The so-called "Lakeland Revival" continues to thrive and if anything has increased in popularity and influence. Reports of individuals traveling from all over the USA and from different countries around the world demonstrate the spread of this movement.
When compared with Scripture the Lakeland meetings just do not meet the grade. Do not misunderstand, I would love to know that sick babies were being healed and that people were growing back limbs and being raised from the dead, but the Bible and not experience is the measure of the Christian life.
Due to the potential size of this article I want to do it in two parts. First I will share some quotes, fully referenced, that do not match up to Scripture. Then in my next post we will get into the Word to see what God says on these matters.
Here are a few quotes that bother me,
01 Deafening Worship, Dancing, Jumping and the Smell of Smoke
The worship was DEAFENING… The sound from the people was LOUDER than the P.A. system… everyone was dancing or jumping!!!
The Glory came on Todd and the ushers helped him on the stage. Minutes later, he fell out under the power!!!
A few minutes later he stood up, and YOU COULD SMELL SMOKE IN THE ROOM!!
The churches building supervisor ran through the back stage… then went outside all the way around the building… he could only smell the smoke on the stage & back stage & just outside the stage door entrance. When he walked 30 feet from the door, the smell was gone.
It literally smelled like a sweet barbeque!! IT MADE US HUNGRY FOR GOD!!!
The worship leader, Roy, cried out… THE GLORY IS HERE!!! He whirled around several times… the fire hit his feet… and he jumped into the air and fell flat on his face!!!
02 Todd Bentley Bringing the Kingdom of God?
Then I saw the Lord turning you into a human nail, you know, like a spike nail. I saw the hand of God, I saw the Father hit this hammer & it hit you & it went straight into the ground of Florida.
I saw a scroll attached to this nail & it said the Kingdom of God has now come.
03 Visiting Heaven and Recieving a Crown?
All kinds of spirits of death, infirmity and depression are cast out. This is on-going, day after day, just as Lakeland. It fell here! A cesarean scar disappeared from a patient. Another patient was lifted up and visited rooms in heaven and received a crown. All this and more is happening at the doctor's office. Bless you. Keep revival on. Thank you Jesus.
04 Touch the Screen Now For Healing?
TOUCH YOUR COMPUTER NOW!!!! THE ANOINTING IS BEING RELEASED RIGHT NOW!!!
05 Chanting
Heather Clark is leading worship tonight. She leads the crowd in a chanting melody… BAPTIZE US IN THE HOLY SPIRIT!!!
The FIRE sweeps through the crowd. Todd jumps up to the pulpit and commands every Senior Pastor from Florida to get up on the stage NOW!!!
They came RUNNING to the stage… BAM BAM BAM… they would cry out the name of their city… then BAM BAM BAM… the pastors kept coming… two lines… then three lines!!!!
Then HERE CAME THE YOUTH PASTORS from Florida… BAM BAM BAM… the FIRE is burning up the stage and flowing out into the crowd!!!
BAPTIZE US IN THE HOLY SPIRIT!!!! Heather keeps chanting it into the atmosphere.
06 The Lord Himself Appeared to Todd?
Todd shares… on the morning of Mothers Day 1998… Todd had a visitation of the Holy Spirit. For over three months the power of God touched him. But on Mothers Day, the Lord Himself appeared to him.
This is just a sample of quotes and comments from their blog over the past few days. Each of these statements have serious issues that I feel must be compared and contrasted with the Scriptures. The Lord willing I will do this in the next post.
As well as their blog take a moment to hear some statements from Todd Bentley himself. The following links go to Youtube videos.
Todd Bentley on Angel Ministries
In this clip Todd talks about his out of body experience, walking around the meeting hearing people talk about their diseases.
And if you needed any more persuasion that this movement is not of God listen to Todd Bentley describing the time God told him to not preach Jesus but to preach angels. For me this is the worst of all his errors. As Christians we are to constantly lift up Jesus and praise Him. Todd Bentley and his crowd are minimizing Jesus and preaching angels and miracles. Here is the clip,
Preach Angels, Not Jesus
My goal is not to compare my religious background and experience with Todd Bentley's background and experience. Instead I want to look at what God has to say and live according to His Word.
