The rape of the church – the Todd Bentley quagmire
As the Todd Bentley story unfolded, many of us chose to err on the side of mercy, to hope and pray for repentance and restoration, we withheld sharp criticism, in the belief that there must be somehow, somewhere a spark of righteousness left that would eventually triumph and birth genuine repentance. Those hopes have now been dashed by the recent news published on Rick Joyner’s web page and echoed by Charisma that Todd Bentley has now divorced his wife, married his mistress and is going to begin a process of restoration (after the fact) with a view to returning to ministry.
We are left astonished, dumbfounded, incredulous and altogether pained by the current turn of events, and worse, by the attitude of the ‘leaders’ who surround him. Since we received many visits to this blog to read our previous article on this scandal, we are duty bound to comment on the latest happenings. Rick Joyner is leading the restoration team which includes leaders who had vouched for Bentley’s good character in the past even as he was deceiving us all, and has posted a letter on his web page. We are informed that ‘Even so, they are married now and are resolved to make the most of their marriage, their lives, and to continue to serve the Lord in the best way that they can. ‘
My first reaction is have these leaders lost their minds, is Todd Bentley living on another planet, or are we all suffering from corporate insanity? Has anyone read the Bible lately? Does the fear of God mean anything to these people, do they care about the damage this has done to hundreds of thousands of believers worldwide and to the credibility of the church increasingly seen as moralistic and hypocritical? The assertion that they are married now is shocking and begs the question.
Their being married far from making it right has in my view made matters even worse and totally disqualified Todd Bentley from any reinstatement in ministry in the foreseeable future. It means there is no repentance. He has simply gone into outright rebellion by marrying his mistress. Even if his wife had chosen to divorce him, which does not seem to be the case, a more judicious, moral and righteous course of action would have been to break off this adulterous relationship and stay celibate before God Instead, he remarries quickly. And we are put before the fait accompli. Is there a recent translation of the New Testament that decrees that the solution to adultery is to quickly divorce the offended party and marry the mistress?
And this is meant to placate the church, soothe our ruffled feathers and make it all right? Shall we for the sake of one man, though gifted throw righteousness to the wind and send out the message that it is okay to consummate your sin, we will restore you? Pastors hold the average believer to a higher standard than these ‘men of God’ hold themselves to. When a man has behaved as disgracefully as this, some leaders still in the name of grace want to foist them on the body of Christ, it beggars belief! What of the millions of young men and women struggling to stay sane and sanctified? What message are we sending them when we pat leaders on the back who do such heinous things simply because they are gifted. Are those who teach not meant to be held to a higher standard?
Furthermore, the video posted on facebook, in exceedingly poor taste, fully demonstrates the lack of repentance. He talks about his ex-wife and himself and how they have moved on, how they communicate better now than when they were married; and they expect the rest of us to move on as well. One is aghast, the man does not have a clue, and is apparently oblivious to the gravity of what has transpired. Indeed my question is, was this the restoration team’s solution to Todd’s sin, that he remarry, or was this a persistence of rebellion on Todd’s part who chose to do what he wanted despite what the leaders’ said, and they are simply now trying to make the best out of a bad situation?
And if so, why? Grace? I fear we have ill defined grace. I fear these leaders who had misstepped by endorsing him in the midst of his shenanigans, are being taken for a ride again and us with them if we choose to follow. It gets worse, at the end of Joyner’s letter, he goes so far as to ask for contributions to Todd Bentley’s new ministry in the US, his erstwhile Canadian associates having dissociated themselves from him and changed the name of the ministry. Any sane person would do a double take. Truly the church has sunk very low. That anyone would mention ministry and Todd Bentley in the same breath is preposterous, that they would call for money to be sent to a man who has violated the trust of millions and shamed the church is beyond the pale. It is a rape of the church, an abuse of authority and the sad thing is that many feckless Christians will fall for it. Some are already expressing their approval.
Another issue no one seems to be raising, is that there is an increasing erosion of confidence in Christian men. When i got saved we all wanted to marry Christian men because they were so different from the guys we had been dating in the world. Today the difference has thinned, many are just as likely to insist on sex before marriage, to father children outside wedlock, just as likely to cheat on their wives after marriage; all worsened by the fact that all they get from the church and its male leaders is a slight tap on the wrist, while the woman is pressured to forgive and submit.
