The Apostle (1997) Movie Script

Hallelujah. Thank you, Lord.
Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Jesus.
- Praise the Lord.
- Praise the Lord.
- They put a thief on each side of Jesus.
- Yeah!
- Can you say, "Yes, Lord"?
- Yes, Lord.
"Praise the name of the Lord. "
One on the right hand and one on his left.
Glory to God!
The Bible tells me,
praise the name of the Lord.
Tells me they spit on him.
Praise the name of the Lord!
- Can you say, "Yeah, Lord"?
- Yeah, Lord!
- Yeah, Lord. Thank you, Lord.
- Yeah, Lord. Thank you, Lord.
- Yes, Lord.
- Thank you, Jesus.
- They nailed nails...
- Yes, Lord.
...in his hands, sisters and brothers.
- Yes, Lord.
For you and I.
They put nails in his feet for you and I.
- They pierced him in the side for you and I.
- Yes, Lord.
They put thorns about his head for you and I.
- Yes, Lord.
- Can you say, "Yeah, Lord"?
- Yeah, Lord.
Glory! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
My Lord!
Glory! Thank you, Jesus.
- Thank you, Jesus.
- Hallelujah.
- Glory to God! Hey! Thank you.
- Thank you, Lord.
My Lord. My Lord. My Lord.
Praise the Lord. Thank you, Jesus.
Glory to God!
Jesus said blessed are those
that haven't seen, and believed.
Blessed is those that haven't seen.
Thank you, Lord.
Thank you, Lord. And they still believe in him.
- Yeah, Lord!
- Yeah, Lord!
- Hallelujah!
- Hallelujah!
- Hey, glory!
- Hallelujah!
d Soon I will be done with
The troubles of the world
d Troubles of the world
Troubles of the world
d I soon will be done
With the troubles of the world
d Going home to live with God
d Oh-oh, weeping and wailing
d Oh, come on, weeping and wailing
d Oh-oh, weeping and wailing
d Going home to live with God...
Thank you, Lord.
d Going home to live with God... d
Roger here. Seven...
I don't know how many's in that car there.
There's three there, one there
and I guess there's two in this one.
Pretty sad. I hate this.
Like that little dog,
you never know who he belongs to.
Little puppy. Where you been?
You belong to this car or that one down there?
I like that kind of little dog. Smart little dogs.
Sugar is a good little thing.
Grab a handful of sugar, a lot of hot peppers.
Mama, wait now. Hold on. Hold on, Mama.
I'll pull up just here.
- Oh, Lord, Sonny.
- Just hush now.
You stay put, Mama.
You stay put.
I was just running down there.
I got to the car and she tried to follow me back.
Then I go get the man, told him to come out.
For years they thanked me for it.
"Therefore when I passed by thee
and saw thee polluted in thine own blood,
I said unto thee
when thy wast in thy blood, live. "
"Yea, I said unto thee
when thy wast in thy blood...
...live. "
Live, live.
Son, can you hear me? I'm going to help you.
I'm a minister of the Lord.
The Lord loves you and I love you.
If you can't answer, just nod.
If you can't nod, just think it.
Answer me in your mind and in your heart.
If the Lord were to call you right now,
would you be ready?
Do you accept the Lord Jesus Christ
as your saviour?
Are you ready for him? Are you ready
to follow and accept him this very instant?
If you open your heart, he will stand with you
whether you go home or stay with us.
If it isn't your time,
he'll stand by you and your wife.
He'll deliver you through this entire ordeal.
Listen to me.
There are angels even in this automobile
at this precise moment.
He has sent his angels here to watch over you.
Do you accept him here today?
Y- ye...
- Thank you, Jesus.
- Hey, mister. You have to get out of there.
You can't be in there. Hear me? Let's go.
When an ambulance gets you, the Lord's
gonna have a flock of angels to lead you.
You've taken the Lord,
he's gonna go all the way with you.
You both are his champions here today.
Praise God!
Thank you, sir.
Don't have to thank me, son.
Thank the Lord and saviour, Jesus Christ.
You're in his hands now.
Bless you both. "Wherever two or more
are gathered in my name, there will I be also. "
Mister? I'm sorry,
you've got to go back to your car.
- You're not allowed here.
- I understand.
I guess you think
you accomplished something in there?
- I know I did.
- Go on.
I did not put my head
through that window in vain.
- How would you know?
- I'll tell you.
I'd rather die today and go to heaven
than live to be 100 and go to hell.
- Is that a fact?
- Yes, sir. It is.
Hallelujah for the Lord God omnipotent
that reigneth in the Book of Revelation.
Glory!
Thank you.
d You ain't going to hold my body down
You ain't going to hold my body down d
No, sir.
d Victory is mine.
Victory is mine today.
d I told Satan, "Get thee behind"
d Because victory is ours today d
Mama, we made news in heaven this morning.
- What?
- Two young people, their lives ahead of them.
One may live, one may die. I don't know.
Touch and go.
- Let's pray for them, Mama.
- My Lord.
Pray with me, Mama.
Just sing a prayer, Mama.
d Sometimes my steps are weary
Sometimes my steps are slow
d But I've got a journey on my mind...
"Yea, though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil for thou art with me. "
"Thy rod and thy staff will comfort me. "
"Thou preparest a table before me
in the presence of mine enemies. "
"Thou anointest my head with oil. "
"My cup runneth over. "
"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life. "
"And I shall dwell
in the house of the Lord for ever. " "Amen. "
d I'll be sitting drawing pictures in the sand...
Come on, Mama. Sing it!
Sing it.
d And when I see you coming
I will rise up with a shout...
Praise God! Praise him today!
d... and through the shallow water
Reaching for your hand d
d Oh, how I love Jesus
Oh, how I love Jesus
d Oh, how I love Jesus
Because he first loved me...
Your turn.
d It tells me of a Saviour's love
Who died to set me free
d It tells me of his precious blood...
A sinner's perfect plea
d Oh, how I love Jesus
Oh, how I love Jesus
d Oh, how I love Jesus
Because he first loved me d
Let's give a big handclap for Jesus!
When vacation Bible school is over,
we'll sing together at the temple, all right?
- I could sing the harmony part.
- Let's go now. Let grandmother rest.
- You'll play for us?
- We'll see.
- I'll see you in a minute.
- Bye, Grandma.
- When are you coming back?
- I'll call you.
- All right, son.
- About three weeks, all right?
I love you. The Lord loves you.
Make you snug.
- I love you, son.
- Take care.
Sonny, if you don't mind, would you go back
and get my double comforter?
- You all right?
- Yeah. I'm all right.
- I'm just a little chilly.
- All right. Hold on, now.
And bring me my other blanket.
One day, you're going to board an airplane.
And that plane's going to be
way past yon stars.
And yon moon! I'm talking sun and moon
and constellations, get out of my way!
- Jupiter and Mars, move over!
- Yeah!
We're going to be going
straight up to the pearly gates!
Mama, I can't take you with me,
so get on back in your chair.
I know you died and gone home to heaven.
I hope you hear me. You be good.
I'll call you tonight.
I can't take you with me, OK?
All right? Yeah, Mama?
Hug St Peter's neck for me.
Bye, Mama. Kiss an angel for me.
I'm going to hit the road.
Got to go to work.
Jessie, I'll call, see if you want to fly
to Little Rock, drive back with me and Joe.
I have my Women's Aglow meetings, so...
Maybe. You call me?
- See you in a few weeks. Horace, bless you.
- Bye, Sonny. Have a good trip.
Learn the books of the Bible.
Let me hear them.
- You!
- No, you say them.
Say it! Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus,
Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua... You!
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers,
Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth,
First and Second Samuel, First and Second
Kings, First and Second Chronicles,
Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms,
Proverbs et cetera, et cetera.
And on into Revelation.
I may be on the Devil's hit list,
but I'm on Jesus' mailing list.
"Yea, though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil
for thou art with me. "
Why do I say this?
Because we got Holy Ghost power here today.
I got a sea of his son's blood
wrapped around my body.
Can everybody say
we got Holy Ghost power in this tent?
Say it again! Holy Ghost power!
- Holy Ghost power! I said Holy Ghost power!
- Yeah!
Power to change you
when you don't want to be changed.
Power to remake you
when you don't want to be remade.
Shout hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
We got Holy Ghost power!
Hallelujah!
The Devil thought he had the keys.
But Jesus went to hell.
He made a house-call on the Devil.
He took him off of his throne.
Did a backflip over the Devil
and stripped him of all of his power.
And came out of hell
with the keys to the kingdom.
We got the keys to the kingdom!
We got the keys to the kingdom!
- Hallelujah!
