Our Canadian charlatan, who headed to the US, made a small fortune and created a multi-media buzz in neo-charismatic services is separating from his wife and kids. He has not been able to draw the numbers, the money and do the hoodwinking in Canada and the UK, and started his Lakeland revival back in April, partnering with whomever wanted a cut. It was announced he had bought property in Polk County. Now the Bentley’s marriage has crumbled. Lakeland Ledger:
Bentley and his wife, Shonnah, have two daughters and a son and are Canadian citizens. Under Canadian law, separation is a first step in divorce proceedings and takes nine months. Bentley and his wife have been in marriage counseling for several months, Breidenbach said. She called the situation “very sad” but insisted it “doesn’t invalidate what Todd did” at the revival.
Breidenbach, who said her contract with Bentley’s Fresh Fire ended today, said it is not clear whether Bentley will make further appearances at the revival. About two weeks ago, Bentley announced he would leave the revival on Aug. 23 in order to resume his traveling evangelistic work. The Fresh Fire Ministries Web site indicates that a September appearance by Bentley in England has been postponed.
(full Lakeland Ledger article here) Fresh Fire Ministries bought the Florida empty ( update: maybe not empty, see comments) lot the end of July.
In all the bizarre goings on, one of the things that struck me was the pain in the background in the knighting/commissioning tape. We catch a brief glimpse of a few of the wives of these self proclaimed prophets. It’s heart-breaking. Peter Wagner’s wife can been seen briefly in a motorized wheelchair. James Goll’s wife has cancer. Shonnah Bentley is in obvious pain and looking deeply distressed. (This is the last few minutes of the hastily called commissioning by men who lead thousands and thousands of sincere hurting seeking people astray).
More of the knighting ceremony is here. For those that have followed Bentley’s rise and fall, you know the history. From the start Christians across the US, Australia, New Zealand and the UK began to question the theology and behavior coming from Lakeland. They were dismissed as heresy hunters until Pentecostals and charismatics also began to speak up. The unwillingness of Fresh Fire, Ignited (Lakeland) and God TV to be transparent, to address extra-biblical teaching escalated and Bentley wound up on a US network investigative show. It was his second (he’d brushed off Fox News) and Bentley took off.
While the PR machine in New York and GodTV tried to keep the buzz going, the very mediums used to start it were where insiders began to publicly back away. Charisma magazine’s Lee Grady, Robert Ricciardelli, a Member of Peter Wagner’s International Coalition of Apostles spoke on Salem Radio a US religious chain. The Assemblies of God in the US spoke up. The Lakeland tent folded and more human dominoes began to fall. The sham of unity crumbled, and now some of the leaders such as Peter Wagner who appeared in the knighting ceremony are backing away as publicly as they endorsed Lakeland.
We reap what we sow, we serve a holy God who will not be mocked. Satan can’t be blamed. Other’s can’t be blamed, no spin heals the wounded, and God’s love calls us to remember the lessons of history and immature leadership. There are no shortcuts, faith is not bling. Wisdom must be sought, it is not handed to us. We work out our salvation with awe and trembling. PR firms, business models, media platforms do not hide the lies of our life when we face the cross.
Would an unstable Canadian with a fractured marriage cause such a tumbling and upheaval again?
No.
I think a great deal more has gone on behind the scenes that has not been made public.
These movements are cults of personality, existing for profit and for power. I continue to hope and pray the days of charlatans being taken at face value and controlling their message in media for long periods of time is over.
As fast as self proclaimed leaders con, there are people willing to step forward, and offer the standards of measurement believers hold to. I see no glee, no schadenfreude from those who Lakeland leaders mocked as ‘heresy hunters’.
There are more Todd Bentley’s waiting in the wings, the roots of these movements are rotten to their core, and we reap what we sow. Bentley’s show helped GodTV get out of temporary debt, I believe Lakeland’s ‘revival’ was calculated, planned, the Strader family are no strangers to raising money.
