Memphis, Tennessee, Full Gospel Tabernacle Church

A few years back, I read an article about a black singer from Arkansas who gave up his singing career to become a preacher and found a church. My chronicle will be about him. His story is quite unusual. It takes place in Memphis.

In 1976, a very successful jazz and gospel singer of the United States became the Reverend Al Green and founded a church called "Full Gospel Tabernacle Church" following the tragic suicide of one of his girlfriends. From a popular singer he became a preacher. The church he founded now has several well established branches in big cities of the US and also in Canada.
However, it is in Memphis that he lives and preaches most of the time. His church is located a few streets away from Graceland, Elvis Presley’s house. But Graceland will seem a very dull visit if you make it after meeting Reverend Green.

We were in Memphis on a beautiful Sunday morning and we got lucky… ALLELUIA, Reverend Green himself was leading the ceremony on that morning. After finding the small church, Brian and I sat on a pew in the last row. It is 10:30 am. There were only two white couples in the packed church. He spots us in the back and invites us to sit in the front row… ALLELUIA. The Reverend’s disciples are applauding… We feel uncomfortable. We go up front, sit down hoping that our presence will be forgotten.

Reverend Green is a good looking man in his early sixties; he has a good face, the silhouette of an athlete and a very nice smile. He starts to preach… ALLELUIA. The crowd listens, fascinated, and so are we. His message is simple: love other people, love yourself and love life. It seems easy at first but it can be very complicated at times… ALLELUIA.

The Reverend is accompanied by a Gospel choir and all the singers are wearing a beautiful black robe. The music is more and more integrated with the Reverend’s sermon. The singers slowly begin to dance and clap their hands. The crowd joins them. The Reverend begins to sing, the choir follows. It is absolutely magnificent to hear them and to see them. Soon, the four pale faces are also standing, disconcerted… ALLELUIA. Some women are crying, others are hugging, and a few of them are kissing. At around 1h pm the ceremony is almost over, the Reverend asks us to identify ourselves… ALLELUIA. The other white couple, from Australia, get the same request.

We were in that church for three hours. Reverend Green found the recipe to attract supporters: his charisma, his message and Gospel music. It is no coincidence that he sold over twenty million albums in the seventies. If you ever pass by Memphis, here is the address of that church. Go, it’s worth it.

Full Gospel Tabernacle Church
787 Hale Road, Memphis, Tennessee, USA

If you travel with a recreational vehicle, facing Graceland there is a nice little park:
Memphis-Graceland RV Park3691 Elvis-Presley Boulevard, Memphis