# Snake Handling Churches



## JoeRe4mer

Ok guys who has the guts to actually go there! LOL JK 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObhvOeNCKhs]YouTube - Snake Handling Church Service[/ame]


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## kvanlaan

Brother, you know I'd go, my only concern is that I hear they're sorta Arminian. Otherwise, I would SO be there!


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## JoeRe4mer

kvanlaan said:


> Brother, you know I'd go, my only concern is that I hear they're sorta Arminian. Otherwise, I would SO be there!



LOL yea why didn't we come up with that one!


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## Stephen

I had a seminary professor who has done research on snake handling cults. He read a book by a reporter who invested some groups. This seminary professor actually attended one of these groups simply to observe. It is quite interesting to hear what he tells. I would not even classify these groups as Arminian. There are not many snake handling groups around and they are primarily found in the hills of Tennesse, Kentucy, & W. Virginia. They are not part of the holiness movement or any Pentecostal group. They are independent of any Christian group and are a cult. They are a classic example of how people can destort Scripture for their own purpose.


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## MrMerlin777

They tend toward Modalistic Monarchianism as well. Most are not Trinitarian. Definitely a cult.


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## Southern Presbyterian

I know a couple of different folks that have been to one. They say that they put on quite a good show, but are very suspicious of and cold toward strangers.


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## lwadkins

I think i would use rubber snakes


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## Southern Presbyterian

Try HERE for Wendy Bagwell's humorous account of singing at a snake handling church.


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## BJClark

I know someone who was forced to go to one as a child while he lived in a boys home, it scared him so badly he was terrified of going to any church afraid they were all like that. 

I was able to encourage him to go with me once to a Baptist church once, he sat their the entire time gripping my hand till all my fingers were white, all through the service he was asking--"when are they going to be bringing the snakes out?" I kept telling him "they're not going to be bringing any snakes out." Nobody brought any snakes out, but he still refused to ever go back, he thought I talked to the pastor before hand telling him not to bring any out that day." Never could get him to understand most churches are NOT like that..

But I've always been curious what type of boys home would do something like that...


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## Ivan

BJClark said:


> But I've always been curious what type of boys home would do something like that...



An extremely cruel one...God help them and their kind.


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## Stephen

Most all pastors handle snakes at one time or another in their ministry


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## Ivan

Stephen said:


> Most all pastors handle snakes at one time or another in their ministry



And bitten a time or two also.


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## No Longer A Libertine

More more more, Once bitten twice shy baby!


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## Peter

JoeRe4mer said:


> Ok guys who has the guts to actually go there! LOL JK
> 
> YouTube - Snake Handling Church Service



Snakes are actually a "circumstance" of worship and the regulative principle only concerns "elements" so its OK.


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## Kevin

Stephen said:


> I had a seminary professor who has done research on snake handling cults. He read a book by a reporter who invested some groups. This seminary professor actually attended one of these groups simply to observe. It is quite interesting to hear what he tells. I would not even classify these groups as Arminian. There are not many snake handling groups around and they are primarily found in the hills of Tennesse, Kentucy, & W. Virginia. They are not part of the holiness movement or any Pentecostal group. They are independent of any Christian group and are a cult. They are a classic example of how people can destort Scripture for their own purpose.



The book is "Salvation on Sand Mountain". It is by a NYTimes reporter, whose name escapes me right now.

I lived very near these people for several years. In fact a good friend of mine was a pastor in the same denomination, although his congregation did NOT practice snake handling.

They are a branch of the "Holiness Movement". The local chuch will normally have "holiness" in the name. Not all congregations practice snake handling, and the ones that do are often looked down on by others (in the group) for being "backward". 

The group shares the visual distinctions of other pentecostal groups such as "Oneness" groups such as long hair worn in a bun, long dresses, etc.

One of their ministers was charged with atempted murder for trying to kill his wife by exposing her to repeated snake bites. He held her arm in the snake pit at his house (hey, someone has to raise these things). She passed out from the venom and was an the verge of death when he went in the house and got drunk and passed out. A church member stopped by and saved her life by calling 911.

This split the local congregation. One faction supporting the "Reverend" and his mistress, the other supporting his victim (and ex-wife).

The trial was moved to Chattanooga TN and was a major local story at the time. Dade Co. (GA) sheriff was then Jeff Sommers. I recall him saying at the time "that boy weren't nothing but a con man afore we sent him to jail, he were a con man in jail, and I always figgered that this preacher thing weren't nothin but a con when he got out."

Or words to that effect.

It is a very interesting group. I knew (to verying degrees) 3 ministers in the group and of the three not one was high school graduate. None had any theological training at all. This seemed to be typical.

Do not think however that these were dumb or ignorant men. The one I knew best was elected to the Georgia state senate, and re-elected. He was a very conscientious pastor to his flock and visited them all on a regular (monthly, most of the time) basis. He was burdened for the lost and would often say in political meetings, including senate comtee meetings, things like; "they just need to meet Jesus." Or "They aint got no problem that my Saviour can't solve".

Everyone knew and loved him. No one, not in any other church, or among non-church people had anything negative to say about him.

As was common among pentecostals in the South, they were all teetotal and almost to a man (or woman) smoked like the proverbial chimney.


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## Pergamum

Peter said:


> JoeRe4mer said:
> 
> 
> 
> Ok guys who has the guts to actually go there! LOL JK
> 
> YouTube - Snake Handling Church Service
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Snakes are actually a "circumstance" of worship and the regulative principle only concerns "elements" so its OK.
Click to expand...







Man oh Man....I almost literally fell off my seat laughing!


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## etexas

Confession! I go to a "rattler" handling PCA! The only one in the USA!....seriously.


