The Revival (2017) Movie Script
[glass breaks]
(propellers humming)
(traffic rushing)
(bell chiming)
No man has seen
God at any time.
John 1:18.
How do you define God?
If you look at Christianity,
Judaism, Islam.
Each group, we all
define God differently.
And our definitions are
based on our culture,
our geography, our experiences.
[Man] Amen, Brother Eli.
There's a great comfort
in defining things.
Labeling them.
It gives us a sense of control.
But, if we define something,
aren't we saying that
we understand it?
Aren't we limiting it
with our own perspective?
I love Jesus.
Thank you, Brother Trevor.
All right.
As you all know, we
have a little potluck
after the service
down in the, um...
Fellowship Hall.
Thank you, Miss Martha.
The Fellowship Hall.
You should all try some of my
wife's Tater Tot casserole.
All right.
Thanks so much for coming.
See you all next Sunday.
(choir singing)
(people chattering)
Oh, Trevor.
How are you doing?
I've got great news
for you, Preacher.
Oh, yeah?
I got the Southern
Baptist Board of Churches
coming down here in two weeks.
Why would they be
interested in coming down?
Well, I just happened to
know their head talent scout,
Brother Charles
Bucky. (chuckles)
He and I actually went to
huntin' camp together as kids.
I'm the one who actually
drug him to the nurse
after I shot out his eye.
Well, my father never
joined the board, so I...
Your father drew 400.
Manuel Baptist is the church.
Emmanuel Baptist just
gives out door prizes.
Well, maybe we should
give something out, too.
Besides the Word?
I'm gonna go
welcome the visitor.
All right.
Good talking to you.
Hello, brother.
I haven't seen you
in church before.
I'm glad you made
it to the potluck.
Do you want to come over
and meet the rest
of the congregation?
Okay.
You want some time by yourself.
I can respect that.
I just wanted to come over
here and introduce myself.
I'm Brother Eli.
I'm the pastor here
at First Baptist.
Okay.
Well, enjoy your food.
[Man] I like your hands.
Excuse me?
Your hands.
They're pretty.
Like you ain't never
done anything with 'em.
(laughs) Well, I've
done things with my hands.
[Man] Like what?
Well, I do my studies.
I wrote my sermon with my hands.
Church got any place
for folks to stay?
Unfortunately, we can't have
people staying in the church
because of insurance reasons.
You got any place I can stay?
June.
Oh, um.
This is my wife.
What was your name?
Daniel.
Daniel, Daniel.
Hello.
Daniel, we have a nice
service on Sunday nights
at six o'clock with
a nice worship band.
You're more than welcome...
It's good to meet you.
All right.
He might come.
Yeah, you never know.
[Preacher] If
you've been born again
and you have the love
of God in your heart,
then you are called
to spread his message.
When I go out soul winning,
I go in assuming that
they are gonna get saved.
Now, you may say, Brother Aaron,
it doesn't always
happen that way.
Like seeds falling
on hard soil some...
And sure, there
are gonna be days
when you're giving it your all.
You're knocking on doors,
you're passing out pamphlets,
you're stopping
people at Walmart.
Something on your mind?
No.
[Aaron On Radio] And
still folks don't get saved.
But, you know what?
We need to expect
that the Word of God
is gonna change people.
We preach with conviction
expecting something to happen.
(gun fires)
[Eli] Praise the
Lord, that's a biggin.
Yeah.
Follow me.
Did you freeze up?
Most people do on
the first time out.
[Eli] No, I had no intention
on shooting anything.
(leaves rustling)
[Man] Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
[Trevor] I almost
shot your son.
That's all right.
I got a spare at home.
God bless you, brother.
[Man] Hey, He does.
Every single day.
Come on.
Oh, yeah.
(grunting)
Best part of huntin'
is the cleanin'.
Most people talk about the
trackin' and the shootin'.
Hangin' with their buddies.
Not me.
No.
For me, huntin' is
something you do with God.
I like the blood.
Not the sight of it as
much as the feel of it.
It feels like life.
Like hot liquid life.
It's exhilarating.
You know, sometimes I get
all dressed up for work
in my suit, and my tie,
my hair all gelled.
And I'll spot some
blood on my forearm,
or under my nails,
or on my chin.
Just between you and me,
I don't clean it off.
Nope, I keep it with me
throughout the workday.
I figure if an employee sees it
maybe it'll make 'em
work a little bit harder.
That blood is life.
People respect, and
even fear a man,
who can grab ahold of life.
Take it.
Take it.
You know, offerings this
week was the lowest it's been
since the first year
this church has existed.
I'm aware.
[Trevor] The
congregation's grumbling.
What do you mean
they're grumbling?
Some folks, not me, of course,
but some folks are
talking about bringing in
another pastor if
things don't improve.
That's my father's church.
They can't take it away from me.
If they voted you out,
there ain't a whole lot
you could do about it.
Look, I am on your side.
I'm the one who got the Southern
Baptist Board of Churches
to come down here.
Come on.
That's exciting, man.
What do we do?
(laughs) Okay, okay.
First, I need you to
bring your sermons
down to the congregation
a little more, you know?
People around here
like to feel like
something's happening
in their souls
and sometimes you're just
trying to make a little too much
happen in their brains.
So, let's bring back
some questions, you know?
A call and response.
Who loves Jesus?
Well, I love Jesus.
I love Jesus, too.
I don't know, give 'em
something else to do
besides just sitting there
listening to to you ramble.
You think I ramble?
I outline my
sermons three times.
Forget I said that.
I'm sorry.
I told the board that the
week they is coming down,
that that was the week
of our annual revival.
Our annual revival?
Yeah, we gotta get the
town behind us, you know?
Singin', dancin', rededicatin'.
That sort of thing.
Get as many people out
as we possibly can.
Put up signs, grill
up hot dogs, potlucks,
whatever we need.
Just make a good
first impression.
I've no doubt that you
can be a good preacher.
It takes time.
Folks know that.
All I'm saying is
now is the time.
[Aaron On Radio] Some folks,
they're gonna get to Heaven
and get many crowns,
and many rewards.
And other folks
are gonna get saved
by the hairs of their chin.
If God gave us what
we all deserve,
we would all deserve damnation,
but his grace, and his mercy,
allows us believers to
enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
And I'll tell you
this right now.
I would rather be the
biggest loser in Heaven.
Think about this now.
I'd rather be cleaning
the toilets in Heaven
than the guy in
Hell who God thinks,
this fella didn't
know any better,
I'm gonna give him
the least punishment.
Miss Martha says everyone
at the potluck thought
this was the best
casserole there.
She put a picture of it up.
I swear, that woman.
It was good.
I'm sorry, babe.
Mine was so much better.
You know mine was better.
Yours was top.
[June] Yeah, mine was top.
I know.
I had both.
It is different.
Well, I'm not gonna like it, so.
(tense violin music)
(machine beeps)
[Eli] Daniel, right?
I'm hungry.
[Eli] Want to come in?
[Woman] Preacher.
Good morning.
We have got to pay this bill
or they're gonna
shut off the power.
God will provide, Miss Martha.
Well, we need him to provide
in the next seven to 10 days
or we're up poop creek
without a paddle.
Thank you, Miss Martha.
Daniel.
Just leave the door open.
You read all these?
Most of 'em.
Yeah.
[Daniel] Hmm.
[Eli] Want to take a seat?
No, I'm all right.
I've been thinking about ya.
Lunch is served.
Sit down.
So, where are you from?
A lot of places.
You're smart, ain't you?
Well, I went to Harvard.
So, no.
[Daniel] I'm not dumb.
[Eli] I know.
That was a joke.
I know what Harvard is.
It's for smart folks.
Well, I have met a lot
of dumb, and smart, people.
Even at Harvard.
I'm not educated,
but I'm smart.
I read Prast.
Who?
Prast.
The last guy that
told me I was dumb,
I told him to shut
the fuck up. (laughs)
He told me he was smart
'cause he reads Prast.
So, now I try to go to the
library every week, or so,
and read a little Prast.
He's French, you know?
I think you might mean...
You never played football
in the mud, did you?
No, I have not.
My mama dropped
me at this orphanage
once for a couple of days.
And it backed up on the
piece of old farmland.
It had this dried out river bed.
But, when it rained, it would
turn into a big old mud pit.
There's nothing harder
than wading through the mud
trying to catch a pass.
Even if it's just a few
feet in front of you.
That's what reading
Prast is like.
It's Proust, not Prast.
Proust.
Proust.
Proust, yeah.
Good.
I got a place for you.
Yeah?
Um.
Yeah.
Why?
Well, you said
you needed a place.
This'll do.
(Eli laughs)
This place yours?
Nah, it's my father's.
He kept it from my mother.
She used to disappear,
then wander back into town
kind of drunk and
broke, you know?
Southern Baptist preachers
can't have alcoholic wives.
What happened to your hand?
You ever been in a fight?
Verbally.
Spiritually.
Do you want to clean that?
A bandage?
You can wash your
hands over here.
See where the towels are.
Ah, here we go.
(Daniel grunting)
Ah.
Oh, man.
I got it, I got it.
All right.
All right.
Yep, sorry.
Okay.
There you go.
