Transcripts - Forever Dreaming

MARJOE'S MOTHER (OFFSCREEN): And

all across the nation for

the past four years, the little

preacher has been going

up and down, winning lost

humanity with the message of

the Master.

At this time, let me introduce

to you Little Marjoe.

-Howdy, neighbors.

May the Lord bless you.

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):

When I would go to a press

conference or an interview, my

father would march me in full

outfit right up to the news

editor and say, I want to see

the editor.





They would be so shocked at a

six-year-old kid coming up

with a full handshake.

And I would say, you know,

how do you do, Mr. Smith?

My name is Marjoe Gortner.

I'm in town to give the

devil two black eyes.

The guy's falling

out of his seat.

And he would say something back,

like, you're a minister?

Yes, that's right, the Lord

called me to preach when I was

four years old.

Do you memorize your sermons?

Absolutely not.

No, I get them in my sleep.

Sometimes I get them while I'm

driving down the road.

But they all come from God.





YOUNG MARJOE (OFFSCREEN): Just

as sure as you're listening to

me, just as sure as you're

listening to an eight-year-old

voice, just as sure as you're

playing a record, it's just as

sure that you're going to go to

hell if you're not saved.

I stand firm in my belief that

the Bible is the word of God.

Raymond, wilt thou has this

woman to be thy wedded wife,

to live together after

God's ordinance in

holy, sacred matrimony?

Wilt thou love her, honor her,

cherish and keep her in

sickness, in health, as long

as you both shall live?

-I will.

-Alma, wilt thou have this man

to be thy wedded husband, to

live together after God's

ordinance in the holiest state

of matrimony?

Wilt thou love him, honor him,

cherish and keep him in

sickness and health, and leaving

all others, cleave

only unto him as long as

you both shall live?

-I will.

-Place this ring on

the 4th finger.

-If the law of the state of

California does not define

what a minister is and

recognizes the child of four

years as a minister, then we

should bring about change in

the law and insist that a

minister be at least 21 years

of age.

-Those whom God has

joined together,

let not man put asunder.

Raymond, salute your bride.

MALE SPEAKER (OFFSCREEN): As far

as I'm concerned, a thing

like this savors of a sordid

sensationalism that is

disgusting.

It is a dangerous reflection on

the sanctity of marriage.

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):

The name Marjoe is a

combination of Mary

and Joseph.

When I was born, it was really

a miracle, because I was born

by Cesarean, and when they

opened up my mother, the cord

was wrapped around my

neck three times.

So I guess I did start off with

a legitimate miracle.

-At this time, I would like to

present to you the world's

youngest ordained minister

and the world's youngest

evangelist, Marjoe Gortner.

Marjoe started preaching when

he was three and a half.

Today is Marjoe's eighth--

I remember my mother going

through very, well,

correctional activities, you

might say, to get me prepared

to say the wedding ceremony.

Because I had to recite the

whole Episcopal ceremony

verbatim and write my name

on the certificate.

I'm not sure, but I think they

had a preaching number planned

for me, coming from such a long

background of preachers

and my mother being a very

flamboyant evangelist.

As a child, I'd want to go out

and play, and would have to

spend hours and hours

memorizing, and

my mind would slip.

Finally, my mother would begin

to lose her patience with me,

and she would put a pillow

over my head, maybe, and

smother me for a little bit.

Other times she'd hold me

under the water faucet.

But she never wanted to put any

marks on my body, because

she knew I had to be in front of

the press, and so she would

never hit me or anything.

YOUNG MARJOE (OFFSCREEN):

I thank God for my fine

Christian mother that

pointed me to Jesus.

If we had more good Christian

mothers that would teach the

boys and girls how to play

more instead of drinking

cocktails and smoking filthy old

cigarettes, we would have

a better America, better men

and women, and not so much

juvenile delinquency.

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):

There'd

be, you know, gestures.

Like when I would say "Jesus,"

my arms would have to go out,

and when I would say "the

devil," I would go forward.

And she had this incredible

set of signals.

Like if she would say,

"Oh, Jesus," if I

was going too slow.

Or if she said, "Glory to God,"

you know, that meant,

you better speed up and go

a little bit faster.

Then later on, they came

up with more signals.

Like "Praise God" meant, you

know, you've got the people

where you need them.

You better take an offering

and raise some money.

[laughter]

YOUNG MARJOE (OFFSCREEN): Oh

my friend, listen to me.

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):



name is Marjoe Gortner.

I'm only four years old.

I'm coming to your town to

sh**t the devil down.

So come and go with me and

surely you will see me preach

the old-time gospel and

have a jubilee.

Everyone praise the Lord!

I guess I was sort of

precocious, and I

had an ego, you know.

And I enjoyed the people and I

enjoyed the attention that I

was getting.

I remember I really enjoyed--

everyone was very nice to me.

And my reaction to it, like

I didn't understand.

I didn't really--

I can't really think of a time

that I ever believed in God or

in, you know-- and I ever

thought that was a miracle of

God that I preached.

I don't think even with all the

people gathering around

me, you know, thousands of

people saying this has to be a

miracle, surely God has called

you and all that--

I don't think with all that.

I just knew that I could do it

well, and my parents had

trained me, but I never really

tripped out and thought that I

was some real miracle

child of any kind.

MALE SPEAKER (OFFSCREEN): OK,

August 7, "Marjoe" Roll



Slate it.

Last slate, but this

is August 10th.

[women laughing]

This is August 10.

-What picture are we on?

Three.

MALE SPEAKER (OFFSCREEN): Two.

Three?

-All yours.

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):

It's all mine?

Fantastic.

Have any of you had any

experience with the

Pentecostal movement before?

Like that's the main thing.

Or what kind of religious

backgrounds,

if any, do you have?

FEMALE SPEAKER (OFFSCREEN):

Larry's got a lot.

MALE SPEAKER (OFFSCREEN): I'm

an angry ex-Catholic.

-OK, what's yours?

MALE SPEAKER (OFFSCREEN): I

used to be a Communist--

no.

I used to be a Baptist.

-How long ago?

You haven't gone to

church recently or

anything like that?

MALE SPEAKER (OFFSCREEN):

Not lately.

-OK, number one, the little

lovey locks have to go.

[laughter]

-No, just remember, you're

dealing with people--

they say they love you, right?

And they love Jesus.

And they love you-- like if you

came in and you weren't

part of a film crew, they would,

like, turn to you and

want to help you to get saved.

But being part of the film crew,

you're going to have to

let this go so that you

don't get bothered.

Because a natural thing that

they have is to want to,

like-- they're zealous.

They want to convert everyone.

They want you, you know,

to be saved.

And if you look like this, they

would be approaching you

immediately.

Because everyone-- the whole

reason for the whole thing is

like, can I get someone saved?

You know, can I lead

someone to Jesus?

Can I win someone else?

And so you've got to, like,

cut the locks, man.

-I thought I'd get

a wig, you know?

I'd get a wig and

I'd put it up.

And then during the sh**ting,

for the payoff at the end, you

know, I would do sound and then

I'd rip off the wig and

give myself to Christ.

[laughter]

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):

That's great.

I can make a lot of money

with you doing that.

[laughter]

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN): If

they ask if you're saved,

don't hesitate about it.

Never say, well, uh, yes,

I'm the right way.

Well, we want to help you.

And they'll want to lead you.

Well, here, you want

a little scripture?

Maybe this'll give you

a little comfort.

You just come right back at

them, look them straight in

the eye, and say, yes, brother,

and I'm washed in the

same blood as you.

MALE SPEAKER (OFFSCREEN):

Great.

-You know?

I mean, it all comes

in the blood.

You'll be hearing

all these songs.

Power in the blood, are you

washed in the blood?

I mean, it's a very bloody,

gory religion that's going

down, you know?

And as long as you say you're

washed in the blood--

[sigh]

it's cool.

They'll leave you alone.

MALE SPEAKER (OFFSCREEN): How

suspicious are they going to

be of everybody, though?

Are they actually going

to be laying in wait?

-They're not going

to be suspicious.

