Ian Paisley Senior looks set for a dramatic comeback as leader of the fundamentalist church he founded in 1951, if the annual Presbytery vote goes his way on 2 September.
Given the rifts which have dogged the Free Presbyterian Church – once the clear and loud voice of Northern Protestant unionist fundamentalism – since the signing of the St Andrews Agreement in 2006, the 'Step Down Now Paisley' has been ironically converted to a 'Bring Back Big Ian'.
Paisley senior shock departure as Free P Moderator in early 2008 was followed a few weeks later by the equally surprising decision to quit as both First Minister and DUP boss.
Although the Free P's number only about 16,000, the Church was often branded the DUP at prayer.
However, it was Free P activists' abilities to mobilise Unionist voters which eventually saw the DUP outstrip the civil war-ridden rival Ulster Unionists between 2003 and 2007.
But since May 2008 when Paisley left the frontline political scene, the Free Church has been like a rudderless ship adrift in a violent storm.
Nationalists, republicans and even very moderate Catholics, plus a substantial section of the liberal Unionist community, should not adopt a 'so what' attitude to the Free P's woes.
Fundamentalist Protestantism may be divided into two dozen different denominations, organisations and factions – but they all took their lead from Paisley's Free Presbyterians.
If Big Ian can cure the ills which plague his beloved flock, then Protestant fundamentalism will once again be on track to dominate political Unionism.
The rifts in the once rock solid ranks of Free Presbyterianism have viciously spilled over into social networks.
Paisley senior attracted quite a significant Catholic vote because of his Biblical stances on issues such as homosexuality, abortion, divorce and blasphemy.
His successor as Free P Moderator, the ex-missionary and Orange cleric Rev Ron Johnstone, lacks Big Ian's fundamentalist stature, and has tried to steer the Church away from politics amid the feuds between the DUP and Jim Allister's rival Traditional Unionist Voice party.
The core problem for the Free P's is that after the bitter DUP/TUV split, many TUV supporters, while they abandoned the DUP, chose to remain inside the Free Church.
One key pro-Paisley supporter alleged the Church had lost hundreds of members to other fundamentalist denominations.
He added: "The TUV and DUP refuse to shake hands in many churches and the current leadership pretends it's not happening. Even people who disagreed with Paisley politically are now beginning to think – if we flourished for 50 years with him, let's bring him back!
"Based on the massive numbers of Free Presbyterians who are even using Facebook to debate the issue; given the mess the Church is in since he left; the profile he still has; the blessing he has given, and the ridiculous behaviour of the current leadership, there is now a growing campaign to have him returned as Moderator at the Presbytery meeting on 2 September."
A key indicator a pro-Paisley coup is on the cards has been that the Big Man's profile in the Church's influential monthly journal, The Revivalist, has not diminished since 2008.
Even if Paisley senior does not run, the pro-Paisley faction may put up a stalking horse in a bid to change the Church's direction and fortunes.
Johnstone worked for a number of years as a Christian missionary in Papua New Guinea in the Pacific Ocean among a native tribe once known for its cannibalism.
Even in his mid 80s, Paisley senior may well have one last card to play which could see Johnstone's supporters eaten alive in a key vote.
The 2nd September outcome will dictate the future direction of Northern fundamentalism for at least the next decade … and it could well be a case of – Bring Back Big Ian, all is forgiven!
