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Evangelist's Lakeland Revival Goes Extra Innings At Stadium
Tribune photo by BILLY TOWNSEND
Televangelist and self-styled healer Todd Bentley warms up the crowd of several thousand people who attended the revival at the Lakeland Center on April 30.
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Published: May 7, 2008
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LAKELAND - Evangelist Todd Bentley's revival is rolling on, with organizers planning to keep it going at least two more weeks.
The event, which Bentley and others have dubbed the Florida Outpouring, is back in the Lakeland Center arena after spending the weekend at Joker Marchant Stadium, where the Detroit Tigers play spring training baseball.
In addition to the evening services, which began in early April, a regular 10 a.m. service at Ignited Church in Lakeland quickly is outgrowing its venue, said Lynne Breidenbach, who is serving as a spokeswoman for the event.
That follows the pattern of the original revival, which organizers say started as a typical five-day Bentley visit to Ignited Church. Driven by religious television and Internet coverage, word of healings and an especially intense religious energy spread quickly. Within days, organizers were planning for an extended stay and accommodating crowds in the thousands.
Attendance may have peaked Friday night, when a crowd of 8,000 to 9,000 people filled Marchant Stadium, said Bob Donahay, assistant director of Lakeland's parks departments. Slightly smaller crowds attended on Saturday and Sunday night.
"It was like a spring training game," Donahay said.
Bentley's stage was set up at second base, and worshippers looking for healing lined up along the stadium's warning track, where Bentley ministered to them. Parks officials were concerned that services might damage the baseball stadium's manicured grass, but Donahay said organizers and revivalgoers alike treated the facility with great respect and stayed off the grass.
"We didn't know what to expect," Donahay said. "But they were model tenants."
Donahay noted that Friday night's big crowd left a large amount of trash, as is typical for a big event. Parks officials provided trash bags to the organizers for Saturday and Sunday, and the revival attendees cleaned up the vast amount of their trash each night, Donahay said.
"They're a really, really nice group of people," he said.
Revival organizers are paid $10,000 per day for use of the baseball stadium.
Tonight's event at the Lakeland Center arena is scheduled for 7. Admission is free, but an offering will be taken.
Bentley, 32, is a tattooed, body-pierced religious barnstormer who travels the world organizing revival meetings. He says the power of God rescued him at 18 from a life of drugs, crime and sexual misconduct.
His services emphasize the power of God to transform lives and ease personal burdens. Though he preaches to a mostly Pentecostal audience, Bentley said he eschews religious categories in his message.
And many visitors attend in the hope that Bentley's touch or the atmosphere of the meeting can heal injuries or otherwise ease burdens.
Bentley said he never has been involved in a revival or prayer meeting that generated the level of interest of what's happening in Lakeland.
Reporter Billy Townsend can be reached at (863) 284-1409 or wtownsend@tampatrib.com.
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Reader Comments
Posted by ( Yankee ) on May 7, 2008 at 10:32 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
This is so AWESOME!!! God is so good and He is still in the miracle working business. May the Lord continue to use you Todd Bentley. God bless you and all who attend.
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Posted by ( boston85 ) on May 7, 2008 at 10:38 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Bunch of nutjobs
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Posted by ( whyn ) on May 7, 2008 at 11:16 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
This guy is a phoney- one of the modern false teachers- fake message- fake power- son of Satan.
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Posted by ( GF ) on May 7, 2008 at 11:24 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Hospitals are full of people needing to be healed. Why doesn't he go there? Just think how much the insurance companies could save. Of course, not likely to fill the offering plate there.
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Posted by ( Claylisa ) on May 7, 2008 at 11:58 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Is that a gremlin on his shirt?
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Posted by ( theskinny ) on May 7, 2008 at 12:22 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
And the plate continues to overflow.Is this what the Bush administration wanted you to do with your refund check?
