Preachers

“A Night of Double Honor”

152 Comments

I post this Sammy Allen man-worship video here in its entirety so that you can fast-forward through it and see that the poor people on the platform are made to stand there for the ENTIRE length of the service — over an hour.

There are also the requisite run-and-scream shenanigans starting at about 1:05:00.

152 thoughts on ““A Night of Double Honor””

      1. I was going to speak to you about your damaging testimony. While I appreciate that your cushion is well used, meaning your butt has been in the pew on the regular, its sad and shabby state just seemed to reflect the shabby state of your soul-winning. You can’t be harvesting in the fields if you’re always at the table, haymen?

        1. In addition, people in the vicinity would really be appreciative if you opted for the model with the built-in carbon filter.

  2. These shenanigans would be very troubling to the fundy camp I was brought up in. This emotionally driven revivalism is way way to close to charismatic pentecostal craziness. Whenever something resembling the work of the Holy Spirit appeared it was quickly snuffed out.

    1. Perhaps this is not exactly what you meant to say, but this faith-ertainment in no way, shape, or form resembles the work of the Holy Spirit.

      What exactly is it that you think the Holy Spirit does?

      3. I was referring to a mistaken stereotype found in my fundy circles about “Spirit Filled” churches that practiced this type of emotional hyperbole and thought it was from the Spirit. My fundy forebears would avoid this at all cost even to the supression of genuine emotion and moving of the Spirit (which this obviously is not)

        I was certainly not seriously indicating that this was a work of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps some other spirits

        1. In my experience (raised Assemblies of God), you were dead on. Just add more noise and some babble, maybe some people falling over in front…

    2. At the end of this video, Sammy Allen pauses in his squealing to say the hand raising, screaming, and running around is “not Charismatic.”
      There. That settles it. 😉

    3. I have been in my fair share of full-on, charismatic, speakin’ in tongues, rattling tambourines, praise dancing in the aisles church services in my life and I have NEVER seen something this chaotic or carnal!

      1. I totally agree with you there. I could hardly watch any of this absurdity!

  3. “Is the tithe the Lord’s? Come on, hep me now”

    Hay-men!

    “We haven’t give nothin’ if we haven’t give above ten percent!”

  4. “Ohhhh yes! Woo! Get in da glory! Lift’em high girl! He’s looking at ya!” This video deserves a remix!

    1. Yeah, the Sammy Allen dance mix!

      Whoops, he’s Baptist. Make that the Sammy Allen running, jumping, and yelling mix.

    2. The fact that he thinks you have to look up in order to look at God pretty much destroys any shred of credibility he might otherwise have. I remember Bill Gothard got on this kick for awhile too about “lifting your face to the Lord.”

  5. None other than “Dr” Phil Kidd sitting up front on the right side wall . This had to be a spectacular night…..NOT

    2. Leaving aside the crucial doctrinal dispute that has nearly split the SFL congregation many times before over the existence of the white piano, just for the sake of the argument let’s grant their existence for a moment. Why do these churches all have white pianos?? Is there some particular reason why they think white is better than other colors? (I mean colors in general, not skin color, of course.)

      1. Because white represents good, and black represents evil. This doesn’t have any connection to skin color, except where it does – especially if your first name is a three-letter palindrome starting and ending with a “B” and your last name happens to start with a “J” and end with an “ones.”

        1. Ever notice in churches with white pianos that the pulpit, pews and other room fixtures are white? It’s not a décor choice, but rather a definite statement of God’s house being pure, as white represents purity. Black Baby Grands are found in symphony halls and other worldly establishments. Anyone, unfortunate enough to have attended a fundy church with white pianos, understands this. It’s just a matter of time that mandatory white pianos & pulpits will be on the Fundy Standards list, along with white shirt & tie for preaching\soul-winning, women’s dress standards, KJVB only-ism, etc. to show the rest of the world that they’re “right with God”!

