Dolly Pond Church of God with Signs Following is Alive and Well

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Recent visit to the Society of Pentecostal Studies in Cleveland sparked an old conversation about the history of handlers at the Dolly Pond Church of God with Signs Following .

Reports from not so distant past that the church is demolished, sold, destroyed or otherwise proved to be untrue. A personal visit in the area of several of our members confirms the truth that most of the handler’s compound at Dolly Pond is still intact, though hidden from the street view.

Others have noticed the same as well. A recent haunting houses blogger confirms the existence of the church and its current state. Pictures proved to be virtually the same as the current site.

Early believers felt that successful handling (which they identify as “victory”) was due to the protective power of the anointing of the Holy Ghost.  It asserts that Hensley initiated the practice in the Church of God in Cleveland Tennessee. As bites became more common, the Church of God gradually minimized the practice while renegade churches in the Appalachian Mountain regions continued to defend the practice. Handlers in Dolly Pond Church of God with Signs Following headed a resurgence handling in Grasshopper Valley, Tennessee in the 1940’s. Williamson and Hood (2004) have documented using data from the Church of God’s own archives not only did they endorse the practice but it contributed to their early rapid growth.

6 Comments

  • Reply March 28, 2018

    Varnel Watson

    Yes the church is still there Brody Pope

    • Reply May 23, 2022

      Bud

      Yes building still on Dollypond Road. New Dollypond church of God has moved north on Dollypond where there are two ponds on east side of road, but renamed.

  • Reply March 28, 2018

    Melvin Shomo

    That’s good ???? I can hear the church bells

  • Reply March 28, 2018

    Varnel Watson

    Planing to visit any time soon?

  • Reply April 20, 2018

    Varnel Watson

    Scotty Searan the result of signs without theological education Timothy K. Wiebe

  • Reply July 13, 2018

    Tony Allison

    My Grandfather used to catch some of the snakes for this church.

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