CHAPTER ONE
“How far is it?” Carol asked coolly.
“Just another twenty-five miles. Should be there by seven,” Anthony replied. It was the third time she had asked since they left St. Joseph. He was dreading this visit as much as she was, but he couldn’t show it. After all, Gary was his brother.
“Daddy, David is looking at me!” Susan’s brother David was notorious for looking at his sister, the cardinal sin among the eight year old siblings. Even though they were twins, Susan’s reddish hair was a contrast to David’s blonde.
“Twins,” Anthony thought, “just like Gary and I. We fought at their age, too.”
“The turn off is here,” Carol instructed, “you need to make a right.”
Anthony made the turn, and remembered the last time he drove down this same straightaway to New Chariton. It was six years ago heading to their father’s funeral. That was right before the falling out between two brothers who seemed inseparable in high school and college. It had taken these six years to make this drive back home. A lot had happened in Gary’s life in those years.
As minister’s sons, it was fully expected that both of the boys would enter the ministry as well. Both were active in high school sports, Gary excelling at football, Anthony at basketball, and both fair when it came to baseball season. Christian college was a given, and with the athletic and academic scholarships, their destinies to follow their father as bishop in their Pentecostal fellowship seemed sure.
After graduating from Mid-States Christian College, the young ministers took positions in churches several states apart from one another. Anthony received an invitation to serve as youth and associate pastor with a life-long friend of their father. David chose to serve as pastor of a small rural church in Tennessee.
Anthony’s career followed the ministry blueprint. He soon found himself serving as senior pastor of a growing, contemporary congregation in St. Joseph, Missouri. He seemed to have the perfect life: respect, honor, a beautiful wife, two beautiful children. At least, it seemed perfect.
Gary’s life went a different direction. After serving as pastor of Mountain Home Country Church for two years, he ended up marrying a young lady from the congregation named Lori. The way Anthony saw it, that was the beginning of the end of Gary’s ministry.
Over the next six years, Gary was influenced by Lori’s father. As a Messianic believer, Mark Townsend observed the Sabbath, kept the traditional Jewish feasts, and even included a shofar in their Friday evening gatherings in their home in rural Tennessee. Gary began attending these meetings, and began to share with his twin brother by phone some of the new understanding regarding Scripture he was developing. Some of these ‘discussions’ turned into arguments, and rifts began to form between the two brothers.
It wasn’t long after that Gary began to challenge some of the concepts and teachings of their mutual denomination. Gary’s single defense was that he simply believed the Word of God to be true. The leaders of his fellowship saw it a different way, and eventually felt that his values no longer reflected theirs.
Their father, Bishop Carter, was heartbroken. He was a third generation member of the denomination, and fully expected to see his own third generation follow him into ministry. Now, one of his own sons was by all accounts, back-slidden, away from God for believing strange, new doctrines.
The cancer diagnosis came too late to save the Bishop medically. Though fervent prayers went up for a miracle, the only one afforded him from the pain was death.
Gary returned for the funeral, honoring the man that had shaped both their lives. He came alone, in order to avoid causing distraction at such an event. The pastor that Anthony had served with right out of college gave the eulogy, and the two boys each said a prayer graveside.
That was the last time they had seen and spoke to one another, until one month ago today.
Gary was actually the one to extend the olive branch. He had moved back to Missouri, to be near friends who occasionally gathered together in fellowship. He and his family were living on a farm outside of New Chariton, near where they had grown up. Their birthday was coming up, and Gary had called to invite Anthony to celebrate together.
At first, Carol was extremely resistant to the family gathering. She had heard the stories of ‘those people’, and had her defenses up immediately. Anthony practically had to beg her to reconsider, reminding her that Gary was the only family he and his mother had left. Reluctantly, she assented.
“Do you know which gravel road to take?” Carol asked, glancing at her phone for the GPS. “I don’t think that it is even on the map!”
“County Road 1215. There we go.” He turned left, and saw the lights of the farmhouse.
“Are we meeting our cousins? How many do we have? Twelve?” David asked.
“Seven,” Carol answered tensely.
Anthony looked over at Carol, sending the message to please stop.
They pulled in front of the house, and Carol leaned over and quietly asked, “Are we ready for this?”
“He’s my only brother. We need to get through this. If we want, we can always get a room at the Best Western in New Chariton,” Anthony conceded.
His mirror image stepped out on the porch of the house, only this image was grinning ear to ear. Gary looked happy. Really happy.
“Tony!” Gary shouted “I am SO glad to see you!”
He took big strides across the lawn to reach out and hug his brother, holding him tightly, as if trying to squeeze out all the division that had separated them.
“Carol, so good to see you, and this can’t be Susan and David! Wow, you two have grown so much!”
“This is your Uncle Gary,” Carol explained, “say hello.”
“Hi!” both children screamed in unison. This was the first time they had seen their uncle since they were still in diapers, although their father told so many stories of their growing up, their excitement on meeting this legendary family member showed.
“Thanks, guys for coming out. How was the drive? Have any problems finding the place?” Gary asked.
“Oh, no, drove right to it. You sent some great directions.” Anthony answered.
The screen door opened and shut, and Gary turned and smiled as the rest of the family stepped out on the porch. Cousins poured out across the yard to meet their new found relations.
“Well, meet the family,” Gary said.
He stepped up on the porch, and reached out to the rest of his household.
Gary. And both his wives.
