Todd Bentley - the fall and the fallout!

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Yes, we are called to show mercy, not to wallow in righteous judgement and, hey, think of his wife and kids ... but ... a BIG BUT ... this guy freely fell into the arms of the marketeers of God.tv and welcomed our praise, adulation and worship while the going was good.

Forget all that - what is the World saying!? For once their cynicism is going to be spot on and the cause of world evangelism has taken a mighty blow to the ribs. And the reason for this?

We first set the scene with an extract from the Board of Directors of Todd Bentley's own ministry (founded by Todd himself as a vehicle for his efforts), Fresh Fire Ministries, on August 12th.

"The Lord’s blessings and abundance have been so evident on the ministry during this season of intense activity and we rejoice in seeing and being able to participate in what we believe is only the beginning of a worldwide awakening. It is with considerable sadness then, that we must temper the jubilation we know you all feel with the sobering news that Todd and Shonnah Bentley are presently experiencing significant friction in their relationship and are currently separated. We want to affirm that there has been no sexual immorality on the part of either Todd or Shonnah, nor has there ever been." (italics mine)

So he's human after all, you will say. Hundreds of days on end, on revival duty, can take a toll on a marriage I suppose. That would be a fair response to the news. But there's more. Three days later, the Board of Directors posted a new announcement (read it yourself on http://www.freshfire.ca/index.php?Id=1065&pid=8):

"We wish to acknowledge, however, that since our last statement from the Fresh Fire Board of Directors, we have discovered new information revealing that Todd Bentley has entered into an unhealthy relationship on an emotional level with a female member of his staff. In light of this new information and in consultation with his leaders and advisors, Todd Bentley has agreed to step down from his position on the Board of Directors and to refrain from all public ministry for a season to receive counsel in his personal life."

Yes, he is human and there are pressures. But, hey, this was THE revival, we were told, pumped into millions of homes worldwide. Todd Bentley allowed himself to front this whole thing ("Todd Bentley's Florida Healing Outpouring" was the billing given to him by God.tv, who subjected us to a promo video of Todd everytime we entered their website), was prayed over publicly by the whole gang of revival "apostles" as today's man of God. And, remember, all this time, Todd knew and never told. While he was preaching, healing, shouting, encouraging, "bamming" and proclaiming, Todd knew and never told. Todd knew that his marriage was not OK, even dragged his poor wife on stage during his "commissioning" by the apostles. All that time Todd knew and never told - his own Board of Directors evidently didn't even know, the people who he was accountable to, who were covering him. But Todd didn't just have a broken marriage, but he was carrying on with a female member of staff! This is sordid, this is dishonouring at the best of times, but for the man at the helm of "the greatest revival this World has ever seen ....", it was inexcusable.

Yes, this has been a rant, but for one reason only - the damage this has done to the wider body of Christians worldwide. To the secular world we are all tarred with the same brush. We've had to put up with the dithering Anglicans, gay clergy and unbelieving bishops. Now this! As I said, we live in a cynical world. The Florida Revival made many claims, supported by umpteen prophecies and endorsements by prominent Christians. And, thanks to the media, however much good the revival may have been to some, how many people have truly been healed through it, the revival was ALWAYS billed as TODD BENTLEY'S revival. To bring the whole thing down in the eyes of the World, you just had to bring him down. I hear deep chuckling from deep places.

The reaction of God.tv has been telling. Dropped the whole thing like a hot potato. Now tell us Christians that the whole thing wasn't about Todd Bentley. When are we going to stop hinging our faith on individuals?

Perhaps we can all move on now, a lesson learnt?

Comments :

Open your bible/leaders supporting todd are also wrong

To the unknown guest who wrote in 22 August, how humbling your words are. I believe what you said marks the true cornerstone of Christianity. Rejoice when they persecute you, there is a great reward waiting for you in heaven Luke 6:23 :) God bless you. Fee :)

Open your bible readers/leaders supporting Todd are also wrong

Set your understandable anger and bitterness down before the Lord, dear friend and find peace again in Him. "Dear Lord and Father of mankind, forgive our foolish ways, Reclothe us in our rightful mind, in purer lives Thy service find, in deeper reverence, praise; in deeper reverence, praise". There will be more cunning - and more will be deceived - 'Be Still'
God Bless.

