Sadly, we haven't heard the last of what has happened behind closed doors in Todd's life and ministry. More 'stuff' will be forthcoming and many of us will be saddened and angered by his lack of honesty. While we preach taking the world for Jesus, we would be better off letting Jesus take the world out of us!
We need biblical Christianity rooted in healthy relationships!
Regarding Todd Bentley…
I have just re-read the article about the Lakeland Revival that I wrote two months ago for our most recent edition of Spread the Fire Magazine. It was a glowing report of the wonderful healings happening there.
Now it is with sadness and disappointment that I am writing again to our friends and supporters.
You may have already heard that Todd Bentley has announced his decision to separate from Shonnah, his wife. I am deeply saddened for the Body of Christ that has been disillusioned yet again. I grieve for all the dedicated Fresh Fire Team, Roy Fields and all the musicians and for Stephen Strader, the pastor of Ignited Church and all his faithful folks who have been serving so diligently. Had any of us known what was just ahead, perhaps we would have been able to intervene before things went into crisis.
We at TACF, Partners in Harvest and the Revival Alliance want to stand with Todd and Shonnah and try to offer godly counsel and support. We all want to see the good that has come from this ministry and the Lakeland Revival redeemed.
I have known Todd for several years and have seen God work mightily through him. I went to Lakeland to support what Todd and Fresh Fire were doing there because I believed that God was moving powerfully in the lives of thousands. I also knew Todd would have many critics, just as I had had with the revival in Toronto. I wanted to stand with him and say, “I am here for you. Don’t let anyone discourage what God is doing through you.”
I wanted to be available to Todd if he needed advice. I had no agenda other than to see what was happening in Lakeland continue and to see Todd nurture this revival successfully. I wish I had known that he was struggling in his marriage, but unfortunately, I did not.
I am working now with Bill Johnson and Che Ahn to listen to each person who is close to the situation in order to give godly counsel and confront the presenting issues in God’s love. We are all receiving many phone calls and reading much correspondence about all these matters at the moment. Some of it is quite hopeful and some of it is not. However, I believe that God can break through.
We all want to provide any help we can to preserve the fruit of this outpouring. We are doing this for several reasons. First, we love the Body of Christ and the work God does through times of revival. We care very deeply about the impact of the church’s leaders and role models on the body of Christ and the world. We also care about Todd and Shonnah, the Fresh Fire Ministries staff and all who have been a vital part of the Lakeland Revival. They are our friends.
Todd has chosen to do something that is wrong according to Scripture, and his timing to announce it was equally inappropriate. Everyone is asking, "What happened?" "Why didn't anyone see this coming?" We are making the answers to those questions a matter of prayer, and are as shocked and saddened by what has just happened as you are. Furthermore, it has now come out that there has been some inappropriate behavior, both with excessive drinking and also with a female member of his staff. It appears to be minimal at this point so don’t jump to conclusions, but it is wrong none the less.
Let me encourage you to hold steady to your faith in God and give the redemptive process the time it requires and let's see what God will do. Because I believe in God, I also believe that nothing is impossible with Him. He is able to take the worst situation and turn it into a great blessing. Be slow to speak out publicly and to judge prematurely. It is time to treat these people with grace, like you would like to be treated when you fall or make a mistake. Be assured that nothing is being ‘swept under the carpet,’ but we are bringing it out into the light of God’s truth in mercy so that we can interrupt Satan’s plan to use this to discredit Jesus Christ by destroying the lives of Todd, his family and his friends.
The Holy Spirit, who is perfect, must use imperfect people even in revival. Carol and I always urge Christians to pay close attention to the issues of integrity. The scripture admonishes each one of us, “Watch over your heart with all diligence; for out of it flow the springs of life.” (Proverbs 4:23) Christian leaders are held to the high standard of being exemplary in character and all other aspects of our personal lives. When a leader fails, the news spreads so quickly to those outside the body of Christ heaping shame and reproach upon the name of Jesus Christ and the church. The enemy wants to use these failures to undo the work of the Holy Spirit if he can.
