Why I know that Todd Bentley’s ministry will be restored

1. Todd preached grace and restoration.
2. The Body needs him.
3. God likes to show off His Grace.
4. Todd Bentley is Called.
5. Todd is a Christian.
6. God is love.

Visit his blog – all of those points are expounded on quite nicely.

Found two things of interest to everyone who’s following the Lakeland Revival/Todd Bentley and the issues therein:

The first, from Pray the Revolution, discusses heresy hunters and bereans. Good take on it.

The second, from the Prayer Room blog, talks about Todd’s comments on his situation, through Rick Joyner. I’m copying the relevant portion here – but the rest of what Rick has to say is important, too.

”Todd Bentley asked me to convey his appreciation for all the prayers, expressions of love, and concern while he tries to navigate through this present situation. He is grieved by the trouble and confusion this has caused, especially to his friends, coworkers, and all who have trusted him. He wants to make a clear statement about it, acknowledging his responsibility in this and the mistakes he made, but he feels that he should first meet with Pastor Bill Johnson, who is out of the country and will not be available for a couple more weeks. He asks that you would continue to pray for him, and he thanks those who are willing to be patient. He wants to do this right and not hastily or superficially. ”

http://shawnlovejoy.typepad.com/shawn_lovejoy/2008/08/marriage-and-ministry.html

Here’s my favorite hint:

When things are really crazy, rather than working late, I just get up earlier. I will get up as early as 3:30 AM (though that’s rare) so I can spend time with God, then get to work!  I an get a half day’s work in by 8:30!

I am more or less a morning person, but I don’t like to haul myself out of bed any earlier than six. Yet when I try to work in the evening, it first of all takes time away from Ken – and secondly, I’m not particularly productive in the evenings. I might have to try doing this!!

#1 – The media is not your friend. Even Christian media.

Yes – media can and should be utilized by Christian leaders – but leaders must understand that journalists are almost universally biased, and they will write either to their own bias, or to the bias of their particular outlet. No, it’s not supposed to be that way – but that’s the way it is.

Leaders should never trust that quotes will be reported accurately or in context. Leaders should never assume that just because a reporter is nice to them, the resulting product will be complimentary. Leaders should never assume that what a reporter says about the resulting product is true. Some will lie, but more often they will be superceded by an editor’s opinion on the subject. Leaders should prepare their staff for the fallout of an article or broadcast well before the actual publication date.

Likewise, all Christians should know that things reported by the media are not always accurate (anyone remember a world-renowned network purposely blowing up cars (trucks??). Items get over- and under-reported all the time (Don’t think for a SECOND that Natalee Holloway’s disappearance would have gotten even an honorable mention if she was black or Hispanic). Even the Christian media distorts things. Sometimes it’s bias or prejudice, and sometimes it’s just because the reporter really had no clue about the subject to begin with. That happened to me a lot at ExWitch.

#2 – Accountability must be in place from the beginning

The whole apostolic alignment thing was nice – and many have noted that it’s out of that relationship that Todd’s restoration will come. However, had they been in place from the beginning, with LOCAL hands-on oversight, this might not have happened. All leaders need people in place who can speak into their lives and who can see what’s going on. I suspect that the intent was there in Lakeland – but there wasn’t enough follow-through – perhaps due to the frenetic pace they were trying to keep.

#3 – Be wary of discouragement and fatigue

When you’ve got days leading to weeks leading to months non-stop without a break, even if GOOD STUFF is happening, you’re setting yourself up for a fall. Regular breaks and family time should have been in place from the beginning, and should be for all ministers – whether they’re in charge of a small house church like ours, or an international in-your-face ministry like TB’s.

When you’ve got random people gunning for you, threats made against your family, the media getting you down, protesters picketing your meetings, and the very core of your faith doubted by strangers who really have no clue, watch out – discouragement can lead to a fall. Surround yourself with grounded, encouranging people who WILL NOT be “yes-men” but who will speak life to you.

#4 – Watch out for entanglements

Be careful not to be alone with someone you might become attracted to. In the post-Ted Haggard days, we shouldn’t say, “of the opposite sex” – it could be anyone, and it might take you totally by surprise. If you notice an attraction forming, create distance and seek counsel. Many ministers simply refuse to be alone with anyone other than their spouse and children. This is perhaps overkill – but perhaps not. Ministers who do this will never have opportunity to sin in that way – and will never have to endure a false accusation, either.

As pointed out in the blog comments below, counseling should never be between a man and woman alone. Our old pastor has a strict policy that he’ll counsel a woman – but only with the door open and his secretary at her desk right outside the door (Said secretary has been there forever, is unflappable even in a hurricane, and is one of the most close-mouthed people I know. So no one minds her presence.)

#5 – If you do/say controversial things, anticipate controversy and move to explain or defuse it.