      3. I attended one IFB church growing up, and three since getting married. They all had either black or brown pianos. White would have been too flashy or non-traditional, I think, for most of the congregations I’ve been part of.

        1. I bet none of those churches were from the Jack Hyles camp! I have a sneaky suspicion that’s where the white piano craziness originated. The churches with white pianos that I’m thinking of are from that camp.

        3. Same here. I have been to several IFB churches and we didn’t have any white ones.

        4. Shine black Yamaha. But our pastor’s wife (A/G church) had left a promising career as a concert pianist to ‘follow God’s will’ and become a pastor’s wife. They were missionaries for awhile, in Hong Kong, then in Amsterdam. Then they came to Puyallup, Washington (about 15 miles east of Tacoma) and the congregation grew from 800 to about 1500. She was always at the piano and it was very good.

          She was wasted on us. Made me sad.

  7. Just a couple of comments for now. I promise to return to this video later for a better listen; I’m sure it will feed my soul.

    1. I had forgotten how painfully shrill Dr. Allen’s voice could be.

    2. I can feel much compassion for the standers. When I first became Orthodox I attended a Russian-tradition church. No pews. A normal liturgy lasted 1.5 hours. Some services, especially during Holy Week, could last twice that. All standing. The stamina of little old Russian Orthodox ladies is legendary!

    When I started attending my more “modernized” Greek-tradition parish, we did have pews and sit for certain parts of the services, but those who serve in the altar only sit during the homily.

    I think accommodating the physical weaknesses of the congregation is just a nice thing to do. Let them sit!!

    1. Our young adult United Methodist Sunday School class visited different churches one summer. We attended All Saints Greek Orthodox Church, and sat towards the front. A friend passed out when the standing and incense started.

      1. It certainly can have that effect on people. 🙂 Tell your friend not to feel too bad about it.

        I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people lock knees and pass out during services. Two of my sons have. One fellow passed out during the incredibly long 12 Gospel Holy Week service. Went down while holding the Cross. Like a trooper, though, he kept his arms stiff and saved the Cross from hitting the ground. I’ve seen ’em drop like anvils, straight to the ground. I’ve seen them slowly fade and wilt like morning flowers. I’ve seen ’em fight it, glazed-eyed, and somehow remain standing and recover on their feet.

        Even bishops aren’t immune. I was serving as sub-deacon for our Metropolitan, censing for him during the Great Entrance. I figured the more the merrier, and really piled it on. How was I to know that billowing incense smoke made him light-headed? In a heavy Greek accent he growled at me, “Vlima! Thymiato!Too much!” He snatched the censer from me and gave it to one of the young altar boys.

        1. Between about twenty and thirty weeks of my pregnancy, I’d get light headed standing still for more than a minute or two. I’ve had to sit down at church because I couldn’t even stand still for the length of a hymn. It’s embarrassing, but better than passing out.

          Thankfully, that part seems to be better. I was able to sing on Easter. 🙂

        3. Congratulations! Is this your first?

          And yes, I’m in my last trimester with baby number 2. 🙂

    2. The average age of our parish is over 80 (at 49, I’m one of the youngest. We’re working on this), and they have to sit down. No one minds at all. I stand, even at the altar, because I have almost no cartilage left in the right knee, and it is not only painful to kneel, but I can’t get back up,

      1. Now, surely, I am getting old,
        for my memory of myself
        as a young man seems now
        to be complete, as a story told.
        The young man leaps, and lands
        on an old man’s legs.

        –Wendell Berry, one of his 1993 “Sabbath Poems”

  8. Sammy Allen “preached” at a campmeeting at my old church years ago; he monopolized the place with an hour-long altar call, for a half hour of which he made everyone who went forward to pray, stand down there and tell the whole congregation why they were at the altar. He passed the handheld microphone around himself.

    One of the Blunkall family told me later she learned a long time ago never to go to the altar after a Sammy Allen sermon.

