Doors of the Church Are Open: Smoke & Mirrors by Sonya Shuman

Book excerpt: Welcome to the life of the Golden family. Al Golden, a man. A reformed drug dealer turned entrepreneur and pastor of the largest church in Newark, New Jersey. The Goldens have it all: Looks, fame, fortune, faith and God's favor. Another thing they have that is not so apparent to the untrained eye of the public that praises them, is flaws. Lauded and loved by the residents of the city of Newark they can do no wrong. Or so it seems from the outside looking in. The invisible dome that had surrounded the Golden family for so long begins to crack beneath the weight of unresolved issues and grief at the passing of their beloved Carla Golden, the matriarch. The Goldens shiny exterior begins to tarnish before everyone's very eyes as their past comes back to haunt them and bad habits hidden in the darkness; secrets held behind the closed doors and the velvet rope of the pulpit of the church are brought to light. Will they survive under the weight of the pressure of exposure? In mid fall off of the religious pedestals set so high by the community, do they have the strength to keep their composure? A microcosm for the hypocrisy that lies underneath the covers of American society, the Golden family, a sleeping giant, is about to be exposed. A tale of truth and lies; loss, lust, love, life and grace and humanity; They are left to wonder if their faith has failed them or if they are their own undoing. Can this Golden family survive the impending implosion that is their lives? This is a barrier breaking story about the rise and fall of the kings of the church. A narrative that depicts reality in the raw. It is humanity, heaven, hell and high water for the reader. Not for the faint of heart, it is an adventurous drama that reflects the real lives of the haves and the have nots. Dispelling religious dogma, this deep read serves salvation and nakedness. A must read. This work will change the life of every reader and make you rethink your relationship with yourself, God and others. You are guaranteed to never be the same after ingesting this soul food. I wrote this book to dispel myths about God, salvation, people and life. What influenced the journey to The Doors... were my experiences at various churches over the years. Me being a confused Christian having been trapped by religion. Having been beaten into submitting to man's will, not that of God. Fortunately enough, I was not raised in a religious household. In hindsight, I believe that as a youth, I may have enjoyed too much freedom. Because of such libertarian rearing or lack thereof, depending upon view, worshipping authoritative figures has never been a priority on my list. I have always been rebellious in that aspect. Keeping in mind, I believe in giving respect where it is due, in the same token, I am also a firm believer that God is no respecter of persons not withstanding, there is a time and place for everything. Even Jesus encouraged people to render to Caesar what was his. Give respect and honor where it is indeed due. There is a way to come before kings as God is a God of order. As there is God-ordained authority and leadership where in fact we must submit in many instances, We must bear in mind, dominion and authority are not given exclusively to "men" as in the sex, per se. Often times where we see "man" or "men" in biblical text, it means the whole of humanity. Not just males. Not just leadership. We all have something to bring to the table. As equally, we are all very flawed creatures who ourselves need to submit to the leadership of God's Holy Spirit.