hoping that they would help her grow spiritually. Mark was impressed and offered to pray with her. When they finished praying, Kat went home and Mark looked for his wife so he could do likewise.
He found Lisa still in the sanctuary talking with Lexi and Darren. “Hey, you about ready to go babe?” he said.
“Yes,” she answered, “but I think you should say congratulations first…”
Lexi held up her left hand and Mark saw a diamond ring on it. “Well, congratulations you two!” Mark said enthusiastically. “Wow, have you set a date?”
“Not yet,” Lexi responded, “but we’re thinking in the spring sometime. We’ve been dating forever, so we don’t really need a long engagement.”
“That’s great, I’m so happy for you.” Mark reiterated. “Listen, Lexi, I’m glad you haven’t left yet. Can I ask a favor of you?”
“Sure.” she said.
“Have you been practicing the Christmas special stuff yet?” he inquired.
“Just every day…” Darren chimed in. “Trust me; she’s going to nail her audition.”
Mark smiled and continued, “Well, if you can audition this Thursday at regular practice, I may need you to fill in for the actual Christmas service.”
“What about Brian Williams?” Lexi said, somewhat perplexed.
“He’s going through some... personal issues right now…” Mark measured his words. “It may be okay, but I need you to be ready in case he’s unable to go.”
“Wow, well… I’ll try.” Lexi acknowledged.
“Great, we’ll see you Thursday then.” Mark said, “And congratulations again.”
Mark gathered up his acoustic guitar and escorted Lisa out to their car. Once they were on the road, Lisa asked, “Mark, what’s going on with Brian Williams?”
“I don’t know,” Mark admitted, “why do you ask?”
“Well,” Lisa began, “First he comes in late to service this morning, then he can’t play a single song without botching it completely, then he disappears before the sermon. I saw Brad and Jessica taking Erica home with them.”
“Lisa,” Mark paused, “what do you know about the Williams boys?”
Lisa looked at her husband and said, “I don’t know anything.”
“What have you heard?” he restated.
“Mark Flanders,” she teased, “are you asking me to participate in gossip?”
“I’m not looking for gossip, Lisa,” Mark replied, “I’m looking for clues. I have a feeling there are things going on in the lives of my team that need to be addressed. I spoke with Kat after the service and she had a run-in with Brian last week after practice.”
“The Williams boys have always been rough.” Lisa began, “I mean, if you believe the rumor mill, Brian is supposed to have several illegitimate children throughout the county. I’m not sure how much of that is truth and how much is just gossip. I have heard several people say that they see him drink. Like, a lot...”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Mark asked.
“Honey, it’s not illegal to drink.” Lisa answered. “But speaking of your team, I didn’t see Justin in service today. Aren’t team members supposed to be in church even when they’re not playing?”
“Hmmm, yes…” said Mark. “I wonder what that’s all about. He may have had a show last night that went late, but he’s still supposed to try to make it to service. I’ll give him a call later and ask.”
After a brief pause, Mark spoke up again, “How can so much be going on with my team that I’m completely unaware of?”
“Sweetie…” Lisa reassured him, “you can’t know everything that’s going on in all of their lives. Christians tend to be very private with their sins, we all have things in our lives that we’re not particularly proud of. I would think that the worse the sin is, the less likely you are to know about it.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Mark said as he pulled into his driveway. “But I think I should try to be a better leader of the worship team. I think I should start up a Bible study with the entire team that meets once a week, and maybe that would draw us closer. ‘Brother’s keeper’ and all, right?”
“I think that’s a great idea.” Lisa agreed. “Why don’t you start this Thursday?”
CHORUS 3
(The Christmas Service)
It was Wednesday evening, four days until the Christmas service. Mark hadn’t been able to get a hold of Justin or Brian, but everyone else was expected to be there Thursday for a Bible study before practice. Some were even looking forward to it. As Mark and Lisa sat on their couch at home, Mark put down the book he was reading and looked straight ahead as if in thought.
“What’re you thinking about?” Lisa asked as she put her book down.
“I’m wondering what a Godly leader would do...” he stated.
