Church Folk

May 14, 2001
This third book in Warner/Walk Worthy's copublishing venture spotlighting African-American culture shows promise for the general market, but will be a hard sell to the CBA. Young, handsome Theophilus Simmons is learning the ropes of being a black clergyman in the 1960s. He's also regretting his affair with the hot-to-trot Glodean, who's pleased numerous pastors with her sex-capades. After Simmons marries "jook joint" cook Essie Lee Lane, the couple settles into pastoral life at Greater Hope Gospel United Church—where Glodean is a member. There's trouble brewing. It's not long before they discover that the church leadership is actually running a call-girl service out of a local funeral home. The issues are hot—but not as hot as the characters. In every chapter, pastors are either leaping into bed, resisting sex, having sex, talking about sex or contemplating their next hop into the sack. Readers will enjoy the rich glimpses into the spirit-filled African-American church of the '60s, complete with politicking, blackmail, colorful dialogue and extensive clothing descriptions. But the sexual situations and language—e.g., "dick teasers," "hell," "damn," "bitch" and "balls"—will send most CBA retailers, and their conservative clientele, running in the opposite direction. Regardless, many African-American readers will embrace this steamy morality tale, with its bold themes and fallible characters, as a satisfying addition to the scanty collection of African-American fiction with Christian themes.

May 15, 2001
Rural Mississippi in the 1960s stood in the midst of the civil rights movement. Social changes began in black churches. Essie Lee Lane, a small-town girl who is faithful to her church and loyal to her family, meets the man of her dreams in an unlikely encounter. The Reverend Theophilus Henry Simmons is an eligible pastor, as smitten with Essie as she is with him. After they begin a long-distance courtship between Mississippi and Tennessee, the couple decide to marry. They soon find that the blessings of being the "first couple" come with challenges from the local church and the national denomination. The secular issues of greed, sex, misconduct, money, and politics are as evident and dangerous in the church as outside. These human failings cause the Simmonses to struggle with their roles as husband and wife as well as church leaders. The Reverend Mr. Simmons is faced with taking a stand that will forever separate him from the ordinary and make the church congregation proud. Accepting this assignment becomes a test of his faith and the steppingstone for his future.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)