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| Bentley & Wife File for Separation; Oh well.... | |
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| Topic Started: Aug 13 2008, 03:55 PM (588 Views) | |
| Israeli | Aug 13 2008, 03:55 PM Post #1 |
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Evangelist Bentley, Wife File for Separation By Cary McMullen LEDGER RELIGION EDITOR Canadian evangelist Todd Bentley preaches June 12 on the Sun 'n Fun Fly-In grounds during the Pentecostal revival that started April 2 and has continued ever since. Related Links: * Revival Evangelist to Fold His Lakeland Tent * Florida Outpouring Revival Concerns Pentecostal Leaders * A Working Man's Revival' * Florida Outpouring: Internet Draws Thousands to Lakeland Revival Lynne Breidenbach, a local woman who had been a media liaison for Bentley during the months-long Florida Outpouring Revival, told The Ledger that Bentley announced to his staff Monday afternoon that he and his wife, Shonnah, had separated. The Bentleys have two daughters and a son, and are Canadian citizens. Under Canadian law, separation is a preliminary step in divorce proceedings, lasting nine months. Breidenbach, who resigned as revival spokesperson Monday, called the news of the separation "very sad." "God uses fallen, flawed people. ... This doesn't invalidate what Todd did," she said. The revival began April 2 at Ignited Church in Lakeland. Bentley announced two weeks ago that he would end his regular appearances at the revival on Aug. 23 to resume his traveling evangelistic work, but he was scheduled to lead services next week. The Rev. Stephen Strader, pastor of Ignited Church, said Tuesday that he was informed three weeks ago that Bentley and his wife had been undergoing marriage counseling for a few years. "Last week, Todd shared with me that his wife had returned to Canada, and he's following her this week. I've been assured by his people that there is no third party involved," Strader said. Bentley's Fresh Fire Ministries Web site indicates that a September appearance by Bentley in England has been postponed. Phone calls to Fresh Fire Ministries in Abbotsford, British Columbia, were not returned Tuesday. Shonnah Bentley has made few appearances on stage during the revival, which is now in its 133rd consecutive day. Bentley, 32, announced earlier this month he would establish a U.S. base of operations in Lakeland. Fresh Fire Ministries recently purchased a lot in Oak Landing, a development in Mulberry. Pentecostals and evangelicals historically have frowned on divorce, citing scriptural prohibitions. Ministers who were divorced usually had to give up their careers, but there have been some notable exceptions in recent years and attitudes appear to be changing. J. Lee Grady, editor of Charisma, a magazine for Pentecostals based in Orlando, said Tuesday the news of Bentley's marital troubles would likely further polarize those following the revival. "A large segment of the movement has been skeptical from day one. They're going to see this as a natural progression. Others who have been following Todd are going to be spiritually shipwrecked. We've most definitely seen through this revival a lot of people are not grounded in Scripture, so for them, it won't be an issue," he said. Strader invited Bentley to Lakeland to lead the revival. The twice-daily services were streamed live over the Internet and also televised by God TV, a small Christian network, and attendance grew quickly. Young people were drawn by Bentley's unorthodox appearance - with tattoos, piercings and a goatee - which resembles a biker, rather than a buttoned-down televangelist. Many traveled to Lakeland from outside Florida and the United States, and the revival changed location three times in search of larger venues. At its peak, the revival drew at least 10,000 people to services at Joker Marchant Stadium in May. From late June to Aug. 2, the revival took place under two large tents on the grounds of Sun n' Fun Fly-in that could accommodate up to 10,000 people, but it has now returned to Ignited Church. 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. [ Cary McMullen can be reached at cary.mcmullen@theledger.com or 863-802-7509. His blog, Scriptorium: A Religion Panorama, can be read at religion.theledger.com. ] http://www.theledger.com/article/20080812/NEWS/808120347 |
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| worshipHim | Aug 13 2008, 08:41 PM Post #2 |
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He kneed a guy with colon cancer? Wheezi..., is this the shortest revival in history? Maybe when the real revival comes people will fall out into the streets preaching to the homeless, the destitute, the prostitute, the addicted...maybe conviction and repentance will flow like a river thru this nation? Pure religion will then be taking care of the widowed and the orphan. |
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| Lazarusty | Aug 13 2008, 09:20 PM Post #3 |
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Oh...it's starting before the 15th? |
| Check out my Wild Speculations thread! | |
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| worshipHim | Aug 13 2008, 09:37 PM Post #4 |