Todd Bentley's Fall

We have seen all this before in the world of Charismania and Pentecostalism.Bob Mumford once said the part of the brain that deals with sexuality also deals with spirituality.I'm not sure what a neuro-surgeon would say about that but I get his point.That was partly why the infamous Fort Lauderdale 5 set up the 'Shepherding' movement' that I was unfortunate to experience at first hand.I could see their point but they took on one kind of 'one man band' ministry mentality by instituting a 'lording it over the flock' type.Whatever the whole experiential side of Christianity is certianly in the midst of an identity crisis.My advise is ditch the entertainment superstar ministry model as advocated by 'Christian' tv and indeed the idea of super pastors.George Fox founder of the Quakers had it all in the 1600's.No paid clergy or heirarchaical leadership and the Spirit within to teach you scriptures.The whole showtime emphasis on calling/ministry/evangelism is a stinking white washed sepulchre.Todd's family are only one of many suffering from the pain of the 'ministry' experiment.Let the real thinkers within the family of God come out and release the flock from such dangerous mindsets.All in the religious media field have alot of hard thinking ahead!

Charlie

Todd Bentley - a PS:

In all honesty - how could any real believer have watched that stuff on the TV screen and been taken in by it. We now have Channel 4 dishing out 'Make me a Christian' - what a scandalous use of the media - I just pray that more good than harm will come to all those who have been foolhardy enough to take part and probably be paid for doing so. We really are in a bad way - shame on us all !!!! . Your justified question about the damage to worldwide evangelism - if anyone who evangelises is totally right with God in his own heart before he starts, - he has nothing to fear,. No good to evangalise and then learn about God - and before we try to put the whole world to rights, we need to focus on this our beloved land which is in real need. Anyway in the long run, all will be to the Glory of God the Father Almighty who is sovereign over all. "Trust and obey! says the old hymn. 'Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing (Psalm 34.9)' But then, my brothers and sisters in the Lord , you don't need me to spell all this out. God Bless every one.

Todd Bentley - fall and downfall

Totally agree. Would add a very real need for Discernment in all our churches for Todd or his like will rise again, never fear. Satan hasn't done with us yet and God will allow what God will allow !!! Let there now be a real renewal in the hearts of faith in all who are Travellers on The Way of Christ - the toughest road of all and there are no quick fixes on that pilgrimage. With regard to statement by the Directors of that Fresh Fires organisation (ugh) which states that Todd Bentley will 'refrain for a season' - be warned. God gave Job over to Satan, knowing he would be tried and tested and not fall. Let us make sure we are standing equally firm.

Fall of Todd Bentley

Agree wholeheartedly,

Theodure Dusty

DISCERNMENT

I agree that discernment is badly needed. but often ignored or forgotten about.

I have put together several discernment resources on this page:

http://www.newchristian.org.uk/churchresources.html

thrown out of my church for objecting to todd

the title says it all. i am damaged and my extended family are jeering at the church..it is full of hypocrites in the leadership. i have been thrown out of membership for speaking to the pastor and asking him to research the stuff i wa concerned about....and befor you knowit there is all these leters to say i dont trust him pastorally and i am out of the church no matter what as the pastor poisones the minds of the deacons so he can carry on and bring this false prophet into the midst of our elim fellowship in clydebank scotland uk I feel bereft as 50yr old who has been in the church since infancy.

I'm truly sad for you. I've

I'm truly sad for you. I've really been through the mangle with this one myself. I have been a member of one of the prominent churches in Glasgow for about fifteen years now. Some of the leaders, especially prayer team leaders, went to Lakeland and 'brought 'it' back', whatever that means since I was always under the impression that our God was Omnipresent! Also, I'm involved in another Christian prayer based organisation that has also been heavily infected. They sent people to Lakeland who came back and held an 'impartation' service at our church and other churches - By the way, is this word 'impartation' a fairly new Christian-speak word or what. Don't recall it before. At first, I was as gullible as the next and begged, yes literally begged the Lord for 'it' and eventually, after again crying and asking why I was being left out, He finally spoke to me. He said "I am protecting you". I was immediately filled with a lovely calm peace and began to feel more content about things although there was much turmoil to come and much I didn't understand. He also told me not to get into discussions with anyone about it who had accepted it, but I'm afraid I just wasn't strong enough and tried to find a friendly face, so to speak to discuss it with, but I soon saw the Lord's wisdom because all I got was told not to question it because, 'who are we to judge'! However, people who I thought were close friends of mine seem to have changed and are not the people they used to be. I've even been laughed at for questioning Todd Bentley's tattoos - many of which he's had done over the past four years - and have even had remarks in my presence like "Ooh! Lets all go and buy stick on tattoos, hee, hee, hee". Because they think they shouldn't test the spirits, they obviously haven't gone to the Bible and read Lev 19v28 which quite clearly states that we are not to tattoo ourselves. Good enough for me thanks! It's the sheer numbers of people involved in this that troubles me. Our leading Pastor even said from the platform that we shouldn't judge a person by how he looks and that would be ok if Todd Bentley had these tattoos before he became a Christian (never mind the piercings!), but that's clearly not the case. By the way, the Director for Scotland of the prayer ministry that I've been involved with, clearly said from the platform that, "We've been praying for revival for years and we believe this is it, but If you take time and look at this too closely, then you'll be in danger of missing it". Yea right! That's just what the Lord does - "here it is, whoops, too late you missed it, ooh but look it's over there, whoops, you missed it again - c'mon try to keep up and stop asking so many questions!"

