In Jesus' Name: Taking Up Serpents

"And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils: they shall speak with new tongues;
They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover." Mark 16: 17,18'
Filmmaker/photographer Al Clayton wrote Folkstream's founder Tom Davenport "The interest in snake handlers began with a newspaper report of an arrest at a church outside Newport, TN. This really upset me and friend, Will Campbell and Will drove over to Newport to talk with the sheriff and see if some sensible settlement could be reached. They succeeded and the little church was allowed to continue its services.
Campbell's history of helping folks in trouble goes way back. He walked with the school children in the Little Rock insanity. He was fired from the University of Mississippi for playing ping pong with a black person who was doing one of the marches through Mississippi. .
These church services were so unusual to me, that I couldn't delete them from my database, so I started visiting and photographic different 'Jesus Name' churches in Alabama and Georgia.
At these church services, snakes were taken up,tongue talking or speaking in tongues, strychnine drunk , flaming torches passed under hands and feet, loud, loud music, dancing, rolling on the floor, really exciting stuff. Services started in a mild, restrained way but the tempo went way up, really quick.
I can remember thinking that I could keep count of all the snakes and who had which snake but at one service, I felt something brushing against my elbow. I looked around a some guy had a four foot rattlesnake by the tail and its head was brushing my elbow. I left the service quickly and went outside to lean against my truck, gather my wits, or whatever, thinking like Fred Sanford...this might be the big one.
It wasn't and I went back in and kept shooting.
I began thinking that a movie of these services could provide a better illustration of events than still photos. I bought a Canon Hi-8 video camera and started shooting with that. The sound and motion of the video was really exciting to me so I kept at it , got an editing house in Atlanta to help and advise and we put this together."

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• In
• Jesus
• Name
• Mark
• 16
• signs
• serpents
• rattlesnakes
• snakes
• religion
• appalachia
• Newport
• Tennesse
• William
• Campbell
• Al
• Clayton
• Glenn
• Summerford

[terlew19]

I would worship God sing n dance but when them snakes come out I would make a new back door and flee wow! They must have God  dancing with the snakes..

[catdaddy007fishing]

No Thank You.

[winbloo]

I can pick up poisonous snakes too that are trained and fixed

[kevin61569]

Praise GOD , keep the faith family,,,,,,

[meaner0]

As I stated before there is NO worship here in doing this, Faith cometh by hearing the Word--- and no other way, there is no Preaching or teaching in this act just self gratification , Paul shook that snake off into the fire, they the unbelievers would have thought he was a god if he had danced with it. It has nothing to do with believing in Gods Word, but the Bible dose tell us to search the scriptures to show ourself approved, and in No place do the deciples or THE Savior do this.

[rfraley84]

@meaner0 They don't see it as tempting God they see it as putting faith in God. The Bible states these signs will follow them that believe...if you don't believe then you won't do them.

[kevin61569]

GOD bless you all 

[meaner0]

@diewahrheitistnochda Please don't come down on the pentecostal churches over this, most all of the pentecostal's "do not believe in this" also the pentecostal church is #1 in the world having more members in the world than any other. We believe in Teaching the word of God, Jesus himself was a teacher not a preacher.

[meaner0]

@rfraley84 I do understand, and unlike you I would never tempt God. Not even Jesus would tempt his father, are you stronger than him? I know the spirit of God very well and lifting up holy hands Thanking him and Praising him Giving Him all the Glory that only he deserves, not man, God never puts on side shows, never castes pearls before swine, Only him only my sweet precious Jesus saviour deserves Look What The Lord Has Done.........

[meaner0]

This hurts, They shall recover? how many went home this night sick? Not one time did Jesus do this or his deciples