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Posted by ( Ann ) on May 7, 2008 at 12:25 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Todd's not claiming to heal these people ...there's just a massive outpouring of God's love in these meetings and the entire service is people just sharing what happened to them while watching or attending this service. All of the Glory is given to God. It's free to attend and you don't have to give an offering. With or without your offering...God will continue this until He is ready for it to end.
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Posted by ( whyn ) on May 7, 2008 at 12:34 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Oh my God ANN- read your bible its clear he's phoney- Christians in this age are embarrassingly Scripturally illiterate. They do not understand the very basics of the Christian faith- they are to busy following after the likes of Todd- The Whites, Dollars, etc.
They claim to be from God- yet at every turn prove there from Hell. The Timms in Orlando are another group of fakers- false prophets, false teachers, and false brethren- for those who do not understand- their false Christians.
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Posted by ( queenamidala ) on May 7, 2008 at 12:47 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
P. T. Barnum was right, there is a sucker born every minute. And most are at this ( GAG ) revival. Whack a doos all of them. Sheesh!
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Posted by ( kab ) on May 7, 2008 at 2:08 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I am so disappointed in what I am reading. All people want to look at is the possible negative.
Let's get the money thing out of the way first...have you heard him as for money...have you heard him take up an offering while the venue was packed...I think not. It is not until the end of the night when most of the people have left that he takes up a love offering. It is not a requirement, but if people want to help his ministry what's wrong with that.
Secondly, what happened to not judging? Who are we to say that just because he looks different and acts a little different, that god is not working through him.
Quit being so judgement and self righteouse. If you are so sure it's not real, go to a meeting and see what God will do. Todd's the first to say that he has no aggenda and is simply showing up to see what God will do. This is God's arena not Todd's.
BTW...there have been people who were in the hospital that have come to a meeting or watched it on GODTV and have been heals right where they were. It's all a matter of faith.
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Posted by ( Angel86 ) on May 7, 2008 at 2:26 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Jesus is the only one that can heal and he's doing it without Todd touching them also!! Matthew 7:17 Every good tree bears good fruit,but a bad tree cannot bear good fruit! 20 Thus,by their fruit you will reconize them!
John 10:25-26 I did tell you,but you do not believe.The works I do In my fathers name testify about me,but you do not believe cause you are not my sheep. John 10:33 We are not stoning you for any good works,'they replied, 'but for blasphemy because you,a mere man,claim to be god.'Todd He's not claiming to be god!! READ YOUR BIBLE PEOPLE!!!!
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Posted by ( whyn ) on May 7, 2008 at 2:28 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
tHE DECEIVED ARE LOOSE TODAY- THERE HAS NOTT BEEN ONE DOCUMENTED HEALING- NOR BENEFIT TO THIS DECEIVER.
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Posted by ( Ann ) on May 7, 2008 at 2:58 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
whyn, give me scriptures if I'm "Scripturally illiterate"...share scriptures with me that prove your point, change my mind. Have you been to one of the services? Go, before you start putting it down...know what you're talking about before you speak. I've watched it on GodTV and something is going on..Todd is very humble..at all times giving the glory to God. He says that he's coming to the services to see what is going to happen. He's as amazed as we are by this, and I've never once heard him ask for money. I'm not perfect, and I may be wrong, but I'm open to your views.
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Posted by ( whyn ) on May 7, 2008 at 3:01 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Oh please "KAb" tell me where in Scripture we are forbidden to use sound judgment?
How about the commands for us to be sober minded and diligent- do you really think that forbids us from looking at a man and judging his ministry and actions by the Word of God?
If so, your deception has been completed and you can no longer decern what is truly of God and what is from the Deceiver.
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Posted by ( GF ) on May 7, 2008 at 3:29 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
These people can't get along with each other, let alone anyone who doesn't think like them. Hypocrites.
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Posted by ( JtB ) on May 7, 2008 at 3:38 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Ann, Angel, Kab please read and understand
5 May 2008
Let us not get distracted!