You all right?
Yeah.
Let's make your bed, huh?
Mind grabbing that corner?
All right.
Just tuck it in tight.
I got it.
(lighter flicks)
Do you mind not
doing that in here?
All right.
Well, there's a gas station
about a mile down the road
if you need anything.
I'll be back tomorrow
with some food.
Glad this worked out, Daniel.
Have a good night.
(door shuts)
(slow violin music)
What are you doing?
Come on, put the book down.
Oh, yeah?
Mm-hmm.
All right.
Let's get the pillow.
Right, right,
right, right, right.
Yeah.
[Eli] All right.
You never.
There we go, like that.
Feels good?
It's good.
It feels great, that feels
great, that feels great.
Okay.
Ow.
You okay?
Mm-hmm, I'm fine, I'm fine.
It's fine, it's fine.
I'm just a little stiff.
I don't know.
It's just a little stiff,
it's just a little stiff.
Come on.
No.
I don't want you to get hurt.
I won't get hurt, I promise.
[Eli] Nope, nope.
(soft music)
Oh, Preacher.
Emmanuel Baptist
drew 800 this week.
Does it tell how
many of those 800
for the presence of the Lord?
Actually, it does.
These are the saved
and rededicated totals.
Well, Brother Aaron
gives out door prizes.
Oh, Pastor.
There's somebody here for you.
[Eli] Jimmy.
I'm sort of having,
like, feelings.
What sort of feelings?
Missy.
[Eli] Who?
Missy Swan.
Your cousin?
Well, Jimmy.
Aside from the societal stigma,
there seem to be some
health repercussions
for copulating with a relative.
What does the Bible say?
Bible?
That's a great
question, actually,
because in Genesis chapter 29,
Jacob marries his
first two cousins.
They are children of
the 12 tribes of Israel
that from that line came Jesus.
[Jimmy] Jesus was inbred?
I guess so.
I guess the farther you look
back we're all kind of inbred.
Yeah.
[Jimmy] So, there ain't
nothing wrong with it.
No, that's not what
I was trying to say.
The church looks down
on premarital sex.
Okay.
Well, what should I do?
Maybe you should Google it.
See if marrying your cousin
is even legal in Arkansas
and then we'll go from there.
(slow violin music)
See, the key to
making deer steak
is the way you handle
the meat, right?
Requires a certain
tenderness, you know?
You don't want to pound it.
You want to message it flat
so that you can break
up the muscle tissue
without damaging the
texture of the venison.
Right.
Trevor, you know I'm
a vegetarian, right?
(laughs)
Are you F-ing serious?
You know what?
I got chicken in the freezer.
Lord Jesus, thank
you for this food.
Thanks for Trevor and for
the deer that he shot.
I praise you and please bless
this food for our nourishment.
Jesus name pray, amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Dig in.
You need a steak knife?
Ha-ha.
Trevor, why am I here?
Okay, they've been cheatin'.
[Eli] Who's been cheatin'?
Brother Aaron.
He's been doctoring
his attendance records.
Emmanuel Baptist ain't
been drawing 800,
they've barely
been breaking six.
Which is good, dang good.
But, that don't matter.
What matters is he's gonna
be kicked out of the board.
High five.
Good.
(Trevor laughs)
That's great.
Well, I guess we won't have
to have the revival after all.
Not have our annual revival?
It's only annual if
we do it every year.
So, we haven't even started.
Now is the time to strike.
We've got an angry
congregation of 600
just looking for a place to go.
That's not why I preach.
If you don't preach to reach
as many people as you can,
to really change
folks, then why?
You know, I'm
working to change
the collective
consciousness of this town.
What the F does that mean?
[Eli] I'm simply saying
that I think a revival
is not the direction that I...
You have something in you,
something that makes
you want to fail.
[Eli] No, that is not...
Your mama had it, too.
What do you know
about my mother?
Hey, I don't mean
any disrespect.
I'll I'm sayin'
is I have it, too.
It's in me, too.
I called it the self death.
Look, I had a beautiful
wife, a daughter,
a great job driving trucks,
and a pretty classy
double wide at home,
but my self death
wouldn't let me be happy.
It made me resort
to drink, and drugs,
and leather lizards on the road.
Leather what?
It's a woman who'll give
you a handy, or a sucky suck,
for $5 at a truck stop.
[Eli] Oh.
Just forget that.
[Eli] Okay.
It's all behind me now.
My wife took my baby girl,
and my Crock-Pot, and left.
I didn't know where they
was or what they was doing.
I lost my job because of a DUI.
And then it was just suddenly
me and my double wide.
Couldn't afford the payments
on that after a while,
so I lost that, too.
So, it turns out I was just
passing out drunk every night
on my mama's couch and I
decided that is was either
time to kill myself or change.
So, I got down on
my hands and knees,
and I asked God for hope.
Not help.
Hope.
'Cause if I had that,
I could help myself.
The next day I get a
letter in the mail.
It's from my baby girl.
She's eight years old.
She wanted to come visit me.
So, I got myself cleaned up
and employed at
your daddy's church.
And I'll have you know that
my wife got on drugs real bad
last year and now my
baby girl lives with me.
[Eli] Congratulations.
God saves.
He certainly does.
[Trevor] We're gonna
need changing room tents
for all the chorus members.
You know wat' we gotta
get on right away?
That's Porta Potties.
Those things book out
months in advance.
I just, I'm thinking.
Chairs you don't
need to worry about.
I got that covered.
I got a buddy getting
it from the Moose Hall.
He is gonna get 'em from
the Lion's Club, too.
I was thinking like...
I don't a revival
right now is...
Listen, the staff's already
on board to work overtime.
No, I'm just saying...
And I've already checked on...
Stop interrupting me!
I have been trying
to talk all day
and you just won't
listen, all right?
I am the pastor of
this church, all right?
And I am trying to bring
some progressive thinking,
some sincere faith, to this
town and no one understands me.
My goal, or my hope, is to
show these people how limited
their perception
of God really is.
They go through life
thinking that God wants them
to quit their jobs,
or go on vacation,
or divorce their spouse.
They assume they know what
He is thinking, or worse.
They think that whatever
pops into their minds,
that is what He is thinking.
They have personalized
their god to the point
of becoming their own god.
Okay.
I think I didn't
say that right.
No, I like this.
I like this.
You just spoke with passion.
But, you heard what
I said though, right?
Doesn't matter what you said.
No, it does.
You meant it.
That's what we found, you
meant it and you got mad.
That's what people want.
That's what the board
is gonna respond to.
Sinners in the hand of an
angry god kind of stuff.
You gotta preach
like you can't stop.
Like you'll die if you do.
Like your soul is on fire
and you're gonna burn in Hell
for all eternity if
you don't reach people.
[Aaron On Radio]
Hey, I've sinned.
I've done things I will
regret till my last breath.
Nobody's perfect.
We've all fallen short
of the the glory of God.
There is none righteous.
No, not one.
And you know what?
(slow violin music)
[Daniel] Is this
absolutely necessary?
You gotta look presentable.
[Daniel] Why?
So you can get a job.
[Daniel] Why do I need a job?
So you can pay me rent.
Oh. (laughs)
[Eli] When's the last time
you got your hair cut anyway?
It's been a while.
[Eli] Yeah? (laughs)
My mama used to cut it.
[Eli] Oh, yeah?
She OD'd.
I'm sorry to hear that.
It's all right.
It's not your fault.
(Eli groans)
What?
I just cut myself
a little bit.
You should come to
church on Sunday.
I'm having a great sermon.
So, what happened to faith?
Not understand God.
How not to be when you
don't understand it.
I really think.
We can't.
We can't.
(breathing heavily)
Oh.
(groaning)
(laughing)
Sorry.
Sorry.
I'm sorry.
You're so beautiful.
So beautiful.
Shut up.
You are.
Shut up.
You are.
[Aaron On Radio] Some people
say you can't wear shorts.
You can wear shorts.
As long as they
aren't short shorts.
Y'all don't need
me to remind you
it gets hotter than
hell down here.
Shorts are fine.
Here's the deal.
They gotta go down
to your knees.
Hey.
Sorry.
Where were you last night?
I fell asleep
writing my sermon.
I called you.
I know.
I called you like
five times, Eli.
I turned my ringer off
because I didn't want
to be distracted.
I'm sorry.
Hey.
You're a little tense.
Yeah, well.
I didn't sleep very
well last night.
Hey, could we try something?
Can you go out in the living
room and sit on the couch?
No.
I want to do something.
I want to do something.
What about these dishes?
I'll do the dishes.
I'll do 'em.
Just go.
Just go.
Okay, okay.
Okay, okay.
Babe, you should be
getting to work by now.
And I've got so much to do.
I've gotta get this
whole house ready
for those women coming over.
What is all this?
You know what this is?
What are you doing?
You're ridiculous.
You know what's ridiculous
is how lucky I am to have you.
(moaning)
(door opens)
Jimmy, can you knock, please?
It's illegal.
What is?
[Jimmy] Marrying your
first cousin in Arkansas.
It's illegal.
Oh.
Sorry to hear that.
Well, what should I do now?
I don't know.
[Jimmy] But,
you're a preacher.