Pastors deal with this daily and as a woman pastor i am particularly sensitive to the rampant abuse of women by ‘Christian’ men. And condoning bad behaviour at this level only adds ammunition to the ‘brothers’ contention that it cannot be helped, it’s the male libido. I guess the blood of Jesus is powerless against the male libido. Brothers this is wrong. How would any of these men feel were Shonnah Bentley to be their sister or daughter? And who is restoring her, and her children? Todd assures us that they are fine, we have only his word for it.
The prophetic and charismatic movements are digging their own graves. They will not explode from without but implode from within. Coupled with the lack of repentance is the absolute shamelessness and lack of propriety exhibited in this situation and in others. Common decency requires stepping back from the limelight and dealing with some issues in private. But that is not the way of the charismatic superstars. They must be seen to exist. Leaders involved in high profile divorces, involved in messy marital and other situations, promptly show up on TV, and are quick to hold press conferences.
They wash their dirty linen in public, wear us out with their tales of woe, seek our compassion for their afflicted lives, and continue preaching to us without missing a beat, rather than hang their heads in shame and retire from public view so as not to bring opprobrium on the body of Christ. And now we are to be treated to regular video updates of Todd Bentley’s progress, possibly be required to shed a tear for the poor man so sorely ill used by the Christian media while sending in a donation, of course.
All this is altogether gross. I must conclude that the charismatic movement is orphaned, the fathers are silent, and it is being hijacked by shysters and morally dubious individuals. These are strong words but they do not express half of the indignation that i feel at the moral relativism that has gangrened our movement. Mr Bentley will bless the body of Christ by withdrawing from public view and taking a job somewhere, selling cars perhaps, whatever, but can we for once put the interest of the church and the honour of Christ and of His gospel ahead of personal ambition and ‘gifting’?
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27 Responses to “The rape of the church – the Todd Bentley quagmire”
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AUTHOR
pastor bola olivia ogedengbe,
The Theophilus Company,
ABBA HOUSE, Paris,
see profile-
I didn’t follow the Todd Bentley story as closely as you did so I was utterly astonished and dissapointed at what I just read. I have to admit my husband and I have in recent times become increasingly cynical about all these TV superstars, especially when they spend innordinate amounts of air time weaving a message which is obviously aimed at getting donations. At home we have at least 12 Christian TV channels and I rarely tune in to most of them now. I personally have more problems with jounger so-called ‘dynamic’ , ‘we can get God to do whatever we want’ generation of preachers. We therefore now prefer the more conservative, older, and wiser leaders with a solid track record. They’re usually over 60, been married to the same spouse for decades (unless widowed), may sometimes seem out of date with their emphasis on old time righteousness above all else, but rather them than the wheeling, dealing, get rich, healed and happy now brigade. Sad that leaders let us down this way. Sadder still is the disgrace and incredibility they bring to the church and Christ, in a world and at a time when it’s getting increasingly harder to share our faith. Just think of what the atheists, critics, cynics and other religious practitioners must be thinking. They must think us all mugs to expect them to believe Christinianity has a higher calling. Well let’s keep praying that the Lord Himself will sort the chaff from the wheat in a way that will bring glory to His name.
I just feel like shouting when I hear things like these! I’m fed up with this attitude! Do we read the same gospel? Do we pray the same God? That’s enough! A friend of mine is divorcing his wife because according to him “they have never had a lot in common, except Jesus, and they had never really lived for themselves”. What? WE DON’T LIVE FOR OURSELVES BUT FOR GOD!!! This is what we sing and claim all the time but do we really live for God, for his reputation and glory among the paegans? Do we care more about His kingdom and people going to hell because they only find hypocrites in church?
As you said in your article, has Todd Bentley and these leaders thought of the consequences of his adultry on the body of Christ and people? As you said such an attitude is going to be a stumble block for THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE who had till know struggled not to divorce or commit adultery! And how can any pastor accept to re marry Todd Bentley and encourage people to support him and his mistress now!!!! that’s a disgrace because many weak christians will stop fearing God thinking that they can do whatever they like since God will “console” them now! God and people (christians or not) are looking for examples of integrity! people who are not afraid of even “dying” to obey God. It’s not about ME, it’s about GOD, it’s about honoring JESUS who gave His life for our sins, it’s about the millions of people going to hell everyday because they have never met people of integrity.
