Churches of Love: Love Thy Neighbor

By Allen Butler Jr.

Bishop Owens is an Afro-American pastor who is tired of the poverty, crime, and drug addiction rate around the neighborhoods where his mega church is located. So he implements the teaching of Jesus "Love thy neighbor as you love yourself" while occupying the neighborhoods all day every day with thousands of members. The neighborhoods are changing, but the drug dealers don't agree and are trying to stop this movement by any means necessary! Although the bishop knows that this movement comes with hardship and some tragedies, he believes in what God has put in his heart to do. With the help of his better half and copastor S. Owens and his church organization, this too shall come to pass that God may get the glory.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: May 4, 2022
• ISBN: 9781662459115

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Churches of Love

Love Thy Neighbor

Allen Butler Jr.

Copyright © 2022 Allen Butler, Jr.

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING, INC.

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2022

ISBN 978-1-6624-5925-2 (pbk)

ISBN 978-1-6624-5911-5 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 1

You can’t beat me in Madden! Watch when we get to my house. I’m going to put the beat down on you! Chris yelled at his friend Shawn as the two fifth graders were walking toward Shawn’s house after school.

You know dern well that you can’t do nothing with me once I pick the Redskins, so stop faking, Shawn responded.

We’ll see, Chris told him as they were heading inside the apartment complex called Edgewood Terrace.

Once they were inside the roach-infested one-bedroom apartment, they immediately dropped their book bags while Chris went inside the room to get the video game.

Where my game at? he began to yell to himself while tearing the bedroom up, looking for his Play Station. After looking everywhere for his video game and not finding it, he sat on the bed and began to cry, wondering when things were ever going to get better.

I’m going to sell the candy I can so I can get that bike, watch, the fourth grader Keisha said to herself after leaving school with the candy form in her hand.

That day she went all around the neighborhood, knocking on doors, selling candy, determined to get that bike. She went inside her apartment about six thirty in the evening, excited about how much candy she sold so far.

Where you been at girl? her mother asked once she was inside the apartment.

I’ve been out selling candy so I can get me a bike, Keisha told her mother with excitement in her voice.

How much did you sell so far? her mother asked with her eyes wide-open and glossy from crack cocaine.

I’ve made like sixty dollars so far and need to sell a hundred dollars more to get my bike, Keisha said while counting the money, sitting on the worn-out, dirty brown couch.

Let me hold that money so you won’t lose it, her mother told her, grabbing the money out the little girl’s hand.

Ma, please don’t spend that money, because I want that bike pretty bad, Keisha whined, hoping her mother wouldn’t spend the money.

Girl, I’m not going to spend your money. What kind of a mother you think I am! she yelled then stormed out the door, heading to the nearest crack dealer. She promised herself that she was going to get the money back for her daughter, but right now she needed to get her smoke on.

Ma, have you seen my Play Station? Chris asked his mother a couple of hours later as she came back inside the house, nodding off the dope.

Boy, don’t ask me about that video game because I will get you another one! she yelled, sitting down on the couch, enjoying her high.

I hate you and can’t wait to turn eighteen so I can move out this apartment! he yelled then stormed to his room, crying.

She told herself that she would deal with him later. Right now she wasn’t going to let him ruin her high.

Two days passed, and Keisha had made enough to get her bike. She gave her mother the money, and her mother said that she would bring it to the school.

So how much candy did you sell? one of Keisha’s friends named Stacy asked her as they were sitting inside the auditorium, watching the candy company give away the gifts to the children who sold the candy.

I sold enough to get the bike. Watch when they call my name, Keisha replied, feeling good about herself from putting in so much work.

A couple of hours passed, and they still hadn’t called Keisha’s name.

Dog, Keisha, I guess you didn’t sell enough for nothing. Maybe your mother smoked the money up, Stacy said as everybody began to laugh, knowing Keisha’s mother was a crackhead.

Keisha went inside the bathroom and began to cry.

So what are you going to wear for the Halloween dance? Micheal asked his best friend Kevin as both of the seventh graders were leaving school.

My brother told me that he is going to buy me some Jordans and an outfit, so I’m going to be real fresh, Kevin replied, feeling good about it because his brother never let him down.

