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ALSO SEE
Dominion Theology: The Stench And Foul Smell Of Joel’s Army
The Dominionist Doctrine is a volatile cocktail of outright error mixed in with authentic truth, and Bible verses attached to complete fabrications. However their delusions make them more dangerous, not less. This movement, gathering momentum by the week, could very well bring about the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy in Matthew 10:21, which means that every Christian should be aware of who these people are and what it is they profess to believe.
And Slain In The Spirit
When one carefully examines the texts put forward to make the case that "slain in the spirit" and other related manifestations such as laughter, shaking and other bodily convulsions are phenomena rooted in the Scriptures, it becomes patently obvious that this is not the case. Holy Canon is void of any accounts, testimonies or experiences that even faintly resemble ‘Slain In The Spirit’. Where then does the practice originate? Unfortunately being slain/resting/shaking/being drunk in the spirit etc, along with "holy laughter" are only two more examples of doctrine that has been directly derived from occult sources. It has terrifying parallels with the Hindu practice of “awakening” a person’s Kundalini, a concentrated form of life force, lying dormant in our bodies. The ‘awakening’ of the Kundalini, or expanded states of consciousness, is often brought about by a guru conferring the spiritual "power" or awakening on disciples by means of a touch to the forehead. If that isn’t disturbing enough, Not only are the the requirements for receiving are the same, but the methods of transmissions are the same and the resulting physical manifestations are virtually indistinguishable. How then can these practices be Christian?
ON THIS PAGE
Introduction
Todd Bentley was first brought to my attention in late May of this year [2008]. At first I ignored the whole issue, dismissing him as one more charlatan on the whole sordid landscape of the modern church. However as the voices grew more insistent, I finally (and reluctantly) started reading about, watching and listening to excerpts from his various talks. A short time later I have come to three inescapable conclusions…
Here we go again… Writing another chapter in the history of a dysfunctional church.
Bentley definitely has a positive function in life. He makes people like Benny Hinn and Kenneth Copeland look good… really, really good.
Whatever rock in the furtherest reaches of hell Todd Bentley crawled out from, Satan is no longer bothering to conceal his minions behind the cloak of respectability (After all Robert Schuller does look and sound like someone’s benevolent grandfather). I wonder if Satan actually thought to himself.. “Lets see just how much these fool Christians will fall for. Let’s hand them someone with tattoos, and body piercings with a sleazy background and a penchant for Harleys... let’s arm him with a fistful of tall stories and top it all with his propensity for violence and see just how gullible these people are.”.
Well what ‘happened’ is history in the making. The Lakeland Healing "Revival" lead by 32-year-old Canadian ‘evangelist’ Todd Bentley is in full tilt. Bentley's arms and neck are covered with tattoos, and he wears studs in his chin and left eyebrow, yet nearly every evening thousands gather to hear him preach and hear “Holy Spirit fall! God is here! We want more! More, more, more!". In the video I watched Bentley yells “BAM” over and over again along with the usual trite phrases “Release the revival anointing”, “Release revival glory”. He also screams “Take It” over and over again.
(Hmmm! I wonder whether Bentley ever watches Emeril Live on Food Network. Emeril’s famous trademark ... “BAM” as he adds salt to whatever he is making is endearing ...on him. On a so called preacher it is despicable.
And, most of Bentley’s tattoos seem to have been done over the last 4-5 years. A Youtube video of him preaching in early 2004 at the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship shows him to be tattoo free: http://youtube.com/watch?v=fFp1tG9z7SM). Link is no longer good.
In the words of Al Dager (Media Spotlight)
“Bentley believes that his ministry will flow throughout the churches and that it will become a revival that will take us into coming of Jesus. He has been endorsed by John Arnott, pastor of Toronto Airport Vineyard at the time of the “Toronto Blessing” Paul Cain and Bob Jones of the “Brownville Revival”, and others associated with various alleged outpourings of the Holy Spirit manifested by bizarre conduct. At times Bentley has lost control of himself on stage, laughing hysterically, falling on all fours, and engaging in myriad gymnastics to get the people’s attention. He encourages his audiences to let go of themselves to where they bark like dogs, and exhibit the same behavior found in the aforementioned “outbreaks”. [1]
And Gary Osbourne
“There is no doubt in my mind that the “Lakeland Outpouring”, as it is now being called, is nothing more than a recycling of previous movements that stretch back decades. Whether it was meetings held by people like William Branham, Kathryn Kuhlman, Benny Hinn, Rodney Howard-Browne, Steve Hill, or any of the so-called Kansas City Prophets, the spirit and basic doctrine are the same. There’s a common thread of specific heresies that go back a long way”. [2]
(NOTE: This is almost the only page on this site that makes such extensive use of video clips.. simply because this man has to be seen to be believed. In time I imagine that most of these videos will disappear off You Tube. I have used Real Player to download most of them, although I have no idea if (or how) they can be shared)
Todd Bentley... History and Appearance
History
Bentley, 32, runs Fresh Fire Ministries, based in Abbotsford, British Columbia. He said he dropped out of school in the eighth grade and overdosed on drugs three times before he became a Christian in 1994. According to a 2003 article in Charisma, a magazine devoted to Pentecostal news, before his conversion at age 18, Bentley spent several stints in jail, including one for a sexual assault committed as a juvenile. [6]
A Mar. 5, 2001 article in Report Newsmagazine stated that…
“As a teen, Todd Bentley knew one thing very well: how to get into trouble. Growing up in Abbotsford, his life was filled with drug dealing, fighting and robbery. The nadir came when he was sentenced to 18 months in detention for assault and breaking-and-entry. Mr. Bentley, now 25, was able to put that all behind him seven years ago when he became a Christian. But his transformation was not all at once. Over the past three years, he has gone from working the green chain in a sawmill to speaking in major Protestant churches throughout the western U.S., Canada and Africa”. [7]
Appearance
Todd Bentley is far from mainstream. He is heavy set and bearded and his arms and neck are covered with tattoos. He wears studs in his chin and left eyebrow and certainly doesn’t look anything like a typical evangelist.
But isn’t being a Christian all about being forgiven for past sins and being filled with the Holy Spirit which helps enable one to live out the rest of our lives in righteousness etc. etc. Isn’t being a Christian more to do with the inside being clean, rather than the outside adhering to some set standard? Didn’t Jesus criticize the Pharisees for their appearance of righteousness while the inside was rotting?
 Certainly! As long as our present lives are pleasing to God and our beliefs according to the precepts of Scripture, it should not particularly matter what our outward appearance is like. Except for a couple of small problems...
Unlike many Christians, I have absolutely nothing against tattoos, but in the photograph Bentley is displaying a bizarre tattoo that is eerily similar to the popular depictions of Medusa. Besides which it is all too often the case that tattoos, body piercings etc. are far more than just appearance - they represent a lifestyle …a mindset or worldview, if you will, that is completely antithetical to Christianity. A premise that seems to be further reinforced by ....
Bentley’s My Space….
There is a disturbing pattern to Todd Bentley’s interests on his myspace page, which has a prominent Harley Davidson symbol at the top. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with Harleys, there is a mind-set here that just doesn’t sit right on a so called minister of God. (Since this report was written, the myspace page has been deleted). The Bible instructs us to come out from the world and be separate (which is the definition of holiness). So isn’t it reasonable to expect the life of a preacher/evangelist/man of God to be a little bit different from everyone else? Are we being unreasonable to expect that this man’s life be salt and light, that he set the example for the rest of the flock to follow, that he display at least some separation from the entertainment and lifestyle of the world.