“You are a Godly leader.” she said as she leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Mark sighed, and then went on, “Then I should know how to lead this team, and I don’t.”
“Why don’t you ask God?” Lisa stated the obvious. “Why don’t you pray about it?”
Lisa took Mark by the hands and bowed her head. Mark bowed his head and began, “Lord, You know my heart. You know how I feel about this team. I love these people and I feel responsible for their spiritual welfare, but I don’t know how to lead them. Can you please show me how to engage them? Can you show me how to lead them? I want to inspire them, but only you can touch their hearts, Lord. Please move among our team…”
Suddenly Mark’s phone rang.
Mark and Lisa looked at each other with surprise. The phone rang again, and they both looked at the phone.
“If that’s God,” said Lisa, “you better answer it…”
The phone rang a third time and Mark answered it, “Hello?”
“Mark, it’s Mary Lynn,” came the voice on the other end.
“Phew!” Mark sighed, “That’s a relief…”
“Excuse me?” she said.
“Nothing, Mary Lynn,” Mark smiled, “What’s up?”
“I just got word and I thought you should know,” Mary Lynn sounded distressed, “Justin Stallard and Brian Williams were just arrested for drunk and disorderly, and they had enough drugs on them to add trafficking charges as well.”
Mark was speechless. “Hello?” Mary Lynn said, wondering if they had gotten disconnected.
“I’m still here Mary Lynn,” Mark assured her, “I’m just kind of in shock.”
“I know,” Mary Lynn agreed, “I just got the call from my brother-in-law who was there when it happened. He couldn’t give me too many details, but it sounds bad.”
“Thanks Mary Lynn.” Mark said. “Do you know if we can see them?”
“I wouldn’t try until morning,” she replied. “It sounded like they were both pretty drunk right now.”
Mark looked up at the ceiling as if searching for something, and then asked, “Does Erica know?”
“I don’t know,” came the reply. “I don’t think so.”
“Okay, thanks.” Mark said. “I’ll go over to Erica’s and tell her in person, this isn’t something she should hear over the phone.”
They exchanged goodbyes and ended the call. Lisa looked at Mark quizzically, and he said, “Justin and Brian are in jail for drunk and disorderly and drug possession. I’m going to go tell Erica and Brad.”
“I’ll go with you.” Lisa said as she grabbed her coat.
The Flanders’ drove over to Brad and Jessica’s house first and told them what had happened. Then the four of them walked over to Erica’s house. Answering the door in her robe, Erica looked at the group and said, “It’s Brian, isn’t it?”
She invited them into her living room and said, “I haven’t heard from him in two days, is he alive?”
“He is,” Mark spoke first, “he’s in jail.”
Erica frowne
d and nodded, looking down at the floor.
“Evidently they found enough drugs on them to bring trafficking charges,” Mark went on. “They could be in jail for a while.”
Erica closed her eyes and nodded again, tears starting to fall down her cheeks.
Jessica went over and wrapped her arms around Erica. “Oh honey,” she said, “I’m so sorry…” As Erica wept, Jessica reassured her, “We’re here for you, okay? I want you to know that we’ll help with the kids or money or whatever you need, okay? Why don’t you and the boys come stay with us for a few days...”
Erica looked over at Mark and asked, “When can I see him?”
“I hear they’re still pretty intoxicated right now, you might want to wait until morning.” Mark said. “I’m going myself; I can give you a ride.”
As the women consoled Erica, Mark pulled Brad aside and said, “Brad, I need you to talk to me. This is all a shock to me, but I get the feeling you’re not surprised.”
Brad looked at Mark, but said so the girls could hear, “We’re going to make some coffee…” Catching the hint, Mark followed Brad into the kitchen. As Brad started getting a pot of coffee ready, he began telling the story. “Brian and I have never been strangers to trouble,” he said, “The rumors are true, all of them. Brian has four illegitimate children that we know of, and there’s not a bar in the county we haven’t been thrown out of for fighting. Over the past several years, I’ve slowed down. You know, marriage… kids… does stuff to a man. Brian didn’t slow down. In fact, he seemed to get worse.”
“You get like we were, and you think you’re invincible. I think what started slowing me down even before marriage; we were in a