(uptempo violin music)
(coughing)
(people chattering)
She has had a sad, sad life.
It's true.
So true.
For her it's that husband
seen galavanting all over town
like a mule in heat.
And then, her youngest son
gets to smoking marijuana.
And now, her other son, Roger.
Well, I'm not the type of
woman who likes to talk
behind people's backs, so we'll
just leave it right there.
Miss Martha, we all
know you're gonna say it,
So why don't you just
go ahead and say it now?
He was seen coming
out of the Tight End.
Cheating husband,
marijuana smoking son,
and now her other son seen
coming out of a gay sports bar.
Miss Martha, what exactly
is your prayer request?
That Miss Angela
will find the strength
to get her house in order.
And let's pray for Missy's
self-esteem issues.
And while we're at it,
let's pray that Brother
Eli will figure out a way
to build the church
back to prominence
like it was when his
daddy was running things.
[Woman] Amen.
Mm-hmm.
(slow violin music)
Sorry.
No, you're not.
I'm not sorry.
I know.
You do this a lot?
Never.
Do you?
Yeah, I have.
I knew the second I saw
you at that potluck.
You had that look.
What look?
You know.
It's hard to explain.
It's more of a feeling.
It reminds me of making meth.
How does it feel like
you're making meth?
'Cause it's dangerous.
It feels so hot.
If you cook it too long, man,
it'll just blow up
right in your face.
[Eli] Do you know
how to make meth?
Yeah.
Hey, you're not making
meth here, are you?
You're not making meth here?
Do you know what'll happen to me
if they found out I was
holding a drug dealer here?
I didn't sell it.
I'll lose my church, Daniel.
Oh, if you're so
worried about your church,
what are you doing here
in the first place?
Huh?
I don't normally do this.
I mean, I have these
feelings, but I normally...
Normally I can stuff 'em down.
I read the Bible daily
and I talk to God.
I ask Him to take it,
to take it away from me, but.
Did you talk to Him today?
No.
Too bad.
Hey, you cannot
make meth here, okay?
No, don't, don't.
Okay.
Hey, you cannot
make meth here.
Okay.
Okay?
Okay.
Give me that.
I want to try it.
Careful.
I'm not gonna be careful.
It's about done.
Okay, give me that.
Oh, I don't like it.
Okay.
You cannot make meth here.
I'm not kidding you
about that, okay?
I'm not clear on
what you're saying.
I mean it, don't.
(choir singing)
(phone vibrating)
Hey, baby girl.
Oh, no.
Daddy misses you, too.
Absolutely.
I can't wait to hear
what's going on at camp.
Did you kill anything?
Really?
All right, that's my girl.
Hey, I put some extra
onions on it for you.
Thanks.
You want an over-under knot?
Jimmy, this ain't supposed
to take all morning.
[Jimmy] I know,
but it's broken.
Just tie it tight like a
cheerleader's grip on her Bible.
Sorry, Preacher.
What do you think?
Looks great.
All right.
Well, you have a
good day, Preacher.
You know what?
Let's get it as high as we can.
I want God to see it
from his living room.
[Jimmy] Higher?
Yeah, get on up there.
[Host] Trevor Pickins tells
me about your annual revival.
It's not really annual.
Okay, that's just
what Trevor told me.
He told me it was an annual.
It's the first one.
Ah. (laughs)
That Trevor, he's a
funny guy, ain't he?
He really loves the church.
Yeah, I could tell
you some stories.
They would get us fired,
arrested, and divorced nowadays.
Yeah, well Trevor's
already divorced.
So.
On that note, let's hear a
little word from our sponsors.
I ain't a dentist, Reverend.
I can't pull no more
teeth, all right?
And we're back.
I miss your father.
I remember him.
He was a great man.
I used to go to his church,
in fact, when I was a kid.
But, now I'm with Brother Aaron.
Well, First Baptist isn't
my father's church anymore.
It's mine.
And with this revival, I'm
taking it in a new direction.
[Host] And what direction
is that, Reverend?
Forward.
What exactly does that mean?
Let me ask you, Jim.
Why'd you leave First Baptist?
Well, my kids.
My kids, they heard Emmanuel
Baptist was exciting.
And whatever keeps my
kids' interest in the Lord
and off their
phones, am I right?
No.
No, Jim.
I don't think you are right.
You know, Brother Aaron
might have the cameras,
and the lights, and the
screens, and all that,
but I'm not Brother Aaron.
I am not Brother Aaron.
I will never be Brother Aaron.
I do not want to
be Brother Aaron.
I'm trying to make something
true, something real.
And it's hard being a pastor.
It's hard.
It's hard to be a Christian.
It's hard to know
what God wants.
And when you do know what God
wants, it's hard to do it.
Jim, let me ask you.
Do you ever feel alone?
Yeah, sure.
Of course you do.
We all feel alone.
We all feel lost.
We all feel scared.
We all feel darkness.
We get caught up in
the small day-to-day
and we lose sight of eternity.
We make mistakes.
I make mistakes.
I've made so many mistakes.
I'm not perfect.
I'm far from perfect.
But, God's love, and His
grace, and His power,
are bigger than that.
And that's what the revival
is about next weekend.
It's about imperfect
people coming together
to feel the power and love.
And they need the strength
to keep on living.
Who doesn't want that, right?
[Jim] All right.
That's gonna do it for us.
Remember, two weeks from Sunday.
First Baptist Church Revival.
(slow violin music)
[Aaron] Woe unto you,
you scribes and Pharisees.
Hypocrites.
For you they're like
whited sepulchers
which indeed appear
beautiful outward,
but are full of dead man's
bones and all uncleanness.
Even so, ye outwardly
appear righteous unto man,
but within you're full of
hypocrisy and inequity.
Woe unto you scribes
and Pharisees.
Hypocrites.
Fill ye up then the measures
of your fathers, you serpents.
You generation of vipers.
How can you escape
the damnation of Hell?
(door closes)
[Eli] You're up late.
[June] Where were you?
[Eli] I was at church.
Something came for you.
This is not what
it looks like.
Well, hey.
Why did you do this?
Sometimes men embrace.
Don't lie to me, Eli.
June, June, June.
I care about you so much.
I love you.
I love you.
I just got confused.
I get happy, but this
thing I know is wrong
and I don't know what I'm doing.
I question things, but.
I can't do this.
June, June, June.
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
I'm so sorry.
I've sinned.
I'm a sinner, but I'm
gonna fix it, all right?
I'm gonna fix it.
I'm back.
Trust me, I will fix it.
I will fix it.
I will fix it.
(uptempo violin music)
[Aaron] Listen, church.
When you go out soul winning,
a lot of you are walking
around, excuse me,
but a lot of you are
walking around like losers.
And, hello.
It's called soul
winning, not soul losing.
You know, you think no
one's gonna listen to you.
Do you think Christ
thought no one was gonna?
I can tell you, He
was not a loser.
You think Christ assumes
folks at your job
aren't gonna get saved?
You think Christ
assumes folks at Walmart
aren't gonna get saved?
I've seen more folks saved
at Walmart than church.
Praise God.
You will be eternally
surprised by who gets saved
and where they get saved.
Look, I do this, too.
I look at a fella
coming out of a bar
and I think that is
the last man on earth
who is gonna get saved.
And guess you what?
There I see him on
Sunday and he got saved
and I start thinking,
what do you guys say?
But, there ain't no way
he's gonna live for God.
I can't really see him
getting into church
or making bigger
changes in his life.
And lo and behold,
God changes people
and the spirit of God has the
power to change the heart.
Listen, church.
When I go out soul winning,
I don't expect to fail.
I expect to succeed.
(door opens)
Hi.
Hey.
How you doing?
Okay.
Blessed to see you.
Yeah.
Brought you something.
What?
You don't have to go to the
library every week to read it.
I don't have anything for you.
Um, I gotta talk to
you about something.
There's a picture
of us together.
So what?
No.
No.
Not you.
You said you wanted
to be with me.
Listen to me.
I have real feelings for you.
And I'm committed to God.
You're committed to God.
Yes.
So, why'd you fuck me?
What we did was wrong.
It's against God's will.
I'm ashamed.
You're ashamed?
[Eli] I'm ashamed.
Fuck you.
Fuck you.
You have to go.
Eli, you want me to stay here.
Daniel, I will pray for you.
I will pray for you every
day for the rest of my life.
(slow violin music)
We all try to understand
God in human terms.
We personify things to
feel closer to them.
We even put words and intentions
in our father's mouth.
We think that he wants
us to buy a new car,
to get a new house,
to get a new spouse.
Can I get an amen?
And we can read our Bibles.
We can say our prayers.
We can convene with
other Christians.
But, does this give us
the right to say that we,
the tiny and insignificant
creatures that we are,
know what God wants in
any given situation?
[Trevor] Preacher?
Yes, Brother Trevor?
I love Jesus.
Yes.
Yes, we know you love
Jesus, Brother Trevor.
Thank you.
I guess my point...
What I'm trying to
say, maybe, is...
There's someone who's come
to break down our
perceptions of God.
Someone who wants
to show us his love
and his unimaginable wisdom.
Do you know who that person is?
Jesus?
Who?