To those who were blessed in Lakeland, do not allow the seeds of hope and healing that were sown into you there be uprooted by this leader’s mistakes. It was God who touched you and no one can take that away unless you allow it. Continue to give God the praise and thanks.
I am aware that the devil wants to tempt some people to say, “I told you so.” Do not allow yourself to become his instrument by using the sword of truth without mercy in this way. Before you cast a stone, remember that you are not without sin yourself. This is how pride can gain a subtle hold in your heart. What you sow now, you will reap in the future.
Had you lived during the reign of King David would you have judged him for his moral failure? While he was in sin, God saw David’s heart and knew that he could be corrected and redeemed. His sin and God’s judgment on it as well as God’s redemption of the situation are recorded in Scripture for everyone to read.
My prayer since 1994 has been, “More, Lord! I want more of your love and power.” I want God to send us more revival with all its accompanying blessings. I want to see many more conversions, healings and miracles. More than that, however, I want to see these days led by honorable and trusted leaders who not only have powerful gifts but who are pure in heart and character.
May I enlist your prayers for Todd and Shonnah and their children at this time, that God, the Great Reverser, will miraculously turn this situation around?
Much love to you all in Jesus,
John Arnott
August 17, 2008
Canadian Revivalist Todd Bentley formerly of Fresh Fire Ministries now an alien in U.S.A. should be on the FBI’s and RCMP Top Ten Wanted list
It doesn’t take a NASA rocket man to see Todd Bentley should Be on the FBI’s top ten most wanted list. A real & true con man. He should be a carnie, but then carnies would get a really horrible name.
All were warned, but few listened. Steve Strader certainly never got healed of His gout! Just think He had the mighty Todd & His 3 ring circus there for weeks, fleecing millions of dollars. Marilyn Manson was the only thing missing from His act. Steve you even say your Brother Daniel who is in Prison for stealing, is also innocent for fleecing your Daddy Karl’s flock. Do you own a Mirror?
So who will get all the stolen money? Todd said with his own lying lips, I don’t get one dime! Sure Todd and you never unzipped your pants either. get another tattoo or kick another old helpless lady in the face. You are disgrace and so are all these losers who endorsed your stealing and circus. Paul Cain, Bob Jones, Peter Wagner, all should thank Pat Holliday for helping expose them http://www.patholliday.com as she told the truth about this side show.
TODD will go down in history as another famous freak show. Do you feel stupid America? He is still snorting lines, laughing all the way to the bank, I would want to be on His Harley!
I hope his children never follow in His footsteps. Dave Bentley knew the truth, His son is a flake. Dave Tomlinson too! IS this all witchcraft? lol!
