Many of you know my utter disdain for televangelists — especially ones like Todd Bentley that have no formal Biblical training. Well, as we have come to find out, ABC News’ Nightline traveled to the Todd Bentley circus in Lakeland, Florida and they filed a major report. Watch it below:
Part 1
Part 2
If you check the Florida Outpouring website’s blog, and scroll down a bit, you can read an article entitled “Todd Takes A Break.” Here’s part of it:
Eli Miller, a senior leader of Fresh Fire Ministries and a long time associate of Todd Bentley announced today that Todd Bentley, leader of the Florida Outpouring, will be taking some time off. “We are grateful for our partnership with GOD TV that has allowed this revival to go around the world”, Miller said. While the revival will continue, the leaders of Fresh Fire believe it is important for Todd to take some time to re-fresh and to rest.
“Refresh and rest,” as in, oh crap, Nightline caught me and I need some major time to conjure up some more stuff, ya know, to make this circus a bit more believable.
I don’t know who is dumber, Bentley or the people who follow him. What is really sad is that once these televangelists fall, they fall hard — but they somehow come back and the same people end up following them.
God is not mocked, folks. Don’t join in the mocking by participating in what Bentley and his cronies have to offer.
Twitter Updates
OK, let me say very clearly, I don’t dig Bentley’s act at all.
I do have two issues…first, dredging up the past of the pastor and making multiple references to it. Clearly this reporter wasn’t doing it to highlight the fact that Christ can change anyone and take even the world’s biggest “sinner” and make them a saint.
I mean, think about what Nightline would say about the Apostle Paul if he were alive and doing ministry today.
Second, you said “Many of you know my utter disdain for televangelists ‚Äî especially ones like Todd Bentley that have no formal Biblical training.”
So unless someone has formal Biblical training they shouldn’t answer a call to preach or teach? I’m not saying that Bentley might not be an act but I don’t see where formal training is a requirement to preach the Gospel.
I believe people should answer the call to preach and teach, and do everything they can to pursue a formal Biblical education, yes. Nowhere in the Bible does it say to do that, but we must admit that even though God and His Word has not changed, the method of our ministry has along with the world we live in and we must adapt.
I have a very big issue about Todd Bentley saying that his only Biblical training was the Word itself.
Shoot, the disciples in their day taught many others to preach the Gospel. Paul is one example of many that provided good training to everyone.
Jason, Chris.
Think about it this way. Imagine for a second that God doesn’t exist.
The reporter bringing up the past of Todd Bentley makes perfect sense.
What would you think, given the facts together with the assumption that God doesn’t exist?
Assuming that God doesn’t exist and knowing that all of his proclaimations of miracles are completely 100% bunk, fake, lies and Todd himself knowing that he’s preaching a falsehood after being shown multiple times to be lies.
Therefore it adds to the case that this man is a crook. He was a crook, has transformed his act and got a niche and is continuing to be a crook. It’s not a story about sin and salvation. It’s a story about how one man can mislead with blatent lies in an environment of the credulous.
Only in America?
I have watched Todd Bentley and his friends operate with an elitist attitude. I believe the Lord calls us to be humble servants. I believe these people are robbers of the servants and they mock God. Before you know it people around him will start to say he has repented, is restored and is ready for ministry again. He will regain the same cultish following.
They do not even live by the written word, they make up there own rules as they go along. My question is where is the discernment and why do we continue to enable these false teachers of the Word.
OK, let me say very clearly, I don't dig Bentley's act at all.
I do have two issues…first, dredging up the past of the pastor and making multiple references to it. Clearly this reporter wasn't doing it to highlight the fact that Christ can change anyone and take even the world's biggest “sinner” and make them a saint.
I mean, think about what Nightline would say about the Apostle Paul if he were alive and doing ministry today.
Second, you said “Many of you know my utter disdain for televangelists ‚Äî especially ones like Todd Bentley that have no formal Biblical training.”
So unless someone has formal Biblical training they shouldn't answer a call to preach or teach? I'm not saying that Bentley might not be an act but I don't see where formal training is a requirement to preach the Gospel.