However this is far from the case with Bentley, who’s preferences in movies etc, are pretty typical of any unregenerate ‘tough guy’. For example his general interests are listed as
Family, Sushi, Harley Davidson's, Music, Starbucks, Movies, hangning out with Friends (misspelling in original)
And considering later events it seems almost amusing, if not absolutely hypocritical that Bentley listed family as first on his list. Besides which, Bentley seems to have an affinity for roughness and violence...(Why would I not be surprised if Bentley also favored professional wrestling?) his favorite movies include …
Matrix, Lord of the Rings, Braveheart, Die Hard, Mission Impossible and Bourne on the big screen and King of Queens, Seinfeld, American Chopper and CSI on television.
While time and space preclude a meaningful analysis of all these programs, we have dealt with a few.
Television
Seinfeld is as dumb as ‘comedy’ get with it’s characters neurotic and conceited at best and immature, dishonest, petty and totally wacko at worst.
The immature Doug in King of Queens does nothing but watch sports, play poker and put on weight.
CSI pushes the envelope as far as graphic violence, images, and sexual content goes. [Emphasis Added]
American Chopper.... The day-to-day drama of a volatile father and son team (New York natives Paul Teutul Sr. and son Paul Jr) as they create outrageous custom motorcycles. However Paul senior is a hot-tempered tattooed foul-mouthed patriarch who’s every second word has to be bleeped out. Fans of "American Chopper" have come to expect certain things from the reality show: Loud engines. Tattoos. Father and son shouting bleeped obscenities at each other. [9]
And TB calls these his favorite television programs.
Bentley and West Coast Chopper
 Bentley has a larger version of the picture on the left on his MySpace page. Wondering what the logo on his chest (and sleeves) was, I enlarged it [below right].. Then still not recognizing it, I enlisted my husband, who told me it was the West Coast Chopper logo. Bentley is wearing a West Coast Chopper T-shirt.
West Coast Chopper is a company best known for selling chopper-style motorcycles. If you Google ‘West Coast Choppers’, their site comes up at the top of the page with the charming caption …
“If you don't like how we're livin', FU jack”
Managed by Jesse James (former host of Monster Garage) who has a “a love for custom motorcycles coupled with a bad attitude”
“James moved out of his father's house at the age of sixteen because his enthusiasm for motorcycles was not matched by his antique slinging father. Spending the next three years stealing motorcycle parts to build his bikes, Jesse James acquired familiarity with the police and Orange County jail cells. This California Youth Authority veteran experienced a metamorphosis from a bad-boy incarcerated to a bad-boy in the spotlight, when the Discovery Channel picked him up for their pilot "Monster Garage" in 2001”. [10]
On the site, which is strewn with pictures of scantily clad women astride motorcycles [Surprise surprise!] you are urged to sign up or become a Chopperdog’s member by a female clad in boxing shorts and strategically held boxing gloves. After signing up you can buy an “Exclusive Chopper F--‘s T-Shirt”. [10b]
Now Jesse James and the rest of the whatever the heck they call themselves, can do and say exactly what they wish. However a so called preacher of the Gospel, who ‘visits Heaven on a regular basis’ can and should be held accountable. The duplicity of Todd Bentley wearing a cross around his neck, which rests on the West Coast Chopper logo on his shirt is enough to make anyone gag.
While the man is a despicable hypocrite, what is even worse is that he has carried over his violent tendencies into his stage shows, and the so called Christian audience, not only encourage him, they laugh at his loathsome accounts.
Violence in The Name of God
The following information including the partial word-for-word transcript of the video below is thanks to Christian Research Service
“At about 10 seconds into the video, Todd Bentley states:
The woman was standing in the back of the room when the faith of God hit the meeting, and her tumor exploded out of her right leg, slid down her leg onto the floor! (audience applause)
I said, "God! I prayed for like a hundred crippled people. Not one?" He said, "That's because I want you to grab that lady's crippled legs and bang them up-and-down on the platform like a baseball bat." (audience laughter)
I walked up and I grabbed her legs, and I started going, BAM! BAM! I started banging them up-and-down on the plat[form]! She got healed!
And I'm thinking, God, why is not the power of God moving? He said, "Because you haven't kicked that woman in the face." (audience laughter)
And there is this older lady worshipping right in front of the platform. (audience laughter) And the Holy Spirit spoke to me--the gift of faith came on me--He said, "Kick her in the face with your biker-boot." (audience laughter)
I inched closer and I went like this [Todd Bentley performs a kick with his right leg and yells] BAM! (audience laughter) And just as my boot made contact with her nose, she fell under the power of God.
The remaining moments of the video speaks for itself and demonstrates what happens to Todd Bentley when he is overcome by the so-called "gift of faith." In what may be termed an award-winning theatrical performance, Bentley claims that "God" told him to: run and knock a person to the ground; "Ground and pound;" choke a man; run and hit a man so hard "it drove him back several feet! He hit the ground and his tooth popped right out of his mouth!" (audience laughter) The video ends with Todd Bentley claiming that "God" instructed him to perform a "leg-drop" on a pastor.
I hope you realize that this assault would have landed Bentley in jail had it taken place anywhere other than a ‘church.
But The Audience Did Nothing But Laugh!
NOT ONE of these good ‘Christians’ in the audience objected to this story. Not ONE person stood up and said “Hey! You don’t kick anyone”. NOT ONE person stood up and yelled “We do not serve a God who kicks people”.
God forgive us for what we have become.
Tragically, Todd Bentley is not the first to use violence in a ‘ministry’. Stories abound about people like Smith Wigglesworth and A.A. Allen. But in the nearer verifiable past
Kenneth Hagin claims the Lord instructed him to hit an elderly woman in the stomach with his fist. (Hagin, Understanding the Anointing, 114-115 and
Rodney Browne who attended Hagin’s Rhema college slapped a deaf person so hard the person fell flat on the floor.(Flowing in the Holy Ghost p.53, R.H.B quoted in counterfeit Revival H. Hanegraaff).
So what does Scripture say about
1) the nature of the Holy Spirit…
In the words of Let Us Reason Ministries
“Jesus said In John 14:16 he would ask the Father to send another comforter (Greek- Allos paracletos) which means another of the same kind, (a person). Here the Lord calls him our helper, the comforter one that comes alongside, he will be in the Christian, as well as with them. His ministry is to do what Jesus did when he was here physically but mainly from the inside of us. Instead of Jesus being here in the flesh, the invisible Spirit is. So the Holy Spirit would have the same nature of Jesus.
Now we need to ask, what was Jesus like? Matthew 11:29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." The Jesus of scripture is Gentle, humble, meek.
2) The Nature and Behaviour of Christian Leaders
Additionally the New Testament is quite clear about the character and behaviour of a Christian, especially the leadership. In his instructions to Timothy regarding the qualifications of a bishop, Paul says [Emphasis Added]
1Timothy 2:2: for kings and all that are in high place; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and gravity.
1Timothy 3:2-3: The bishop therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, orderly, given to hospitality, apt to teach; no brawler, no striker; but gentle, not contentious, no lover of money;
1Timothy: 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
2) The Nature and Behaviour of all Christians
Scripture uses the words gentle, peaceable and meek quite often.