One more comment! your article is so rich that I’d like to comment on almost everything.
What you said about christian women is absolutely true. How many of us decide to preserve ourselves for a christian man because we want to obey God and because we can’t stand infidelity. How many times have I consoled and encouraged sisters to keep waiting and not marry a paegan stating that christian men were more faithful.
Do Todd Bentley and his fathers have any idea that they are encouraging many christian women to marry unbelievers, or christian men to commit adlutery of fornication, because then God will restore them. It’s like a friend telling me that God always have a 2nd plan. BUT CAN’T WE JUST STICK WITH HIS FIRST PLAN? As I read this morning : “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. ROM 12.2 I WANT HIS PERFECT PLAN FOR MY LIFE, NOT HIS GOOD PLAN OR HIS PLEASING ONE.
On more thing! What about his ex-wife? Has anyone thought of her? What about HER restoration? Has Todd Bentley and his fathers even thought of the kids. A divorce is always hard for kids, but adultery is even worse because it affects the way they see men. I don’t know if Todd has daughters or sons, but he has to know that from now on they can feel licenced to sleep around. How can his daughter(s) trust any man now. If their christian spirit filled leader pastor Daddy in whom they trusted, has been able to be unfaithful, what man are they going to trust. How are they going to view men now? Things would have been different if Todd had made a pause with his wife.
And now I think of her. She must be as young as him. Does she even think of getting married again? What about her feeling of rejection? What about the accusations she might have received from other christians? Let’s pray for her too!
What preventsTodd Bentley from leaving his new wife? In the old testament God demanded jewish people who had married foreign wives to leave them because they had sinned against God/
ESDRAS 10 says:
10 Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt. 11 Now make confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.”
[...]18 Among the descendants of the priests, the following had married foreign women:
From the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib and Gedaliah. 19 (They all gave their hands in pledge to put away their wives, and for their guilt they each presented a ram from the flock as a guilt offering.)
It’s me again! I just want to encourage you to send this article to everyone around you and to share it on social websites so that other christians will not be deceived by what’s going on with Todd Bentley right now. I love Todd Bentley, I was a big fan of lakeland and I love Rick Joyner, but I can’t compromise by saying yes to everything they say. Even Peter had had to be rebuked by Paul, who had not been with Jesus, who had been less experienced than him.
I believe we have the responsibility to share this article to prevent others to follow the same example of disobedience. God bless you!
Thankyou Pastor Bola for your writeup, ‘the rape of the church – the Todd
Bentley quagmire’ – I thought i and a few others were the only ones who are
angered, disappointed and shocked by the recent developments.
Angela (Awak-Essien – my pastor’s wife) talks about you all the time, i can see
why. God bless you!
indeed, we are in the last days and we pray that we all will be a new generation
of leaders/believers that will arise and bring back integrity and the fear of
God that the world will see the difference. Amen!
And God is listening to all who have an opinion about Todd.
And He says “Hey everyone!!! thats my son you are talking about”
Everyones opinions and reports sounds like they have lived 24 hours a day with Todd and Shonnah and their kids. You all write like you know their hearts. Do you????
Be careful and dont ever fall or “back-slide” if you don’t want the same judgement on you. But you say “oh I would never do that”
The church is sure ready to crucify this man that they haven’t spent one minute living with…but they know the intents of his heart…I guess Jesus died for the whole world except one man….Todd has sinned against the church and dissappointed alot of people so lets kill him with our words. BECAUSE JESUS didnt die for Todd!!!!!
Can you all hear yourselves….LISTEN to your words!!!!
Your comment dear friend is beside the point. When Paul rebuked Peter, not only did he do it publicly, he also wrote about it in the New Testament for all to see; when Peter rebuked Ananias and Sapphira and they fell dead, for lying, no one said Jesus did not die for them. The fact that Jesus died for us is precisely the reason why we must honour Him with our lives, not stifle criticism of our lifestyle. We cannot for fear of backsliding refuse to speak out against unrighteousness. This is not about Todd Bentley, it is about the CHURCH, millions of men and women who have been left confused, disoriented, and drawn to compromise, because what is good for the goose is good for the gander. The church is very vocal about criticising people outside the church it now has to start dealing with wrongdoing within its own ranks.