- How about it, sister?
Come on and shout "Holy Ghost"!
Shout "Holy Ghost"!
Holy Ghost! The Holy Ghost!
Shout "Holy Ghost"!
d I have decided to follow Jesus
I have decided to follow Jesus
d I have decided to follow Jesus
d No turn around, no turn around d
- Who's the King of kings?
- Jesus.
- Before Abraham was, was who?
- Jesus!
- Who's the first and the last?
- Jesus.
- I'm on the Devil's hit list. Who's by my side?
- Jesus.
- Who's the lily of the valley?
- Jesus.
Yea, though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death, who is by my side?
- Jesus.
- Come on and say "Jesus", beloved.
- Jesus.
- If I wake up in hell, who do I look up to?
- Jesus.
- Shout it loud and say "Jesus"!
- Jesus.
- I can't hear you.
- Jesus!
- Jesus!
- Jesus!
- Jesus!
His name is Jesus.
Jesus.
A handclap for Jesus. Come on,
everyone. Give me a handclap.
Yea, though I walk...
...through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil...
...because I'm walking with Jesus.
I walk with Jesus. I talk with Jesus.
I walk with Jesus. I shout with Jesus.
I walk with Jesus. I stomp with Jesus.
We stomp all together.
We stomp on the Diablo.
I want to walk with you and stomp with you.
Yes. Thank you.
Thank you, Jesus.
Thank you, Lord.
Thank you. Oh, yes.
Come on, Joe! Joe!
- Joe, come on. We've got to go now.
- What's going on?
OK. I'm coming.
Let me in. You trying to kill me?
What's going on? We're going the wrong way.
If someone's in my bed that's supposed
to be there, we'll be back in 24 hours.
- You mean Jessie?
- Yeah. My sweet wife Jessie. You bet.
I'll call you in the morning.
Jessie?
Jess.
...are charged by almighty God
to show care and love for each other.
This is just part of our responsibility.
God has put us in a position of legal...
Sonny.
What's that?
Go back to sleep.
OK.
- It was nothing.
- Nothing.
"Thou shalt not kill. "
- Sonny! Dammit, Sonny!
- No!
Saint Paul said...
I appreciate your friendship, Joe.
I really, really do.
Sit tight in case I start
choking this woman to death.
If I do, you'll know it. You hear?
What are we going to do about this, Jessie?
Give me some kind of answer. What?
I just want out of all this, that's all.
- Out of what? This marriage?
- Yeah.
I have to think about that.
- There's not a lot for you to think about.
- Yeah?
I want to get on with it.
And keep your hands where they are.
- Don't.
- What?
What do you want to get on with?
- My life.
- That's it.
Well, I'll tell you something.
I might make a little noise about all this,
you know that.
- I imagine you will.
- Nobody better mess with my children.
Especially any puny-assed youth minister,
you hear me?
Nobody will.
I assure you of that.
I wouldn't make too much over this,
if I were you.
I know as much about what you have done
as you think I do, you know that.
I guess I do.
- Yeah.
- What?
No. It's OK. Hold on.
It's OK, baby.
Would you get down on your knees with me
just this last time?
- Come on, Jessie.
- Why, Sonny?
I want...
I want us to pray together.
For understanding and possible future
reconciliation for us and our son and daughter.
- No. It's not the time.
- Jessie, come on.
- I don't want to pray with you today.
- Next week?
No.
All right.
We'll see.
Boy, you're something.
We've never had a problem
we haven't been able to solve.
- He's given me my answers.
- Who's given you answers?
- The Lord.
- Our Lord has?
- Yeah.
- Are you sure it was the Lord talking?
We've prayed since before we were married.
My knees are worn out over us.
I don't want to live like this any more.
Because of my wandering eye
and wicked ways?
It goes beyond just that.
I have a wandering bug in me
because I love to evangelise.
But I love my wife and family.
Always have, always will. I love my wife.
I love my beauties, my babies.
Look at me, Jessie.
You know I love you. You know that.
Yeah. I do.
Yeah.
Don't.
God bless you. You're going to need it.
I'm with you all the way.
If you hadn't led me to the Lord,
who knows what jail I'd be in?
- I ain't going to let you forget that.
- I appreciate it.
- You hear me now, don't you?
- What do we have here, Joe?
- Morning.
- Hi, Sonny.
What's going on?
Whose funeral have we got to attend to?
- Don't tell me it's mine.
- I don't know how to begin this.
Open your mouth and get to it.
That's the best way.
Seems that Sister Jessie
don't want you among us any more.
She's gonna take the church from you through
proper channels. That's why we're here.
How come I knew that?
How come I knew that? Let me sit down.
I tell you...
How come I knew that?
I was just there. You're all here.
I was just there and you're here already.
She wanted it to come from
some portion of the church body.
She did? I see.
- She can't do that. You know she can't.
- She can.
I imagine she can do about anything
she wants. Can't she, Brother Edwards?
- It all happened too quick.
- You're telling me.
It seems that a proper church vote was taken
according to the church by-laws
and laws of Texas for non-profit organisations.
- You helped set it up.
- When was the vote taken? I wasn't there.
The day before yesterday is what we were told.
- And we're sorry.
- It's just such a shock.
I don't know what else to say.
I just don't know what else to say.
You've delivered your message.
I've received it. Thank you very much.
Somebody has taken my wife.
They stole my church.
That's a temple I built for you.
I'm gonna yell at you
'cause I'm mad at you. Take it!
Give me a sign or something.
Blow this pain out of me.
Give it to me, Lord. If you won't
give me back my wife, give me peace.
Give it to me! Give it to me! Give it to me!
Give me peace.
I don't know who's been fooling with me -
you or the Devil.
I won't bring the human into this.
He's just a mutt.
I'm confused. I'm mad.
I love you, Lord, but I'm mad at you.
I am mad at you!
Deliver me tonight, Lord. Should I lay hands
on myself? What should I do?
I know I'm a sinner and a once-in-a-while
womaniser, but I'm your servant.
Since I was a little boy. You brought me back
from the dead. I'm your servant.
What should I do? I've always called you
Jesus. You've always called me Sonny.
What should I do, Jesus?
This is Sonny talking now.
All right.
You let me down, now heal this broken heart.
- Hello?
- Miss Dewey.
It sounds like you've got a wild man
over there hollering.
Who is that? Is that your son?
That is my son.
I tell you, ever since he was a little bitty boy,
he sometimes talks to the Lord
and sometimes he yells at the Lord.
- Tonight, he happens to be yelling at him.
- Could you tell him to talk softer?
People got to get their sleep.
Do you know what time it is? Hello?
I'm calling you, Jesus. Talk to Sonny.
You don't talk to Sonny tonight, it seems like.
But I can't...
- I reckon you didn't sleep much.
- I ain't slept for 48 hours.
- I was yelling at God till sun-up.
- You got the Pentecost croup?
And how! Yeah!
- Why are you going where you're not wanted?
- They can vote me out but not lock me out!
These people love me.
d Let me hear you say "yeah"
d Yeahl
d Yeahl
d Yeahl
d Say "yeah"I Say "yeah"... I
d Yeahl Yeah... I
d He's all right
d He's all right
d He's all right...
I love you.
He's all right. He's all right.
He's all right.
He's all right.
I love you.
God loves you, Sonny!
- What happened, Sonny?
- I'm no longer your local pastor.
- You sure showed them with that $50 bill.
- It was a $100 bill.
- What you going to do?
- I don't know.
A lot of people will go with you. I know I will
if you start your own church.
This was my own church, sister.
This was my own church.
- God go with you.
- I love you and the Lord loves you.
Praise God.
Pastor, they can't vote you out of the church.
Your body's the temple.
God's walking up and down the avenues
of your soul. Romans 8:28.
God said all things work together.
Be encouraged, Pastor, in Jesus' name.
You can do it!
Go on, Bobby! Way to go!
Let's go, Bobby.
Keep your eye on the ball.
Bobby!
Keep your eye on the ball.
Yeah! Hit that ball!
Come on, Bobby!
I wish you hadn't come here.
I've come to see my beauties,
Mrs "Jesus, He's All Right" Dewey. OK?
- Everything all right?
- Everything's in order, Rodney.
I'll go get him. Y'all stay here.
Right on, your highness. Right on.
- You feel all right?
- As good as I've ever felt in my life, Rodney.
Sonny, why don't you stay here?
My name's not Rodney.
I want to see my beauties, if you don't mind.
Sonny, I'm really and truly sorry
about what's happened. I really am.
Why don't you butt out of here
before I take my boot and tear you
another asshole right where your nose is at?
Right?
