The Strange and Lethal World of Snake Preachers

Inside this secret cult-like religion, in bizarre renegade churches, worshippers believe in a superpower. They are convinced the Bible has commanded them to hold deadly snakes. Every sermon could very quickly become their last.

If bitten by the poisonous creature, they refuse hospital treatment, believing God will decide their fate. It’s an ancient Pentecostal tradition and one that was dying out – but one young preacher is determined to bring it back. In this incredible story, Sunday Night was granted rare access inside the church so few people ever get to see. We follow Andrew Hamblin as he hunts for snakes, preaches with them, shirks the law and flirts with death at every turn.

In each service, rattlesnakes, copperheads and cottonmouths are taken from their wooden boxes as believers cradle them in their arms, press them to their foreheads and dance with them. For the first time, our cameras are inside.

This story originally aired on April 13th, 2013 on Seven News Australia Sunday Night.

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