Yes, Paul rebuked Peter for being a legalist. Ananias and Saphira were rebuked for lying to the Holy Spirit, not the Church. What I have read in these posts is actually the same Pharasitical spirit that Jesus rebuked, strongly. Todd is a friend of mine and I love him. I love Shonna and the kids also. The New Testament I read seems to emphasize love over judgment. It’s nobody’s job to judge another in the way you all have been doing. Is your need for repentance any less for the judgements you have spoken against others without any real personal knowledge. I can understand the hurt and bitterness I hear from the women commentators, but that does’t make it any more godly behavior. Jesus is our righteousness and for those of you who feel that you have to earn that I am truly sorry. The world isn’t put off by our bad behavior, they are put off by our lack of love. They (the world) are supposed to know us by our love for one another. This original article was so frought with anger and judgement and misunderstanding about God’s nature it saddens me that a pastoral leader is spreading this plague to her sheep and beyond. I read one comment by a woman who didn’t have a clue about Todd, but now feels informed and “righteously” indignant about him because of one woman’s misdirected writings. In my pastoral experience I have found that most “watchmen on the wall” are not really there to warn the Church, it’s just a better position to throw rocks from. “Let him (her too) who is without sin cast the first stone. I would suggest for your spiritual health that you drop the rocks and move on to developing a deeper personal relationship with Papa God. That is the only safe place. I pray you all find the peace you need. – Pastor Randy
Sharon, I know Todd and have had him speak in my church 4 time, was on the platform with him at Lakeland and privately warned him of what was coming if he was not more careful. This is the 2nd adulterous affair, he ran from him own ministry board, from my friend Che Ahn who caught him in a hotel room in Hawaii with his nanny, now he has run to Rick Joyner to hide. Still no repentance, no statement to the church of remorse, only a request for funds and donations to his ministry stateside. He is in the country illegally, in trouble with the IRS and soon even will be revealed. lets always love always protect, and always keep sin out of the church. Todd is in error and has some issues with God, I don’t want to be found ‘covering’ the one God is exposing.
Pastor Randy, you don’t have to know Todd to know the Bible. I know Todd, had him in my church 4 times. Have you walked that close with him? I recently did a wedding with him in NYC. I know him and I know more than what is being told. Why would you as a Pastor want to protect one that is walking under false pretense, and knows it. There is a spirit of manipulation and cultic power over him and it willl all be soon revealed. Be careful as a Pastor that you do allow this kind of spirit in your church. Believe me, Todd has never repented and will soon break off from Rick like he did his own board and ‘revival alliance’. there is no malice toward toward, its rather love for the church. did not Jesus say a little leaven leavens the whole lump? this is a dark sin and spot on our wedding garment. Until there is a statement of clear repentance and remorse from Todd there is no reason to restore him.
And so when we rebuke Todd and other ministers for bad behaviour it is not biblical, but pharisaical because he’s your friend and you love him. Awesome! Be a real friend to Todd and speak truth to him rather than seeking to ridicule, lampoon and pillory those who do. Amazing that you are willing to ‘throw rocks’ and launch a tirade against me and the others here over one article but you want us to be silent over Todd’s conduct. Double standards perhaps! And these ones and I took flak here in France for supporting Todd when the story first broke (read my french blog) last year and asking that we pray for him. But it is time to speak out, it has gone too far. Read 1 Corinthians again brother : Paul requires us to judge sin in the church not cover up. You care about my flock being led astray by my one article but not the millions of people who watched the Lakeland Revival daily on God Tv, the world over who have been sorely affected by this. I pray that you will honour the gospel of Christ above your emotions. Since when did holiness become legalism, and requiring ministers to set an example become self righteousness. If we love Jesus, we will obey him. So please enough of bad behaviour in the pulpit, where the rest of us are expected to just sit back and accept it.
