My mom’s church is a hot mess. They tap dance, scream, hoot, holler, and eat macaroni and cheese after. But behind the chaotic scenes, there’s a man everyone knows—the busybody. He’s in everybody’s business and has a reputation for giving gifts and helping others to buy their loyalty. People know he’s involved with a church lady while being married to an older woman. Church members have even caught him making out with his girlfriend in the parking lot, yet no one says a word. He shuts them up with his “generosity.”

It gets worse. He owns some property and rented a room to a single mom with an autistic daughter. But he constantly harassed her until she finally left, leaving her homeless in her car. That’s how controlling and toxic he is, and nobody holds him accountable. Even when my nephew went there once, this man roughed him up just for being on the phone. Thankfully, my nephew, who knows Taekwondo, stood up to him.

If you’re attending a church, ask questions. And if you see something off, tell the pastor. If the pastor doesn’t care and is just there to collect money, you might need to ask yourself: Is this the path and group of people you want to associate with? Without accountability, there’s no growth—just a place where wolves hide in sheep’s clothing, preying on the vulnerable and weak.