No, they're--

remember, they're

on your side.

Because they accept me

as real, number one.

And so me bringing you in

there, they've already

accepted you.

The only way that there

would be a bust is if

one of you blow it.

That's why you've

got to be very--

I'm actually over-cautioning

you so that

you'll be really careful.

Because no one is going to

say, well, I wonder about

those people.

Again, there's the Hollywood,

the movies and things like

that you've got to

be careful of.

But you want to just be

prepared for it all.

And another thing--

no smoking.

You.

[laughter]

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):

Absolutely.

And listen, you can't even go

outside of the tent or an

auditorium and smoke

on the grounds.

I mean, nothing in

your pockets.

And you've got to use Binaca.

[laughter]

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN): I

mean, I'd carry a whole bunch,

you know?

-How many [bleep]

sacrifices I gotta make

for this job?

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):

Well, it's all for Jesus.

I mean, you know.

[laughter]

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):

He did a lot for you, man.

[laughter]

-The blood industry, yeah.

-Right, right.

You know, it's all under

the blood, right?

All the--

you know.

I used to smoke, I

used to drink.

Like, you know, I've

got this riff that

you go through sometimes.

We go, for seven years I was a

heroin addict, pill dropper,

LSD tripper.

High riding and low sliding.

Busting heads and

dropping reds.

Kicking in doors and

banging whores.

Setting tires and

slashing fires.

But then I met a man who was

hung up for hangups.

You know?

[laughter]

-I mean, that's the

kind of testimony.

You give up all that

stuff, you know?

That's all, you know.

-And there's another thing.

What if they say, what

kind of movies do you

people usually do?

[laughter]

-Films.

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):

No, a lot of documentary

movements, and you know, that

you've really become very

interested in this

growing Jesus

movement that's happening.

And listen, I mean, I can tell

by looking at some of you that

you're into women, maybe,

a little bit.

You can't chase any of the

little loveys around the tent.

A lot of these girls, there's

like revival groupies, too.

FEMALE SPEAKER (OFFSCREEN):

Really?

-That'll hit on you.

Sure, man.

I mean, they'll see you walking

around, they'll see a

film crew--

listen, keep it in your pants.

[laughter]

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN): You

cannot in any way-- don't

even-- don't even

flirt at all.

Because they'll come up--

I mean, just be nice and

friendly, and smile.

But you cannot get involved

with these chicks at all,

because that's one rule that

I definitely established.

It makes it really hard for

me, traveling, living in

motels and that, is that I never

take out a girl from the

church or in the church,

you know?

I stick with airline

stewardesses.

MALE SPEAKER (OFFSCREEN):

Never?

MALE SPEAKER (OFFSCREEN): Are

we going to film Marjoe's

crucifixion when they find

out about all this?

[laughter]

-What will happen when they

find out about that?

-What will happen when they

find out about it?

-I mean, when the

movie comes out.

-Well, I'm hoping that they'll

see, you know, that it's not

necessary to look to some person

to, like, jerk you off

to get off and put

your belief in.

[singing]

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN): To

me, getting on the stage, the

dancing, the preaching,

that's fine.

But the things I have to come

down about-- the sin, the

burning, the hell-- that's

really a drag, you know?

And I'm hoping that maybe

they'll see that that's not

where it's at, so that you can,

like-- you can go if you

want to do it in church

or at a rock concert.

As long as you get

off, that's OK.

But you don't have to worry

about everyone someday going

dangling up to heaven.

We're going to walk on those

golden streets, you know.

-Glory!

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Praise him.

Praise him.

[congregation clapping along]

RAY BOATRIGHT (OFFSCREEN):

Come on and praise God!

Yeah, you just come on and

worship God, amen.



And I'm so happy.

Oh, now that I'm so happy.

Now that I'm so happy

in my soul.

But I'm so happy, now

that I'm so happy.



say yes, yeah.

Sing it!

Yeah.

I'll say yes, yes, oh, yes.

I'll say yes, Lord.

I'll say yes, Lord.

-My, my, my.

I can just see Jesus

on his way up.

Hallelujah.

Going up into the sky.

I'm going up.

Hallelujah.

And I can see him as he

starts to goes up.

My, my, my.

And what does the Bible say

when he go up there?

Praise God, he sat down.

Hallelujah!

Oh, praise the Lord.

Whenever you hear of a high

priest sitting down, that

means that his work

is finished.

Hallelujah.

So when Jesus sat down, brother,

the Holy Ghost had to

get up, oh yes he did.

Hallelujah.

I see that's Holy Ghost as

he begins to come down.

I see those 120 people as they

make their way up into the

upper room.

Oh, hallelujah!

They shut the windows.

They locked the doors for

fear of their lives.

But I seen them as they got down

on their knees and they

began to pray.

And I seen the Holy Ghost has

cloven in tongues of fire,

whereupon, hallelujah and oh

my, the Holy Ghost finally

found a permanent

resting place.

CONGREGANT (OFFSCREEN):

Hallelujah!

CONGREGANT (OFFSCREEN):

Hallelujah!

-Hallelujah.

He wants a permanent resting

place in your life.

Have you given the Holy Ghost

some resting place, or have

you given him a full

resting place?

Lift up your hands tonight.

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

Lift up your hands and

worship the Lord.

[congregation murmuring]

-Praise him tonight.

Hallelujah.

[speaking in tongues]

Oh, God is so real tonight.

If you can't feel the Holy Ghost

tonight, man, you're

dead and you don't know it.

So why don't you praise him?

Why don't you call

upon his name?

Why don't you worship

the Lord tonight?

Oh, lift up your hands

and praise him.

Hallelujah, hallelujah,

hallelujah!

Oh, thank you, Jesus.

Thank you, Jesus.

Thank you, Jesus.

Oh, hallelujah.

Hallelujah!

[organ playing]

-Thank you, Jesus.

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah, hallelujah.

Now some people, you see,

they've taken these prayer

cloths for their son or their

daughter who is in dr*gs or

dope addiction.

And they've given that prayer

cloth to them, and I've had

many testimony of a young

person, after they got one of

these prayer cloths, they were

delivered from dr*gs.

How many believe that God

can work this way?

Do you believe it?

Praise the Lord.

I want you to get out the

largest bill that

you have right now.

If you believe-- if you don't

have that much faith, then you

shouldn't come down anyhow.

Even young people, anyone who

wants to come down, if you

want to believe for someone

in your life, I

want you just to give.

If a $20 bill is the largest

bill you got, then I want you

to get that out.

If it's a $10, I want

you to get that out.

If it's only a dollar bill, I

want you to get that out.

But I'm asking you to prove God

with whatever the largest

offering that you

have tonight.

Anyone else who wants to, right

now, stand to your feet.

All right, I want you to make

your way, and as I lay hands

on you tonight, I want us to

sing that chorus, "There's

Victory in Jesus." About

the key of A or A-flat.

Hallelujah.

Everyone sing.



victory in Jesus.

My savior forever.

Well, he sought me.

-Oh, hallelujah!

Thank you, Jesus.

Oh, hallelujah.

Thank you Jesus.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Anybody.

[congregation singing]

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):

Hallelu,

hallelu, thank you, Jesus.

Thank you Jesus.

[congregation singing]

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah.

Hallelu.

Yes, sir.

In Jesus' name!

In Jesus' name!

In Jesus' name!

Thank you, Jesus.

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah, hallelujah.

Praise the Lord Jesus.

Praise the Lord.

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

In the name of Jesus.

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah.

Oh, thank you, Jesus!

Free your mind, brother.

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

In Jesus' name.

Thank you, Jesus.

[evangelists singing]

-In Jesus' name!

RAY BOATRIGHT (OFFSCREEN):

Listen to me.

Everyone that's got an ache,

everyone that's got pain,

everyone who's got

trouble, sorrow,

heartaches, whatever it is.

Joe, I believe it was you who

sang I'm so glad that Jesus

set me free.

He'll loosen that leg of yours

up and that knee, hallelujah.

Got to loosen these joints up

as right as they'll go.