Galatians 5:22 tells us “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness (gentleness), temperance: against such there is no law”
Ephesians 4:30-32 says "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you."
1Thessalonians 2:7 "But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children.
Titus 3:2 "... speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.
James 3:17 "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy."
Music
While I do not know a great deal about all the music and musicians Bentley extols, he includes P.O.D and U2 on his list of favorites and we all know what they are like. You don’t? Well I guess that has to be remedied. See POD HERE and U2 HERE.
One of his other music favourites is a so called Christian group called Haste the Day, who spent the summer of 2007 on the Vans Warped Tour and, shortly after that, a month on the road with Atreyu. Vans Warped Tour features post-hardcore, pop punk, some hardcore punk, street punk bands and metalcore acts and Atreyu calls the Bible “some bullshit rule book” and asks to be spared from “biblical back peddling nonsense”. [Details]
Todd Bentley a.k.a James Van Praagh a.k.a John Edward
I found the graphic on the right on http://defendingcontending.com:80/ and could not resist posting it here, which in no way should take away from the seriousness of Bentley’s deception.
The next video came from on A Little Leaven and brings home the fact as to how similar Todd Bentley’s ‘reading’ are to any of the psychics I have ever watched on television. For example in speaking to a woman, he says ..
“Thank you Holy Ghost, thank you Lord for that oil coming right now for healing in Jesus’ mighty name for healing… release that”
That oil coming right now?? What oil? He then asks the woman whether she has any children, to which she shakes her head in the negative.
Bentley then says [Emphasis Added]
“No Children? cause I’ve just laid hands on you and I feel like there something in that room right now that God’s going to release. Doesn’t mean you’re going to have natural children, it could be that I’m picking up on it because you’re not married, never had children, but the Lord’s highlighting that to me for whatever reason right now.
In speaking to another person Bentley asks if she worked in medicine or nursing or anything like that. When the woman says no, Bentley asks if she has ever done anything like that, to which the woman again answers in the negative. Bentley tells the next woman that she need a “creative miracle of the heart”. Whatever that is. Bentley then unbelievably goes down the line “releasing the anointing” and yelling “Boom-Ba” as each person falls to the ground.
Boom-Ba???
Let me relate one more ‘incident’ on the video before I throw up… Bentley is talking to a man who was struck by lightning years before and still has some residual effects. After blathering on for some time about impartations etc. Bentley says [Emphasis Added]
“I feel like the Lord told me that the man who had the lightning visit him in the late seventies will be a man that I am going to mark with a real gift for faith and healing.
Bentley refers more than once to what he is “picking up on” or what he “feels the Lord told him”. So the inescapable conclusion is that either the Lord is mumbling and/or being extremely vague in what He is telling Bentley or Bentley himself is either hard of hearing and/or an extremely bad listener.
If you haven’t ever done so please turn your TV on and watch one of the psychics in action. Don’t worry, it is extremely unlikely that evil spirits will rush out of the television set and attack you in your living room. You just have to see the similarities between their ‘readings’ and Bentleys to believe it.
And Christians still fall for this claptrap.
Contagious Anointing or Contagious Kundalini Awakening?
In the following video Todd Bentley [in tones that would make any self-respecting banshee extremely proud] says.. [Do not miss his “vibrating” or having his own “glory party” up there]. Comments in parenthesis and bold mine.
“We have an international television audience tonight” (God help us! Now we are dumping the dregs of the earth on other unsuspecting countries).
“The Lord told me that this anointing would be the most contagious anointing in my ministry”
(He then bends over and emits a loud and prolonged scream, which I imagine is the same sound someone would make should a knife be stuck in their gut)
“As great as the anointings been, this was the year of the double portion… transferable, tangible anointing
[Puppet on a string imitation again]
“And the Lord spoke to me in the beginning of this outpouring that ever service, and I have not been tired… at every meeting I was to pray for the leaders coming in from around the world, pastors, missionaries, evangelists that were hungry for a fresh touch on their lives.
[Now we know what kind of leaders we have. Actually we have known for some time now, but that’s another story]”
“and He told me that this anointing, this same glory would follow them wherever they went….and it is breaking out already,
Bentley then goes on to tell how the leaders of his churches came down and told him that the “glory” is falling in Canada, also how he got a call from someone associated with Randy Clary who told him that he didn’t “know what to do”
“ He was in Lakeland and you laid hands on him and then he went to Iowa and the same anointing began to break out and a boy with cerebral palsy got out of a wheel chair,
[Hmm! Wonder if he is still out of that wheelchair?]
[Banshee imitation again.. “Send it to Ioooowa”
Someone then walks up to Bentley with a piece of paper which is supposed to have just come in off the web .. Apparently some church in Charleston W. Virginia is advertising the “Florida Healing revival live 7pm nightly. Bentley says they are “piping in the meetings” and “you can get this revival by satellite”
[Apparently we all seem to need a primer on what exactly a revival is.. ]
So Bentley is says this anointing is contagious, the most contagious of his ministry and it will spread through satellite, the internet and television. That he was to pray for the leaders coming in from around the world, so that this same glory would follow them wherever they went…. [John Arnott compared it to a "spiritual virus''].
A New Thing? You Have To Be Kidding!
Christians that flock to Toronto, Brownsville and Lakeland do not seem to realize that the manifestations at these places are not a “New Move of God” but have existed for thousands of years. They are a “Very Ancient Move of Satan”. Todd Bentley, John Arnott and the like think they are hot stuff running around screaming “Bam” and “Fire” , yet
For thousands of years gurus have operated with gifts of healing, miracles, gifts of knowledge and intense displays of spiritual consciousness for thousands of years.
For thousands of years they have connected with a cosmic power which, though demonic in origin, is very real.
For thousands of years devotees have gone forward to receive spiritual experience (Darshan) from a touch by the open palm of the hand, often to the forehead, by the guru in what is known as the Shakti Pat or divine touch.
For thousands of years, as a result of the Shakti Pat, these devotees have had a raising of the spiritual experience also called raising Kundalini……
For thousands of years Shakti has been easily passed by a touch or by some other method from one already ‘on fire'. “The mere presence of a single being whose shakti is strongly active can awaken the shakti of those around him. Similarly being in the presence of many people whose shakti is awakened to some degree can awaken one's own shakti.
For thousands of years the manifestations of an awakened kundalini among people of other religions has been exactly the same as the results of being ‘Slain in The Spirit’ in so called Christian meetings. Such as involuntary and spasmodic body movements and postures; vibrating sensations; shaking; abnormal breathing patterns; hot and cold sensations, unusual or extremes of emotions; distortion of thought processes; detachment; disassociation; bodily activities such as trembling, vocal activities such as yelling, roaring, whistling, and chirping, spontaneous chanting and mental activities such as visions. See Chakras, Kundalini, and The Ancient Hindu Custom of Shaktipat
False Prophecies
Sadly, the so called church has become so used to various fakes spouting exceedingly similar (and tiresome) ‘prophecies’ that no one bothers to even check whether these prophecies actually come to pass.
"Beware of false prophets" (Matthew 7:15). These well-known words of Jesus instantly tell us two things: 1) There are false prophets 2) They are dangerous. In fact the Lord took the whole subject of false prophecy so seriously that the penalty in Old Testament times was death for false prophets (Deut 18:20).
