"Previously on Greenleaf." "Grace, what happened?" "Daddy shot Mac." "This is Sophia's father, Ray." "Our custody agreement says I am to be consulted if you take her across the state line." "I'm taking her back to Phoenix." "Tell me what is going on." "I'm sorry, Mae." "I can't." "Lady Mae's annual luncheon is coming up in a few weeks." "I can't wait." "I just want to make people feel like I always wanted to feel... cared for." "It's working." "Until you come clean with me about whatever's been going on with you," "I want you out of our bed." "If you don't do it soon," "I want you out of the house." "Moses said, "Lord, I can't go on!"" "And the Lord said, "You will go on!"" "And Moses said, "Lord, I can't go on!"" "And the Lord said, "You will go on!"" "And Moses said, "I don't have what it takes!"" "And the Lord said, "I'm going to give you what it takes to deliver these stubborn people to the land that I have prepared for them!" "Because I got news for you, Moses!" "I am Jehovah, the Lord of Hosts, and I..." "I ain't done with you yet!"" "I feel like singing this morning." "How'd we do?" "That's the fourth week in a row." "Attendance is down." "Tithing is down." "These things are seasonal, though, Connie." "You know that." "Rain is seasonal." "That there, that's Katrina." "Oh, what a a blessing you ladies were this morning with that trio." "Thank you, Bishop." "Fred and Misty are still pressuring the board about reinstating Jacob." " Jacob?" " I know how you feel about that." "When we were riding high and I put that boy on the program," "I was getting calls from you, Connie, wailing, "Why?"" "I know, but it might just be time for a fresh face, that's all." "Someone unsullied by all this controversy." "To restore Jacob to the pulpit now would divert him from his destiny." " Then put Grace up there." " Gra..." "Grace?" "She's the one that got us into this mess to begin with." "And to a lot of people, she's the only one who can get us out." "And no small thing, James, that offering after she preached was the biggest one we've had all year." "We're going to get through this, Con." "We're going to survive." "Oh, I know, but you taught me too well." "The Lord doesn't want his church to survive." "He wants it to thrive." "I did enjoy that singing, though." "♪ If I can help" "♪ Somebody" "♪ As I pass... ♪ Amen" "♪ Amen" "♪ Well" "♪ Amen, amen, ooh." "How's your Women's Day coming?" "Thanks to the men in my life, it's getting more manageable every day." "Remind me of your theme again?" "The virtuous woman." "That's marvelous." "Preach what you know, that's what I always say." "Are you ever going to treat me like I'm a human being again?" "I didn't want to interrupt your reading, I'm just asking." "I'm curious, you know?" "James, it has been a month." "You still haven't told me what Mac has on you that's so horrendous." "We've been through this, Mae." "It's all lies." "You want to know why tithes are down." "Why give in to the whispering serpent?" "You want to know why people are leaving your church like rats from a leaky boat?" "Because you are out of right relationship with God and me." "Preach what you know." "Please." "Biggest problem I see coming, and I am sorry to bring this up..." "Well, the Lord made me for bad news." "I soak it up like a sponge." "Say it." "We're a little under two weeks out, and it's time to pay the Peabody the remainder of the ballroom rental." " Yes?" " Well... we're currently expecting just under half the guests due to all the late cancellations." "And your point is?" "I'm wondering if we should just relocate it to the church." "We have had Women's Day at the Peabody Hotel every year for 35 years." "My ladies look forward to it." "It's a tradition." "Well, then somebody needs to get the deacon board here to sign the check." "Look, I am happy to do whatever the First Lady wants me to do." "Well, then why haven't you sent them the money?" "I've been waiting to discuss it." "What's to discuss?" "Pay it." "Fine." "If the Greenleaf family feels this strongly about it, and obviously..." "How much is it, Misty?" "4,500." "Well, I will pay it myself." "No, Mama, let the church pay." "Thanks, dear, but this is decided." "Everything can't be done by committee." "Lord proved that on the cross." "Who invited that woman to be onboard?" "Mama, I have an idea." "Does it involve putting Fred and Misty Williams in a burlap sack?" "I swear I've never seen two people act so pretty in borrowed clothes." " Mama." " Yes, dear?" "What if I make a record and we sell