    1. Yeah, you’ve got to play it smart. If you never go to the altar, people are going to question your spirituality. If you go too often, people will question your spirituality. If you go when someone with no sense of privacy or personal space is leading the Altar Call (such as Dr. Allen), you might be forced to reveal your inner struggles to the entire church.

      It’s probably best to plan sporadic visits to the altar on ordinary Wed. nights. Low attendance. Usually no spastic guest of honor to embarrass you. You can just go, make your appearance, slip back to the pew and your duty is done.

        1. Yeah, you could try that as well. But The Holy Altar Call is an essential feature of the Fundamentalist Liturgy. If everyone just prayed their private prayers in private, how would the Anointed One show his ability to control a crowd if he couldn’t order people to the front to pray?

          And if they didn’t have The Holy Altar Call, what in heaven’s name would they do for the final 20-30 minutes of the scheduled service time?

          And what about those people who use The Holy Altar Call to let everyone know all of the trials and tribulations the Lord is laying on them?

    2. If one is bold enough, one could say “Bro Allen, I came forward to confess the fornication with you last night at the hotel”

      That may stop the practice… it would certainly give everyone pause.

    3. Best way to shut that thing down – have a guy go up there and say that he was having issues with same- sex attractions. Wonder what would happen??? Hee hee!!

  11. At around 13:00, Dr. Allen grabs some poor young man from the audience and screams right in his ear, “When you git in the Glory, you git the CAIN’T HELP ITS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

    Evidently, when you git in the Glory you also get temporary deafness.

      2. 🙂 Yeah, you got it right. Cain’t hep its. When the Spirit gits all over me, I cain’t hep it either. I just go all nuts, shrieking and shaking like a crazed bobble-head.

        1. I hate when a speaker uses a person as a prop. Even more so when he rudely shouts in his ear. Is this what is meant by the “foolishness of preaching?”
          I can’t imagine Jesus, speaking to the multitudes, using gimmicks like Little Richard “falsetto peaks” and Paul MacCartney “head bobbles” in order to reach the hearts and minds of the people. He spoke with “authority”, not with “antics”.

  12. This brings back memories of being a music director 28th degree in fundieland. Having to be a “cheerleader” to get people to praise. Of course, if people were not singing loudly and happy I would get a nice beat down in staff meeting.

  13. Well, I had intended to watch the video and provide a running commentary. I thought it would be fun. But I stopped having fun several minutes ago. My ears hurt. My eyes hurt. My brain hurts from trying to make sense of what Dr. Allen is trying to say.

    I realize serving the LORD might be painful at times–as the good Book says, “I beg your pardon. I never promised you a rose garden.” But this is just too much. Forgive me, brothers and sisters. I’ve put my hand to the plow and turned back. I can’t go on.

  14. Listening to his voice reminds me of Brier Rabbit from Disney’s Splash Mountain/Song of the South.

  15. The saddest thing to me is that because “HE” didn’t tell them to sit down they didn’t. Not one of them! To top it off their blessed chairs are right behind them!!! Grown adults not making up their own mind to do what is smart & rational! I can’t stand it.

    1. It looked to me as if Screaming Sammy’s exhortation was spontaneous. The young singers were probably supposed to sing a few more numbers, and were patiently waiting for him to wrap it up. Foolishly thinking, Any minute now . . . .

      That’s one of the major problems with these old preachers. They git to talking and don’t know when to quit. And no one has the nerve to tell them, “Please sit down. My ears hurt.”

      1. You nailed it. Unfortunately, at about 15 minutes in, Sammy says (paraphrase, here) “I know that we didn’t plan for this service to go this way, but GOD wants it to go this way.” Wait. I’m getting a phone call…hello? Yes. Ok…. Sammy, God just called, and He said you can just shut up now.

  16. It’s all there–the white piano, the drop ceiling, the weird globe lights, the wimmin in proper fundie clothing (although I did see “Dr.” Allen ogling one as she swished up the aisle).