Jesus?
I said who.
[Jimmy] Jesus.
Who freed us of our sins?
Jesus.
[Eli] Whenever we need him?
[Trevor And Jimmy] Jesus.
Lord of Lords.
[Trevor] Jesus.
King of kings.
[Trevor] Jesus.
I said Jesus.
[Trevor] Jesus.
Jesus.
[Trevor] Jesus.
Jesus.
[Trevor] Jesus.
[All] Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
May I help you, sir?
I'm a sinner.
He's a sinner.
Amen.
Amen.
We're all sinners.
We've all fallen short
of the glory of God.
Go now knowing
God is with you.
That God forgives you
and he gave his only son
to die for you.
I'm gay.
I was with a man just yesterday.
All right, okay.
Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Are you sorry for
what you've done?
Are you sorry for
what you've done?
Do you believe Jesus Christ
is the way, the truth,
and the life, and that
no one goes to the Father
except through Him?
I do.
You do.
You do.
Lord, Lord, Jesus, Father.
Come into this man's heart.
Cleanse him from sin.
Forgive his transgressions.
Show him your love, your way.
Help him to go forth a
new man with a new life.
Give him the strength
to overcome temptation.
The will to live for you.
You are forgiven.
(people gasp)
Someone saved this man today.
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
Someone's pull.
Someone's love is greater
than this man's sin.
Jesus, Jesus.
(people chattering)
Hallelujah.
Hallelujah.
Jesus.
Jesus.
[All] Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
Brother Gary, hit the music.
(choir singing)
What the hell were you thinking?
Your people, your church,
they believe in
forgiveness, right?
You just gotta go to your god
and say you're
sorry and that's it.
So, that's what I did.
I got up there and
I said I was sorry.
You do the same thing.
[Eli] Yeah, it's
different for me though.
How?
Because people don't
want a pastor who sins.
Go get your stuff.
I came forward
for you today, Eli.
I did that for you.
You should've asked me first.
You could go up there
and tell them you're sorry.
It would be fine.
That's a stupid idea.
Don't fucking say that.
Stupid.
Don't!
Fuck you!
(grunts)
Get the fuck off me.
(grunting)
Fuck you.
If you really cared about
me you'd leave me right now.
You'd leave town.
[Daniel] Just come with me.
No!
No, I'm not!
Then, I can't leave.
If they find you here,
they'll all be coming.
I don't give a fuck!
Pack your fucking
shit and leave.
Fuck.
Eli!
Eli, no!
Wait!
I'm not leaving, Eli!
You can run to your
god all you want!
I will be right there and
you will still be a faggot!
[Trevor] I mean,
how can you not know
where your husband is?
Trevor.
Preacher.
I just came by to
congratulate ya.
Congratulate me?
Yeah.
Today.
What you did.
It's exactly what
this church needed.
You just saved First Baptist.
Nobody could leave
after the service.
Everybody knew they'd
seen something amazing.
Something that they'd tell
their children about some day.
You know, the birth of a healer.
Phones have been
ringing off the hooks.
The tickets for
our annual revival?
They're already sold out.
There ain't no doubt
we're on the board now.
It's just a matter of how
much they're gonna give us,
and I gotta say, I think it's
gonna be a heck of a lot.
Tickets?
Y'all are selling
tickets to church?
I mean, it's just $6 a piece.
More like a placeholder.
Nobody wants to
get all dressed up
and not have a place to sit.
Whoa, whoa, wait.
$6 is a lot of money
to some people.
I don't think y'all
should be charging at all.
What about the potluck after?
Do people have to
pay for that, too?
June, darling.
Mega churches do
not have potlucks.
Mega churches have banquets.
All right, I'll let y'all go.
I gotta go to the driving range
and kind of work off
some of this energy.
Man.
Okay, you just get
back to studying.
Do your thing.
Whatever you need to do to prep.
But, you be ready come Sunday.
I need a drink.
Yeah, since that's what you
should be doing right now.
Drinking when your
church needs you?
I know you're holding.
I know that you have whiskey
in that old Cheerio box
in the cabinet.
You should go stay
with your cousin.
I don't want you to be here
when the picture comes out.
I took the picture.
You did?
I knew you were cheating
'cause you were happy.
I mean, you know I've never
been treated good, Eli.
But, even when you're unhappy,
or you're not talking,
you still treat me decent.
And you're kind.
You understand me and
you love me in some way.
If you didn't have this
disease you'd be perfect.
Maybe if you didn't
have this disease
you'd be with someone else.
Is that why you chose me?
'Cause you knew I
wouldn't leave you
even if I found out?
Did you ask that man to leave?
I couldn't get him to go.
Where are you going?
I'm gonna go
clean up your mess.
(slow violin music)
[Eli] Consider it
pure joy, my brothers,
whenever you face
trials of any kind.
You know, the testing of your
faith develops perseverance.
Perseverance must
finish its works.
You may be mature and
complete, not lacking anything.
If any of you lacks
wisdom, you should ask God
who gives generously to
all without finding fault
and it will be given to Him.
But if you ask, you must
believe and not doubt.
For he who doubts is
like a wave in the sea.
Blown and tossed by the wind.
(knocking on door)
I'm June, Brother Eli's wife.
[Daniel] He ain't here.
You making meth?
I grew up in the trailer parks.
My mama and I used to make it.
Your mama?
She used?
She still using?
Well, that's good.
She's dead.
Oh.
What do you want?
I come to ask
you to leave town.
I ain't bothering nobody.
Look, you come into my town,
you messed with my husband,
you threatened my
church, and for what?
For what?
He came after me.
I was just sitting there
eating and he came after me.
Eli loves me, not you.
He used you and I'm sorry.
You really think he loves you?
There ain't no doubt that
he'd rather be here with me
than back home with you.
He's not here with you now.
And he ain't home for you.
He's home for his god.
That's who he cares about.
Himself and his god.
You're just another thing
he picked up along the way.
You know, when I was a little
girl, I found this snow owl.
You know, the kind of bird
you usually only see up north?
It was a gorgeous creature.
It's all white,
and soft feathers,
and these deep black eyes.
And it was sick.
It was just lying there
in a pile of snow.
And I picked it up,
and took it home,
and I put it in a baby pen.
And I fed it, fed it dirt,
and worms, and grass.
And it lived.
And every day I'd
take it outside
and I'd try to
get it to fly away
because I knew it was different,
and it didn't belong,
and I wanted it to go.
Someplace where it could live.
And one day I woke
up and it was dead.
See, I did everything
I could for that owl,
but I couldn't make it fly away.
Now, you get out of this
town and don't look back.
You weren't made for it.
I ain't leaving.
I know your kind.
Make him leave, Trevor.
(grunting)
Begone, devil, in the
Lord Jesus Christ's name.
Begone, Satan.
I fill that void
with the Holy Spirit.
(speaking in tongues)
God, I need you to show me.
I need you to show me.
I need you to show me.
I need you to show me, God.
(punches thudding)
(grunting)
God, my favorite.
One of my favorites.
Romans 6:23.
"For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of
God is eternal life
through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Amen.
(grunts)
Greyhound doesn't get
here until the morning.
I'm gonna put him on it myself.
All right?
He ain't going nowhere tonight.
But, you watch him.
Hey, watch him.
(uptempo violin music)
I'm all alone here, God.
I'm all alone.
I just need ya.
I don't feel ya.
I don't feel you at all.
I'll do whatever you want,
I just need you to
talk to me, God.
He won't leave.
He won't leave.
He won't leave, God.
What am I gonna do?
Just talk to me,
just talk to me!
(tires squealing)
[Aaron On Radio] These
filthy, disgusting sickos.
Our life would be a lot
easier for your church
if you just let the homos be.
I look 'em right in the eye.
I'm not looking for
an easy life, brother.
I'm looking for a
righteous one, praise God.
He has made it plain and
clear that homosexuality
is an abomination.
If you don't agree then...
You heard it, true believers.
Going straight to Hell.
(tires squealing)
You say, Pastor, that's so
extensive and so narrow-minded.
Ladies and gentlemen,
when it comes to the
gospel of Jesus Christ,
I'm so narrow-minded
a gnat could land
on the bridge of my nose
and kick both eyeballs out
at the same time.
We are at war,
brothers and sisters.
We're going to war
with the Devil.
Unbelievers will try
to make you think
that homosexuality is
normal, but it's not.
And how do I know?
I know because the
Bible tells me so.
Because the Bible is the
inspired Word of God.
You might say, Preacher, that's
a pretty narrow-minded way
of looking at things,
and I'll tell you what.
It is, praise God.
And I'm as narrow
as the Word of God.
Everyone applauds when the
folks come out of the closet
like it's a badge of honor.
Church, it's time we
come out of the closet.
Brothers and sisters, come
out of the closet for Christ.
Stand beside me and say,
World, enough is enough.
I will walk with God.
I will choose salvation
till the day I die.
Leave.
Now.
[church music]
[louder church music]
[church music ends]
I've got a river of
life flowing out of me
Spring up, O
well, within my soul
Spring up, O well,
and make me whole
Spring up, O
well, and give to me
That life abundantly
Spring up, O
well, and give to me
That life abundantly
(people cheering)
(slow rock music)
(propellers humming)
(traffic rushing)
(bell chiming)
No man has seen
God at any time.