Hallelujah.

Come on!

Dope'll go!

Narcotics'll leave you!

Sin'll go out of your life!

Come on everybody, that you

want something from God.

I want you to start

praising him!

Come on and praise God

for your freedom!

You're not bound.

You're free!

You're not bound.

You're free!

Come on, jump!

Bend that leg in Jesus'

name, step out!

Step out in the name of Jesus!

Step out in the name of Jesus!

Step out in the name of Jesus!

Lift that leg up.

It'll loosen.

It'll loosen by the power

of the Holy Ghost.

Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

He's free right now!

He's bending that

leg right now!

God's a-setting him

free right now!

The doctors said he'd

never do it!

Over a year it's been stiff,

but tonight, it's free!

Hallelujah, hallelujah,

hallelujah.

-That's right, thank

you, Jesus.

-Thank you, Jesus.

Thank you, Jesus.

-Oh, hallelujah.

-Hallelujah.

-Hallelujah.

-Thank you, Jesus.

Thank you, Jesus.

-Hallelujah!

Thank you, Jesus.

-Hallelujah!

This is God's day.

And if it's God's day,

it's you're day.

Hallelujah!

This is the day of the

children of the Lord.

Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

[man screams]

-[screams]

-Brother, say Jesus.

Right now, Jesus.

Say Jesus.

-Jesus.

-Stay it again, Jesus.

-Jesus.

Jesus!

-In the name of Jesus, brother,

be unleashed.

Be set free right now.



-That's right, say Jesus.

Just say Jesus.

[all shouting]

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):

There's the experience where

you say you're saved.

Then there's the fire baptism

when you get the Holy Ghost,

and that's the tongues thing.

And they love to work

people over.

You've got to, like,

sh**t in on this.

When you see people gathering

around, people start laying

hands on and praying with

someone, you've got to come in

with the camera, too.

It's very important.

Because they'll be laying

hands on someone.

The poor person'll be saying,

you know, thank you, Jesus.

Now this is a person that's

already saved, but they're

getting the baptism.

And someone will be standing

there and be going--

[speaking in tongues].

And the poor person'll be

standing there, and they're

not saying anything.

Then after a while, about four

or five more will gather

round, and they'll start

doing the same thing.

Come on, speak it out,

speak it out.

Till all of a sudden, the person

gets so overwhelmed by

the thing that they

start going--

[speaking in tongues].

And the next thing--

ah, that's it.

You've got it.

Like they feel good.

We got another one, you know?

Then they'll go on to

the next person.

RAY BOATRIGHT (OFFSCREEN):

[speaking in tongues]

Hallelujah, come against all

the powers of Satan.

In Jesus Christ's name

right now, I rebuke

the powers of darkness.

[speaking in tongues]

[women speaking in tongues]

[women speaking in tongues]

That's a good sermon, boy.

-Thank you.

Coming from you, I think

that's a compliment.

[laughs]

-[inaudible].

-Find out where that

dove went.

-Oh, that climax on

that dove was it.

I like that.

-I got that when I was

down in Texas.

You know Fitzgerald?

-Yeah, old Fitzgerald.

-I preached that the first

time at his church.

-[speaking in tongues]

RAY BOATRIGHT (OFFSCREEN): You

count the big stuff, and I'll

count this.

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):

OK.

You gonna trust me?

RAY BOATRIGHT (OFFSCREEN): Oh,

I think I'll trust you.

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN): OK.

[laughs]



[continues to count softly]

RAY BOATRIGHT (OFFSCREEN): You

sure will get it straight.

[laughter]



garments spotless?

Are they white as snow?

Thank you, Jesus!

Are you washed in the

blood of the lamb?

Jesus is so good

to me tonight.

Hallelujah, thank you, Jesus.

I praise the Lord.

Oh, glory, glory, hallelujah,

I feel good in my soul.

Ha ha, praise the Lord.

Oh!

Sure isn't as heavy

as it used to be,

though, in the old days.

Wow.

Was really heavy then.

I can remember how I used to

have to go down and work with

my mother and father,

the whole thing.

Money, money, from the time

I was four years--

I really supported them, you

know, when I was a child, come

to think about it.

I remember how they used to send

me down into the aisles,

and I wore these little velvet

pants, and Lord Fantuan suits

with satin shirts.

But my mother would sew extra

pockets into the suit so I

could stuff money.

They would announce, tonight--

now everyone tonight that

gives $20, little Marjoe's going

to come down and give

you a kiss.

All these little lovely old

ladies that wanted to get

their fingers in my little

curly locks.

Then after I'd fill up my

pockets, I'd come back and my

father would alleviate

me of the money.

I don't even remember what town

it was in, exactly, but

all I remember is he took off.

We were in a meeting.

He left a note.

He preached the meeting one

night, and if I remember

right, I think he took

the offering, too.

I don't know how much came in.

As far as I can guess, maybe

about $3 million from the time

I was 4 to 14.

And I have no idea what happened

to that money.

I know that I never saw it, or

I never got any piece of it

for my education or anything.

I traveled with my mother for

about close to two years.

Novelty was wearing off

of a child preaching.

Our money had run out.

We were more or less

living at that time

from meeting to meeting.

Finally, I guess I was close

to 15, about 14 and 1/2.

We were in Los Angeles

at a meeting.

I said to my mother, I said,

this is going to be the last

time I preach.

I said, I'm not going

to do it anymore.

So I stopped.

I spent, from then, the next 2

and 1/2 years, I met a older

woman on the beach and in a

nightclub, and we danced.

And she invited me into the

home, and I lived with her.

And this time was, uh, very--

a transitional period.

It was a good change for me.

All I can say is I felt toward

her more like I would have

liked to have felt toward my

mother or toward a mother.

It just felt good

to have someone

care for me as a person.

I mean, I didn't have to

get up and preach.

I didn't have to put on a

performance at night.

I could just be myself, and

like, she took care of me and

loved me.

-Do you feel that you missed

out on a lot that most kids

between the ages of 4 and 18--

-No.

No.

Not anymore.

At 18, I was really bitter.

I was going to get lawyers and

sue them, because I felt I'd

supported them.

They gave me no money.

I went through that adolescent

thing of being very bitter.

And there were so many things

that I was naive--

there was little things I had to

find out, just about life.

I never told anyone about the

life I'd led as a preacher.

I took all my scrapbook

clippings, everything I had,

and I sort of hid them away.

And even my closest friends

at the time didn't know.

I felt this strong resentment

toward mainly, my father.

My mother, too, but mainly

toward my father.

Because I was a child,

and he hadn't put

any trust fund away.

But then I started, you know,

hanging out with people who

were into nonviolent movements

and so forth, and I just sort

of began to find out within

myself that you can't hold

resentment or strong things

against other people.

There's no sense in hating

anyone or holding hatred

toward any people.

That's ridiculous.

The only person it's going

to hurt is me.

Why should I hate him?

I mean, he did his thing, you

know, and that was cool.

Why should I hate him?

I believe in karma.

Those things--

I don't need to take

care of it.

All those things that you do bad

will eventually, some day,

come back on your head.

I just think that'll take

care of itself to him.

[music playing]

[applause]

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):

That is just beautiful.

[singing - "glory, glory"]

Lift up your hands and

praise him tonight.

Hallelujah, thank you, Jesus.

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah.

This afternoon that I'm going

to relate to you is no

different than any other

afternoon, except I had a

visit from Jesus,

praise the Lord.

She put me up to sleep.

I don't know how long

I was asleep, but

I remember I awoke.

When I awoke, I was

seeing a vision.

I remember, I looked up out

of my little bed and I

saw a mass of people.

They were perishing.

They were crying out for help.

They were crying, somebody

do something!

Now remember, I'm only

four years old.

And I remember, I sat up in my

little bed, and I looked up

and I said, someone help

all those people.

Then a voice spoke back to me,

just as clear as though

standing right alongside

that bed.

And that voice said, Marjoe,

you can help them.

And I remember, I looked down at

myself and I thought, why,

I'm just a little boy.

I'm only four years old.

What could I possibly do?