- Sonny, there ain't no call for that kind of talk.
- We'll see about that. Let's go home now.
- I'm sorry to break up the party here. Let's go.
- Don't you...
- Give me that.
- Sonny, don't...
- One for the road, Rodney.
- What's the matter with you?
- Sonny!
- Let's go home now.
- You're evil!
- Let's go home.
- Horace!
- You want to go with me?
Give me a kiss, baby. Come on.
Mercy, Lord.
In the name of Jesus...
In the name of Jesus.
Hallelujah!
Praise life.
- Sonny.
- Joe. I've done it this time.
- What happened?
- I let that sucker have it.
- How bad?
- I beat him like a one-legged stepchild.
- Is he hurt bad?
- Yeah. I imagine. Bad enough.
- What happened?
- I think he might be on the road to glory.
I've got to go. I'll miss my beauties.
- Give them my love.
- You bet.
Check on Mama. I can't tell her what I've done.
- I sure hope to see you soon.
- I don't know. I've got to go.
- God bless you.
- God bless you. Love my neck.
- God bless you. You're the best.
- How am I gonna get in touch?
I'll call you every night collect. I love you, son.
I love you, too, Sonny.
"I sent an angel before thee
to keep thee in the way
and to bring thee into the place
which I have prepared. " "Amen. "
Holy! Holy!
Glory! Yes, sir. Thank you.
Adis, amigo. Hello, Jesus.
That's it.
Pre-heaven addresses.
2120 and a half on the move.
Zip code non-existent.
That's it.
All right. Whithersoever thou leadest,
I will follow.
Thank you.
Yes, sir.
d I don't know about tomorrow
d It may bring me poverty d
- Morning, my friend.
- Good morning.
- Do you catch freshwater mullet out of here?
- Sometimes. I caught a few.
- I catch more catfish.
- I see.
Do you mind if I sit here for a while with you?
Oh, no. Go ahead.
You see...
I'm on my journey.
Satan... Satan's driven a big wedge...
...between me and my family, you see?
It's... I tell you!
- You got any children?
- Yes, sir, and eight grandchildren beside.
I reckon you know what it means
to face the possibility
of losing everybody and everything.
It hasn't ever happened to me, no sir,
but I can still relate to that.
Yeah!
Would you mind if I stayed around here
a day or two to rest a while
and to see whatever the Lord has for me next?
- Would you mind that?
- You have no place to go?
Not that I know of yet, but the Lord's
leading me and he's talking to me. He is.
- You sound like a preacher.
- Well, yeah.
I've been a minister of the Lord since
I was 12 years old, back when God called me.
I do have a pup tent in the back
that my grandchildren play in sometimes.
- Could you use that?
- I'll sleep in any pup tent, any time, anywhere.
- I appreciate it. It's a mansion on a hill.
- Praise the Lord. It's yours.
Dear Father in heaven, we thank you
for this food that we're about to receive. Amen.
d It might bring me poverty...
d... It may be filled with flame or flood... d
Glory.
I feel as if I have crucified Christ
afresh in what I have done.
Adultery is a demonic oppression.
As we seek the deliverance needed
from such iniquity
I know that never will I be touched
or weakened by it again.
Never, till the day I die.
As thou know, O Lord,
once one has nullified the work of the cross,
iniquity sets in.
- Good morning, my friend.
- Good morning.
- I left some breakfast on the table for you.
- No, sir.
I started my fast after supper last evening,
but thank you.
I'll be back about noon.
You want some dinner then?
No, sir.
I am chagrined of my sin
and at this time, even as I pray,
I ask for the strength to carry on
the work of the ministry in this holy temple.
I also beseech you at this time
to let the sorrow end here,
that the broken-hearted may be bound up.
I pray with all the fervency
I possess and cherish
that you find it in your supreme
and holy power
to forgive us for our deeds
and to let us carry on your work.
In the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
And Amen.
Jesus! Jesus!
I've always called you Jesus.
You called me Sonny.
Now heal this broken heart.
Don't let her have them kids, now.
- You fight for those children, Sonny.
- Mama!
Sonny, I don't want to pray
with you any more.
Sonny, I really and truly am sorry
about what's happened, I really am.
I just want out, that's all.
With great humility,
I ask permission to be accepted
as an apostle of our Lord and saviour
Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
With your gracious permission,
I wish to be baptised
as an apostle of our Lord.
I therefore, without witnesses,
baptise myself in the name of the Father,
and of the Son
and of the Holy Ghost.
Take him, Lord, he's your servant.
And in the name of Jesus.
I have a first cousin who's a retired pastor.
He fasts once a year.
I understand. He's a good man.
Where does he reside?
He resides in a place called Bayou Boutt.
- Where's that? Texas?
- It's in Louisiana.
- South of here a few hours.
- What's his name? Maybe I heard of him.
- His name is Charles Blackwell.
- Charles Blackwell? I never heard of him.
I know a lot of preachers,
but I don't know Charles Blackwell.
Yes, sir. Praise God.
You're a blessed man.
Thank you, Lord. I'm your apostle
from now till the end of eternity.
Ever since the day you rung my bell
when I was 12 years old I've been with you.
Sometimes I zigzagged off course,
more zagging than zigging.
I'm with you now in a straight line for ever.
I'm your apostle now.
In the name of Jesus,
you don't have to go back in there.
- Say 21 times, "Jesus will save me. "
- Jesus will save...
Hey, wait! 21 times.
Don't go back in there now.
Hey! You have Holy Ghost power!
d I'm a soldier in the army of the Lord
d I'm a soldier in the army
d I'm a soldier in the army of the Lord
d I'm a soldier in the army
d I believe I'll die
d In the army of the Lord
d I believe I'll die
d In the army of the Lord
d Hallelujahl Hallelujahl d
Glory! Glory!
You do it your way, I do it mine,
but we get it done, don't we?
Yeah.
Bayou Boutt.
- How you doing?
- Real good.
Lord, I'm yours.
Which way you going?
You lead. I follow.
Every step of the way. Yes, sir.
Amen. Lead me on.
Yes, sir.
Excuse me.
Do you have a hotel-motel around here?
A bed and breakfast, anything like that?
There used to be a motel called the Red Apple
Restaurant. I don't think it's there any more.
What's your problem there?
- Well, I set the points.
- What about them?
Well, I set them and I set the floater.
- But it's got to be something else.
- Screwdriver.
You've probably got a vacuum down there.
Let's see.
Your breaker plate's not advancing, see.
- See that tube? You know what that's for?
- What?
It's messed up. You got to clean it, snip it,
then put it back in and your problem's solved.
- Yeah. Right there.
- I appreciate it.
I knew it was right in there, but thank you.
My pleasure. Yes, sir.
How's it coming along, Sam?
You got that figured out?
Well, you had a small malfunction in your
distributor. We're going to fix it good as new.
That's great. Looks like we've found
a new mechanic. What do you say?
- I'm ready if you are.
- You serious?
If you are. Give me the parts, I'll build
any vehicle you want from the ground up.
- Where you from?
- See where I'm standing?
That's where I'm from.
I've got a little bit of everywhere in me.
Sounds like my first two wives.
You get around, huh?
Yeah. I've been to every state except for
Alaska, and a few foreign countries as well.
- Including Mississippi.
- Mississippi!
I'll talk with my partner. He knows more
about the cars than I do. Check you later.
Any of you know of a Reverend C Charles
Blackwell, might live around here?
- I think down that way, sir.
- This way? Thank you.
Pardon me, does C Charles Blackwell
live this way?
- He lives on the next block.
- This way? Thank you. Appreciate it.
The house with the pretty flowers.
- Yes, sir?
- Are you Reverend C Charles Blackwell?
- Yes, sir.
- I'm the Apostle EF.
The Lord sent me to have fellowship with you.
If you could spare a minute of your time,
I'd greatly appreciate it.
- Come on in.
- Thank you, sir. Appreciate it.
I dreamed that I'd be meeting a man
such as yourself.
The Lord told me to come right to you,
and when he talks to me, I always listen.
- Yes, sir. I see.
- There you go.
- Yes, ma'am. Thank you.
- You don't have to get up. You're welcome.
In my dream, it appeared that I'd talk to you
about starting a church joint.
Talking never hurt nobody
so I thought we might examine the subject,
reflect on it, you know.
Yes. Well, pastor, I don't minister no more.
I'm in touch with some of my people
but most of them have joined
with other churches.
I see. Well, if I was to get
with some of those people
and they were willing
to start a new temple, small,
would you be willing to come
and help me in the community?
There is a possibility.
I don't preach no more.
I had two heart attacks in six months.
