poor Todd Bentley

I just read that Todd Bentley is separating from his wife. Much though I have deep reservations about the style of ministry Bentley is into, I can't help feeling sorry for him and his wife. They operate in a part of the Christian world that is extremely judgemental towards people when fractures in their marriages become public knowledge. It's one thing to endorse and support the idea of a strong family; it's quite another to put people in the situation where they feel it's better to continue to put a good face on a sham marriage than to have the courage to face reality. I guess the thing that makes me feel queasy is the idea that the integrity of the situation then becomes less important than whether you get "found out". 

I have no doubt that there'll be plenty of disclaiming going on in the next few weeks while people attempt to protect their religion from the disillusion of human brokenness.  There will be the sickening sight of those who have enthused over the bizarre Lakeland "outpourings" now dissociating themselves from it as they realise that the spiritual hero they've constructed is just a guy who shouts a lot, and whose marriage is falling apart.

It would be better, in my view, more holy and more loving, to grasp the fact that true religion only begins at a place of brokenness; that there is no such thing as a level of anointing in spirituality that innoculates us from being thoroughly human. As a wise friend of mine used to say, "the ground is level at the foot of the Cross."

Me? I still don't like Bentley's religion, and have no reason to defend it. I much prefer being human to being religious. But I'm not going to use his personal situation to flay him with. I started the day with a prayer for him and his family.

Comments

[Mark Bennet]

Maggi - the following comes to mind in your comments:

There are varieties of healing ministry - I have been attracted by Henri Nouwen's comment (The Wounded Healer):

"A minister is not a doctor whose primary task is to take away pain. Rather, he deepens the pain to a level where it can be shared."

But maybe I have been fortunate in having people who have dared to deepen their own pain to the place where mine can be shared. I've certainly been scared in pastoral encounters at what has been asked of me - and that is where the Spirit comes in, and faith cashes out ...

But that depth is perhaps different for different people - it is so easy to judge 'not deep enough' - so I like the way you've written this up.

[maggi]

thanks Mark. That reminds me of when my son was being checked over for appendicitis recently - they kept pressing around the pain in order to diagnose it accurately, which made it more painful before it got better. It's a good analogy. And you're right, it's a model of ministry that is scary to offer, too; it comes at a deep personal cost.

[Bishop Alan Wilson]

Thanks for a reminder that the centre of every ministry, however extraordinary it may sound, are human beings and children of God, who matter far more to him than the things they/we get up to. Thanks to your report I'll be saying a prayer or two for them as well...

[pwcmjc]

I am athankful for Christians who will take the matter to prayer rather than to condemn with self-righteous fervor.

Yes,, we are praying also.

[joe]

As far as I am concerned, the issue is far wider than a marriage breakup. Todd Bentley had a 'ministry' which involved very over-the-top behaviour which gained him a massive following and prestige - and possibly a considerable income (I might be wrong about that).

Given the history of human frailty, it is no surprise that this led to him taking advantage of that.

In my opinion, nobody should be in that kind of position - claiming a special anointing from God - particularly someone with an unstable recent background such as Todd.

I would never want anything close to that kind of position and would advise everyone else I know to avoid it at all costs.

[maggi]

joe, I agree with you about the excesses of the so-called "ministry"; I was not at all impressed with it before all this personal stuff hit the news. But I find the structure of that whole church set-up far more sickening, in its readiness to back an apparent winner and then shoot the horse when it doesn't win the prizes.

[JMAN]

Todd Bentley is nothing but a lying con artist that has manipulated and deceived good people. Reports are coming out of Lakeland that he actually hired a PR firm just weeks prior to the supposed outpouring, to promote and advertise his ministry. The entire thing was constructed and faked. I pray that God has mercy on Todd for what he has done.