    Near the end some of the folks behind the pulpit were obviously praying for the opportunity to pee.

    1. “Near the end some of the folks behind the pulpit were obviously praying for the opportunity to pee.”

      Probably a good thing they didn’t close the service with “There is a Fountain” . . .

  17. He says one thing I agree with wholeheartedly: “Are ye listnin? Gaaaaawd hep us!

    1. Amen, brother! This whole performance was deeply, deeply weird, from the singers droning on up front to Shoutin’ Sammy with the microphone exhorting reluctant participants in the pews to stand up and holler. I admit, though, that I only understood about every fifth word. Was there a point?

      1. That’s a good description: “weird”

        If I every did show up, this kind of manipulation, and telling people to go forward and pray, and not leave the altar, would have me never go back.

  18. The joys of mild dyslexia: I first read “a night of double horror”. Too long, didn’t watch, but from you comments it seems I was close to the truth.

  19. The hymn that Sammy always reminds me of:

    ♫There shall be showers of blessing
    Sent from the pulpit above
    We shall be peppered with saliva
    Spewed forth from the man-o-gawd.

    Showers of blessing,
    Showers of blessing we need:
    Spittle drops round us are falling
    Sprayed during Sammy’s last screed. ♫

      1. Ohhh…I’m so sorry to hear that. Did you get enough to break out in the “cain’t hep its” too?

        1. It may have been the cain’t hep its, now that you mention it. I just thought it was the extra cayenne pepper I put in the spaghetti sauce last night. *Something* got a-holt on me and set my soul a-fire, bless God.

  20. The service reminded me of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Greenville. Sometimes BJU students would attend on a Sunday night to watch the running and hollering. That was back in “Dr.” Harold Sightler’s days.

    1. I attended a service at Tabernacle. I was ok with the yelling and the guy running down the aisle through the swinging doors..but then someone right behind me stood up and yelled PRAISE THE LORD! Nearly gave me a heart attack.

  21. This is the first I have ever heard of Sammy Allen so I will not disparage him. Does anyone know him personally? Does he use this “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” voice in ordinary conversation or only when he is preaching? Forcing people to go down front and pray at the altar is the furthest thing from the Holy Spirit moving that I can imagine. The fact that Dr. Kidd was in attendance is enough to make me doubt anything that Sammy Allen has to say. I once heard Dr. Kidd say he hated his principal in school and “hoped he was in hell tonite”. That one phrase is so unscriptural that even if everything else Dr. Kidd said was 100% truth, I couldn’t trust any of it. We are to repay evil with good. Wishing someone in hell breaks that. We are to love others (even if they are unbelievers). Wishing someone in hell breaks that. We are to pray daily for God’s will to be done. It is NOT His will that any should perish. Wishing someone in hell breaks that. I don’t think I need to continue.

    1. I should rephrase that about Dr. Kidd being in attendance. If he were simply attending the service, I could in no way hold Sammy Allen “guilty by association”. What bothers me is that Sammy Allen gave him a “place” in the ‘altar call’ and “included” him in the ‘ceremonies’. This indicates that Sammy Allen and Dr. Kidd are “on the same page” doctrinally, theologically, etc. and that is an issue to me.

  22. Ok, maybe this will be my last comment. I went back and listened a little more intently. Actually, many of the words that come out of his mouth are very true. God doesn’t give us grace until we need it. This is true. He said he believes in progressive sanctification. I believe this is true. If sanctification were a “second work of grace” which happened through a trip to the altar, this life would be simple. We could just ask God, “Make me perfect” and BOOM, we’d be perfect. That’s not how God works. He sanctifies us through a lifelong relationship of making mistakes, coming back to Him for forgiveness, and then being that much closer to Him. But why he felt it necessary to talk in that voice, I don’t know. And then, obviously still, at the end of the service he didn’t really “let the Spirit work”. He even told one boy to go down and give his life to the Lord and when the boy told him he was already saved he said “Are you sure?”. the boy said yes so he told him to go pray and make sure he had given ALL of himself to the Lord. No Holy Spirit prompting anyone to do anything, but a LOT of Sammy Allen prompting people to do something.