But this is not all. Willing listeners who have given these false prophets credence are under an equally severe judgment as those who done the actual prophesying, since the Lord made it an extremely simple matter to distinguish a false prophets from a real one, and He did so FOR OUR PROTECTION.
The listeners are not excused because false prophets told them lies, for they have given credit to these fabrications.
Therefore thus saith Jehovah concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land: By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed. And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them-them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness upon them. [Jeremiah 14:15-16. Emphasis Added]
Jeremiah further tells us
An astonishing and horrible thing is come to pass in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof? [Jeremiah 5:30-31. Emphasis Added]
Which perfectly sums up the situation today, in Lakeland and many other places...
At one of his whatever-he-calls-them meetings on the 7th of June 2008, Bentley read a prophecy by God TV’s Wendy Alec…
“Listen to this. The Lord just spoke to me and said ‘This IS what will happen tomorrow night, The King and the Kings anointing falls tomorrow night. The 8th of June 2008 The anointing of the king of glory falls. Jesus said “I am coming in person”. The King is coming in person. I sense so strongly there will be a personal divine visitation of the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ to the revival tomorrow night. He will come in the clouds in His chariot surrounded by a great angelic host because the great honoring of the Lamb of God, the King of Glory is coming to visit Lakeland, to visit the revival, to visit the outpouring. The devil trembles with that knowledge. For tomorrow the King of Glory sets foot upon the stage in Divine personal one to one visitation.
Bentley goes on to say
“Now for all those watching that just don’t understand the nature of the prophetic ..tho’ the Lord can appear .. I’m not suggesting there going to be a physical flesh Jesus Christ … I hope you understand.. we’re talking about atmosphere. Talking about in spiritual experience. We’re talking about impartation.
Wait a minute. Didn’t you just say He was coming in a cloud with all the angels? Didn’t he just say King of Glory will set foot upon the stage in a Divine visitation. How does all that change into “impartation” and “atmosphere”?
And then Bentley gets even more strange. He turns to someone called Roy and says [Emphasis Added]
“If tonight and last night’s worship is any indication that something is changing in the realm of the gold ring
What the hell is the realm of the gold ring? And for those of you that think that ‘what the hell’ is cussing.. I disagree, but in this case I mean it very literally. [12]
Oily Smelly Hands
In yet another embarrassing display Bentley says that his oily hands are a ‘sign’ of the Holy Spirit.
He extends his hands to several people and asks if ‘they smell that?”, telling them that “it appeared on my hands”. He then encourages people to pray for oil to appear on their hands…
“I want you to lift your hand up right now and say ‘God, let the oil appear’. Take a moment and say ‘God, let the oil appear’.. Let the oil drip out of my hands.
Bentley then turns to the camera and says
We can not, for which we have to thank God for small mercies, especially when it apparently smells like “Sheeka-Boom-Ba”. Bentley’s words, not mine.
God Wants People To Believe in The Angel.
In yet another astonishing ‘revelation’ Bentley says that he has to tell people the full story..
“… if you want to know why God’s moving I have to tell you the whole story. If you don’t believe the story.. well sorry. You know I told the Lord.. “Why can’t I just move in healing and forget talking about all that other stuff ?” He said “because you got to get the people to believe in the angel” I said “Why do I want people to believe in the angel? Isn’t it about getting the people to believe in Jesus? ” He said “The people already believe in Jesus , but the church doesn’t believe in the supernatural. The church has no problem believing in Jesus, what we don’t believe in is the supernatural. What we don’t believe in is angels, we don’t believe in the prophetic, we don’t believe in some of what’s going on, and I’ll tell you what ..we need to have an awakening.
The angel being referred to here is the “angel of the winds of change”
Bentley then apparently told God that maybe He wanted to
“give this ministry to someone else cause none’s going to receive it.. You’re going to give me the most controversial testimony. You’re going to visit me with all this supernatural stuff. Maybe if I were a little more clean shaven and polished.. Or maybe the world is looking for something new. How any of you believe we need something new?”
Bentley’s god has his facts wrong.. the church has absolutely no problem believing in the supernatural.. We believe the God parted the red sea, caused the sun to stand still, healed many peopled, raised Jesus from the dead (and will one day raise many others). We believe in prophecy, which gives assurance to our faith.
We also believe in angels as messengers of God.. that angels announced the birth of Christ, ministered to Him and that a single angel of judgment destroyed the entire Assyrian army (Isaiah 37:36), that angels protected Daniel and his friends, that an angel rolled away the stone from the tomb of Christ, that one angel shall bind Satan and cast him into the bottomless pit and on and on and on. So what part of all this is Bentley going to ‘awaken’ us to?
On another occasion Bentley says he saw a ‘female’ angel called
Emma
And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. [2 Thessalonians 2:11-12]
In Bentley’s words
Now let me talk about an angelic experience with Emma. Twice Bob Jones asked me about this angel that was in Kansas City in 1980: "Todd, have you ever seen the angel by the name of Emma?" He asked me as if he expected that this angel was appearing to me. Surprised, I said, "Bob, who is Emma?" He told me that Emma was the angel that helped birth and start the whole prophetic movement in Kansas City in the 1980s. She was a mothering-type angel that helped nurture the prophetic as it broke out. Within a few weeks of Bob asking me about Emma, I was in a service in Beulah, North Dakota. In the middle of the service I was in conversation with Ivan and another person when in walks Emma. As I stared at the angel with open eyes, the Lord said, "Here's Emma." I'm not kidding. She floated a couple of inches off the floor. It was almost like Kathryn Khulman in those old videos when she wore a white dress and looked like she was gliding across the platform. Emma appeared beautiful and young-about 22 years old-but she was old at the same time. She seemed to carry the wisdom, virtue and grace of Proverbs 31 on her life.
She glided into the room, emitting brilliant light and colors. Emma carried these bags and began pulling gold out of them. Then, as she walked up and down the aisles of the church, she began putting gold dust on people. "God, what is happening?" I asked. The Lord answered: "She is releasing the gold, which is both the revelation and the financial breakthrough that I am bringing into this church. I want you to prophecy that Emma showed up in this service-the same angel that appeared in Kansas city-as a sign that I am endorsing and releasing a prophetic spirit in the church." See, when angels come, they always come for a reason; we need to actually ask God what the purpose is. Within three weeks of that visitation, the church had given me the biggest offering I had ever received to that point in my ministry. Thousands of dollars! Thousands! Even though the entire community consisted of only three thousand people, weeks after I left the church the pastor testified that the church offerings had either doubled or tripled.
During this visitation the pastor's wife (it was an AOG church) got totally whacked by the Holy Ghost- she began running around barking like a dog or squawking like a chicken as a powerful prophetic spirit came on her. Also, as this prophetic anointing came on her, she started getting phone numbers of complete strangers and calling them up on the telephone and prophesying over them. She would tell them that God gave her their telephone number and then would give them words of knowledge. Complete strangers. Then angels started showing up in the church. [14]
There are more than a few problems with this, starting with the fact that no angel in Scripture is ever described as being ‘female’. To add to which The World Kigo Database of seasonal words covering Japanese Festivals and Ceremonies from Buddhist, Shinto and other backgrounds, tells us that.
