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Lakeland Revival Leader to Separate from Wife and Daily Revival Meetings
Orginally published on Thursday, August 14, 2008 at 6:30 AM
by Todd Rhoades
If you ask Todd Bently, the leader of the Lakeland Revival, he'll tell you that God can do some pretty amazing miracles. One Todd hasn't been able to get God to touch and heal, though, is his marriage. According to The Ledger, "Evangelist Todd Bentley, who led a Pentecostal revival in Lakeland from a modest beginning to near-historic proportions, has filed for separation from his wife and will not return to the ongoing revival. Bentley announced to his staff Monday afternoon that he and his wife, Shonnah, had separated. The Bentleys have two daughters and a son.
Bentley and the Florida Outpouring have been controversial, even among other Pentecostals. Bentley has been criticized for making extravagant claims of miraculous healing and even claimed dozens of people in various locations have been raised from the dead as a result of prayers offered at the Lakeland revival.
Bentley’s flamboyant style seemed borrowed at times from professional wrestling, which Bentley has said he watches. He often exclaims “Bam” as he touches or shoves people to “impart” healing, and in a video circulating on the Internet, he is seen driving his knee into the abdomen of a man who said he had colon cancer, causing the man to fall to his knees.
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Hi... I'm Todd Rhoades. I'm a Christ-follower, husband, father and I love to connect leaders with other leaders. Hopefully you'll find something here at MMI you like and will return often. If you want, you can find out more about me or follow my every step on Twitter.
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Posted by bishopdave
Saturday, August 16, 2008 at 1:34 PM
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Monday, August 18, 2008 at 7:28 AM
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Posted by tactical riflescope
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 at 8:56 AM
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Monday, January 05, 2009 at 12:58 PM
Post Your Comments:Well, it looks like God was right, and so was Helen. Godly men got around Todd Bentley, and Todd has to step down.
http://www.freshfire.ca/
Thank you Father!!
Thanks for the very revealing link, dave…
From that site
“...in the midst of great revival, the enemy has found a way into our camp.” Okay, so now we blame the man’s moral failure on Satan? How ‘bout it’s his own fault? James 1:14 Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.
On August 12 they say “We want to affirm that there has been no sexual immorality on the part of either Todd or Shonnah, nor has there ever been.”
And then on August 15 they say “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.”
Okay, the inconsistency is incredible. But why so many people ever found this ministry trustworthy is beyond me.
I believe some good things happened in Lakeland. When several thousand people gather and praise God, God will touch lives. But, the touch of God does not equal the endorsement of God. A lot of crazy, crazy stuff went on in Lakeland. As far as what is going on between Todd and his wife. Do your research. Todd had an affair two years ago and Johnson and others thought he had changed. Now, it’s about another woman again. What is going on between Todd and his wife is called adultery. I believe God is the great restorer. He allowed David to stay as king because of true repentance. He did not allow Saul because of a power trip and lack of repentance. After two moral failures and questionable character and doctrines, let Todd sit down, go through restoration and cleansing. If he will do that and come into true accountability, let him minister but not 30 minutes after saying oops. Let him live it out as a servant in another’s ministry for a while. The credibility in the lives of leaders is shameful and embarrassing. We need mercy and grace balanced with law and order.
Lynn,
Then perhaps they should simply be forthcoming instead of saying there’s no sexual immorailty in their situation and then 3 days later saying, oh yeah there might be.
No credibility here.
Yep, he’s a mess. His theology is a mess too. His marriage is a mess now.
But my life and ministry and marriage are perfect.
He should probably be burned at the stake.
Not.
Todd R., your sarcastic tone in the intro feels like the spirit behind those who so easily criticize and dismisss Rick Warren, et. al. I’m not saying Bentley is a Rick Warren. But I’m saying that the tone in many of these posts is shameful.
I had to rebuke a man at the ministry altar at the end of the service yesterday. But it was not in such sarcastic and condescending attitude. God have mercy on our self-righteousness. Me included.
Peter, I wasn’t very clear. I absolutely think Johnson and the other “apostles” missed it big time. They said they thought he had dealt with his moral issues from two years ago. These guys do need to quit beating around the bush and say, we endorsed something that should not have been endorsed. When I stated that Todd, if he were ever going to be in ministry again, should go through a restoration process, I believe it should be a lengthy amount of time under a reputable ministry. Also, when people say, he has marriage problems, burn him at the stake - that is not what I am saying. Or, people will say who has a perfect marriage. That is not the point. Of course we all have things to work out in marriage - I’ve been doing that for almost 40 years when the same person. But, immorality is a sin and a breach of vows and promises. This is not a small matter and it is the second time in less than three years.