A time such as this has begun. The fields are as white as snow. The harvest is over ripe and has been ready for quite some time, yet there have been those who have been sent to distract that have kept the worker from the fields or take them out once the work was started. Now it is time for an intervention to stop the distracter from coming to the field and moving the workers from this field. Keep your eye on God and do not be concerned with those who scoff at the vessels. Those who say that these are not how the vessels are supposed to look, have been nothing but dried up wine skins for hundreds of years, themselves. We could talk about them and we could be concerned how they divine on religiosity, but then that would take our eyes off of what is suppose to be important. It would fix our vision on the mortal (things that will pass away) when our vision needs to be fixed on those things which are immortal (eternal). The souls of man are eternal. The power of God is eternal. His ways are eternal. His love endures forever. His grace is everlasting. If one criticizes you for God, keep your eyes on the eternal. If one says that this move is not how their "god" would do it, keep your eyes on the eternal. If there are those who's injustices comes forth in a great way, keep your eyes on the eternal. If there is a "great cause" that will help save the Earth or give you extra money or just sound good to go and join, keep your eyes on the eternal. God's people have not been called to get caught up in things of this world, but we have been called to bring the Kingdom of God to this world. With all that is faced within this area of the world, it is easy to become distracted in the things that are not only evil, but are also "good" by society's standards. We need not to get caught up by these things, but instead we need to get caught up in the "perfect" dealings of God. His ways are not our ways. He uses the foolish to confound the wise. Let us watch for His eternal move and purpose, and get caught up with and in Him. Let us let the world's problems be the world's problems. Let God be the revealer of the societal lies and let us work towards that which God is eternally calling us. The injustices are hard in this world, but our eyes need to be fixed on that which is eternal despite these injustices. We are not of this world. We are of God and we dwell in this world. Distract us not oh world, you have nothing on which we can hang our hat on and call home.
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Posted by ( rylee ) on May 7, 2008 at 3:41 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
First of all, this is not Todd's revival or outpouring...this is God's outpouring. For those of you who believe Jesus cannot heal, and claim to be Christians, then I advise you to read the scriptures again...For HE is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He performed miracles before, He will today, and He will in the future. For those who believe this is of Satan...keep in mind that people are growing in faith and people are accepting Christ. Satan would never allow that to occur if his hand is in this. And for those who do not believe in Christ, I can understand your skeptism, for you cannot see the things of the Kingdom. I pray that your vision will clear and that you realize that we are created by Him and for Him. There is so much more to life than what we can fit in a box. Think outside of the box. He heals, He delivers, He saves. Not Todd, not any man...But Jesus alone. I do however believe he uses vessels...in fact...we are all called to heal, to cast out devils in HIS name. Its time we start trying to fit into God's plans, instead of trying to fit Him into ours. MAY HIS KINGDOM COME!
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Posted by ( wheredotheyfindthem ) on May 7, 2008 at 3:50 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Geez, this is a huge crowd of people, on a Friday night, going somewhere safe and feeling good and leaving there feeling good and not driving home drunk, doped up, or hurting anyone. They're getting what they went there for. Why ridicule or judge them when they're not hurting a soul. So what if they want to give an offering. Is it coming out of your wallet? It's THEIR choice. I don't know how some of you can even digest your food with all the bile and bitterness inside you that spills out just because someone is doing something you don't agree with. Get over yourselves.
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Posted by ( Muckraker ) on May 7, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
If 10,000 people choose to worship Bob's barricades, its just fine with me. Since most of these religious revivals are mostly entertainment with a bit of bible distortion tossed in for good measure, at least these "lost souls" were attempting to do something productive. Since it appears all these shows end with the "sermon on the amount" these followers would get more bang for the buck by worshipping barricades.
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Posted by ( judy_peters ) on May 7, 2008 at 10:51 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Life has been so incredibly challanging---raising kids--keeping financially fit---marriage--health--friends...I have experienced the power and visitation of the Living God in my life in days gone by ,,like waves. I can hardly wait to get to this happening in florida to drink it up and feel the embrace of a visitation from God almighty... If you are having a hard time believing what your seeing there--just get there--close your eyes--and let God open yours..Peace.