Few are surprised by the broken people left behind.
Wagner’s statement fisked
Update: August 14, 2008. British Columbia newspaper, The Province is being shut out again.
Update: Fresh Fire Ministries has announced the Bentleys have separated. The original announcement from the US said Todd had filed. In BC a filing starts proceedings and an uncontested divorce takes a year when there is intentional separation.
British Columbia family law allows for sole application or joint application, and of course gets more complicated when mediation or ruling is required over property, custody, etc., or if a filing is made on the grounds of adultery or mental and physical cruelty.
This ‘official’ announcement is more ambigous than the one made in the US.
You’ll have to skim through the sales pitch first.
I’m posting it below, things have a way of changing or disappearing at the Fresh Fire site.
I’m also posting the PR from God TV below and here is a link to the Charisma Magazine release.
Greetings Partners and Friends,
The last four months have been some of the most amazing months in the history of Fresh Fire Ministries. We have witnessed God pour out His Spirit in an unprecedented way in Florida and around the world in the first revival in history to be broadcasted live into literally millions of homes and churches across all five continents and into more than 200 countries. The “Outpourings†as they have come to be called are continuing now in many cities worldwide. These fiery hot coals of revival are sweeping through the Body of Christ, crossing geographical, political and denominational boundaries as the Holy Spirit brings the manifest presence of the glory of God back to His church with tangible demonstrations of his saving, healing, delivering power.
As a result, we as a ministry have experienced the blessing and the burden of exponential increases of activity and interest in our activities, functions and resources. Our website during the last few months has received as many as 6 million hits in one month and our office has struggled to cope with numberless phone calls and emails which have taxed our infrastructure and human resources almost to the breaking point. We so appreciate the patience and grace many of you have extended to us during this time, whether waiting for us to answer the phone or process your donation or product order. To overcome this challenge, we have hired more than a dozen new staff in our home base here in Abbotsford in addition to the many staff temporarily hired to help with the administration of the Outpouring in Lakeland, Florida.
The Lord’s blessings and abundance have been so evident on the ministry during this season of intense activity and we rejoice in seeing and being able to participate in what we believe is only the beginning of a worldwide awakening. It is with considerable sadness then, that we must temper the jubilation we know you all feel with the sobering news that Todd and Shonnah Bentley are presently experiencing significant friction in their relationship and are currently separated. We want to affirm that there has been no sexual immorality on the part of either Todd or Shonnah, nor has there ever been. Undoubtedly the pressures and the burden of the Outpouring, which approaches 144 days on August 23rd, have helped to create an atmosphere of fatigue and stress that has exacerbated existing issues in their relationship. We wish to stress however, that the Outpouring is not “to blame†for the current chain of events and that in effect we have no interest in blaming anyone, but rather we deeply covet your prayers for Todd and Shonnah and for Fresh Fire Ministries during this time.
We know that many of you will have questions, for most of which we presently have no answers. We cannot see far down the path ahead of us, but we have quiet confidence in the One who sees the end from the beginning and promises to provide grace and strength for whatever lies ahead. We are hopeful that the outcome will include restoration, but we can make neither promise nor guarantee. We intend to take each day as it comes and look intently for the new mercies promised us each morning. We will watch and pray and ask each of you to do the same, knowing that you will pray as you are led by the Holy Spirit.
In the meantime, we encourage you to continue to participate in current Outpourings, whether the Florida Outpouring or one in your area and region, …or to become one if there are none nearby. As a ministry, we continue to encourage and facilitate these growing Global Outpourings, providing Fresh Fire Associate ministries, resources, and input wherever needed.