So, all that my Christian life consisted of, ministry-wise, has been hit by this. I no longer feel comfortable about being involved in my church or prayer ministry. However, I've reached the stage where I'm not troubled now about not going to church for a while - the first time in thirty years, or pulling back from the prayer ministry. I'll be ok because God will never leave me or forsake me and THAT'S A BIBLICAL FACT! He'll tell me where and when to go when the time comes. So take heart. You're not in the least alone in all this. Thank God that you didn't get involved in it. Anything you can't ask innocent important questions about without being made to feel you're doing something unspeakable against God has got to be called into question, so keep on testing the spirits afterall, it's your spirit your quite rightly protecting and who could possibly blame you for that, it's precious. God's peace to you.
P

LORD KEEP ME STRONG IN THESE DAYS OF DECEPTION

i am from scotland and i have also been disturbed about my church being decieved by all this false teaching/revival in lakeland.almost everyone in the church i go to has jumped in to this with both feet,ignoring the false teaching of todd bentley and blindly going along with all that he has been saying.
i have felt an uneasiness in my spirit since this so called outpouring began and any time i gave my concerns i would be told things like"this is the same as the book of acts" and "do not ask stupid questions"
my faith has been tested to the core as during certain times i felt that i was the only one in my church who was not embracing this outpouring as a true move of god.
i am so fed up of many peoples obsession with being touched/blasted/fire/falling down/uncontrollable spasms/drunkeness/made up prophecys and the list goes on.
their lust for the supernatural is becoming very dangerous.
my hope is that many will now wake up to the dangers of these false prophets leading people astray but i fear some will be unrepentant, only to wait for the next "new wave" to come along and sweep them away

DISCERNMENT

Thank you for this gospelman. The prophetic word of 1965 on Great Judgement is awesome AND Derek Prince is always sound. Thank you for that and all the valuable references. Blessings.

Derek Prince

er... didn't he publicly "repent" of his days in CGM/The Shepherding movement? so... perhaps he himself wouldn't agree that he was/is *always* sound!

the power of god was and is so strong

i will never forget this outpouring as long as i live get up todd i am praying for you brother

No one can stop what God did, is doing and will continue to

Back in 2001 I was in a music ministry and was being used mightily for God seeing many many saved. God gave me a word saying the door is opening and i will need to get ready. I then enetred into a wrong relationship with one of my dancers and my ministry stopped. In the last 2 years God has restored be and He is bringing me back to the place where i should have been before it was snatched from me. What does this mean then?........that everything I did prior to making a wrong decision is now void and counts for nothing? That it meant everything i did was not of God because of what happened? So Todd Bentley was leading a healing revival outpouring and that meant he was untouchable and not human?? Come on guys, it means we need to be more on our guard if anything because the enemy will be out to get us, and any weakness that is there will be devoured. It was interesting how as soon as God was ready to release me into something new, a counterfeit was presented to me which i fell for and it halted what God wanted to do with me personally. God continues to get the job done, but it wasn't with me for a season.
It is clear that the enemy will try and find a way in when we are in the frontline for God, especially if you are a threat to the enemy. The devil is the destoyer of families and marriages and relationships. This is not excusing what Todd has done, BUT, don't even try and take away what God has done in thousands of lives (including mine) through Todd, and God will continue to do this whether you like it or not, because as Todd said...this outpouring is bigger than one man, it's about Jesus. Praise God not you or anyone can take that away or stop the Holy Spirit from moving.

Re: No one can stop what God did, is doing etc

Hi I am v grateful for your honesty re your own situation about taking a counterfeit road etc - so good to hear real stories like your own. I agree that God will continue to get His job done, with or without people who have had an anointing then seen it removed. I would value your prayers as I am in a not dis-similar situation, although I was in a much smaller type of situation. I believe in the spiritual gifts for the 21st century - mine began to develop completely "by surprise" whilst I committed to a well-organised mens' bible study several years ago. We met once a week, having done the work over the previous week, received good teaching, & were prayed for every day. The teaching was conservative evangelical, & the leaders would have given charismatic giftings a bit of a wide berth. I didn't really appreciate what I had - the sweet presence of the Holy Spirit - until it was withdrawn, I believe now, because of disobedience on my part. I am still "in the wilderness" & am struggling to find a way back. Everything is much harder without a sense of His nearness & blessing. Re TB I am not going to get involved, having seen a wide range of views already on this blog, except to say that testing the spirits is v important, maybe increasingly so.

