Dr. Betty Price, wife of well-known television minister Apostle Dr. Fred Price of the Ever Increasing Faith Ministry, gives voice and a unique perspective to the topic of adultery in the church--through the personal stories of some pastors' mistresses. Dr. Betty Price spoke candidly to ESSENCE.com on the taboo subject.
It was 20 years ago when I started receiving letters from women of various churches who were having illicit affairs with powerful married ministers. I was flabbergasted. Was this really happening in the church? I asked myself. Then my phone began ringing off the hook. I couldn't understand why these women were reaching out to me. I think it was because they saw my husband, Dr. Fred K. Price, and his televised preachings and were captivated by his message.
Most recently I received two anonymous letters within a week apart. Both women shared their involvement with very high-profile men of God. As I read their letters I sensed their deep regret. They expressed how they never intended on being involved with a minister and each woman was desperately seeking a way out.
The first letter was from an older, mature woman. She'd just bought a luxury condo but lost her government job after 25 years of service. Her self-esteem was very low. She didn't know what to do because she was financially strapped. And, she was older and didn't think she would be able to find another job in this economy. She reached out to her bishop for counseling. They began an affair. It's been going on for three years. The second woman was from a different church. She works on a committee in which she interacts with her pastor daily. They began spending long hours together. Then the affair began. Now, she is desperately trying to get out but doesn't know how.
Both of these women said they know what they are doing is wrong but expressed they don't have the strength to leave. Both ministers have threatened and coerced these women. They told them, "If they stop the affair then they would be dishonoring God." However, both women expressed they were benefitting financially in the relationships. They were stuck. Unsure of what to do. After reading those two letters my daughter said I had to write a book.
I wrote "Warning To Ministers, Their Wives and Mistresses" because I want to help young ministers. I don't want them to get caught up in the trappings their positions bring and make them go in a different direction than what God has planned for them. I also wrote this book for the many women who come to church specifically for the purpose of sleeping with the minister. In my book I share the many anonymous letters I receive from these women who are having affairs with their pastors.
I think it's time this behavior is exposed. There are so many families being destroyed because of these women and men of God. With the book my hope is to help other first ladies and women who live right for God and do not have affairs with married men. I really want to bring this issue to the forefront because this secret is very harmful to the church. I want people to know that the inappropriate actions of some ministers do not happen in every church. Moreover, it was time for me to share my story and my experience.
Years ago this woman came into mine and my husband's lives like a whirlwind. She called herself a prophet. Every day she told my husband she had a prophecy for him from God. At the time my husband was new to the ministry and he was very interested in hearing messages from God. This woman always needed to see him after church and preferred to talk with him alone. My woman's intuition kicked in. I recognized what she was up to because this woman always had a word of prophecy but nothing she ever said ever came to pass.
My husband, however, was caught up. I knew he wasn't doing anything with her physically because I was taking care of him at home. But this woman was very charismatic. She even enlisted some of her friends to give prophecies to my husband. That's how desperate she was working to get to my husband.
Repeatedly I would tell my husband she was not a prophet. I told him, "You're spending too much time with someone that is not your wife. It does not look good." But he couldn't see it. He would get upset with me whenever I would say something. I was very hurt by it because not only could he not see what she was doing, but I was his wife. He figured this woman was spiritual and of God. He said he did not have a lot of people to talk to. I told him to talk to God.
At the time this woman was really overweight but then she started to lose the weight trying to get his attention. Then she started dressing like me. Finally, I had enough. I told my husband that I was not going to church with him anymore. I stayed home that Sunday. In all my years of attending church that was the only Sunday service I missed. I had to get my husband to see how serious it was for me. Most women would go after the other woman. I never did. I would never run after a woman. I tell women to go after him. If he doesn't listen to you and see what it's doing to you, then you leave.
I was strong enough to go to him and express what it was doing to our marriage. Besides, I knew I was a good wife. If it would have kept up, I wouldn't have stayed in it. I would have left. When I didn't go to church he realized what he was doing and stopped talking with her. He cut it off and the woman finally left. They all leave when they can't get their way.
In my situation it didn't go as far as him sleeping with another woman. I recognized something was wrong and I spoke up. My husband listened. However, it was enough for me to know that something could go further.
It bothers me to know many ministers have mistresses sitting right up in the church. Their wives and children are subjected to public humiliation. Some ministers even have children with their mistresses and leave their wives. I've talked to a lot of women and they say that in all the churches they've attended the ministers have been unfaithful and run around. I personally know so many that it's scary. These women know what they are doing. Don't be fooled. I wrote my book because I want to expose these types of men, and women, who do this.
I challenge ministers and their mistresses to ask themselves, where is God in your life? What is your commitment to God? Where is your conscience? They don't think of the consequences and devastation it causes their families, their wives, their children and the church.
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