And he was a huge help
getting folks hyped for Sunday.
It's just... I'm talking about
sealing this thing up
with a bang, right?
Putting on a real performance.
- Show them that we back...
- Mm-hmm.
And we better than ever
and that we are serious about
saving their everlasting souls.
But maybe something like...
No.
No. You cannot be serious.
It would be outstanding, baby!
We got to draw them
back in, Trin.
Make them remember
what they were missing.
This is it, baby.
This is what we need.
- I...
- Trin,
this right here...
this is ego.
You know what ego is?
That is edging God out.
And that's what
you're doing right now.
Now, are you really
gonna be the barrier
that keeps me
from saving souls?!
Hey, Trin, look at me.
You look at me now, okay?
I need this.
I need to save souls, baby.
Never would've made it
I would have lost it all
But now I see
how you were there for me
And I can say
Never would've made it
Oh, I never could've made it
Never could've made it
without you
I would've lost my mind
A long time ago
If it had not been for you
I... I'm stronger
I'm stronger
- I'm wiser
- I'm wiser
And now I'm better
I'm better
- So much better
- Much better...
Let me just tell you
a little something
about praise mimes.
When it comes down to it,
they are entertainers.
You know, a-a... a sideshow.
And...
You know, Lee-Curtis is
a talent, a... a star,
but he's so raw.
He's-he's... he's raw.
He... he needs someone
to harness it all, and...
I did that.
I am not an unreasonable person,
but to have his first lady...
I mean, his wife...
out here on the side
of the road reduced to...
All I need is
just one more time
Everybody, sing with me
Never would've made it...
Everybody, come get
your spiritual food.
You take care of your body.
You take care of your mind.
Come take care of your soul
at Wander to Greater Paths
Baptist Church.
Open this Sunday!
God bless you.
You want to give a honk for Jesus?
- Yes, sir.
Yes, sir. How you doing?
Wander to Greater Paths Baptist
Church open this Sunday.
Yeah! Hey.
- Hey, y'all got to move.
- Hey, hey, hey.
- People got places to go.
Khalil, I think you're
holding up traffic, honey.
Living deep down in your soul.
Can you go?!
How can you not be weird?
How can you not be strange?
- Move your car!
- You got to let it out.
Listen to me, Khalil.
The pastor... he is truly
repentant about everything.
And I can promise you that.
I can. I can.
He is, he is better.
Hey, now.
Hey, y'all got to move.
We got places to go!
You can't do this.
We are trying really hard
to make things right again,
get everything back
to normal again.
He's back right with God.
All right?
He is.
Well, uh...
Anyway, we don't really need
to be discussing this, do we?
You know what the terms of
the settlement are, so I...
Yo, hey. Yo, hey!
Come on, man. I can't just
park my shit right here.
Please don't do this.
Please, Kha...
Please, Khalil, don't do this.
Don't.
Hey, stop. Don't...
Stop, man.
Come on, now,
you don't have to...
Let's just
gather ourselves toget...
What do you want me
to say here, okay?
I'm just trying
to get myself back on track
so I can do the good work
for the Lord, that's all.
You know, hey, can we just cut
for a minute here, please?
Everybody, just take a...
Let's just take ten, okay?
Can we take ten?
Yo...
you still like me, man?
Be real with me, man.
What was it? What?
Young broke niggas
your weakness?
I needed you back then, man.
I really did.
It's fucking stupid, I know.
I didn't realize
it wasn't just me.
- That's...
- I wasn't the only one
walking around
with brand-new shoes
and a Camaro?
Huh?
That's that shit.
That's that shit you do to...
This city don't need you, man.
We've all been doing
really good without you.
Nobody needs you.
Nobody needs your suits.
Nobody needs your fucking
green screen backdrops
of the Last Supper.
We don't need it.
Shut up!
Shut the...
Shut up.
You watch the way
you talk to me, boy.
I still got a lot of good
to do in this world.
A lot of souls to be saved.
I saved myself.
Now, I don't know about
all that other stuff
that you was talking about,
but what I do know
is that I did try to save you.
I really did.
Now, you...
you may be beyond me.
You may be beyond
what I can do for you.
Wait!
Fuck you, nigga.
How do you know
if you're standing in the way
of your own blessings?