it online to benefit the church?" "My mama has some old sheets we can use as a curtain." "At least she has an idea." "Do you think I appreciated that show you put on back there?" "Excuse me?" "Get me a list of candidates for this year's scholarships and make sure nobody on it is under 50." "Yes, ma'am." "So, what do you think, Mama?" "Do you really have the energy to take on a project like that?" "Aren't these babies just wearing you out?" "It's only one meeting a month." " You don't want me on your board." " Why not?" "I was going to have to tell you today anyway." "We can't host the program anymore." " Oh." " Yeah." "Bishop says that we have to get groups in here that can actually pay." "I'm sorry." "Once the budget's back on track, this will be the first thing" "I get up and running again." "It's all right." "I know times are tough." "Yeah, getting tougher all the time." "Well, I guess this would be a strange time for me to invite you to the board, you know, with us parting ways." " Yeah." " But we'd still see each other, right?" "I mean, I assume." "I hope." "Right?" "Yeah." "Yeah, of course." "You know, just not..." " Yeah, yeah." " Right." "So, how many weeks we got?" "After tomorrow, just one." "All right." "I just need to call my people and make sure the folks know to call the hotline." "Yeah, of course." "Do what you got to do." "Can I ask you a Bible question?" "Please." "This Internet's killing me." " Ask." " Okay, so we're reading this chapter from Mark for youth group today about Jesus curing a blind man." "Chapter 8." "Yeah, how do you know that?" "Oh, honey, I used to be able to recite the Gospel of Mark from top to bottom." " Come on." " Seriously?" "Yeah." "What?" "Nothing, just now that I know why you left home and the church, it hits me sometimes how much you lost." "You were a whole other person." "I was, but I'm glad I left." "If I hadn't, I might never have had you." "What's the question?" "Okay, so Jesus touches the blind man the first time and asks him if it worked." "And he says..." ""I see men, but they look like trees walking."" "Right, but then he touches the man's eyes again, and it says, "Then he saw everything clearly."" "Why do that?" "Why put something in the Bible where Jesus has to do something twice before it works?" "Uh... if at first you don't succeed, try, try again?" "What do you think it's about?" "I don't know." " Hey!" " Oh, you guys are so cute." " I got to go." " Okay." "I'll find you here after?" "If the last four weeks are any indication, right here, yeah." " Later, Aunt Gigi." " All right, be good." "Can I refresh your coffee, Pastor?" "I still got some, but thank you." "May I?" "Please." "So, Bishop's really icing you out, huh?" "He is, yeah." "I'm not even getting copied on his daily schedule emails from Karine anymore." "Doesn't he know you did the right thing?" " Mac had to go to jail." " He knows." "So, what is it, then?" "I didn't do it his way." "Men." "They get old and they get like those lions in the circus, raggedy and proud." "The more raggedy, the more proud, seems like." " Grace Greenleaf?" " Yeah, that's me." "How can I help you?" "What is it?" "Ray wants custody of Sophia." "I have to say, I am..." "I am surprise." "By what?" "You fired my client without cause." "I'm not surprised by that." "I'm surprised by..." "well, by the way that..." "The fact that she was having a clandestine relationship with your son was no ground for termination." "Of course it wasn't." "So, what's surprising?" "All I meant, Miss Phillips, is Alexa and I have a... well, our previous relationship..." "Yes?" "Please, go on." "You're right." "Nothing." "I shouldn't be surprised." "Bishop Greenleaf, my client is well aware that both you and your church have been in the spotlight of late." "We have no desire to drag you back on the front page over this." "You sure about that?" "Oh, we're willing to do that if we have to." "Our hope is that we can come to an understanding quickly and put this painful ugliness behind us." "What kind of understanding are we talking about here?" "A Ford understanding?" "Or something more like a Cadillac?" "Jaguars are nice." "We're currently in between lawyers, as you know, so if you could give us some time?" " End of the week's fine." " Just what I was thinking." " Hey, Pop." " Pastor Greenleaf." "Pat Phillips." "Heard so much about you." "Oh, really?" "Why is that?" "Oh, hi." "Hi." "Here's my card." "We look forward to your offer." "Karine said you wanted to see me?" "Uh, is she suing us?" "Threatening." "What