    2. When are we not in need of grace? I for one believe God’s grace is abundant, overflowing and always flowing to us–because we always need it. We need grace to be forgiven. We need grace to live out the love of Christ. We need grace to be gracious to others.

  23. Ok, this is the last one. I really hope someone knows him personally. Because I would REALLY like to know WHY the “mickey mouse voice” and the “head shake” is used? I mean, if he has a medical condition (something equivalent to tourettes, and I’m not making fun, I’m being serious) then I have compassion for him and understand. But if it’s just because it’s something he wants to do, I have a hard time understanding.

    1. In the IFB, all preaching is performance. I have known VERY few IFB preachers that “preach” in their normal voices. This is because they believe, quite literally, that the Greek word for “preach” means to scream and shout. (It really means something more along the lines of “proclaim,” but fine nuances of meaning are not the IFB clergy’s strong suit.)

      1. I am very interested in that little factoid. Could I ask for elaboration, or a link, or just which Greek word you are referring to? My Greek isn’t up to par, but if I had the starting word, I might get somewhere.

        I’m rather boggled that anyone could think “preach” means “shout”. Mind you, before sound systems… But still…really?? Seriously?? Maybe I just come from a more reasonable tradition or something.

        1. After saying that, I’m remembering. There is definitely a certain cadence to the preaching I’m used to. There’s one local missionary that speaks regularly at my church, and I’ve heard it commented that he doesn’t preach, he just talks. And his messages tend to have a lot in the way of content and challenge and honesty… I’m definitely a fan of “not preaching” when it’s done right!

        2. The word is “karusso” (Strong’s 2784.) It doesn’t mean shout, but I have heard several fundy preachers say that it does.

        3. DS, I’ve heard that same thing. “Bless God, that thar word ‘preach’ is the Greek word kay-russo which means ‘herald’ or ‘proclaim,’ and tain’t no way God’s man can do that in some sissy little mouse voice, bless God!!!! Haymen!? GOD MEANT FOR THE GOSPEL TO BE HEARD, HAYMEN?, AND I MEAN FOR YOU TO HEEEEEEEEAR, IT, HAYMEN?!

          I think the word they are actually looking for is στριγκλίζω.

        4. My fundy-to-greek-back-to-fundy translator says that the word preach means “this is the way they did it in Ye Olde Days before microphones so it is the way we do it today.”

    2. I know Sammy Allen. I’ve sung a few times (10 or so years ago). I’ve also sung in meetings where he was the guest preacher.
      He has had that “‘tic'” for as long as anyone has known him. He is known to have a penchant for taking up multiple offerings in a single service usually using auction style tactics. His preaching style includes quoting dozens of verses of scripture without stopping for breath.
      Once, I was singing it a revival, and he was preaching. Midway through the preaching, he stopped and said, “I feel led to take up an offering. I can’t tell you what it’s for until after, just trust me. I believe it would be the p p perfect wwwill of God. Who’ll give 50? I see that… Here, boy (motioning to a 4 or 5 year old), run and get the money as people hold it out. This is good training for him, in case the Lord calls him to preach. You have to know how to take up a good offering. Okay, who’ll give 20? Anyone only have a ten?” He proceeded to raise about $300. He finally got around to explaining what it was for. “There are four preachers here tonight. I believe the Lord wants then to have one of the Cambridge, wide margin, genuine calfskin leather Bibles of my book table in the back. 4th ear normally go for over a hundred apiece, but I got a special deal. So this offering is to pay for each of these dear men of God to have his very own Cambridge wide margin, genuine calfskin leather KJV Bible!”
      So, almost nothing could surprise me about this man.