When I get up on that pulpit
and the spirits start moving in me, praise God,
I wouldn't hold back,
and I can't do that no more.
- Amen.
- I got to take everything a little calmer.
- Pray to God!
- But I'll pray on it.
You might consider it,
because I've set up temples all over.
Tell me something.
Why should I trust you?
Lord knows what you
could have been or done.
We got to look out for the Devil.
If he robbed you of your babies,
he could rob somebody here of their babies,
especially if he followed you
from wherever you come from.
Boy, I get it. Right on.
Now, you say God led you to me
and not to anybody else?
Yes, sir. I do believe that.
If he led you to me, I could accept that.
If he didn't, I'll find out. He's going to
let me know one way or the other.
If he did, I'd want to be with you, wouldn't I?
Then I'd be with him, right?
In other words, if he's leading you,
he got to lead me too.
You put that a lot better than I can,
that's for sure. Yeah.
I'll tell you what.
I'm going to keep my eye on you.
And the Lord keeps his eye on both of us.
And we all three keep our eye out
for the Devil, all right?
Hey, what's happening?
Good morning.
I'm Apostle EF. I'm here to see Elmo.
Hey, you. I'm Toosie. Welcome to KBBR.
I'll just buzz him for you.
He may be on the air at the moment.
- You can sit down.
- That's all right. No.
- Can I get you some coffee?
- No, thank you. Working hard?
Hardly working!
- They're slave-drivers, are they?
- Well, no. They keep me busy.
- There's lots of lulls, too.
- What you got, Toosie?
Mr EF's here to see you.
- The Apostle. Send him up.
- Just go on up.
I'll see you in a bit.
- It was good to meet you.
- Yeah. Ditto.
d Ooh, that's why I need ya
Ooh, that's why I love ya
d Ooo... that's why I need ya
Da da da d
- Sir.
- Apostle. How you been?
- Good morning.
- Pull up a chair.
- What can I do for the Apostle?
- How did you know I was an apostle?
- News spreads. What can I do for you today?
- I'll tell you.
I'd like to get on the radio to promote
a church I'm trying to get going for the Lord.
Have you had any religious spots
that you sold to preachers to air on?
- You bet I have.
- So, how did it work out?
I've had a number of preachers.
Some good and some not so good.
- How so?
- Well, some have been all right.
- Others skipped town before they paid me.
- Is that right?
So it's got to be a pay-before-you-pray deal.
That's what I tell everybody.
There haven't been many lately.
It's a pay-before-you-pray.
That's for those looking to pass through.
- I don't blame you.
- One other thing.
No fancy stuff. Only the King's English.
No speaking in tongues over these airwaves.
- I can understand that.
- What kind of preacher are you, anyway?
Well, I can preach on the Holy Trinity,
Old and New Testament, hell, resurrection.
You name it, I can do it.
I can preach on the Devil backwards
and forwards, anything, but no tongues.
That sounds good.
We'd have to get some money in here
while you got the word out over the air.
Absolutely, make ends meet.
- It's Elmo's place.
- Elmo, he's all over, isn't he?
He's something!
He's got his fingers in almost everything,
I guess.
- That's your house?
- Yes, sir. That's it.
Where did you learn about cars?
From my brother. He used to race them
out at Fresno, California.
Anything I know, he taught me.
My brother Robbie, he really is an expert.
That ain't no race car or nothing,
but that's it, right there.
Looks like you could get someplace
in a hurry in it!
It ain't going nowhere right now.
It's just pretty much sitting there.
- I plan to get it... It's got a 350 in it and...
- Looks good.
- Looks like you know what you're doing.
- I've been trying.
- I've been working for about four years.
- By the way, I'm the Apostle EF.
- People do call me EF.
- I'm Sam, EF.
- I'm not going to put you out, staying?
- I got plenty of room.
Don't even worry about that.
It's just me, so you're welcome.
I want to paint it black and everything, but...
Do you like it?
Lord, I'm not mad.
I'll never be mad at you ever again.
I know you're leading me.
You led me right to Sam.
He's a nice little fella. I know you love him
just as I know you love me.
So whithersoever thou leadest,
I will follow.
There she is.
I pastored here over 27 years
till my health broke down.
Where has everybody gone to? Your flock?
They're all spread out or gone on.
I don't know if you'd be interested in it.
It's just a thought.
I want it.
I'd fight ten men over it. I would.
Glory!
Let me tell you something. Hold on now.
Here's what I'm going to need.
All right, now.
Resurrection time.
I need about 29, 30 gallons of white paint,
five gallons of another colour for trim.
I need cement, glass, mortar, sand,
you name it.
And a fair amount of material for the roof,
obviously,
but we'll get her done.
I can get her done. Yes, sir.
It'll come out of my first two pay cheques.
Third, if necessary.
- There ain't no rent, 'cause it belongs to me.
- Well, bless you.
There are a few back taxes due, that's all.
Really? Well, I can get another job.
- I can set these churches up in my sleep.
- You move faster than any man I've seen.
When I was young, I'd tell everybody
I quit school because I didn't like recess.
I did, yeah.
Now, this is something here.
Let's see, now.
You got a good foundation here. Yes, sir.
Inside... You got no lock.
Hold on now.
I could do some shouting in here! Yes, sir.
This is a shouting church. I'm going to shout
something for the Holy Ghost.
Well, that'll do me just fine, if you're sure.
- I'm positive.
- That'll do me fine.
Bless you. You're a good man.
Glory be to God!
Praise him. Glory! Praise him.
Glory.
God bless you. Have a good day.
- Snow cone?
- We don't have no snow cones.
Snow cones are down the street! Hold on.
Here you go.
There you go. Lollipop.
Snow cones!
Good amigo, friend, Joe.
- Sonny. How's it going?
- Good.
- So?
- Horace ain't doing too good.
- Do you hold it against me?
- No way. I'd have done the same thing myself.
- I want you to be all right 'cause I love you.
- He's still in a coma?
The whole church is praying for him
round the clock in one-hour shifts.
The police have questions?
Maybe I shouldn't call you.
Maybe for a while.
They asked me a bunch of questions.
I told them I didn't know where you are,
which is the truth.
Joe, how come I haven't been able
to get hold of Mama?
I tried quite a few times and there's no answer.
I've been meaning to tell you.
Your mother's been in the hospital.
- I didn't know how to get hold of you.
- What's wrong, Joe?
I don't know, Sonny.
Something to do with her kidneys, I think.
What's the telephone number?
What hospital is she in?
I can't give you the number.
You can't be calling.
Them switchboards, the police is all over them.
- OK. Would you go visit her for me, Joe?
- I visit her every day.
- I will continue to.
- Yeah.
I'm going now. I love you, son.
- You toeing the line?
- Yeah. I am.
God bless you.
Getting back at me, Lord, ain't you?
Getting back at me.
Forgive me, Mama.
Reverend Blackwell, I'd like to start
an orphanage. What do you think?
- One thing at a time, Apostle.
- I know. Maybe a year from now.
I'd like to do something for the fatherless.
When Satan robs you of your children
it makes you want to help others.
It all takes money. We'll get there.
It all takes time.
We'll create a little interest on the radio.
Elmo's going to plug us.
- And we have a newspaper, don't we?
- Yeah.
Extra! Extra! Read all about it.
The Holy Ghost man is here right now.
The Jesus people is here! Yeah!
The Lord's moving in me, telling me things.
What do you think, baby?
The Lord's moving in me.
Telling me things.
- Lean on that brush, Sam.
- I'm leaning.
I'll tell you, we'll have dinner on the ground,
play softball.
I pitch a mean curve ball.
Play the Methodists. Sell some tickets.
- Get some good publicity.
- Don't get so far ahead of yourself.
We'll show the community
that the Holy Lord is here to stay.
- Praise God.
- Can't get rid of him.
Lord.
I'm preaching like I'm going to war
this morning. I've got on my war clothes.
I'm a genuine Holy Ghost Jesus-filled
preaching machine here this morning.
I'm a genuine Holy Ghost Jesus-filled
preaching machine here this morning.
If God be for us, who can be against us?
He's God here in this radio station.
He's God in Georgia.
He's God in Tennessee. He's God
at the front door. He's God in the 7-Eleven.
And yea, though I walk,
I say yea, though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil for thou are with me.
Why do I say this?
Because I got Holy Ghost power here today.
We're going to have a Holy Ghost explosion
and short-circuit the Devil.
The Holy Ghost is our power line to heaven.
In days of old,
Moses went up into the mountain.
When he got up in the mountain,
high on the mountain,
our Lord God above
gave him ten commandments.
Not 11, 12, 13 or 14.
He gave him ten commandments.