Dear Randy and Sharon Andrews, I still love Todd but not what he is still doing. When I first saw the begining of the video of Todd and Rick Joyner, I was very joyful because I thought he had repented and was being restored with his wife. But when I heard him talk about his EX wife and his NEW wife, I felt like crying! Repenting means turning away from your sin, but he has tried to cover it by marrying his mistress!!!
It reminds me of Katrhyn Kuhlman Did she sin?Yes, she did. But when she repented, how great the grace of God!!! Miracles became more and more powerful and more and more people got saved!
My dear friend, all I pray for Todd, is that he will sincerely repent so that when he comes back to the pulpit, grace and anointing will overflow. God is not mocked.
Dear Pastor Randy & Sharon,
I (amd my brethren at church) had been blessed by the little watched on the internet of the revivals and the testimonies, saddened by news of Pastor Todd – and we all prayed for him and his family at prayer meetings/service for his restoration.
Only to hear of this latest news – should we keep silent and say nothing to his latest marriage and divorce, because one does not want to sound judgemental – please be his true friends and rebuke these actions.
You sound like some of the people who were in a church I once visited many years ago, their pastor feel into sin with one of his staff members and next sunday was back in the pulpit, the elders of the church (thank God for them like the priests in 2 Chro.26:17-18 ) met him and told him he needed time out to be restored – no more ministrying, no more collection of monies for the miracle services, just TIME OUT. He refused saying he had repented so there was no need. Other people concurred saying he had repented, stop being judgemental – SIMILAR WORDS TO WHAT YOU HIS FRIENDS ARE SAYING TODAY. Then a few months down the line, he moved out of his home, left his wife and 6 children, married this lady. Is that the fruit of repentance?????? Clearly that is not!
Today, that wonderful church I visited is no more! I had been blessed by the word ministry, miracles/healings and it was a place many came and gave their lives to the Lord. Many members left to other churches – hurt, angry, confused. It is now a laughing stock to the world of how we ‘crazy’ pentecostals/Christians behave.
If the church and his friends had rebuked him OPENLY IN LOVE/ EXERCISED CHURCH DISCIPLINE (1 Cor. 5:5) as Paul mentioned and exercised ‘tough love’ as mentioned in other comments – Paul/Peter, things may have been so different.
We need to speak out about what is wrong and not cover what is wrong with, ‘don’t be judgemental’ or ‘ seeing specks in other people’s eyes’ or ‘he who casts the first stone’ etc. There must be FRUIT of repentance.
Good question from one commentator: ‘what is wrong with leaving this new wife?’ -and taking time out to be fully restored? God help us!
We (in church) continue and will continue to pray for true repentance in our brother Todd. God forbid we fail to do this. Open rebuke is better than secret love.
Truly well spoken, i salute you for this. Premature restoration will lead to an even more spectacular fall.
Awesome post pastor and I agree with you 100%. Todd Bentley is a disgrace to Christianity. He has done what Todd wants to do all along and there has been no genuine repentance. Rick Joyner has sickened me as well with his letter and weekly video of pushing Todd back into the public eye. As already mentioned the fact that they asked for money for Todd’s ministry is a joke and is totally wrong. Only a fool would send him any money. If Rick were that concerned about fathering and restoring Todd he would do it behind closed doors with no fanfare. But no he wants the publicity and to try and get him back in ministry and accepted by the church. He was given an international platform and instead of having any fear of God or regard for the many that would be hurt he gets drunk with interns, had an affair with one (who was also his nanny), in the middle of an awesome move of God. How pathetic! Then he does what he wants to do and divorces his wife and marries the intern and now he is ready to repent and wants our forgiveness and wants restoration. Yes we must forgive him and pray for him. But to trust him or give him a ministry platform? No way! The man has a lot of growing up to do and character to yet be developed. For those defending him you need to get a clue! As is already mentioned we are to judge those in the body and correct and rebuke when necessary. This garbage of not judging or casting the first stone does not apply in this situation. The Bible is full of the qualifications for a leader and Bentley fails! I am fed up with hearing all about the mercy and grace we should give Todd. How about Todd having some fear of God? How about Todd having some respect for the HOLY Spirit instead of all the mockery? How about Todd actually living a holy and Godly life? In case you think Joyner is all that, then you need to read his arrogant letter to Charisma for their questioning his actions. check it out: http://www.charismamag.com/index.php/component/content/article/20035
What we don’t want is to set a precedent in the Church where is becomes acceptable…
We are to judge the fruit in someone’s life – Todd has disqualified himself from Ministry according to 1 Timothy 3.