can I do for you, son?" "Now may not be a good time." "I ain't no prophet, but I don't think a good time's going to be had around here for quite a awhile." "I appreciate your offer of help, son, more than you know." "But you still won't reinstate me." "It's not my inclination, no." "But you're not using Gigi for anything as far as I can see." "Which should be a clue that my intentions for you in this time of need have nothing to do with her." "Now, tell me, when you were a little boy, what did you want to be when you grew up?" "A pro baseball player, Pop, but Gigi left." "Exactly." "Then Gigi left." "Now, was that dream worth so little?" "Do you honestly believe that the ministry is where you belong?" "What, you want me to go coach pitchers for the Vols?" "No, no, of course not." "But isn't there something else you would rather do?" "Something closer to your heart and your skill set?" "Seize the moment." "Look at me for the sinner that I am and say, "Old man, you got yourself into this, but the Lord has a plan for me, and I'm getting back to it."" "Now, your sister, for better and worse, has opened a window." "Crawl through it." "Boy, I tell you this because I love you." "Go." "Okay." "Papa, I'm sorry about Alexa." "Water under the bridge... but pray for her." "She's chosen a painful path." "Come on." "Karine?" "I need some flowers delivered tomorrow." " Where?" " Here." ""Jesus put his hands again upon the man's eyes and made him look up, and he was restored." "And then he saw everything clearly."" "So, what's up with that, y'all?" " Sophia?" " Yeah?" "In all the time you've been with us," "I don't remember you ever once raising your hand." " Because I never have." " How come?" "She was too busy making sure her uncle didn't reach up her dress." "Shut up about it already." "Quentin, stop being disgusting." "Sorry." "Why don't you ever talk?" "Because I don't know the Bible as well as everybody else does." "We're all just learning here... some more than others." "What's your opinion?" "Why would Mark tell a story about Jesus who only got it half right the first time?" "There was something true about what the man said he saw the first time, maybe?" "How are men like trees walking?" "I don't know." "Rooted in something, like trees." "Rooted in friends or family or God, I guess." "Everyone's rooted, we just can't see it with our eyes." "I think that'll preach." "Hey!" "So funny." "Time for a bath." "Thanks." "I'm going to get you when you come back." "So, what do you think?" "Check it out?" "Yeah." "It looks like a nice church." "It does, doesn't it?" "And look at what they list as qualifications for senior pastor." " A godly nature." " Check." "Lately." "A belief in the authority of the Scripture." "Come on." "What book's by my bed?" ""Debbie Doesn't Do It Anymore."" "Under that." "Look, I'm just saying, seems like they might actually see me as a viable candidate," "even if my dad doesn't." "Look, we have Fred and Misty on our side." "It's not going to happen... ever." "So, what am I supposed to do, just leave Excellence?" "Open a new school in Atlanta." "Baby, it took me five years to open that one." "I'm not starting over." "Then I should go see Basie." "You can't work at Triumph." "Says who?" "Your father, for one, I'm sure." "Look, he's cut me loose." "I don't care what he thinks." "Look." "There's no other church in Memphis big enough, all right, to pay us what we'd need." "And you just said you don't want to leave town." " I know, but..." " But what?" "What?" "What's the problem?" "There's no problem." "Go on." "Go talk to him." "So, how did you and the dad meet?" "I had dinner at his restaurant." "Is he a chef or an owner or..." "Both now." "Then, he was just a chef." "Were you guys ever married?" "No, we broke up right before I realized I was pregnant." "Can I ask why?" "He cheated on me with his ex." "So, you drew up a custody agreement." "I had to." "When he found out I was pregnant, he was suddenly all like," ""I was wrong." "Let's get married."" "I didn't want to, so the agreement was a way to stop that conversation from continuing." "It is going to be an issue that you relocated out of state without getting permission from the court." "Yeah." "I hadn't planned on staying." "It's... after my sister's funeral, it was..." "I'm so sorry about that." "Thank you." "So, would you say that Sophia's happy here?" "And the only reason I'm asking is at her age, her wishes are going to be taken into consideration when the judge makes the ruling." "If she had