Leonard Ravenhill

Forget Miracles, Preach Holiness.

There's only two kinds of people in the world, those who are dead to sin, and those who are dead in sin.

Dutch Sheets has backbone!

Bless You, Dutch Sheets! Finally, somebody in the Charismatic movement has the guts to not spin the issue and point out what is wrong with the "morally soft" (Peter Wagner's description) Charismatic movement. Maybe this thing can be turned around.

Concerning Lakeland, what was called the “greatest revival since Azusa Street” has become possibly one of the greatest reproaches. We, the leaders of the charismatic church, are responsible. For not accepting and acknowledging our responsibility, for caring more about our own reputation than Christ’s, I repent to God and ask forgiveness of the body of Christ.

Leaders can live in sin—adultery, homosexuality, financial wrongdoing, drugs, etc.—for years without it being realized. They can offer completely unacceptable lifestyles for the body of Christ to follow and still keep their TV programs and lavish lifestyles. In the name of grace, compassion and forgiveness we have lowered the standard so much that often there isn’t one. We have bought into the lie that true discipline is “shooting our wounded.” We have made a mockery of biblical restoration, making “ministry”—not healthy individuals, marriages and families—its ultimate goal. The fact is, integrity matters. No, we don’t need legalistic, pharisaical standards, but we must have standards.

Read the full statement here.

I did find it interesting that Bill Johnson has updated his website (see previous post). Johnson now states:

I did not go to Lakeland and stand on the platform with Todd Bentley because he was perfect in character or because we agreed with every aspect of how he conducted the revival in Lakeland. I went to Lakeland because of his enemies. The relentless criticism and opposition, coupled with the grueling and sometimes unwise schedule, were bound to take their toll on this young man—emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually.

Compare this to another portion of Sheets' message:

We, the leaders of the charismatic church, spin our involvement and fail to acknowledge our responsibility when other leaders fall— all of which stems from our self-preservation and pride. Enough of the spin—we're no different than Washington, DC. Every time another embarrassing and disgraceful situation is exposed, the dancing begins. It seems that no one bears any real responsibility except the man or woman who actually commits sin. Incredibly, we even blame "revival" itself—the pressures, attacks, weariness, the "revival is messy" argument, etc., saying it is responsible for the failures. This is disgusting.

Yup. I agree.

Bill Johnson on Todd Bentley

What do you think about Todd Bentley and the Lakeland Revival?

"Todd is a good friend, but more importantly, he is a friend of God. I've met very few people in my life who are hungrier for God and will take extended periods of time just to seek Him. God has entrusted him with an extraordinary outpouring for a reason—He can trust him to do whatever He says, regardless of the opinions of others. He is bold—amazingly bold. The miracles are legitimate and increasing. The church of America has asked for a great revival. God wonderfully placed this move in a package that few would have expected, just to see if we're as hungry as we say we are.

Have you spent time with Todd? Do you know him? Have you watched him with his wife? Or have you seen how he treats his kids?...

I didn't think so. I have...."

Bill Johnson

From his website August 17, 2008

How not to respond to a credible argument. R.I.P. Lakeland

I'm a straightforward, plain-talking kind of guy. With me there are no gray areas. Call it the prophetic mindset, if you please. A few weeks ago I wrote (see below) an article about how to present an argument in a reasonable & honest manner with a Lakeland defender. Now that King Bentley (he was the one claiming a "Kingly Anointing") has been dethroned, I'd like to address those who are still defending what took place at that so-called revival.

First of all, a friend of mine recently stated "If something claims to be a revival and is not grounded in the preaching of repentance and does not produce deep, lasting change in the lives of believers, don't call it a revival."

He knows what he is talking about.

Holiness must not only be the emphasis of true revival it must be the lifestyle of those leading the revival. Anything else is (completely) a sham, and God will not be mocked. Bank on it.