According to 1 Timothy 3 we ARE to love exemptlary lives that are beyond ‘reproach’… Now let’s look at the the fruit – drunkenness, bad behaviour, deception, lies & cover up, lust, adultery, divorce then remarriage… That is called unacceptable behaviour for a Minister of God….
I am wondering why nobody is really questioning whether the ministry of Todd was really a ministry of God or not. The result of his fall is not just one fault; is it not God manifesting his real previous condition? We are told that he would have ressurected 27 persons! incredible! if really true, these marvelous fruits of God’s work should be as knwon as as Lazarus; if they dont exist, this is just one further proof of a ministry which was not of God
I have been closely involved in this as the head intercessor, to one of the main evangelists, besides Todd, in F lorida. Thank God, He had given us a message to pull out before all of this vomit.
There is an integrity issue with those who were supposed to b e spiritual fathers in this whole mess. The whole apostolic commissioning team have something at stake. Now, in the language of the lawyers. There is a conflict of interest for any of the apostolic commissioning team to be “restoring” Todd.
But what is involved here is a elitist spirit. A good ol’ boys club. I have prayed and prayed, and have grieved and grieved, that the author of “There Were Two Trees in the Garden.” “The Final Quest.” Trilogy maybe falling into, or already is under delusion as referred too in 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12.
He isn’t the only one. The Lord has called them to be fathers, and they have been Elis, not refraining their (spiritual sons) and in scripture it says in that way Eli held his sons above God.
I am not as you are not a heresy hunter, but, this is the first time, the Lord is having me to tell people to sever ties with these associations. Paul wrote a little leaven spoils the whole bunch, as someone who has worked in deliverance, I see them as soul, emotional, intellectual ties, etc. They cannot help but have effect on you.
Having been in the middle, I will tell you there is such a strong seductive spirit involved in this whole mess. It feels good, there is a false peace, and it lures you in. The vulnerability is, we the church have wanted to see the Acts church alive and all of the miracles following, that we have looked the other way ourselves, in hopes that the power has finally come back to the church.
I feel that this group which consists of a lot of the Kansas City prophets, and Elijah list circles, and whoever is connected to them, unless they have a Damascus road experience, are going into apostasy.
I feel as I have prayed, that the reason this has happened and so smoothly, is that this group reacts as a good ol’ boy club, and has turned their heads and covered for each other for years. I have a couple examples in mind as I type this.
Conflict of interest, is the term I was thinking about with the integrity issue, the appostolic commissioning team, had something at stake, their reputations to be able to discern for one. So, why is one of them, who has been mezmerized by what power they thought Todd was walking in, being able to bring restoration in counseling. It should be a group of people that are neutral, not even part of the click.
Now, I believe in forgiveness, I am an ex prodical daughter myself. Pastors daughter, grandfather was a pastor. But, why are they leaning on one scripture that is comfortable, and forgetting the ones that talk about true correction. Getting caught with your hand in the cookie jar is not true repentance. Humbling your self, to God’s structure, and His word, and truly sorry for sin, and turning away from it.(repentance) Telling God, that I am repenting after marrying my mistress, is coming to God on your own terms, negotiating the deal.
You are so very right, there is no fear of God. But, I believe God is requiring more from those who are supposed to be fathers in this situation, I have the fear of God for them.
Also, name calling, from some of the comments, guys, we have to walk wise as serpents and harmless as doves. I grieve, over the division in the church, the polarization, I grieve over heresy hunters, and the extreme opposite in what we are concerned with here.
All of these things, are distracting us from the true message, and lifting up Jesus, so that He can draw all men unto Himself.
I still think, that Todd’s generation, have been spiritual orphans. Those, fathers and mothers who were supposed to bring correction in love, having the Father’s dna, did not when they were supposed to. They were supposed to come into Todd’s life, before he believed his own press.
