My wife and I recently watched the 1972 documentary “Marjoe.” Chronicling the exploits of a then 28-year Marjoe Gortner. Marjoe had travelled the southern-tent-revival circuit as a child, claiming to be the world’s youngest ordained minister at only four years old.
Years later, Gornter returned to the preaching circuit, this time with a documentary film crew, to expose himself as a con artist and also to call attention to several other ministry personalities who were defrauding men and women across the nation.
In 1972 when the film was originally released, the idea of a con-man minister wasn’t as nearly widespread as it is today. Modern audiences watch with disgus but without surprise, having been desensitized by Robert Tilton and others. Watching the film, it’s interesting to see the obvious influence of Mick Jagger on Gortner’s stage presence and the obvious influence of Gortner on Rod Parsley. It’s also interesting to watch as many of the tactics Gortner freely used as gimmicks continue in the ministries of many televangelists, even today.
But what is perhaps most interesting about Gortner is a seemingly passing comment that he makes. In one scene, Gortner is saying that he doesn’t consider himself to be evil, bad sure, but not evil; anyone who gets up and says things they don’t believe is bad, but he’s not evil. He then asks a seemingly passing question: “Can God save a religion addict?” This struck me as the crucial point of the entire fim. While the film makers want to you to focus on Gortner’s betrayal and shuckterisms, I think that they’ve actually asked a more penetrating question that they could have ever realized.
America is full of “religion addicts” but it is not full of Christians. By reducing salvation to a one-time event, we have had to come up with all kinds of ways to keep people excited about it. The Pentecostals look for the “baptism of the Holy
Ghost,” while Fundamentalists (or some Baptists) erect lists of do’s and don’ts and you progress by keeping the code. Others try to do away with it all and seek to simply dialogue, but the truth is, even many professing Christians are still looking for sometime more.
Gortner’s passing comment has in fact hit the nail on the head of some of the great difficulties with many interpretations of Christianity. We have so greatly reduced salvation to the point that it’s no longer enough. Yes, it’s a “get-to-heaven” card, but for many it means precious little to life here and now. Rob Bell discusses this in his book Velvet Elvis when he says:
“If we only have a legal-transaction understanding of salvation in which we are forgiven of our sins so we can go to heaven, then salvation essentially becomes a ticket to somewhere else. In this understanding, eternity is something that kicks in when we die. But Jesus did not teach this. Jesus said that when we believe, we have crossed over from death to life.”
The sub-par understanding of salvation that so many possess leaves them “religion addicts” because they don’t understand the full picture of salvation life, not just for eternity, but for the “here and now.” We must be shaped by the Scripture and admit that this will sometimes mean we must rethink our popular notions, such that salvation is simply a one-time experience and only has ramifications for eternity. So many are left wanting more because they have no idea what they already have in Christ.
I in no way condone Gortner’s actions. But I do find it interesting that even the admittedly lost people of this world see that the way so many practice their faith lacks so much.
- Read Wikipedia’s entry on Marjoe Gortner.
- Read the IMDB entry on the film.
- Buy Marjoe.
- Buy Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell.
Your post today forms the perfect trifecta with your two previous posts.
We’ve cheapened what our Saviour has done on the cross by adding requirements and searching for “greater” experiences. This in not just a problem for Southern Baptists (and I most certainly hope that you and others will be a positive catalyst for change within the SBC), it has been a problem going way back to when there was a church in a place called Galatia, and I’m sure it can be seen under the Old Covenant as well, before Christ first established his church.
God save the church!
- Sean
I enjoyed this essay, and would to love to read more like it on this important subject.
I saw “Marjoe” way back in 1985 while in semitary … I mean seminary. The film has been around a while! If I can ask … what do you mean when you say … By reducing salvation to a one-time event? I guess I am out of the loop … for I believe salvation is a one time event.
Bob, a great (and important) way to think of salvation as past, present, and future events. As in “we have been saved” (regeneration and justification), “we are being saved” (sanctification and preservation), and “we will be saved” (glorification). Now since I’m not the one who wrote “By reducing salvation to a one-time event” I don’t know that this is what Brent is referring to, but I still think it’s a very biblical way to understand what the Bible speaks of in terms of salvation.
“Now I would remind brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preaced to you - unless you believed in vain.” - 1 Cor 15.1-2
Salvation is a one-time event, but it is more than that. It is for all of life and it is continuous. However, much of modern Christianity has simply said that if you can point to a “one-time event” (not necessarily salvific) like walking an aisle, signing a card, etc. then that’s all you need to worry about and the result is that the idea of salvation has little to no impact on the rest of life.
The other aspect is that salvation is “holisitic,” it is for the whole person. It is more than just a “get into heaven free” card but ought to affect every area of life for believers. But by reducing it to a simple, one-time formula, many professing believers actually don’t understand the full ramifications of salvation for all of life and end up still looking for more.
I’m not sure if I answered the question well or not? If not please let me know.
Hey Sean, appreciate your answers. I can agree with the progressive thought, but let’s face it sanctification is not salvation and glorification is not salvation, though they are a continued result of being saved. But I do understand what you are saying.
Brent I totally agree with you … salvation is not to be left in the past of when I walked the aisle, etc. I like the “holistic” term and salvation is more than getting my ticket punched to heaven.
Thanks for your defining the thoughts. I agree. - Bob
Bob, I understand what you mean when you say that sanctification and glorification are not really salvation, but in terms of being delivered from the enemy they really are in fact salvation and a reason to praise God! Glorification is salvation completed once and for all: no effects of sin, a resurrection body, and we will always be with the Lord. This is one of the key components of “innaugurated eschatology.”
I think that it’s key to point out here that Western Christianity in particular has come to define salvation simply as justification (a one-time event) when really, it is justification, sanctification and glorification. The term is used in all three tenses and, while it certainly is a one-time event, it is also ongoing and yet to be completed.
I love that documentry…!! quite fascinating