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What is starting before the 15th? hm...tomorrow is the the 14th. I assume you mean August? What is starting? |
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| Lazarusty | Aug 13 2008, 09:38 PM Post #5 |
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The spearation of sheep and goats. Would a sheep divorce? |
| Check out my Wild Speculations thread! | |
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| worshipHim | Aug 13 2008, 09:55 PM Post #6 |
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I am not sure what you are talking about sheep and goats. This separation is a judgment when He separates us, right? Because if it were possible the anti-christ would deceive the very elect. Of course he doesn't though. Goats will look like sheep...here on earth, to some people. Right? Am I missing something? |
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| ZionFire | Aug 14 2008, 03:36 AM Post #7 |
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Among the American revival groupie crowd Todd Bentley has become their greatest light. Among all the leaders of the modern revival era Todd has become their greatest contemperary champion. This croud has been mixing Haight Ashberry liberal philosophy with Bible doctrine for so long that their vision is skewed and they are innoculated to absolute truth(the kind you find in the Bible). These guys typify their doctrinal style by having these "quote" wonderfully close 'relationships' with God,...they roll on the floor and scream as they are bieng 'delivered' of 'junk', they dance and sing their way to 'freedom' from sin, and they go to conference after conference following Gods 'annointed ones' who can set them free from their 'issues' by just one electrical zap of their annointed palm. And yet for some reason the 'junk' that they say they want to be delivered of is really no big deal to them. They excuse sin away, and just like the devil they will often use snippets of the Bible to come up with their excuse for sin. And if that doesn't work they will tell you that nobody is perfect and God is forgiving,...so He just really doesnt even care about their sin, He just loves them so much that He overlooks their blatent disreguard for His Word. The Bible says that even decons are to be the husband of only one wife (our head leadership should be even more so), the Bible says that divorce for any other reason than unfaithfullness(having sex with someone your not married to) is not ok before God, because GOD says that what He joins no man should separate, the Bible even says that unsaved spouses are sanctified by their saved spouses so even unbelief is not a reason for divorce. And yet these new 'ministers' of the Bible don't really care what what God thinks,...the Bible is meaningless to them,...but yet they hear from Him all the time,...why just ask them they'll tell ya. Why the God that hates sin and divorce, loves their willfull rebellion so much that He choses to tell them happy prophetic messages everyday and just chooses overlook their blatent sin and their disreguard for Gods Holy Word,....oh yes and then by all means God wants these willfull rebels to go into all the World and preach this same rebellious spirit in the name of Jesus to everyone. What crap! Listen to me America,...I have something to say about your great revival champion Todd Bentley,.........If the light in you has become darkness, how great is that darkness! D.P. Edited by ZionFire, Aug 14 2008, 03:39 AM.
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| Final Call | Aug 14 2008, 07:32 AM Post #8 |
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Good on ya ZF...you KNOW the truth about this charlatan who is and will be singlehandedly responsible for many souls in hell. Satan LOVES this sort of "Revival"..it wins him much company and gives him some entertainment and he LOVES nothing more than to lead the sheep astray...but those LED astray..IF they were TRULY born again..will not stay down or become shipwrecked. An elect CAN be decieved...but never TOTALLY or for long...because GOD will save them and show them the TRUTH even though it will hurt them..they will come through. I know this from experience. |
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| worshipHim | Aug 14 2008, 08:21 AM Post #9 |
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You are correct about divorce. The Jews believed you could divorce your wife for every cause. Jesus was specific to say it was because of the hardening of their hearts. May I make a confession without being thumped for it? I wanted to believe it was a sincere movement of God's Spirit. But I didn't see anyone going out into the streets to preach, heal, convict. That is classified as revival, isn't it? He had strange doctrines. Towards the end I wanted Todd to just repent of these things, and continue on walking the enlightened path of the righteousness of God. |
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| SpiritIsWilling | Aug 14 2008, 11:40 AM Post #10 |
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Awesome word ZionFire!  