Comment by Saw it all ! | September 10, 2008
http://endtimespropheticwords.wordpress.com/2008/08/16/todd-bentley-extra-marital-affair-with-female-member-of-staff/#comment-28563
Posted by: Susan | December 22, 2008 at 11:57 PM
The Word of God tells us to know those that labor among us. We are to know their character and lifestyles. Todd Bentley preached many false doctrines and did many bizarre things in Lakeland. Many were blinded to his insane ministry. WE NOW KNOW FOR 100% CERTAIN that Todd was living with another woman, drunk most nights, and any sincere Bible knowledge should have deeply concerned people about his heretical doctrines. However, when he confessed his affair with another woman and applied for divorce, he was rejected by all those who endorsed him and he became exposed as a liar. Church leadership rejected his ministry and called him to repentance. Some his peers say that they are ministering to him now and claim that he has repented but we have not heard a word from his lips. Mostly the entire churches AROUND THE world have rejected Bentley because of his sinful lifestyle of womanizing and drinking and rightly so. Pat Holliday
http://www.scribd.com/doc/5200686/TODD-BENTLEY-MATTHEW-STEPHENS-Stephen-Bening-False-PROPHETS-ASK-GOD-TO-KILL-PAT-HOLLIDAY-
“First of all, Todd has been removed from public ministry until further notice. He has resigned from the ministry he founded, Fresh Fire, so he is no longer a part of that board. It has become clear that he indulged in periodic drunkenness. He has no intention at the moment of reconciling with Shonna, nor does she with him. Their marriage has been torn for years by his emotional attachment with at least one other female whose physical contact went beyond hugging and kissing and holding hands. Enough said-maybe more details will be revealed later-but it was clearly immoral. All of this was skillfully concealed by lying and by swearing close associates who had observed his behavior to secrecy.” Peter Wagner
http://pjmiller.wordpress.com/2008/08/17/robert-ricciardelli-speaks-out/
On Sat, 8/16/08, Jacob Prasch wrote:
From: Jacob Prasch
Subject: Revival Facts
To: [email protected]
Date: Saturday, August 16, 2008, 2:55 AM
Dear. Mr. Strader
These Are The Facts:
* Toronto and Pensacola brought no 'revival', so why should more of the same at Lakeland?
* If Todd Bentley became a Christian after being a criminally convicted homosexual pedophile who is now filing for marital separation, this is not true of his mentors Bob Jones & Paul Cane. Jones was a sexual predator and proven false prophet after being a supposed Christian, and Paul Cane has always been a drunken pervert homosexual alcoholic.
* The Fruit of The Spirit is 'ekreitei' Self Control (not the lack of it) and 'gentleness' (not a tattooed goon kicking old ladies in the stomach).
* There are no female angels in scripture and in The Olivet Discourse Jesus warned to avoid those claiming His physical presence prior to the parousia.
* By some accounts the DA / Prosecutor says that you - Steven Strader (Karl's other son), are as bad as your jail bird brother locked up as a professional gangster under RICO until 2036 for swindeling elderly Christians out of $3 million dollars.
* Bentley could not, as was nationally televised, produce medically documented proof of any healings or resurrections.
* Wm. Branham was a demonstrable heretic with beliefs contrary to biblical Pentecostalism.
* His ridiculous antics in Los Angeles with Che Anh was a money losing failure and a joke.
In other words, Bentley is finished and your freak show is over.
Now why don't you do the sensible thing and give everyone their money back and send them home and tell C. Peter Wagner and his discredited clowns to go find another dilapidated band wagon to jump on?
Sincerely,
Jacob Prasch/ Moriel
Posted by: brad | September 01, 2008 at 03:19 AM
A Final Verdict
By R. T. Kendall
It takes more courage to say Lakeland isn’t of God. Why, then, am I so sure that’s the case?
I can think of nothing worse than for God to be powerfully at work and I miss it—all because I was biased and devoid of discernment. All my life I have waited for an authentic work of God not unlike the Great Awakening in Jonathan Edwards’ day. In more recent years I have hoped to see the beginning of “last day ministries”—when Isaac succeeds Ishmael—which would precede the second coming. God owes me nothing, and it may please Him to bypass me entirely in what He chooses to do.
At first, I wondered if passing me by might be happening with regard to Lakeland, Fla. I say this because over time I became more and more uneasy with what was going on there. For three months I watched the Lakeland meetings virtually every night. I prayed intensely for the evangelist and for the people there—not for any “problems” that I saw, but simply for God’s will to be done completely, regardless of what I thought. I would stand before the TV screen and pray for my own healing. I tried very, very hard to support this strange move, especially when some of my closest friends were endorsing it and urging me to do the same. Furthermore, knowing that God loves to do what makes some of us say “yuck,” I was prepared all over again for this to happen.
But Wait ...