There’s no sense bringing condemnation on yourself when it can be avoided. I’m not saying that TB shouldn’t have, for example, talked about the angels he sees – but he SHOULD have, from the beginning, cited Scripture and explained things more rather than assuming that everyone out there was capable of doing so, and were doing so. At Lakeland, they tried to address many of these issues at the morning meetings – but these were missed by the wider audience. By the time solid teaching came about, many people had formed rather wild opinions as to what was going on.

#6 – God using you greatly doesn’t preclude you screwing up.

Ministers must keep a balance and walk in the authority that Christ gives us, without crossing the line into pride. Many a minister has fallen because they see all the great things that God is doing through them, and assume that nothing bad could happen. Abraham, King David, and Peter, along with many other men and women from Bible times, knew this firsthand. Always guard your heart, and keep watch for the tiniest roots of trouble.

#7 – The Body of Christ must be more discerning in its criticism of ministers.

The Body would do well to remember that it IS the Body – All Christians are related to one another by the shed blood of Jesus Christ. We’re family. We should treat one another as a loving family would – rather than as the largest disfunctional, hateful, spiteful family in the world!

It’s to our shame that lone wolves have emerged to hunt for heresy in the church, spewing venom and hatred at every turn, attempting to force the Body into the mold they’ve created. It’s to our shame that ministers stand up in the pulpit on Sunday morning and preach hatred against other ministers and denominations, making fun of them and calling them “demonic” or “satanically inspired”, and call that “protecting the flock”. I don’t for a minute think that the Apostle Paul was talking about Todd Bentley or any other Christian leader when he spoke to the brethren in Acts 20, warning them of savage wolves who would come in to ravage the flock. I think he was talking about the heresy hunters.

When one family member is moved to speak against another family member, it should be with care, love, and concern, and preferably begin with the family member themselves. There will be times when we must judge that someone is, in fact, not a member of the family – but that should be done with extreme care, extreme prayer, and extreme adherence to the Word of God… coupled with an extreme examination of one’s own life and relationship with Jesus.

When we do speak, it should be either to voice differences or encourage restoration. Speak life! Speak to build the Kingdom and God’s people up – not tear them down. It’s possible to say, “I don’t agree with something and don’t feel that you should either” without lashing at someone with your whip of words.

______

I’ll add more to this as time goes on, I’m sure.

This week’s services have been particularly GREAT – Todd preached the other night on Romans 8:11 (And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.), Steven Strader the night before last, and Roy Fields ministered last night. Among excellent preaching and faithfulness to the Word, he also does the funniest impressions

Anyways, some thoughts have occurred to me over time.

#1 – A great many of the people on stage claiming healing have back and/or joint trouble. Todd tells them to do something they couldn’t do before and invariably they bend over to touch their toes.

Has anyone noticed that well over two thirds of them can not only touch their toes, they can actually put their hands on the floor? Only a couple of them look like they might have been in a gym or physical therapy in the last decade or so.

#2 – I’ve seen the following charges levied by the heresy hunters:

• “When Billy Graham went into an area, he always had a team for follow-up” They got the people into local churches.
• “There’s too little/no documentation of the healings at Lakeland.”
• “Todd Bentley rakes in the cash every night!”

Okay.

As an aside, the same people hooting that Billy Graham did it right are awfully quick to condemn him, too, for alleged sins. Don’t be fooled.

But back onto topic: Firstly, when Billy Graham went into an area, it was generally for a one-time meeting or short-term set of meetings for local believers. Sure, people might’ve travelled within the state/geographic region to hear him… but I’m not thinking anybody from Korea heard he’d be preaching in Kentucky and showed up, got saved, and needed somebody to find them a local church in Korea!

Could it be done at Lakeland? Sure. (and who knows, maybe they ARE finding churches for people – the ones making the charge haven’t been there. I was already saved when I was there, so I didn’t get to go off with the ones just prayed for to meet with the pastor… :::cough cough cough:::)

But if it was done at Lakeland, it would take a dedicated  base of staff to do.

Just like the medical. Todd’s said that he’s got a team he’s called in to evaluate the medical reports.

These two things you don’t put in the hands of volunteers (Unless they’ve been with you for a season and you know them well – and even then the lawyers would say no to the medical). In any case volunteers Todd’s known a while would come from Canada… they’d still need their expenses paid, to move to Florida…

So – let’s assume [these are my estimates and have zero bearing on reality] that Todd’s got ten people working 40 hours a week on medical reports, and another ten people working forty hours a week on finding churches for new believers (it’s actually harder than you think to do this…). Let’s assume he pays each of them ten bucks an hour. So, that’s eight grand a week that he needs JUST for these  two functions. (Don’t forget, somebody’s got to pay for those big lights – pay for the tent – pay for maintenance and cleanup at two locations – pay the salaries of the speakers and musicians (even Todd, BTW).