      1. I meant to say, “I’ve sung in his is camp meeting in Resaca, GA, a few times…. “

    3. Norm, the technical medical term for the head shake is cainthepitis. It is a outward, physical manifestation of the hidden movement of the Holy Ghost in the soul of a Man of God.

      He’s not to be pitied for this, but admired. He got the Glory all up inside, and it got to break out somewhere!

  24. I never had the pleasure of sitting under his squeaking and I’m glad I didn’t three minutes of the Mickey voice was all I could handle.

  25. I listened to most of the sermon. It was such a dive down the rabbit whole, I couldn’t hep myself or tear myself away. It was a funny feeling.

    Then we got to the end and the creepy breathing exercise and I realized that he literally has these people hypnotized. I am not exaggerating or being sarcastic. I really think that is what is happening here.

  27. Well, I finished it, and am thoroughly disgusted.

    And angry.

    Angry that this kind of nonsense carnival side-show is put on in the name of God. He is worthy of so much more than this travesty.

    He has forgiven ALL my iniquities; He has redeemed my life from destruction; He has crowned me with lovingkindness and tender mercies; He has satisfied my mouth with good things; He is merciful and gracious; He is slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy; He has not dealt with me after my sins; He remembers our frame, that we are but dust.

    (paraphrase of Ps 103)

    Just writing that was healing and cleansing after this manipulated garbage fest.

    1. He listed things his daddy never did again once he got saved. His daddy never drank another drop of liquor. His daddy never drank another drop of vodka. His daddy never drank another drop of beer. His daddy never drank another drop of wine. His daddy never again cussed the mules. He listed 5 things, but really only listed two. My brother and I lived pretty much the same life before we found Christ. He began a relationship with Jesus about 5 years before me. Right after I accepted Christ as my Savior, I was really struggling with stuff like should I get rid of my TV’s, should I stop going out to eat or grocery shopping and stuff on Sunday, should I do this, should I NOT do that… My brother told me two things that REALLY helped me. ONE he said, “Your concentrating too much on ‘doing’ or ‘not doing’ ‘things'”. And second, which is really kind of related to the first, he said, “Christianity has become too much NOT smoking, drinking and cussing”. But to listen to Mr. Allen, being a Christian means you don’t drink and you don’t cuss. What about asking the poor lady standing beside the road if she could use some food? What about loving your wife like Christ loved the church? What about doing unto others as you would have them do unto you? What about being the servant of ALL? I guess those things are secondary and unimportant as long as your not drinking or cussing.

      2. I grew up in northern Ireland (still live there) and wow! you really hit the nail on the thumb! I can identify with what you said

    2. I do want to ask you guilt ridden, because you seem to have the same reactions as me to this. I am assuming you are a born again believer who is finding the LOVE of Christ to be an awesome thing? I didn’t grow up in fundamental, baptist churches. But they were close. Also, I just listened recently to a sermon by Curtis Hutson. WOW!!! He may have been a fundamental baptist, but from this sermon he seemed to be a “Bible” fundamental. Meaning, what he listed as being a fundamental was the inerrancy of the Bible (he didn’t say KJV, just the Bible), the virgin birth of Jesus, the death and resurrection of Jesus as payment for our sins, and Jesus second coming (I think I recall this correctly). Based on these qualifications I’M a fundamentalist. Ok, I’ve got to stop commenting or I won’t get anything else done today.

      1. Yes, I am amazed at the love of Jesus Christ demonstrated for me.

        I didn’t “grow up” in IFB churches, but I did get involved with good ones as a teenager through college, and then got involved in a Hyles-clone church that all of that related baggage… being a shy person, being forced to either be a third-class member or go “soul-winning”, I tried a few times, but feared for my sanity. After about a decade, God opened my eyes and I escaped from that, along with my wife and children.

        Jesus stating that His yoke is easy and His burden is light was a major “wake-up” point because the burden I felt at the Hyles-clone church was anything but.