What could I possibly say?

And you know, that voice spoke

back to me and said, I was

with David, so will

I be with you.

Hallelujah.

As I was with Jeremiah,

so will I be with you.

Then God spoke the

crucial word.

He said, will you

preach the word?

Right there at the age

of four, I had

a decision to make.

And I said, yes, Lord, I will.

CONGREGANT (OFFSCREEN):

Thank you, loving God.

-Hallelujah.

CONGREGANT (OFFSCREEN):

Hallelujah!

-And I dedicated

my life to God.

Praise the Lord.

And you know, I fell back in

my bed and I had just the

greatest peace and

tranquility.

I even went right

back to sleep.

I never said a word to

my mother and father.

That night was a church

night, and I got up.

The choir was up there to sing,

and they announced that

I was going to sing

my little song.

But I said something

different.

I said, you know, folks,

I'm a preacher, too.

Praise the Lord.

And I began to preach.

And I'll tell you, the Holy

Ghost began to fall,

hallelujah.

And there were people who came

running to give their hearts

to the Lord Jesus Christ because

of hearing the little

words of a child.

I remember one lady in

Louisville, Kentucky.

She came down in a

long prayer line.

I don't know how many I prayed

for-- maybe 100, 150.

But as she came down, she had an

open, running cancer, right

on the side of her face.

And I remember, I reached out

and I put my hand right on

that cancer.

My mother, she pulled

my hand back.

She didn't want me to touch

that open sore.

But I went on ahead and

I prayed for her.

She went on, and I knew that

God had done something.

The very next night, that

lady came back.

She was sitting right

in the front row.

That night when she went home,

that cancer had dissolved and

run completely down her face.

She was healed by the

power of God.

And the only thing that was left

was a little irritation

mark, a little pink skin--

but the skin was new like

a baby, hallelujah.

Only because she believed!

Hallelujah.

Thank you, Jesus.

Lift up your hands and

praise him tonight.

Glory, hallelujah.

Well, go ahead, praise

the Lord.

Praise him tonight.

Thank you, sweet Jesus.

Hallelujah.

[MAN SPEAKING LOUDLY

IN TONGUES]

-Lift up your hands and

praise the Lord.

I said lift up your hands

and praise the Lord.

Hallelujah.

Praise him tonight.

Thank you, Jesus.

If you can't feel God here

tonight, you're dead and you

don't know it.

Because the Holy Spirit

is here tonight.

It's here to meet your every

need, praise the Lord.

Hallelujah.

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah.

Now I want you to do

the next thing.

I want you to come.

I want you to come across this

ramp, and I want to just lay

my hand on you and pray

for you tonight.

Then you can return

to your seat.

Everyone just move

out tonight.

Praise the Lord.

Just stand right here.

Everyone just move out.

Come around this way, please.

Around to my left.

I want to pray for you.

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah.

Thank you, Jesus.

Lord Jesus, use my brother

as never before.

Thank you, Jesus, hallelujah.

Thank you, Jesus, hallelujah.

Praise the Lord.

Sister, let him touch

you tonight.

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah.

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah.

God bless you.

Thank you, Jesus.

Thank you for the little

children, Jesus.

Hallelujah.

Sister, the joy of the Lord's

all over you tonight.

Why don't you please him?

Say thank you, Jesus.

I believe he's going to

touch you right now.

Say thank you, Jesus.

Sister, in the name of Jesus.

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah.

Come on, praise him tonight.

Hallelujah, thank you, Jesus.

[speaks in tongues]

Hallelujah, the Holy Ghost

is alive tonight.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Sister, start to praise God.

Hallelujah.

Sister, even tonight.

-[cries out]

-Even tonight, may God use

you in a great way.

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah!

That's it.

Let the Holy Ghost work

through you tonight.

Hallelujah.

Thank you, Jesus.

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah.

In the name of Jesus, Lord,

use my brother.

Quicken him tonight from head

to soul, in Jesus' name.

Hallelujah.

Thank you, Jesus, tonight.

Bless the little child.

Thank you, Jesus, for my

young sister tonight.

Lord, use her.

That's another Holy

Ghost movement.

-[speaking in tongues]

-Hallelujah.

Let joy come into your

life right now.

Say thank you, Jesus.

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah!

Yes, Lord!

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah.

Not by might or power but

by my spirit, saith God.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Thank you, Jesus.

Sister, start to praise him.

Hallelujah.

Thank you, Jesus, tonight.

Hallelujah.

In Jesus' name, Lord, let

the work begin tonight.

Praise the Lord!

Hallelujah.

Thank you, Jesus.

Thank you for my

sister tonight.

Lord Jesus, use my sister.

Jesus, tonight, let the

joy, the joy, come

over my sister tonight.

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah.

[speaking in tongues]

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah, praise him.

Hallelujah.

What you want God

to do for you?

He's gonna do it right now.

Hallelujah.

Say thank you, Jesus.

In Jesus' name.

Thank you, Jesus.

Come on.

Praise him.

Say thank you, Jesus.

Thank You, Jesus,

praise the Lord.

Hallelujah.

Praise the Lord.

Hallelujah.

Thank you, Jesus.

Praise the Lord.

Thank you, Jesus.

Use thy sister in a ministry

as never before.

Thank you, Jesus.

Thank you, Jesus.

Thank you, Jesus, hallelujah.

Well, praise the Lord.

Hallelujah Even tonight, Lord.

Thank you, Jesus.

Praise the Lord.

Hallelujah.

Thank you, Jesus, for the

little child tonight.

Thank you, Jesus.

Praise the Lord.

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah.

Even tonight, Lord, let

the work begin.

Thank you, sweet Jesus.

Hallelujah.

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah!

Thank you, Jesus, for

the victory tonight.

Hallelujah.

Thank you for my brother.

Well, praise the Lord

in Jesus' name!

Hallelujah.

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah.

Thank you, Jesus.

Come on, lift up your hands

and praise the Lord.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Well, thank you Jesus!

Yes, Lord!

Hallelujah.

In the name of Jesus.

Glory, hallelujah!

Thank you, Lord Jesus.

Thank you for victory tonight.

-Right now!

Say yes, Lord.

In Jesus' name.

Thank you, Jesus.

Well, praise the Lord.

[music playing]

-Thank you, sweet Jesus.

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah.

Well, praise him!

Yes!

[music playing]

MALE SPEAKER (OFFSCREEN): And

I'd just like to encourage

everybody to help Brother

Marjoe tonight, and his

efforts to help reach the

teenagers, the narcotics, the

young people in the highways

and hedges.

How many of you believe

it's a worthy cause?

Say amen.

CONGREGATION (OFFSCREEN):

Amen!

MALE SPEAKER (OFFSCREEN):

God bless you, Marjoe.

-I want everyone to stand

to your feet.

Would you get out your

checkbook tonight?

Would some of you get

out $5 or $10?

Bring what you would

for Jesus tonight.

Come on.

[music playing]

CONGREGANT (OFFSCREEN):

I really enjoyed that.

I started in the same ministry

you're in myself.

It's been great.

[music playing]

CONGREGANT (OFFSCREEN):

I saw you when you

were a little boy.

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):

It's nice to see you.

How you doing?

God bless you.

I appreciate it, sir.

[music playing]

-Thank you, God bless you.

Thank you, God bless you.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

I appreciate that.

Thank you, brother.

How are you tonight?

Nice to see you.

CONGREGANT (OFFSCREEN):

Keep it going.

-I will, thank you.

I appreciate that.

[music playing]

-Praise the Lord!

Hallelujah.

Thank you, Jesus.

I just want to mention,

I told you

tonight about my testimony.

I have a record album here that

has recorded messages of

when I was four, six,

and eight years old.

Now listen, if you don't

have this, you should

definitely get it.

Because a lot of people,

they say, what could a

little child say?

There's a message on here, "Hell

With the Lid Off," that

there's been literally thousands

of people who've

been saved by just hearing

this message.

This is a business, and you

know, you don't get meetings

or you don't get booked back

unless you have a gimmick.