And the 11th commandment,
"Thou shall not shout" does not exist.
Hallelujah! How did I do?
It seems you did fine to me.
I've never heard anyone speak like that.
- You never did? Praise God.
- Preachers I heard, they just talk.
- I was fascinated by it.
- When we're ready, come over to our church.
You won't see nobody sitting on their hands,
will you, Brother Blackwell?
Not too many.
- I don't believe in going to church in a morgue.
- I can believe that.
We're not the frozen children.
Seriously, I'd like to get you out to dinner
sometime before church.
That way you won't get scared off.
I promise I'll be quiet at you across the table.
- OK?
- Well, that might be nice.
- We'll see.
- Well, I'm getting back to work.
- See you.
- Bye-bye.
"Listen, everybody, as we talk to you about
the books of the Bible the whole way through. "
"Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers,
Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth,
First Samuel, Second Samuel,
First Kings, Second Kings,
Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther,
Job, Psalms,
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes. "
"There's a lot of history, fortune and prophesy
in the Old Testament. "
Revelation!
Revelation! Glory.
- Revelation! Glory. We're on fire for Jesus.
- Revelation!
We're on fire for Jesus.
How's that?
What do you think you're going to have?
Give me a chance to read the menu.
- I know what I'm going to have.
- What?
I'm going to have me
some of these Gulf shrimps.
I guess I'll have the same.
- Sure?
- Yeah. That'll be fine.
Good.
What?
Nothing.
Whatever possessed you to move down here?
My husband got a good offer
on the offshore boats.
Your husband?
That's the end of this deal, isn't it?
No. We're kind of separated at the moment.
Lord, please let it work in my favour!
Yeah. Have any kids?
I have two boys. They stay with my mother.
- Where at?
- Bowling Green, Kentucky.
- You ask a lot of questions.
- Do I?
I guess I do. Yeah.
I evangelised there a time or two.
Yeah, there were a lot of preachers
come through when I was a girl.
I could have been one of them,
but it's been a while.
- Do you have any children?
- I have a boy and a girl.
My beauties. I call them my beauties.
- Where do they live?
- A long way from here.
Same as yours. Yes, ma'am.
Yep. Do you miss your babies a lot?
Yes, I do.
They're not exactly babies any more, but...
...yes, I do miss them.
So...
You think I'm a good date?
What do you think?
- What do you mean?
- How am I doing so far?
- You're not supposed to ask that.
- Aren't I?
No. You're supposed to let the evening
develop and draw your own conclusion.
- Do you think?
- Yeah.
Well, I wouldn't have gone out with you
if I'd been thinking...
Thank you.
Now, hold on a minute.
Dear Lord, thank you for this food
we're about to receive.
Thank you for the fellowship
between a good woman and a good man.
We thank you for the day in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Amen.
Now you can eat.
You've got...
- I'm a big pig.
- No.
When I was really young, my mother
would sing I Love To Tell The Story.
That's always been a favourite
of my family as well.
d I love to tell the story
'Twill be my theme in glory...
Yes.
d To tell the old, old story
d Of Jesus and his love d
That's good.
Yeah.
- Well...
- What do you think?
This going to be it?
- I have to think about it.
- Yeah.
- I told you we're separated.
- Yeah.
I can't see you any more. This is the end.
I told you we'd see.
Silly! I've had a real nice time.
- Did you really?
- Real nice. Yes, I did.
Come here. Come over here.
Come here.
Give me a hug!
I can have a hug at least, can't I?
Of course you can!
Sweet thing.
Yeah. OK.
I had a super time.
- I'll see you again sometime?
- We'll see.
Bye-bye.
Bye-bye.
Hello?
Who is this?
Sonny?
Sonny.
Sonny.
"Stand still and consider
the wondrous works of God. "
Job 37:14.
The little old church in the wild wood.
Yeah.
Lord, let this church live.
I just pray you'll let Horace live.
In the name of Jesus, let him live.
I don't know how long it's going to last, Lord.
They could be coming for me.
In the meantime,
we've done something, haven't we?
We've done something,
and I want to thank you for that.
I really do.
Goodnight, Jessie.
I love you. I'll always love you.
Goodnight, Toosie.
- This is the day that the Lord hath made.
- Let us rejoice.
Thank you for the support, brother.
Even as I speak to you,
the Apostle EF is in his bus
to bring you to his ministry on old Highway 10
at his newly renovated
One Way Road To Heaven holiness temple.
He is co-pastoring
with the Reverend C Charles Blackwell.
You're not only safe in his hands,
but you are truly in God's hands
on this day of worship in Bayou Boutt
near Pecan Island, Louisiana.
Remember, for one month,
for both Sunday services,
the Apostle EF will pick you up
at the spot designated for each of you.
I don't want you running. Take your time.
I want you to act right on that bus,
you hear me?
We're going to praise the Lord. I don't want
to have to get disruptive,
to have to whup you.
We're going to praise the Lord,
have a good time.
You'll also receive a small rose
of Sharon from the Apostle himself.
Those who play, please bring
your instruments. God bless you.
- Morning. How are you doing, Apostle?
- Here's a rose of Sharon.
Praise God. Thank you.
- What's your name, sister?
- Sister Johnson.
- Good morning, Sister Johnson.
- God bless you, brother. How you doing?
- You boys ready for church?
- Yes, sir.
They're ready for church.
They've been getting ready all the morning.
Yes, sir. They're twins. They're double trouble
and double blessings.
Wait for me!
Lord Jesus, you were able to stop him.
Thank you. Hallelujah. Glory to God.
- Wait! Here I am!
- We're waiting for you.
Thank you, Jesus.
- Here's a pretty rose of Sharon for you.
- Thank God for you! Hi, Brother Blackwell.
- What are you doing here?
- Same as you. Going to church.
Hey, ma'am. How you doing? Welcome to
One Way Road To Heaven. Come in.
Living God. Thank you.
- Sammy, how are you?
- Real good.
Come on, boys. Let's go now.
Go to your grandma.
- Come on in.
- Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Apostle.
- I got you there in one piece!
- Praise God!
- Welcome to One Way Road To Heaven.
- Praise God.
Always a pleasure.
Apostle, I know what you're thinking.
Whenever you've been on the radio,
most of the white people think you're black.
Most coloured people know you ain't black,
but they like your style of preaching.
- What you see is what we get.
- What we got, the Lord sent.
I'll see you in a minute. Thank you.
Yeah.
"He whom God has sent
speaketh the words of God. "
Yeah. John 3:34.
- We're going to have church this morning.
- Oh, yes.
Let's hear somebody say, "We're going
to have church here this morning. "
We're going to have church here this morning.
Yes, Lord.
Let's put our hands together
and welcome Jesus Christ into our church.
This is his home.
This is his home.
If this isn't his home,
we'd better go and lock this place up.
We'd better always be ready
to make God welcome in our house of worship.
- 'Cause this is his home. Glory be to God.
- Amen!
I'm not going to take any offerings.
That'll be next week.
I won't pass the collection plate today.
But when I do, if you bring ten dollars,
you give me one for the church.
Ten potatoes, you give one potato.
Ten pigs, one pig.
Ten per cent.
Here's what I want you to do.
Open your Bibles. You brought your Bibles?
Open your Bibles to the 150th psalm,
the last psalm there is.
We're going to praise him.
The 150th psalm says, "Praise ye the Lord. "
"Praise God in his sanctuary.
Praise him in the firmament of his power. "
- Praise him.
- "Praise him for his mighty acts. "
"Praise him according
to his excellent greatness. "
"Praise him with the sound of a trumpet. "
Do we have a trumpet here today?
We got a trumpet?
Amen.
We have a trumpet!
Thank you, sir. That's great.
"Praise him with a harp. "
I don't think we've got a harp here.
"Praise him with a timbrel. "
- Hallelujah!
- I guess that's what you call a timbrel.
I love it, I love it.
"Praise him with stringed instruments
and organs. " We got no organ player.
Do we have a stringed instrument?
Come on, son!
Praise him, brothers.
Praise him!
- Out of the mouth of babes.
- Amen.
Yes, Lord.
Glory. Glory be to God.
OK. That's enough. Thank you.
That's enough.
Reach over and hug somebody's neck and
say, "I love you and the Lord loves you today. "
Don't be strangers. We're all in the house
of Jesus. Nobody's going to bite you.
I love you and the Lord loves you.
- I love you, Grandma.
- I love you, sister.
- I love you and the Lord loves you.
- Lord loves you, too, sweetie.
Let's everybody come up and join hands.
Let's form a little Holy Ghost circle.
We're small but we're powerful.