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Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 
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| Wil | Aug 16 2008, 06:36 PM Post #11 |
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 From the Board of Directors The Fresh Fire Ministries Board of Directors Aug 16, 2008 From the Board of Directors We wish to thank all of our friends and partners for the overwhelming flood of support and compassion we have received as a ministry on behalf of Todd and Shonnah Bentley. The many phone calls and emails of concern from people who genuinely love the Bentleys and Fresh Fire Ministries have been a great encouragement to all of us here during these past few days. In particular, the rallying of support and prayer for Todd and Shonnah by prominent leaders within the Body of Christ has been a beautiful indicator of the maturity and grace the Lord is bringing to his Bride. We wish to acknowledge, however, that since our last statement from the Fresh Fire Board of Directors, 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. In light of this new information and in consultation with his leaders and advisors, Todd Bentley has agreed to step down from his position on the Board of Directors and to refrain from all public ministry for a season to receive counsel in his personal life. On behalf of the Fresh Fire leadership and the Board of Directors we wish to apologize to our friends and partners and to the larger body of Christ and to ask for your forgiveness. We are truly sorry for the pain many of you must feel and so regret that in the midst of great revival, the enemy has found a way into our camp. To those who have stood by us, we wish to thank you for what in many cases has been years of support. Thank you for your financial giving towards the vision of this ministry, and thank you especially for your prayers. For those of our partners, friends and supporters who may be struggling with the recent disclosures and finding continued support of this ministry in conflict with either conscience or conviction, we release and bless you with all our hearts and trust that God will redeem in your hearts the good that He has accomplished in your lives through this ministry. It is our sincerest hope and prayer that the Lord bless you and bring you into your fullest destiny in Him. When this ministry was initially birthed in May of 1998, Todd had but one simple desire in his heart – to see the world come to know Jesus. Now, only 10 years later, Fresh Fire Ministries has grown to become a Resource Center that is literally reaching out to all the corners of the Earth. There have been dozens of associate ministries, scores of interns and hundreds of graduates from the Supernatural Training Center. Over 60 nations have received a combined total of more than five million dollars in humanitarian aid and we have seen well over one million conversions for Jesus Christ. And so, the question can well be asked... where do we go from here? It is true that we are deeply saddened by these recent events, but it hasn’t shaken our faith in either God or His goodness towards us and with the help of wise and compassionate leaders within the body, we will do everything within our power to see our brother and sister healed and restored. |
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| METHUSELAH | Aug 17 2008, 01:52 AM Post #12 |
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I don't think ANYONE would equate this burp from a recent, minor troubled religious figure to have any significance vis a vis the August 15th "spiritual event" forecast by our own FC. IMO, that would be grasping at straws. TL |
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| Jdsmith2k7 | Aug 17 2008, 04:26 AM Post #13 |
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Praise God for destroying this false revival! It still amazes/angers me that so many christians believed in this mess. There is very little discernment in the church today.....We all need to wake up and grow up as christians so that we will recognize the voice of our Father and not be led astray by such nonsense.
Edited by Jdsmith2k7, Aug 17 2008, 04:26 AM.