John 1:18.
How do you define God?
If you look at Christianity,
Judaism, Islam.
Each group, we all
define God differently.
And our definitions are
based on our culture,
our geography, our experiences.
[Man] Amen, Brother Eli.
There's a great comfort
in defining things.
Labeling them.
It gives us a sense of control.
But, if we define something,
aren't we saying that
we understand it?
Aren't we limiting it
with our own perspective?
I love Jesus.
Thank you, Brother Trevor.
All right.
As you all know, we
have a little potluck
after the service
down in the, um...
Fellowship Hall.
Thank you, Miss Martha.
The Fellowship Hall.
You should all try some of my
wife's Tater Tot casserole.
All right.
Thanks so much for coming.
See you all next Sunday.
(choir singing)
(people chattering)
Oh, Trevor.
How are you doing?
I've got great news
for you, Preacher.
Oh, yeah?
I got the Southern
Baptist Board of Churches
coming down here in two weeks.
Why would they be
interested in coming down?
Well, I just happened to
know their head talent scout,
Brother Charles
Bucky. (chuckles)
He and I actually went to
huntin' camp together as kids.
I'm the one who actually
drug him to the nurse
after I shot out his eye.
Well, my father never
joined the board, so I...
Your father drew 400.
Manuel Baptist is the church.
Emmanuel Baptist just
gives out door prizes.
Well, maybe we should
give something out, too.
Besides the Word?
I'm gonna go
welcome the visitor.
All right.
Good talking to you.
Hello, brother.
I haven't seen you
in church before.
I'm glad you made
it to the potluck.
Do you want to come over
and meet the rest
of the congregation?
Okay.
You want some time by yourself.
I can respect that.
I just wanted to come over
here and introduce myself.
I'm Brother Eli.
I'm the pastor here
at First Baptist.
Okay.
Well, enjoy your food.
[Man] I like your hands.
Excuse me?
Your hands.
They're pretty.
Like you ain't never
done anything with 'em.
(laughs) Well, I've
done things with my hands.
[Man] Like what?
Well, I do my studies.
I wrote my sermon with my hands.
Church got any place
for folks to stay?
Unfortunately, we can't have
people staying in the church
because of insurance reasons.
You got any place I can stay?
June.
Oh, um.
This is my wife.
What was your name?
Daniel.
Daniel, Daniel.
Hello.
Daniel, we have a nice
service on Sunday nights
at six o'clock with
a nice worship band.
You're more than welcome...
It's good to meet you.
All right.
He might come.
Yeah, you never know.
[Preacher] If
you've been born again
and you have the love
of God in your heart,
then you are called
to spread his message.
When I go out soul winning,
I go in assuming that
they are gonna get saved.
Now, you may say, Brother Aaron,
it doesn't always
happen that way.
Like seeds falling
on hard soil some...
And sure, there
are gonna be days
when you're giving it your all.
You're knocking on doors,
you're passing out pamphlets,
you're stopping
people at Walmart.
Something on your mind?
No.
[Aaron On Radio] And
still folks don't get saved.
But, you know what?
We need to expect
that the Word of God
is gonna change people.
We preach with conviction
expecting something to happen.
(gun fires)
[Eli] Praise the
Lord, that's a biggin.
Yeah.
Follow me.
Did you freeze up?
Most people do on
the first time out.
[Eli] No, I had no intention
on shooting anything.
(leaves rustling)
[Man] Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
[Trevor] I almost
shot your son.
That's all right.
I got a spare at home.
God bless you, brother.
[Man] Hey, He does.
Every single day.
Come on.
Oh, yeah.
(grunting)
Best part of huntin'
is the cleanin'.
Most people talk about the
trackin' and the shootin'.
Hangin' with their buddies.
Not me.
No.
For me, huntin' is
something you do with God.
I like the blood.
Not the sight of it as
much as the feel of it.
It feels like life.
Like hot liquid life.
It's exhilarating.
You know, sometimes I get
all dressed up for work
in my suit, and my tie,
my hair all gelled.
And I'll spot some
blood on my forearm,
or under my nails,
or on my chin.
Just between you and me,
I don't clean it off.
Nope, I keep it with me
throughout the workday.
I figure if an employee sees it
maybe it'll make 'em
work a little bit harder.
That blood is life.
People respect, and
even fear a man,
who can grab ahold of life.
Take it.
Take it.
You know, offerings this
week was the lowest it's been
since the first year
this church has existed.
I'm aware.
[Trevor] The
congregation's grumbling.
What do you mean
they're grumbling?
Some folks, not me, of course,
but some folks are
talking about bringing in
another pastor if
things don't improve.
That's my father's church.
They can't take it away from me.
If they voted you out,
there ain't a whole lot
you could do about it.
Look, I am on your side.
I'm the one who got the Southern
Baptist Board of Churches
to come down here.
Come on.
That's exciting, man.
What do we do?
(laughs) Okay, okay.
First, I need you to
bring your sermons
down to the congregation
a little more, you know?
People around here
like to feel like
something's happening
in their souls
and sometimes you're just
trying to make a little too much
happen in their brains.
So, let's bring back
some questions, you know?
A call and response.
Who loves Jesus?
Well, I love Jesus.
I love Jesus, too.
I don't know, give 'em
something else to do
besides just sitting there
listening to to you ramble.
You think I ramble?
I outline my
sermons three times.
Forget I said that.
I'm sorry.
I told the board that the
week they is coming down,
that that was the week
of our annual revival.
Our annual revival?
Yeah, we gotta get the
town behind us, you know?
Singin', dancin', rededicatin'.
That sort of thing.
Get as many people out
as we possibly can.
Put up signs, grill
up hot dogs, potlucks,
whatever we need.
Just make a good
first impression.
I've no doubt that you
can be a good preacher.
It takes time.
Folks know that.
All I'm saying is
now is the time.
[Aaron On Radio] Some folks,
they're gonna get to Heaven
and get many crowns,
and many rewards.
And other folks
are gonna get saved
by the hairs of their chin.
If God gave us what
we all deserve,
we would all deserve damnation,
but his grace, and his mercy,
allows us believers to
enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
And I'll tell you
this right now.
I would rather be the
biggest loser in Heaven.
Think about this now.
I'd rather be cleaning
the toilets in Heaven
than the guy in
Hell who God thinks,
this fella didn't
know any better,
I'm gonna give him
the least punishment.
Miss Martha says everyone
at the potluck thought
this was the best
casserole there.
She put a picture of it up.
I swear, that woman.
It was good.
I'm sorry, babe.
Mine was so much better.
You know mine was better.
Yours was top.
[June] Yeah, mine was top.
I know.
I had both.
It is different.
Well, I'm not gonna like it, so.
(tense violin music)
(machine beeps)
[Eli] Daniel, right?
I'm hungry.
[Eli] Want to come in?
[Woman] Preacher.
Good morning.
We have got to pay this bill
or they're gonna
shut off the power.
God will provide, Miss Martha.
Well, we need him to provide
in the next seven to 10 days
or we're up poop creek
without a paddle.
Thank you, Miss Martha.
Daniel.
Just leave the door open.
You read all these?
Most of 'em.
Yeah.
[Daniel] Hmm.
[Eli] Want to take a seat?
No, I'm all right.
I've been thinking about ya.
Lunch is served.
Sit down.
So, where are you from?
A lot of places.
You're smart, ain't you?
Well, I went to Harvard.
So, no.
[Daniel] I'm not dumb.
[Eli] I know.
That was a joke.
I know what Harvard is.
It's for smart folks.
Well, I have met a lot
of dumb, and smart, people.
Even at Harvard.
I'm not educated,
but I'm smart.
I read Prast.
Who?
Prast.
The last guy that
told me I was dumb,
I told him to shut
the fuck up. (laughs)
He told me he was smart
'cause he reads Prast.
So, now I try to go to the
library every week, or so,
and read a little Prast.
He's French, you know?
I think you might mean...
You never played football
in the mud, did you?
No, I have not.
My mama dropped
me at this orphanage
once for a couple of days.
And it backed up on the
piece of old farmland.
It had this dried out river bed.
But, when it rained, it would
turn into a big old mud pit.
There's nothing harder
than wading through the mud
trying to catch a pass.
Even if it's just a few
feet in front of you.
That's what reading
Prast is like.
It's Proust, not Prast.
Proust.
Proust.
Proust, yeah.
Good.
I got a place for you.
Yeah?
Um.
Yeah.
Why?
Well, you said
you needed a place.
This'll do.
(Eli laughs)
This place yours?
Nah, it's my father's.
He kept it from my mother.
She used to disappear,
then wander back into town
kind of drunk and
broke, you know?
Southern Baptist preachers
can't have alcoholic wives.
What happened to your hand?
You ever been in a fight?
Verbally.
Spiritually.
Do you want to clean that?
A bandage?
You can wash your
hands over here.
See where the towels are.
Ah, here we go.
(Daniel grunting)
Ah.
Oh, man.
I got it, I got it.
All right.
All right.
Yep, sorry.
Okay.
There you go.
You all right?
Yeah.