Or as the evangelists say,

it's a ministry.

Like it's incredible.

They'll say, oh, Brother

So-and-so, he's got the

ministry of laying on of

hands, or he's got the

ministry of prophecy, but

that's a gimmick.

And the guys that have the

gimmicks get the big meetings

and do good.

And I mean, I used one time--

I had a thing where there's a

special kind of ink you can

buy, and you put it on.

And with perspiration, when the

salt starts to come out

and you start to perspire,

it will turn red.

And so I painted a cross.

You know, I just a cross

like this on my head.

And while I was preaching, the

cross started to show.

Immediately, people started

nudging each other.

And of course, it went away,

I think, after a while.

It only lasts so long,

or it wipes away--

I don't remember.

But afterwards, I mean, I had

that whole audience at one of

the biggest meetings that I've

ever had, because they saw

that cross.

They said, oh, Brother Marjoe,

when you were preaching

tonight, the cross was

over your head.

I mean, that convinced them, you

know, that it was really

very, very real, and it made

it very easy for me to take

offerings and receive money.

When I went out back on the

circuit, I hadn't preached

since, you know, I was



But I sort of had to prove

myself all over again.

That's why my meetings have only

really gotten good about

the past year.

And I know even though I dress

what I was consider

conservatively-- you know, comb

my hair back, put on a

suit and tie--

when I would go to a pastor's

church where I hadn't preached

before, they'd sort of look me

over and wonder, you know,

what was I really

going to say?

What was I really like?

And I'd just sort of have to

just cool it till I got up on

the platform and they saw that

I did say all the things they

wanted to hear.

And I just sort of had to put

myself into really getting

along with them, like

I enjoy it.

And well, the restaurants.

God, the restaurants.

You imagine what it's like to

have to go out and eat at

Frisch's Big Boy every night?

You're my favorite

church, you know?

I have to tell you that of all

the churches, you're my

favorite church.

-Well, you're really our

favorite evangelist, but we

don't want anybody to know it.

[laughs]

MARILYN BOATRIGHT (OFFSCREEN):

We don't want you to get a big

head or anything.

RUBY BOATRIGHT (OFFSCREEN):

Yeah, we want to keep you

humble.

-OK.

Well, I been kept

poor so far, so.

[laughter]

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):

Know what--

you mentioned about Dallas.

I was going to say, one thing I

really like about coming to

your church is the fact, you

know, the way that you treat

me and so honestly, and

financially in my

Youth Crusades.

But one church that I went to

in Dallas, they gave me a

rough way to go.

-Did they really?

-It's amazing how many--

you know, some preachers out

there, it's amazing.

It's still--

RAY BOATRIGHT (OFFSCREEN): You

should have raised your voice.

[laughter]

-There's so many preachers

nowadays, though, that you can

only have them, you

know, once.

And after that, you can't have

them back, because they're not

honest and they don't

treat the people

right, either, you know.

And if they don't treat the

people right, then the people

won't back them up.

RAY BOATRIGHT (OFFSCREEN):

Right, see, that's why we have

you, Marjoe.

RUBY BOATRIGHT (OFFSCREEN):

That's one thing that we

appreciate about

your ministry.

You've always blessed

our people.

You've been--

-Yeah, when you tell them

something, they believe it.

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):

Yeah, that's true.

I think nowadays, people have

seen so much, seen so much

happen, they can tell one

of these shysters

when they come through.

Because they've heard

everything, you know?

They'll listen a couple nights

and they won't say

anything, you know?

But they can tell

after a while.

-Yeah, they're not dumb.

You know, people are intelligent

nowadays.

They--

-There's one guy that gets

into it so heavy that he

prophesies.

And he told me how he did it.

I mean, he looked right across

the table, back and forth, at

me, and he told me how

he confiscates money.

He says he's on this station.

There's over 40 states.

And he'll go on there, and he'll

get on the radio, and

he'll say, I know that listening

to my little voice

tonight, that there's some lady

out there and you've got

$10 put away in a cookie jar.

Now God spoke to my heart and

told me to go and tell you to

get that $10 and get it in the

mail and send it to me, and

God'll bless you.

God'll give you a reward such as

you've never known before.

Then he comes back to me and

tells me, he says, if you're

on the radio and you're going

over 40 states, and you're on

at prime time, you've got

thousands of people listening,

the chances are that there are

at least 200 or 300 little old

ladies who've got a $10

bill in a cookie jar.

And so if a couple hundred go

bring it and send it to you,

that's two grand that you've

made, just like that.

And so if you're going to get

into big-time religion, this

is the games you've got to

play, things like that.

You go into it as a business

and you work it as a

business, you know.

RAY BOATRIGHT (OFFSCREEN): Do

you know, he prints over one

million magazines a month?

I mean, he sends out--

-I know he's got the biggest

mailing list.

RAY BOATRIGHT (OFFSCREEN):

One million.

He has one million names and

addresses, and he sends them

magazines out, free.

-Yeah.

In fact, if you want to get

started, he even-- he sells

names off his mailing list.

He's got so many all

over the country.

I know some other preachers--

RAY BOATRIGHT (OFFSCREEN):

I was talking to him.

-Have bought mailing

lists from him.

RAY BOATRIGHT (OFFSCREEN): He's

got over 100,000 names in

Southern California.

RUBY BOATRIGHT (OFFSCREEN):

Marjoe, do you want some of

the melons and things here?

RAY BOATRIGHT (OFFSCREEN):

Or in California.

RUBY BOATRIGHT (OFFSCREEN):

Let Marilyn serve.

MARILYN BOATRIGHT (OFFSCREEN):

My beautiful salad.

-And I thought about getting

that for the convention.

I figured, have them print

it, just sort of

like, here's a magazine.

Boy, they print that

all on one sheet.

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN): You

ought to see his presses.

He's got a whole--

-I've seen them.

He's got three big presses.

Three big presses.

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):

Yeah.

And everyone makes it

with their magazine.

You send out your magazine.

In the magazine you show

pictures of what you're trying

to do, and then you

raise dollars for

projects, mainly what you--

the projects you do, like,

they raise money for

missionary projects, say,

to go to Haiti.

But they'll take in tens of

thousands of dollars of maybe

only spend a few thousand.

So you work that

as a business.

Then you follow up.

From your magazine and your

radio, you use to build and

you go into one or two-night

crusades in auditoriums.

And the crusades,

you don't plan.

In the auditoriums, you don't

make a lot of money from this,

but it makes the personal

contact.

But the main money comes from

the magazines and from the

radio program, you know.

But that's like a thing.

You've got to stay in

it all the time.

It's like the ones who are

successful, they're

businessmen who are

constantly--

they're like Madison

Avenue PR men.

-I want to go to Korea.

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):

When are

you going to go there?

RUBY BOATRIGHT (OFFSCREEN): Why

don't you come keep our

church in October while

we go to Brazil?

-I might do that.

-Then I can go.

-OK.

Really?

-Mm-hm.

RAY BOATRIGHT (OFFSCREEN):

Yeah, I want her to go.

-

-I want to go too, though.

[laughter]

How much property do you

have over there?

RAY BOATRIGHT (OFFSCREEN): Well,

we bought 800 acres.

-[whistles]

RAY BOATRIGHT (OFFSCREEN):

All jungle.

-Have you developed any of it?

RAY BOATRIGHT (OFFSCREEN):

Yeah.

We've got about--

oh, I'd say--

-Anybody want some more salad?

RAY BOATRIGHT (OFFSCREEN): We've

got about 50 acres in

cultivation.

You know, rice, beans, corn.

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):

Yeah.

I heard something--

what was that?

Someone wanted to buy it?

RAY BOATRIGHT (OFFSCREEN):

Yes, there's a preacher

wanted to buy it.

We're building a Bible school,

and he wants to--

-Then we got a deal with--

But want him in our project.

-On with a big food company,

you know, that makes

cornflakes and stuff like that.

Big mill.

They want to buy

a piece of it.

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):

Part of it?