        Our current church exalts Jesus Christ and I am sometimes overwhelmed at His love. I thank God for His deliverance from the “whatever-you’re-doing-is-not-enough” trap.

        1. Actually, the Sammy Allen campmeeting crowd preach against both Hyles and bju. I have heard some say that Jack Hyles busted hell wide open when he died. They preach against easy believism, giving away prizes for most baptisms, and most everything that defines the Hyles Anderson crowd, even culottes (they call them men’s apparel). Thru are, though, even more legalistic.
          Bju is no good (to them) because of their departure from the kjv, formalism, non-baptist roots, wicked art exhibits, relaxing the interracial rules slightly, non-leather-lung preaching style, allowing ball teams to wear shorts, etc….
          To them, they are the remnant of true Christianity, and it is a mighty tiny remnant!

  28. I don’t think I would’ve stood up when he told me to. I’m shy and I think I would’ve just sat there tight lipped and bright red. I’ve had similar things happen and I just shut down. I always hoped it embarrasses the other person more than it embarrassed me.

    Also, when he started squeaking there at the end my dog started cocking his head to the side like he was hearing a dog whistle.

    1. I’m not sure if I would have sat tight, or walked out. Probably would have walked out.

      I notice that he kept encouraging women to lift their hands high while he stared at them… I kept thinking that some woman might slap him.

      1. I didn’t notice that part – I was reading comments and listening, not watching for the most part. It was just…an odd production all around.

      2. Lifting hands gives me unpleasant flashbacks to the A/G. Just can’t. We had a visiting speaker once who wanted to ‘let the Spirit flow’ and to life our hands. I had to leave. Fortunately, the regulars knew why, so it wasn’t an issue later. That speaker wasn’t invited back.

    2. Absolutely it’s a shame to the other person, not you – and they know it too.

  29. It amazes me that so many here have actually watched the video, and some of you have watched it in its entirety. You are all so much braver than I.

    1. I’ve never heard Sammy Allen before… the voice going up to a squeak reminded me of John Hamblin.

    2. I don’t think brave is the word you’re looking for. I started with the 1:05:00 segment and got grossed out after a few seconds.

  30. Stupidity of the preacher. Equal measure of stupidity for those who remained standing that long. No freaking way would I ever stand for that long. I left one church because the “Praise and Worship Team” sang the same line 18 times before shifting to the next song which they repeated, ad infinitum.

  31. I watched the last few minutes of this video and it reminded me of a Benny Hinn video I saw a few weeks ago. Hinn was ordering people around, telling who should come to him, who should raise their hands, etc. And it looked very close to what Sammy Allen did here.

    1. Benny Hinn has always given me the creeps every time he’s on the radio. No lie. I feel like he’s the kind I wouldn’t buy a used car from. I’m pretty good at pegging people too so that’s probably the biggest reason why I haven’t ever paid any attention to him beyond the radio. Maybe stuff like the video you mentioned of him is why. Now I’ll have to go youtube him to see.

        2. Yup. Officially traumatized and wondering how people like him can get such a big following. Then again I’m recovering IFB/an IFB escapee so I should probably already know that answer. Thanks anyways!

      2. I can’t watch. Hinn is one of the most terrifying of the Charismatic preachers I’ve ever heard. And one of teh most corrupt.

        1. It is a little scary. I find it pretty funny, but only if I try not to think about the poor people he is influencing with his craziness.

          Do you recall back a few years ago he took heat for some nutty idea about the Trinity? I can’t remember exactly what the deal was, but it was something about there being actually nine (yes, that’s 9) Persons of the Trinity. What the . . .??

          And who can forget the kingly lifestyle he enjoys at the expense of his followers, since he is forever flaunting it? I remember seeing him on something or the other and he was showing off his new cowboy boots. The heels were little aquariums with live goldfish in them. What an ass.

          Anyway. You are missing out on a blessing by not watching the video.