[Brian]

My prayer is that God would move the body of Christ to a place where we model the Father's heart. Jesus modeled the Father's heart. He did NOT condemn the woman caught in adultery (John 8), although many of His children's first instincts are to condemn, criticize and judge. Jesus himself is interceding for Todd right now at the throne of majesty on high according to Hebrews 7:25. Should we not model our Lord's example? What kind of kingdom do we represent to the world when we vilify and destroy anyone who makes a mistake or falls? Come you who are weary and we'll judge you, criticize you, and label you.. Would you like to receive Jesus now? Can you imagine how other Christians would feel about approaching others with similar issues knowing this is the kind of welcome they would receive? Hebrews 4:16 invites us to come boldly to a "throne of grace" not judgment or criticism.. Has Jesus paid the price for every one of Todd's sins past, present, and future? Yes? Does that mean sin doesn't have consequences or doesn't hurt people? No. Isaiah 59 says God "wondered that there was no intercessor".. God's men/women in the past have stood in the gap for God's people, not condemned them. We'd be wise to remember David's example from the Bible and how God called him a man after His own heart in spite of sleeping with another woman and having her husband killed..

[Greg Stevens]

Of course we should pray for Todd and Shonnah and have compassion.
However, this goes far deeper than just Todd and Shonnah. There is a core rottenness that I believe goes back to the heretic William Branham, and is evident in many other ministries than Todd's (e.g. Extreme Prophetic). I am convinced, having been to some of the meetings of people in this camp, that their so-called prophecy is not from God at all. There is a lot of deception, just as is told in the Bible that there would be in the last days.

[Wade Morrison]

This may be relevant, though it was written by John Wesley many years ago;

11. As to the nature of enthusiasm, it is, undoubtedly a disorder of the mind; and such a disorder as greatly hinders the exercise of reason. Nay, sometimes it wholly sets it aside: it not only dims but shuts the eyes of the understanding. It may, therefore, well be accounted a species of madness; of madness rather than of folly: seeing a fool is properly one who draws wrong conclusions from right premisses; whereas a madman draws right conclusions, but from wrong premisses. And so does an enthusiast suppose his premisses true, and his conclusions would necessarily follow. But here lies his mistake: his premisses are false. He imagines himself to be what he is not: and therefore, setting out wrong, the farther he goes, the more he wanders out of the way.

13. There are innumerable sorts of enthusiasm. Those which are most common, and for that reason most dangerous, I shall endeavour to reduce under a few general heads, that they may be more easily understood and avoided.
The first sort of enthusiasm which I shall mention, is that of those who imagine they have the grace which they have not.

18. A second sort of enthusiasm is that of those who imagine they have such gifts from God as they have not.

27. A Third very common sort of enthusiasm (if it does not coincide with the former) is that of those who think to attain the end without using the means, by the immediate power of God.

[Gladstone Bhasme]

It's my observation that ALL humans beings have something to hide!
We are all sinners - even the ones who are quick to point an accusing finger at someone else - and such accusers are only disciples of Satan - the Chief Accuser.
Such accusers are far more clever than the accused in hiding their own sins.
Only the Perfect should 'throw stones'!!!!!
I am a follower of Jesus Christ and have a deep desire to become more and more like Christ - but I find myself like Paul in the Bible "doing things I don't want to do or not doing things I want to do".
When I sincerely confess my sins He is faithful and just to forgive my sins!!
Only Christ in us makes us stand totally righteous before God our Father.
I love Todd Bentley and all those accused - because the work that God has started in them (and in me) HE WILL COMPLETE in due course - even if we seem imperfect for a while!!

[Andy]

Hi all

At the moment people are all thinking about the current events, well we all fall short, whether we believe gifts are for today or not whether we think that if we believe certain things then we are sinners and if we dont hold a particular belief then we are evil or really sinners, well all i know is it is a crying shame that things have gone wrong. I know that it is not about one person humanly speaking.

lets all get on with the mission we are suppossed to be involved in and continue to pray for leaders and other men etc

[Debra Murphy]

We all fall short of the glory of God but, until a person is truely delivered of the Levianthan spirit the strongest of all spirtis and it can divide and conquer the most spiritual of people. I do not condone what has happen but we must remember we are not to judge and we are to pray for those who have fallen. It does not mean that God will not pick him up and renew him. Maybe you did not like the way he preached, but watching him came at a time in my life that God did have me watching him for hours each night. I learned a great deal and felt the Holy Spirit move. I do not look to man for my answers but to God. When we idolize man we are in trouble. I will continue to pray for him and his family. God Bless