I went to the revival in Lakeland, FL tonight to check it out for myself. I've heard all kinds of things about it good and bad. I decided to go with as open a mind as I knew how to have albeit I had some questions and a few red flags were flying.
I got to the place a little after 7:00 pm and found my way to back of the auditorium. The band was all in place while what I guess was a pre-recorded message I presume from Todd Bentley was playing on the loud speaker. A few minutes later the band started playing their worship songs. I tried the best I could to discern the lyrics because they didn't have them up on the screens but I was able to pick up most of the songs. They were all good songs that sang what appeared to me to be God-centered lyrics. I heard "How Great is Our God", "I Exalt Thee" and some others that I did not recognize. As far as the worship song time, I had no real complaints. Actually, it was quite good.
About an hour later, Todd Bentley was introduced to speak. He did say some good things; like God choosing us and us being righteous in Christ, but about ten or fifteen minutes in he got to the bad part. He said that he received a vision of a rod with honey dripping down and likened it to Aaron's rod that budded and how that symbolizes God's choosing of us to release his favor and his anointing. He said that because we're righteous in Christ, there is really no separation between us and Christ. In other words, what Christ can expect to receive from God in heaven is exactly what we can expect.
Now I believe that the imputed righteousness of Christ to the believer is a precious truth and one worth preaching and dying for, but the simple fact remains, I am not Jesus! Should I expect all of heaven to fall down and worship me? Should I expect to be exalted to the right hand of the Father? Should every knee fall down before me and confess that I am Lord? He went on to compare us as Christians to Esther and how she received everything she needed from the king and how the king asks us to ask whatever we wish and then encouraged us to ask for houses, properties, airplanes, and cars, and all manner of material things. Debt cancellations too. He based this on the teaching of Christ that those who give up all they have for his sake and the gospel's (lands, houses, parents, brothers, sister, wives, children) would receive a hundredfold in this life. He also told us that we should ask for more than just for our needs to be met.
The truth is, I cannot support this revival. I hope my words are full of grace and compassion, but this I do not believe is from God. I know that places like Corinth had some seriously off-key doctrine, but that wasn't everybody and it likely wasn't all the leadership (although there were false apostles there). In this case, the entire event is geared to this kind of thing. It's just too much ear tickling.
-Christian
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3 comments:
Thanks for posting up this.. I was going to ask you if you went to the "revival" since you lived in florida. I've been having some questions about the whole "revival" myself and the types of teaching that was coming from the pulpit.
I've been wrestling with this a lot. I don't think i'm ready to say that this IS or IS not from God. But I can say that it is being led poorly and there is a lot of unbiblical teachings coming from the pulpit.
The big question that I have to ask is: Can God use heretics? I tend to think he can.. I believe there might be elements of the "revival" that are from God but I also believe that there are elements of the "revival" that are demonic.. I don't know if that makes sense or if I'm totally off base..
How do you think believers should respond to this "revival?"
I do think there are many true believers there at the revival meetings. How much error is too much error? I don't always know.
I think we should pray that the good rises to the top and the bad fails. I think we should be very careful in how we raise our concerns, and not necessarily consign anyone to hell.
Interesting.
Perhaps we should be asking a different question though. One that would address the lack of discipleship within the Charismatic movement's prophetic people. Let me tell you my observations of both the Conservative Evangelicals and the Charismatics concerning the approach to entering ministry:
Conservative Evangelicals: "You must have M.Div. or you should not even attempt to be in ministry. If you cannot read Greek, better luck next time. Called by God? God only calls those who are equipped."
Pentecostals: "Who cares if you smoked crack last week! You've got the Spirit now! We're going to ordain you and you can pastor a church now!"
As you can see, both of these approaches have strengths and weaknesses. I'm concerned with what I've observed from Bentley's personal testimonies and his written testimony (yes, I actually read the book). I do not think he's been discipled or mentored by a seasoned prophetic person.
This has caused some very questionable doctrines to arise through his "teaching."
Yet, one thing that I've noticed and have even read about (e.g. Bickle's Growing in the Prophetic) is that prophets need to be pastored and prophetic people need to be pastored. Secondly, prophets and prophetic people do not operate in the same gifting as teachers; therefore, prophetic ministry should never teach doctrine (IMO). This is the danger.
Anyway... interesting. :)
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