Believing the Best

A few weeks ago, reports surfaced of immoral behavior involving Canadian-born evangelist Todd Bentley. Three of his former associates who I’m friends with on Facebook issued public warnings about him. Todd has denied most of these accusations. Meanwhile, a tribunal has been set up to investigate the charges. At the time of this writing, I’ve not heard of any legal action taken against Todd. 

Unless he is proven guilty, I’m choosing to believe the best about Todd Bentley (1 Corinthians 13:7). It was around 2002 when I started hearing about him. His name stood out to me because I had a junior high classmate also named Todd Bentley. 

The first time I heard evangelist Todd Bentley minister was at The River at Tampa Bay church in 2004. He wasn’t the scheduled speaker but Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne invited him to come up to the pulpit for a few minutes. Because he’s from Canada, I was surprised to hear Todd preach like an American Pentecostal.

Over the next two years, I listened to more messages by Todd Bentley. Cuts from his albums “Soaking in the Secret Place” and “Marinating” were played on my Internet station Signs & Wonders Radio. I also read his testimony book “Journey Into the Miraculous.” Admittedly, I was somewhat jealous of Todd’s rapid progression in ministry but respected his spiritual hunger and passion for the lost.

In 2007, I attended a Todd Bentley conference in London, Ontario. One night in a prayer line, Todd laid hands on me without looking me in the eye. I thought that was odd. Another time, I stood by his book table while he was talking with someone. I hoped to at least say “hello” to him but that didn’t happen.

A year later, a series of Todd Bentley meetings in Lakeland, Florida quickly erupted into a revival that lasted several months. I went there for a few days in May. During my first night at the revival, Todd offered to pray for all the missionaries. Just before I reached the platform, Todd sent his associates to pray for the rest of us waiting in line. That caused me to question if God didn’t want me having contact with Todd. Nevertheless, he laid hands on me again at an anointing service three nights later. We also became friends on Facebook.

Throughout the summer of 2008, I watched more revival meetings on GodTV. I appreciated what God was doing through Todd Bentley but perceived not everything was okay in Lakeland. The revival soon cooled off when Todd’s marriage problems became public knowledge. Since I had gone through a divorce that year, I could relate to the flak Todd experienced. It’s sad when Christians judge others without knowing all the facts.

In 2009, I watched videos of Todd Bentley going through a restoration process with Rick Joyner of MorningStar Ministries. In one of them, Todd’s new wife Jessa explained how they came together while Todd was getting a divorce. Jessa clarified that no adultery occurred but got too emotionally involved with Todd before his divorce was finalized. It was also revealed Todd and his first wife Shonnah had marital difficulties before Jessa came into the picture.

In February 2010, the Lord led me to Charlotte, North Carolina to attend meetings at MorningStar. By this time Rick released Todd Bentley to do public ministry again. Just before one evening service, I got to meet with the Bentleys for a couple of minutes. Todd prayed a blessing over my ministry without me asking him to. Since a brief return to MorningStar later that year, I haven’t attended any of Todd’s meetings but often read his Facebook posts.

In response to the recent allegations, many Todd Bentley meetings were canceled and partners have withdrawn their support. A few Christians insist he should no longer be behind the pulpit. I disagree as long as Todd has repented of all wrongdoing. Romans 11:29 says, “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” Televangelist Jim Bakker had a moral failure and was divorced by his wife Tammy while behind bars. God still brought him back into ministry. Jim didn’t even want to go on TV again but was led to start a program he now hosts with his current wife Lori.

Friends of mine in Massachusetts are hosting a Todd Bentley meeting in their home next weekend. I pray that heaven’s purposes will be fulfilled there. No matter how many times someone may mess up, God will use anyone who humbles himself and is repentant.

“For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again, but the wicked shall fall by calamity.” - Proverbs 24:16

UPDATE: Dr. Michael L. Brown released two statements regarding a Leadership Panel that investigated Todd Bentley's recent actions. The statements were posted on Dr. Brown's Facebook pages in early January 2020. I encourage everyone interested in reading them to do so prayerfully.

