Wisconsin Megachurch Pastor to Entertain Hollywood A-List at Cannes Film Festival
A Wisconsin megachurch pastor hopes to entertain some of Hollywood's A-list crowd at the Cannes Film Festival in France where he plans to present his popular and humorous "Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage" seminar.
Mark Gungor, of Celebration Church based in Green Bay, usually gives his four-part marriage seminar over the course of two days during speaking engagements, however, he will focus on the "Tale of Two Brains" session where he demonstrates how most struggles in marriage are the result of how men and women think by using a humorous approach.
"This event is for A-list Hollywood producers, directors, actors and actresses," Gungor told The Christian Post. "I don't think they really care two cents about what I think about marriage. They just want to be entertained. Well, I am going to do my best to knock them off of their feet. What doors God opens up as a result of that are yet to be seen."
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Gungor will be one of the entertainers at a party, organized by luxury Swiss jeweler De Grisogono and hosted by actress Sharon Stone, scheduled at the French Riviera Tuesday night.
Usually accustomed to speaking at churches, community events, corporations, and at gigs with the U.S. Army, Gungor is aware of the unique opportunity and anticipates it will be "one wild trip."
"I suppose this opportunity means people everywhere can relate to my message about men and women. It also must mean that my presentation is highly entertaining, considering what they are paying me for this," Gungor said.
He has presented his "Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage" seminars about 30 times each year, using material taken from his own marriage of 40 years.
"I use humor to get my points across. When a couple attends one of my seminars, there are no workbooks handed out, no notes to be taken, no emotional break-out sessions, and they never have to speak in front of a group," Gungor said. "I call it the perfect seminar for men, because they don't have to do anything. Yet, people can remember all the points I raised even years later, because they were laughing when they learned it."
Gungor's presentation at the Cannes Film Festival came about thanks to a French agency associated with the De Grisogono soiree that extended the invitation to him. Also, Gungor believes he caught their attention because of his online presence, that includes his seminar viewed by millions on the web.
"I hope they walk away knowing that the key to getting along with someone is to understand why they do what they do. Because when you start to understand why someone acts the way they act, it changes everything," Gungor said.
He added, "When a woman has a husband who acts in a certain way, it is easy for her to feel angry and resentful towards him. But once she understands why he acts that way - and that almost all men act that way – she no longer feels badly towards him…In my seminars, I don't really try to change anybody, I just try to get people to understand each other."
The Cannes Film Festival is an annual festival that celebrates international cinema, particularly indie and short feature films, and runs from May 14 to May 25.