Why is it that we always take cover with the verse whenever we are rebuked about our short-comings? If we hold on to that attitude we are watering down the scipture. Our motive for pointing out the wrong is the only thing that is important. We should not be afraid to correct one another.
So many want to point to the “fruit” that came out of Bentley and what happened in Florida but that is NOT the real fruit we should be looking at (and yes we should be looking with eyes wide open to see just what Bentley was about). The most important fruit of a person that shows what they are about is ones character. Character when everyone sees behind the pulpit during a service, and more importantly the character one has when no one is around. There should be no place for secret sins and coddling those sins all because someone is popular or “gifted”. Too many people knew that all was not right with Bentley during Lakeland, but why on earth did such supposed spiritual leaders have to question what to do about it? What was there to question? Has the Bible changed that no one knows what it says anymore about sin and the need to be set apart from sin and sanctified? Those that say we are just to forgive and forget, looking at the fruit (miracles, healings, deliverances, etc.) are avoiding the real issue Jesus would address: SIN. Even the woman caught in adultery was not excused, but she was told to sin no more. So far, all I have heard of Bentley is his sin continues with divorce, remarriage, and now supposed restoration to place him back in ministry (all because he is so gifted I would guess). Brokenness and repentance is the only real path to restoration. And that is restoration before God in our relationship to Him, not ministry. We have even redefined what restoration means in the name of popularity behind the pulpit. God forgive us.
here’s some truth from behind the scenes in Abbotsford. Jessa first of all was an intern in the fall 08 cycle. She never applied for it Todd invited her into the internship. Even after a board member severly opposed it. Later Todd invited her and another intern to live in his house during the internship, and after the internship as a live in nanny.
At the same time the Bellingham, Washington church was being established so fresh fire could get a legal foot hold in America. This is evident by the lack and the sheer refusal to work with the local churches. It was just for the papers not the church.
In January 2009 2 members of the board confronted Todd about Jessa, and that it was wrong and they couldn’t stand by him about it. They where “relieved” of their position for doing so. This shouldn’t be surprising as another member of FFM was faced with the same threat, after he caught Todd with another woman in England (this is what the dark night of the soul was actually about), the FFM member was forced to either work for FFM outside of North America or be fired. Jessa is woman number 4 that Todd has cheated on Shonnah with.
Todd isn’t 100% to blame just 80% the rest of the blame falls on those board members and pastors that refused to confront Todd on his infidelities. One in particular had the mind set that if Todd does it, it’s okay even if it isn’t for others. Others refused to confront because they didn’t want to loose their jobs (like many have over the years)
Even in Lakeland which I personally think was a two edged work of God, it was a blessing to the locals who have prayed for God to move. And the other edge was a judgement on Todd, in total over the top Todd style. During the highest of revival there was excessive drinking, slasher flicks, and other things I wont get into now with Todd and his inner circle (yes men). There was infighting with the leaders on stage, and the interns where just slaves with ministry badges. Or the fact that all the money collected for the orphans and for sudan never made it to them, it was instead used to pay for the buildings/land for the revival.
Even after Lakeland fell apart, and the news finally became public, Todd never returned home to Abbotsford. He remained in America (illegally) in California, then a brief stop in Reno for their quickie divorce rules. Then it was off to Rick Joyner and his marriage with Jessa
These words are not made up, this is a summary of many conversations I have had with former FFM employees, board members and former interns. I just can’t stand by and see Todd get away with this for a fourth time. A man who has turned his back on his wife and children once again. yet will be received by the masses as THE man of God.
Thanks for articulating the thoughts and feelings that have been weighing heavily on my heart since the Bentley scandal broke. I felt alone, as if I was the only charismatic/pentecostal in the world who was disturbed & disgusted by this sordid affair. And by “affair”, I’m not referring so much to the actual adultery (as that’s all-too-commonplace, unfortunately,) but to the heinous aftermath.
Fundamentalist Christians view gay “marriages” and Muslim 24-hour spiritual “marriages” as exactly what they are – excuses for immorality and adultery. In other words, conservative Christians correctly discern that not everything called a “marriage” is actually a marriage (in God’s eyes) … which begs the question: When an adulteress affair is formalized through the filing of a legal document, what in the universe qualifies such as a [Christian] marriage?