A man in Topeka, Kansas, decided to write a book about churches around the country.

He started by flying to San Francisco and worked his way east from there.

He went to a very large church and began taking pictures, etc. He spotted a golden telephone on a wall and was intrigued with a sign which read ‘$10,000 a minute.’

Seeking out the pastor he asked about the phone and the sign. The pastor answered that this golden phone is, in fact, a direct line to Heaven and if he pays the price he can talk directly to God. He thanked the pastor and continued on his way.


He visited churches in Seattle, Boise, Minneapolis, Chicago, Milwaukee, New York, Denver, and on around the United States and found more phones with the same sign, and the same answer from each pastor.


Finally, he arrived in Texas. Upon entering a church, lo and behold, he saw the usual golden telephone But THIS time the sign read ‘Calls: 25 cents.’ Fascinated, he asked to talk to the pastor.
‘Reverend, I have been in cities all across the country and in each church I found this golden telephone, and I have been told it is a direct line to Heaven and that I could talk to God, but in the other churches the cost was $10,000 a minute. Your sign reads 25 cents a call. Why?


The pastor, smiling benignly, replies ‘Son, you’re in Texas now. It’s a local call.’