he was at the service where his friend, pastor wolford, was fatally bitten.ed and saddened, but his faith remains the same. it says, "they shall take up serpen serpents." that doesn't mean you have to, does it? is that your interpretation, that you must take up serpents? >> well, if you believe the word of god strong enough and really believe it and the lord lives in you, you'll do it. >> reporter: back in tennessee, the 21-year-old pastor says he has been bitten four times in two years. he says he almost died after the first bite and says he is prepared to lose his life if god determines that's how he should go. >> i realize that, and i've thought about it. i have. i've really thought about it. but that's why it pays to be ready spiritually. >> reporter: another first from the new testament states that faith quenched them violence and fire. so that's why this test of faith happens in many services. ♪ this is called handling fire. people burning their hands. >> are you ever worried that people seeing them burn themselves or snakes will frighten children? >> n

pastor wolford died after his 44th birthday. outsiders were not invited to the funeral.s not surprising that the funeral home tells us that snakes were a part of the grave-side ceremony. >> any time it could turn on me and bite me. but like i said, the lord, will let it bite or won't let it bite. he'll let it hurt or not let it hurt. it's all up to god. >> roy lee christian junior is the assistant pastor at another church in west virginia, he was at the service where his friend was fatally bitten. he's shocked and saddened, but his faith remains the same. >> it says, they shall take up serpents. that doesn't mean you have to, does it? is that your interpretation that you must take up serpents? >> if you believe the word of god strong enough, and you really believe it, and the lord moves on you, you'll do it. >> back in tennessee, the pastor says he's been bitten four times in two years. he says he almost died after the first bite and says he's prepared to lose his life from a snakebite if god determines that's how he should go. >> i realize that, and i thought about, i h