A few weeks ago, if you mentioned ANY misgivings about the revival (or any other similar so-called move of God) you would likely be to be rebuked with "touch not God's anointed." It makes little difference that applying that scripture to criticism of a man's bad doctrine reveals a serious deficiency in bible understanding- and we've heard it a hundred times. How refreshing (and disturbing at the same time) to hear C. Peter Wagner, in a letter written August 12, 2008 state:

Let's not sweep this under the rug with a "touch not God's anointed" as has been done with so many similar issues in our morally soft charismatic environment.

I'm not a fan of Peter Wagner's "Great Transfer of Wealth" doctrine, or his New Apostolic Reformation, but his credibility just rose a few points in my estimation.

Please, listen to me kids- C. Peter Wagner has given notice- its time to stop sweeping things under the rug with "touch not God's anointed."

What Next?

I prophesy that we will next hear statements about Balaam's Ass and Sampson. Oh wait that has already happened.

Balaam's Ass is right up there with "Touch not mine Anointed." Once the moral failings have become so blatant that they can not longer be ignored, the appeal to Balaam's Ass is made.

Quoting one blogger:

"In the Bible, God uses even donkeys to do his work. He can (and has) use adulterers. King David, called a man after God’s own heart, committed adultery and killed the other party’s husband. God restored him. Even though my opinion of Todd’s ministry is that most of it is “snake oil”, God knows whether or not Todd was being used to really heal. And if he was really being used, God can restore Todd Bentley too."

To that, I can add that even if he wasn't really being used, God can restore Todd Bentley. Duh!

One other poster responded "Oh and I sure wish people would quit insulting Balaam’s jackass by the unnecessary and incorrect association." Selah!

Let's all agree that if we won't praise God, He can make the rocks cry out. And if there is no true prophet in the Land, he can prophecy through an ass. But please, it is never God's best desire to use the immoral in ministry. (For the record, asses are amoral). Witness the scriptures stating qualifications of church leaders in 1 Timothy 3:2-13 and Ephesians 5:3-6. What God thinks is important we should too.

A critical difference is this: Balaam's Ass never laid hands or hooves on anyone. If you accept that Todd's anointing was a contagious anointing - "Come and get some" - then consider this: If impartation can take place then so can defilement. This is EXACTLY why the Word of God tells us to not "lay hands on any man suddenly (neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure)" Again, it is not appropriate for a minister with hidden sins to minister in the name of God. When you appeal to Balaam's Ass you make an ass of yourself.

David and Sampson - The End Result

Well, What about King David? Allow me to tell you a little story. I know a (former) pastor who preached for several months a series of messages based on Mike Bickle's book (King David a man) "After God's Own Heart." A year or two later is was revealed that this pastor had been having an affair during the time he delivered those messages. In fact, one of his last sermons before his deeds were brought to light was about extending grace to sinners. I would suggest that rather than bringing the pure Word of God he was bringing a tainted message with a hidden (evil) agenda.

Another Blogger stated "remember David (God’s anointed one in the line of Jesus) and Bathsheba."

I feel like God quickened to me this morning - before I read that blog comment- that many would appeal to the example of King David but few would recall the devastating results: the murder of Uriah the Hittite (Bathsheba's husband), the death of David and Bathsheba's bastard son, and the disgrace and subsequent death of David's son Absolom.

Of David, the prophet Nathan said it best:

You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.

This is what the LORD says: 'Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.'

Later, after David's son Absolom had sex in public with ten of David's wives (and this following one of David's sons Amnon raping his sister Tamar; Absolom killed Amnon two year's later) he was eventually killed by Joab and his armor-bearers.

Most will point to King David as an example of how God can use us in our imperfection. David, of course, never had the Spirit of God within him, it rested on him at times. Excuse me for being simplistic, but he was not a born-again Christian. An often-overlooked point of the story of the life of David was that his life was an example of things we must avoid.