Let's make your bed, huh?
Mind grabbing that corner?
All right.
Just tuck it in tight.
I got it.
(lighter flicks)
Do you mind not
doing that in here?
All right.
Well, there's a gas station
about a mile down the road
if you need anything.
I'll be back tomorrow
with some food.
Glad this worked out, Daniel.
Have a good night.
(door shuts)
(slow violin music)
What are you doing?
Come on, put the book down.
Oh, yeah?
Mm-hmm.
All right.
Let's get the pillow.
Right, right,
right, right, right.
Yeah.
[Eli] All right.
You never.
There we go, like that.
Feels good?
It's good.
It feels great, that feels
great, that feels great.
Okay.
Ow.
You okay?
Mm-hmm, I'm fine, I'm fine.
It's fine, it's fine.
I'm just a little stiff.
I don't know.
It's just a little stiff,
it's just a little stiff.
Come on.
No.
I don't want you to get hurt.
I won't get hurt, I promise.
[Eli] Nope, nope.
(soft music)
Oh, Preacher.
Emmanuel Baptist
drew 800 this week.
Does it tell how
many of those 800
for the presence of the Lord?
Actually, it does.
These are the saved
and rededicated totals.
Well, Brother Aaron
gives out door prizes.
Oh, Pastor.
There's somebody here for you.
[Eli] Jimmy.
I'm sort of having,
like, feelings.
What sort of feelings?
Missy.
[Eli] Who?
Missy Swan.
Your cousin?
Well, Jimmy.
Aside from the societal stigma,
there seem to be some
health repercussions
for copulating with a relative.
What does the Bible say?
Bible?
That's a great
question, actually,
because in Genesis chapter 29,
Jacob marries his
first two cousins.
They are children of
the 12 tribes of Israel
that from that line came Jesus.
[Jimmy] Jesus was inbred?
I guess so.
I guess the farther you look
back we're all kind of inbred.
Yeah.
[Jimmy] So, there ain't
nothing wrong with it.
No, that's not what
I was trying to say.
The church looks down
on premarital sex.
Okay.
Well, what should I do?
Maybe you should Google it.
See if marrying your cousin
is even legal in Arkansas
and then we'll go from there.
(slow violin music)
See, the key to
making deer steak
is the way you handle
the meat, right?
Requires a certain
tenderness, you know?
You don't want to pound it.
You want to message it flat
so that you can break
up the muscle tissue
without damaging the
texture of the venison.
Right.
Trevor, you know I'm
a vegetarian, right?
(laughs)
Are you F-ing serious?
You know what?
I got chicken in the freezer.
Lord Jesus, thank
you for this food.
Thanks for Trevor and for
the deer that he shot.
I praise you and please bless
this food for our nourishment.
Jesus name pray, amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Dig in.
You need a steak knife?
Ha-ha.
Trevor, why am I here?
Okay, they've been cheatin'.
[Eli] Who's been cheatin'?
Brother Aaron.
He's been doctoring
his attendance records.
Emmanuel Baptist ain't
been drawing 800,
they've barely
been breaking six.
Which is good, dang good.
But, that don't matter.
What matters is he's gonna
be kicked out of the board.
High five.
Good.
(Trevor laughs)
That's great.
Well, I guess we won't have
to have the revival after all.
Not have our annual revival?
It's only annual if
we do it every year.
So, we haven't even started.
Now is the time to strike.
We've got an angry
congregation of 600
just looking for a place to go.
That's not why I preach.
If you don't preach to reach
as many people as you can,
to really change
folks, then why?
You know, I'm
working to change
the collective
consciousness of this town.
What the F does that mean?
[Eli] I'm simply saying
that I think a revival
is not the direction that I...
You have something in you,
something that makes
you want to fail.
[Eli] No, that is not...
Your mama had it, too.
What do you know
about my mother?
Hey, I don't mean
any disrespect.
I'll I'm sayin'
is I have it, too.
It's in me, too.
I called it the self death.
Look, I had a beautiful
wife, a daughter,
a great job driving trucks,
and a pretty classy
double wide at home,
but my self death
wouldn't let me be happy.
It made me resort
to drink, and drugs,
and leather lizards on the road.
Leather what?
It's a woman who'll give
you a handy, or a sucky suck,
for $5 at a truck stop.
[Eli] Oh.
Just forget that.
[Eli] Okay.
It's all behind me now.
My wife took my baby girl,
and my Crock-Pot, and left.
I didn't know where they
was or what they was doing.
I lost my job because of a DUI.
And then it was just suddenly
me and my double wide.
Couldn't afford the payments
on that after a while,
so I lost that, too.
So, it turns out I was just
passing out drunk every night
on my mama's couch and I
decided that is was either
time to kill myself or change.
So, I got down on
my hands and knees,
and I asked God for hope.
Not help.
Hope.
'Cause if I had that,
I could help myself.
The next day I get a
letter in the mail.
It's from my baby girl.
She's eight years old.
She wanted to come visit me.
So, I got myself cleaned up
and employed at
your daddy's church.
And I'll have you know that
my wife got on drugs real bad
last year and now my
baby girl lives with me.
[Eli] Congratulations.
God saves.
He certainly does.
[Trevor] We're gonna
need changing room tents
for all the chorus members.
You know wat' we gotta
get on right away?
That's Porta Potties.
Those things book out
months in advance.
I just, I'm thinking.
Chairs you don't
need to worry about.
I got that covered.
I got a buddy getting
it from the Moose Hall.
He is gonna get 'em from
the Lion's Club, too.
I was thinking like...
I don't a revival
right now is...
Listen, the staff's already
on board to work overtime.
No, I'm just saying...
And I've already checked on...
Stop interrupting me!
I have been trying
to talk all day
and you just won't
listen, all right?
I am the pastor of
this church, all right?
And I am trying to bring
some progressive thinking,
some sincere faith, to this
town and no one understands me.
My goal, or my hope, is to
show these people how limited
their perception
of God really is.
They go through life
thinking that God wants them
to quit their jobs,
or go on vacation,
or divorce their spouse.
They assume they know what
He is thinking, or worse.
They think that whatever
pops into their minds,
that is what He is thinking.
They have personalized
their god to the point
of becoming their own god.
Okay.
I think I didn't
say that right.
No, I like this.
I like this.
You just spoke with passion.
But, you heard what
I said though, right?
Doesn't matter what you said.
No, it does.
You meant it.
That's what we found, you
meant it and you got mad.
That's what people want.
That's what the board
is gonna respond to.
Sinners in the hand of an
angry god kind of stuff.
You gotta preach
like you can't stop.
Like you'll die if you do.
Like your soul is on fire
and you're gonna burn in Hell
for all eternity if
you don't reach people.
[Aaron On Radio]
Hey, I've sinned.
I've done things I will
regret till my last breath.
Nobody's perfect.
We've all fallen short
of the the glory of God.
There is none righteous.
No, not one.
And you know what?
(slow violin music)
[Daniel] Is this
absolutely necessary?
You gotta look presentable.
[Daniel] Why?
So you can get a job.
[Daniel] Why do I need a job?
So you can pay me rent.
Oh. (laughs)
[Eli] When's the last time
you got your hair cut anyway?
It's been a while.
[Eli] Yeah? (laughs)
My mama used to cut it.
[Eli] Oh, yeah?
She OD'd.
I'm sorry to hear that.
It's all right.
It's not your fault.
(Eli groans)
What?
I just cut myself
a little bit.
You should come to
church on Sunday.
I'm having a great sermon.
So, what happened to faith?
Not understand God.
How not to be when you
don't understand it.
I really think.
We can't.
We can't.
(breathing heavily)
Oh.
(groaning)
(laughing)
Sorry.
Sorry.
I'm sorry.
You're so beautiful.
So beautiful.
Shut up.
You are.
Shut up.
You are.
[Aaron On Radio] Some people
say you can't wear shorts.
You can wear shorts.
As long as they
aren't short shorts.
Y'all don't need
me to remind you
it gets hotter than
hell down here.
Shorts are fine.
Here's the deal.
They gotta go down
to your knees.
Hey.
Sorry.
Where were you last night?
I fell asleep
writing my sermon.
I called you.
I know.
I called you like
five times, Eli.
I turned my ringer off
because I didn't want
to be distracted.
I'm sorry.
Hey.
You're a little tense.
Yeah, well.
I didn't sleep very
well last night.
Hey, could we try something?
Can you go out in the living
room and sit on the couch?
No.
I want to do something.
I want to do something.
What about these dishes?
I'll do the dishes.
I'll do 'em.
Just go.
Just go.
Okay, okay.
Okay, okay.
Babe, you should be
getting to work by now.
And I've got so much to do.
I've gotta get this
whole house ready
for those women coming over.
What is all this?
You know what this is?
What are you doing?
You're ridiculous.
You know what's ridiculous
is how lucky I am to have you.
(moaning)
(door opens)
Jimmy, can you knock, please?
It's illegal.
What is?
[Jimmy] Marrying your
first cousin in Arkansas.
It's illegal.
Oh.
Sorry to hear that.
Well, what should I do now?
I don't know.
[Jimmy] But,
you're a preacher.
