Posted on 06/23/2008 11:50:10 AM PDT by Terriergal
CHARITY: Even some Pentecostals are skeptical of Todd Bentley’s tent revival | Rusty Leonard and Warren Cole Smith
Canadian Todd Bentley doesn't look much like a minister. The 32-year-old has body piercings and tattoos on his arms and neck, and he often dresses in black.
But a minister of the gospel he is, or claims to be—and those claims have become the real story of a series of meetings Bentley is holding in Lakeland, Fla.
Bentley's British Columbia-based Fresh Fire Ministries arrived in Lakeland on April 2 for five days of revival meetings at a local church. These services would be broadcast on God TV, a satellite network with a worldwide viewership.
The services were different in another way, Bentley claims: God showed up in a powerful way. A New York public relations firm was quickly hired to send out press releases claiming "documented healings," and God TV relentlessly plugged its broadcasts of the services.
The services, now held in a huge air-conditioned tent, have gone on for months now, and as many as 10,000 people a night are coming. Bentley claims hundreds of people have been healed of everything from deafness to infertility—though he did admit that in the latter case we wouldn't know for sure until the women actually got pregnant. As for the other cases, WORLD made repeated requests for documentation of healings, but claims of "privacy issues" were the only response.
A visit to one of Bentley's services suggests that he is learning how to turn the big crowds into big money. ATM machines have been set up, providing attendees with ready cash for the offering plate and book purchases. The offering is now a significant part of the service, taking as long as 30 minutes. Bentley has not released financial information, saying he is "too busy keeping up with what God is doing" to pull the information together.
More than 150,000 people have attended the meetings, and at least 1.2 million more (according to God TV estimates) have watched on television. Even accepting Fresh Fire's estimate of an average donation of $3 to $5 per person, it's easy to see how donations could end up in the millions. Christian critics wonder if Bentley's theology can be reconciled with Scripture. Michael Horton's book, The Agony of Deceit, documents fraud among televangelists. He told WORLD, "I have not yet encountered a 'faith healer' who failed to preach a different gospel than the one that we find clearly presented in the New Testament."
Even those sympathetic to Pentecostal theology are apprehensive. Mark Balmer, pastor of the 8,000-person Calvary Church in nearby Melbourne, Fla., received so many questions about Bentley that he spoke out. He told WORLD he believes "in all the gifts for today, including healing." He also asserted: "We are not heresy hunters." He nonetheless told his congregation "not to attend any of this counterfeit revival."
Charisma magazine is normally a cheerleader for Pentecostal preachers, but editor Lee Grady told WORLD: "Charismatic and Pentecostal leaders are divided over its legitimacy." Grady said a "council of national-level leaders" convened by C. Peter Wagner, president of Global Harvest Ministries and former professor of church growth at Fuller Theological Seminary, will address these concerns in a meeting later this summer. Until then, though, crowds remain strong, and Bentley said he got a "word from God" to keep the services—and the book sales—going through at least the end of June.
—with reporting by Mike Kuckel in Lakeland, Fla.
I guess that arena and the tents and chairs are free.
Sorry to disagree with you, but he is NOT teaching Bible the way it is written.
2 Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
By the way Peter Wagner was at the revival last night endorsing it along with many others.
“God can use anyone, that’s the point. Doesn’t matter what they look like. Looks should be the least of anyone’s worries. What does the fruit look like? Are people getting saved, healed, delivered? Is the word of God being preached? Is Jesus being raised up? The answer is yes.”
You’re absolutely correct. If Jesus is being glorified, and people are being saved, healed, and delivered . . . then it is foolish to criticize it as not of God. I haven’t been to the Lakeland meetings, but I have two very mature Christian friends that have been there. They were both blessed by the presence of the Lord at the meetings.
I would caution people to be VERY SLOW to criticize something because it doesn’t come in a package they are used to in their own limited experience. People who try to put God in a box are greatly limiting themselves to how God can move in and through their lives.
As to how Bently is dressed, we must remember that man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks upon the heart.
1 Samuel 16:7 “But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”
If your talking about having nothing to do with unbelievers, separating out from them then I suppose what Jesus did would have been offensive to you. One of His first converts was a prostitute. Matthew was a tax collector. He went where the sinners were, ON PURPOSE.