He has moral issues that has covered a significant period of time. Forgiveness is instanteous but restoration to position is not always instanteous. The issue of integrity requires that a person walk in integrity for a period of time so trust is rebuilt. Forgiveness and trust are not the same thing. My opinion and I repeat my opinion is that if a minister will not go through a restoration period, he/she should not be embraced. I believe this to especially be true when they repeatedly allow sin in a particular area to take dominion and stronghold in their lives.
From a natural perspective I would toss Todd out in a heartbeat. But, aren’t we all glad that God does heal and restore when we cooperate.
The board posted a comment that “We want to affirm that there has been no sexual immorality on the part of either Todd or Shonnah, nor has there ever been.” They said that on August 12. It was, it appears, untrue, or, even worse, deceptive. The entire organization is, imho, very suspect.
Todd’s biggest issue might not be his infidelity, but might be his twisted and unbiblical theology, together with wild claims with regard to angels and visions. I hope he gets that straightened out as well.
peter, i read that todd saw an angel called emma, or somthing like emma i really do not remember, i did not know that it was women angels. i always thought they were male,but if he saw one i guess i was wrong. or maybe he just thought he saw one, maybe he was on some mind altering meds.i do not like to get to hard on anyone but the man is married he needs to keep his sex life at home, if he cant he needs to quit trying to tell other people how to live. i know god forgives us,BUT i agree with the one that said he needs restoration. a man or woman that does that needs to be put out of the ministery for a long time, untill they are really restored, i think a ministery should be faithful to god, not the man. just because he is geting a lot of people to come and taking in a lot of money does not mean a thing to me, if i were the one in charge with the authority he would have to step down.. well i guess i have said enough. but i am just a person that has no authority any where, i am not a pastor, but i do know right and wrong.
Paula White and Juanita Bynum have recently also ended their marriages and haven’t seemed to miss a beat? Where was the outcry conerning them?
All I can say is that if you’re at one of his “outpourings” and they pass out the cups...DO NOT DRINK THE KOOL AID! Some of you might not understand that but if you do enough research, you will see clearly what I’m saying. The man associated with that story’s name was Jim Jones. Go read about the Jamestown Massacre. See if that will give some of the avid supporters of Todd Bentley a real eye opener. Please do it before it is too late. God loves us all and can give us all the salvation we desire. PLEASE follow the right one, not the most popular “healer” on tv. Don’t you realize that people like Todd are a dime a dozen? Go to youtube and look up his name and see some of what I consider to be UNGODLY methods. If this helps just one person then my attempt to lead you in the right path will all be worth it in the end. God Bless you all!
About Marriage and the Church is to say a few words highlighted. Why is often considered to be among the Orthodox so that family life - something inferior, secondary compared with the life of the church, ideally - a monk. Something is midway between the physiology and home ... Maybe this is just a misunderstanding, which in fact may be that most family life.
One young girl filed a monk in “alternative” Orthodoxy (that is, in her view, more elevations severe right than in the Moscow Patriarchate). She wrote in her web diary: marriage - so bored! Maybe this is a series of green grapes, and maybe she really think so ... Anyway, it is difficult, in my opinion, to choose the worst definition of marriage. Family life can be a paradise and hell, it can be whatever, but not boring.
25 years ago I attended a meeting where a small Pentecostal minister prayed for the sick. One woman came up who was very sickly with lung cancer; both lungs with days to live. He grabbed her around the head and with a beet red face yelled, “come out” repeated times while stamping his foot. I have never been so embarrassed in my life;
....actually, there was one other time even more embarrassing: a few days later when doctors examined her lungs and discovered they were completely clear of cancer. Then my face was beet red.
I never followed Bentley or this current “revival.” I have learned over the years to be careful to dismiss the baby while disposing of the bathwater. Truly I don’t know if any of Todd’s ministry was legitimate, but I have learned (I hope) that God sometimes uses donkeys and Pentecostal ministers to display His glory at those times when I choose to protect my own reputation instead of serve His purposes. Just some food for thought.
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