We are still fully committed to our crusade in Uganda, Africa later this month, and though Todd will not be in attendance, our Fresh Fire Team and Associate Ministries will lead a team of almost one hundred people from around the world to share the love of God, the power of the gospel, and humanitarian aid with the people of Uganda. While there, we will also connect with the Uganda Jesus Village, the Fresh Fire Children’s Home where we shelter and provide for over 60 orphans rescued from war and poverty only a few years ago. We’re excited about seeing the recently purchased 35-acre property that will contain both a school and homes for the children and their “mamas.†As we step inside the first home (being completed as we arrive) we will be stepping towards our dream of not only protecting and nurturing hundreds of orphans, but raising them up to become full-fledged ambassadors of Christ to the nation of Africa and beyond.
With all of this in mind, we ask each of you to continue to pray with us, both for Todd and Shonnah and for this ministry, as we continue to bring the saving, healing, and delivering power of God to a dry and thirsty world, desperate for an encounter with the endless love of the living God.
We thank you again for your many prayers and support and we truly believe the promise of the Lord that He will indeed work all things together for our good.
With our sincerest blessings and gratitude,
The Fresh Fire Ministries Board of Directors
God TV
Dear One,
It is with great regret that we as Founders and our Board call you to urgent prayer.
As you may have already heard, Todd and Shonnah Bentley are experiencing some current marital difficulties and have separated.
GOD TV is anxious that our viewers and partners will first of all respond to these unfortunate circumstances with an attitude of Christ-like maturity and pray fervently for Todd, Shonnah and their children as a family who are precious to the Lord. While we have learned today that immorality was not an issue, no doubt the enemy has exploited vulnerabilities in their marriage.
What the devil has not counted on is the Christ-like maturity and intercession that is currently being raised up all across the earth in response. We hope you will join us as a part of this prayer covering.
It is GOD TV’s position that marriage is a foundational cornerstone to those families called to ministry and would believe that those who have spiritual oversight for Todd and Shonnah’s ministry will recommend a time of sabbatical for the family in order to seek reconciliation within their marriage should these reports be accurate.
As many of you know, August 8th was our final ‘Lakeland’ broadcast. We do however, believe that it is important to recognize and defend the authenticity of this outpouring by the testimonies of the countless thousands who viewed on GOD TV or attended at Lakeland and were healed, set free and delivered through Jesus Christ. There are many churches around the UK, USA and the world who are currently holding nightly revival meetings affecting whole communities.
Once again at this time may we encourage all to pray for the family and soberly remember that all of us will be required to give account to the Lord for our lives. It is our earnest prayer that Todd and Shonnah will be fully reconciled.
Rory & Wendy Alec,
and the Board of GOD TV.
I think it is important to look at things in perspective. Charisma magazine is promoted by the same agencies that distribute mags. like Playboy! Is Lee Grady unrighteous? That is not my call….
Some like Peter Wagner and Dutch Sheets were associated with Ted Haggard, in using his church etc., but did not make a statement about his fall, and even more did not discern his homosexual lifestyle (as far as their publications do not say).
The character of Christ is hardly mentioned by many ministries. The prophet is to be judged by his/her fruits. Some of the famed prophets, keep selling the “Truth” through the business of conferences, even though the Bible tells us we are to buy the Truth and sell it not. This was what initially bothered my spirit about Todd Bentley’s ministry.
Dishonesty is rampant in the so called prophecies that are dished out. Who cares for the reputation of man? If a mistake is made it should be admitted. We are interested in building God’s kingdom. Steve Shultz seems to have a teaching to justify anything that comes across as prophecy, laying the burden on the believer to “discern” truth. With all the prophets he advertises it seems he can fulfill the fundamental law of love towards others. Get the prophecies confirmed before they are published. Shultz in his “love walk” never responds if you point out how erroneous the prophecies are; sometimes given by his senior staff!
Kim Clement seems a nice guy but his attitude towards giving “wrong prophecies” seems to be that he is speaking on behalf of a “whatever God.”
The WORD is very important. The Lord is His Word. Immerse yourself in the Word that keeps giving life, and you will grow in the knowledge and discernment of the Lord. I have met Todd Bentley’s followers who have no knowledge of the Word and little of the character of Jesus, but they are annoyed with anything said that seems to disparage the man used.
