Controversy erupted at the Strongest Men’s Conference in Springfield, Missouri, hosted by James River Church, a notable Pentecostal megachurch, when pastor Mark Driscoll publicly criticized a “striptease show-type performance by Alexandr Magala, a sword-swallower and striptease artist.” Las Vegas known for his past as a male stripper.
The incident unfolded after Magala, also known for his appearances on “Britain’s Got Talent,” performed at the conference shirtless. The outspoken pastor took the stage and expressed his dismay, suggesting the performance was similar to the seductive acts found in a strip club and indicative of a “Jezebel spirit.”
The term “Jezebel spirit” originates from the biblical figure Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab, who is mentioned in the Books of Kings in the Old Testament.
In contemporary Christian thought, the “Jezebel spirit” is seen as a spirit or demonic influence that leads individuals, particularly women (although not exclusively), to engage in similar behaviors attributed to Jezebel, such as manipulation, sexual immorality and rebellion against the will of God. orderly order.
Below is the performance of sword swallower Alexandr Magala:
“Megachurch has a performance similar to a striptease show at a men’s conference”. Guest speaker Mark Driscoll spoke against it and was ejected from the stage.
Incredible that any church allows this. Reason #538 for not attending a megachurch.#ChristIsKing @pearlthingz @soberanobrah @scrowder… pic.twitter.com/Fl2Vd3DDhn
-Caeden (@thecfrazier) April 14, 2024
“The spirit of Jezebel opened our event… On top of it there was a pole… The same thing that is used in the strip club for women who have the spirit of Jezebel to seduce men. In front of that was a man who tore off his shirt like a woman does in front of a pole in a strip club… That man, then, is sinning,” Driscoll said.
John Lindell argued that Driscoll had crossed a line by not expressing his concerns directly to him before addressing the audience.
“If your brother offends you, go to him privately. I talked to Mark for half an hour. There wasn’t a single word… If he wanted to say it, he could say it to me first. He did not do it. You may not agree with me. You may not agree with him. But we are brothers in Christ and there is a right way to handle this,” Lindell said.
According to social media users, the two pastors later returned to the stage to discuss the proper way to handle such disagreements within the church community.
The social media response has been mixed. One user defended the performance as mere male acrobatics, arguing that seeing it as sexual in nature speaks to the viewer’s own problems. On the contrary, Twitter user Caeden, who shared the video, emphasized Magala’s history as a stripper, suggesting that the intention of the performance was indeed sexual.
He added: “This was NOT an issue with Lindell, it was an issue with a performance that occurred in front of the church, therefore it needs to be addressed publicly. “Lindell made this an issue for him, which is even more alarming because he DID allow it.”
The Gateway Pundit has reached out to the Strongest Men Conference for comment.
LOOK:
NEW: Pastor Mark Driscoll is kicked off stage at a men’s conference after criticizing Pastor John Lindell for allowing a demonstration by a male stripper.
The incident occurred at the Strongest Men Conference in Springfield, MO.
After the Las Vegas stripper and the ‘sword swallower’… pic.twitter.com/hlDHqHHriY
– Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 14, 2024