See, sometimes
you got to step aside
so the Lord can show up
and work for you.
Hey, Trin!
Hey, babe, can you give me
another battery, please?
This thing seems to be
going out on...
Trin?
Trin? Trinitie!
No. No.
She's fine.
Besides all that,
what happened over there...
That's not what this is about.
That's not why
you all are here, okay?
We've moved on from that.
- This is about rebirth...
- Stop.
And renewal
and resurrection from the dead.
- Fuck!
- That's what this is about.
All right, that's it now.
We are done.
Because I'm here, baby.
And I'm not going anywhere.
I said I am done, so take it,
do with it what you will
because I am done!
You came, you silently judged,
you poked, and you got it,
didn't you?
You got what you came for,
so just leave.
- Jesus Christ! No.
- Trinitie.
Let's get ourselves together here.
- No, no, no, no, no.
- Okay?
- Not now. No!
- Hey, it's o... okay.
- Not now! Not you!
- Trinitie.
- I am serious, Lee-Curtis.
- Do not touch me.
- Okay. Okay.
Do not even breathe near me right now.
- I won't.
What do you all want
from me? Huh?
All of you,
what the fuck do you want?
You want it on the record?
Is that it?
Is that, is that, is that what
you want? Okay, fine. Fine.
Yes, there was a point in my
marriage where I did not think
that we could reconcile
our differences.
There it is.
Every last one of
those people out there...
We were there for them.
We helped them.
We spiritually nurtured them
and guided them to Christ.
Now they want us to fail.
They want us to fail.
Can you believe that?
You can.
Sure, you can.
Don't think for one moment
that I haven't known
what you were up to
from the second that you
stepped foot in this church.
You came to show
the big bad wolves
who eat up
all the little piggies.
Well, guess what.
Those are not little piggies
out there!
I am!
Right here! I am the victim!
Why don't you just...
leave?
Why would you
ask her something like that?
So she speaks. Look at that.
You-you broke your little
fly-on-the-wall code, huh?
What are you even
doing here, Anita? Hmm?
Why are you even here?
I'm just showing
this city and this culture.
I want to understand
you and Lee-Curtis, and...
I want to understand the truth.
Yeah?
Well, that is bullshit
if I have ever heard it.
"Why don't you just leave?"
Blah, blah, blah.
Is that it? Come on, girl.
Is that all you got?
Because those kinds of questions
are not gonna get you
to any real truth.
Trust me. I have asked them.
You...
and you...
and you...
and you...
and all those folks out
there who are gonna see this...
I want them to know that I
did what I was supposed to do.
I prayed, I knelt,
and I was good.
So, yes, this is mine.
This is... this is my church.
And that is my husband.
And I would sooner kill him
than leave him.
Hey, water, water.
- Water.
- Come get your water.
- Water. Water. Water.
- Water. Water. Water.
Ah, come get you some.
I got you.
- Oh, yeah.
- Appreciate it.
We used to sell
right next to that big church.
The let-out was prime.
All them folks hot and thirsty
after sitting in that
hot-ass sanctuary for hours.
Dang, they-they opening
back up for real?
Man, that would be
very, very good for business.
Folks ain't been
out that way in a minute.
Do you think that they have
a good chance
at drawing a crowd today?
Man...
I-I mean, it's still
a little early, you know.
Look-it here, look-it here.
- Hello.
- Culpeppers looking sharp.
It's so good to see...
How many you thinking, baby?
Well, at least five.
That's for sure.
Ah, the old reliables
don't count.
You know, I'm thinking
maybe a smooth 500.
You know, I don't want to be
overconfident, but, uh...
If I had to go
based on the word on the street
and my gut...
Trinitie...
I'm not so sure
the hat is a good idea, baby.
I'm really not.
You know, folks are
gonna want to see us
looking spectacular,
you know, confident.
And, uh, well, the hat might
hurt us just a little bit.
Trin?
Please? The last day of
the cameras, you know.
Final chapter of our book.
Could you...
Lee-Curtis...
there's gonna have to be
a line between
some things you say to me
and some, like this hat,
that you keep to yourself
or between you and your God.
Okay?
Well, "ah-men" to that, then.
Have you guys discussed
what happened yesterday
- and how it might affect you...
- Uh-uh. Uh-uh-uh-uh.
No, no, no, no.