her choice," "I think she'd want to stay here, yeah." "Okay, then." "Okay." "Thank you so much for doing this." "Oh, no problem." "Darlene is a friend, and now you are, too." "Thank you." "Pastor Skanks." "Pastor Greenleaf." "What?" "The bishop send you over here to put me in my place?" "No, I came on my own." "Why?" "You looking for a job?" "I could be, yeah." "Damn, Darian." "I must have the gift." "Give me that thing." "Follow me." "I don't want to live with Dad." "If you don't want to, chances are you won't have to." "Chances are?" "Well, the lawyer told me that if you don't want to leave, then chances are really good that you won't have to." "As long as I stand up in court and tell Dad to his face I hate him." "No, no, honey, not that you hate him, just that you want to stay with me." "Sophia." " I really don't like this." " I know." "I don't either." "But it's your fault." "I haven't done anything wrong." "For you, this is a lesson." "My life just sucks." "It's different." "Whew." "So, what do you want to do, Pastor?" "You know, preach, minister, manage." "I can do it all." "I've done it all." " What?" " I'm sorry, man." "This whole thing, you showing up here like this," "I don't know." "You're the crown prince of Calvary, the heir apparent to the kingdom." "You know, I'm not, though." "That's the thing." "Because why?" "That sister of yours?" "Nah, Bishop, I mean, you know, he just..." "The prophet is never without honor, except in his daddy's eyes." "That's the vibe." "Yeah, I feel you on that one." "Your daddy tough, too?" "I never knew my real father, but the man Jesus sent to test me, Mr. Skanks," "he tested me good." "Does Bishop know you're here?" "No." "All right." "Okay, here's the deal." "You know how a big church runs." " That I do." " That's valuable, to me, anyway, because Triumph is about to get bigger." "Much bigger." "So, I showed up at the right time." "Could be, but I can't hire you without the bishop's say-so." "That's not how I do things, in bad blood." "But if you could set up a meeting between me, the bishop, and yourself to, you know, discuss this openly like men," "we could work something out." " I'll give it a shot." " Let me know." "Pastor?" "You're not just coming over here for that white girl, are you?" "What white girl?" "Alexa." "She's a member." "I know you two had an... irregularity." "Oh, uh, no." "Cool." " Hey, baby." " Hey!" "Baby!" " Hey, give me those." " That's okay." "Well, what are y'all doing?" "We're making a pad for those angels of yours to crash-land on, Daddy." "Can I help?" "No, I think we got it." "Did that crib say it came with tools or do I need to go find some?" "I think that funky little string bean said it comes with a wrench." "Yeah, she said one's in there in between sipping on that juice box." "Well, good, because I wouldn't know the first place to look for one here." "Right?" "I just feel bad for her." "Because she's not wrong, it is all my fault." "If I'd just bitten the bullet and explained it all to Ray... who knows?" "Maybe I was wrong." "Maybe he would have said, "Take her."" "God, it didn't feel that way." "I'm sorry to ruin your night." "No, you're not ruining anything." "Really?" "It just sounds hard, that's all." "Yeah." "I wish I had something more to offer you than this broken-up life." "It's okay." "I don't want anything else from you." "You don't?" "I just..." "I mean, look, whatever it is, whatever you are, that's all I want." "I don't want anything else." "I should get you some more wine." "I should go." "I'll go get your coat." "Karine?" "Karine?" " Karine!" " Uh-huh?" "Who sent these flowers?" "The bishop." "He said it was your 44th wedding anniversary today." "Did he get the date wrong?" "No, he didn't." "You can go." "Please." "Hey, good news." " Yeah?" " You look exhausted." "Yeah." "What's the news?" "Found another church." "It's all set up for next week, so this will be our last morning." "Yeah, when one door closes, right?" "This time, anyway." "Yeah." "You okay?" "Yeah." "Just tired, that's all." "They ever let you out of here?" "And ever since then, it's been the couch." "And how long ago was that?" "A month." "And all this over a phone?" "Yeah, and whatever she thinks I'm doing on it." "What are you doing on it, if I can ask?" "Just... looking at stuff." " Have you ever cheated?" " No." "And I don't want to." "That's the whole problem." "When I was a kid, my father would take a walk every night after dinner." "We were never sure he was going to come back." "One night, he just