Lessons Learned From Lakeland

By now many of you have seen (and perhaps attended) the Florida Healing Outpouring meetings in Lakeland. What began on April 2nd as five days of meetings at Ignited Church by Canadian evangelist Todd Bentley quickly exploded into a worldwide revival thanks to GodTV and the Internet. I was in Lakeland for six days in May and then watched more meetings via GodTV this past summer.

In mid-August, it was announced that Todd Bentley was stepping down from public ministry due to failures in his personal life including a breakdown of his marriage. Many ministers have since made public statements regarding Todd and the Florida Outpouring. Until now, I didn’t plan on making my own comments mainly because I do not know Todd personally (although he added me as a Facebook friend). But then a couple of weeks ago, an incident came up that made me decide otherwise.

One Saturday morning I attended a men’s breakfast at a church in Virginia. After eating and a time of worship, the pastor preached on the importance of accountability. Near the end of his sermon, he talked about the errors made by Todd Bentley. I became grieved in my spirit when the pastor criticized Todd’s youth (what about 1 Timothy 4:12?) and the “lack of proof” that miracles happened through this revival. A fellow missionary who came to the breakfast with me attended meetings in Lakeland for 2½ months and had witnessed numerous miracles himself. He and I decided to walk out before this men’s breakfast was over.

While my friend and I waited in the parking lot for our ride home (our driver stayed for the rest of the meeting), I got into a discussion with one of the church’s security personnel. When I told him why I felt some of his pastor’s comments were out of line, he suggested I send the pastor an email.

The pastor replied to my email by saying, "The view I spoke from on Saturday morning was a leadership view - the view you speak from today is a lay person's view from the pew." (I didn’t tell him in advance that I was an evangelist.) He also mentioned he has many contacts in Lakeland and shared “behind-the-scenes” stuff with me. Although I respect this pastor’s intent to protect his congregation, I felt some of his comments were a bit condescending.

Certainly, I do not condone the sins Todd Bentley has committed. But I believe fellow ministers need to respond to him in a more Christ-like manner. Galatians 6:1 says, “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” I recall how Jimmy Swaggart took it upon himself to expose fellow televangelists for immorality and later fell into the same sin. As Jesus said in Matthew 7:1-2, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”

Getting back to Todd Bentley, I will admit there were a couple of things that concerned me before his resignation from public ministry…

1) In the early days of the revival Todd was doing meetings seven nights a week. Later Todd took nights off to do meetings in other cities. God’s commandment to “remember the Sabbath” applies to ministers as well.

2) Todd Bentley got his tattoos after he went into the ministry. Some Christians may argue tattoos can be used as witnessing tools. I know one man who had a “666” tattooed on his hand before he got saved and later had it redesigned to look like “777”. On the other hand, I've heard testimonies of tattoos supernaturally erased! Personally I don’t think it’s a good Christian witness to get tattoos especially since Leviticus 19:28 forbade God’s people from doing so. One valid point the pastor in Virginia made was that kids were inspired by Todd’s appearance to get tattoos against their parent’s wishes. Doesn’t this amount to rebellion?

I still look at Todd Bentley as a man of God for Romans 11:29 says, “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” Let’s not forgot the multitudes of people who traveled from various nations to Lakeland and were changed as a result of the Florida Outpouring meetings. Let’s not forgot all the salvations, healings, and miracles that manifested through Todd and his Fresh Fire associates. Let’s not forget that God uses imperfect people to carry out His perfect plans. If God can use a donkey, He can use anybody willing to submit their lives to Him.

I invite you to join me to continue praying for Todd and his family. Ministers who are considered forerunners and willing to go outside man-made religious boxes are prone to attacks from the enemy. It’s sad that those attacks often come from fellow Christians. We need to stop shooting our own wounded.

“Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.” - Romans 2:1