- Say, "We're small but we're powerful. "
- We're small but we're powerful.
- Yes, Lord.
- Wherever two or more...
Welcome to the radio station KBBR
in Bayou Boutt, Louisiana.
The Apostle EF and his glorious choir
are going to sing for us.
I'm going to fly away. I've got me
my own airplane. I'm going to take off.
I'm not going to Jackson, Mississippi
or Chicago, Illinois.
I'm not going to Paris, France.
I'm going down that runway to heaven.
I'm going to say,
"Get out of the way, moon and stars.
"I'm on my way to heaven. " Come on!
d Some glad morning
When this life is o'er
d I'll fly away
d To a home on God's celestial shore
d I'll fly away
d I'll fly away, oh Glory, I'll fly away
d When I die, Hallelujah bye and bye
d I'll fly away... d
Thank you. Praise the Lord!
God, it's a miracle. Where did this come from?
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you, brothers. God bless you.
d There came a thirsty woman
She was drawing from... d
I baptise thee in the name of the Father,
the Son and the Holy Ghost.
And in the name of Jesus.
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord.
Hallelujah! Thank you, Jesus.
Glory to God. Thank you, Jesus. Hallelujah.
d Then she met the Master...
I baptise you in the name of the Father...
d Who told of her great sin...
Glory! Glory!
Hallelujah! Thank you, Lord!
Thank God.
Thank you.
d I told Satan, "Get thee behind"
d Victory today is mine
d Victory is mine, victory is mine
d Victory today is mine
d I told Satan, "Get thee behind"
d Victory today is mine d
Hallelujah.
Yes.
That's real good. The kids are good.
How come they call you EF?
You ain't got a whole name?
Well...
Maybe I do. Maybe I don't. How are you?
I just came to see what was going on.
Them kids friends of yours?
They're just children of the Lord,
put it that way.
We are Jesus' church. They're Jesus' children.
- Is that right?
- Yes, sir. Can you take your hat off?
I'm sorry. Standing in the house of the Lord
with my hat on.
Can I do anything for you?
I'm just kind of curious why they call you EF.
I don't know.
That's no concern of anybody's
but mine and the Lord's.
If you'd like to discuss this outside, that's fine.
- You going to preach to me?
- No, sir. I'm not.
- What's your problem?
- I don't have no problem. You do.
I don't think working for the Lord is a problem.
If you want to come back into our church
as a gentleman, that's all right.
Otherwise, just go home.
I ain't going into any church
with anybody named EF.
- I don't want to sit with a bunch of niggers.
- Just get on out of here.
I'll leave when I choose to, Mr EF.
Come round to the other side, buddy.
Let's see what you're made of.
- Want the Lord to watch me kick your ass?
- I don't need the Lord.
- Can you believe this?
- Ever seen a preacher hit anybody like that?
Take your hat and get out of here. Get on out.
- I don't want to see your face again.
- I'm going to come back.
- You'll get the same thing again, won't you?
- We'll see about that.
I appreciate your support. It's not the Christian
thing to do. You should turn the other cheek.
If you do, somebody's going to take your
church. Nobody's going to take my church.
- I love this church.
- It's yours.
More than I do myself.
Nobody's going to destroy it.
- Somebody give me an amen!
- Amen.
d I love to tell the story
d Of unseen things above
d Of Jesus and his glory
d Of Jesus and his love
d I love to tell the story
d Because I know 'tis true
d It satisfies my longings
d As nothing else can do
d I love to tell the story
d 'Twill be my theme in glory
d To tell the old, old story
d Of Jesus and his love d
Here we go again.
- Yeah.
- All right.
At least tonight,
I'm going to walk you to the front door.
I am. Right up on the front porch.
Yes, ma'am.
- Yep.
- Well...
So... you think I'm intense, do you?
- A little.
- Yeah?
Well, I fit in pretty good, though,
don't you think?
I don't always have to talk of the Lord.
I think about him a lot.
I'm not like other preachers.
I'm trying to say I'm a man. You're
a woman. I feel comfortable with you.
- And I like you.
- Well, I like you.
- You do understand me?
- Yes. I do.
You hear me? Mm-hm.
Come here.
Come on, woman. Come on.
Now, what does EF stand for?
- What do you want to know for?
- Because.
Let me come in and I'll tell you.
- Promise?
- Yeah.
- Next time.
- Maybe there won't be a next time.
Listen to me, Toosie.
All I need is somebody to hold on to
at this time in my life.
That's why I want to come in. You understand?
Next time.
Yes, ma'am.
I got to go!
You're too much.
Can I go with you?
Next time.
Call me Sonny. Everybody calls me Sonny.
I'm going to have to, Joe, somehow.
- You'd better do it soon.
- I don't know how, but somehow.
She needs you pretty bad.
I've been visiting her most every day.
She asks for you a lot.
Sometimes she thinks I'm you
and calls me Sonny.
I'm going to try to make it.
Tell her to hold on.
I will, brother.
Be very careful, whatever you do.
Tell her that I built the prettiest little church
this side of heaven out in the wild wood.
Tell her that.
Tell her the bad boy done it again.
I can't make it.
I'm going to try, but tell her to hold on.
OK, Sonny. I will.
Bye, buddy. I love you.
A spare tyre without a jack
is like a church without Jesus.
- Is this what you're looking for?
- Where was that, Sister Delilah?
- Underneath the seat.
- Give it to me. Glory! Thank you.
Amen! Everybody give a handclap to Jesus.
He speaks to me, talks to me most of the time.
You probably never hear 'cause you run your
mouth all the time. You never hear anything.
Sister Johnson, you'd better get off the bus.
If you don't, Apostle EF won't be able
to jack it up high enough to put the spare on.
Ladies, the Lord's not going to take
to all this nit-picking.
- I ain't saying nothing.
- Nothing from nothing leaves nothing.
Come on. Off the bus.
We're going to jack it up.
I don't like this nit-picking and yelling
at each other. It's the Sabbath day. Come on!
Let's give a big handclap for Jesus Christ.
- Sister Johnson, come over here.
- Praise the Lord. Hallelujah!
I want you to love this woman's neck.
Make up. No more fighting.
d At the church, O Lord
At the church, O Lord
d At the church, O Lord
At the church, O Lord
d At the church, O Lord
At the church, O Lord... d
And this is radio station KBBR.
We're live from the One Way Road
To Heaven holiness temple
out on Highway 10, north of town -
old Highway 10.
Today's the one-month anniversary
of the first service the church held.
That first service was mighty slim -
seven, eight people.
It's grown in one month.
The grounds are full of people.
I can see kids playing with Frisbees,
kick balls, baseballs, softballs.
- We've got an old-fashioned sack race.
- Get set, go!
Let's see if we've got a winner!
We've got chicken. We've got a cake auction.
2.95, 3.95, 4.95.
- You've got to put a little weight on.
- Oh, yes!
- It's a glorious day! Isn't it beautiful?
- Yeah, it is.
We could have used you this morning
for a bit of bus transportation. Welcome.
- I told you I'd come back.
- You did. You told me that.
If you'd like to join in the auction,
we have some fair homemade cakes and pies.
- You're welcome to bid.
- We ain't here to bid on no cakes and pies.
What are you here for, then, cowboy?
- You'd better step out of there.
- Stand your ground, Apostle.
- Why?
- I'm here to take that church of yours out.
- No, sir.
- I'm bringing it down. We don't want it here.
Nobody goes anywhere
and that house of God stays right where it's at.
- Amen.
- Glory to Jesus.
Now, what you got to say for yourself?
You can say "amen" all you want to,
but I'm taking that church out.
See this? You see it?
- Yeah. I see that book.
- I'll open it up to the 91 st psalm.
"He that dwelleth in the place of the most high
shall abide under the shadow of the almighty. "
If you go to that church,
go over that holy book first.
If you do,
I don't want to sit where you're sitting.
- Apostle, maybe I'd better call the police.
- Don't call the police.
We and the Lord will handle it.
He's going to strike you down on a Sunday
afternoon like you've never been struck.
- Do I hear an amen?
- Amen!
Don't you threaten me like that.
- You move that Bible!
- No, sir.
- I want you to move it right now.
- No, sir.
- God's on our side.
- I hear somebody say "amen".
- Amen.
- Who's with us right now? The Holy Ghost.
Amen!
- Pick that Bible up right there.
- I can't do that.
The book stays where it's at.
Did I hear someone say "amen"?
- Amen.
- Glory. Hallelujah.
We have Holy Ghost power here right now.
I can pick a Bible up myself.
Don't start your preacher stuff with me.
No weapon formed against us
shall prosper. Hallelujah! Amen!
