G: full Gospel Tabernacle, Memphis, Tenn.

Al Green’s Full Gospel Tabernacle is not far from Graceland. The church is no different from others in South Memphis, a basic seventies building, but the minister is famous. The A.L. Green, soul singer of “Let’s Stay Together” and “Take Me to the River.”

Visitors come from around the world to hear him preach. Al Green wants him to hear his message – not just the music. Trouble is, he can’t preach.Today’s sermon was about “being in church, not just at church.” The visitors were mostly from a little Bible college in Indiana. Al Green asked folks to raise their hand when he called out states. Don Ho also does that at his nightclub act in Hawaii.

When we got down to “the Big Book,” Al Green worked through Revelation 11. But mostly the service was about Al Green. “Some folks come here expecting to hear my pretty voice,” he said. Then he dropped in a few lines of “Let’s Stay Together.”

“Like that guy in the back with his mouth hanging open.”

He was looking at me.