Halfway to forever by Karen Kingsbury

City Council as strongly as it applies to the president of the United States."
He raised the lease agreement higher and uttered a single,
less chuckle. "I'm about to read you a clause in this lease agreement that will astonish you. It will make
you wonder how it
is that the U.S. Constitution has come to be taken so lightly by people like the Benson City Council
members."
Matt could almost picture Tanner in the comer of the room giving him a thumbs-up. Encouraged by a
strength that could only have been from God, Matt continued. "At first this... lease agreement... looks like
the ordinary sort. It includes the names of the lessor-in this case, the City of Benson-and the lessee-in this
case, First Church of the Valley It requires that a specific amount of rent be paid on time each month and
that the facility is cared for in a specific manner."
He flipped the page. "It details how the building may be set up for community events and how it must be
cleaned after each use." He pointed to a section highlighted in yellow near the bottom of the second page.
"The part you won't believe is down here."
There were still a few feet separating him from the jury box, and now Matt took a step closer, leaning on
the railing and angling his back slightly toward the jury. That way when he held up the lease agreement,
most of them in the middle section could read the words over his shoulder. "Right here, on line fortythree,
item seventeen, is a stipulation to the agreement that reads: `City Hall may not be rented by any
group who teaches faith in Jesus Christ as the only way to salvation."
289 Matt turned and faced the jury again. The outrage he'd felt upon first reading the clause was fresh
within him, and Matt let it show in his eyes. "Give yourself a minute to let that sink in. City Hall, a place
that may be rented by any group willing to pay and follow a lease, may not be rented by a group who
teaches faith in Jesus Christ... as the only way to salvation." He paused and leaked the air from his lungs,
giving his expression time to relax. "There's a name for people who teach that type of doctrine. In this
country, we call them Christians." At this point Matt returned to the table and exchanged the lease for a
hardback copy of the Bible, paper-clipped at a verse in the book of John. Matt opened it and stood
squarely before the jurors. "Many of you may not read the Bible; you may not even like the Bible." He
leveled his gaze at them. "But you are Americans, and for that rea son you must hear what I'm about to
read. He'd memorized the verse decades ago, but he read it from the Bible now, so the jury would have no
doubts about the teaching and where it came from. Matt cleared his throat. "In the book of John, chapter
four teen, verse six, the Bible quotes Jesus as saying, `I am the way and the truth and the life. No one
comes to the Father except through me."' There was utter silence in the courtroom as Matt closed the
Bible and met the faces-some curious, some troubled-of each and every juror. Matt's voice was so quiet
they had to strain for ward to hear him. "Jesus told the people that he was the only road to heaven. And
that, friends, is the very belief banned by the Benson City Council." Matt set the Bible back on the table,
selected another docu ment, and tossed his hands in the air, his voice loud once more. "Sure, you can rent
the City Hall in Benson if you believe in voodoo or witchcraft. You can preach a doctrine of multiple
gods 288 H A L F W A Y T O F O R E V E R br no God at all." He raised a single finger. "Ah...but
preach the ,Christian doctrine, the one established by Jesus, and here's what will happen." The jurors
were clearly spellbound. Across the room Matt saw the opposing attorneys scribbling furiously on their
legal pads. He leaned against the jury box and positioned the document in his hands so the jury could see
it. "This is a letter Pastor Carson received from the Benson City Council eight months after he and the
First Church of the Valley-a Christian congregation-began renting out the Benson City Hall." He glanced
at the document, holding it in the air just in front of his face so he had no trouble reading it. "`Dear Mr.
Carson, this is to inform you that your right to meet at the Benson City Hall has hereby been reneged due
to a lease violation by you and your group."' Matt raised an eyebrow at the jury and then returned his
attention to the letter. "`Our records show that because of this vio lation, the city of Benson owes you and