- Glory to God.
- Don't look at me like that.
I know what you're trying to do
and you think I can be had, don't you?
Nobody moves that book.
I can move it just as quick as you can.
No, sir.
- Everybody say, "Nobody moves that book. "
- Nobody moves that book.
Say it one more time.
And a third time. And a fourth time.
- "Nobody moves that book. "
- One more time.
No, sir. Nobody.
I know why you came here.
You didn't come to knock my church down.
You came for another reason.
- I came to knock your church down.
- No, sir.
Yes, sir. I did.
You ain't going to knock it down.
I want you to know that.
Folks, I'm just having a hard time. I'll position
myself where I can hear a little better.
There it is.
I didn't come to knock your church down.
Yes, sir. I know.
That's why I'm kneeling with you.
I'll pray with you if you want me to.
I'll do anything you want me to do.
'Cause I know you're a good man.
I know it.
The young man's not nearly as angry.
- In fact, I believe he has a tear in his eye.
- Amen.
If you reach out,
the Lord will accept you here today.
If you reach out,
he'll accept you here for evermore.
He will love you for ever,
even as we in this church love you now
and for evermore.
- Do I hear somebody say "amen"?
- Amen.
This may be the very first conversion
we've had over the airwaves.
Amen.
In fact, I'm sure that it is.
- I'm embarrassed.
- You don't have to feel embarrassed.
- I feel embarrassed by it.
- I was a worse sinner than you were.
This is an incredible sight. I'm being as quiet
as possible not to disturb this moment.
This is an important moment in this young
man's life, more than he can realise.
Go ahead, brother. Cry.
I'll cry with you. Does somebody say
"The Holy Ghost is here right now"?
- The Holy Ghost is here right now.
- Say it again.
- The Holy Ghost is here right now.
- We love the Holy Ghost.
Wonderful Jesus!
Victory is ours today.
d Victory is mine
Victory is mine
d Victory today is mine
d I told Satan, "Get thee behind"
d Victory today is mine
d Joy is mine
Joy is mine
d Joy today is mine
d I told Satan, "Get thee behind"
d Joy today is mine
d Happiness is mine
Happiness is mine...
This is an absolutely incredible day.
I don't know what to say.
I absolutely don't know what to say.
For those of you who know me,
for me to be speechless...
Well, you'd better mark this on your calendar.
d Love is mine
Love is mine
d Love today is mine
d I told Satan, "Get thee behind"
d Victory today is mine d
Let's praise him today. Jesus Christ!
Doesn't working here tire you out
for preaching?
I only work part time, but if I get tired
the Lord gives me energy if I need it.
- When I need it.
- You sure got a lot more than I do.
It's the Lord working through me. Praise God.
Don't you ever forget it.
Harry, tell the boss I quit.
What's up?
Not much. I'll never serve nothing
through that window ever again.
That's why I'm a mystery,
why I come out of the blue, out of nowhere.
Being here may be the best thing
I've ever done in my life thus far.
What you going to do?
What do you want me to do?
Whatever you want to do. We love you.
You've helped many people in the town.
Yeah, well...
Amen.
Yeah. Amen.
If and when they come...
...I want you to take my gold, my watch,
my jewellery, hock them.
Get every penny you can
to help this ministry stay alive.
I love this little church.
And... Hey! You never know how long
the Lord's going to let you hang around.
Well, we don't. No.
He places us where he wants us to be
in all times and in all places.
You believe that?
Amen, brother. I do.
I do.
For $7.95, you can receive
one of these beautifully hand-painted scarves
from Bayou Boutt, Louisiana.
The Apostle EF, that's me,
will personally bless these scarves.
You can slip it under your pillow
and sleep more peacefully.
- Glory be to God.
- $7.95.
- Draw me a cross.
- OK.
...blessed... the Apostle EF... don't wait.
Send it to this station... The One Way Road
To Heaven... Bayou Boutt, Louisiana.
Don't wait, because we don't have many left.
You've been very generous.
In fact, we've gained momentum...
Louisiana state police for Bayou Boutt,
homicide. How many I direct your call?
- Let somebody say "amen".
- Amen.
We're going to need a baby Jesus,
if we have any volunteers.
We could always use a doll of some type.
And those who want to be Wise Men
report to Mother Blackwell.
- She's directing the Christmas pageant.
- Amen.
After the first of the year,
we have a little surprise.
We're going to have a marriage workshop.
Brother Blackwell will preside 'cause he's more
successful than I was in my experience!
Brother Blackwell has a word to say here.
Apostle, we feel that if Las Vegas can build
those casinos that tear up marriages
then we ought to be able to build
a humble temple
where we can try to save
and salvage those marriages.
Hallelujah. No tag-team parenthood here.
Glory be to God. Hallelujah.
Who's that?
We'll be with you in a minute, after the service.
You can sit tight for a while
and you might learn something.
You know, carry on. OK.
Now...
Yes, sir.
Sorry about this.
- It's all right.
- It's... Just a minute.
We're going to open this meeting
to testimonies.
Before we get to the main floor,
I want my little friends to say something.
These wonderful children are an important
part of our church, these young people.
- Do you have something to say, son?
- Thank you, Jesus.
Thank you, Jesus.
- Thank you, Jesus.
- Right on.
Thank the Lord.
Good boy. Everybody say, "Thank you, Jesus. "
- Thank you, Jesus.
- Out of the mouth of babes. Glory.
- Sister Delilah.
- Glory to God tonight.
I'd like to give God glory for all he's doing
and thank him for being so real tonight.
I've been married twice
but both of my husbands have gone on.
But I dare to let that stop me
because Jesus lives in me.
Glory to God. Hallelujah.
Thank you, Jesus, for being so good.
I found this beautiful black penny
on the ground the other day.
The Lord said, "You have the power to call
the things that are not
to become the things that are. "
I said, "Lord, this penny is the down payment
on my house and my car. "
Glory to God! He's real tonight. Isn't he real?
He's real. Glory to God.
Oh-oh.
Equal time! Sister Johnson.
I praise God tonight.
I praise you for being in the midst.
And all the congregation of believers.
I'm saved tonight.
I'm sanctified. I'm Holy Ghost-filled.
I'm fire baptised.
My husband ran off with another woman.
Yes, he did.
I'm here to tell you if I ever do it again,
I'm going to check out his credentials.
He's going to have to be saved, sanctified
and Holy Ghost-filled.
- Glory to his name.
- Thank God and thank you, Sister Johnson.
Glory to God. Sammy?
Anything to say, Sammy?
I'm happy to be here.
And I'm happy
that everybody else is here, too.
Thank you so much. And now we have
Mr Elmo of KBBR. Mr Elmo.
Well, Apostle, I guess I'm thankful
that God sent you to my station.
I'm thankful that there were people listening.
I'm thankful to be anywhere!
- We're a good team, aren't we?
- That's right.
Glory be to God.
Yes, indeed. Elmo's very helpful in this area.
Brother George has been preparing something
on the horn. He's a wonderful musician.
He's going to play
one of these wonderful religious songs.
OK, George. Take it away.
It's all right.
Learn your ABC.
A, acknowledge that you're a sinner.
B, believe in Jesus Christ.
C, confess that you're saved.
Confess it to others.
Shout it in the hills and valleys.
If you keep your eye on Jesus,
he'll keep his eye on you.
As you can't escape the gaze of a picture
on the wall, his eyes will follow you,
the eyes of Jesus Christ.
Whithersoever thou leadest I will follow.
I am with you always. Everybody say "always".
Always!
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday,
Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
24 hours a day, seven days a week.
When I turn, he turns. When I jump
up and down, Jesus jumps up and down.
Somebody give me an amen. Somebody.
Glory. Glory be to God on high.
He backs me up here tonight.
Grab somebody, look them in the eyeballs,
say, "Jesus is here right now. "
Jesus the same yesterday, today, for ever.
Any time you think
the Devil's getting ahead of you
say, "Get thou behind me, Satan. Don't push. "
- Somebody say "get". Get behind me!
- Get!
The Lord don't want me drinking
because he's got his eye on me.
You can't hide the bottle
if he's got his eye on you.
The Lord don't want me to go dancing.
He's got his eye on me.
The Lord don't want me sinning.
He's got his everlasting eye on me and you
because he loves you and me.
How do we know he loves us
from now until the end of eternity?
How do we know that?
Because! Because! Because!
Because! Because!
Because he sent his only begotten son,
put him in a tabernacle of clay
so we could recognise him.
He came to save us.
He came to save us.
He could have called on how many?
How many? How many angels?
How many angels?
He could have called on 10,000 angels.
10,000.
