Kevin Sekhani has fond memories of Mid-South Wrestling. In early 1980s Louisiana and Mississippi, the pro wrestling show was a TV ratings bonanza, leaving all but the true believers wondering if the Fabulous Freebirds had really blinded the Junk Yard Dog with hair-removing cream.

Mid-South may have also planted a seed with Sekhani. If bitter wrestlers who weren’t really mad at each other could nearly sell out the Superdome, what could preachers who weren’t ...