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Time has changed little cause my heart is still grieved. I am very much in pain and do indeed weep for the many tortured souls that are before me at this present time. | |
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| ZionFire | Aug 17 2008, 02:38 PM Post #14 |
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A few years ago many of us were amazed that Rick Joyner and so many 'big time' prophets failed to discern homosexuality and alcoholism in one of their own. In fact the people of their gigantic prophetic movement failed to see it as well, begging the question,...what is a prophetic movement for? I mean isnt one of the main jobs of the prophetic in the church to reveal truth? During this Lakeland thing there have been many opinions that have surfaced all of which were trying to define what was happening, it was sad to me to see how few of those opinions were filled with actual true spiritual discernment when the indicators were so blatently obvious. Reading this attached letter it is very clear that there is still so much that lies hidden beneath the surface and that the writers of this announcement are counting on us to still lack clear discernment and so we will just believe whatever we are told. Please listen,...I write this for the edification of the body. True discernment is listening to what the Spirit of God has to say on any given issue and not what our falible human heart has to say about anything. It is not mean to speak the heart of God in fact it is something called true prophecy and if we both listen to it and speak it we will stop bieng decieved by the devil and his lies. True discernment is a GOOD thing and is given to the church by God,...so in closing I will say,...lets love the light and we will not be overtaken by the darkness. D.P. |
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| METHUSELAH | Aug 17 2008, 04:16 PM Post #15 |
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I think it's rather disingenuous to suppose that one of the main tasks of a revival (or any) ministry is to reveal truth (sin) about it's own leadership. Certainly this is a necessity born of responsibility and must be done, but I'm not sure it should be presented as a tenet or prime responsibility as if it were to be an anticipated evil, so to speak. From all source information, the inner circle was aware of the moral situation and allowed it to fester at a time when the ministry itself was under attack for it's spiritual excesses by grounded believers. This (the dereliction of duty on the part of ministry insiders) is neither the responsibility nor accountability that the situation demands. It was an action the promoters (perhaps a better word than leaders) were forced into taking. THEY HAD NO OTHER CHOICE. BTW, it IS the duty of mature leaders to point out such gross error and to do so in a loving way as long as there is some sign of comprehension from the leadership (which was VERY slow in coming, and as always, only came once Bentley et al had no other means of escape). Those who label objective observers as "attackers" need to remember that spiritual warfare is sometimes (often) necessary within the church. It's not limited to dealing with evil, ungodly non-believers. Those who recognize the erroneous behavior are exercising discernment and warning in most instances, not treachery. Words are an important weapon of warfare when the credibility and mission of the church at large is threatened or put to shame. So what is the next step? Why, to fold up the tent and hit the road, of course and try to beat the dark cloud (news of the many problems within the ministry) to the next town where the less savvy believers are hungering for signs and wonders from any source. One would think people would learn a lesson after decades of documented details of abuse. I'm referring both to the promoters and the clientele. While I believe that the Lord can overcome any obstacle in order to provide wise, scriptural worship and ministry, it's discouraging when the same segment of the church continues to repeat the errors of their predecessors. It's equally sad that the individual seekers being misled and in some cases abused always seem to return for more of the same. It's relevant at this point to proclaim to those that haven't heard that Jim Bakker has plans for another Christian theme park in the works... Incredible! TL Edited by METHUSELAH, Aug 17 2008, 04:20 PM.
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| ZionFire | Aug 17 2008, 05:51 PM Post #16 |
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Mature leaders,.....lol,.....right now the Church just needs true leaders, so it will stop bieng led into deception by those who say they represent the heart of God. False leadership really doesnt need more love they get that in the form of the money they were after(they wont give it back even when exposed), but the church needs more truth obviously or they would not have lined the pockets of the false, while so much of the real doesnt even have the money to eat let alone minister. Anyway you have the right to think whatever you wish so blessing on you. BTW.....If the Rick Joyner crowd were held to account for such gross error in discernment do you think Jim Bakker would be building a new theme park? |
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| SpiritIsWilling | Aug 17 2008, 07:07 PM Post #17 |
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A double  to that post JD 
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Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
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| METHUSELAH | Aug 18 2008, 01:48 AM Post #18 |
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Agreed! Amen |
| Forgive someone today! You'll both feel better... | |
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| ZionFire | Aug 24 2008, 09:10 PM Post #19 |
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This guy is very political and self-preserving, but at least he attempts to take some responsibility for Church leadership and their role of discernment in the Church. http://www.dutchsheets.org/index.cfm Edited by ZionFire, Aug 25 2008, 02:16 PM.
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