A PASTOR dubbed 'the flying preacher' who went viral after he swooping into his church on a series of cables attached to the ceiling to deliver a sermon has divided the internet.
Footage of Pastor Bartholomew Orr making a heavenly descent over the watching congregation at the Brown Missionary Baptist Church in Southaven, Mississippi has gone viral online.
Captured by a selection of onlookers, clips of Orr have been doing the rounds on Facebook and Twitter.
Part of a dramatic stunt apparently designed to illustrate the unexpected nature of the second coming of Christ, Orr can be heard asking his followers: “Are you ready for his return?” As he descends, alongside an emphatic “Amen” or two for good measure.
As the footage demonstrates, the stunt garnered a variety of reactions with some expressing shock and awe while others struggled to stifle their laughter.
It’s proven a similar story online, with many expressing amusement at his efforts while others praised Orr for finding a new way to spread the word of the good book.
Not everyone is impressed though, with some on social media criticising the Pastor for wasting time and money on the entrance.
A few have even suggested the whole thing was a little over the top, with a further minority accusing Orr of having a God complex.
But speaking in a YouTube video uploaded in the wake of the social media storm, the Pastor had defended his entrance.
According to Orr the cable system was already in place at the church and was actually being used for a Christmas production planned for next month.
More importantly, he suggested that the stunt had helped "get the word out" about the Christian gospel.
"There is a bigger picture, and that is Christ is returning soon," Orr added.
"And just as Christ’s return is going to be unexpected, my flying in this morning was unexpected. But we must be ready."