So what's the point of a statement like "He can use adulterers" in defense of Todd Bentley and the Lakeland revival? I suppose the desire of the Lakeland apologists is to prove that God was moving in signs and wonders in the midst of immorality and doctrinal error. On the other hand, some believe that "The attribution for the healings and miracles is the grace of God and his mercy for hurting people" (George Wood). So we prove nothing either way by appealing to the example of David.

Chuck "buy my anointing oil, please" Pierce appeals to the example of Sampson. "He had a Nazarite vow on his life, yet he had many character flaws. His character flaws did not stop God from using him. I think this is the biggest misunderstanding that the Body has when it comes to the anointing."

No Chuck, the biggest misunderstanding that the Body has when it comes to the anointing is not seeing what the end result for Sampson was. And the second biggest misunderstanding is that the anointing is something we can handle carelessly or profanely. For an illustration of that, check out the example of Abihu and Nadab in Leviticus 10. Oh, the end result there is critical to note, too.

In the coming days we will hear much of Balaam's Ass, of David, and Sampson, but very little of Abihu and Nadad, little of Absolom, or Tamara and Amnon. I must remind the Lakelandites that the true biblical application of "Reaping and Sowing" has nothing to do with "Sowing into the revival" and has everything to do with the chain of events that are set into motion when we sin.

Proverbs 2 has a message that stands today : Wisdom and discretion will deliver you from the strange woman, even from the stranger that flatters with her words ("unhealthy relationship on an emotional level"?), from the wayward wife with her seductive words, who has left the partner of her youth and ignores the covenant she made before God. For her house leads down to death, and her paths to the spirits of the dead.

Dr. Michael Brown has a sobering message call "Aharit" based on the Hebrew word meaning the "end result" and taken from this passage. This was recorded many years ago, during the Brownsville revival, I believe. Rather than continuing to appeal to David, or Sampson, please take the time to listen to this message. It will change your life - if you will let the Word speak to you. Once you've taken the time to listen to this word in due season, we can discuss your defense of the Lakeland revival. Somehow, I'm guessing you won't want to anymore.

I am deeply saddened that it "took a woman" to bring this so-called revival down. (How would you like to be her right now?) Even Charismatics understand that when immorality is revealed, it probaby is wise to step aside for a while when it is made public. (Even better to repent!) But the true root of my sadness is that so many in the body of Christ could not recognize the bigger issues: aberrant and heretical doctrine, hype & exaggeration, even lies. As Lee Grady recently stated "among those who jumped on the Lakeland bandwagon, discernment was discouraged. They were expected to swallow and follow. The message was clear: “This is God. Don’t question.”

How to build a credible argument.R.I.P. Lakeland

On one hand we have people claiming that Todd Bentley is dealing with Kundalini fire (Serpent-spine power), an aspect of Eastern religions. I've also seen accusations that Bentley's female (now male) angel Emma is really Emma-o, some sort of eastern demon (actually the "King of Hell"). And people trying to see a monkey in the beard of a Tatto of Jesus. Nipple rings in the tatto of "Medusa." And on ad nauseum.

Such arguments represent intellectual laziness. Granted, for many in the non-prophetic church, it is just too tempting to equate Bentley and his followers with eastern religions, because that automatically makes it wrong. Case shut.

But these are not people from without the Church, these are our brothers and sisters being sucked into this deception.

Something signficant is happening with the Lakeland Revival. In case you haven't noticed, it is shutting down (in its present form) on August 3. In recent weeks, Todd Bentley has been absent more than present. Why just a month or two ago, they were talking about this as if it would never end. Paul Cain prophesied that God would move on some individual to fund a permanent center of revival in Lakeland. What happened?

It seems that people within the Charismatic and Pentecostal church- people within the Apostolic movement- have been making a case against Todd Bentley's ministry. And making a case in a way that can be heard.

This has not been easy. The meetings of the "nameless and faceless" revival have looked like a who's who of Charismania.

