Anthony Foster had been practicing law for nearly a decade, but he had never received a phone call quite like the one that woke him at 5:47 AM Tuesday morning. Father Mark Appleton's voice carried an urgency that cut through Anthony's grogginess immediately.

"Mr. Foster, I apologize for calling so early, but I need to speak with you about your father's ministry. Can you meet me tonight at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church? Seven o'clock?"

Anthony sat up in bed, careful not to wake Violet beside him. "Father, I'm not Orthodox. I'm Catholic, like my father."

"Denominational differences don't matter in what's coming," Father Mark replied. "Your father will need legal counsel for what he's planning, and God is assembling the people he'll need. Will you come?"

Something in the priest's tone made arguing seem impossible. "I'll be there."

After ending the call, he drove to his father’s house, finding him already awake and in his workshop, sketching plans on graph paper with the methodical precision that had made Foster Precision Components successful.

"Dad, Father Mark Appleton just called me. He wants to meet tonight about your ministry."

John looked up from his drawings, unsurprised. "Good. I've been expecting that. Anthony, I need to walk you through what's coming so you can prepare the legal framework."

For the next hour, John outlined his vision with the same systematic approach he applied to engineering problems. Nine countries, six-day events in each location, starting in Dallas and culminating in Moscow. The events would be spaced two weeks apart to allow for travel and preparation, with the entire tour taking approximately six months to complete.

"Each event needs to be legally protected," John explained. "We'll need corporate structures that can handle international donations, media rights, venue contracts, and immigration issues for the team. Most importantly, we need protection from government interference."

Anthony took notes on a legal pad, his mind already cataloging the complexity involved. "Dad, this is going to require millions of dollars and coordination across multiple legal systems."

"I know." John's voice carried absolute conviction. "Transfer ten million from the family portfolio to seed this. Set up a limited liability company today - call it John Foster Ministries LLC."

Anthony nearly dropped his pen. Ten million dollars represented a quarter of their family's liquid assets. "Are you certain about this?"

"This is what I was sent back to do, son. The money is just a tool."

The rest of Tuesday passed in a blur of legal preparation. Anthony contacted his bank, initiated the wire transfers, and filed incorporation papers for John Foster Ministries LLC in Austin, TX. By afternoon, the company legally existed with Anthony as registered agent and John as sole member.

He spent the remaining hours researching international corporate law, identifying attorneys in each target country who could establish equivalent legal structures. The logistics were staggering - nine countries meant nine different legal systems, tax codes, and regulatory environments.

At exactly seven o'clock, Anthony arrived at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church. The building's golden dome and Byzantine architecture felt foreign to his Catholic sensibilities, but the sacred atmosphere was unmistakable. Father Mark Appleton met him at the entrance alongside Father Giuseppe Fortini, whose presence surprised Anthony.

"Father Giuseppe? I didn't expect to see you here."

The Italian priest smiled warmly. "Your father's ministry transcends denominational boundaries, Anthony. We're here to serve God's purposes, not institutional preferences."

Inside the church, they were joined by a stocky man with Slavic features and intelligent eyes who introduced himself as Dimitri Romanov. Anthony recognized the name immediately.

"You're OrthoBro1054," Anthony said. "You posted the video of my father's police interview."

Dimitri's expression darkened. "Before they erased my entire digital existence, yes. I'm rebuilding from scratch now."

Father Giuseppe gathered them in the sanctuary before the iconostasis, the golden icons seeming to observe their gathering with ancient wisdom. "Let us begin with prayer," he said, leading them through the Lord's Prayer in Latin while Father Mark offered the same words in English.

When they finished, Father Giuseppe spoke with quiet authority. "Gentlemen, we are here because God is calling each of us to support John Foster's prophetic ministry. Father Mark and I offer ourselves as spiritual advisors, drawing on our combined decades of pastoral experience."

Father Mark nodded. "We've both witnessed John's divine calling firsthand. What he's undertaking will require tremendous support - legal, technical, and spiritual guidance."

Anthony opened his legal folder. "My father outlined his plans this morning. Nine countries, six-day events in each location, beginning in Dallas in four months and ending in Moscow. I've established John Foster Ministries LLC with ten million dollars in initial funding."

Dimitri whistled low. "That's serious money."