-Well, a piece of property

that's about half. 'Cause I

have a waterfall and a dam.

[marjoe playing organ]

-That's it!

-Now down.



Now jump out.

You mean the echo?

Well, you know the place is--

-Well, not the echo, but

you got all the noise.

-When the place is filled with

people, your echo goes way

down.

-Sure, sure.

-Because it's much better.

-Sure.

See, we have a good thing.

We'll probably get good audience

sound here too,

because the speakers

don't reach as far.

We can move the mics way back.

-But the music, the

song service--

record everything, man.

-Yeah.

-Because it's--

the music is incredible.

-How big's the choir

going to be?

-How many seats are there?

-Are they going to fill this?

-Oh, yeah.

Out of sight.

[CHOIR SINGING - "WE'VE COME

TOO FAR TO TURN AROUND"]

-There's a little thing

that she does that you

gotta be ready for.

She'll--

testing, one.

She'll go, tssshhewww.

Tsshheeww.

ALLIE TAYLOR (OFFSCREEN):

Tsshew.

Come on.

And then think about the word

that said everything.

-Just like, tsssheww, can't

you feel the presence?

Tsshewww.

Feel good.

Tsshewww.

She keeps doing that.

Yeah, she plays that.

-It's like the sound you hear

when you're on acid.

Tsshew.

[laughter]

-She's heavy into acid,

Sister Taylor.

[MUSIC PLAYING AND

PEOPLE CLAPPING]

ALLIE TAYLOR (OFFSCREEN):

Ohhh, yes!

We're gonna let-- we're gonna

let you hear a real testimony

this morning, if we can bring

the audience down to Earth

again long enough to hear

this testimony.

Oh, bless the Lord.

Thank you, Jesus.

That's what we come here

for, is to worship God.

We don't come to put

on a fashion show.

This is a general love offering,

an expense offering,

for the Lighthouse

Church budget.

We do have a heavy budget.

And we don't use God's money

for foolishness.

We just don't.

Now I said, Lord, it would

be so nice, but I

don't ask for it.

I just thought about it.

But somehow I believe, Sister

Green, I've got his favor.

A lady who hasn't seen me in 25

years wrote me a letter and

said, Sister Taylor, I have

promised God I'm giving Allie

Taylor a whole acre of

commercial property, right on

the highway, 20 miles

from Tampa.

Right close to the Sun

City, St. Petersburg.

I'm going to give you a chance

because the Lord's been

talking to me to prove God

this morning again.

I have some slips made out.

This says, help me prove God

for these blessings.

Now these are not

for everybody.

These are for a special few.

These are for people that are

going to sacrifice maybe some

bills they need to pay.

Or maybe it's that dress

they needed to buy.

Or maybe it's that fall coat

that you've been laying away a

little money on.

But this morning you feel like

it's time for you to prove God

and make a sacrifice.

Don't you come up here

for this unless

you've made a sacrifice.

Now everything you give to

God's not a sacrifice.

It's your reasonable service

to give every dime

you can to the Lord.

But when you take something

that hurts, like I've done

down through the years and many

of you have done, and

give to God, God will give you

this morning what you stand

before me for.

For he spoke to me to do this.

While they're coming, if you

have a Prove Me offering, I

want you to fill out

one of these slips.

And then you're going to get in

the other side and line up

till I get there.

Don't put it in the

basket over there.

Don't put an offering

in the basket over

there till I get there.

Everybody march for this great

general offering this morning.

Get in this line if you have

a Prove Me offering.

Line up over there.

Oh, yes, Jesus.

The sacrifice offering is on

your left this morning.

Just get in line.

[MUSIC - "LORD, TAKE

ME THROUGH"]

-Now I want to ask you

some questions.

And if the answer is yes, he

can, I want you to yell it

back at me as loud as you can.

Let's try it one time.

Let me hear you say,

yes he can!

CONGREGATION: Yes he can!

-Oh, you can say it

better than that.

Say it again.

CONGREGATION: Yes he can!

-All right, listen to

the question now.

Can God deliver a dope addict?

CONGREGATION: Yes he can!

-Can God deliver an alcoholic?

CONGREGATION (OFFSCREEN):

Yes he can!

-Can God deliver a h*m*?

CONGREGATION: Yes he can!

-Can God heal the sick?

CONGREGATION: Yes he can!

-Can God deliver now?

CONGREGATION: Yes he can!

-Say it again.

Say now!

CONGREGATION: Now!

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):

Lift up your

hands and praise him.

Hallelujah.

My God shall supply all!

My God shall supply all!

He shall supply all!

All my need!

All my need!

All my need!

That means all, brother, all!

When you're down on the ground,

when you're up against

the wall, when you're low-down

and oppressed, my God shall

supply all!

All!

All!

All!

All!

All my need!

Thank you, Jesus.

Oh, praise the Lord.

Hallelujah!

Praise the Lord.

Oh, I feel a tingle

in my bosom.

Hallelujah!

I feel a chill going up and down

my spine, because I know

that there's hope.

I said, I know that

there is hope.

Can you praise the Lord?

Thank you, Jesus.

There is hope.

[MUSIC - "I'M ON MY

WAY TO HEAVEN"]


-At least, you know, as screwed
up as it is, they get

into it a little bit.

And I have to admire
them for that.

I mean, if I was going to pick
a religion, you know, a

Christian-type religion, that I
had to go into one of them--

I mean, thank God
I don't have to.

If I had to go into one of
them, I would pick the

Pentecostal faith.

Because some of the churches,
the music is just great.

And the people are interesting,
you know, they're

kind of weird.

And it's OK.

For the church things, it's
a little farther out.

Glory je to Beezus.

-I worked with $0.75 an hour
with a pick and shovel and I

preached on Sundays and
pastored a church.

And I said because I was
faithful, God's now given me a

Cadillac, hallelujah.

And I said, I'll tell
you something else.

God would have something wrong
with him if we didn't, because

Jesus Christ himself said that
no man hath forsaken houses or

lands or fathers or mothers or
brothers or friends except

that he'll get a hundred-fold
more in this life and in the

life to come, eternal life!

Hallelujah!

Thank you, Jesus.

Praise God.

He said he'd do it, and if he
didn't do it, there'd be

something wrong with
God's word.

I said, now I'm driving
a Cadillac.

Why don't you do it?

Hallelujah!

Oh, Jesus was real.

How many say amen?

CONGREGATION (OFFSCREEN):
Amen!

-And you know, I got to thinking
about that all day

long, and I'd been trying to
trade for a Chevrolet, and I

couldn't get a Chevy.

I tried to trade for a Buick,
and I couldn't get a Buick.

And I said, bless God.

The more I think about that,
the more I think I was

preaching the truth.

I went down to the Cadillac
agency and one hour later, I

drove out a new Cadillac.

Hallelujah!

Praise the Lord!

Thank you, Jesus.

[applause]

PREACHER (OFFSCREEN):
I said this.

I said, son, you know I got
some little kids-- well,

they're not so little anymore.

They're grown up.

And I said whenever I get ready
to go and I'm not going

to be around any longer, who
do you think I'm going to

leave my things to?

I'm not going to give them to
somebody that I don't know.

I'm going to leave
them to my kids.

And that's what my daddy did.

CONGREGATION: Hallelujah.

PREACHER (OFFSCREEN): That's
what my daddy did.

Hallelujah!

Father created these things for
his people, if they'll use

them right.

Bless God, I'm gonna drive that
Cadillac down here and

get it dusty and dirty
and use it for God!

Hallelujah!

Thank you, Jesus!

[MUSIC - "SINCE I LAID MY
BURDENS DOWN (GLORY, GLORY)"]

PREACHER (OFFSCREEN): Reverend
Vernon Gortner is with us

tonight, who is the
father of Marjoe.

And through the years, he talked
and trained and prayed

that the Holy Ghost would always
anoint this young man.

And we're so happy to have the
father, also, of Reverend

Marjoe here with us tonight,
and I'm going to ask him to

introduce him.

I'm so thankful that we have
men of this caliber, and I

think we ought to give
them both a great

big hand this evening!

