by Christopher Hutton

January 17, 2022

-Washington Examiner

 

A pastor in Tulsa, Oklahoma, decided to share more than just the Bible from his pulpit.

Michael Todd, the pastor of Transformation Church in Tulsa, decided to use a literal illustration to explain how “receiving a vision from God might get nasty.” Todd asked a church attendee to join him on the stage before spitting some saliva into his hand and rubbing it all over the man’s face.

“How you just reacted is how the people in your life will react when God is doing what it takes for the miracle,” Todd told audience members after they reacted in disgust.

The illustration occurred on Transformation Church’s “Vision Sunday,” an event in which Todd “revealed our word of the year for 2022,” according to the YouTube post of Todd’s sermon. The problem is not that believers do not have the vision but that they do not have a “clarity of vision,” Todd said.

The demonstration occurred after Todd discussed the eighth chapter of the book of Mark, when Jesus rubs spit mixed with mud on the eyes of a blind man to make him see.

Todd’s actions attracted ire on social media and among the press.

“Had never heard of ‘Pastor’ Mike Todd before today,” sports journalist Jemele Hill tweeted. “But I truly understand now why the elders used to frequently tell us that we’re in the last days.”

“That Mike Todd video has so many layers of terribleness wrapped up in it, I don’t know even where to start,” Christian writer Dante Stewart tweeted. “The audacity. The cult energy. The spiritual and theological abusiveness. The hocking and rubbing and spitting and deflecting. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Ain’t no way.”

Todd is the co-pastor of Transformation Church with his wife, Natalie, and he has led the church since February 2015. Todd has expanded the church since 2015 after investing $66 million into buildings and properties, according to Tulsa World. Todd claimed to have more than 5,000 churchgoers attending weekly services alongside 2,000 online, according to his Amazon profile.

Todd has penned several books, including Relationship Goals, a New York Times bestseller.

Todd previously partnered with Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt to organize a statewide day of prayer over COVID-19 in 2020.

A representative for Transformation Church did not respond to requests for comment from the Washington Examiner.

c. WASHINGTON EXAMINER