By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.
Todd Bentley, is the “tough love” evangelist. Or so an offhand remark that he made during a Dec. 18, 2009 service at the Morningstar facility might imply.
“I’m a compassionate guy,” he says. “I’m a loving guy.” You can see it for yourself shortly after the 112 minute mark of the service, as saved on Bentley’s website.
I would wonder if his former wife and kids might agree with that. But he goes on to add something that will raise an eyebrow or two. It’s at :
“You know, when I was in Florida, the only time that God would let me pray for the terminally ill was when the anointing of compassion came on me….I’m talking about a compassion that we can’t even produce in ourselves. And when I was in those meetings in Florida, only when that compassion would come on me, then I would say ‘Bring me the terminally ill…’”
Well, remember at Lakeland, when he kneed a cancer victim in the stomach? Or the night that he told “war stories” of his adventures in evangelism, such as the time that he was told to “leg drop the pastor”, or the time that he was time to kick a lady in the face. Two presentations by radio apologetics expert Todd Friel at the tail end of the Lakeland revival, which are still saved on YouTube, go into detail on his record of crazy prayer for people, and explain how this is theologically problematic.
If we confine our discussion to Lakeland, here are some more YouTube examples of how he would pray for people, by kicking a guy with polio, or kneeing a guy who wants Todd’s anointing (at God’s direction), or “healing with the holy knee” or…. I’m sure there are a few more examples on YouTube still…
I would not define any of this as dealing who come forward for prayer in a compassionate way. Would you? Doubt it.
Jesus healed with a touch, not a slug. Todd Bentley, please take note this time.
IF THERE IS ONE THING LACKING IN THOSE ‘ON STAGE’ ,AT THE ‘ outpouring OF THEIR OWN EGOS’ !, IT’S COMPASSION.
They ‘play’ at being Jesus, they ‘play at being holy’,and they play with the well-being of a people in need (and therefore gulible), not only that but to have the gaul to ask for ‘money’ for ‘their pitiful offerings of revival etc, beggars belief. What horrifies me even more is the amount of people who are ‘sick’ and in need (and americas arguing about healthcare bill!). When sickness becomes a reason for the healing ministry to ‘perform’ then they should look deeper not only at their own (sickness) but why so many people feel the need for some compassion and understanding and love. For me the outpouring gave only a show of egos in ministry and many people would have walked out with ‘a lighter wallet and not much more. We have a fine example being shown to us at the moment of a society that lacks and a people divided. When Jesus moves in healing he moves always to the source of ie: the root. The falling short of ( a ‘shout here and a boom there) is mans insult to him and his heart breaks while theirs seems to want more to ‘heal more to feel more to be a ‘more’ that has a never ending stream for their egos to feast on. Anit the hate that lies behind the hope that false would have us believe.
Sorry meant to say: Anti the hate that lies behind the hope that false would have us believe.
Meaning: Get the hidden agenda behind the ‘false hope’ so that you can hope.
Jesus’s Agenda was that we shouldn’t have one.