A preacher aptly said , “Resurrection life can flow through a man but it does not mean he has submitted his life to the changing power of that Resurrection life.” See Matthew 7:22 & 23.
More back peddling – Chuck Pierce (Dutch Sheets may be the next be thing from his statement)
Patricia (Coking/Cocking) King has a message on her site, I find her speech so convoluted it and thinking twisted I won’t repeat what she has said about Bentley.
Was King retaliating for the swipe taken at her by C. Peter Wagner and serveral other NAR leaders took at her awhile ago? Is she threatening NAR etc with her Bentley statement?
I have no idea.
Someone knowing the players will be able to figure that out.
Dear Friend,
My comment “40″ was not leveled at yourself, but meant to ask those who were accusing and making presumptions. The last thing I want to do is make accusations, but hopefully provoke for the right reasons.
Contributors would you please consider letting God be the judge and the one who will deal with any wrongs in our own and others lives. What I was endeavouring to convey was whether you agree with Todd or not would you be prepared to have a web site and aire your own mistakes/decissions to the world, for them to make comment and accusations?
Please, Please I implore everyone to allow God to do His work and not play Judge and jury.
Lets hunger after God and focus on Him and not man, and give our time to the one who loves us with extravagant love.
Sorry I put “40″ and it should have been “42″
I feel Patricia King’s web site “Extreme Prophetic” covers this sad situation in the Body of Christ. She gives good insight into how we should pray and a reality check in our own lives as believers. Check it out and be encouraged in your walk with God.
Ian,
Perhaps you could unpack how God does His work. ‘Twould seem he uses people like you and me.
Tens of thousands of people have been led astray by the “Lakeland Revival”. A lot more conversation is necessary. And I would suggest the Holy Spirit is in the midst of that conversation.
Todd willingly became a public spectacle. He sought out notoriety. (Watch the YouTube videos for his own declarations of how all of this would be covered.) We need to respond publicly to the scandal – and it is scandalous.
This is not in any way wishing Todd, his family or his “team” evil. It is providing places for Christians to discuss, discern and work together to learn how to avoid the next wave of charismania that is right around the corner.
In Todd’s case, we all need to hope and pray he receives true Godly oversight from humble men and women – rather than the “apostolic BS” he received, as one of my blogging friends put it. We need to pray for his family – to pray for the restoration of his marriage. And we need to pray that Todd stays silent until such time as he is found “approved” in the words of Paul to Timothy in 2 Tim 2.
Do not judge or you will be judged for in the same way you as you judge others you will be judged and with the measure you use it will be measured to you why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brothers eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye how can you say ro your brother let me take the speck out of your eye when all the time there is a plank in your own eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brothers eye mat.7v1-7
Be Humble there by the grace of God go us all lets Pray for Todd and his family
DEborah:
I’m sitting by the phone waiting for the linesman, and juggling to keep this computer online. Given the tech stuff going on, I’ve been unable to see the full statement by Patricia (Coking) King.
I was able to hear some of it.
I think she is responding to the power play/rebuke directed at her by others in the apostolic/latter rain movement. It sounded to me she is just jockeying for position again (the power struggles are nothing new).
I’m not going to address her mysticism, her lies, or her blaming; others can do that compassionately and clearly. As for what she says about Todd Bentley, tickling gullible ears with a statement about knowing and not knowing – I take her motivation and timing with extreme skepticism. Her concern may be real, she “ordained” him 10 years ago. I’m not going there.
If you have been encouraged to reality check your own life, that’s great.
Here is different encouragement:
From Leighton, a slave of Jesus Christ, to those who are called, wrapped in the love of God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ.
May mercy, peace, and love be lavished on you!
Dear friends, I feel compelled to write to encourage you to contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.
For certain men and women have secretly slipped in among you, ungodly men and women who have turned the grace of our God into a license for evil and who deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
What did Patricia King say?