(uptempo violin music)
(coughing)
(people chattering)
She has had a sad, sad life.
It's true.
So true.
For her it's that husband
seen galavanting all over town
like a mule in heat.
And then, her youngest son
gets to smoking marijuana.
And now, her other son, Roger.
Well, I'm not the type of
woman who likes to talk
behind people's backs, so we'll
just leave it right there.
Miss Martha, we all
know you're gonna say it,
So why don't you just
go ahead and say it now?
He was seen coming
out of the Tight End.
Cheating husband,
marijuana smoking son,
and now her other son seen
coming out of a gay sports bar.
Miss Martha, what exactly
is your prayer request?
That Miss Angela
will find the strength
to get her house in order.
And let's pray for Missy's
self-esteem issues.
And while we're at it,
let's pray that Brother
Eli will figure out a way
to build the church
back to prominence
like it was when his
daddy was running things.
[Woman] Amen.
Mm-hmm.
(slow violin music)
Sorry.
No, you're not.
I'm not sorry.
I know.
You do this a lot?
Never.
Do you?
Yeah, I have.
I knew the second I saw
you at that potluck.
You had that look.
What look?
You know.
It's hard to explain.
It's more of a feeling.
It reminds me of making meth.
How does it feel like
you're making meth?
'Cause it's dangerous.
It feels so hot.
If you cook it too long, man,
it'll just blow up
right in your face.
[Eli] Do you know
how to make meth?
Yeah.
Hey, you're not making
meth here, are you?
You're not making meth here?
Do you know what'll happen to me
if they found out I was
holding a drug dealer here?
I didn't sell it.
I'll lose my church, Daniel.
Oh, if you're so
worried about your church,
what are you doing here
in the first place?
Huh?
I don't normally do this.
I mean, I have these
feelings, but I normally...
Normally I can stuff 'em down.
I read the Bible daily
and I talk to God.
I ask Him to take it,
to take it away from me, but.
Did you talk to Him today?
No.
Too bad.
Hey, you cannot
make meth here, okay?
No, don't, don't.
Okay.
Hey, you cannot
make meth here.
Okay.
Okay?
Okay.
Give me that.
I want to try it.
Careful.
I'm not gonna be careful.
It's about done.
Okay, give me that.
Oh, I don't like it.
Okay.
You cannot make meth here.
I'm not kidding you
about that, okay?
I'm not clear on
what you're saying.
I mean it, don't.
(choir singing)
(phone vibrating)
Hey, baby girl.
Oh, no.
Daddy misses you, too.
Absolutely.
I can't wait to hear
what's going on at camp.
Did you kill anything?
Really?
All right, that's my girl.
Hey, I put some extra
onions on it for you.
Thanks.
You want an over-under knot?
Jimmy, this ain't supposed
to take all morning.
[Jimmy] I know,
but it's broken.
Just tie it tight like a
cheerleader's grip on her Bible.
Sorry, Preacher.
What do you think?
Looks great.
All right.
Well, you have a
good day, Preacher.
You know what?
Let's get it as high as we can.
I want God to see it
from his living room.
[Jimmy] Higher?
Yeah, get on up there.
[Host] Trevor Pickins tells
me about your annual revival.
It's not really annual.
Okay, that's just
what Trevor told me.
He told me it was an annual.
It's the first one.
Ah. (laughs)
That Trevor, he's a
funny guy, ain't he?
He really loves the church.
Yeah, I could tell
you some stories.
They would get us fired,
arrested, and divorced nowadays.
Yeah, well Trevor's
already divorced.
So.
On that note, let's hear a
little word from our sponsors.
I ain't a dentist, Reverend.
I can't pull no more
teeth, all right?
And we're back.
I miss your father.
I remember him.
He was a great man.
I used to go to his church,
in fact, when I was a kid.
But, now I'm with Brother Aaron.
Well, First Baptist isn't
my father's church anymore.
It's mine.
And with this revival, I'm
taking it in a new direction.
[Host] And what direction
is that, Reverend?
Forward.
What exactly does that mean?
Let me ask you, Jim.
Why'd you leave First Baptist?
Well, my kids.
My kids, they heard Emmanuel
Baptist was exciting.
And whatever keeps my
kids' interest in the Lord
and off their
phones, am I right?
No.
No, Jim.
I don't think you are right.
You know, Brother Aaron
might have the cameras,
and the lights, and the
screens, and all that,
but I'm not Brother Aaron.
I am not Brother Aaron.
I will never be Brother Aaron.
I do not want to
be Brother Aaron.
I'm trying to make something
true, something real.
And it's hard being a pastor.
It's hard.
It's hard to be a Christian.
It's hard to know
what God wants.
And when you do know what God
wants, it's hard to do it.
Jim, let me ask you.
Do you ever feel alone?
Yeah, sure.
Of course you do.
We all feel alone.
We all feel lost.
We all feel scared.
We all feel darkness.
We get caught up in
the small day-to-day
and we lose sight of eternity.
We make mistakes.
I make mistakes.
I've made so many mistakes.
I'm not perfect.
I'm far from perfect.
But, God's love, and His
grace, and His power,
are bigger than that.
And that's what the revival
is about next weekend.
It's about imperfect
people coming together
to feel the power and love.
And they need the strength
to keep on living.
Who doesn't want that, right?
[Jim] All right.
That's gonna do it for us.
Remember, two weeks from Sunday.
First Baptist Church Revival.
(slow violin music)
[Aaron] Woe unto you,
you scribes and Pharisees.
Hypocrites.
For you they're like
whited sepulchers
which indeed appear
beautiful outward,
but are full of dead man's
bones and all uncleanness.
Even so, ye outwardly
appear righteous unto man,
but within you're full of
hypocrisy and inequity.
Woe unto you scribes
and Pharisees.
Hypocrites.
Fill ye up then the measures
of your fathers, you serpents.
You generation of vipers.
How can you escape
the damnation of Hell?
(door closes)
[Eli] You're up late.
[June] Where were you?
[Eli] I was at church.
Something came for you.
This is not what
it looks like.
Well, hey.
Why did you do this?
Sometimes men embrace.
Don't lie to me, Eli.
June, June, June.
I care about you so much.
I love you.
I love you.
I just got confused.
I get happy, but this
thing I know is wrong
and I don't know what I'm doing.
I question things, but.
I can't do this.
June, June, June.
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
I'm so sorry.
I've sinned.
I'm a sinner, but I'm
gonna fix it, all right?
I'm gonna fix it.
I'm back.
Trust me, I will fix it.
I will fix it.
I will fix it.
(uptempo violin music)
[Aaron] Listen, church.
When you go out soul winning,
a lot of you are walking
around, excuse me,
but a lot of you are
walking around like losers.
And, hello.
It's called soul
winning, not soul losing.
You know, you think no
one's gonna listen to you.
Do you think Christ
thought no one was gonna?
I can tell you, He
was not a loser.
You think Christ assumes
folks at your job
aren't gonna get saved?
You think Christ
assumes folks at Walmart
aren't gonna get saved?
I've seen more folks saved
at Walmart than church.
Praise God.
You will be eternally
surprised by who gets saved
and where they get saved.
Look, I do this, too.
I look at a fella
coming out of a bar
and I think that is
the last man on earth
who is gonna get saved.
And guess you what?
There I see him on
Sunday and he got saved
and I start thinking,
what do you guys say?
But, there ain't no way
he's gonna live for God.
I can't really see him
getting into church
or making bigger
changes in his life.
And lo and behold,
God changes people
and the spirit of God has the
power to change the heart.
Listen, church.
When I go out soul winning,
I don't expect to fail.
I expect to succeed.
(door opens)
Hi.
Hey.
How you doing?
Okay.
Blessed to see you.
Yeah.
Brought you something.
What?
You don't have to go to the
library every week to read it.
I don't have anything for you.
Um, I gotta talk to
you about something.
There's a picture
of us together.
So what?
No.
No.
Not you.
You said you wanted
to be with me.
Listen to me.
I have real feelings for you.
And I'm committed to God.
You're committed to God.
Yes.
So, why'd you fuck me?
What we did was wrong.
It's against God's will.
I'm ashamed.
You're ashamed?
[Eli] I'm ashamed.
Fuck you.
Fuck you.
You have to go.
Eli, you want me to stay here.
Daniel, I will pray for you.
I will pray for you every
day for the rest of my life.
(slow violin music)
We all try to understand
God in human terms.
We personify things to
feel closer to them.
We even put words and intentions
in our father's mouth.
We think that he wants
us to buy a new car,
to get a new house,
to get a new spouse.
Can I get an amen?
And we can read our Bibles.
We can say our prayers.
We can convene with
other Christians.
But, does this give us
the right to say that we,
the tiny and insignificant
creatures that we are,
know what God wants in
any given situation?
[Trevor] Preacher?
Yes, Brother Trevor?
I love Jesus.
Yes.
Yes, we know you love
Jesus, Brother Trevor.
Thank you.
I guess my point...
What I'm trying to
say, maybe, is...
There's someone who's come
to break down our
perceptions of God.
Someone who wants
to show us his love
and his unimaginable wisdom.
Do you know who that person is?
Jesus?
Who?
Jesus?
I said who.