“How far is it?” Carol asked coolly.
“Just another twenty-five miles. Should be there by seven,” Anthony replied. It was the third time she had asked since they left St. Joseph. He was dreading this visit as much as she was, but he couldn’t show it. After all, Gary was his brother.
“Daddy, David is looking at me!” Susan’s brother David was notorious for looking at his sister, the cardinal sin among the eight year old siblings. Even though they were twins, Susan’s reddish hair was a contrast to David’s blonde.
“Twins,” Anthony thought, “just like Gary and I. We fought at their age, too.”
“The turn off is here,” Carol instructed, “you need to make a right.”
Anthony made the turn, and remembered the last time he drove down this same straightaway to New Chariton. It was six years ago heading to their father’s funeral. That was right before the falling out between two brothers who seemed inseparable in high school and college. It had taken these six years to make this drive back home. A lot had happened in Gary’s life in those years.
As minister’s sons, it was fully expected that both of the boys would enter the ministry as well. Both were active in high school sports, Gary excelling at football, Anthony at basketball, and both fair when it came to baseball season. Christian college was a given, and with the athletic and academic scholarships, their destinies to follow their father as bishop in their Pentecostal fellowship seemed sure.
After graduating from Mid-States Christian College, the young ministers took positions in churches several states apart from one another. Anthony received an invitation to serve as youth and associate pastor with a life-long friend of their father. David chose to serve as pastor of a small rural church in Tennessee.
Anthony’s career followed the ministry blueprint. He soon found himself serving as senior pastor of a growing, contemporary congregation in St. Joseph, Missouri. He seemed to have the perfect life: respect, honor, a beautiful wife, two beautiful children. At least, it seemed perfect.
Gary’s life went a different direction. After serving as pastor of Mountain Home Country Church for two years, he ended up marrying a young lady from the congregation named Lori. The way Anthony saw it, that was the beginning of the end of Gary’s ministry.
Over the next six years, Gary was influenced by Lori’s father. As a Messianic believer, Mark Townsend observed the Sabbath, kept the traditional Jewish feasts, and even included a shofar in their Friday evening gatherings in their home in rural Tennessee. Gary began attending these meetings, and began to share with his twin brother by phone some of the new understanding regarding Scripture he was developing. Some of these ‘discussions’ turned into arguments, and rifts began to form between the two brothers.
It wasn’t long after that Gary began to challenge some of the concepts and teachings of their mutual denomination. Gary’s single defense was that he simply believed the Word of God to be true. The leaders of his fellowship saw it a different way, and eventually felt that his values no longer reflected theirs.
Their father, Bishop Carter, was heartbroken. He was a third generation member of the denomination, and fully expected to see his own third generation follow him into ministry. Now, one of his own sons was by all accounts, back-slidden, away from God for believing strange, new doctrines.
The cancer diagnosis came too late to save the Bishop medically. Though fervent prayers went up for a miracle, the only one afforded him from the pain was death.
Gary returned for the funeral, honoring the man that had shaped both their lives. He came alone, in order to avoid causing distraction at such an event. The pastor that Anthony had served with right out of college gave the eulogy, and the two boys each said a prayer graveside.
That was the last time they had seen and spoke to one another, until one month ago today.
Gary was actually the one to extend the olive branch. He had moved back to Missouri, to be near friends who occasionally gathered together in fellowship. He and his family were living on a farm outside of New Chariton, near where they had grown up. Their birthday was coming up, and Gary had called to invite Anthony to celebrate together.
At first, Carol was extremely resistant to the family gathering. She had heard the stories of ‘those people’, and had her defenses up immediately. Anthony practically had to beg her to reconsider, reminding her that Gary was the only family he and his mother had left. Reluctantly, she assented.
“Do you know which gravel road to take?” Carol asked, glancing at her phone for the GPS. “I don’t think that it is even on the map!”
“County Road 1215. There we go.” He turned left, and saw the lights of the farmhouse.
“Are we meeting our cousins? How many do we have? Twelve?” David asked.
“Seven,” Carol answered tensely.
Anthony looked over at Carol, sending the message to please stop.
They pulled in front of the house, and Carol leaned over and quietly asked, “Are we ready for this?”
“He’s my only brother. We need to get through this. If we want, we can always get a room at the Best Western in New Chariton,” Anthony conceded.
His mirror image stepped out on the porch of the house, only this image was grinning ear to ear. Gary looked happy. Really happy.
“Tony!” Gary shouted “I am SO glad to see you!”
He took big strides across the lawn to reach out and hug his brother, holding him tightly, as if trying to squeeze out all the division that had separated them.
“Carol, so good to see you, and this can’t be Susan and David! Wow, you two have grown so much!”
“This is your Uncle Gary,” Carol explained, “say hello.”
“Hi!” both children screamed in unison. This was the first time they had seen their uncle since they were still in diapers, although their father told so many stories of their growing up, their excitement on meeting this legendary family member showed.
“Thanks, guys for coming out. How was the drive? Have any problems finding the place?” Gary asked.
“Oh, no, drove right to it. You sent some great directions.” Anthony answered.
The screen door opened and shut, and Gary turned and smiled as the rest of the family stepped out on the porch. Cousins poured out across the yard to meet their new found relations.
“Well, meet the family,” Gary said.
He stepped up on the porch, and reached out to the rest of his household.
Gary. And both his wives.
