A pastor has found online fame after footage was shared of him swooping onstage to give his sermon using wires attached to the ceiling.
Pastor Bartholomew Orr’s grand arrival was met with some laughs from the crowd at Brown Missionary Baptist Church in Southaven, Mississippi, and has been viewed millions of times on Facebook.
Mr Orr said the cables were set up for the Church’s Christmas production and he decided to try them out last week outside of service.
The pastor posted a video of himself on the cables while the Church was empty and as a result many of his Church members asked him to fly in for the Sunday sermon.
“This is why I believe God orchestrated it all because the idea fit with the passage of scripture I’m preaching,” the 49-year-old told the Press Association. “The passage says to ‘be patient for the Lord’s coming is near’ and it worked perfectly.
“Just as Christ’s return is going to be unexpected, my flying in was unexpected.”
The viral video was posted to Facebook by Zaknedria Webb, who said the preacher was trying to demonstrate “when Jesus returns every eye will see him”.
I believe I can FLY!!!Posted by Bartholomew Orr on Wednesday, November 21, 2018
“It wasn’t nerve-wracking believe it or not, but wearing the harness was not comfortable to preach in,” added Mr Orr.
The preacher said he kept the harness on throughout the two hour sermon because he used the cables again to fly off the stage at the end.
Asked if he will fly again for a service, Mr Orr said: “If the Lord leads me to use objects I will continue to use objects and so who knows what might be coming up.
Comments on the video of the sermon vary from “he come floating in like he just getting in from heaven” to “I was waiting on a flip and for Beyonce Baby Boy to come on.”
Mr Orr, who marks 30 years as pastor at the Church in January, said despite some negative and mocking comments he is thankful for his religious message being spread.
“God, in a unique way has spoken to eight million folks, and told them Jesus is returning,” he said.
“At the end of the day that message is going forth and I’m all excited about that.”
Mr Orr also gave a response to the attention in a speech to camera later posted on the Church’s Facebook page, with the caption #theflyingpreacher.
#theflyingpreacherWe’re glad so many people have been reached by this weekend’s “unexpected” sermon, “Are You Ready for His Return?” Hear all about it from Pastor Bartholomew Orr! #YearofFaithPosted by Brown Missionary Baptist Church on Sunday, November 25, 2018
In the video, the pastor thanked Ms Webb, who was visiting the Church with her mother, for posting the video and “getting the word out”.
