Normally I don’t hesitate to express how I feel about issues however, I’ve dreaded dealing with the issues surrounding the services in Florida led by Evangelist Todd Bentley. It’s not that I’m afraid. This topic has been unusually divisive and has the potential to bring hard feelings between close friends. Like anyone else, I don’t want to upset my friends however, I will always end up favoring the Authority of Scripture over feelings, including my own. I’ve delayed long enough so here goes.
First of all, let me say that I’m not against genuine revival. In fact, my television show is titled The Revival Generation Outpouring and my radio show is titled Revival Generation Worship. My issue has to do with the genuineness of this so-called ‘revival’. If you’ll look beneath the heading of this blog, you’ll see Seeking Genuine Renewal in Our Generation. That slogan was there long before the services began in Lakeland, Florida. Secondly, I would like to say that I believe in healing and the manifestation gifts which include prophecy.
Where do I begin? Well, I have a lot to say so this will be the first of many blogs evaluating what’s going on in Florida. I’ve had a lot of help researching this matter and I would like to thank Bill Fawcett for the many hours he’s poured into this. I’ll be going to great lengths to quote Todd Bentley directly and not just quote his critics. Here’s the short list of what I will be blogging about in the days to come:
- The unbiblical teachings and the emphasis on angels, particularly one he calls ‘Emma’
- Manifestations attributed to the Holy Spirit that are exceedingly strange and draw attention to self
- Spirit travel
- Using ‘healing’ as a gauge for verifying this as a true revival
- The reemergence of the Latter Rain heresy
- Todd Bentley’s close association with Paul Cain, Bob Jones, and others.
- The use of prophecy and definition of Apostleship
These subjects will no doubt lead to others. In closing, I would like to point you to an article that accurately sums up how I feel. In my opinion, Charisma Magazine is usually a promoter of all things strange, but it appears that what is happening in Florida is even too much for them to stomach.
http://fireinmybones.com/index.php?col=051408
Brad
8 responses so far ↓
1 Trinity Heartbeat » Blog Archive » Praise God for miracles in Lakeland // May 28, 2008 at 12:16 pm
[...] At the same time, do be careful of any strange fire, described by one of our district’s evangelist here. [...]
2 Jonathan Woodard // May 28, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Thanks Brad, I added a disclaimer with a link to this to one of our previous posts. http://trinityheartbeat.com/?p=75
3 Jonathan // May 28, 2008 at 8:02 pm
I think the article stated things best when he put a definition on what revival really is as displayed by the disciples after the Resurrection and Ascension.
“It was the few disciples who followed Jesus after Calvary who ushered in a true revival—one that was bathed in the fear of God, confirmed by signs and wonders, tempered by persecution and evidenced by thousands of conversions, new churches and the transformation of society. We should expect nothing less.” J. Lee Grady
The fear of God is something in my opinion we (the church) have lacked for a long time, even myself personally. Not a fear of terror, but of Holiness and reverence.
4 Janice Beahm // May 29, 2008 at 9:28 pm
Brad,
Greetings, my brother, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Funny that you should post this article. I have been watching the Lakeland services on God TV for weeks now and I began to have some serious questions about some things I saw and heard. The Holy Spirit prompted me to contact you concerning this matter and when I visited your Website, you’ve post these comments. Brother, that’s the true work of the Holy Spirit. I am praying for discernment and being cautious not to judge, but I’m just very concerned about some things going on there. I absolutely desire genuine revival, but I am against promoting self and teachings that are unscriptural. The breaking point for me was the manifestation of the gold tooth. I am not saying that God can not create a gold tooth…He created everything so a gold tooth is no big deal for my God. The sad thing is that many people look at this and all they want from God is the “gold tooth!” Way too much hype and self promotion for me. I will be spending some time in prayer for brother Todd. By the way, I enjoyed the pictures from Rileyville. God bless you both! Oh, and thank you for not shouting “BAM!” Your sister in Christ,
Janice Beahm
5 Jason // May 29, 2008 at 9:35 pm
I say great job for going against the grain. Really, I mean everybody is just accepting this as a powerful move of God without even looking at God’s Holy Word. 1Th 5:21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. God commands us to test and hold fast to what is good. Jesus said in Matt. 19:17 that only God is good. So the true test for any prophet or man of god is his fruit. Yes his fruit. Not his miricles. Jesus said that even those that will be cast into hell did miricles.
Mat 7:15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
Mat 7:16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
Mat 7:20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
Mat 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
Mat 7:23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Also why would anyone given the world-wide platform and the attention and hearts of all people of this perverted generation preach anything less than what Jesus and Peter preached to a perverted generation?
Mar 1:14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God,
Mar 1:15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
Act 2:40 And with many other words he earnestly testified and exhorted, saying, Be saved from this perverse generation.
Let us seek for what God says about men and not what men say about God.
6 Lonnie Watson // May 30, 2008 at 10:10 am
What is the latter rain heresy? I know Wigglesworth embraced a big move of God before Jesus returns. So what does this mean “latter Rain Heresy”?
7 admin // May 30, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Lonnie - thanks for your comment (question). We’re working on a response to the Latter Rain Heresy for this blog. In the meantime, just know that I am definitely believing God for an end-time harvest of souls! The Latter Rain Movement that has been resurrected takes a few unbiblical twists and turns. We’ll explain soon. Blessings!
8 Karen // May 30, 2008 at 1:44 pm
I much prefer seeing people’s characters deeply affected so that marriages grow and relationships within the body develop with a foundation of selfless love than see any more “meetings” where there is hype and thrill but no real change. So tired of meetings that do not affect us where it counts - deep in our character.
Revival is when the church, truly, wakes up to such a point that SHE is affecting the atmosphere - not Hollywood or Washington but the body of Christ. The early church had such an impact that Rome took notice because people were being, truly, changed. Wow. Lets get BACK to that kind of revival.
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