Wednesday, May 28, 2008

[THO]I Want to Believe...

[EDIT] Some are claiming that this video is false, edited from longer talks to make false claims about Bentley's violence. I know it is edited, but I wasn't aware that it was edited in a malicious way. I certainly hope this is the case. However, it is disturbingly not far off of what I've seen in other feeds from Bentley's "revival". I have a hard time watching too much of Bentley because his fake accent drives me around the bend - that might be more about my own issues with my Pentecostal roots where literally you adopt that southern accent if you want to be taken as seriously "annointed".




Chris posted this video and I know it is edited, likely to put Todd Bentley in a worse context, but seriously Todd, get a fricking grip. I can see that you are emulating Wigglesworth in actions, but did Wigglesworth boast about his wackier actions in healing? I know others wrote about some of them, but Wigglesworth was a humble man of God. Seriously, can you picture Jesus behaving like you? "Yeah, I rubbed spit and crap in that guys eyes, you should have seen it dudes. Then he got healed." From what I've read Jesus was 100 times the healer you'll ever be, so you might want to take some notes.

The thing is I want to believe God does unexpected things, heck I've seen many amazing and unexplainable things! But you can't make light of this. And if you are just bullshitting us, then grow up already.

The other thing that bugs me is that for some reason Todd thinks that claiming God told you to live out your WWF fantasies at church is good enough explaination. If God told you, then obey. But you better be sure God told you or else have a good team of lawyers. Consider that a prophetic message, I call it common sense. If you did that kind of crap to me and then turned me into the story of the week, I'd definitely not be impressed. In fact I might just fight back (or run away as I don't wear biker boots!) Think about what kind of an example are you setting for those who want to emulate your ministry. I want to see more Jesus and less Todd Bentley.

[EDIT] RobbyMac has some excellent posts on this. My favourite.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is the kind of thing that can happen when your church is not tethered to a biblical understanding of the Word and sacraments.

To deny the real presence of God in the sacraments to lose the assurance of yor salvation and to put the onus on yourself to conjur up emotions, feelings, good fruits, whatever....this kind of crap.

Once you drag the altar out the door and replace it with those stinking rock band instruments (and I love rock music...just not in the church) you are headed on a slippery slope toward the self.

One of Freedom said...

I think you are close, but it isn't the artifacts that lead to this kind of crap. The artifacts have always been inculturated. But the loss of sacramentalism has led to a baring of the altar which I feel has a strong connection to cult of personality.

I am not despairing over Todd, what needs to be seen is if he feels he is beyond reproach or not. He's not in my sphere of influence, but maybe someone will read this who is.