Sword swallowing is a ‘demonic’ act to ‘seduce men’, says pastor after America’s Got Talent daredevil was invited to perform fiery act at Missouri megachurch in front of shocked congregants

A preacher slammed an America’s Got Talent sword swallower as a “Jezebel” who is “trying to seduce men” after his daredevil performance at a megachurch men’s convention.

Alex Magala performed his daring act at the Stronger Men’s Conference in Missouri on April 11, riding a motorcycle onto the stage, taking off his shirt, swallowing a sword and sliding down a 40-foot pole as flames erupted behind him .

But not everyone in the congregation enjoyed the America’s Got Talent star’s act, with a follow-up speaker, Pastor Mark Driscoll, labeling it as demonic.

Addressing the crowd, Driscoll said Magala “had the Jezebel spirit of seducing men” and “took off his shirt like a woman does in front of a pole in a strip club.”

The host James River Church’s pastor, John Lindell, then intervened, ordering Driscoll off stage, telling him he was “out of line” and defending Magala as a married family man.

He rode a motorcycle onto the stage, ripped off his shirt, swallowed a sword and slid down a 40-foot pole as flames erupted behind him.

Pastor Mark Driscoll denounced it as demonic and called him a ‘Jezebel’

Alex Magala was invited to perform at the Stronger Men’s Conference on April 11 – which “exists to empower and motivate men to live out God’s view of manhood” – alongside well-known religious figures and acts.

His performance went off without a hitch, the daredevil rode a motorcycle onto the stage, then pulled a sword from a microphone stand and swallowed it down with a flick of his wrist.

He then climbed a 40-foot pole and slid down it head first at speed, all with the sword still in his throat, stopping just inches from the ground. He stopped with his arms crossed as the flame machines went off behind him.

The act earned him international fame on both Britain’s and America’s Got Talent, where he reached the final and quarter-finals respectively, but some in the crowd at the James River megachurch were harder to win over.

One of the next speakers at the conference, Pastor Mark Driscoll of Trinity Church in Arizona, took the stage and condemned his actions, saying, “Before the word of God was open, there was a platform. It was a high place.

‘On it stood a pole, an Asherah. The same thing used in a strip club for women who have the Jezebel spirit to seduce men. In front of it was a man taking off his shirt like a woman does in front of a pole in a strip club.’

Organizer, Pastor Lindell, then called Driscoll off the stage and told him he was “out of line” for criticizing Magala.

Lindell later published a full rebuke of Driscoll, saying: “We call on you to publicly repent for refusing to stop the spread of lies about Alex Magala, a Christian brother.

“Yes, Alex, like many Christians, has a past, but he has been made into a new creation. He was made a new creation through his faith in Jesus Christ.”

Pastor John Lindell of the megachurch that hosted the conference pulled Driscoll off the stage and apologized to Magala

He said Magala is a “family man” and a “Christian brother.”

After a video of his performance and subsequent reaction was shared online, supporters flocked to Magala

In his onstage speech, Driscoll referred in part to Magala’s previous stint in strip clubs.

Magala grew up poor in Moldova and moved to the US for a better life.

He told DailyMail.com in 2016: ‘My childhood dream was to get a bicycle, but I never got one. Everything I achieved, I achieved myself, without any help.’

When he arrived in the US, he couldn’t get a job and started stripping to make ends meet. He said: ‘I’m here performing for people and I think it’s completely legitimate. I have an impeccable reputation. I never drink, I’m never late. I work 100 percent, hard.’

After a video of his performance and subsequent reaction was shared online, supporters flocked to Magala.

One wrote on Instagram: “I’m sorry you were put at the center of something that should have been handled with more respect and grace from both sides.”

Another said: ‘I’m not sure if it’s suitable for a church setting but if you’re invited that’s their business.’

After the conference, Magala took to social media to defend himself and slammed Driscoll for criticizing his past work as a dancer in strip clubs.

He said: ‘I wanted to offer Pastor Mark Driscoll to move to a country on the other side of the planet, like China or Russia, where he has never been before, where he has almost no knowledge of the language, no friends, no family. and $60 in his pocket, and see how he makes it.”

He added: “I know my way of expressing my faith is different. And let me explain real quick… that’s how I see it.

‘When I perform, I swallow a sword and do a death stunt where I climb on top of the pole and then go upside down.

“The moment I fell, that is for me, is the moment I give my life to God. And the moment I stopped an inch before I hit the ground, that’s the moment I’m saved by God.”