Who is Speaking

Lee Grady, no foe of revival wrote on May 14 an article entitled Honest Questions About the Lakeland Revival. He said:

"But I would be dishonest if I told you that I wholeheartedly embraced what I saw in Lakeland. Something disturbed me, but I kept my mouth shut for three weeks while I prayed, got counsel from respected ministry leaders and searched my heart to make sure I was not harboring a religious spirit."

You need to read his entire article fully. I'll wait. In summary Grady pointed out problems with the Angels, the manifestations, and the "hype and exaggeration."

Grady's statement was the warning shot across the bow. It was a reversal for Grady and Charisma magazine, that had promoted the "revival" only a few weeks previous.

It was followed by a statement released by George Wood, the General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God. Ignite Church, the birthplace of the so-called Lakeland Outpouring is an Assemblies of God church. The A/G is a fellowship, not a denomination, and to some it appears to let its churches get about as goofy as they want to- but here's what George Wood had to say:

"...the message must always be examined. If the message and the messenger line up with God’s Word, then the revival is on safe biblical ground and it should and must be embraced. If not, then even though miracles and manifestations occur, it should be avoided. "

Read or view full statement here.

Wood, to his credit prophesied "Unless these initiatory events (Jesus exalted, Word preached, repentance occurring) of the Christian life occur, along with the sanctifying work of the Spirit that leads to a holy life, then the miracles, crowds, and enthusiasm will quickly wane. "

Lee Grady has followed up his original article with several more. And some have not liked what he had to say.

"When I wrote an article in mid-May calling for scrutiny of some aspects of the Lakeland Revival, I was labeled a Pharisee and a “religious policeman.” People who said they had been deeply impacted by the Holy Spirit in Lakeland used spiritual threats and harsh terms to tell me that I had become the enemy."

"I refuse to go on the defensive, and if I need to retract any statement I’ve ever made about this revival I will. But what these nasty exchanges have shown me is that a divisive spirit is certainly at work in our midst—and we need urgent prayer to short-circuit what the devil wants to do."

I'm sure by now he has been told to "not touch mine anointed." Well, I'm no Charisma magazine fan, but A close look at all of Grady's articles since April is in order. The archives are listed at the top of all of his columns. Here's a few must-reads:

An Appeal for Unity in a Divisive Season by J. Lee Grady 5-28-2009

Can We Avoid a Charismatic Civil War?by J. Lee Grady 7-9-2008

The guy is not backing off. Grady recently stated "So much of what is passed off as prophecy today resembles what you might find in a daily horoscope. The so-called “prophetic movement” in the contemporary church has been tainted by silly fads and charismatic witchcraft. One prophetic e-mail list sent out a word recently saying that dormant angels were being awakened out of the walls of our churches. (That’s not remotely scriptural.) Another predicted that God would begin to speak to people through the names of candy bars and blue jeans."

Many of us "recovering charismatics" have been saying the same thing for the last several years. It's almost as if there has been an awakening of others within the movement. Grady, by the way, is a member of Peter Wagner's International Coalition of Apostles (ICA), many of the the same group, along with Peter Wagner, performed the "coronation" of Bentley back in May. Thank you, Lee Grady.

Let's hear it from the Apostles

More significant, some of the other leaders of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) are now speaking out. I guess Dutch Sheets started the avalanche, with his sermon on Lakeland back in May. And one observer said "He stated the obvious, that most of those he sees come forward really aren't being healed. And that Todd and his team need to be much more guarded in how they approach these folks and stop all the hype." Let me make it clear that I'm not aligning myself with Dutch Sheets- the point is that he is a leader in the same movement as Bentley.

Most outspoken has been Robert Ricciardelli. States Ricciardelli, who has spent much time in Lakeland, "Truth is there are very few people being healed in Lakeland." He has other concerns as well.

"Friday night, Todd said that God said there were 1000 people that were to give $1000, and they were to receive a 1000 fold blessing. The one hour drama on this giving subject was so deceptively evident that it was embarrassing to watch. On top of that, those that would give that money were able to come to the platform to be recognized."

