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By Jim Coggins
THE EVANGELIST at the heart of the Florida Outpouring
remains largely unknown in his hometown of Abbotsford.
Todd Bentley grew up on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast,
where he was involved in “criminal activity, youth prisons, drugs,
sex, satanic music and bondage.” In his late teens, he was saved when
someone handed him a Bible. This is detailed in Bentley’s book Journey into the Miraculous (2008).
Bentley ended up in Abbotsford, where he was mentored
by Henry Schmidt, pastor of Living Faith Church.
Bentley’s colleague
Michael Bullett told BC
Christian News that when Bentley was injured
working at a sawmill in Mission, he decided to spend his usual working
hours during his recovery “seeking God.”
As a result, at age 22, Bentley launched what is now
Fresh Fire Ministries. Soon he was evangelizing all over the world.
Preaching over 300 times a year took its toll, and about three years ago
Bentley suffered burn-out for a time. Bullett says the experience took
Bentley “deeper in terms of character.”
Bentley is associated with Global Harvest Centre in
Abbotsford, an independent charismatic church. Bullett was senior pastor of
the church, but now works for Fresh Fire.
Bullett says Bentley is being mentored by people with
more ministry experience – who have taken on some of the
administrative load, have encouraged him to take a few days off per week
and have flown his family down to Florida to join him.
The Outpouring has been endorsed by John Arnott, pastor of Toronto
Airport Christian Fellowship. Arnott visited Florida with his wife Carol in
May, and stated: “It’s just amazing what God is doing here.
Carol and I are here tonight to absolutely bless this, with everything in
us.”
Korky Neufeld and Alf Dyck, two Abbotsford pastors
familiar with Bentley, say his strength – and weakness – is
that he “has no filter.” Since he has no Christian background
and no Bible school training, his ministry is not limited by inherited
Christian cultural baggage; but he has a tendency to accept and say
whatever comes into his mind.
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The old saying “No prophet is accepted in his
home town” may be true of Bentley. His events in Abbotsford attract
2,000 – 3,000 people, but the majority are not from the Fraser
Valley.
Another local pastor who is more critical of Bentley,
says he belongs to “a worldwide subculture, the extreme charismatic
fringe.”
Tyndale University College and Seminary professor James Beverley notes that
the Florida Outpouring is the latest in a series of charismatic phenomena
that includes the Kansas City Prophets (1990), the Holy Laughter movement
(1993), the Toronto Blessing (1994) and the Pensacola Outpouring (1995).
Those who endorse and mentor Bentley are mostly those
in this charismatic network.
Patricia King’s Extreme
Prophetic ministry (www.extremeprophetic.com) has an international
reputation even though she is not well known in her home base of Mission.
She helped develop the ‘Third Heaven
Visitation’ teaching that led Bentley to say he had visited with Paul
the apostle.
The charismatic movement is divided over Bentley, with
criticism coming from leaders such as Andrew Strom (who has written the
first book on Lakeland, True & False Revival:
An Insider’s Warning) and Charisma magazine editor Lee
Grady.
The polarization over Bentley’s ministry is amply
demonstrated by the extraordinary number of comments generated by the
online version of our feature article, at CanadianChristianity.com
August 2008
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http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/blog_post.asp?id=59129
Born-again child abuser's visit to 'cure cancer.
A TATTOOED and pierced faith healer who admits to sexually abusing a child and taking drugs has been booked to preach at a huge rally in Britain.
A Church of England bishop is so concerned by claims that Todd Bentley can cure cancer by kicking tumours out of bodies with his biker boots, he has pledged to investigate before the meetings take place at the NEC Arena, Birmingham.
Born-again Bentley also claims to have brought more than 20 people back from the dead at his Fresh Fires Ministry in Lakeland, Florida.
But the evangelist has a criminal past, and admits he was jailed as a juvenile for sex offences involving a boy aged under 10.
A fan of wrestling, he rants about how he hits or kicks people to rid them of tumours after receiving instructions from God.
In one televised session he said God asked him to grab a crippled woman's legs and bang them on the stage. He did, he claimed, and she was healed.
He added: "There was another lady worshipping and the spirit spoke to me and said, 'Kick her in the he face'.
"I went like this bam. Just as my boot made contact with her nose, she fell to the power of God.
"Another time I called up this Chinese gentleman and all of a sudden I went running down the aisle and hit the guy so hard he hit the ground and his tooth popped out of his mouth." When asked about striking sick people, Bentley told a US journalist: "There is not one instance I'm aware of where anybody was hurt. In every instance, they were actually healed.
