what’t happening in Lakeland, Florida?
June 22nd, 2008
In America when an evangelist preaches a series of meetings, they call them revival meetings. They are more emotional, intense affairs that seek a response of repentance or rededication. When the Lakeland meetings began in April as a single week of healing evangelistic meetings, they did not expect that the meetings will continue till today, because the power and presence of God were more evident than usual, and miraculous signs and healings were taking place. But is this revival? Controversy has risen in part because of his talk of unusual activity attributed to an angel named Emma. In addition, the evangelist, Todd Bentley does not look Billy Graham-like, clean and proper and acceptable. In fact, he sports tattoos all over his body and hands, and looks like a bouncer. But even if he does not talk or look controversial, is this revival? With Web 2.0 environment, news of the revival have travelled wide and far. In fact you can watch the meetings live every day. And there are testimonies that it can impact others through the internet access. Wonderful! But does its worldwide reach make it revival? What makes a revival a revival? Must all revivals look alike? Must they look like the Jonathan Edwards revival in New England or the Welsh revival or the Hebrides revival? For that matter is the Toronto Blessing a revival? What about the one in Brownsville?
What’s your take?
Entry Filed under: Church
No. I am very wary of this guy. Been following the developments for some time now as many Christian organizations are issuing caution over this guy. As a magician that specializes a lot in mentalism tricks, I recognize Bentley using many cold reading techniques in his ‘prophesies’ which are not what one would expect from someone who is prophesizing by God - not to mention that there are also videos where he makes series of poor cold reading mistakes when he tried to prophesized over someone.
We need to test every spirit for we are told that there will be many “false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)”
2 Cor. 11:14 - 15, “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of
light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
Not everyone who perform miracles in Christ name is of Christ. (Matt 7:21-23). in John 11, the high priest prophesized and then tried to kill Jesus. Balaam prophesized and he was not saved (Jud 1:11, Rev 2:14). Even his donkey prophesized and the donkey was not even saved. Therefore, we got to be discerning in this respect and not just go after every faith-healer who claims to heal people.
Todd Bentley claimed to have got his powers from a female angel by the name of Emma, and while I do not know if it is the same Emma, I do know that the spirit Emma is a famous one among many occultic groups. And I do not believe that in scriptures, angels are depicted as female. David Wilkerson has also written an article on Todd Bentley where he exposes some of the tattoos that Todd Bentley has had in recent years (not before his preaching ministry) tattooed on his body with the photos. You can read more by googling David Wilkerson and Emma.
Some of the occultic symbols include many occultic symbols such as a picture of a demon warrior, Flames shooting down toward his hand, A Pentagram, considered the strongest hex symbol in Satanism, the all Seeing Eye… a Masonic God, an inverted cross, which is an Antichrist symbol, Japanese Kanji Symbols surrounded by flames which David Wilkerson believes refers to EMMA-O, the king of hell in Japanese/buddhist mythology. (I got a friend to translate the Japanese words and she said that it was a Japanese diety or something like that though she does not know for sure which one. Todd also has a tattoo of an Alien, A rose which in the Occult is the symbol of Rosicrucian, a demonic face, King of…. Lord, and a lion figure-head ring that he wears on his middle finger, which symbolizes Apollo/Apollon.
These are not old tattoos, but those that he has recently had after starting his preaching ministry. Scriptures tell us that we will know a tree by its fruits, and personally, I do have problems reconciling the fruits of the spirit with the ever-increasing number of occultic tattoos on Todd Bentley.
Way of the Master Radio, under Todd Friel and Ray Comfort, have also covered Todd Bentley in one of their daily talk shows and concluded against this being a work of God. Ray Comfort is charismatic by the way.
Bentley has to show that it is a ministry of God. The evidence at this moment in time does seem to indicate that this might not be a work of the Holy Spirit.
The Churches’ CDO (Christ Deficeit Obligations) - similar to the on going Global financial mess caused by “engineers” (rating agencies, risk managers, banker, monoline insurers) and guillible people (you and me).
The Christian Church movement is becoming a similar enterprise - everything has a price.
Seek the Truth and be set free from incompetent rating agencies (read establishment majority).
We have to rid ourselves of the attitude that the other guy knows more???
If we give up our own “Fleece Test” on all these “gifted-phenomenums”- we deserved to be led to the slaughter!
Thanks Pastor Chee for posting this topic.
I’m not into blogging and don’t think i will (i’m only in my 30’s and am in the IT industry, but yet not comfortable in writing about my thoughts online….call it security concerns of a paranoid IT person…haaa..).
Anyway, If any of you were to go to http://www.godtube.com , you will be able to see the going on’s at lakeland, a friend of mine actually brought it up to me in April (he’s a full time church worker by the way) and also recently when David Herzog came to SIngapore, he also have had some affiliations to the Lakeland thingy (but that’s another story altogether) and one of Todd Bentley’s associate by the name of Jeremy *** came to bethesda cathedral right after the week that David Herzog visited.
The main consenses was that Jeremy was very Showy, almost like an entertainer, usually not rooted in Scriptures and almost non existent teachings….but basically go into other stuff (i can’t qualify further as I was not there but only thru hearsay from fellow brethrens).
I am a Charismatic….I worship and Sing, and pray in the Spirit… but I don’t really have a good gut feel about bentley…though I try not to judge, but then again, we can’t deny the fact that loads of people got healed (again from his website and youtube) but some people are actually already documenting his teachings, and saying that he has the kundalini spirit in him….especiallywhen he makes the ssss sound (like the snake) which is one of the posture in higher form of YOGA?
Anyway, better be safe than Sorry, i believe God works thru everyone who has a repentant heart ( he was from an abusive family, into drugs et al, jailed). but repented (which i am not sure) and then the angelic visitation by this emma…sounds way way off…..
thanks for reading my disjointed comments….
Shalom all..