His conclusion about Bentley:

"But he cannot go on embellishing, speaking untruths, hyping, manipulating, shoving, kicking, slapping, leg dropping, and bamming his way on the pulpit without consequences. God will not be mocked, and Todd and others must answer to Him for everyone led astray."

"The biggest thing about Lakeland is the lack of the fear of our Awesome God, lack of repentance and humility. Many have exchanged the truth for a lie and chosen experience over content. Angels, trances, and 3rd heaven focus has replaced the gospel as a focus... Lord do what only you can do to bring your divine alignment to all of us in Jesus name.."

Ricciardelli appeared on a recent radio talkshow and the interveiw is well worth the time. You also may want to reveiw an email sent out by Andrew Strom with statements from Ricciardelli.

Pastor David Cannistraci of GateWay city church in Los Angeles has released a rather stunning statement on Bentley. In it he states:

"The lack of a Scriptural basis for Todd’s “revelations” and exotic experiences is by far my biggest apprehension. The message seems to be “experience trumps Scripture.” There is dangerously small ratio of Bible teaching to controversial experiences."

"There are some pretty obvious and wild exaggerations of resurrections, healings, the significance of the meetings, and the overall results of Todd’s ministry. Hype undermines Todd’s credibility, but also the credibility of all who believe in the power of God. The power of the Holy Spirit needs no embellishment. Our exaggerations may be fooling immature Christians, but they are not fooling the media or the public."

He goes on in his letter to talk about prophetic mysticism in general. He mentions angels, necromancy, claiming mantles of past fallen leaders, and "a culture of weirdness."

Most recently the annual campmeeting was held at John Kilpatrick's church with speakers Steve Hill. Dutch Sheets, John Paul Jackson and others. Apparently ALL of the sermons prepared independently were warning about discerning truth from error. Kilpatrick and Hill, or Brownsville fame, had visited Lakeland and prayed a blessing over Bentley. Many viewed that as an endorsement although my take on it was that they were put on the spot when Bentley asked for an impartation. In response, Kilpatrick stated "I, John Kilpatrick, went down to Todd Bentley’s meetings, the Florida Outpouring, and gave my blessing to revival. I made it clear that I didn’t know Todd, his doctrinal belief nor who he is affiliated with, if anyone. To me, doctrine is very important. It always has been and it always will be. It is the infrastructure that a move of God runs on. You can not separate a man from his doctrine." I've yet to hear the sermons, but will be ordering the 14 CD set very soon.

Where am I going with this? Well it seems that all the rabbit trails concerning Emma-O, and Kundalini fire really have done nothing. But when leaders from within start raising issues about doctrine and character, people are listening. Indeed this madness has been around a long time. Bentley's model for ministry was Benny Hinn, and it shows. We do not have to chase rabbit trails when there are obvious doctrinal errors staring us on the face. And Todd Bentley makes it easy. Recently Bentley even came out and stated that he was teaching Manifested Sons of God doctrine. I'll be blogging on that soon.

What has been the effect?

Since July 4th Todd Bentley has been at Lakeland a total of 3 nights (as of July 24). The crowds are dwindling, and basically confirming the notion that this revival was not about God, it was all about Todd Bentley. Even his biggest supporters are noticing this.

"If you go back and view the earlier meetings which are archived on the GOD TV website you can feel the difference in the 'atmosphere' compared to what is happening today." Regarding this contagious anointing: "As for taking the 'ark' and moving somewhere else, if last weekend in Los Angeles is an example of what to expect, I am afraid this revival has been killed before it got out of the starting gate. Los Angeles was just another conference!" This misguided person blames the demise on the need for verification of the healings and states that they should not have to be verified. Funny thing about how TRUTH always gets in the way.

The big tent in Lakeland shuts down on August 3. Before we throw the last shovel of dirt on the Lakeland "Outpouring" let us not forget that our contending for the truth should always include truth, not vain imaginations. Let us study the Word and know what truth is, so was can point out the difference between truth and darkness the next time this arises. And it will.