THINK - Film

GREEN LEAF

GGreenleaf drama television series was created by Craig Wright and Oprah Winfrey and Lionsgate Television were the executive producers for the TV series. The show’s focus is on the Greenleaf

Family, who run Calvary Fellowship

Megachurch in Memphis, Tennessee and Calvary Fellowship Worldwide

Ministries.

The Greenleaf family appears to be united and supportive of one another within the family and ministry but underneath there are many secrets and lies simmering which comes to an explosive boil as the series continues. They appear to be a very strong-willed family starting from the patriarch of the family and the Bishop of Calvary Fellowship.

Theatrical Themes” by jurvetson is licensed with CC BY 2.0.

There are many layers to this television series that show us the fight between the enemy and God. When we look into the spiritual realm there is always warfare and often marriages are where the fight seems the worst. Marriage is the example that God uses when we look at the church and Jesus, we are the bride and Jesus the bridegroom. Focusing on what is beneath the marriages of Greenleaf, I ask the question, “What is God revealing to us and what can we learn?” Today when we go to church and see marriages, are they as is or are there things beneath that are being hidden? Every marriage has its issues but are they presenting the truth of what is beyond the veil? I wonder, “Has Greenleaf helped you to grow or has it tainted your views of the church?”

How low down can one get? The youngest of the Greenleaf family, Charity Greenleaf played by Deborah Joy Winans is married to Kevin Satterlee, played by Tye

White. Charity and Kevin’s marriage appears to be perfect; the couple are ministerial leaders at Calvary. Kevin is the director of Outreach while Charity is the Minister of Music. They were a young couple aspiring to have a family. Kevin began to have thoughts about men and Charity would find her husband being distracted, and frequently on his phone. Kevin was looking at images of other men and the more he engaged his internal desire for men the stronger his desire for men became and the more his wife found him distracted. She begins to question Kevin and he eventually confesses his desire for men. He tried to ignore it and hide it but it became too overwhelming. After confessing to his wife Charity, he tried to get help by going to therapy. The desire was too string for him to overcome and Kevin accepted that he was gay. This not only puts a strain on the marriage, but the marriage imploded. Charity tried to hide what her marriage was going through, until she could no longer hide it from her family. We see two young people starting a new family appearing in love while being leaders in the church. They have God as their perfect foundation, yet they are flawed with hidden issues. What happens when the tables of infidelity turn? Just as Charity is having issues in her family, her brother Pastor Jacob Greenleaf, played by Lamman Rucker, is having issues also within his own marriage. Pastor Jacob Greenleaf is married to Kerissa Greenleaf, played by Kim Hawthorne. Jacob, the second born child but only son wanted to be a professional baseball player. He was asked to take his older sisters’ position in the church as Associate Pastor. He resents his sister Grace (Merle Dandridge) for leaving home and his being made to fill her position, thereby crushing his dreams. Jacob’s wife, Kerissa is Headmistress of Excellence Academy and has a very controlling disposition. Jacob and wife Kerissa seem to always be at odds with one another. Jacob has an issue with committing adultery with other women including women in the church.

Kerissa knows that her husband is cheating and chooses to stay in the marriage. She keeps his secrets and fights to get her husband to stop cheating. Kerissa loves her husband yet she feels entitled to the Greenleaf legacy as she continues to endure the strain on their marriage. Eventually Jacob sees his mistake and tries to be the husband that he is supposed to be, he attempts to be who his wife wants him to be. In Jacob’s attempt, Kerissa finds herself caught up with a man she approaches to do business with and cheats on Jacob, ending up with an STD. She eventually has to confess to Jacob what she did, but Jacob does not give her the same grace she gave him. Their marriage eventually comes to an agreed end with the agreement of shared custody after the many years of infidelity. When the bedrock of the family turns into a business, can the marriage work? The patriarch and the matriarch of the family Bishop James Greenleaf, played by Keith David and First Lady Daisy Mae Greenleaf, played by Lynn Whitfield, have a plethora of secrets in the background of their marriage along with plenty of brokenness, while trying to maintain a megachurch and a worldwide ministry. They are projected as a strong couple, a head strong wife who has supported her husband in life, marriage and in ministry. She also supported keeping her husband’s secrets of mishandling church finances as she had her own secrets that were not known to her husband.

In ministry they seem like the perfect match but eventually their lives turned into a business arrangement. The couple lost a daughter to a sudden death, which caused an extreme strain on Lady Mae. Lady Mae kept secret that she was molested and abused by her father; a secret she kept until her father’s death. Their oldest daughter Grace was a product of an affair Lady Mae had with Bishop Greenleaf’s friend. As the secrets began to come out, they could barely hold their marriage together and keep things hidden from their children

Valuable lessons learned the hard way. The Bishop and Lady Mae’s marriage became strained, and they ended in divorce but after searching their own hearts over time they were able to rekindle their love for one another. They began to look at how their relationship started and what God would have them do. They began to look at the examples of life and love they presented to their children. After the years of lies, secrets and doing things wrong, they began to refocus on what was important to them and what was important for their family. Through every issue they endured, they fought for their family and their church. They believed that God truly called them for ministry and began fighting to do God’s will after years of doing their own.

In all of our lives we are faced with lies, secrets, adultery, hurt, pain, brokenness and oftentimes we go into the church and think that the pastor and his wife along with their family are perfect. We are all sinners saved by grace and we all have

our own demons to fight. We put pastors on pedestals along with their family and when they fall, we pick up our stones instead of praying and covering them. Galatians 6:1 states, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” (KJV). Within the Greenleaf family we see how the enemy comes in and tries to destroy an entire family from every aspect. We see that if we are trying to handle our situation on our own, things become worse while when we depend on God, He will bring us through. Matthew 9:10 states, “While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners (liar, adulterer, thief…etc.) came and ate with him and his disciples.” We can focus on everything we saw wrong in Greenleaf as a negative or we can learn life lessons to grow and not allow their imperfections to taint us as we strive towards perfection. p

LaQwonna “Lady Q” Glaster Evangelist, Prayer Warrior, Poet, Visual Artist, Sisters of Faith Founder & Event Planner

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How I’m Staying Out 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 Tells us our body is the temple of God and we should honour God with our bodies. The word of God resonates deeply within me and the fear of God is upon me. The Holy Spirit leads me into all truth. The Holy Spirit comforts me, keeps me and helps me. The enemy has lost greatly and I am happy I got salvation on time. I stay close to people who are deeply rooted in God and have the right character traits which I can emulate. I live a fasting life and I stay passionate about the things of God. An encounter with God has the capacity to keep us rooted and grounded, my encounter with my maker keeps me far from sin. Seek God diligently and you will find Him; God will shape you to be a better version of yourself. I invite you to call out to Jesus!

A prayer for You I pray that your deliverance will begin to take place, may God shake the prison foundation that wants to lock you and your family down in sexual immorality. In The name of Jesus you will no Longer be LOCKED DOWN UNDER SATANIC TRAPS (LUST). May wisdom and awareness be imparted unto you right now as you receive the word of God which is the foundation of truth... p

By Sheena Lyn Hanson Motivational Speaker/Public Figure/Christian Vlogger/ YouTuber/Talk Show Host