NR | 1h 23m | Documentary | 2025
The early history of tent revivals in the United States is one of America’s least documented cultural phenomena, according to renowned evangelist Mario Murillo. Tent revivals were legion in the 1800s.
“I Am Living Proof” is a riveting documentary that showcases the jaw-dropping, eye-popping faith-healing that goes on at tent revivals. It’s an in-your-face, this-is-what-faith-can-do, no-ifs-ands-or-buts portrayal that’s rarely, if ever, been seen before.
A Brief History
Tent revivals originated in the early 1800s as a pragmatic way to bring religion to frontier states, like Ohio and Kentucky, that lacked established churches. Also known as “camp meetings,” the first one took place in July 1800 in southwestern Kentucky.
Held in tents or under the open sky, mostly by Methodist and Pentecostal Christians, these gatherings featured prayer, hymns, and emotional evangelical preaching. These attributes were aimed at creating a sense of spiritual awakening, which sparked a rise in church membership and personal faith.
‘I Am Living Proof’
It’s the summer of 2022, and thousands gather under a revival tent in Colorado Springs, Colorado, organized by a community-wide teaming up of local churches, to host the above-mentioned Mario Murillo.
Illnesses and Tribulations
Mary Ercoli experienced a spinal injury, along with extreme and debilitating pain. It left her unable to care for her five children. She eventually had a vivid dream that offered her hope.
Steve Conner experienced an on-the-job traumatic back injury that rendered him sans employment, in unimaginable pain, desperate, and heavily dependent on medicinal marijuana as well as enough opioids to stun a horse. An old school, don’t-talk-to-me-about-Jesus stoic, Steve attempted to dispatch his life with an opioid overdose.
Mario Murillo
The Proof Is Onscreen
“I Am Living Proof” features engaging storytelling and excellent production value. The interviews are heartfelt and authentic, and Mary, Steve, and Bri are caught on camera, getting visibly healed.
You’d think something like this would be enough to send all and sundry sick audience members running to the next available tent revival as fast as their legs can carry them.
Proof is a funny thing though. The healing on display is so shocking that unfortunately for nonbelievers, it’ll just shut their minds down. “It’s clearly staged!” they’ll shout. We live in a time of dismal spiritual faith and a craven, weak-kneed need of “scientific proof.” Atheists and agnostics occupy just 7 percent of the world’s population.
Mary, Bri, and Steve talk about how their newfound relationship with God helped them rediscover hope and meaning in their lives. Stoic Steve, fighting back tears tooth and nail, is particularly compelling. He clearly had had no choice—per his miraculous healing—but to remove the deadbolt from the door to his heart and invite Jesus in. Steve refuses to cry, but I guarantee you, you won’t be so successful. They'll be tears of joy, especially if you’re sick. Get thee to a revival.
While their stories underline the fact that non-existent faith can sprout green shoots of hope and see faith blossom in the face of the miraculous, this powerful message isn’t a guarantee of a faith-conversion for nonbelievers. For the faithful, “I Am Living Proof” will beget a resounding, “Well, of course you’re living proof!”
The Rotten Tomatoes critic body is largely liberal, which in this day and age tends to also mean atheist. There you have a likely explanation as to why nobody’s reviewed this special documentary yet. Considering I’ve personally witnessed faith disappear all symptoms of “incurable” ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease)—ditto for stage-four cancer—“I Am Living Proof” is proof that I’m not the only one. Miracles aren’t as improbable as you think.
