Todd Bentley Controversy Continues.....

[Pastor Morgan]

Ex-Florida Ourpouring Leader
False Churches, False Brethren, False Gospels

Todd Bentley Controversy Continues.....

RICK RUNION | The Ledger

Published: Tuesday, December 2, 2008 at 7:27 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, December 2, 2008 at 5:16 p.m.

LAKELAND | Controversy continues to swirl around Todd Bentley, the
evangelist who led a faith-healing revival that drew thousands to
Lakeland from around the world.


Within the past few days, a phone conversation between Bentley and the
pastor who invited him here and a letter from the board of Bentley’s
ministry have revealed new details about Bentley’s conduct and raised
questions about the legitimacy of the faith-healing revival he led
between April and August.

The Rev. Stephen Strader, pastor of Ignited Church, where the Lakeland
Outpouring revival began, said he talked to Bentley by phone Monday.
Bentley left the revival Aug. 5 under a cloud of rumors about
infidelity and drinking bouts, and Strader had not spoken with him
since then. He said Bentley called from California, where he has been
staying since leaving the revival.

“It was a very good conversation. He wanted to make sure our church
was OK,” Strader said Tuesday.

Bentley, a 32-year-old tattooed Canadian, was controversial for his
unorthodox appearance, for his rambunctious antics on stage and for
his claims of healings, which some religious leaders said were
overblown.

Strader said Bentley defended himself against a couple of allegations
contained in a letter from the board of directors of Fresh Fire
Ministries, the British Columbia-based organization Bentley ran until
August. The letter, released Friday on the ministry’s Web site
(www.freshfire.ca), broke months of silence about Bentley’s status.

In the letter, the board stated that Bentley recently gave his formal
resignation from the Fresh Fire board of directors. The board also
criticized the evangelist for an ongoing inappropriate relationship
with a former intern and for failing, until now, to submit to
supervised rehabilitation.

“Todd Bentley has demonstrated himself unfaithful to his wife by
entering into a relationship with another woman while still legally
married. He has consumed more alcohol on a few occasions than is
prudent or becoming a Christian leader (or any believer for that
matter). His sins have been sins of the flesh and we do not defend
them,” the letter said.

The letter described how Bentley’s downfall came about, blaming the
stress of the every-night revival services that led to burnout and a
lack of oversight. Bentley began having an “increased familiarity”
with the intern, and in July, he told his wife, Shonnah, he wanted a
divorce, the letter said.

“To our knowledge, Todd’s relationship with the female staff-member,
who was a former intern and also, at his initiative, a live-in nanny
in his house for over a year, is still ongoing. ... While it has been
maintained that no physical contact happened between Todd and the
former female intern until after he filed for legal separation from
Shonnah, in the Boards’ eyes, the nature of the present relationship
between Todd and his former staff member is that of adultery,” the
letter states.

Strader said Bentley did not deny the relationship, and Strader said
he agrees with the position of the board.

“I’m uncomfortable with (the relationship). I would probably stand
with their letter at this point,” he said.

But Strader said Bentley told him he did not have a problem with
alcohol as described by the board’s letter. He said Bentley admitted
he had gotten drunk in the weeks he was in Lakeland, but the incidents
were isolated and he has resolved not to drink again.

“He was apologetic for the harm he caused to us and the body of
Christ. ... (But) he told me, ‘I’m not an alcoholic,’” Strader said.

The board’s letter said Bentley had not seen his wife and three
children since July, but Strader said Bentley has maintained contact
with them. Bentley has not been to their home in British Columbia
because of visa problems, but he has talked to his family by phone and
e-mail, Strader said.

The Lakeland Outpouring drew criticism from many in the evangelical
and Pentecostal communities for its claims of hundreds of miraculous
healings and even claims that people were raised from the dead because
of prayers offered at the revival. The Assemblies of God and other
groups also cautioned that some of Bentley’s claims of mystical
experiences such as visiting with angels and figures from the Bible
were suspect.

However, the Fresh Fire board’s letter praised Bentley’s leadership of
the revival and reiterated earlier declarations that the miracles,
prophecies and conversions that took place during the revival were
authentic manifestations of God’s presence.

Strader echoed that point of view and said he continues to receive
“testimonies” from people who believe they were healed as a result of
the revival.

Both the letter and Strader indicated that Bentley intends to move to
Fort Mill, S.C., in early 2009 to undergo supervised rehabilitation
from Rick Joyner, leader of MorningStar Ministries and a fellow
evangelist. The letter held out the possibility that Bentley could
return to the ministry if he completes the rehabilitation process.

Strader said he has a new book about to be published that will give
his perspective

on the revival. He said Ignited Church lost “several hundreds of
thousands of dollars” during the past few weeks of the revival as
expenses outstripped contributions, but he said the church had
anticipated this, set aside a reserve fund and ended up breaking even
financially. The church grew by about 10 percent and now has about 550
members, he said.

“We’re very happy. I gave Todd a great report,” he said.