Enma or Emma is the Japanese name for the Sanskrit: Yama or Yama-raja, the King of Hell. [15]
Enma is not female, but the ruler of the underworld in Buddhist mythology and is often referred to as "Great King Enma". Please remember that the God of the underworld can transform himself into “an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14).
So is there any good reason this Emma or Enma would appear as a woman.. Certainly! Since westerners associate the name ‘Emma’ with women, an obviously masculine looking spirit with the name would cause much head scratching.
Angel of Finance ????
Bentley says there is “an angelic realm in Heaven, devoted to the finances”. Using Revelation 11:15 (“The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord in Christ) for support, He then goes on to say..
I mean God gives power to get wealth. God oversees the wealth of this world.. it’s God’s wealth… God’s riches.. Doesn’t matter who’s hands it’s in, it belongs to the Lord”
However he has not only quoted just part of Revelation 11:15, but has also taken it completely out of context. The entire verse reads
And the seventh messenger did sound, and there came great voices in the heaven, saying, `The kingdoms of the world did become those of our Lord and of His Christ, and he shall reign to the ages of the ages!'
Which is a parallel to Daniel 2:44,
"The God of heaven shall set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break to pieces all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever."
Neither of which has nothing to do with finances or healing. Revelation 11:15 is where the seventh and last trumpet of the trumpet judgments is blown. It represents the certain and glorious outcome of the age-long struggle against Satan, who wields the kingdom of the world, which he offered to Christ on the mountain for one act of worship. The climax comes with Christ as conqueror of the kingdom of this world for his Father. This verse is the crowning lesson of the Apocalypse.
Anyway back to TB and his vivid imagination.
After blathering on for a while about incredible financial breakthroughs (For whom?) and “a whole lot of supernatural giving going on’, he goes on to tell how he was sitting in a meeting (in Santa Rosa) and fell into a trance, which he describes as “a dream like state but you’re awake… A state that you go into to have an experience” Why trances? According to Bentley... “God wants to get your attention, cause your brain’s too busy”, but “you know when they are coming and you can actually resist it”.
Bentley says that over the years he has had many trances and uses a couple of Scriptures to back up his experiences. First he says that “God cause a deep sleep to fall on Adam .. it was a trance like state”. He then says that Peter fell into a trance in Acts 10.
However Acts 10 says absolutely nothing about Peter falling into any kind of trance. All it says is that he “saw a vision.. an angel of God coming in unto him”. In fact, unlike Bentley who claims that quite often he cannot even move but just sits there during one of these trances, Peter was very afraid and spoke to the angel saying “What is it, Lord?”.
On this occasion Bentley says that he did not see anything, there was no vision and he was totally awake, but “checked out”. He goes on the say that he
“..saw heaven open and as I ascended a ladder. I ascended into the heavens…I saw white feathers, I mean these feathers were as real as any bird in the natural. This was not a vision .. these were full vibrant wings. And then I noticed the wings move and there was an arm under one wing and an arm under the other wing and when the wing was lifted I saw ever precious gem, ruby, stone treasure diamond….every treasure you could think of under the angels wings. Then the angel stood and he has the body of a man and six wings. And it’s the angel of finance. I have seen him on two other occasions.
I saw a treasure room in Heaven with a door called ‘Treasure’ and the door was open and without thinking he was in this treasure room, which only had one item in it… Gold coins. Bentley, since he got the opportunity “to look at himself during the experience”, saw himself dressed in a 1950’s outfit (suspenders etc) stuffing gold coins in his pockets and down his shirt. When he asked what he was doing, God told him that “He was getting the offering”. Upon which he made a conscious decision to get more and began “stuffing it in my ears…”
He goes on the tell of “8 golden nuggets coming out of his scalp” and how ‘his face was covered in gold with gold flakes falling out of his hair” and how later his dog “was covered in gold”. All of which brings one verse to mind
And he took the (golden) calf they had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it. [Exodus 32]
Christian Alchemy
“The most significant meaning for gold is of course in the realm of alchemy, and most people know that the aim of alchemy was to transmute base metals into gold. Although this was actually attempted as a chemical process, the real meaning behind alchemy was a spiritual transformation of flesh into divinity”.
Alchemy has always made extensive use of analogy, symbolism, and so forth to relate chemical and physical concepts to esoteric and mystic ones. In some epochs and contexts, these metaphysical aspects came to predominate, and the chemical processes were then viewed as mere symbols of spiritual processes. [http://www.crystalinks.com/philosopherstone.html]
In an article entitled All That Glitters, G. Richard Fisher said the following about the Toronto blessing
It seems that God has reemerged at Toronto as the cosmic dentist — a mystical Dr. Midas — a celestial tooth fairy, a heavenly Goldfinger, who fills teeth and sprinkles a little gold dust besides. What will God think of next?
It seems that the celestial tooth fairy has now shown up at Lakeland.
“As a confirming sign that a spirit of giving and revival hit in the meeting, when our Road Manager, Mark, was taking the offering in the morning he saw something by divine revelation. He saw gold teeth; people getting gold fillings. Then, right in the offering, a man got one giant gold tooth! And more people got gold teeth; I think there were seven others. But here’s the best part! Remember, the purpose for heaven’s realities (the supernatural) being manifested in the earth is for God’s goodness and redemptive love to touch the unsaved, so that the lost would come into right relationship with Him. Well, one of the hired workers, an unsaved man, was totally blown away when the first man got a gold tooth. He said, “I don’t want to even look in his mouth and see a gold tooth because it will wreck me!” Nevertheless he did take a look—he got wrecked!—and gave his life to Jesus Christ. Yes, Lord!!” [HEAVEN'S REALITIES. by Revivalist Todd Bentley www.freshfire.ca/index.php?Act=read&status=teaching&Id=236&bid. Link is no longer valid]
New? Not really! In 1999 Ruth Heflin’s site carried a report of her meeting with Silvania Machado, who according to Helfin, shed gold dust and fragrant oil. Ruth Heflin was
In the process of her physical healing of four types of cancer, oil began to flow supernaturally from her body and later, gold dust began to be manifested on her face and the crown of her head. As she praises and worships, this phenomena [sic] is seen. Her Brazilian pastor gathers the holy gold flakes and anoints the forehead of the sick and needy.
Objects transformed to gold (whether rosaries or teeth!), and gold dust sprinklings are no new phenomenon and are not as uncommon as Charismatics like to think. How do Christians explain the fact that Catholicism abounds with supernatural stories of apparitions of the virgin Mary seen around the world that also speak of signs and wonders identical to the ones we are seeing today in charismatic churches? In fact the most usual place to witness these "miracles" is at a Marian Shrine
“The visions at Conyers, Georgia, USA have taken the same course as the ones at Fatima, Garabandal, Medjugorje and other places. They appear at regular intervals and various supernatural signs are manifested, including signs in the sun. Amongst the signs at Conyers is that of gold dust. The following extracts were taken from the Conyers web site, "Messages From Jesus And Mary"
Before the noontime apparition at the farm house, Nancy was praying before the crucifix in a room adjacent to the apparition room. Jesus appeared and said, " Gold dust will fall from Heaven. Rosaries will turn golden color and hearts will be converted. I am healing My children. Go and believe." This message was not shared with the pilgrims yet immediately following the apparition several pilgrims were testifying of seeing gold dust on their hands and showing rosaries that had turned to a golden color. [Our Loving Mother's Monthly Message to the United States December 13, 1992]
[This message referred to many other types of natural disasters.] Jesus said, "People are going to discover they have gold dust on their hands when they go home. You know My greatest healings are the spiritual ones. Do you remember I said I will put Conyers on the map of the world. Well I have." [August 31, 1992 message.]
