I hope you are moved to pray for Todd Bentley and his family. The God who can heal bodies can certainly touch a marriage. The devil likes to claim victory but God may have something even greater up his sleave in terms of redemptive purposes here. It's still about Jesus.

I really like Lee Grady and know him from when I had my book published with Strang. His commentary on this matter is good even though I take a different view at a number of key points. I resonated with his statement, "it wasn't supposed to end like this." But then again, God is big and can bring good out of bad and whether you do or not, God loves Todd Bentley.

I agree with Grady's assessment that what we saw in Lakeland was "raw zeal for God" but disagree there was a wholesale casting aside of discernment. I'm sad because it's a step back perhaps for a lot of people and those I was trying to temper in my posts will surely shift now from being scoffers to gloaters. Those who are already connecting dots between Bentley's controversial teachings and practices and his marriage troubles will have trouble explaining to me why the wives of the more "orthodox" guys (like Pastor Charles Stanley) sometimes leave too. All eyes on Jesus and we'll grow from this too.

Life is deeply spiritual.  Life is deeply spiritual, and we often miss it.  Ok, I follow Jesus, so what do I mean?  I mean I think we often move too bloody fast through every day, and we miss the presence of God.  We miss the presence of Christ lingering around and within us, drawing us, loving us, washing us.  Yeah, theologically most people who call themselves "Christians" get it, that God is always with us, wihin us, around us-- whatever.  But are we with Him?  Are we "practicing the presence of God?"  Are we tasting and relishing each moment, and communing with our Creator and Savior in every moment He gives?  I answered emails and listened to Gregorian Chant all morning at work.  (Weird, I know.)  Whatever you think about chant, it ushered me into a place this morning that put me in touch with the wonderful presence of God with me and around me... the holiness of the moment... the sacredness in the midst of the mundane.  I could have stayed forever.  And so often I miss it.

The other thing.  Todd Bentley (revival in Florida guy) has seperated from his wife, and is apparently backing out of some ministry committments for a time.  I'm not going to really comment on him, his ministry, or any of the details.  Way too many people have already written too much about all that (Google it), and there's everything from support to condemnation to "pray and see" being said.  But I will say what I am going to say:

1.  Miracles are real.  Signs and wonders are real.  They are way more real and way more powerful and available than most of us know how to compute.  Whatever you think of Todd Bentley, don't throw the baby out with the bath water.

2.  I am concerned that we have another example of the church elevating gifting over character.  Another example of an internationally known "ministry" running so hard that his marraige, his family, is suffering.  Now I'm not saying that Bentley's character is or was screwed up, and that's why his marraige is broken.  What I am saying is-- why do we allow ministers/pastors/evangelists/whatever you call 'em to get so elevated?  So in the focus?  So driven?  Why all the hype?

I believe in the anointing of the Spirit.  I believe it is even a lot more radical than we are willing to admit or allow in many of our churches (too weird, too messy).  But I also believe that God calls us to humility, to brokenness, to authenticity, to accountability.  Too many "powerfully anointed" men and women have gone the way of super-stardom (in the religious/churchy sense, of course), followed by isolation, lack of accountabilty, moral failure, marital trouble, financial messes, and even doctrinal weirdness (up to and including flat-out heresy).  Why?  Why do we push for it, pray for it, hype it up (um, "revival," I mean), and then get so troubled when our superstars fall from grace or otherwise have some kind of struggle that shows just how human and broken they really are?  Not saying Todd Bentley is going the way of all that, but he could be... he could have.

I don't know what I'm saying; I'm just thinking out loud.  Just wondering if the whole great big system is kind of broken and out of balance.  And may the Lord bless Todd Bentley and His wife.  Help them, Lord.  And help your church.

What are you thinking about?

I've been to the meetings in Lakeland. It was apparent to me the ABC Nightline folks went there to get the angle they were after and they got it. They missed much as well. They found a precious wheelchair-bound girl on the streets of Lakeland who has had multiple unfortunate encounters with the revival's street evangelism teams who, no doubt with good intentions, invited (and probably pressured) her to the attend the healing meetings. She shared the pain of people being insensitive to her. I could fully relate as my father-in-law has been wheelchair-bound for nearly 60 years since he contracted polio at age 14. My wife has numerous stories growing up of being in places like the parking lot at Billy Graham Crusades being accosted by people on the way out that told him he'd "get up out of the chair if he only had faith." This isn't what the street evangelism teams told the girl in Lakeland, but the effect was the same. I attended the street evangelism training in Lakeland last month and yes, they do need to give people a briefing on sensitivity to the feelings of the infirmed before they send them out.

