The Small Town Preacher's Fake - Lucy McConnell Page 0,2

the Lord.

Chapter Two

Seth

Pastor Seth Powell settled into a seat in front of the church board. Having their chairs in a half circle and him in the middle felt more like a witch trial than an interview. He wished they’d change the seating and tugged at his collar as he looked around.

There were a half dozen folding tables leaned up against one wall, and there was a stack of chairs. The space would make a great teen room. From what he’d seen online and gathered from his first interview over the phone, the ministry didn’t have a teen service group, or even a tutoring program after school.

“I’m afraid we have some concerns,” said Mr. White, the head of the church board. He had one ankle resting on the opposite knee and leaned back in his chair. His whole demeanor said, I’m in charge. “You’re young for a position like this. How is a twenty-five-year-old going to counsel our congregation who have decades of life experience on him?”

Seth glanced at the other four members of the board. The two men wore pants with the belts practically up to their armpits, and the women were dressed smartly in skirts and matching jackets. They were all over sixty and were unimpressed with his top grades in seminary. Other pastors had diplomas and years of experience. However, the Life of Grace Ministry was struggling and didn’t have a large salary to offer a pastor. So they’d attracted younger applicants who were willing to put in the work to build a career and a following. He knew getting this position was a long shot, but the Lord specialized in championing underdogs like Moses and David, so he’d moved forward with faith and prayed that the miracle would come soon.

“Well, sir, it’s not really me people want advice from, is it? It’s the Lord. I would refer them to the Bible and passages I’d feel impressed to share and encourage them to seek guidance by the Holy Spirit.”

The group exchanged looks. Mrs. Miller scratched a few lines on the pad of paper in her lap. Her blond hair moved about as if it were a helmet on her head. She also had the kindest blue eyes he’d ever seen—eyes that had snuck a look at Mr. White that had nothing to do with church business. Neither of them wore a wedding ring, so Seth was left to wonder if they had something going on or if Mrs. Miller was the only one looking.

“Our other concern is that you are unmarried,” Mr. Green blurted out. He spoke as if talking to a line of troops, his words choppy and brokering no argument.

Seth shifted. “That’s a major concern of mine as well.” He smiled to let them know he was joking.

Mrs. Miller twittered, quickly covering her mouth.

Mr. Green chuckled and then coughed to cover it up. He slouched in his chair—as if he was made to be here and wasn’t sure if he wanted to be or not.

“You mentioned as much in my first interview. I assure you, I’m currently working on a solution to that very problem,” Seth expounded, praying they wouldn’t ask for proof, because his ad in The Matchmaker hadn’t brought forth any fruit. “These things take time.”

He’d done his best to tell the truth without actually saying that he’d placed an ad in the newspaper for a wife. It was crazy and out of character for him, but he couldn’t get the ad he’d seen several months ago out of his mind. When he’d finally given in to the constant pressure from the Lord to place one of his own and sat down to write, it flowed out of him with such ease that he was shocked.

He looked around the room again. The windows let in a brilliant display of light. He could practically feel the energy of a dozen kids working on homework, playing board games, and listening to music. “Why don’t you have a youth group?” he asked.

Mr. Green squinted. “Because we don’t have any youth.”

“Now, John.” His wife, Matilda, placed a hand on his knee. “We have the Henderson girl.”

“So we’re supposed to put together a whole program for one kid?”

She tsked at him. “Every sheep is important.”

He huffed but didn’t argue.

Seth frowned, wondering why he’d felt so strongly about a program when there wasn’t an immediate need.

“I think we’ve heard enough.” Mr. White made eye contact with the other members of the group, silently asking for their vote one way or