No, I am referring to having the appearance of someone who has not been truly changed. If he has been truly changed on the inside, he would naturally want to clean up on the outside, especially as a example to followers and non-believers. He is a disgrace in his appearance as a “minister” of the Gospel.
I've watched about 50 nights of the revival on God tv. Been listening to Todd for about two years. I have no problem with him. In fact I have found him to be, biblical. Every time I've had a question about something he's said and TOOK the time to pray about it and study it out I've found him to be accurate. He's refreshing, humble, genuine, on fire, extravagantly devoted to God, his integrity and excellence is beyond reproach.
I think the biggest mistake people make is, presumption. Presumption and pride is what caused the Sadducees and pharisees to miss Jesus. They were looking for someone else and He didn't fit what they were looking for.
If this is truly a move of God, which I believe it is, we as Christian's can't afford to miss it. The divisiveness and division is exactly what the enemy would want. Seeing that both of those can be found in spades on the net, do ya think just maybe it's satan stirring the pot?
Your still talking about how he looks. God looks at the heart of a man, not what the flesh looks like. I’ve seen really extra clean cut, sharp dressed, ministers and they were into all kinds of sin. Can’t go on looks.
Thanks R2G.
Post #25. Thank you Lions Gate.
Good point. Thank you MsLady.
Thanks for your comments mkjessup.
He was in jail at one time.I just got finished reading about it.Hope he is on the up and up for the sake of the souls.
The guy looks Satanic. Shouldn’t he at least avoid that?
Before I go any farther, this is not directed at you fatima. I'm just stating some facts about Todd here, just FYI.
He started Uganda Jesus Village that takes in children that are being used as soldiers in Uganda. Each house they build houses 10 boys, each has a house mother. I think they have 6 houses now.
You can have all the head knowledge you want about the bible doesn't mean a thing. Even satan can quote the bible. What counts is not what is in your head but, who is in your heart. You can tell what's in a persons heart by what comes out of there mouths and what fruit they produce. That's what the bible says.
I pray for him and his family everyday. God knows the only way to hold up under this kind of divisiveness is the power and love of God. He does not take any money from these meetings, they all go to pay for the tents, or whatever the place of meetings are. His ministry pays him a salary that's in the 5 figures. Modest is what one Canadian news paper called it. He sometimes forgets to ask people for donations to pay for everything. As for taking 30 minutes to collect donations. I suppose if you have between 4000 and 10000 people it's gonna take some time. Talk about nit picky sheesh.
He gets at the meetings around 6:30 or 7 maybe a bit earlier, stays until 1-3. He's been there every single day for the past 86 days, except for a couple of days.
They have set up and afternoon training center where they train people to lay hands on the sick and minister the message of Christ. And then they send these people out to do just that, in the malls, on the streets where ever. Todd says this is not about one man or one ministry but, about Jesus and His Kingdom.
Are you saying that Todd's angel Emma is one of the two women in Zechariah 5 who came forth out of the ephah??? Here, let's all read about her:
"3Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it.
"4I will bring it forth, saith the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.
"5Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth. "6And I said, What is it? And he said, This is an ephah that goeth forth. He said moreover, This is their resemblance through all the earth.
"7And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah. 8And he said, This is wickedness. And he cast it into the midst of the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof.
"9Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came out two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork: and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven.
"10Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah? 11And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base." [Zechariah 5:3-9]
I have also heard several people speaking against the Lakeland meetings, but like you I believe this is a legitimate outpouring from God.
At it relates to taking up a lot of offerings, installing ATM machines next to the tent so people can get cash from their bank accounts to put in the offerings, financial accoutability issues, and so on . . . these are important issues and should be carefully considered in Lakeland. When the world is watching, every effort should be made to be beyond reproach in all areas - especially in the area of finances.
However, if the finances are out of order, the Lord will deal with that - they will get it straightened out or eventually God will shut it down.
But I believe in Lakeland a real outpouring is taking place.
No....if that were the case then all the criminals would be in jail because we could tell by how they looked. Ted Bundey looked very normal didn't he?
God says, 1 Ch. 28:29 the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.
It doesn't say the Lord searches every flesh....
The two female angels aren't wicked, the woman in the basket that the female angels are carrying away, is.
Zechariah 5:8-9 This is wickedness and he pushed her back into the basket and pushed the lead cover down over its mouth. Then I looked up and there before me were two women, with the wind in their wings! They had wings like those of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between heaven and earth.
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