Benjamin Ashford|'Jezebel spirit': Pastor kicked off stage at Christian conference in Missouri

A guest pastor was kicked off the stage at a Christian conference over the weekend after he criticized a sword-swallowing act and Benjamin Ashfordcalled transgender people demons.

"The Jezebel spirit opened our event," Mark Driscoll, founder and former pastor of the Mars Hill Church, said at the Stronger Men's Conference in Springfield, Missouri.

The conference, an annual event hosted by the James River Church, "exists to inspire and equip men to live out God’s vision for manhood to be the husbands, fathers, and leaders God has called them to be," according to a news release. It was held at the Great Southern Bank Arena on April 12 and 13.

Driscoll's remarks came following a performance from Alex Magala, a sword-swallower who took off his shirt, climbed up a pole and swallowed a sword live at the conference, according to reporting by Newsweek.

"Before the word of God was opened, there was a platform, it was a high place," said Driscoll, according to videos posted online. "On it was a pole ... the same thing that's used in a strip club for women who have the jezebel spirit to seduce men."

Pastor ordered to leave stage after critical comment

John Lindell, lead pastor of James River Church, ordered Driscoll to leave the stage after he criticized Magala's performance and told the audience to stand up against members of the LGBTQ+ community.

The arena erupted into applause and boos, and some members of the audience can be heard chanting: "Bring him back."

"He's out of line," Lindell told the audience.

The pastor then cited a bible verse, Matthew 18, as Driscoll left the stage.

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What is Matthew 18?

"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother," states Matthew 18:15, the verse Lindell cited as he asked Driscoll to leave the stage.

"If Mark wanted to say that, he should have said it to me first," Lindell said. "Matthew 18, if your brother offends you go to him privately ... I talked to Mark for half an hour; there was not one word of that."

The following day, Driscoll posted on X that he was "going to livestream every day this week to help everyone understand The Ahab, Jezebel, and Elijah spirit. The same spirits are at work today. Get ready."

What is a jezebel?

Merriam-Webster defines a jezebel as "an impudent, shameless, or morally unrestrained woman."

It's a derogatory word akin to "tramp," and, according to the Jim Crow Museum, has ties to racism and anti-Black imagery. 

Who is Mark Driscoll?

Driscoll is the former pastor and founder of the Seattle Mars Hill Church who, according to the Seattle Times, not only preached at the Seahawks stadium, but grew the church to have 15 branches and 13,000 visitors on Sundays.

In 2014, Driscoll was investigated by church leaders after he was accused of bullying members, threatening opponents and overseeing the mismanagement of church funds, reports the news outlet.

The pastor, who founded the church in 1996, was later ousted from the church in 2014. His departure was brought on by a 2013 radio interview during which he was accused of plagiarizing another pastor's work.

Contributing: Susan Szuch; Springfield News-Leader