You lucky to have a brother that don’t have a problem spending money on you. I wish I had somebody like that, Micheal told him as they were heading inside the subway station.

Boy, your mother makes sure you stay fresh. And besides, everybody can’t have a big brother making money in the drug game. I’m just lucky that my brother just wants me to get good grades in school.

You right, I can go with being second best dressed in school, Micheal told him as they were getting on the train.

At that moment, Kevin didn’t have any care in the world, not knowing his good fortune was about to run out.

It feels good to be home, Kelvin told his girlfriend, just coming home from beating a murder charge that he really didn’t commit.

So what you going to do now that you home? Kelvin’s girlfriend, Monica, asked him as they were lying inside the bed after having sex.

Baby, I’m going to get me a job and stay away from the streets. Even though I didn’t kill that boy, maybe if I wasn’t outside hustling, I wouldn’t’ve got locked up in the first place, Kelvin responded while hugging and caressing Monica.

I hope so, baby, because that was the hardest eighteen months I ever had to do. I can’t see myself living my life without you, Monica told him then kissing him fully on the lips. They made passionate love then went to sleep.

It is our duty as Christians to govern our society. And us the churches are not doing a good job! Bishop Owens said with passion, talking to his wife, seeing the murder rate number for 2005 being 220 in Washington, DC.

So what do you think we should do about it? his wife Pastor Owens asked.

I don’t know, but I’m going to ask God about it and see what he says. After reading his Bible and praying, he went to sleep, thinking about the same thing.

Later on today I’m going to buy you an outfit and a pair of shoes for that party you was telling me about, Kevin’s big brother, Larry, told him as they were inside their section 8 house on Fourth Street, NE.

Thanks, bro, he replied while getting ready for school.

Their mother was strung out on crack, and their father was never there for them. Larry started hustling at the age of sixteen. He was a smart hustler who knew how to save his money. He took care of his family, which consisted of his mother and li’l brother, Kevin. Sometimes he had to pay the two-hundred-dollar rent to make sure they kept a roof over their heads. At the age of nineteen, he was making real good money and made sure his li’l brother had everything so he wouldn’t have to hustle.

I’ll see you later, bro, Larry told his brother as he began to walk down the stairs in the three-bedroom house. After grabbing his coat and heading toward the front door, all of a sudden the front door was knocked off its hinges, with plainclothes DEA officers running inside the house.

Police! Lie down! they yelled at Larry with guns pointed at his face.

Larry had a gun on him. He was trying to get it off him, when one of the officers thought he was trying to shoot them and immediately opened up fire, killing him instantly.

No…! Kevin yelled, running down the stairs, seeing his brother being gunned down.

Stay down, boy! one of the officers yelled after tackling him to the ground.

From that moment, Kevin felt like he lost a part of his soul.

Ma why didn’t you bring the money I gave you to the school? Keisha asked her mother that night in the house.

Girl, I did take that money to the school. Now don’t start questioning me! her mother yelled then stormed to her room, slamming the door. Her mother wasn’t high, and she was feeling bad about herself for not taking that money up there to her daughter’s school, and she began to cry.

Keisha heard her mother crying and went inside her room without knocking on the door.

I’m sorry, Keisha, her mother told her as they began to hug each other, with Keisha crying as well.

Keisha’s mother wasn’t always on drugs, and Keisha remembered two years ago when her mother was beautiful and didn’t have a care in the world. The only thing her mother worried about was how fast she could spend the money her husband was making from being a big-time drug dealer. Things turned for the worst once he was robbed and murdered for everything he had. She never could deal with it, and then she let the drug demon ruin her life.

Mommy, you need to leave them drugs alone, Keisha told her mother as they were till hugging and crying.

I want to, baby, but it’s hard. Ever since your father was murdered, it seems like the crack became your father, she told her daughter still crying in her arms.

Keisha didn’t say nothing. She kept on embracing her mother, knowing that one day things would have to get better.

Did you find out what happened to your video game? Chris asked Shawn as they were heading to school the next day.

Yeah, my mother sold it, but she told me that she is going to get me another one.

I’m sorry to hear that. You know you can play with mine anytime you want, Chris told him as they were walking inside the elementary school called Shade.