"It's necessary money," Anthony replied. "Each country will need its own corporate structure to handle local legal requirements. I'll coordinate with international attorneys, but we'll need funding for those foreign entities."

Father Giuseppe leaned forward. "What about broadcasting? Your father's message needs global reach."

"That's where Dimitri comes in," Father Mark said, turning to the IT professional. "We need someone who can establish secure, uncensorable streaming capabilities."

Dimitri rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. "After what happened to my YouTube channel, I understand the opposition we're facing. Any platform based in Western countries can be silenced instantly." He paused, considering. "But if we establish our servers in Russia, outside Western jurisdiction, they can't easily shut us down."

Anthony made notes. "The legal implications of operating from Russia could be complex, but it might be our best option for maintaining independence."

"More than independence," Dimitri said. "It's about survival. They've already proven they can erase digital evidence instantly. We need infrastructure they can't touch."

Father Giuseppe stood, pacing before the altar. "This brings us to a critical issue. John Foster's ministry will attract both genuine believers and those who seek to infiltrate or subvert his message. We need absolute certainty about everyone involved."

"What do you propose?" Anthony asked.

Father Mark opened his Bible to the New Testament. "First John, chapter four, verses one through three: 'Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God.'"

The implications hit Anthony immediately. "You want everyone involved to make a formal declaration of faith."

"Not just involved," Father Giuseppe corrected. "Everyone - staff, volunteers, contractors, vendors, security personnel. Anyone with any connection to the ministry must publicly confess Jesus Christ as Lord."

Dimitri nodded approvingly. "It's perfect screening. Genuine believers will have no problem with it. Infiltrators and saboteurs will be exposed by their unwillingness or inability to make the confession."

"No exceptions," Father Mark emphasized. "This isn't about excluding people of different faiths - it's about ensuring the integrity of a divine mission."

Anthony considered the legal ramifications. "It's unusual, but religious organizations have broad discretion in hiring practices. As long as we're consistent and transparent about requirements, it should be defensible."

"More than defensible," Father Giuseppe said. "It's spiritually necessary. Your father carries God's authority. Those who serve him must share his allegiance to Christ."

They spent the next hour working through practical details. Dimitri would design and host the ministry website on Russian servers, establishing streaming capabilities that could reach global audiences without Western censorship. Anthony would coordinate international legal structures, ensuring each country's events had proper corporate protection.

Father Giuseppe and Father Mark would provide spiritual guidance and theological oversight, ensuring John's message remained doctrinally sound across cultural and linguistic boundaries.

As the meeting concluded, Father Giuseppe raised his hand for attention. "Before we leave, we must formalize our commitment. Each of us must make the confession we're requiring of others."

He turned to face the altar, his voice carrying clearly through the sanctuary. "I confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, that He is true God and true man, that He died for my sins and rose again for my justification. I pledge my service to His prophet John Foster in furtherance of God's kingdom."

Father Mark followed. "I confess Jesus Christ as Lord of all creation, incarnate Word of the Father, Savior of the world. I offer my counsel and protection to John Foster's ministry according to God's will."

Dimitri stepped forward, his Russian accent adding gravity to his words. "I confess Jesus Christ as Son of the living God, risen from the dead, King of kings and Lord of lords. I will use my skills to ensure His message reaches every nation."

Finally, Anthony faced the iconostasis, feeling the weight of ancient saints' gazes upon him. "I confess Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, the only begotten Son of God, who became man for our salvation. I pledge my legal expertise to protect and advance His prophet's ministry."

In the silence that followed, Anthony felt something shift in the spiritual atmosphere of the church. They were no longer simply four men discussing logistics - they had become sworn servants of a divine mission.

As they prepared to leave, Father Mark placed his hand on Anthony's shoulder. "Your father chose well in asking you to handle the legal aspects. This ministry will face opposition beyond anything we can imagine."

Anthony nodded, understanding that his comfortable corporate law practice was about to become something far more dangerous and important. "When do we begin?"

"We already have," Father Giuseppe replied. "The question now is whether we're ready for what comes next."

Walking to his car under the Texas stars, Anthony reflected on the evening's transformation. He had entered as John Foster's son and attorney. He was leaving as legal counsel to a prophet of the Most High God, sworn to a mission that would span continents and challenge the powers of this world.

The weight of that responsibility both terrified and exhilarated him.