A beautiful crown appeared over the Blessed Mother's head. Nancy said that she was beautiful. "More suffering will befall all of mankind if you continue to violate the law of God." The Blessed Mother told Nancy that rosaries will turn to a golden color and that there would be sprinklings of gold dust. [Messages of April 13, 1993] [Unfortunately link www.intotruth.org/tb/marygold.htm is no longer active]
Nightly Shows
Excerpts from a Cross+Word archived article called Gold Dust and Gold Teeth
I don't have a problem with God filling a tooth, if need be. God is sovereign and can do as he pleases. If he chooses to fill somebody's tooth then so be it.
However, I DO have a problem with the scale of this present manifestation. God does not put on nightly shows, reproducing miracles to order to impress the crowds. Can you imagine Jesus, having created an eye out of clay for the blind man, then travelling from town to town with his supporting band recreating the clay eye miracle for hundreds at a time.
I cringe at the idea of Jesus and his disciples on stage clapping their hands and making clay eyes appear for no reason other than to demonstrate his powers to the masses. I feel confident in saying Jesus would never do such a thing. He never has done so, and why should he change his modus operandi today?
That teeth were once filled in Argentina is not a great problem to me, but to find that the phenomenon has spread world-wide and that the power to reproduce it is imparted to others and carried around to meeting after meeting is highly suspect.
The doctrines preached by the revival leadership are misleading if not actually heretical. The aim of the revival is unbiblical. The manifestations are unruly and bizarre. The conduct of those participating has been disgraceful. The fruit has been exaggerated, and the outcome has been a division in the churches, the discrediting of Christians in the world's eyes, a lowering of standards, and a falling away from the faith as laid out in God's word….Therefore, how can we believe that God endorses teaching contrary to his word, and practices he has condemned, by performing miracles amongst those who promote these very things?
How "holy" can the gold dust, oil and teeth be if they appear amid scenes of ungodly disorder and by the preaching of false doctrines?
This takes us on to the question of WHY?
When I first heard that God was filling teeth, or even replacing fillings, my question was, WHY? Somebody reports: "I had a porcelain crown, and now it's platinum." Another says "I didn't receive any gold, but my fillings were shinier than normal". WHY???
Perhaps my view of God is wrong, but I don't see God doing things that are completely meaningless and that only serve to make Christians a laughingstock.
The only comparison I see in religious terms is with the Roman Catholic church and its emphasis on superstition, relics and idols.
We are used to the idea of Roman Catholics, especially in undeveloped countries, gazing in awe as "tears" trickle down the face of a statue of Mary, or sprinkling "holy water" on themselves in worship, or prostrating themselves before a phial of "holy" blood that liquefies once a year. We used to scoff at their gullibility and pity their bondage to a false religion. Now what do we say as these things enter the Protestant churches? Has such superstition become sanctified because it is performed by Pentecostals in the Name of Jesus?
What proof of holiness is a gold tooth, or holy-dust dandruff? If a sinner goes to a Christian meeting and comes home impressed with the power of a God who can fill his mouth with gold or platinum, what has he gained? In the words of the Bible " For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? (Mark 8:36)
It will be claimed that God is attracting the attention of the world in order to convert souls, but is this true? The world is (rightly) laughing at Christians who act in such a way. Some unbelievers might be awed and intrigued, but will they be saved? Why should they rate gold fillings any differently to spoon-bending, UFOs or ghostly ectoplasm appearing at a seance?
Secondly, the attendance at these meetings is largely "christian" whether from established charismatic churches, or backsliders seeking to return to a religious experience of some kind. The lost are not being reached by these miracles, and the people receiving them are already saved or in churches. What then is the point of it all?
I do not believe the main focus of this "revival" is on the lost, whatever the leaders claim. This outpouring is intended to teach believers how to get and use spiritual power!
In order to persuade Christians that they haven't "got enough", tough measures are called for, and a show of miraculous power is laid on. Born-again, Spirit-filled believers are bamboozled into thinking they must get a deeper impartation, and so plug into another spirit and another power. This alone makes sense of the happenings .If you look for a pure scriptural meaning you will struggle to find one, but when you look at the events as an inducement to seek supernatural powers it all begins to make sense.
Another explanation of the appearance of gold is to "prove" God's love for his people.
I feel truly sorry for those who need to have a sprinkling of gold dust before they can believe God loves them!” [16]
Incidentally the only Scripture that mentions Gold Dust is Exodus 32 when the children of Israel were punished for the sin of idolatry.
The Tree of Life. Bentley Vs. The Bible
In Todd Bentley’s Article Angelic Hosts Bentley issues the invitation to eat from the Tree of Life.
“I see angels bringing some of you to the tree of life. Remember how God, in Genesis 3:24, sent the cherubim to guard the way to the tree of life because man had sinned. God took Adam and Eve out of the garden. But today the Lord wants to bring some of us into that place where we taste the fruit of the tree of life. I want you to get involved right now and say: Father, please give us that fruit. Lord let those angels bring us right into the place where you have prepared a table for us in the presence of our enemies. Give us the divine life that comes from that tree so we can taste and see that the Lord is good. [17]
Now let’s compare this with GOD’s word.
Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” [Genesis 2:15-17 NKJV]
Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’” Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” [Genesis 3: 1-5]
And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?” Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” And the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” [Genesis 3: 11-13]
Moreover the Bible tells us that God placed an angel at the east of garden to guard the way to the tree of life. In other words NO ONE is allowed near the tree and NO ONE can eat of this tree lest they should live forever. There is absolutely NO indication that God has instructed the angel to let some men through, nor that some can eat of the tree.
Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the Garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life. [Genesis 3: 22-24]
Demon Possession
In the following video clip taken off Bentley’s site he talks about the first couple of months of being a Christian and being at a Catholic charismatic church, attending Mass, which he describes as his “hottest meeting”.
Apparently this Mass was rather sparsely attended, with one guy on a guitar singing “spirit of God fall on me” and all these “crazy songs”. Then he got involved a home group of 20-30 people connected with this church. At this point Bentley was apparently a saved Christian with a “dramatic salvation experience” and was feeling “like a giant” (compared to the members of that little home group I presume) since he “had already been involved in casting out demons, discerning spirits and getting prophecy.. speaking in tongues hours every day”
The young guy (Ahem! older guy) that discipled Bentley in “the prophetic” was called “Frenchie” and was a “seer prophet” up there with Bob Jones.. (Ouch!) and operated like an X-ray machine. “you’d walk into a room and he’d see the demon that followed you into the room”.
Anyway Bentley goes on to relate how as he was sitting there he “hears the audible voice of the Lord” who says “Todd, go up to Frenchie and tell him that you have a demon”. (At this point I am curious as to why the “Seer-Prophet” missed all 25 demons)
Bentley is of course astounded as he considers himself a born again Christian who reads the New Testament in one sitting (and attends Mass on Monday). The Lord insists, so Bentley walks up the Frenchie, starts to whisper in his ear but then begins to “manifest a demon”. In fact it wasn’t his voice anymore since he “was so possessed by this spirit that literally my voice started speaking in another voice” but yet he was aware that another voice was speaking that was not his voice, but he had “no control” and could not get himself back.