didn't." "I always swore I'd never be that guy." "You're not." "Yeah." "Not yet, anyway." "Um..." "I should get back to work." " Basie Skanks?" " Yes, sir." "It was his idea that we gather to discuss your future?" "Yes, sir." "He said he doesn't want to do anything behind your back." "Then he's got a lot to teach you, doesn't he?" "Fine." "Set it." "Pop, you don't want me here." "I said, set it." "Melisse, it came to my attention that you had applied for one of the Women's Day scholarships" " for nursing school." " Yes, ma'am." "Well, I wanted you to know in person that you'd be receiving that scholarship." " Thank you." " Thank you." "I feel like your behavior recently has been a cry for help, and I was at a loss at how to respond, but you showed me with this application." "What behavior?" "I'm sorry, I don't..." "When you talked to the paper." "I didn't say anything, ma'am." "No." "I understand from my conversation with the journalist in question that you didn't have to." "But, honestly, it sounds so confusing," "I'm sure I would've behaved in a similar manner." "I'm so sorry, ma'am." "Oh, don't be." "All things work together for good for those who love the Lord." "That's what the Bible says." "So... here's a check to get you through the summer." "The tuition you'll get at the ceremony." "The first year, anyway." "The rest as we go." "Are you saying you don't need me at the house anymore?" "Take some time, dear." "You have a long road ahead." "Come in." "Oh, I didn't know it was you." "Can we talk?" "What is there to say?" "I'm sorry." "About what?" "You can't even think of something to be sorry for, can you?" "Because you don't think you did anything wrong." "What did I do that was so wrong?" "Gigi, all I asked you for was some time." "I didn't ask you to let your uncle go free." "I didn't ask you to keep quiet." "I only asked you for some time to set some things in order." " What things?" " That's none of your concern." "All I asked you for was some time, and you went speeding on ahead without a thought to the cost to me." "As a result, some things that could have been merely scandalous are now calamitous." "And the bond of love that we have shared ever since the day you were born is now so badly frayed," "I don't know how it will ever come together." "Then that's why I'm sorry." "No!" "That's why you're sad." "Do you think it's a coincidence that Sophia's father comes around at this time?" "Don't you feel the Lord's instructive hand at work here?" "You know what?" "You were right." "About what?" "There's nothing left to say." " Nice." " Yeah, that's going to be nice." "Hey, baby." "I'm headed home." "I'll just catch a ride." "Thanks." "You sure?" "Yeah." "Okay." "You all right, Mama?" "Yeah, let's just keep going." "Good night, Karine." "Mae?" "Mae?" "Hello?" "Hello." "You are receiving a call from an inmate in a Tennessee correctional facility." "Mac, on recording:" "Robert McCready." "Do you accept the charges?" "Yes." "James?" "What do you want?" "Mac, I'm hanging up this phone." "Wait, please." "Just wait." "What is it?" "Do you think there's a Hell?" "A Hell?" "What are you doing calling me with a question like that?" "You're the only one I trust." "Do you really think there's a Hell?" "Someplace where people get punished for all eternity?" "I've never been much for this..." "God of punishment." "I know the Bible says it's a fact, but I've never seen any evidence of it myself." "Most sin, to me, seems like it brings its own suitcase of pain with it when it walks in the door." "That being said..." "I think when we die, Mac... we go immediately and completely into the presence of the pure love of God." "And for some of us, depending on what we've done," "to discern in that moment how much damage we did, how good it all could have been otherwise... that's going to feel like Hell." "Is there any way out?" "There's always a way out, you know that." "You just have to confess." "Thank you." "What are you doing out here, honey?" "Nothing." "Just trying to remember all this for later, if I have to leave." "It's all going to work out." "You don't know that." "You're right, I don't." "But I'm going to do my very best to make sure you get to stay... if you want." "Yeah, I do." "That's the thing." "I know it's not perfect here, obviously, but... this is the first place in my life that's ever felt like a home." "I mean, like, listen to that." "What?" "The quiet." "It's so loud." "for the visually impaired." "Hello, Montreal!" "Whoa,whoa,whoa,whoa!" "Whoa,whoa,whoa,whoa."