I don’t want to go into a huge rant about the Lakeland “Revival” that’s going on, but I want to make sure that all of the people (mainly non-Floridians) who’ve been asking me about this have a chance to know my feelings on it.
Todd Bentley, the man behind this “revival” (and yes, that’s a very intentional suggestion that there’s a man behind this revival”) is completely wack. Completely wack. The stories you’ve heard of some young tattoed preacher just happening to get all of this anointing of the spirit are untrue. He’s been at this for over a decade, and before he was a “young tattoed preacher” he was a Kansas City Prophets-style über-Pentecostal preacher who added “-uh” to the end of every word. (one youtube example)
Todd Bentley’s theology, practice, “prophesies”, and everything else I’ve been able to see come from him and his ministry are not right. I won’t deny that God may be at work somehow in his life; but I spent more of my morning than I should have researching him, his writings, his ministry, his conferences, his teachings, and his prophesies, and I have yet to see a single positive aspect of his ministry. I won’t say that God doesn’t have some part in the Lakeland “revival,” although many people have suggested that it’s entirely man and/or evil spirit, and I don’t think that’s at all far-fetched a suggestion.
I’m not against the gifts of the spirit. I’m not against “revivals” of the Holy Spirit, although I think if they really happen they might look different than our recent history has shown us. I think the Spirit prompts healing, prophecy, and all these things in our modern time. I’m not against this because I hate charismatics or Pentecostals. I go to an Assemblies of God church and grew up in a community resulting from the charismatic revival (Toronto Blessing and all that.) Also, I’m not so stuck on this that I can’t be persuaded otherwise. I’d absolutely love for this to be a move of God, and the reason I’ve waited so long to look into it was because I wanted to believe it was true and was scared to find anything to the contrary. But I finally did, and I’m (so far) disgusted with what I’ve seen.
So! I’d love to talk to you about it, write to you about it, e-mail, chat, whatever. I’d love to be convinced (really!!!) that this is a legitimate move of God, or I’d love to tell you more about what I’ve learned. The only thing I wouldn’t love is for you to leave reading this post angry, thinking that I’m judging someone. That’s not my intention at all. It’s just that the results of my search have been so overwhelmingly negative that I feel like I should at least mention it.
EDIT: Followup post here.
I too, am very wary of anyone throwing around the term “revival” without something very real to back it up. I am also being positive and hopeful that this is indeed a move of God, however I look forward to a “revival” more like the one seen in Acts. The one where after the Holy Spirit comes, instead of people just sitting around basking in it and keeping it to themselves, and labeling it, they actually love people. They share their belongings, make sure everyone has enough food and clothes and shelter and love. They make justice wherever they go, and bring healing, not just the kind that happens on a stage.
I hope for that kind of revival. One that is born out of extreme love and not just out of something exciting or out of the ordinary.
I would also love to hear more of your thoughts and research on this.
Thanks Matt!
Katie
My mother has told me something for years about prophets and preachers in any form or fashion: “if someone comes to your church and says they are an ordained minister of christ and they want to speak the word, let them. If they aren’t and they go up there spewing lies and even if they aren’t lying but their spirit and the spirit of God doesn’t line up, that is on their head.” This preacher may or may not be real but I personally won’t judge because that is God’s job.
I haven’t looked into Todd Bentley’s past as much as I have into what is going on in Lakeland right now and the fruits that have come from it. I have reasons, too, to be wary (among those the fact that I feel a need to be wary of anything popularized via God TV), but a ‘guilty until proven innocent’ attitude toward something like this is far more likely to stunt an actual move of God than to halt the advance of something of man or devil.
Of course, we should test the things that are happening against the Spirit and scripture–and I’m certainly not saying that traditional research of the man’s past is without warrant–but we should test them with an open heart. The fact that a person was bad or wrong before doesn’t mean that they haven’t been dramatically changed since. The gentle, guiding ways in which God tends to work make it very easy for us to limit Him by being obstinate and, intentionally or otherwise, trusting more in our own instincts and past experience than in His plans.
It’s true that even something that begins as a real move of God can be stymied when people choose to soak up the good vibes rather than letting the work continue (like Katie was saying). That doesn’t mean, though, that people shouldn’t be allowed to bask in the glory of God for a time. We were created to worship, after all. And this revival, regardless of whether or not you choose to surround the word in quotes, is spreading to places where Todd Bentley isn’t and is continuing to thrive and work in powerful ways.
I’m not trying to contradict you or attack you, I just don’t want anyone to miss out on something powerful because it doesn’t look like they expected (or it looks exactly like they were told to expect and that disappoints them). Even if this started out as, or still is, a one-man show, that doesn’t mean that it has to remain bad. We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, and God has shown Himself to be pretty good at taking even the worst situations and turning them to His glory. If the changes I have seen in friends and fellow Christians as of late are any indication, then God is going to have His way regardless of Todd Bentley’s intentions.
