Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Megachurch Pastor Sparks Outrage After Rubbing His Spit Onto A Man's Face During Sermon

Megachurch Pastor Sparks Outrage After Rubbing His Spit Onto A Man's Face During Sermon
Michael Todd: Transformation Church

The pastor of a Tulsa, Oklahoma megachurch has sparked outrage and revulsion following a stunt in which he smeared spit onto a man's face during a Sunday sermon.

Pastor Michael Todd of Transformation Church used the stunt as a metaphor for how "receiving vision from God might get nasty." But his congregation--as well as the internet large--found it far more revolting than illustrative.


As Todd performed the stunt, his congregants audibly gasped in horror. See the moment below, at approximately the 41:00 mark.

Clearly // The Vision For Invasion // Vision Sunday 2022 // Michael Toddyoutu.be

Todd both spit and coughed into his hand before smearing its contents on the face of the congregant, his brother, and a copious amount of saliva can be seen dripping off his face.

But to Todd, his congregation's and online audience's horror was the entire point. As he said in his sermon:

“Do you hear and see the responses of the people? What I’m telling you, is how you just reacted is how the people in your life will react when God is doing what it takes for the Miracle.”

Okay then.

Suffice to say, Todd's medium quickly overshadowed his message--especially given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which is currently surging in the state of Oklahoma. People were so appalled that Todd began to trend on Twitter on Monday.

And soon, Todd himself was acknowledging that his stunt was ill-conceived. In a video posted to Twitter, he apologized for what he called a "disgusting" and "too extreme" attempt at a metaphor.

As Todd put it in his video:

“I watched it back, and it was disgusting. Like, that was gross. I want to validate everybody’s feelings. That was a distraction to what I was really trying to do. ... I own that.”

On Twitter, people heartily agreed with his characterization.








Todd took over Transformation Church in 2015, when it was composed of 300 people who worshipped in a small storefront. He has since turned it into a multi-million dollar empire that saw the church buying up some $66 million worth of Tulsa real estate in the past two years.

More from Trending

US President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting on religious liberty in education at the Museum of the Bible.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Trump criticized for downplaying domestic violence

Fair warning, dearest reader: This article discusses domestic violence and may be distressing to some readers. If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, resources are available, including the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).

President Donald Trump has hit plenty of lows, but brushing off domestic violence at the Museum of the Bible may be a new entry in the hall of shame.

Keep ReadingShow less
Elon Musk; Scott Bessent
Tom Brenner For The Washington Post via Getty Images; Noam Galai/Getty Images

Musk Seemingly Reignites Black Eye Rumors With Reaction To Treasury Secretary's Latest Threat

So much has happened since May it might be hard to remember the days when Elon Musk was photographed in the Oval Office with a big ol' black eye.

But the internet certainly hasn't forgotten, and neither has Musk, who posted a cryptic X post seemingly referencing the alleged altercation.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Nico Gramatica and Chase Leon embracing
ESPN

Players' hug after big win

College football season is back, baby, and apparently so is football romance.

The University of South Florida Bulls, who rolled into Gainesville as 18-point underdogs against the No. 15 Gators, pulled off a 20-yard nail-biter win. But instead of just celebrating the upset, kicker Nico Gramatica and punter Chase Leon gave fans something else to cheer about: a slow-motion-worthy embrace that had Twitter, Instagram, and everyone with a romcom fantasy spiraling.

Keep ReadingShow less
A damaged room covered in grafitti
a run down room with graffiti all over the walls
Photo by Dillon Wanner on Unsplash

'Rage Room' Employees Describe The Most Unhinged Customers They've Encountered

Even the most even-tempered people have found themselves overcome with rage at one point or another.

Sometimes, the best way to deal with rage is to find an outlet for it.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump; Jeffrey Epstein
XNY/Star Max/GC Images; Neil Rasmus/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

Dems Release Trump's Birthday Letter To Epstein That Trump Claimed Doesn't Exist—And It's A Big Yikes

Democrats serving on the House of Representatives Oversight Committee released a screenshot of a letter MAGA Republican President Donald Trump claimed didn't exist when The Wall Street Journal published reports of its existence back in July.

The note signed by Trump was included in a collection of messages sent to convicted sex offender and human trafficker Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003—only three years before the first allegations about Epstein's crimes went public.

Keep ReadingShow less