We are moving forward.
Like I have been saying
from the beginning,
we are starting over brand-new.
That's right, baby.
That is so right.
Ah.
- Trinitie.
- Hmm?
Look.
Baby, look. There.
Right there. You see that?
- That, uh, Mustang there?
- Hmm.
See, I told ya.
This is what I mean!
This is
the goddamn comeback, baby!
We just love preaching together.
I mean, one day,
God just called us to it,
told us that, as a team,
we could reach far beyond
our deepest prayers, and...
Did you know
Wander to Greater Paths
was opening back up today?
Uh...
You know what?
I-I don't think that we knew
that Wander to Greater Paths
was opening back up today.
Now, they seem pretty sold
on-on Easter.
To be honest, we were, too.
But, um, we prayed on it,
and-and we came
to the conclusion...
Mm-hmm.
That they needed Easter, not us.
So we moved it.
- If we had known...
- Mm.
Lord, we would have never.
We wish them
nothing but the best
and pray that they flourish
- and can keep it together.
- Amen.
God's got 'em.
But, uh, just in case
the devil is too big
of a beast to wrestle
and they ever feel the need
to step back again...
Heaven's House
will be right there
- to pick everybody up.
- Mm.
- Believe that.
- Amen.
Oh, man.
Whoo!
Mm-hmm.
They here for me.
They here for
Pastor Lee-Curtis Childs.
Yes, they are.
Yes, they are.
Ah, see, I told you.
This is what I mean.
This is
the goddamn comeback, baby!
Praise his name!
Thank you, Jesus!
- Praise his name!
- Amen!
- Praise his name!
- Amen!
You are all God's!
Hallelujah!
Praise his name!
We thank you, God!
Amen!
- We worship you, God!
- Amen! Amen.
Glory be to him.
- Hallelujah!
- Hallelujah!
Mm-hmm.
They here for me.
Yes, they are.
They here for
Pastor Lee-Curtis Childs.
Ah.
Yes, they are.
Yeah.
They here for me.
They here for these blessings.
And I'm gon' give it to 'em.
We gon' give it to 'em.
Mm-hmm. You and me, baby.
And the Lord.
Ain't that right?
Trin.
Baby.
I said, isn't that right?
Trinitie.
Baby, can you...?
Trinitie!
Ah, yeah
Here we are,
let's get on one accord
Leave all your problems
on the outside
To be consumed
with the Holy Ghost fire
Open up your mouth and take
the name of Jesus higher, say
Are you ready
for your blessing?
- Are you ready?
- Are you ready
- Say
- For your miracle?
For the chains that come
from the enemy
Are utterly destroyed
when the praises ring
- Begin, Lord, I love you
- Lord, I love you
And there ain't nobody
like you
No one above you
Put your hands together, say
- Let the praise
- Hey
Are you ready
for your blessing?
Are you ready for
your blessing tonight?
Are you ready
for your miracle?
- Are you ready
- You better praise him
For your miracle?
For the chain that come
from the enemy
Are utterly destroyed
when the praises ring
- But are you
- Are you ready
Are you ready
for your blessing?
- Come on, get ready
- For your blessing?
- For your miracle
- Are you ready
For your miracle?
For the chain that come
from the enemy
Are utterly destroyed
when the praises ring
- Raise up
- Raise up
- Send the praise up
- Send the praise up
- Raise up in here
- Raise up
- Send them up
- Send the praise up
- He inhabits
- Raise up
- The praises of his people
- Send the praise up
- And he's here
- He's here
- Right now
- Right now, come on
- Raise up
- Raise up
- Send the praise up
- Send the praise up
- Raise up
- Raise up
- Send the praise up
- Send the praise up
- He desires
- Raise up
- The praises of his people
- Send the praise up
- He's here
- He's here right now
What you came to do, but what
you need to know is victory
- Is in your praise
- Is in your praise
Is in your praise
- Your victory
- Is in your praise
- Is in your praise
- Your victory
Is in your praise
Come on, I know
y'all look cute tonight
You might as well sweat
that little suit out
Because you're praising,
know this
- He's here
- He's here
He's here
- Right now
- He's here
Right now
- He's here
- He's here
He's here
- So clap your hands
- He's here
- Shake your head
- He's here right now.
Come on, somebody.