I owe Mark Byron a thank you. A few weeks ago he picked up on a Canadian charismatic holding meetings his old stomping grounds in Florida.  He posted again  as 32 year old Todd Bentley of Fresh Fire Ministries started getting puff pieces by charismatic media, traditional media and websites in the US. Mark warns against being too gullible or being to harsh. Good advice.

There has been only a couple news articles from Canada about Todd Bentley and Florida.
That is not because a  self proclaimed prophet is without honour in his own country, it has more to do with the insular nature of his belief system, and the exposure his brand of teaching has had to the wider church.  He is known and his teaching rejected by most people of faith in his home province of BC, people who have certainly seen the effects of neo-pentecostalism.

When The Province asked to speak to someone who had been healed through Bentley in either B.C. or Florida, Fresh Fire was unable to find someone at short notice, citing difficulties with outdated contact information locally, and record-keeping problems in Florida.

I didn’t get a call back when I asked for their Revenue Canada registration.
I did get the information from Revenue Canada however.
April 24, 2008 Lakeside Leader

 So immediate and complete was his conversion that within six months of his being discovered in Abbotsford, BC Christian circles, Todd Bentley was chosen to head up the newly formed ‘Fresh Fires Ministries.’ In just 10 short years, the church has grown astronomically, and does its work all over the world, from Africa and Korea to New Zealand and Mexico.
Bentley’s presence and delivery may be a sign of the times, but the Fresh Fire Minister’s message has the hallmarks of a traditional evangelist.

As regular readers know I post at connexions in Wales when I want safety in community when making  personal spiritual observations or when I wish to rant about a particularly egregious matter.

Richard Hall also picked up on Fresh Fire Ministries and the Todd Bentley meetings in Lakeland Florida because they are being broadcast on GodTV (the equivalent of The Miracle Channel in Canada) Bentley intends to head to the UK this summer, GodTV is a good way to advertise, and given the money that can be taken, quite happy too.

This 25 minute video Richard posted with Bob Jones, Todd Bentley and Patricia Jones got us regular commenters playful in the comment section, but make no mistake, we take deception seriously.
When you see Satan being an angel of light, when you see New Age teachings tossed out as being from God, when you say demonic manifestation is okay or normal or God uses it anyway, when you see false prophecy and when you see so many people park their thinking at the door because of their need, sometime laughter is a healthy weapon.

The reaction to his posts was about as expected.
Something happened that has not happened to me before.
While I refrained from a blog post about this Canadian export ‘ministering’ in the US at connexions or BDBO, I certainly didn’t hold back on comments at connexions.
I’ve followed many of these movements for years and I am deeply grieved and irritated a Canadian is hoodwinking US neighbours. Again.
I’m no expert, I’m just an evangelical that hates to see people conned.  I’ve received two emails today from people also following this resurgence of ‘revival’ that cycles every few years in neo-pentecostal circles. They picked up on the comments at connexions and took the time to email me at BDBO.

I’m genuinely grieved by this bold resurfacing of Apostolic/Third Wave/Latter Rain teaching, and frankly some of the blasphemy affects me spiritually and I have to guard against that.   
At connexions I am surrounded by mature Christians and whether we agree or disagree there is respect and love. This is from Beth: 

 Hey!
Just read your response to the Todd Bentley stuff on here.  It was very well written.  I am struggling w/ this as well and have read alot of stuff from the freshfire website.  I know that you said there were alot of new age, etc. teachings on there.  Could you point me to some of those, maybe w/ dates or places you found that stuff?  I ‘d really like to read it.  Thank you so much.  You have a great day.

I can try, and you have a great day too Beth.:^)  
I believe when we examine claims we need to know how to proceed, so I’m happy to start pointing.
We look at more than one source. We look at the history of the movement. We look at the people in the movement, their conduct and words and ambitions and results. We look at transparency and finances. We look at outreach.  And most of all when we look we have an obligation to weigh the evidence through scripture and in prayer. We wade through dreck to find gems.

There is no easy answer.
I use the New Age Encyclopedia, a concordance and bible as well as online information. I take notes when I watch a video or show and stack the words up against past claims.  I rely on people who have good analytical skills and the gift of discernment. Discernment can be learned, although I believe there are times it is given as a gift in spiritually dangerous situations because God loves us.  I look for people that have walked away from a cult, sect or movement, I think what they have to say is important. I look for sociological and none interested party observations. Noisy news coverage doesn’t translate to spiritual healthiness or truth.

I rarely share my spiritual journey online but I’m going to tell you part of an experience. A group of us from various denominations worked in a street ministry. One day we got a call from a landlord who was concerned about one of his tenants. She was in the last stages of alcoholism and although he wasn’t a religious man, he needed help and decided to call us. We went over.  She was in bad shape and the first decision was to call an ambulance. As we began to do that, she seized, came too, jumped off the couch, pointed at me and screamed,” You love Jesus! You belong to Jesus!”
Okay.
I do.
It was not her speaking.  
Satan knows Jesus better than I do, so when I hear of things in Jesus name I ask the following.

When something out of the ordinary (miracles and manifestations and revivals are claimed) where can they come from?

1) God
2) Satan
3) psychological/human need and ability
4) a mix of the above 

Crossword is a site started by Trish Tillen in the UK. She was involved in the beginnings of extreme pentecostalism and although her work is done and she has moved on, it is an excellent resource for the  pentecostal/charismatic deviations we continue to see. Latter Rain. Third Wave. Kansas City Prophets etc.
The site is deteriorating and you’ll get into monkey locks if you use the news section. Stick to the extensive article archive, the people that preserved it mean well and probably don’t have the financial resources to keep it as it was.

