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Overview
Hezekiah T. Cleveland is the young, handsome, and charismatic pastor of the mega church New Testament Cathedral in Los Angeles. He is married to Reverend Samantha Cleveland, a beautiful, sensuous, ambitious, and equally charismatic minister. Samantha is the power behind Hezekiah and New Testament Cathedral. She runs the church and their national television ministry from behind the scenes with a firm, and sometimes cruel, hand. Together they are building a new 25,000 seat mega church.Hezekiah meets a handsome and passionate social worker named Danny St. John, and the two men fall in love. As they struggle to keep their relationship a secret, Hezekiah alone grapples with the conflict between his religious convictions and his love for a man. Hezekiah comes to the conclusion that he must choose between Danny and his wife.
Samantha has grown bitter and resentful of living in Hezekiah's shadow. She views him as the man who stands between her and the absolute power she desperately craves. She decides to take over the New Testament Cathedral and rid herself of Hezekiah permanently. She seduces and conspires with Hezekiah's nemesis, Reverend Willie Mitchell. Together they conclude that Hezekiah must be killed.
During the Sunday morning sermon in which Hezekiah is about to reveal the double life that he has been living, a shot rings out in the cavernous New Testament Cathedral sanctuary. Hezekiah is killed in front of a live television audience and the shocked members of his congregation. During the pandemonium, Samantha Cleveland skillfully portrays the role of a shocked, frightened, and bereaved wife.
Samantha is installed as the Pastor of New Testament Cathedral after much behind the scenes manipulations. She is praised and embraced by the congregation members as a selfless, God fearing woman who, despite her tragic loss and through her grief, places the good of the ministry and the spiritual well-being of those in need before her own. How long will she be able to carry on this charade?