Hello World,

So I know the title of tonight’s episode  of OWN’s “Greenleaf” was “Revival” as the episode revolved around the Fall Fevival held at Calvary Fellowship World Ministries in Memphis, Tennessee but it could have easily been called “Lovers & Friends.” And you will see why as you keep reading this Greenleaf Recap Season 2 Episode 4!

Lovers & Friends…

Tim Reid aka Venus Flytrap on “WKRP in Cincinnati” (Yes, I’m old enough to remember that show although I was a very little girl at the time) aka Ray Campbell on “Sister, Sister” aka Aunt Viv #2’s from “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” real-life husband makes a guest appearance on this episode! Reid portrays Bishop Lionel Jeffries (I believe that is his name) He comes into town at the invitation of Bishop to speak at Calvary’s revival. Prior to the revival, the Greenleafs host what appears to be a cocktail party before the revival. I go to a small church so maybe I just don’t know but whoever heard of a cocktail party before a revival? Saints, y’all school me on this…

On the way to the cocktail party from the airport, Bishop and his friend Lionel, whom he picked up at the airport,  catch up about what is going with the Greenleafs namely Mac when Lionel notices a billboard with Jacob and Pastor Basie advertising the new Triumph location. After Lionel arrives, he manages to be in the same room alone with Lady Mae for a moment. He tells her, “I didn’t come here to cause you any trouble?” Say what?…Some people think Bishop may have been involved with Lady Mae’s sister Mavis at one point. Well, by the looks of things, Lady Mae has a past too and it involves Lionel…more on that later…

At another corner of this cocktail party, Pastor Grace aka Gigi and a childhood friend it seems, a Pastor Rebecca, are “getting in the spirit” by sipping champagne… Me no likey…I know this show is pushing the envelope but dis tew much. What y’all think? Also at the cocktail party is comedian J. Anthony Brown who portrays a Rev. Richard Adenoids. Remember the Reverend from the “Tom Joyner Morning Show? “High-larious!!!

Once the festivities are over, Kevin approaches his wife about getting to know her Bibically again now that he is back in the Greenleaf estate…She says, “You want to have sex with me?” He tells her yes, and they make a date to get it on. But she ends up rejecting her husband, telling him, “It feels strange to make a plan.” But can we all agree that although Charity may no longer be attracted to Kevin, it’s not because he’s not attractive…Anybody want to say, “Amen?”

In another bedroom, Lady Mae chastises Bishop for not taking his medication as she notices that his hands were trembling during the party. He tells her that he didn’t take the medication on that day because the medicine makes him sick….Hmmm…I’m sure more will be revealed regarding Bishop and the medication he is taking for Parkinison’s.

Dilemma…

Now that the preliminaries are over, it’s time for Revival. Prior to the service, Bishop James meets with Bishop Lionel in his office. Bishop James and Bishop Lionel must be close as he reveals the details that led up to his son defecting to Triumph. He says the church is going up like bamboo! Bishop Lionel tells him his son Aaron, who lives in Nashville and works in zoning, may be able to shut down Jacob.

Once the service starts, Charity and her producer Jabari sing a duet sounding like Deborah Joy Winans’ (who portrays Charity) real life Uncle and Aunt BeBe & CeCe Winans. But Charity and Jabari are far from brother and sister. Although they are singing gospel music, they are singing back to back and catching each other’s eyes like they could make more than music together. Kevin notices their chemistry as well as he stares at them as if he is trying to figure if something has happened or is about to happen between the two.

Then, J. Anthony Brown aka Rev. Adenoids continues to warm up the crowd, thanking his first lady for being there and thanking his second lady for “not showing up.” 🙂

Later on that night, Kevin confronts his wife about Jabari and asks,” Is there something going on between you too.” She tells him that it was the Spirit that showed up in their performance. That was not the work of the Holy Spirit, Charity…

Across town, in the basic apartment complex where Mac has been banished, Grace is conducting her own surveillance outside of her uncle’s apartment since he is not in jail. She is literally sitting her vehicle in the dark.  At this point, she plain out stalking the man. She is shocked when Mac escorts an age-appropriate, light-skinned black woman from his apartment to her car after he kisses her. Once Mac turns his back and heads to his apartment, Grace rushes out of her vehicle to the woman, beating on the window. Mac turns around and hears her tell the woman that she is dating a child molester. This woman must not be from the area because she could have known about Mac in two ways: as a powerful man at Calvary (at least he used to be) and as an accused child molester as Grace made sure that flyers detailing the allegations along with his mug were disseminated all around town. What is most shocking is when Mac fixes his lips to tell Grace, “And you call yourself a Christian?” I know you are supposed to forgive as a Christian, but you are also supposed to repent too, and I don’t see Mac repenting about anything…

After this incident, at Calvary, presumably the second day of Revival, Grace is confronted by her friend Pastor Rebecca about the fact that Grace hasn’t preached in a while. Grace tells her, “I don’t know if I feel called to right now.” Before she is able to fully explain her statement, police officers show up at the church and step to Grace. They tell her that while Mac is not pressing charges this time, she needs to leave him alone. She asks them do they know that he raped her sister.

In another part of the megachurch, Lady Mae and Lionel have a private conversation. She lets him know that her “husband doesn’t need [his] help and neither do I.” Then she drops this bombshell: “You think I should have run off with you when I had the chance. That whole thing was a mistake.” So it seems that Lady Mae had the opportunity to be the First Lady of another church! Well, close my Bible and take me to Heaven!

Opening the second day of Revival is duo Mary Mary singing “Heaven.” First, Kirk Franklin appeared on the opening episode, now Mary Mary, I wonder what other gospel artists will me making guest appearances. Jacob watches some of this on his laptop in his home before Kerissa shuts the laptop. Bishop Lionel speaks about not being alone even when you feel like you are alone.  He tells the church to tell one another “you are not alone.” He makes good on his word when he brings in his son Aaron to help fight Bishop’s son Jacob. Bishop will not have to fight this battle alone. Aaron tells the Bishop that since Triumph’s land is located on a flood plain, Bishop can file for temporary injunctions to stop the building of the church.

After the second night of Revival is over, Kevin tries to get his wife in the mood again. Again, she shuts him down again and says, “It should happen naturally. It doesn’t feel like that anymore.” She concludes with, “It’s over.” And just like that Charity and Kevin are kaput….Awww…I feel bad for them…

So something may have happened at this point, but my satellite service was interrupted due to a storm…Let me know what I missed…if anything…

Up Where We Belong…

My service resumes in time for me to see Sophia come up to the front of the church to give her life to the Lord on this last day of Revival! She gets a big hug from her grandfather and in the next scene she is baptized by him looking like an angel in all white. Sophia’s baptism seems to revive her mother too as she seems engaged in the services for the first time in a long while. She asks her daughter to put into words how she feels now that she is her sister in Christ. She says, “Infinite.” That is exactly how you feel when you are baptized. You feel infinite and finite at once. A beautiful experience. The most beautiful experience I’ve ever had…

While Lady Mae shunned Lionel at first, she is now welcoming Aaron, his son, who will be moving into Jacob’s vacated room at the Greenleaf estate at her invitation! He is going to be stay in town to walk Bishop through this process of stopping the building of Triumph by Basie Skanks…

In the very last scene, Grace is not giving in or giving up as she takes a meeting with a woman. I’m not sure if the woman is another police officer or some sort of consultant, but whomever she is, her services have been solicited to put Mac where he belongs: in jail.

Check out this video from “Revival.”

And there you have it: My Greenleaf Season 2 Episode 4 recap!

Any thoughts?

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