The Lakeland revival will continue

Very well said. I discuss the current move of God, and whether the Lakeland revival will continue in the light of recent events in my blog miracles on the streets of Dudley which also contains fresh video footage and testimonies of God healing and saving people on the streets this month. We need to focus on God and what He is doing, and not the vessels He uses, and I believe this current move of God will continue, and ultimately grow in intensity.

The Lakeland so-called revival will fade to nothing

This man-made, God t.v. media driven Florida nonsense will fold to nothing and will only be remembered for one genuine outcome - Todd Bentley's roll as a false prophet and the multitudes which were seduced and deceived by his off-the-wall theology. This has been a fore-taste of things to come. Mark 13:22 states: "For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to DECEIVE THE ELECT - IF THAT WERE POSSIBLE." Surely all those which were deceived by this false prophet should question the genuineness of their salvation; after all the flip side of text does suggest that it would be impossible for the elect to be deceived! God has vindicated all His people who took a stand against this biggest deception that the church has ever seen. Stand guard. mark N.I.

God's on the move!!

AMEN! Get up Todd, You're loved!
Thanks for the testimony above........it says it all!

Yes, we're all loved, thank God

Yes, praise the Lord, we're all loved, thank God. Whatever and however Todd was led along the path he and his team took and however they were led into deceit and temptation, God will forgive him and continue to love him. Jesus will never leave his side and, as a blessed Christian, Jesus through the Holy Spirit is still in that place in Todd's heart. Unless Todd denies his love for Jesus, denies that there is only one God and denies that He is the Lord and master of his life, only then does Todd run the risk of being cast off by our living God, not by other humans. There may and almost certainly will be, as always, many lessons to learn from this, 'Todd Bentley's Lakeland Revival', but those lessons are for us all to learn and discern about. I didn't really like the 'Todd Bentley' show too much. This sort of heavy type of Christian stuff always sort of concerns me, but like many I'm sure, I watched, I wished, I asked for healing and I prayed from my little hut in west Wales. One things for sure though, Todd said he loved the Lord. The Lord loves Todd. The Lord also loves me. And that's the connection. We're all in this together, as one family, one body, one church under the banner of the Lord Jesus Christ. If Todd's done wrong we don't need to try and crush him. If that was the case every bone in my body would still be broken and somehow I guess I wouldn't be the only one who proclaims the mercy of our Lord. We live in an age of massive media attention, instant reporting, enormous exaggeration for the sake of headlines and an unhealthy appetite to watch others suffer.....and we call ourselves Christians!!!! It sounds like the lions Den to me....and we know what a miracle that was. Come on, let’s not be naive. Things like this come and go and there's always someone ending up being 'murdered' for their efforts. I guess I've done a lot worse than dear old Todd, maybe even yesterday. I'm still learning, so is he. Yes, I agree my mistakes weren't made whilst standing on a pedestal, well not one that you could see, but the good Lord could. And then I had to get up and look at myself once again, and once again I had to ask for forgiveness and once again the good Lord said fine, let's try that again. My commitment is to do just that. Try again, not to kid myself that I know better or that it's OK if I continue doing wrong. The good news was that when I had to look at myself and ask for forgiveness, I had no one holding rocks in their hands, standing behind me.
I've never really liked all this blogging stuff, and this is a first for me. It makes no difference to the way I feel about my dear Jesus however. I love Him and He loves me. And He tells me to love you, whoever you are and WHATEVER you've done. And let us not ever believe there’s never a reason to or for change. There's only ever one thing that never changes, and He's the same yesterday, today and forever.
Dear Lord, forgive me for my wrongs and help to try once more to get it right. Help me to love Todd in abundance, no more or less than any others in your family and beyond. Amen
Buckoroonie

To Buckoroonie

Thanks so much for your contribution. It makes sense and seems like you know Jesus personally which is what I wish we would all pursue more. Perhaps them we would have less time to pursue each other.

To Buckoroonie

I agree. "Love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8. "If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with You there is foregiveness; . . ." Psalm 130:3-4. My prayer is that Todd B will cry out, in spirit and in truth, to our Loving, Merciful, Compassionate God, for mercy and grace. God is God and He will have mercy upon whom He will have mercy and have compassion on whom He will have compassion. [Exodus 33;19]. So Let God be God!!!! "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9. I will continue to pray for Todd and his family. They are human beings and we all need Jesus. I thank the Lord Jesus Christ that he ever lives to intercede for us!! Read Hebrews 7:25, Romans 8:33-39. Praise God that He is the Alpha and the Omega, The Beginning and the End. He knows the end from the beginning. He knows all about Todd. "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." [Hebrews 4:13 NIV]. God created us all for a purpose. He is in the business of restoring, healing and delivering and He is no respector of persons - including Todd Bentley!!!! The time of Jesus' return is very near so let us make our calling and election sure and work out our own salvation with fear and trembling!!!