God bless you as you come.

[applause]

-Thank you very much.

It's a real privilege
to be here tonight.

I'd like to say a word about
Marjoe before I introduce him.

He's the fourth generation
of preachers.

His great-grandfather, my
grandfather, was one of the

first missionaries that went to
Liberia, West Africa, with

Bishop Taylor of the Methodist
Episcopal Church.

He died and was buried there.

My father began to preach the
gospel when he was just a

young man, 16 years of age,
and I began to preach the

gospel when I was about


But Marjoe began to preach the
gospel when he was only four

years of age.

I remember when Marjoe was just
five years old, when he

received the infilling
of the Holy Spirit.

PREACHER (OFFSCREEN):
Hallelujah.

VERNON GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):
Did you ever see anybody

receive the baptism of the
Holy Ghost when they were

taking a bath?

[laughter]

VERNON GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):
Well, that's

what Marjoe was doing.

He was in the bathtub,
take a bath.

And I heard some noise going on
in there, and I looked in,

and there he was with his hands
up, praising the Lord

and speaking in heavenly
languages,

PREACHER (OFFSCREEN):
Hallelujah!

VERNON GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):
In tongues that he

knew nothing about.

[applause]

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):
See, we've never had a

father/son type relationship,
because he won't talk about

the time when I was a child.

So our relationship is
completely lot of void, then,

because when we see each other,
we're, like, walking on

needles, you know?

And we have nothing really
to say to each other.

We talk about his trees and his
yard and different things,

but there's no communication
at all.

If I were God, I would send
every man, woman, boy, or

girl, pastor, preacher, every
person who professed salvation

but yet didn't have a burning
desire to win souls--

I would send them to hell.

Oh, yes I would.

And I would let them remain
among that sea of lost

humanity until they had a
burning desire to win souls to

the Lord Jesus Christ.

Hallelujah!

What if the vast number of
Christians right in our own

community would just sow the
precious seed of God's word to

those right around them?

Was it not the wise man Solomon
that said, cast thy

bread upon the water, for thou
shalt find it after many days.

Praise the Lord.

Hallelujah!

Oh, hallelujah!

Brother, what do you suppose
Solomon meant by that?

Take a loaf of Wonder Bread and
Hostess Twinkies and throw

it in the Mississippi, and after
a few months, find it in

the Gulf of Mexico?

No, sir, I don't think so.

If I had gotten into evangelism
heavily, I would

have probably, like, maybe
been a rock singer.

Because I enjoy moving on stage,
working a microphone.

And I watch certain rock
performers perform, and a lot

of things I do, you know,
I've copied off of

them or gotten in.

You know, like Mick Jagger--

certain things that I do,
I sort of do like a

waist-hunching thing that
he does sometimes.

Lift up your hands and
praise the Lord!

We've got to watch out for these
professional shouters--

can you say amen?

Some people, I tell you, the
minute the music starts,

anyone that's in the Spirit,
you better watch out.

Because they gotta do
the boogaloo or they

gotta do the frug.

They got their own
little thing.

That's not the spirit,
man, that's carnal!

Come on.

Hallelujah!

You're not liking this, but I'm
telling you the truth, and

you know it.

It all comes down to--

do you know who Jesus
really is?

I said, do you know who
Jesus really is?

His name shall be call Emmanuel,
meaning God with us.

Think about that.

He Was divinity, but
he put on humanity.

Why did he pray?

He prayed because
he was human!

But brother, sister,
he answers prayer

because he is divine.

Oh, why did he rest?

He took rest because
he was human.

Oh, but he gives us rest
because he is divine.

Why did he thirst?

He was thirsty because
he was human.

But he satisfies our thirst
because he is divine.

Why did he sleep?

He slept because he was human.

But he gives us rest because
he is divine.

CONGREGANT (OFFSCREEN): Amen!

-He took part of human nature so
that we might take part of

his divine nature.

He became poor so that
we might become rich.

He bore a cross so that
we might wear a crown.

He lived in a manger so that
we might live in a mansion.

Do you know who Jesus
really is?

Lift up your hands and
praise the Lord.

Hallelujah.

Oh, hallelujah.

Hallelujah, praise
him tonight.

[CONGREGATION MOANING AND
SPEAKING IN TONGUES]

-Lift up your hands and
praise him tonight.

Worship him tonight.

Oh, is there any holes
in your net tonight?

Let Jesus fix it for you!

Let Jesus fix it for you!

Oh, let your prayer to heaven
be, Lord, Lord, make me a

soul-winner.

Lord, that you will use me.

Lord, that you will use
me in some way.

Lord, let me be a soul-winner
for your work.

Not my will, but thy
will be done.

[CONGREGATION MOANING AND
SPEAKING IN TONGUES]

-Hallelujah.

Hallelujah, thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah.

[CONGREGATION MOANING AND
SPEAKING IN TONGUES]

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN): I
want every head bowed and ever

eye closed.

Hallelujah.

I just want to see the
hands tonight.

Could you play that song,
"He Touched Me"?

I can't get up and say to them,
OK, now listen, if you

just believe this afternoon--

I mean, it's all got to be done
under the thing of Jesus.

Which even that's OK.

Like the Jesus thing I would
leave, but they still--

I've got to put in that thing,
like if you don't come down,

you're going to go to hell and
you're going to burn and

you've got to go into
the sin thing.

It's the--

the way that I have to do it.

If I could just do, like, the
faith number, and get up, say,

OK everybody, let's really get
loose this afternoon and get

off and get rid of all our
hangups and have nice group

therapy, that would be great.

But you can't do it that way.

It's got to all be done under
this facade of holiness.

[MUSIC - "HE TOUCHED ME
AND MADE ME WHOLE"]

-Sing it again tonight.

[MUSIC - "HE TOUCHED ME
AND MADE ME WHOLE"]

-Sister, come right down here.

-I have a condition in my
stomach, that everything I eat

and drink, it just
goes to acid.

-Do you believe that the Lord's
going to do it tonight?

-Yes.

-Do you believe he's going
to touch this condition?

-Yes.

-Say yes, Lord.

-Yes, Lord.

-Say thank you, Jesus.

-Thank you, Jesus.

Thank you, Jesus.

-In the name of Jesus.

In the name of Jesus.

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah.

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah, praise God.

Hallelujah.

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah.

Praise the Lord.

Hallelujah.

What's God going
to do for you?

-[inaudible].

-That's very serious.

But do you have faith tonight?

-Yes.

-I've seen you every since
I've been here.

I believe you've got faith.

Do you believe that with me?

-Yes, I do.

-All right, lift
up your hands.

Say thank you, Jesus.

-Thank you, Jesus.

-Thank you, Jesus.

Say it again.

-Thank you, Jesus.

-In the name of Jesus!

Sister, tonight is going
to be your night.

[laughter]

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):
God--

SARAH KERNOCHAN (OFFSCREEN):
Do it, do it.

-God is going to--

[laughter]

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):
You're spoiling the mood!

[laughter]

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):
God is going to do

something for you.

Then I'll turn around to the
crowd, and I'll say to

everyone, do you believe it?

And you know, everyone--

say yes!

I said, that's not enough.

If there's no faith here
tonight, I can't do anything.

You've got to believe it.

And I go, do you believe it?

And by this time, the
crowd's going, yes!

And I'll say, Sister, if
I lay my hands on you,

it's going to happen.

By this time, you're
just like this.

Because I do a whole
thing on you.

Then I sort of like get down to,
now I'm going to pray the

prayer, and everyone
bow your heads.

And all of a sudden, I go,
in the name of Jesus!

[laughter]

-And you know, this time, if
the shock doesn't get you--

How do you feel?

Whoa, hallelujah.

[laughter]

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):
Hallelujah!

This is God!

Hallelujah, thank you, Jesus.

Oh, hallelujah!

PREACHER (OFFSCREEN):
Hallelujah!

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):
Oh, praise the Lord!

Hallelujah!

PREACHER (OFFSCREEN):
Hallelujah.

-Thank you, Jesus.

Thank you, Jesus.