Among other things she said that all the negative criticism from the body of Christ had an impact on the heavenly realm. The body of Christ has more oppressive dark spiritual power than satanists. She implied that the critics of the revival were essentially in league with Satan in bringing down the revival.
Thanks LT, I didn’t get to that part.:^(
And for those of you following this conversation, LT is being a servant. He called me on his time and his dime to help me keep this computer online.
nic: I agree there is a wrong kind of judging, there is also a right and required kind of judging and we do well to know the difference. I re-read this often.
http://www.apologeticsindex.org/j14.html
Feel free to come back and share what you learn.
Pray also for the thousands of people who have been abused by Lakeland.
Bene diction good article thank you for posting the link ,yes i have prayed for anybody who has been hurt by lakeland i have also thanked God for the many Good fruits from lakeland also including 2 healings that i have personally received God bless you Nic p.s. if we are honest there is good fruit and bad is all of us hopefully more good than bad !
I am from Europe but am flabbergasted that you have websites up just to judge the ministry of others. I’m not at all impressed … Please don’t give me all those scriptures about judging false prophets and so on because I can give you lots especially the one that says ‘the heart is deceitful above all things’ so why would I or anyone else trust your motives especially when you’re pulling down someone else and doing it publicly for the whole world to see when we should be protecting and not exposing. I would say check your own hearts first … Jesus had a lot to say about the pharisees!!! And for many of us we don’t know where we will be or what kind of trials we’ll be facing next year or the year after.
And from you Mr Bene Diction I would appreciate not having you answering my letter … if you you’re going to dish it out publicly ……
God’s Heart must be broken at the judgement and lack of love and seeiing christians full of there own opions judge and have a crack at each other on both sides of the todd bentley thing.be humble seek jesus first love one another .Yes we should discern but if by his grace and its ONLY BY HIS GRACE we discern error in another brother or sister in christ we should love them and pray for them not slander or judge them.Only the lord know s every circomstance in a situation we don’t.Also we shouldn’t blindly follow anybody who does miracles.By the fruit we shall know them.We should also pray against deception in the church also please also see my previous blogs God bless you all in christ jesus keep praying and reading the word.Be humble and fear God it is the beginging of wisdom forgive my spelling!
I am from Europe but am flabbergasted that you have websites up just to judge the ministry of others. I’m not at all impressed … Please don’t give me all those scriptures about judging false prophets and so on because I can give you lots especially the one that says ‘the heart is deceitful above all things’ so why would I or anyone else trust your motives especially when you’re pulling down someone else and doing it publicly for the whole world to see when we should be protecting and not exposing. I would say check your own hearts first … Jesus had a lot to say about the pharisees!!! And for many of us we don’t know where we will be or what kind of trials we’ll be facing next year or the year after.
And from you Mr Bene Diction I would appreciate not having you answering my letter … if you you’re going to dish it out publicly
Take a look at the archives of this site. You’ll see that the scope of the topics discussed here go far beyond “the ministry of others.”
Why do you need to trust anyone’s motives? No one knows the heart of anyone except God. Are we supposed to wait until we are 100% perfect before we speak out against deception and corruption that destroys peoples lives?
Why are all Bene’s critics so sure of Bene’s motives on one hand and on the other say no one is allowed to judge Bentley’s motives? Does anyone else see the double standard here?
We can’t judge motives but we can discern the facts.
We should be protecting not exposing? Because hiding the truth sets us free?
Pharisees were people who made God’s law void by making up their own laws, not people who actually followed God commands.
BTW I know “Mr. Bene Diction” personally, and I know where this stuff comes from, and it isn’t from jealousy or bitterness or legalism. It comes from a deep and abiding care for wounded and weary. Bene is no pharisee, in fact Bene has been known to drive some Pharisees right around the bend. Bene isn’t perfect, neither am I and neither are you. To make this about Bene’s motives is a pure deflection from the heart of the matter. It is nothing more than shooting the messenger.
