Born Again Christians

Whats the story with Todd Bentley?

According to Bentley, God told Bentley to kick a women in the face and approves of violence:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_K8XjObzfXM

What does the Bible say about Bentley's claim?

1 Timothy 3:3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

Titus 1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;

Plēktēs, Striker, 1) bruiser, ready for a blow, 2) a pugnacious, contentious, quarrelsome person


I'm looking at his website now. He has a CD for $36 Canadian (not cheap) on developing your Seer gift. He also has a CD called "Spiritual Gates, Doors and Portals – CD 1" which offers to teach you "how to position yourself for a holy visitation from God." Its marketed as "spiritual gates, doors and portals trigger supernatural encounters with God" which would mean that you are in control and he claims stuff that most Christians don't claim and I think we should have discussions about Samuel and Eli and why their offices were different and what changed between the two positions.

James 1:7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

According to their statement of faith, they believe in the five fold ministry.

I also looked at their bookstore and it isn't a balanced selection of books as the topics are few.

I'm weary because their website offers opportunities to preach but I'm not sure if you are required to go to their school which requires $6,000 Canadian for the "Secret Place School" and a week at the Supernatural Training Center.


http://www.worldmag.com/articles/14145

http://www.canadianchristianity.com/nat ... istry.html


http://www.theledger.com/article/200806 ... al_Leaders


http://www.theledger.com/article/200806 ... al_Leaders

Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Matthew 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if [it were] possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Mark 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if [it were] possible, even the elect.

Luke 6:26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

Jan of http://www.olivetreeviews.org/index.shtml did a broadcast a few weeks ago on Todd, please listen in...

1st hour http://mp3.olivetreeviews.org/OTM2008_07_19A.mp3

2nd hour http://mp3.olivetreeviews.org/OTM2008_07_19B.mp3

The speakers on the show exposing the false revivals are..

Caryl Matrisciana... http://www.caryltv.com
Justin Peters... http://www.justinpeters.org
Pastor Bill Randles... http://www.believersingrace.com

Separation May End Bentley's Lakeland Appearances

http://religion.theledger.com/default.asp?item=2248784

"The Fresh Fire Ministries Web site indicates that a September appearance by Bentley in England has been postponed."

The Needed Closure on Todd Bentley

(Note from Jan: Pastor Chris Elrod, Sr. Pastor, Compass Point Church, Lakeland, Florida, sums up the Todd Bentley scenario. None of us who were sounding warnings take delight in this closure. Yet we are relieved that fewer will now be harmed by another "counterfeit revival." - Jan Markell)

As I was on my way home from South Carolina last Thursday night, I got "the call." My friend and fellow Lakeland pastor let me know that the news about Todd Bentley -- the news that had circulated around Lakeland for weeks -- was finally about to break. For months it had been rumor with very little hard facts to back it up. Local church leaders had been hearing things about Todd and Ignited Church that caused us to question even more the validity of the "revival."

Then the truth began to come out bit by bit, first to Lakeland and then to the world, and now Todd's wife was in Canada getting help while he was "floating around" the United States trying to get his head together. Yes, Todd was legally separating from his wife. Yes, there was another woman involved. Yes, this was not the first time Todd had been involved with another woman.

Yes, Todd and Ignited Church had failed to address concerns -- many being voiced by their own denomination and people who support such outpourings -- about the heresy being preached and displayed at the "revival." Yes, there was not one single medical document to prove that any healing had actually taken place.

As the fallout continues and more facts are beginning to emerge about everyone involved with this mess, I have begun to ask myself some pretty hard questions. Did I handle this correctly?

When the first news began to break around here about Todd, healings, and the revival, I went to see it for myself. In all, I attended four separate "revival" meetings over a two-month period. I also watched countless hours of the events on the Internet. I witnessed Todd hollering "BAM" a lot. I witnessed "verification teams" in the parking lot carefully choosing people deemed candidates for "healing" while turning many others down. I watched ushers push ill children away from the stage area because they had not been preapproved for "healing."

I heard stories about pixie-dust-spreading angels and conversations with the Apostles in some abstract heavenly cabin. I saw leg drops, high kicks, head punches, and every other Wrestlemania cliche under the sun. I heard anonymous crazy stories about people being healed and others being raised from the dead. I heard and saw many strange things -- but nothing that even remotely kept with sound doctrine. Every biblical-discerning bone in my body showed me that there was nothing going on at the "revival" that was in keeping with God's Word.

I began to speak out against the revival, Todd, and Ignited Church, to our people. Mainly it was through our Journey Groups, one-on-one conversations, phone calls, and e-mails. However, I was advised by several other pastors not to speak out against it publicly because "I might be speaking against something that God is actually doing" (I wasn't questioning God -- I was questioning Todd). I never addressed it from the pulpit because our podcast is heard by hundreds of people all over the world. I never blogged about it because I get a 1,000+ hits on a normal day.

I dodged the questions about the revival in recent radio interviews I did in other parts of the United States. Finally, I refused to answer the hundreds of e-mails I got about the "revival" from other folks all over the world. In essence, I protected my flock from the three-ring circus and hoopla but did nothing to protect the Body of Christ as a whole.

Hindsight they say is 20/20. It now turns out that all of the rumors were true. It now turns out that the scriptural discernment was correct. It now turns out that this was the same craziness without accountability that the leadership of the sponsoring church is known for. The three-ring circus has been packed up, the tents have been taken down, and the moral failure has been announced. Everyone involved is pushing back, and thousands of hurting people are left questioning God and their salvation.

The question that I now have to ask myself and the question that will haunt me for quite a while is this. Did I sit on the sidelines while the playing field burned? Should have I blogged about it and spoken out about it publicly -- done more to get the word out to the rest of the world that this whole thing was about Todd and not God? I took care of my own house -- but should I have done more to take care of the entire neighborhood?

Charismatic leader Dutch Sheets also humbled himself stating, "My assignment from the Lord is to repent on behalf of the leadership of the Charismatic Body of Christ. We have failed the Lord and His people in many ways. We must repent if we are to be trusted in the future. We, the leaders of the Charismatic community, have operated in an extremely low level of discernment. Frankly, we often don't even try to discern. We assume a person's credibility based on gifts, charisma, whether they can prophesy, or work a miracle."

NOTE FROM JAN: I am glad that these two leaders have been brave enough to speak out. Let's hope that many other leaders will follow in their steps and lead their followers to test ALL things and not just follow every wind of doctrine.

Remember to pray for Todd and his family.


My two hour program on this issue is posted at my "Radio Archives" for July 19, 2008. Numerous guests spoke into the issue, long before all the details came out. For podcasting information, click here.

I'll have to finish my study later but each time an angel shows up, the angel says 'fear not' because they are afraid and each prophet falls down like a dead man because they are fearful of the presence of the living God but not Todd Bentley and false teachers like him. There are more examples that I can get from a systematic study.

Exdodus 3:5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest [is] holy ground.

Daniel 8:27 ¶ And I Daniel fainted, and was sick [certain] days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood [it].

Isaiah 6:5 Then said I, Woe [is] me! for I am undone; because I [am] a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

Luke 1:13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

Luk 1:30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.


Luke 5:8 When Simon Peter saw [it], he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

Revelation 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

Jam 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

All I see exhibited is a callous or cavalier attitude towards the things of God by these false teachers because they aren't scared to be in His presence so they made it up.

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