Greenleaf Episode 1.04 Behind Closed Doors

Someone from the mayor's office stops by Calvary Fellowship World Ministries to ask the bishop to take a controversial stance and throw Calvary's support behind a police officer who shot and killed an unarmed teenager. What's in it for the bishop? The city's redevelopment arm owns the land next to Calvary, and the bishop has been eyeing that area for years as a place to build a pool and community center.

The bishop invites in the offending officer, David Nelson, to his office for a chat to figure out what really happened the night Kenny Collins was shot. He doesn't get the answers he wants, but he ultimately decides to execute the mayor's wishes on his own terms. Afterwards, David and Grace (Merle Dandridge) have a heart-to-heart about grappling with one's mistakes.

Elsewhere, Basie Skanks, a pastor with his own rapidly growing mega-church in Memphis, will be preaching at a Black Lives Matter protest against the police department's use of excessive force in the Kenny Collins shooting. The bishop stops by to see what Basie has in store. Sophia (Desiree Ross) and Zora skip their homework and, against their parents' wishes, also attend the rally. When the bishop notices, he escorts them back home.

Meanwhile, Jacob (Lamman Rucker) begins marriage counseling at Kerissa's request while continuing to sleep with Alexa. Ultimately, the sessions begin to change his perspective, but not in the way Kerissa (Kim Hawthrone) had hoped.

Back at the Greenleaf mansion, Lady Mae takes issue with the bishop's plan to invite officers from the MPD onstage during his sermon Sunday. The deacons may be even more upset. The head deacon, Connie Sykes, confronts the bishop at a board meeting, threatening to walk out--and take several people with her--during his sermon if he follows through with the plan.

Elsewhere, Grace recruits Noah, her former lover and the head of security for the Greenleaf estate, in her efforts to uncover the truth about Faith's mysterious death. Noah reveals that a package was anonymously left on the property. Inside, a USB was found containing photos of Faith, dressed in nothing but her underwear, in bed with an unknown man.

At Sunday service, the bishop's sermon is a tightrope walk between executing the mayor's demands and not offending the deacons. He begins by expressing sympathy for Officer Nelson's experience watching the teenager he shot slowly die while en route to the hospital. Before he starts sounding overly pro-authority, however, he vigorously defends the humanity of the people the police serve and protect, shouting, "Black lives matter."

The congregation stirs with excitement as the bishop makes his appeal. As the choir breaks into song, the bishop walks down the line of assembled officers, shaking hands. Deacon Connie Sykes is unmoved. She and several other members of the deacon board shake their heads and file out of the church.

Finally, Grace helps the other full-time resident pastor get his own office.