Sue:
I’m sorry, I didn’t see your comment, it is a great summer day and I was out enjoying it.
I don’t have an email/letter from you, just your comment. Welcome to Canada.:^)
What is difficult about dialogue that it offends you I’d talk with you on my blog?
Yes.
The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked, who can know it?
Moving on to answer that:
Verse 10:
“I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”
Am I asking you to ‘trust’ my motives?
No.
I’m laying out evidence.
Weigh it.
Decide for yourself.
I think LT explains that well.
If facts are in error, correct them, you will not be scorned.
Sue, I’m not going to play double bind. I’m not your enemy.
I am disgusted by the comment that I am reading from some of the pastor about money and about all the other junk!
It is evident that God has use Todd Bentley to advance the kingdom and just like Jesus once he is Baptize in the HOLY SPIRIT, THE DEVIL comes immediately to try to steal kill and destroy. Instead of acknowledging and help our brother in Christ to fight the enemy for trying to destroy another Godly, family, YOU, PEOPLE ARE SO QUICK TO JUDGE. It breaks my heart to read this and it breaks my heart even more to know it is pastor and supposely Christian to make such comment about our own brother in Christ’s heart!
A worker DESERVES his wages, so don’t be jealous the fact that you didn’t have the same wages rather may be turn your jealousy into something supportive instead!
As for me, I will be standing by our Brother Todd and his Wife to continue to pray for restoration strength to protect the grace that is there and not allow the enemy to do another damage.
Hi Miriam:
Point out the specific comment about ‘about money and about all the other junk’ please.
I hear your expression of un-ease, that’s common when we don’t understand what judging means in judge not, lest you be judged. Use your concordance. To rightfully judge is to appraise, discern, evaluate, discriminate.
“Too often Christians fall into one of two traps relating to the issue of judging:
a) One is to refrain entirely, giving as a basis Christ’s words of ”judge not lest you be judged”.
b) The other is to render a verdict on every person and situation that comes to one’s attention.
Such as suggesting jealousy.
“The Christian, on the other hand, is never given the right or the responsibility of eternally judging anyone (unless they have clearly rejected Christ permanently). Christians cannot correctly weigh action, motives, opportunities, nor know all things about any individual: God alone is capable to do so.
However, Christians are to make decisions (appraisals, discernments, and even take corrective actions). But even judging in this aspect is intended to be remedial, and leaves the door open to the person for repentance and reconciliation. Any judging on the part of a Christian which does not, is a false aspect of Christian judgment. We are called upon to ”judge righteous judgment” (John 7:24) and failure to do so is to be negligent in a crucial aspect of our Christian calling.”
http://www.apologeticsindex.org/j14.html
Read up, and if you disagree what has been said come back and discuss it.
Bene D you write more like a psychologist than someone with any wisdom.
after reading your replies to posts that don’t agree with you, there comes a reply thats patronizing and states that it must either be the person’s defense mechanism or lack of understanding instead of considering that what they are saying they may actually mean? I read some posts here that are truly from the heart in what they say, and you can tell they are because theres a real passion for what God is doing, but then there are the knowledgable replies that try and ignore these points.
I would suggest that your responses are actually the defence mechanism you have for yourself to counter the truths that challenge what you and others say.
Posts which agree with you are clearly welcomed with open arms, but those that don’t are put down by you.
If you welcome all views on here then do us a favour and don’t be so obviously upset and offended by a bit of truth and wisdom once and a while and lets all share what we believe instead of having a rather pompous answer from you.
I’m sure this post won’t be well received, as i’m sure this will probably be viewed as my defence mechanism. The only reason i’m posting this is because i do not find this on other forums and thought it needed to be said.
Wow! Duly noted.
The comment section for this post is closed.
The discussion is continuing at the latest post: Fresh Fire Ministries public apology Bentley steps down
Bene D
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