This is another story from a Pentecostal Snake Handling Church in West Virginia that I have visited several times. In this story the snake handling pastor proves 2 hecklers who brought their own snakes wrong and gives them quite a fright. This was almost a snake handling church service gone wrong and the pastor could have gotten bitten if it were not for the Holy Spirit protecting him. So here's another experience of mine with snake handling and the strong faith of the snake handlers in appalachia. Mark 16: 17-18 explains why snake handling is a regular practice in a few churches.

When people hear about snake handling churches they often times think these people are crazy and out of their mind. If your afraid of snakes, and even if your not, it's easy and reasonable to say that anyone who handles venomous snakes is crazy. However, their is a biblical reason why people and churches practice snake handling that in not crazy. Snake handling is in the Bible! Jesus told us in Mark 16: 17-18 that anyone who is a believer in Him "They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them." So I say to those who immediately conclude that all snake handlers must be crazy, "Is it really so crazy to believe the words of Jesus?"

Stay tuned for more on snake handling because I have a few more stories about my experiences visiting this snake handling church!

Mark 16:17-18 New Living Translation (NLT)

17 These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages.[a] 18 They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.”