February - April 2005
 Let the Church Say Amen
by Reshonda Tate Billingsley
In her thought provoking second novel, ReShonda Tate Billingsley -- winner of the Gold Pen Award for Best New Author for My Brother's Keeper, has given us another heartwarming story that will inspire readers everywhere. Her new novel, Let The Church Say Amen, is a hard and amusing tale about a dysfunctional family and the antics that define good and bad. What makes this book such a readable option is how the author is able to weave a story illustrating a character-driven storyline as a memorable journey highlighting one family's attempts at regaining balance and love. Since the characters are the heroes and heroines in this story, the family as a whole is showcased in their hopes of doing the Lord's work while endeavoring to keep familial order despite character flaws and circumstantial angst. Let's take a look at the characters:
First and foremost, we have David, Rachel, Simon, Pastor Jackson and the First Lady, Loretta Jackson. The oldest son, David is disillusioned by not realizing a promising career as a professional football player. This allows him to fall short by succumbing to a drug habit and stealing from the church collection plate to support it. Nineteen-year old Rachel is suffering from 'my baby daddy blues’, which forces her to not be focused on stability. The middle child, Simon, holding more promise than any of his siblings, harbors a secret that he dare not share. Reverend Jackson pastors a church he built from ground up, but has character flaws that proved to be his downfall in many ways. What kind of minister is he to his own moral fortitude and to his family? What role does his devoted wife bring to balance all the scales that have gone awry? Is prayer and sustained belief in anything is good enough to salvage souls and bring order? The author tells this story with seemingly enough imagination to make reader believe that there's a method to the all the madness and that the Lord will eventually prevail in the end. Whether it's good enough to win readers over is a matter of conjecture.
LET THE CHURCH SAY AMEN does a credible job of contrasting the ill will of what needs to be done, what isn’t being done and reasons why finding a good balance to stabilize the family for order is important. The people that move the story are well drawn, with each having individuality to give the story body and continuity. The key here is being able to tell this story, add something different and still keep the readership on notice that imagination and reality can coincide as long as there’s something to relate to, and if one can recognize a good story. Reshonda Tate Billingsley does this with relative ease, providing an introspective analogy for what’s necessary in keeping one's house in order despite turmoil, and in the end do the right thing to boot. I enjoyed it and hope that others would too!
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