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## Pergamum

Ha, I stepped on a death adder last week.... I've had enough of snakes for awhile. Call me of little faith.


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## Semper Fidelis

Peter said:


> JoeRe4mer said:
> 
> 
> 
> Ok guys who has the guts to actually go there! LOL JK
> 
> YouTube - Snake Handling Church Service
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Snakes are actually a "circumstance" of worship and the regulative principle only concerns "elements" so its OK.
Click to expand...


Right. The actually element is the slaying in the Spirit.


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## Semper Fidelis

Kevin said:


> Stephen said:
> 
> 
> 
> I had a seminary professor who has done research on snake handling cults. He read a book by a reporter who invested some groups. This seminary professor actually attended one of these groups simply to observe. It is quite interesting to hear what he tells. I would not even classify these groups as Arminian. There are not many snake handling groups around and they are primarily found in the hills of Tennesse, Kentucy, & W. Virginia. They are not part of the holiness movement or any Pentecostal group. They are independent of any Christian group and are a cult. They are a classic example of how people can destort Scripture for their own purpose.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The book is "Salvation on Sand Mountain". It is by a NYTimes reporter, whose name escapes me right now.
> 
> I lived very near these people for several years. In fact a good friend of mine was a pastor in the same denomination, although his congregation did NOT practice snake handling.
> 
> They are a branch of the "Holiness Movement". The local chuch will normally have "holiness" in the name. Not all congregations practice snake handling, and the ones that do are often looked down on by others (in the group) for being "backward".
> 
> The group shares the visual distinctions of other pentecostal groups such as "Oneness" groups such as long hair worn in a bun, long dresses, etc.
> 
> One of their ministers was charged with atempted murder for trying to kill his wife by exposing her to repeated snake bites. He held her arm in the snake pit at his house (hey, someone has to raise these things). She passed out from the venom and was an the verge of death when he went in the house and got drunk and passed out. A church member stopped by and saved her life by calling 911.
> 
> This split the local congregation. One faction supporting the "Reverend" and his mistress, the other supporting his victim (and ex-wife).
> 
> The trial was moved to Chattanooga TN and was a major local story at the time. Dade Co. (GA) sheriff was then Jeff Sommers. I recall him saying at the time "that boy weren't nothing but a con man afore we sent him to jail, he were a con man in jail, and I always figgered that this preacher thing weren't nothin but a con when he got out."
> 
> Or words to that effect.
> 
> It is a very interesting group. I knew (to verying degrees) 3 ministers in the group and of the three not one was high school graduate. None had any theological training at all. This seemed to be typical.
> 
> Do not think however that these were dumb or ignorant men. The one I knew best was elected to the Georgia state senate, and re-elected. He was a very conscientious pastor to his flock and visited them all on a regular (monthly, most of the time) basis. He was burdened for the lost and would often say in political meetings, including senate comtee meetings, things like; "they just need to meet Jesus." Or "They aint got no problem that my Saviour can't solve".
> 
> Everyone knew and loved him. No one, not in any other church, or among non-church people had anything negative to say about him.
> 
> As was common among pentecostals in the South, they were all teetotal and almost to a man (or woman) smoked like the proverbial chimney.
Click to expand...


Kevin,

Thanks for that backstory. By and large Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches have "train wreck" lives underneath the facade of holiness but there are certainly exceptions. It was interesting listening to R.C. Sproul the other day, in fact, recount how he became a new Christian and struggled with sin but had a roommate that was the paragon of virtue. He was of the holiness movement and claimed to have received the second blessing. R.C. went to his pastor to be prayed over and it never "took" for him.

In some ways, it is unfortunate that some men actually live out lives that give a shred of credibility to this notion because it is incredibly destructive to real Christian life and assurance. This notion of a 1st and 2nd tier Christianity doesn't find full expresion as holiness folk define it anymore but it finds it in other mainstream ways. In fact, I believe that most Christians today think in terms that they haven't really "surrendered" enough to Christ and maybe, just maybe this week they'll overcome sin and temptation that has plagued them all week. Even the Purpose Driven Life is oriented around the idea that we are really missing out on the blessing of God until we really show God we're serious before He'll bless us.

There's been a little reformation ongoing in our Church as I've been slowly removing some of those thought processes. There have been a number of recent epiphanies among some regular attendees to Bible Study and Sunday School where I can really see the light go on. They've really never heard the idea that Christ accomplished righteousness as basic as that sounds. It's beautiful to witness when you see a person who's been impoverished for years say: "Yeah. That makes sense. I don't know how I didn't see that before."

Sadly, the reason is that many Churches don't teach it anymore. They might not be snake handlers but they're still approaching God on the basis that He'll bless them when they really make themselves worthy of being blessed.


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## etexas

How can those be legal? I mean I am all for the rightd of Churches and all, but still............


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## JoeRe4mer

Peter said:


> JoeRe4mer said:
> 
> 
> 
> Ok guys who has the guts to actually go there! LOL JK
> 
> YouTube - Snake Handling Church Service
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Snakes are actually a "circumstance" of worship and the regulative principle only concerns "elements" so its OK.
Click to expand...


LOL, but the basic question we should all be asking right now is WWBD?


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## Stephen

Thanks, Kevin for the information. I cannot recall the author who wrote the book, Salvation on Sand Mountain either, but it is a facinating book. Yes, most of these snake handling groups claim to belong to the holiness movement, but as Mr. Merlin said in this blog, they are modalists. Not all holiness groups are trinitarian. It does raise an interesting point about the longer ending in Mark's account of the gospel. If these Pentecostal and Holinesess groups use the longer ending to promote the ability to speak in tongues, cast out demons, and heal the sick, why do the majority ignore the taking up of serpents and drinking deadly poison? They are not consistent with their position.


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