Good Times revealed the church hustle in 1974, but it's still going strong in 2024

James Evans and Reverend SamPhoto byIMDb screenshot

Florida Evans said a mouthful

I recently saw the Good Times episode "God's Business is Good Business," guest starring Roscoe Lee Browne as Reverend Sam. He wanted James Evans (John Amos) to travel with him as he hustled believers out of their money and made himself richer. Florida Evans (Esther Rolle) immediately caught on.

When Sam entered preaching mode, she asked when he would do "Geraldine" letting him know she considered him to be impersonating a preacher as Flip Wilson impersonated a woman. At 16, I thought this was pure entertainment and was unaware that church hustling was real but now I know better.

Sixty years after Florida uttered these words, the hustle remains alive and well in some US congregations, including in Virginia. Sadly, I continue to encounter folk who say they are tired of making preachers wealthy while they never see a due season.