"A Kentucky pastor who starred in a reality show about handling snakes during church services, died Saturday night after a fatal snake bite, police said.
Pastor Gregory Jamie Coots — the star of the National Geographic Channel’s “Snake Salvation” — died at Full Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus Name in Middlesboro, Ky., after suffering a snake bite to his finger, Middlesboro police spokeswoman Jeannie Miller told NBC News on Sunday.
Coots was bitten at the church at 8:30 p.m. but died at his home two hours later, after refusing medical treatment “because of religious beliefs,” Miller said.
Handling snakes is practiced by a handful of fundamentalist churches, based on an interpretation of certain Bible verses that say true Christians should be able to handle serpents without being harmed.
National Geographic’s senior vice president of communications, Chris Albert, said the channel had no plans for another season of “Snake Salvation.”
“However, we hope to air a special tribute so people can understand Pastor Jamie and his method of worship and see that he died doing what he believed was his calling,” Albert said." NBC
"Does handling a poisonous snake prove that you are anointed of God? The Bible seems to indicate that some people will be able to take up serpents and not be harmed. Is that what Mark 16:18 really teaches?
Does the Bible encourage believers to purposefully handle poisonous snakes as a demonstration of faith? The passage often quoted to support this activity is Mark 16:17, 18, which says, “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 hands on the sick, and they will recover.” What does this passage teach?
But for the purpose of proving one’s faith, even Jesus turned away from the devil’s challenge that He jump from the pinnacle of the temple to show that He was divine (Matthew 4:5–7). Jesus said, “You shall not tempt the LORD your God.”
The strongest evidence of Christ’s divinity was not found in miraculous signs to show off His power. The highest proof that Jesus came from heaven was found in His righteous character.
The Savior performed miracles, but they were to relieve humans from suffering, not to appeal to curious or doubtful onlookers. The power of the gospel is not demonstrated in a believer’s life by performing a miracle to show we have faith. It is seen in a changed life." AmazingFacts