What complicated things most of all was that people were apparently being healed. At the time of this writing there had been 37 resurrections from the dead reported. If only one of them had a coroner’s death certificate it would be a serious matter to say that what was going on there was not of God. The fact that ABC News could find no documentary evidence of a miracle was not enough to sway me one way or the other. I was even prepared—for a while—to overlook the claim that the angel Emma was the secret explanation for the special revelations and miracles. I believe in angels. What if Emma were a part of the “yuck” factor?
It took a little bit of courage for me to endorse the Toronto Blessing in 1994. I have never regretted this. I was going to need courage again—this time to endorse Lakeland.
But a funny thing kept gripping me: It would take even more courage to say that the Lakeland phenomenon is not of God. Did I have the courage to say this? After all, I was reluctantly coming to the conclusion that it was not of God—but would I say it?
Yes. At the end of the day it came down to one thing: Is the Bible true or not? If the Lakeland happenings are of God, then what I have preached for the last 50 years is nonsense. Yes, Lakeland was making me say “yuck”; but not all that makes us say “yuck” is of God.
Case for Objection
My reasons for coming to such a definitive resolve were unfortunate but self-evident the more I watched the progression of events at Lakeland.
First, never once have I heard a clear message of the gospel of Jesus Christ from the Lakeland platform—except when a guest speaker did it.
Second, when people were being baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and “Bam! Bam!” it both trivialized the Trinity and baptism itself. This is serious, serious trivializing.
Third, if you were to ask how much a fear of God and conviction of sin emanated from these services—on a scale of one to 100, I would say zero.
In 1994 I addressed a group of prominent evangelical leaders in London, having been assigned the topic of “The Biblical Features of Revival.” I recently looked at my notes to see how Lakeland measured up. Not even close.
A great awakening would, among several other things I don’t have the space to go into here, demonstrate the centrality of biblical preaching. Preaching itself in Lakeland has been minimal, and what preaching there has been calls more attention to angels, miracles and manifestations than to Jesus who died on the cross.
I’m sorry, but my heart is sick that these meetings have excited so many good people. They are indeed good people, very sincere. Many of them have been a part of previous moves of the Spirit. And since church history has taught us that those who were in the middle of a move of the Spirit often lead the way in opposing the next work of the Spirit, some did not want to be seen doing this. I can understand that.
When one is reported to have been to the Third Heaven (as the main evangelist of Lakeland has stated) and told not to preach Jesus (because everybody already knows about Him) but rather angels (which people know little about), I can only call this “another gospel” as in Galatians 1.
I would go to the stake for the gospel of salvation that Paul preached, one that emphasizes reliance solely in the precious blood of Christ. I would certainly not go to the stake for the Lakeland message—and would be afraid to face God if I did.
It comes to this: Is the Bible true? Because I believe the Bible, I can testify: The jury of my mind on Lakeland is in.
Leave Lakeland alone.
Posted by: DW | August 23, 2008 at 03:19 PM
Nicely said...Amen to that.
Posted by: Donna | August 23, 2008 at 12:07 AM
Statement Concerning Todd Bentley
Those that know me know that I love revival, but I also place great emphasis on doctrine and integrity. In fact, I make decisions of support of people and their ministries based on these two qualities. That being said, in the very early stages of revival, I went to visit Todd Bentley in Lakeland, FL. My purpose was to champion revival, and I had great hope that it would be one that would sweep the world.
At that time, I didn’t know much about Todd or his doctrine, but had some concern. Over the last two months, it has become a major concern to me. I have some strong doctrinal issues with his extra-biblical views.
Also, our hearts are saddened that Todd has chosen to resist council from credible individuals and has legally separated from his wife. Our prayers go out to both him and his family. We know this will bring great hurt to many in the Body of Christ. That’s just what this type of thing does. It’s the sheep that usually get hurt the most.
John Kilpatrick
Posted by: DW | August 22, 2008 at 12:42 AM
http://www.dutchsheets.org/images/images_A2521/A_Statement_and_Appeal_Regarding_Lakeland.pdf
Posted by: DW | August 22, 2008 at 12:18 AM