He “could feel something rising up through his flesh” and knew that there was a demonic power controlling him.
(Sadly, at this point, I have to completely agree with Bentley.. there is a demonic power controlling him and it has never let go)..
Anyway it threw him on the floor writhing like “an uncontrollable serpent”, he “smashed the coffee table and grabs people in the room and starts throwing them around.. trashing this woman’s house”. He was cursing with “profanities coming out of his mouth”
Anyway to cut a long tale short... 25 demons were cast out of him by Frenchie, including the demon of fear. (A pity that the demon of pure, unadulterated horse manure was not also cast out)
Bentley then goes on to tell of when he was living with his mother (who was deaf) and would hear growling etc. from her room in the middle of the night. Then he would hear what sounded like ten people fighting in his mother’s room with mirrors breaking and dressers falling over, but when he opened his mother’s door nothing was out of place and his mom would be fast asleep in her bed. This happened on another occasion, except that this time his mom was on the floor crying with a broken arm.
He goes on to say that to this day his family believes that he broke his mother’s arm since there was a time in his life that he “was so filled with rage” that he did beat his mother.
Is Todd Bentley’s Lakeland Outpouring Like the Day of Pentecost?
Aptly expressed by one blog site..
The Tampa Tribune reported on May 2nd, a comment from one of the many supporters of the Lakeland Revival/Florida Outpouring.
“It’s like the day of Pentecost,” said a gushing fan.
Well, there’s many reasons - biblical and historical - why what is happening at Lakeland is NOT like the day of Pentecost - unfortunately.
The key is, that far than hearing the gospel being preached boldly in their own tongue, and the wonders of God proclaimed, and the lost getting saved in large numbers, the lost, even in the immediate vicinity of the church buildings, are unaware of what is even really going on there, far less know the message being preached (which is not one of real repentance anyway).
Pentecost
Pentecost was about the gospel being preached - the people being empowered and emboldened by the Holy Spirit to fulfill the Great Commission. Pentecost’s immediate, instantaneous effect was the empowerment of the fearful assembled church to go about the bold preaching of the cross in the face of intense persecution - to prophesy the wonders of God (pp Joel) in order to win converts, and more than converts, to win disciples. Many were added to their numbers that day because of their preaching, prophesying and testimony. There was rapid church growth. But the lost were not won to Christ by looking at the manifestations and thinking them a wonder in themselves - although they were a wonder - no, rather it was the WORD that they heard in their own languages that came through these manifestations, these wonders, and it was this message - bold and clear - that they responded to and were saved by.
Pentecost succeeded in getting a hidden church to be public again - to get out there, onto the streets, and to fulfill the Great Commission. Pentecost succeeded in getting the gospel heard and proclaimed to many thousands of new people. Pentecost succeeded in enlarging the church with new members (eg not just sheep stealing from other churches). Pentecost succeeded in the salvation of many souls. And it was rapid.
So Pentecost ultimately was about getting a bold empowered church out ‘there’, out from the upper room to the world, to get a lost world into the kingdom of God.
Lakeland’s emphasis is about getting people (almost exclusively converts from other churches) to come to THEM into their ‘upper’ room to stay. It calls them into a room, to stay in a room, to focus on what is happening in that room, to focus on the manifestations in that room and the minister in that room, rather than calling them out into a dying world. It calls them again and again into this upper room, hungry and insatiable for more, to glory and revel in the drunkeness and experiences and to focus on self. The dying world is forgotten about. The dying world can wait.
Yet at Pentecost, just one outpouring (nothing like what is happening at Lakeland), was enough to change and to move the church permanently. Pentecost’s emphasis was NEVER about the Upper Room, it was about God and bringing people to Him...
Conclusion
It seems to me that very little can be said to sum up Todd Bentley and his revival other than using words from Scripture that, no doubt, he will hear himself one day.. “You have been weighed in the balance and found wanting”. Todd Bentley is a dangerous man and you will pay the same price as he will, if you encourage, listen to and follow by this minion of hell.
Todd Bentley R.I.P?
On August 11, 2008 The Ledger reported that
“Todd Bentley, the evangelist who has led the Florida Outpouring revival here in Lakeland since April 2, has filed for separation from his wife and might not return to the revival, according to his former local spokesperson, Lynne Breidenbach. She said Bentley made the announcement to his staff this afternoon. Bentley and his wife, Shonnah, have two daughters and a son and are Canadian citizens. Under Canadian law, separation is a first step in divorce proceedings and takes nine months”. [28]
While the web site of Fresh Fire ministries says in part…
“…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. [30]
As Marsha West rightly says
“The leadership at FFM and God TV must have known something was going on behind the scenes. God TV has been televising the Lakeland Outpouring for months and promoting the "revival" to the hilt. Recently a message from their Board of Directors was posted. In it they pointed out, and rightly so, that:
"[M]arriage is a foundational cornerstone to those families called to ministry and would believe that those who have spiritual oversight for Todd and Shonnah's ministry will recommend a time of sabbatical for the family in order to seek reconciliation within their marriage should these reports be accurate."
The reports are accurate. Now the board of both FFM and God TV must be held accountable for pushing a so-called prophet on the public for four months when they must have suspected that his house was not in order”.
While, I doubt that anyone will be held accountable.. the damage has already been done and most of it cannot be undone. Thousands of people believed there was a “revival” going on and traveled from all over the globe to be a part of it. Some went hoping to be healed, others just to be a part of this ‘move of God’. However the ‘revival’ left people unhealed and quite possibly unsaved, proving, once more how easily and thoroughly we can be deceived. I wonder how many of the the Lakeland participants even now realize that they have been hoodwinked by one of the wolves spoken of in Acts 11. A wolf that was backed by the entire pack.
What pack of wolves am I referring to?
Only the infamous ‘Christian’ leaders such as C. Peter Wagner, leader of the International Coalition of Apostles, Ché Ahn, John Arnott, Bill Johnson, Rick Joyner and several others who came to the 10,000-seat tent to support what Todd Bentley and Fresh Fire were doing and to commission him as an evangelist. Note that most of this ‘ceremony’ took place with Bentley standing there with a stupid grin on his face with his head shaking from side to side.. I have often wondered if the man has epilepsy.
[Note that Rick Joyner and C. Peter Wagner, along with several other people mentioned in this article, are leaders of the so called Dominionist movement or Joel’s Army, which makes them very very dangerous. The Dominionist Doctrine is a volatile cocktail of outright error mixed in with authentic truth, and Bible verses attached to complete fabrications. However their delusions make them more dangerous, not less. This movement, gathering momentum by the week, could very well bring about the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy in Matthew 10:21, which means that every Christian should be aware of who these people are and what it is they profess to believe.[See Dominion Theology: The Stench And Foul Smell Of Joel’s Army]
Apparently C. Peter Wagner was the one who suggested having an official ceremony in which Bentley could be ‘commissioned’. At this ‘Apostolic Commissioning’ Peter Wagner said he was “humbled as he “approached the task with enormous sense of awe”. He then went on to say that this was a ceremony “celebrating the formal apostolic alignment of Todd Bentley”. A little later, he turned to what he called the three apostles (Ché Ahn and John Arnott were among the three although I could not tell who the third was in the video) and asked the following question… [All Emphasis Added]
“Do you perceive the grace of God given to Todd Bentley as an evangelist to lead the Lakeland Outpouring?”