"Sometimes when you're dealing with a demon spirit, it's done with great force." The NEC extravaganza comes because of Bentley's close links with British couple Tom and Sharon Baker, who run the Revival Fires church in Dudley, near Birmingham.
Their website announces his commitment to speak at four days of meetings at the NEC from September 20-24.
The Revival Fires website advertises £ 3,175 courses at the "School of the Supernatural". It promises students will be able to "move into supernatural signs, wonders and miracles".
THE SUNDAY EXPRESS held a phone in poll and 79% of the UK public voted to keep this child sex offender out of The UK.
The Sunday Express concluded.
CHURCH authorities are right to query the activities of Todd Bentley and his Fresh Fires Ministry.
Bentley, who was a criminal before he was "born again", claims to be able to raise the dead and cure diseases.
At his "church" in Florida, Bentley has been seen to punch members of his audience in order to heal them.
Now he is coming to Britain and the vast NEC centre in Birmingham has been booked for a series of healing events. He is expected to attract thousands and make many millions of pounds each night.
No doubt his shows are a spectacle that many enjoy but few ever see the consequences left among the frail by charlatans.
PLEASE KEEP TODD BENTLEY IN CANADA AND OUT OF THE UK.
http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/blog_post.asp?id=59129
http://forum.ship-of-fools.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=011631;p=2
Todd Bentley is clearly a dangerous man to trust, especially for those who profess to be Christians. "Fresh Fire Ministries" is not a Christian ministry, and should not be portrayed as such. Great Britain is proving wise campaigning to keep this dangerous man out of their country. Too bad we will not be able to keep Bentley out of Canada.
But we Christians also need to pray for Todd Bentley to be released from the powerful demon that has a stronghold on him. May God also keep a protective hand on Todd's wife and children who have left him, and may He bless them.
I won't judge Todd Bentley a demon because of his past or presence.
I'd pray God delieve his Wisdom and Love on me to discern this. And I pray God to love Todd or to displine Todd in His Way with his Power.
I want to learn more about Todd and God's Power before I judge Todd.
People we must be desiring to clearly understand what God's word says and to not follow any man but God's Word alone. 2,000 years of biblical scholarship is readily available for those who really want to understand God's truth.
Todd Bentley is quoted as saying "To apply doctrine to the response of God in our lives is wrong"...Where is that indicated in the Bible? If we just go on our own fallen wisdom and feelings that change according to the circumstances of life we set ourselves up to be deceived by "any wind of doctrine".
People, be like the noble Bereans who searched the scriptures daily to see if what they were hearing was true.
Just an aside. When this ministry went to the Galen Centre in California hundreds of people lined up outside before the door was opened. As the people were waiting Christians went there to read the scriptures to the crowd and were met with jeering and mocking and chanting to drown out the sound of the HOLY WORD of GOD. Praise God, some were convicted of their sin and repented on the spot with tears and decided to not take part in the deception that was to take place inside.
Pray that the Holy Spirit will bring Todd Bentley out of this and he will repent in humility before the One, True, Holy and Righteous God who is all merciful and perfectly just.
He has resigned from the ministry he founded, Fresh Fire, so he is no longer a part of that board. It has become clear that he indulged in periodic drunkenness. He has no intention at the moment of reconciling with Shonna, nor does she with him. Their marriage has been torn for years by his emotional attachment with at least one other female whose physical contact went beyond hugging and kissing and holding hands. Enough said-maybe more details will be revealed later-but it was clearly immoral. All of this was skillfully concealed by lying and by swearing close associates who had observed his behavior to secrecy.”
So could somebody please tell me how could John Arnott who knew that Todd Bentley was a drunk , an adulterer and womanizer keep supporting him and even be on the board of Fresh Fire Ministries?
Plenty of info and videos regarding Todd Bentley's ministry which I believe to be an apostate one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHIUX2THGa8
LYING SIGNS AND WONDERS Benny Hinn - Freedom from Deceptive Revival (2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ym0vidNCNuk&feature=iv&annotation_id=event_956536
“They have refused the love of the truth, they don’t want to hear the truth, they just want to feel good”
Benny Hinn - Freedom from Deceptive Revival (3)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLaKP1VEdaY&feature=iv&annotation_id=event_58149
BENNY HINN SAYS IT'S POSSIBLE TO BE A CHRISTIAN AND EXPERIENCE THE DEMONIC AND IT’S POSSIBLE TO BELONG TO TWO CAMPS – GOD’S AND THE DEVILS. GOD WARNS US AGAINST MIXTURE