Thanks, homie, but with my birthday coming up, I’m sure my mother is going to get me another game.

They went to class, and that was the last time they talked about his video game.

I got a job interview, and I believe I’m going to get it, Kelvin told his girl, Monica, while fixing his tie and getting ready to leave out the door.

I hope you do, baby, and no matter what, I am so proud of you, she said, hugging and giving him a kiss before leaving out the door. She gave him the keys to her Tercelle, and he left the apartment, went to the car, and began to head toward his destination.

Once he got downtown at the Department of Labor, he found a parking spot and began to head inside the building for his interview.

Yes, I’m here because I have am interview for the mail room job, Kelvin told the security officer who was standing at the front desk.

Yes, empty your pockets and go through the metal detector. Once you do that, go around the corner and you will see the sign for the mail room, the black security officer told him as he obeyed.

Yes, my name is Kelvin Williams, and I’m here for the appointment about the mailroom job, he told the young black lady that was standing behind the desk with a computer, typing away.

Okay, Mr. Williams, we’ll be with you in a minute, sir, the secretary said after calling for Mr. Rodgers, informing him that his appointment had arrived.

Kelvin took a seat, and after waiting for five minutes, an older white male came out the back office and told him to come inside his office.

After shaking hands and introducing themselves to each other, they both took a seat. Kelvin saw the look that Mr. Rodgers gave him after looking at his neatly braided hair and knew this was going to be a tough interview.

So, Mr. Kelvin, what made you want to work for the Department of Labor mailroom? Mr. Rodgers asked while looking at his résumé.

A friend told me about it. So I decided to give it a shot, he replied, rubbing his hands nervously.

I see here that you’re not a convicted felon, that’s good. Have you ever been locked up? Mr. Rodgers asked as he began to type up Kelvin’s name inside his computer, looking to see if he could catch any charges before. The system that he had was illegal, but he liked to find out everything about his employees.

Kelvin put his head down, not knowing if he should tell the truth or not. He decided not to tell the truth.

No, I never been charged with a crime before in my life, he lied nervously, not knowing that Mr. Rogers was looking at his old murder charge as he spoke.

Yeah, well, my sources say that you were charged with murder 1. If you would’ve told me the truth, I would’ve hired you. But you didn’t. You’re not the type this company is looking for. Take care, Mr. Williams, Mr. Rodgers told him, throwing Kelvin’s résumé in the trash, lying to Kelvin about hiring him if he told the truth, because after he saw his charge, he knew that he wasn’t going to work for him.

You lying cracker! You knew you wasn’t going to hire me from the jump! One day you will get yours! he yelled then stormed out the office. From then on, Kelvin knew that getting a job was going to be tougher than he thought.

Chapter 2

Chris, a short, brown-skinned boy with curly hair, was turning eleven today, and he was real excited about it.

Ma, what you got me for my birthday! He ran into his mother’s room early in the morning on a Saturday, knowing his mother had something for him. Once inside his mother’s room, she wasn’t there, and he didn’t understand.

Ma, where you at! he yelled inside the apartment without anybody answering. Maybe she went to the store. I’m going to eat me some cereal and watch some cartoons until she get back, Chris was talking to himself, heading to the kitchen.

After making himself a bowl of cereal, he sat down and watched TV while waiting for his mother to come back.

Ten-year-old Keisha, light skinned, slim, short, with long wavy hair, was heading to school, when she saw a group of her so-called friends heading her way.

What’s up Keisha? ten-year-old Stacy spoke to her as she and three other little girls caught up with Keisha as they all began to head the same way.

I’m okay, she responded, really shy.

My mother just gave that coat away to the Goodwill store, and you already have it on, one of the little girls named Pam said as all the rest of the girls began to laugh.

My mother didn’t get this from the Goodwill store! Keisha replied defensively, putting her hands inside her red coat.

Yeah, I bet you it has a slash in the inside of the back, Pam said, grabbing the back of Keisha’s coat.

Get off me! And it don’t have a slash in the back! Keisha replied, pushing the girl’s hands off her.

Let’s see then, Stacy told her as they were walking on the playground to their school.

See! Keisha yelled, opening her coat up, revealing the slash Pam was talking about.

"You a dirty