Sorry if that got overly preachy, but I would hate for us to miss out on a move of God.
Lord, give me America or I die.
It’s so weird that you mention this the same day I heard about it from my college ministry director. He was talking about taking some of us to it and I just didn’t have much interest, but I had no idea it would be one of THOSE revivals. I’ve always been hesitant about my own thoughts on gifts of tongues and healings and casting out of demons. I just don’t know what to think. And just like you, I’d have no problem if it were true and would love to hear how it’s possible in our time, but I have yet to hear anything convincing enough to be truth.
There are two types of Pentecostals;
1. Those who “want more” and go about getting it by seeking the “new thing God is doing.” They blindly accept everything about the as from God without a thought, and then later find a couple of Scriptures that seem to fit what they’ve seen and heard.
2. Those who “want more” and go about getting it by spending time in their own prayer closet and studying the Scriptures first. They look at what the apostles taught, believed, lived, preached, and from there, they pray, God, give me that kind of life.
Honestly, I don’t mean to sound like a religious and self-righteous snob, but I choose the latter. It helps me keep any false prophets at bay.
I agree wholeheartedly with Johannes. And as far as Katie’s comment about looking for things that are reminiscent of the book of ACTS…I agree as well. But since we don’t know what these people do with their time, or their stuff, or their money after they leave, I wouldn’t say that ACTS events aren’t going on. We just don’t know, do we? I think it is better to appreciate this thing for what it IS; a large amount of people seeking Jesus together. That is good. The rest of it, I will leave to Jesus to decide.
Also, I recently read a book about the great fathers of past revivals and all of the good and the bad that went into, and came out of their ministry and lives. Wow, it is really eye-opening to be invited into every aspect of a humans life lived towards revival. I mean, really, it is often a wonderful display of God’s ability to move IN SPITE of us. He is so good.
I’m glad that you researched it. I don’t know anyone else that has, and Paul commended people [Bereans] for checking up with his teaching according to Scripture.
I’d be curious to hear what you thought about people like Charles Finney or Smith Wigglesworth. Who were both (“Wack”, either for punching old ladies in kidneys or having his theology off) Whether they were revival leaders or what not? I also noticed that you also didnt go into what you had against todd bentley? besides saying that he is “Completely Wack” which means what exactly? i just think you cant expect to see every store in the city closed with signs that say “gone to the revival” i went to lakeland for 3 days, while i was there i saw many miracles that my spirit testified to which is all i need. and more then that. every day there is evangelism training and at least a hundred people who go out into the city of lakeland every single day preaching the gospel. this thing has been going on for 60 days now. to be honest i dont think anything of flesh could have faked it for that long. especially on global Tv. im not saying there arent people at the revival acting in the flesh and faking it. there are ALWAYS those people at every meeting anywhere.
Love to hear responses
and Not meant to be offensive. Please Email me@(Majorpancakes@gmail.com) instead of reposting on here. love to talk
Michael
I liked the You-tube video because there were older, not very pretty people in it. Middle-aged people need to be revived when their hearts get coated over by years and years of just living. Young people have got the fire! (That’s why I like hanging out with them.)
I ditto Kreshelle…
Also I went to the live streaming video and really connected with the Lord from the praise and worship, and the message really stirred up my spirit and helped revive certain areas that have been drier lately. Also I read the testimonies and apparently middle and high schoolers are reaching out with the gospel and gifts of the Spirit to their schools, plus others declared how their lives have changed, so….
There will always be good and bad in moves of God b/c though He is perfect, we are not and as people we screw things up. 1 Cor 14:32 shows that God can be moving and we need to be careful to handle it correctly (but even if we are screwing it up it is still from Him) and 1 John 4:1-3 shows us how to test to see if it is from God or not…Frankly everything I heard glorified Jesus Christ from the worship to the message. The worship was all about glorifying Jesus and God and the message was about birthing the gifts and callings in your life for the purpose of EVANGELIZING and fulfilling the great comission (I heard nothing about getting more money for yourself, etc. Just about being birthed into what you have been created to function in spiritually in order to reach other’s for Christ.) In all fairness I didn’t watch the whole thing, but I did watch most of it.
As far as Todd’s past, well, it is under the blood. As a Christian he has been forgiven redeemed and washed clean and that is where it stays. Paul was a murderer and if the Christians of that day had used that as a barometer of his spirituality think of the ramifications that would have had on Christianity…
Also, sometimes fruit takes time to show. A fruit tree doesn’t grow in a day. It is planted and can take years to produce anything. Meanwhile it is doing all the taking (sun, water, nutrients) before it gives back anything.
Just my thoughts