But he came to save us. He took our place.
He hung on a tree so we wouldn't have to.
That cruel tree.
He died so we could be saved.
It's free but it ain't cheap.
Am I right here this evening?
Glory be to God on high.
- Somebody give me an amen.
- Amen.
Glory be to God on high.
Let me ask you something.
- Do you want it? I know I want it.
- I want it.
Once you've felt 300 or 400 volts
of the Holy Spirit, you're going to want it.
Do you want to get plugged in?
Do I hear somebody say "amen"?
- Amen.
- You might get three in the one.
The Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.
That's a mighty hot charged baptism!
If you want it, go for it. Be saved.
If God sent his only son, it's worth it.
- You want to be on the Devil's hit list?
- No!
- Then you'd better get on Jesus' mailing list.
- Yes!
Put all the elements of the Devil behind you.
Work on it.
Get rid of the combined satanic forces
and get right with God here tonight.
This ain't no petty subject.
This is the Holy Ghost power!
Get the Holy Ghost power
and the Holy Ghost explosion.
We're going to short-circuit the Devil tonight.
You Devil get behind me. You stay there.
You stay there. You stay there, Devil.
You stay there.
Oh, my, my, my...
We're going to be with Jesus tonight.
Oh, my, my, my...
We're going to be with Jesus tonight.
- Say, "We're going to be with Jesus tonight. "
- We're going to be with Jesus tonight.
Let those people on Pecan Island hear you.
We're going to be with Jesus tonight.
Sh... sh... sh... sh...
Sh... sh... sh... sh...
Look at these beautiful little hands.
Look at them.
Imagine a nail piercing the palm
of this child's hands.
Then picture the nails going in an old board.
If you were to take two boards
and nail them together?
I don't have that much love in me
to do this to my son. Do you?
I don't have that much love in me.
- But God does.
- Amen.
God does.
Bless you. Thank you.
Put your hand over your heart, with the other
hand reach out and touch somebody.
The Holy Ghost can and will enter you,
but there's another side of this issue.
On the other side of the Holy Ghost explosion
is a still small voice,
the still small voice of Jesus within you,
in your heart,
talking to you, leading you.
This powerful quiet force
can penetrate the most callous
and hard-hearted atheist you'd want to meet.
The only place that the still and small voice
of Jesus Christ can't enter
is into the heart of any man or woman
who says, "No, you cannot come in. "
"You cannot enter here... tonight. "
- I ain't going to say that.
- Lordy.
- Lordy.
- Amen.
I want every head bowed, every eye closed.
If anyone wants to come forward
and accept our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ
as his personal saviour, let him do so now.
- Once you're saved, it's a done deal.
- Oh, yes.
Can you say, "I'm ready tonight?"
For any mother, son or daughter who wants it,
it's here tonight.
Jesus is here. It's a one-way road to heaven.
Jesus is waiting.
And the Holy Ghost conductor
is calling, "'Board! All aboard!"
d Softly and tenderly, Jesus is calling
d Calling for you and for me
d See all the portals
He's waiting and watching
d Waiting, oh, sinner come home
d Come home, come home
d Ye go where thee come home
d Preciously, tenderly, Jesus is calling d
Sammy, my heart's broke for joy tonight,
Sammy.
My heart's broke for joy.
Come here, son.
You've come to accept the Lord Jesus Christ
as your personal saviour?
Are you ready to follow and accept him
at this very instant?
He's ready for you.
Saint Paul says any man
who accepts Christ as his saviour is a saint.
You're a saint here tonight, Sammy.
You're going to heaven.
I'm going to jail. You're going to heaven.
- I love you, son.
- I love you, too.
Glory be to God on high.
Let's give the Lord God on high
a big handclap.
We have a new member of Christ in our midst.
d... come home
d Preciously, tenderly, Jesus is calling
d Calling for you and for me d
Glory. We love you.
How many believe I preached here tonight?
- Yeah!
- Glory.
I'm going to have to leave you now.
Satan is calling me into the arena
one more time.
I may never see you much more again,
but I love you one and all.
I just want to say before I leave,
I've told you in the past,
some people get on the aeroplane,
they fly to Jackson, Mississippi.
Others fly to London, England,
some to Chicago, some to Dallas, Fort Worth.
But I've got my own little aeroplane.
Some day, I'm going down that runway.
I'm not going to Jackson, Mississippi,
to Philadelphia or London, England.
I'm going yonder to heaven and I'm going
to say, "Get out of the way, moon. "
"I'm on my way to heaven. "
d I'll fly away
d I'll fly away, O glory, I'll fly away
d When I die, Hallelujah, by and by
d I'll fly away
d I'll fly away, O glory, I'll fly away
d When I die, Hallelujah, by and by
d I'll fly away
d I'll fly away, O glory, I'll fly away
d When I die, Hallelujah, by and by
d I'll fly away
d I'll fly away, O glory, I'll fly away
d When I die, Hallelujah, by and by
d I'll fly away
d I'll fly away, O glory, I'll fly away... d
You're under arrest for first-degree murder
at Fort Worth.
You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say may be used against you.
You have the right to an attorney. If you can't
afford one, one will be appointed. Understand?
- Yes, sir.
- Place your hands on the car, sir.
Spread your legs for me?
Place your right hand behind your back.
Sammy, the jewellery's for the church.
Take it in to Reverend Blackwell.
- Yes, sir.
- Keep the church going as long as we can.
Sammy, go back in there
where you're needed.
- My Bible's for you, son. That's for you.
- Watch your head, sir.
- You are Euliss F Dewey, aren't you?
- Don't say that name too loudly.
Yes, sir. I'm your man.
I'm also the Apostle EF, but I'm your man.
I'm from a long line of Deweys.
My granddaddy was Black Jack Dewey,
a professional blackjack player,
a card sharp, before he got saved.
I didn't think you still drove Fords. I thought
you'd switched to Chevys like in Texas.
Maybe it's the other way round. Well...
Right to remain silent?
Seems like I always got something to say.
I do a lot of talking.
d Just a few more happy days and then
d I'll fly away
d To a land where joy shall never end
d I'll fly away
d I'll fly away, O glory, I'll fly away
d When called on high, Hallelujah, by and by
d I'll fly away d
- Before Abraham was who?
- Jesus.
- Who was our alpha and omega?
- Jesus.
Yea, though I walk through the valley,
who walks with me?
- Jesus!
- Who lays down with me?
Jesus!
- If I ascend to heaven, who will I talk to first?
- Jesus!
- Who is our heavenly father's son?
- Jesus!
- Who was sent on Earth to save us?
- Jesus!
- Who is my Lord and saviour?
- Jesus!
- He is our what?
- Jesus!
- Again!
- Jesus!
- One more time.
- Jesus!
- If I walk down the street, who walks with me?
- Jesus!
In New York City,
who'll I meet in Times Square?
Jesus!
- If I jump, who jumps with me?
- Jesus!
- If I walk through the valley, who's with me?
- Jesus!
- Say it again.
- Jesus!
- One more time.
- Jesus!
- And?
- Jesus!
- The father sent his son. What was his name?
- Jesus!
- What's his name again?
- Jesus!
- One more time.
- Jesus! Jesus!
- Again.
- Jesus! Jesus!
- Who's our Lord and saviour?
- Jesus!
- Who do we love more than anything?
- Jesus!
Who was Mary's own darling?
Jesus!
d I'm a soldier in the army of the Lord
d I'm a soldier in the army
d I'm a soldier in the army of the Lord
d I'm a soldier in the army
d I've got my work clothes on
In the army of the Lord
d I've got my work clothes on in the army
d I've got my work clothes on
In the army of the Lord
d Got my work clothes on in the army
d I'm a soldier in the army of the Lord
d I'm a soldier in the army
d I'm a soldier in the army of the Lord
d I'm a soldier in the army
d I believe I'll die in the army of the Lord
d I believe I'll die in the army
d I believe I'll die in the army of the Lord
d I believe I will die in the army
d I'm a soldier in the army of the Lord
d I'm a soldier in the army
d I'm a soldier in the army of the Lord
d I'm a soldier in the army
d I've got my breastplate on
In the army of the Lord
d I've got my breastplate on in the army
d I've got my breastplate on
In the army of the Lord
d I've got my breastplate on in the army
d I'm a soldier in the army of the Lord
d I'm a soldier in the army
d I'm a soldier in the army of the Lord
d I'm a soldier in the army
d I'm gonna fight until I die
In the army of the Lord
d I'm gonna fight until I die in the army
d I'm gonna fight until I die
In the army of the Lord
d I'm gonna fight until I die in the army
d I'm a soldier in the army of the Lord d