Pastor Arrested In Illegal Snake Bust

So this is what happens when you take one verse and the Bible too literally. Sure glad I do not go to this church (Full Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus Name in Middlesboro, Kentucky - There is no church website that I couldn find these people probably don’t believe in the intranet because it is not in the Bible). A lady was killed in the church around 1995 from a snakebite. From what I gather the handling of snakes takes place in a minority of churches in the Appalachia region. This practice is taken from the Bible verese where it states true believers can take up serpents, Mark 16:17-18:

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

These people call themselves “Sign Followers” and they don’t just hanlde snakes but take Mark 16:17-18 literally and practice handling fire, healing the sick, drinking strychnine, and casting out demons. And appearenlty this is done not to prove anything, but conform to the Word of God. The churches are independent and are connected to three American movements in Protestantism: Holiness, Pentecostalism, and Fundamentalism. These people generally consider themselves as Holiness, and like fundamentalist believe in the literal interpretation of scriputure.

There actually has been a book written about the Coots family (the pastor who was arrested was actually interviewed for the book). The book is The Serpent Handlers: Three Families and Their Faith written by Fred Brown.

The whole thing sounds to me like Luke 4:12 where testing God is not trusting God.


See article about pastor being busted:

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/07/11/pastor_among_suspects_in_illegal_snake_bust/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Latest+news