The Apologetics Index. Anton Hein is a remarkable apologist whom I’ve had the pleasure of corresponding with. He is full of grace and patience, has strong loving boundaries, knows the word of God and has studied sociological and religious cults for years. He started his on-line data base long before most of us were online.  He gives readers tools to study movements, and presents all sides, respectfully presenting his own observations as a follower of Jesus Christ while honouring the readers need to find their own mind.

I suggest you start with a ‘how’ section on definitions of cults, heresy, judging versus discernment. There is nothing new about Bentley or anything he believes. Read up on Gnosticism. Look at the New Age movement.  It took me two years to go through his data base, it is that extensive. It was like taking a theology course or reading the New Age Encyclopedia cover to cover.

Religious Tolerance is also a resource, neutral and necessary I think, to keep strong emotions in check when anger and grief or confusion at seeing people sucked in takes over.

There are new sites springing up all the time. One that I’ve found useful in following Todd Bentley is written by a pentecostal who knows the players and does extensive research. I don’t think she intended the deluge of traffic the site is getting, but she has an acute awareness of peoples need, curiousity and hunger for truth that she weighs against our calling as Christians to ‘test the spirits.’ There is no search engines, you’ll have to dig. This will get you started.
Here is the apologetics index entry on Todd Bentley.  Jump off it.
God be with you on your journey Beth. 
I welcome any links that will help people being tossed to and fro by the latest manufactured charismatic revival circuit.

The second email came from Katrin in Germany.

Found your blogg entry this morning about Todd Bentley and the Florida outpouring. I’m a baptist and therefore not under carismatic suspicion I hope.
I have been watching the lakeland revival several nights with careful attention to all the most likely carismatic klischees and found myself conficted of false pride and a intellectual christian hybris. What do we expect revival to look like? What do we a revivalist expect to look like?
Let’s see the fruits it brings fourth and trust that god is in control. Do you believe that we are living in the advanced end times? Do you believe that god wants to gather his people to reach as much people as possible? Jesus told us to look at the fruits?
Watching the meetings I can see a Todd Bentley constantly pointing on Jesus and that not just in a “mantra style”. He makes Jesus the leader of the revival, not himself, I have a much better understanding of our great savior, his mercy, his humbleness, yes AND his power. Watching the meetings with a certain preconception of course you see him shouting and doing things “decent” cristians would’nt do or say but can we be so sure we would have liked the style of John the Baptist. I could go on that way knowing that all will not really convince you.
I pray that Jesus himself in  sober and loving way will convince of his love and of the work he is actually doing through Todd Bentley (a most humble vessel I admit). Maybe you have been hurt in the past by carismatic christians or you are hurting in some other way that makes you so bitter about the carismatic movement. Note I am not a carismatic in the classical way, but I am a carismatic when it comes to yearn for revival, for fresh water on dry ground for gods touch and healing to a world that is dying. God is more than our preconceptions and Jesus just then surprised his disciples by acting and preaching always different to what people aspected him to. So why should this be different now… Be blessed Bene D
Yours Katrin. Please Bene D don’t miss what God is doing

Indeed Katrin, to miss what God is doing would be sad.  Thank you, be blessed also. I’ve not been hurt by charismatics, I’m skeptical, but I’m not a cessationist. As for end times eschatology, I believe we are to live our life as if each day is our last, I don’t know when the end times are going to be. I’m here now, and God is on His throne.
Speaking up is not about denomination, it is not about style, it is not about varied personalities or worship differences. It is not about behaving like the assistant Holy Spirit. It is about being a Berean. It is about warning.

The more attention we give heresy, the more vulnerable people can be deluded and I don’t think Todd Bentley and his buddies need to be given the attention they crave.
Do I yearn for revival? Yes, but it doesn’t come manufactured. It doesn’t come because I long for it. I’m not unique, I think that is why we see so many counterfeits.  I can be fooled, any one of us can, make no mistake about that. Revival starts with repentance and unless there is evidence of repentance a red flag should go up. Martyn Lloyd-Jones gives the characteristics of true revival.  Jewel van der Mewre, this is what Bentley’s revival looks like:

THE NEW REVIVAL CHARACTERISTICS

1. It is a revival of the prophets that use the Holy Scriptures deceitfully.
2. It is a revival of “sorcery” (the magic art of manipulating people). People are being manipulated, sometimes by fear and other times by sheer deception, into blindly receiving unscriptural views.
3. It is a revival that wants to see the walls of the Churches and Denominations crumble and come under the authority, structure and network of the NEW BREED.
4. It is a revival of a NEW BREED that discriminates against Israel and the part of the Church that doesn’t go along with their teaching.
5. It is a revival that rejects the literal Rapture of the Church.
6. It is a revival that rejects SOUND DOCTRINE as a basis for unity.
7. It is a revival that teaches that it is wrong to judge the prophets according to the Word of God.
8. It is a revival that says that the Church (corporately) is the literal presence of Christ, so don’t look for another.
9. It is a revival that says, “Touch not God’s anointed.” The interpretation being: No matter what is said or how wrong it is, do not question. Christians dare not question or criticize the unscriptural utterances and practices of the prophets, for if they do, they are judged worthy of punishment.
10. It is a revival obsessed with a NEW BREED of people and a political agenda on earth.
11. It is a revival bent on turning the youth into a militant people with a war-like mentality designed to take dominion of the world and if need be - by force.
12. This new revival owes its character to a group of specific persons who are misinterpreting the Bible, and like the cults, supplementing it with their own dreams, visions and mystic ideas. Christian, if you fall for their doctrine, you are perfectly set up for deception. Be careful you are not swept off your feet into the great deception - the lie!

Over at connexions I suggested my Methodist minister friends take in a meeting. Ivan in Lakeland and Methodist Preacher, Fat Prophet and Methodist Preacher.
Their responses don’t surprise me, these are mature believers and their ears don’t tickle easily.