Come on, lift up your hands
and praise the Lord.

Hallelujah, thank you, Jesus.

And then once you get one or
two-- once you get one or two,

they really come off and say,
yeah, I really felt that I had

a bad back, I had a bad leg.

Then there's a whole slew
that say, oh, yeah,

I feel better too.

Because like 97% of it's
psychosomatic.

SARAH KERNOCHAN (OFFSCREEN):
I feel better.

-Yeah.

Yeah.

[laughter]

[SINGING - "O, HOW
I LOVE JESUS"]

-In the name of Jesus, let the
work be done, hallelujah.

Thank you, Jesus.

Hallelujah.

Thank you, Jesus.

[SINGING - "O, HOW
I LOVE JESUS"]

[SINGING - "O, HOW
I LOVE JESUS"]

Do you love him tonight?

Then sing it like you mean it!

[SINGING - "O, HOW
I LOVE JESUS"]

One more time, sing
it again tonight.

[SINGING - "O, HOW
I LOVE JESUS"]

Well, praise the Lord.

-Tremendous.

Tremendous.

He's a born preacher.

He's a--

he's a boy-- he's just a
preaching machine, witnessing

the miracle of God.

Hand of God upon him, no
question about it.

You've got to give the Lord all
the credit and the glory.

It's the Lord Jesus Christ.

-Just blinking in and out
of the two lives, it's--

I just don't want to
do it anymore.

What can I say?

At times I feel like I should
get up and do repentance to

the audience or something,
you know?

Like I have these fantasies, a
lot of times, I go through,

like I'd really like to get up
and just tell them what I

really think, or where I'm
really at, what I'd

like them to do.

Then when I get up, I go
right into my sermon.

But things like this relieve my
head at the time, but I've

been playing with that now for
a couple of years, and I just

can't go on doing it
like that anymore.

I made my decision that I
was going to get out.

I don't know.

Actually, I've been making
it for two years.

But then meeting after meeting
comes along, and I

just seem to like--

I don't know, you get uptight
financially and

I have to go back.

But the movie or no movie, I'd
definitely have to get out,

because I'm at a point, like I
said, where I either have to

make the decision to go on and
really do it all the way, or

else get out.

And I know I have to
get out, so I'm--

guess you could say I'm on my
last meetings right now, my

last leg, so to speak.

Enjoy getting it off on stage,
but I really wish I was

getting it off as a rock star
or an actor or something,

which I have to get into.

I think, you know, some people
will probably think that maybe

I'm an evil person.

I sort of like to think that
I'm bad, but not evil.

Well, I am a hype, but
I don't feel that I'm

really a bad hype.

I don't know, there's
kind of a fine--

there's a difference.

To me, there's a difference.

But for me to stay in it at this
point, I would have to

say, you know, just
screw it all.

I'm going to do it
the very best.

I'd have to drop all the good
things that I do say in some

of my sermons, few
good things.

But I kind of feel that maybe
some of the things that I've

done, preaching the last--
not as a child.

As a child, I'm not responsible
for it, I feel.

But I still do feel, though,
that that whole psychological

thing when I was a child
had a heavy influence,

of course, on me.

I would never have gone back the
last two years had it not

been for the childhood.

But still, I was in adult or
sort of a grown person when I

went back into it, so I'm
responsible for that.

And so maybe that's
bad, you know?

Maybe that's bad.

But you know, my going back into
it, and obviously saying

things I don't believe-- anyone
that does that is kind

of bad, maybe.

But then, you know, a lot
of people do bad things.

I haven't been together
with Agnes that long.

A couple of months.

But oh, it's just such an
incredible relief to be able

to feel that you can
trust someone.

When I first met Marjoe, the
first thing he did was take me

to this house, show me his book
and all his clippings,

and play his record.

And from about 2:30 in the
morning till 8 o'clock in the

morning, he just kept telling me
and telling me everything.

And it was so heavy, I
was, like, drained.

I just said, whew, boy,
this is really a trip.

And I couldn't believe that he
was this guy who I thought was

really nice and sane and sweet
and everything good, who had

been through this crazy trip
when he was a kid.

And he wasn't crazy.

You know, I thought this
couldn't be the same person.

But here were all these
pictures and all these

clippings, and it's
him, all right.

And it's still a little
bit hard to believe.

Even though now I see
him preaching--

he's like two different
people.

Every time I watch him,
it's like I'm

really watching a play.

It's not something
that's real.

I'm just watching a performance
of an actor who

goes home and lives a totally
different life.

I feel that everybody around
me feels the same way in a

congregation.

I don't know all this
Jesus business.

I mean, I just find it
hard to believe that

they believe it, too.

JOHN BINDER (OFFSCREEN): Do you
think Marjoe's a con man?

-Con man?

Tsk.

John.

-What can I say?

I think religion is--

it's a drug.

[laughs]

It's addicting.

Can God deliver a
religion addict?

[laughs]

Can God deliver a dog?

Oh yes he can!

[laughter]

-Can God deliver a little
black lovey like this?

Oh yes he can.

-Oh yes he can.

-But folks, tonight, this little
dog needs your prayers.

I want someone in the
congregation to help me out.

Sister, would you come here?

Lay hands on this dog.

The Bible says, they lay
hands on the sick

and they shall recover.

And tonight this little dog
it's going to be touched.

Oh, I feel it.

In the name--

in the name of Jesus,
you little dog.

[laughter]

-[kiss]

Goodbye.

[laughter]

MARJOE GORTNER (OFFSCREEN):
Baby.

Don't be scared, baby.

-Poor little baby.

-Poor little thing.

See, he's got the Holy Ghost.

He's much better.

Holy Ghost.

This dog wasn't walking
like this before.

Notice the way he staggers now?

[laughter]

-He's truly delivered.

Look at him, he's touched.

He's made-- miracle, miracle!

Look what God has done!

Hallelujah, it's a miracle!

God's delivered the
little dog!

Look at this little dog!

He came in a wheelchair.

Now he's leaving--

come on, little dog!

Show the folks!

Folks, this is it.

See what God has done.

There it is, living proof.

It's happened before
your very eyes.

God has done a miracle.

God is in this place tonight.

God has worked through his
servant and done something

wonderful again.

-Oh!

-Now I want you to get out your
dollars and we're going

to give money tonight to k*ll
a Commie for Jesus.

We're going to fight Communism
so that little dogs like this

can be set free.

-Where's my wallet?

-Everyone, get out your money.

Come on, get it out.

Oh!

[laughter]

-Hallelu!

I feel good.

[panting]

Hallelujah!

[SINGING - "I'VE GOT
CONFIDENCE"]

-And now, whoever you are,
wherever you are, may God

bless you, and you, and you.

THEME SONG: He had barely
learned to walk when they

taught him how to pray,
mm-hm, mm-hm.

Barely learned to walk when they
taught him how to pray,

mm-hm, mm-hm.

But they never said who
he was praying to, so

don't pay it any mind.

Just put on a good show.

The Lord'll never know if I'm
pocketing a handful of dimes.

Lord, Lord, everybody
have a good time.

'Cause he's gonna save
all, all my brothers.

He'll save all my sisters.

He's gonna save all the people
and give them God's love.

Well, he never made a deal with
the devil anyway, mm-hm.

Never made a deal with
Jesus anyway, mm-hm.

No one could say he wasn't
any good or that he

couldn't play the part.

All the people around him
kneeling on the ground, God

rejoicing in their heart.

Oh, Lord.

God rejoicing in their heart.

'Cause he's gonna save,
save, all my brothers.

He'll save all my sisters.

He's gonna save all the people
and give them God's love.

So we'll gather by the
river where the grace

of God flows, mm-hm.

Gather by the river where the
grace of God goes, mm-hm.

Who wins out?

Nobody knows.

Don't pay it any mind.

Stay away from hell, watch your
step in heaven, everybody

have a good time.

Lord, Lord, everybody
have a good time

'Cause he's gonna save, save,
all my brothers, and he'll

save all my sisters.

He's gonna save all the people
and give them God's love.