But, the faithful hitting the streets in Lakeland have something the rest of the church doesn't, that being... boldness. They are not sent forth with a spirit of timidity, but rather full bold faith in the power of God. Can a person walking in apostolic boldness simultaneously walk in great sensitivity? Yes. But this is a grace that doesn't typically come initially. Boldness must be tempered by wisdom and discernment. Rather than criticize the street evangelism teams, we need to pray that they walk in wisdom and power, love and compassion.

ABC Nightline could have worked harder to find positive encounters out there on the street - like the lady I heard about when I was there who was planning to commit suicide the day she met a loving couple from the revival in a grocery store parking lot. That lady was baptized in love and hope in that parking lot and gave her life to Jesus Christ.

ABC Nightline found a local shop keeper who viewed the revival negatively. Maybe they should have interviewed the mayor and city council members and got a comment or two on the fact that Todd Bentley, who for 100 days has brought 5000-10,000 people daily to the city, is responsible for bringing millions and millions and millions of dollars into the city's economy. I'd guess there are mayors all over America who would love to have something like this grace their city. Instead they predictably dug up Bentley's dark past but neglected to report on his dramatic conversion to Jesus Christ and subsequent dozen years of ministry to the poor, the orphans and hurting worldwide.

ABC Nightline is incapable of any sort of favorable story on anything remotely Christian. I'm not even convinced they are telling the truth when they reported "not one single miracle could be independently verified." Wow- that went across the airwaves turning the hearts of many against what is happening in Lakeland. But, I can point them to a verifiable miracle. I've even seen doctors on the platform in Lakeland standing alongside the healed to testify. Those stewarding the revival apparently need to spoon-feed stories to the media in their media packet but even then, Jesus spoke of a deep-seated societal unbelief, so deep that people won't even be convinced when the dead are raised right before their eyes. ABC Nightline has a deep-seated disbelief for sure. The light is veiled from their eyes.

But hello, again, getting ABC Nightline to do a favorable story on anything Christian is about as likely as getting the Code Pink gals to do a favorable piece on the Iraq War. ABC and every other main stream media outlet has a distinct and secular (which means godless or without God) agenda. They are the spokespeople for the godless left and are keenly aware that the only thing standing in the way of gay marriage, abortions and decency in broadcasting is THE CHURCH.

I deal with the media here far more than I like because my role in the abortion battle in our state. More times than I can count I've found it maddening that the pro-life position is maligned and misrepresented by the media. We hand them facts and stories and testimonies on a silver platter and they don't even do a story. We got 100 pro-life doctors together for a press conference in '06 and we had to beg the media to even show up. Yet, Planned Parenthood propaganda gets released and the media parades it across the headlines. Do we not see that these are the same types "reporting" on what is unfolding in Lakeland. They operate in the same denomic spirit. These are the very people who feed the global warming fears with story after story and fully ignore the vast amount of scientific expertise that says its all hoax and false alarm. Are we surprised they found nothing to verify in Lakeland? I'm not.

Many in my world believe an end-time revival is coming that will spread, in part, due to God touching the main stream media. I first grabbed onto these prophecies in the late 80's when I lived in Kansas City. I still believe them to be true. However, I also know as we more fully enter the end of the age, the world will rage against the people of God. The people of God will be singled out for ridicule and reproach. Jesus said woe to you when men speak well of you. In other words, if they like us, we apparently aren't much like Him (Jesus). The same hungry and hurting people who liked and flocked to Jesus are the same people who like and flock to Todd Bentley. The same people who feverishly tried to nail Jesus to the tree are the same types trying to nail Bentley today. That's interesting to note isn't it?

If you haven't been to Lakeland to take this all in first hand, here's one additional important thing ABC Nightline missed. They missed that there is more going on here than one sees on the stage. Most Christians can only imagine what it would be like to stand in such an atmosphere of faith. In this economy, people who buy airline tickets to get closer to where they hear God is moving are desperately hungry people. God always honors that hunger. Being in a tent with 5000-10000 people with that level of hunger places a heavy draw on heaven to visit earth. I'd rather be in that atmosphere any day than among the "Bible Deists" whose only hope for well-being is that their doctor will continue to dish out their antidepressants week after week. I'd rather be in the room with people who bought airline tickets to get a touch from God than sit in all these scoffing churches with people who aren't hungry enough to drive a couple miles to church more than 2-3 Sunday mornings a month. This ABC Nightline story could have covered the OBVIOUS spiritual hunger in our land. They could have interviewed people who have given up hope on the pharmaceutical and health care industries, people who have no hope but God.

A key word came forth that really popped in my spirit, especially with regard to the anonymous, unaccountable and unfruitful scoffers I've been warring against here in my posts on this revival. (You know about the online doctrine and revival police don't you, those in the shadows sowing a fear of deception into the Body of Christ, those who only have faith for a counterfeit to appear on the scene, those who cut passages out of the Bible that don't fit their experience, those who pass judgment on disputable matters...)

