I’m torn : Todd Bentley : Divorce : Revival : Lakeland : Concerns : J. Lee Grady : Steve Strang

By now, most of you know of the pending divorce of Todd Bentley. Of course, it’s a heartbreaking situation and I’m confident that God is able to restore before that final step is made. First, I do want to ask the only question that is troubling me:

Does Todd realize that divorce is not an option for him?

That’s the question. Outside of very narrow biblical permission for divorce (adultery), Todd and his wife simply cannot go through with it. The decision is not theirs to make.

That being said, I want to highlight some comments that were made by two of the most respected national leaders in the church. Steve Strang and J. Lee Grady. I honor these men, and am right on board with them most of the time. However, I’m a bit shocked at some of their insights at this stage of the Todd Bentley drama. I’ll make a comment below each bulleted point. Let me know what you think as well:

-Anyone who is in services 4 to 6 hours a day, 7 days a week for weeks on end is bound to have some type of breakdown.

This I tend to agree with. It does take supernatural grace to keep pace in a revival atmosphere.

-Anyone who covers himself with tattoos while in the ministry raises questions about his stability.

What? I don’t have any tattoos, and don’t foresee getting any, but this statement is strange to me. What about those who pierce their ears, part their hair down the middle, preach without wearing a tie, grow a long beard, etc. Fill in the blank. Why is this an indicator of a problem?

-Anyone who talks about the “Angel of the Healing Revival” that ministered to A.A. Allen and William Branham must have overlooked the fact that Allen and Branham both were discredited with moral shortcomings.

Again, what? So are we to believe anybody who is visited by an angel is immune from moral failure? Or, on the contrary, if this angel of God visits someone, they are doomed to moral failure? The reasoning doesn’t make sense.

-Anyone who baptizes people in the name of the Father, the Son “and BAM” is playing lightly with the Holy Spirit and is bordering on blasphemy.

I know it’s quite common to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and to have ‘groans that can’t be uttered’ come out. We can pray with authority and from deep within our inner man a declarative cry erupts. I’ve felt that happen often, and something like "Ahhhhh!" erupts. That may sound strange, but to discredit someone because they say ‘Bam" is irresponsible. Blasphemy? Why so?

Steve Strang also said this, "Now is the time for Bentley to be corrected."

If it’s because of the issue of divorce, I strongly agree. If it’s because of tattoos and Bam, I don’t see it. I suppose it would be good to know what the tattoos depict. If Todd is inking demons on his arms, then I’d be concerned. Just as I’d be alarmed if a worship leader had a pentagram on his album cover.

Now, I must make this statement- Todd and all of us absolutely must be submitted to and in relationship with authorities in our lives. I don’t doubt that Todd needs some healthy counsel and intercession. He does. But possibly no more than you or I would need if we were thrust into the same situation he was.

It’s obvious God chose Todd for this moment. Have we done our part in praying for Todd? Or is it easier to take note of issues, personality quirks and other possible problems?

Here is a statement by Steve Strang that I strongly agree with:

Strader mentioned as we talked that we have to be careful not to shoot our wounded. I was reminded of his comment during my daily Bible reading this morning, which included Galatians 6—a passage that says we need to restore those who fall with a spirit of gentleness so that we don’t fall into the same sin. But he also pointed out that there must be a reason why the story of Ananias and Sapphira is in the Bible as a warning to others.

We must not shoot our wounded. We must restore the fallen. And, there is a more severe judgement coming to the church and its leaders. I do agree with that. We don’t have the option to lead haphazardly. The cost will be great.

Now, I’m a bit more upset with J. Lee Grady’s perspective:

Why did so many people flock to Lakeland from around the world to rally behind an evangelist who had serious credibility issues from the beginning?

To put it bluntly, we’re just plain gullible.

Boy, that doesn’t set well with me at all. My wife and I are two of the thousands that responded to a call of God to go to Lakeland. We have both never (and we’ve been in this a long time) experienced an anointing or love as strong as we did in that place. Todd and his staff were carrying a massive mantle that cannot be denied. We didn’t go to Lakeland to worship Todd or to measure Todd or to report on Todd. We went to honor God’s servant and to meet God in an important new way.

Todd has been ripped apart and mocked and hated by Christians from the very beginning (I’m not saying J. Lee Grady or Steve Strang are doing this), and it sickens me. I watched this happen with Jimmy Swaggart and more recently with Ted Haggard. People love to find fault and mock and say, "I told you so."

Another passage from J. Lee Grady:

From the first week of the Lakeland revival, many discerning Christians raised questions about Bentley’s beliefs and practices. They felt uneasy when he said he talked to an angel in his hotel room. They sensed something amiss when he wore a T-shirt with a skeleton on it. They wondered why a man of God would cover himself with tattoos. They were horrified when they heard him describe how he tackled a man and knocked his tooth out during prayer.

Of course we feel uneasy when someone mentions encountering an angel. Most of us have not had that experience, so we don’t have any understanding on what that is like. Why is it presumed initially that Todd is a liar? Why do so many start the process of discover from a position of suspicion?

The rest is just as silly. A T-shirt? Tattoos again? Tackling a man? Let’s throw out the obvious way God used people like Smith Wigglesworth who used similar tactics.

I know J. Lee Grady, Steve Strang and others are truly anointed, God-fearing and gifted leaders. But, I am sad at these articles. I’m not defending everything that is labeled "Todd Bentley." But, I am also aware that God will continue to use unique, offensive, mind-boggling people to flow through. Does that mean we shut down discernment? No way. But, spiritual things are discerned spiritually. I don’t think we can make much progress in the discernment process if we default to what we see with our eyes. A tattoo isn’t enough evidence to deem anybody invalid.

Here’s another statement by J. Lee Grady:

The Bible tells us that the Bereans were noble believers because they studied the Scriptures daily “to see whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11, NASB). Yet in the case of Lakeland, honest intellectual inquiry was viewed as a sign of weakness. People were expected to jump first and then open their eyes.

The Bereans were actually not more noble because they studied the Scriptures, but rather because they eagerly received the news of a fresh move of God AND then studied the scriptures for validation.

Acts 17:10 As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Today, many are skeptical, afraid, suspicious and fueled by doubt. I feel that a reason that healings and miracles aren’t experienced in the Western world as they are in other places is because we doubt first, demand proof and are still doubtful if proof is given. Why are these revivals measured by doctor’s notes instead of the fruit of God transforming a life?

Our baby was dead in the womb when we went to Lakeland. Our baby was not brought back to life. However, Amy and I were supernaturally transformed in a way that could never be written down. No doctor, counselor, pastor or other official has what it takes to prove our transformation and to write a report on it. It’s much deeper than what words can convey.

In closing, I don’t disagree with all of the analysis of the Todd Bentley situation. I won’t be shocked to find other shortcomings in Todd’s life, but not because of any of what has been discussed… simply because he is human. We can’t excuse shortcomings, but we can, in love, pray and cover and support him. I’m reminded of the very serious story of Noah and his sons. We must cover in love and not expose people’s weaknesses without a very sober due process:

Genesis 9:20 Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. 21 When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father’s nakedness.

24 When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said, "Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers." 26 He also said, "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem. 27 May God extend the territory of Japheth; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be his slave."