US pastor Mark Driscoll has been rebuked and told to leave the stage of a Christian men’s conference after saying the event had been opened by “the Jezebel spirit”.

He told the audience at the Stronger Men’s Conference in Springfield, Missouri that a sword-swallower who took off his shirt and climbed a pole at the beginning of the conference was similar to behaviour found in a strip-club.

"The Jezebel Spirit opened our event,” he told the audience.

“This is a rebuke and a correction of no one. This is an observation. Before the word of God was open, there was a platform. It was a high place. On it was a pole, an Asherah, the same thing that's used in a strip club for women who have the Jezebel spirit to seduce men.

"In front of that was a man, who ripped his shirt off like a woman does in front of a pole at a strip club."

Driscoll, who leads a family ministry in Arizona added: "Then he swallowed a

sword and Jesus cried."

The conference organiser and lead pastor of the James River Church in Missouri, John Lindell then intervened telling Driscoll he was “out of line.” 

Driscoll then left the stage and said “Okay, Pastor John, I'll receive that, thank you."

As Lindell walked onto the stage, many in the audience began booing and calling for Driscoll to return. However he told them: “Mark is out of line. If Mark wanted to say that, he should have said it to me first. He didn't."

The annual Stronger Men’s Conference organised by James River Church describes itself on social media as being passionate about inspiring and equipping men to “live out God’s vision for manhood to be the husbands, fathers, and leaders God has called them to be."