Serpent-handling pastor profiled earlier in Washington Post dies from rattlesnake bite

Washington post ^ | 5/30/2012 | Julia Duin

[Morgana]

Mack Wolford, a flamboyant Pentecostal pastor from West Virginia whose serpent-handling talents were profiled last November in The Washington Post Magazine , hoped the outdoor service he had planned for Sunday at an isolated state park would be a “homecoming like the old days,” full of folks speaking in tongues, handling snakes and having a “great time.” But it was not the sort of homecoming he foresaw.

Instead, Wolford, who turned 44 the previous day, was bitten by a rattlesnake he owned for years. He died late Sunday.

Mark Randall “Mack” Wolford was known all over Appalachia as a daring man of conviction. He believed that the Bible mandates that Christians handle serpents to test their faith in God — and that, if they are bitten, they trust in God alone to heal them.

He and other adherents cited Mark 16:17-18 as the reason for their practice: “And these signs will follow those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

[Southern Partisan]

Church ain’t over until the snakes are back in the box.

[The Antiyuppie]

“Wolford was 15 when he saw his father die at age 39 of a rattlesnake bite in almost exactly the same circumstances.”

You know, some of the most valuable lessons I learned from my father involved what NOT to do...

[Ellendra]

Arsenic you could work up a tolerance for, but cyanide? Destroying Angel mushrooms?

I was under the impression that arsenic builds up in the body, like other heavy metals.

[dayglored]

> Church ain’t over until the snakes are back in the box.

When I decide it's time for a new tagline, that's it! What a proverb!!

[cva66snipe]

The link below is to a video by the late Wendy Bagwell. He was a Gospel Music singer and comedian/story teller. He tells the story of where he and his two singers visit a snake handling service. The video is about 9 minutes long. Here come the rattlesnakes

[Daffynition]

[Ezekiel]

Mack Wolford, a flamboyant Pentecostal pastor from West Virginia whose serpent-handling talents were...

...overrated

[Slings and Arrows]

Somebody’s got to add chlorine to the gene pool.

[Daffynition]

[Slings and Arrows]

That’s what happens when you don’t give your kids enough attention.

[Terry Mross]

Here come the rattlesnakes!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Wne0Q3ZnjU&feature=related

[WVNan]

Ah, Bro. Wendy Bagwell. Now that was comedy. “Jist look for a door.” “I already did an’ there ain’t one.”

[fabian]

It was not faith at all...just ego problems like most of the world.

[bray]

I just don’t have that kind of faith which is why I am a Stapler Handler.

Pray for America

[cva66snipe]

Ah, Bro. Wendy Bagwell. Now that was comedy. “Jist look for a door.” “I already did an’ there ain’t one.”

"Reckon where do they want one?" LOL

[AirForceVet1988]

Some get so wrapped up in their faith that they do go off the deep end.

Everybody's deep end is a little different. It depends how tall you are. Makes life interesting.

[AirForceVet1988]

I guess I’d pick up a snake if God told me to.....but I’d make darn well sure it was Him speaking first.

How would you know for sure, one way or the other ?

[Twinkie]

So many of these people seem to be almost in bondage to this sort of thing. It seems like in a way that they’re locked into and pressured by their peers and spiritual authorities into something that doesn’t serve them or the Lord all that well. - “Decently and in order” is a good rule of thumb. Of course, I’m not the judge - Christ is - and for that I’m thankful.

[Titan Magroyne]

I guess I’d pick up a snake if God told me to.....but I’d make darn well sure it was Him speaking first.

How would you know for sure, one way or the other ?

---

Why Ah'll tell ye how, it's the day mah Gawd strikes me dumb --

Uh oh...

[wardaddy]

Lol