Then turned and asked Bentley…
“Do you recognize the apostolic authority of these three men in your life and ministry, and do you desire to establish an apostolic alignment with them and with revival alliance?”
Wagner then went on to say…
“With this affirmation we will move to a formal commissioning equivalent to offering the right hand of fellowship as the three apostles did to Paul in Jerusalem. This commissioning represents a powerful spiritual transaction taking place in the invisible world. With this in mind I take the apostolic authority that God has given me and I decree to Todd Bentley ..Your power will increase, your authority will increase, your favor will increase, your influence will increase, your revelation will increase. I also decree that a new supernatural strength will flow through this ministry, a new life force will penetrate a move of God, government will be established to set things in their proper form, God will pour out a higher level of discernment to distinguish truth from error. New relationships will surface to open the gates for the future..”
A little later Ché Ahn took center stage saying to Bentley..
“God has chosen you and appointed you to bear much and lasting fruit in this Lakeland revival and revival around the world…. Knowing that you have walked in a manner worth of the Lord, pleasing Jesus in every way… growing in the intimacy and knowledge of God…”
He was then anointed with “special oil” sent by Chuck Pierce who could not be there that evening.. [31]
In a later newsletter released Bentley said .
“I am no church historian, but I do not know of any other time in history, since the book of Acts, have so many different apostles and so many different prophets and movements and leaders [been represented],” Bentley said of the capacity crowd. “This is so much bigger than [anything else] ever before. The devil is shaking in his boots because the apostles are gathering and the prophets are gathering.” [32]
It is almost impossible to find the words to speak of these men and their ridiculous posturing, who actually seem to believe they are in some way on par with the apostles… that they actually believe that they have apostolic authority and can come into apostolic alignment with someone.
What the heck is apostolic alignment anyway?
It is impossible to find polite words to speak of these men and the farcical, pompous pronouncements they made over Todd Bentley all of which have been proven untrue.. His power did not increase, His authority did not increase, His favor did not increase, His influence did not increase, His revelation did not increase and God certainly did not pour out a higher level of discernment to distinguish truth from error. Also there was no “much and lasting fruit” in the Lakeland revival.
In an ‘apology’, charismatic pastor Dutch Sheets said
"…the ‘bams,’ the head butts and kneeing, along with certain experiences and doctrines, all in order to embrace the good. Like many of my friends I tried to be - and believe I was - gracious, accepting, ready to think ‘out of the box’, etc. But try as I may, the uneasiness in my spirit just wouldn’t leave."
Guess he chose “thinking outside the box” to instructions in the Scriptures to test everything..
And for those who think they were saved at Lakeland but now doubt their salvation, please remember that remember that anyone who comes to faith in the real Jesus Christ is saved. See Salvation.
End Notes
[1] Lakeland Outpouring in Second Month. http://www.mediaspotlight.org/pdfs/LAKELAND-TODDBENTLEY.pdf
[2] Lakeland’s Recycled Revival By Gary Osborne. http://www.biblical-pentecostals.org/Recycled%20Revival.htm
[3] Alice Rhee, NBC News Producer. Revivalist claims hundreds of healings.
http://fieldnotes.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/05/29/1075189.aspx
[4] Cary McMullen. Florida Outpouring: Internet Draws Thousands to Lakeland Revival. May 18, 2008.
http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080518/NEWS/805180341/1004&template=printart
[5] Cary McMullen. Evangelist's Popular Ministry Claims Miraculous Healing. Saturday, April 19, 2008 TheLedger.com.
http://www.theledger.com/article/20080419/NEWS/804190395/1021/Life.
[6] Evangelist's Popular Ministry Claims Miraculous Healing. Saturday, April 19, 2008 TheLedger.com.
http://www.theledger.com/article/20080419/NEWS/804190395?Title=Evangelist-s-Popular-Ministry-Claims-Miraculous-Healing
[7] http://www.apologeticsindex.org/news1/an010401-09.html
[8] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CSI:_Crime_Scene_Investigation
[9] Rob Merritt. The Gazette.
http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070625/NEWS/70625014/-1/rss01&rssfeed=rss01
[10] Greg Kucera. Monster Garage: Jesse James, West Coast Choppers, Custom Motorcycles And Harley. May 31, 2007.
http://www.monstergarageoutlaws.com/
[10b] www.chopperdogs.com/us/?msg=LoginRequired&url=/us/. Link is no longer valid
[11] Donning International Encyclopedic Psychic Dictionary, Editor June G. Beltzer, Ph.D., p. 343
[12] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpvP48Urs5s
[13] Reports of Revival Breaking Out in Lakeland, Florida, Fresh Fire Ministries. April 11, 2008.
www.freshfire.ca/index.php?Act=read&status=revival&Id=132&pid=954&bid=923
[14] http://www.etpv.org/2003/angho.html
[15] http://wkdfestivalsaijiki.blogspot.com/2007/02/enma-king-of-hell.html
[16] Gold Dust and Gold Teeth. http://www.intotruth.org/tb/gold.html
[17] Angelic Hosts, Todd Bentley. Fresh Fire Ministries. http://www.etpv.org/2003/angho.html
[18] http://www.freshfire.ca/index.php?Act=read&status=teaching&Id=143&pid=954
[19] The Visions of Sadhu Sundar Singh of India. http://reluctant-messenger.com/sadhu-sundar-singh.htm
[20] Sadhu Sundar Singh and the New Church. by Eric J. Sharpe. Bayside Swedenborgian Church.
http://www.shs.psr.edu/studia/index.asp?article_id=113
[21] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emanuel_Swedenborg
[22] http://www.chris-brewer.com/
[23] Prophet Bob Jones and The Florida Fires.
http://christiancrunch.wordpress.com/2008/05/14/prophet-bob-jones-and-the-florida-fires/
[24] The Kansas City Prophets. Excerpted from "Heaven Can't Wait" by William M. Alnor, 1996.
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/kcp.html
[25] http://www.flickr.com/photos/21734491@N06/2495056736/in/set-72157604925851055/
[26] Florida Revival with John Arnott of the Toronto Blessing. http://christiancrunch.wordpress.com/2008/05/21/florida-revival-
with-john-arnott-of-the-toronto-blessing/
[27] Is Todd Bentley’s Lakeland Outpouring like the Day of Pentecost?
http://endtimespropheticwords.wordpress.com/2008/05/05/
is-todd-bentleys-lakeland-outpouring-like-the-day-of-pentecost/
[28] Todd Bentley Files Separation for Divorce from Wife http://www.zimbio.com/The+Pursuit+of+God/articles/123/Todd+Bentley
+Files+Separation+Divorce+Wife
[29] http://www.canada.com:80/theprovince/news/story.html?id=30f71dac-4b97-443e-ba28-9ff8a0ff09b6
[30] http://www.freshfire.ca:80/
[31] http://vodpod.com:80/watch/835371-todd-bentleys-apostolic-and-prophetic-commissioning-14
[32] http://www.charismamag.com/cms/news/archives/0624082.php
[33] http://www.freshfireusa.com/media/0,91
[34] http://slaughteringthesheep.wordpress.com/2010/01/08/bob-jones-says-christians-have-put-a-curse-on-todd-bentley
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Section 10 A 