  32. Stand up! Stand up! for Sammy,
    Ye fundymentalists;
    Your baptist pope awaits you
    with pulpit-pounding fists.

    All hail his man-of-giddity
    from the very beginning;
    And praise his name forever
    after you go soul-winning.

  33. So what horrific thing would happen if they didn’t raise their hands when they were told to? I suppose at the least it would mean they’re not really saved.

  34. Ugh. I believe that a lot of times when church people ‘feel the power’ or ‘conviction’ or ‘presence’, it’s really nothing more than a misinterpretation of what would normally be recognized as the creeps.

  36. between his diction and his screaming, I really needed him to repeat his phrases like he did so i could figure out what he was saying.
    I have always wondered about the hermeneutics of the fundamentalist sermon. Often their interpretation of Scripture disregards all context–cultural, chapter and book, the entirety of Scripture. But there is also this free flowing, rant that just rambles. They seem to follow every rabbit hole they find as they create the sermon. I couldn’t tell you the points of this sermon. The best paraphrase of the sermon I could give is there are a lot of sins. This guy has been saved, as well as a bunch of others he knows.

  37. What on earth was that?! Why does this pass for preaching? What is all this are you praying/pray agin/pray s’more/try to get a prayer through/you there – head down pray again? Look grandpa, I’ve prayed. More is not impressive, more will not move God to do something different. It’s like his idea of God is the same as the prophets of Baal; God is not an implacable uncaring distant person who must be pestered constantly before He begrudgingly responds. I get the feeling Sammy would be overly impressed if the congregants would indeed resort to cutting themselves. Those heathern prophets sure knew how to worship, haAYYY
    man!

  38. In 1995 I was at Faith Baptist Camp. I had become a Christian there years before.
    Regardless:
    On Thursday Sammy got up and apologized for not preaching Tuesday when God told him to. He didn’t preach because he needed a haircut first. (I wish that was satire, but it is stone cold fact)
    He then said he was going to be obedient and preach on the 10 virgins.(dramatic music)
    He then called out 10 preachers from the audience and had them walking around the auditorium.
    He then called up all the young people 21 and younger to stand up front at the altar area (mosh pit anywhere else)(my wife was 21, I told to stay put if she wanted to live through this….)
    The 10 preachers walked around for a good 15 to 20 minutes, circling the audience while he pointed, shouted, and spit on the young people standing before him.
    He finally had the 10 stop walking and stand behind him while he preached.
    At the end he got some young people to dramatically cry and wave their hands that they needed to be saved.

    Ironically the “10 Virgins” were all married men with children, which I found to be funny enough to laugh out loud when he kept calling them the 10 virgins.

    That was the last time I went to Faith Baptist Camp, and probably the last time I ever will. It was more about donating to meet the cost of the camp then it was about Christ.

    @evangelicalpope <- follow me on Twitter:)

  40. This is the peculiar Appalachian-style branch of fundamentalism in which I was raised. It is on the outermost periphery of the lunatic fringe, and Sammy Allen is one of its patron saints.

  41. This guy gets off on having total control over everyone in the room. Telling women to “stand up”, “raise your hands”, “look at the ceiling” etc. Just an old pervert enjoying his power trip.

  42. Spent many a family vacation at Faith Baptist camp. We didn’t actually go ‘camping’ like other families. We went there. All I can recall is the spectacle, and my very sincere Christian mother doubting her salvation in a traumatic fashion. I remember admiring the vocal quality of some of the youth choir singers, and being sorely disappointed in the cassette tape of Sammy’s wife singing. He declared that she had the voice of an angel. I couldn’t listen past the first two songs. Ha! Eventually, we stopped going. The youth choir started looking and sounding worldly, so my parents decided to look elsewhere for those who had not yet bowed the knee to Ba’al.

  44. Sounds like that preacher is having one hour-long scrotal exam. AmeeeeIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEeeeeeen!

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