[Jimmy] Jesus.
Who freed us of our sins?
Jesus.
[Eli] Whenever we need him?
[Trevor And Jimmy] Jesus.
Lord of Lords.
[Trevor] Jesus.
King of kings.
[Trevor] Jesus.
I said Jesus.
[Trevor] Jesus.
Jesus.
[Trevor] Jesus.
Jesus.
[Trevor] Jesus.
[All] Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
May I help you, sir?
I'm a sinner.
He's a sinner.
Amen.
Amen.
We're all sinners.
We've all fallen short
of the glory of God.
Go now knowing
God is with you.
That God forgives you
and he gave his only son
to die for you.
I'm gay.
I was with a man just yesterday.
All right, okay.
Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Are you sorry for
what you've done?
Are you sorry for
what you've done?
Do you believe Jesus Christ
is the way, the truth,
and the life, and that
no one goes to the Father
except through Him?
I do.
You do.
You do.
Lord, Lord, Jesus, Father.
Come into this man's heart.
Cleanse him from sin.
Forgive his transgressions.
Show him your love, your way.
Help him to go forth a
new man with a new life.
Give him the strength
to overcome temptation.
The will to live for you.
You are forgiven.
(people gasp)
Someone saved this man today.
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
Someone's pull.
Someone's love is greater
than this man's sin.
Jesus, Jesus.
(people chattering)
Hallelujah.
Hallelujah.
Jesus.
Jesus.
[All] Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
Jesus!
Brother Gary, hit the music.
(choir singing)
What the hell were you thinking?
Your people, your church,
they believe in
forgiveness, right?
You just gotta go to your god
and say you're
sorry and that's it.
So, that's what I did.
I got up there and
I said I was sorry.
You do the same thing.
[Eli] Yeah, it's
different for me though.
How?
Because people don't
want a pastor who sins.
Go get your stuff.
I came forward
for you today, Eli.
I did that for you.
You should've asked me first.
You could go up there
and tell them you're sorry.
It would be fine.
That's a stupid idea.
Don't fucking say that.
Stupid.
Don't!
Fuck you!
(grunts)
Get the fuck off me.
(grunting)
Fuck you.
If you really cared about
me you'd leave me right now.
You'd leave town.
[Daniel] Just come with me.
No!
No, I'm not!
Then, I can't leave.
If they find you here,
they'll all be coming.
I don't give a fuck!
Pack your fucking
shit and leave.
Fuck.
Eli!
Eli, no!
Wait!
I'm not leaving, Eli!
You can run to your
god all you want!
I will be right there and
you will still be a faggot!
[Trevor] I mean,
how can you not know
where your husband is?
Trevor.
Preacher.
I just came by to
congratulate ya.
Congratulate me?
Yeah.
Today.
What you did.
It's exactly what
this church needed.
You just saved First Baptist.
Nobody could leave
after the service.
Everybody knew they'd
seen something amazing.
Something that they'd tell
their children about some day.
You know, the birth of a healer.
Phones have been
ringing off the hooks.
The tickets for
our annual revival?
They're already sold out.
There ain't no doubt
we're on the board now.
It's just a matter of how
much they're gonna give us,
and I gotta say, I think it's
gonna be a heck of a lot.
Tickets?
Y'all are selling
tickets to church?
I mean, it's just $6 a piece.
More like a placeholder.
Nobody wants to
get all dressed up
and not have a place to sit.
Whoa, whoa, wait.
$6 is a lot of money
to some people.
I don't think y'all
should be charging at all.
What about the potluck after?
Do people have to
pay for that, too?
June, darling.
Mega churches do
not have potlucks.
Mega churches have banquets.
All right, I'll let y'all go.
I gotta go to the driving range
and kind of work off
some of this energy.
Man.
Okay, you just get
back to studying.
Do your thing.
Whatever you need to do to prep.
But, you be ready come Sunday.
I need a drink.
Yeah, since that's what you
should be doing right now.
Drinking when your
church needs you?
I know you're holding.
I know that you have whiskey
in that old Cheerio box
in the cabinet.
You should go stay
with your cousin.
I don't want you to be here
when the picture comes out.
I took the picture.
You did?
I knew you were cheating
'cause you were happy.
I mean, you know I've never
been treated good, Eli.
But, even when you're unhappy,
or you're not talking,
you still treat me decent.
And you're kind.
You understand me and
you love me in some way.
If you didn't have this
disease you'd be perfect.
Maybe if you didn't
have this disease
you'd be with someone else.
Is that why you chose me?
'Cause you knew I
wouldn't leave you
even if I found out?
Did you ask that man to leave?
I couldn't get him to go.
Where are you going?
I'm gonna go
clean up your mess.
(slow violin music)
[Eli] Consider it
pure joy, my brothers,
whenever you face
trials of any kind.
You know, the testing of your
faith develops perseverance.
Perseverance must
finish its works.
You may be mature and
complete, not lacking anything.
If any of you lacks
wisdom, you should ask God
who gives generously to
all without finding fault
and it will be given to Him.
But if you ask, you must
believe and not doubt.
For he who doubts is
like a wave in the sea.
Blown and tossed by the wind.
(knocking on door)
I'm June, Brother Eli's wife.
[Daniel] He ain't here.
You making meth?
I grew up in the trailer parks.
My mama and I used to make it.
Your mama?
She used?
She still using?
Well, that's good.
She's dead.
Oh.
What do you want?
I come to ask
you to leave town.
I ain't bothering nobody.
Look, you come into my town,
you messed with my husband,
you threatened my
church, and for what?
For what?
He came after me.
I was just sitting there
eating and he came after me.
Eli loves me, not you.
He used you and I'm sorry.
You really think he loves you?
There ain't no doubt that
he'd rather be here with me
than back home with you.
He's not here with you now.
And he ain't home for you.
He's home for his god.
That's who he cares about.
Himself and his god.
You're just another thing
he picked up along the way.
You know, when I was a little
girl, I found this snow owl.
You know, the kind of bird
you usually only see up north?
It was a gorgeous creature.
It's all white,
and soft feathers,
and these deep black eyes.
And it was sick.
It was just lying there
in a pile of snow.
And I picked it up,
and took it home,
and I put it in a baby pen.
And I fed it, fed it dirt,
and worms, and grass.
And it lived.
And every day I'd
take it outside
and I'd try to
get it to fly away
because I knew it was different,
and it didn't belong,
and I wanted it to go.
Someplace where it could live.
And one day I woke
up and it was dead.
See, I did everything
I could for that owl,
but I couldn't make it fly away.
Now, you get out of this
town and don't look back.
You weren't made for it.
I ain't leaving.
I know your kind.
Make him leave, Trevor.
(grunting)
Begone, devil, in the
Lord Jesus Christ's name.
Begone, Satan.
I fill that void
with the Holy Spirit.
(speaking in tongues)
God, I need you to show me.
I need you to show me.
I need you to show me.
I need you to show me, God.
(punches thudding)
(grunting)
God, my favorite.
One of my favorites.
Romans 6:23.
"For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of
God is eternal life
through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Amen.
(grunts)
Greyhound doesn't get
here until the morning.
I'm gonna put him on it myself.
All right?
He ain't going nowhere tonight.
But, you watch him.
Hey, watch him.
(uptempo violin music)
I'm all alone here, God.
I'm all alone.
I just need ya.
I don't feel ya.
I don't feel you at all.
I'll do whatever you want,
I just need you to
talk to me, God.
He won't leave.
He won't leave.
He won't leave, God.
What am I gonna do?
Just talk to me,
just talk to me!
(tires squealing)
[Aaron On Radio] These
filthy, disgusting sickos.
Our life would be a lot
easier for your church
if you just let the homos be.
I look 'em right in the eye.
I'm not looking for
an easy life, brother.
I'm looking for a
righteous one, praise God.
He has made it plain and
clear that homosexuality
is an abomination.
If you don't agree then...
You heard it, true believers.
Going straight to Hell.
(tires squealing)
You say, Pastor, that's so
extensive and so narrow-minded.
Ladies and gentlemen,
when it comes to the
gospel of Jesus Christ,
I'm so narrow-minded
a gnat could land
on the bridge of my nose
and kick both eyeballs out
at the same time.
We are at war,
brothers and sisters.
We're going to war
with the Devil.
Unbelievers will try
to make you think
that homosexuality is
normal, but it's not.
And how do I know?
I know because the
Bible tells me so.
Because the Bible is the
inspired Word of God.
You might say, Preacher, that's
a pretty narrow-minded way
of looking at things,
and I'll tell you what.
It is, praise God.
And I'm as narrow
as the Word of God.
Everyone applauds when the
folks come out of the closet
like it's a badge of honor.
Church, it's time we
come out of the closet.
Brothers and sisters, come
out of the closet for Christ.
Stand beside me and say,
World, enough is enough.
I will walk with God.
I will choose salvation
till the day I die.
Leave.
Now.
[church music]
[louder church music]
[church music ends]
I've got a river of
life flowing out of me
Spring up, O
well, within my soul
Spring up, O well,
and make me whole
Spring up, O
well, and give to me
That life abundantly
Spring up, O
well, and give to me
That life abundantly
(people cheering)
(slow rock music)