Over the weekend, a video of pastor and author Mike Todd wiping his spit on a man’s face during his Sunday sermon went viral, and people are understandably both confused and disturbed. The pastor of Tulsa, Oklahoma’s Transformation Church was illustrating that “receiving God’s vision can sometimes be nasty,” by spitting on his hands and rubbing it on a congregant’s face to gasps from audience.
Had never heard of “Pastor” Mike Todd before today. But I truly understand now why the elders used to frequently tell us that we’re in the last days.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) January 17, 2022
Todd is the author of books like Relationship Goals and Crazy Faith, and has built a sizable following for his charismatic sermons and Christian dating advice. But he has also come under scrutiny for some of his messages and Sunday morning demonstrations. Numerous social media users pointed to an older sermon in which Todd said he did not condone leaving a physically abusive marriage.
Over the weekend, Todd’s name started trending on Twitter in the U.S. as people reacted to his spit stunt.
That Mike Todd video has so many layers of terribleness wrapped up in it, I don't know even where to start. 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.
— Danté Stewart (Stew) (@stewartdantec) January 17, 2022
I ain’t never seen all sides of Christian Twitter unified on an issue like this. Not Mike Todd being so unhinged it’s bringing unity to the body
— Ajanaé Dawkins (@MoonsAtDusk) January 17, 2022
Mike Todd venturing out in this new level or terribleness is sitting with me mightily. I am usually hesitant to call out my people in the public eye but here we are. You want to have silly metaphors…fine but the way he’s been moving unchecked is why people leave church
— Robert the Contemplative (@robertjmonson) January 17, 2022
As of this writing, Transformation Church has not publicly commented on the incident.