Here is the word: "Todd, God says 'no longer will they call unclean what God calls clean.'" I hope that word really ministers to Todd because so many have been saying he's "unclean." (Acts 10:15) I guess what really matters is what God says about you - clean!

Here's a transcript of what Peter Wagner said from the platform that was aired on GODTV.

LAKELAND OUTPOURING APOSTOLIC ALIGNMENT
June 23, 2008
C. Peter Wagner

A warm welcome to those of you who are present in this tent and to you who are watching through GOD TV. You are about to witness an event which could well have historic implications not only for the Lakeland Outpouring but also for our nation and for many other nations of the world. Prophets have been telling us for years that God is about to launch an extraordinary spiritual awakening with signs and wonders, and for over two months Todd Bentley has been leading one of the more obvious fulfillments of those prophecies. This is an exciting place to be right now!

My name is Peter Wagner and I am President of Global Harvest Ministries based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I have served the body of Christ in apostolic ministry for many years, and currently I preside over the International Coalition of Apostles which brings together over 500 recognized apostles. I have the honor of being assigned to preside over this momentous occasion, and I am humbled as I approach the task with an enormous sense of awe. Holy Spirit, I invite Your presence, Your power, and Your direction.

This is a ceremony celebrating the formal apostolic alignment of Todd Bentley. My first desire is to lay a biblical foundation for what we are about to do.

I will begin with a scripture that has been a central text for those of us who are in the stream of the contemporary apostolic/prophetic movement, Ephesians 4:11-12:

And He Himself [Jesus at His ascension] gave some
To be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists
And some pastors and teachers,
For the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry.

The word “equipping” is a translation of the Greek katartizo which literally means “aligning,” as in setting a broken bone or a chiropractic adjustment. It means putting things in order so that the body functions as it was designed to function. This is one of the responsibilities of apostles such as those whom you see on the platform, and that is the reason we are present tonight. For example, Paul wrote to Titus, “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking” (Titus 1:5).

Speaking of Paul and Titus, their relationship is a biblical prototype of apostolic alignment. The same would apply to Paul and Timothy. The apostolic alignment of Timothy and Titus with Paul was a principal factor in allowing God to develop and fulfill His complete destiny in both of their lives.

But Paul himself was also apostolically aligned. Soon after he was called to join Barnabas and his colleagues in Antioch for the then controversial ministry of planting churches among Gentiles, he traveled to Jerusalem to bring a gift for famine relief and also to align with some of the apostles. I want to use the experience that Paul had on that occasion as the text for the protocol for tonight’s alignment and commissioning of Todd Bentley. It is found in Galatians 2:9 which tells the story of one of Paul’s visits to Jerusalem:

And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars,
Perceived the grace that had been given to me,
They gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship,
That we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.

Todd is following Paul’s example by inviting to the platform three apostolic pillars of today’s church: Ché Ahn of Pasadena, California, Bill Johnson of Redding, California, and John Arnott of Toronto, Canada, Todd’s native land. They represent an apostolic network called Revival Alliance.

Notice that the apostles in Jerusalem “perceived the grace that God had given to Paul.” “The word “grace” is charis, the root of charisma, meaning “spiritual gift or gifts.” In Paul’s case it was the gift mix necessary to carry the gospel to the Gentiles. In Todd’s case it is the gift mix necessary to lead the Lakeland Outpouring.

I have a question for the three apostles: Do you perceive the grace of God given to Todd Bentley as an evangelist to lead the Lakeland Outpouring? [Answer: “I do.”]

I have a question for Todd Bentley: Do you recognize the apostolic authority of these three men in your life and ministry, and do you desire to establish an apostolic alignment with them and with Revival Alliance? [Answer: “I do.”]

With this affirmation we will move to a formal commissioning, equivalent to “offering the right hand of fellowship” as the three apostles did to Paul in Jerusalem.

This commissioning represents a powerful spiritual transaction taking place in the invisible world. With this in mind, I take the apostolic authority that God has given me and I decree to Todd Bentley:

· Your power will increase.
· Your authority will increase.
· Your favor will increase.
· Your influence will increase.
· Your revelation will increase.

I also decree that:

· A new supernatural strength will flow through this ministry.
· A new life force will penetrate this move of God.
· A government will be established to set things in their proper order.
· God will pour out a higher level of discernment to distinguish truth from error.
· New relationships will surface to open gates for the future.

[To Ché Ahn] Ché, you may now proceed.

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/great-florida-healing-revival

Previous notable meetings:

MSNBC article on TODD BENTLEY- May 29, 2008

http://www.ustream.tv/swf/3/viewer.118.swf?&loc=/&vid=384870

http://www.ustream.tv/swf/3/viewer.118.swf?&loc=/&vid=357136