Oh, but I hear a roar. Todd says his salary’s set by his board of directors and he gets paid by the ministry.

Where do you suppose the ministry’s funds come from? Trees? or out of chicken eggs?

No, when Todd goes from place to place, he gets paid by the sponsoring church either via honorarium or love offering. That $ goes into the ministry’s budget, out of which he gets paid, the office staff gets paid, the office light bill gets paid… Todd’s not been many places, now has he? So it stands to reason that he’s getting that same old-same old paycheck from money he’s bringing in nightly in Lakeland.

Anyone want to dispute the fairness of that? I sure hope not.

And I was going to say more, but I’ll save it for a future post.

I can’t say that I agree word for word with Marcus’ assessment (but I can see how he draws those conclusions, and respect him for addressing them in a Christian manner) … and he does make an important point here:

If there’s anything we need more of at Lakeland, it’s the humility and transparency John showed with this simple, somewhat off-the-cuff comment. John’s been praying for people’s healings for years, yet I love that he was honest enough to explain what was going on at that moment and offer insight into the atmosphere of healing. We desperately need more of this—particularly in Lakeland—to diffuse the “mystical,” elitist sense that surrounds healing in certain charismatic circles. Healing has become a complex issue partly because of the culture we’ve created around it—the “why not me?” questions, the level-of-faith game, the prayer flair, etc. Yet throughout the night, John reminded people of how simple it really is. God does the work, we receive His gift. At one point, while speaking of God’s fatherly heart, John cited Luke 12:32: “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

Praise the Lord that it’s the Father’s good pleasure to give us the Kingdom!

Anyways, there’s a feed – usually updated daily – with this blog and maybe a hundred or so others. Some of them get my attention, and some don’t. One that I read without fail is Peter Kirk’s Gentle Wisdom blog.

Peter’s got a great post today about Todd Bentley coming back to Florida (and GodTV) tomorrow night. He cites Dan Curant’s blog, which has a transcript of Todd pleading with the audience to come to Christ (I was watching on GodTV that night – it’s powerful).

It turns out that Todd took less than a week off. He’s preaching in Louisville, Kentucky tonight, and will be back in Lakeland tomorrow night.

Considering the guy’s got a wife and kids who’ve (willingly) been uprooted and moved to Florida… it only makes sense that after 100 days he’d take a few days off. When we were there in May, he’d taken NO time off – 60+ days straight. It’s surely a move of God but sooner or later body and brain cry out, “There’s a human in here!”

I’m looking forward to the revival being back on TV. We’ve got the slowest version of DSL and the internet feed only works when it wants to… so we usually don’t bother. I do take in the daytime service when I’ve got time – less bandwidth being used!

Well?

Just curious for some responses – especially from my readers who are in ministry.

Ken and I have looked at a couple of books on church planting, read a lot more blogs about it, and devoured a couple of websites. MUCH of what I’ve seen not only hasn’t impressed me, it hasn’t answered my questions. Their advice seems to be to turn the pastor into a cheerleader/controversy-maker instead of a gospel preacher. Don’t get me wrong – a good pastor WILL encourage his/her flock, incite them to be stirred up, and the Gospel is certainly controversial… but do we really need churches with sex billboards out there? Sure, they entice some folks to come to church to see what it’s about. And sure, the church should teach about sex and holiness along the way. But do we need those pews filled? Or do we need disciples made?

Check out Carl’s post – it’s good… and honest.

Church consultants highly recommend registering multiple domain names for churches and for the pastors, including additional extensions (.com .net etc.), common misspellings of names, and descriptive domains (like levelcrosshousechurch.com for example) While some churches don’t bother, others would like to but don’t quite know where to start.

Network Solutions has a great tool in this domain name scorecard… you plug in what you’ve already done and some keywords about the website (It’ll work for any site), and within a few seconds you get concrete suggestions AND the opportunity to register those domains. How cool is that?

For this site, I discovered that although .com and .org are taken, the .us domain is free. I was also given a huge list of common misspellings of iamhealed.net, like iamheeled.net, iamhaeled.net, aimhealed.net, and so on.

The list of keyword-oriented domains was interesting… everything from christianityhealingblog.com to highpointchristianity.com… why is it that every site that looks at mine assumes I’m from High Point? I’ll have to look into that. It would be neat to have a levelcrossblog.com sort of domain, though.

The tool is great because you can add multiple items to your cart and then register them all at once in one fell swoop (and if all your domains renew at the same time, that’s SO much easier. Just trust me on that one, ok? There’s nothing like managing a dozen domains that all renew at different times of the year and you wonder, “What if I miss one somehow?”

Go check ‘em out!