The Serpent Handlers : Three Families and Their Faith

"And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." The believers who take Mark 16: 17-18 as a central tenet of their faith call themselves Signs Followers.

Their churches are located mainly in the southern Appalachians, though people practice the faith in nearly every US state. Previous accounts of the Signs Followers have focused on the sensational aspects of the religion: picking up poisonous snakes, drinking strychnine, handling fire, speaking in tongues, healing the sick, casting out devils.

The Serpent Handlers allows the Signs Followers to speak for themselves.

It focuses on three families, members of which tell personal stories about their involvement in the church, the community, and family life.

They tell how the Bible compels them to put their lives on the line by taking up snakes, and what it feels like to do so.