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Posted by ( Godimprinted ) on May 8, 2008 at 6:54 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Is Todd the real deal or not?
A far better choice is to focus on the good, positive, uplifting...This is sound advice for Christians and those whose faith is in something else (not recommended).
Just decide to have your own personal revival. You, God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit and some real-deal life change. Read 2 fists full of the Bible and maybe a book like "Preparing for Revival".
And if you think us Christians are a bunch of what-evers, you still can't deny your life needs some improvement. So you can have a "revival" also--some life change.
Let us all gripe less. And change more.
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Posted by ( Da_north2100 ) on May 8, 2008 at 10:22 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Like it was stated before, we jump the gun when judging people and you must first seek out the truth before we speak.
The problem is media and national news has made us so that we cannot believe things like this, even when it’s right in front of us. I went to Lakeland from northern MI last week for three days, did I come for Todd B. No, I came for a couple of reasons, one to see if it was real and I can tell you this and this is coming from a Christian who was saved by grace from a divorce and headed to hell if I was not open to receiving Christ. There were people who were there faking the healings that you could see plain as day, but those I don’t care about nor do I care to judge those who were faking it.
The thing was there were MORE people being truely healed by the Power and the Blood of Jesus Christ than those who were not. Not healed by Todd B. but Christ Jesus. Most were not even touched by Todd they were healed right were they stood or sat.
We get prayer requests over the phone, email and letters to pray for people every day but I guess we can’t heal when in the flesh, we cannot believe that it’s real. Our eyes have been covered over with scales for far too long the devil has blinded us of the true power of our Lord for many, many years.
Where two or more gather! Why not were thousands or more gather in His name!!
Take a look at the news today there are more people dieing because of destruction, war, floods, earthquakes, fire, shootings and the list go’s on. But when God moves in the supernatural to heal and restore it’s all-fake!
Who is truly being deceived here?
Who is being deceived here, People that will sit back and read about the power of God moving in a mighty way through healing people and delivering people of addictions and seeing them come to Christ and still want to call it evil? Come on people before you open your mouth or start typing on the keyboard jump on a jet, or into your car and drive there and see it for yourself. Or sit back and believe others who never went or seen this move of God, yes even if your pastor say's it's evil check it out for yourself.
Do you believe that in the past week over 100,000 lives were lost from the cyclone or that tornadoes are tarring apart the middle of the United States, earthquakes are hitting in areas not normally effected by such things?
You can post all the scriptures you want, but when will you yourself start to believe the ones that tell about the coming of Christ and the last day’s, your living in it right now, today.
I challenge you to go to Lakeland, Fl and experience a move of God that you will fall on your face and repent for being blind. Yes there are fakes out there trying to make it on TV and glorify themselves do you think the devil is going to sit back and give up without a fight!?
Just being real.
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Posted by ( NoSmallStir ) on May 8, 2008 at 5:11 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
When Jesus healed people it was said he did it from the power of "Beezelbub" ( Translation, Lord of the Flies ie. the devil). When He went into the portico by the pool of somebody, he only went to and healed one person, a paralytic.
The masses ridiculed Jesus and the press was bad, jeeze the stirred up the govt to kill him.
Todd Bentley is just a man, is he perfect? nope, is everything that comes out of his mouth 100% accurate? probably more accurate than most, but also flawed. However, Jesus promised greater works than he did will his followers do. When someone finally steps up and believes that and God uses them …well... you read the opinions.
all I say, is privately go talk to God and ask Him and with a sincere heart, go check it out for yourself. don't listen to anyone... just check it out …and leave your wallet home...
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Posted by ( DJN ) on May 8, 2008 at 10:03 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
1 Corinthians 1:27
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty
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Posted by ( prophet_india ) on May 9, 2008 at 7:49 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
In every evangelistic crusade like this, healings and miracles do take place in the Name of Jesus Christ. What is more striking in the ministry of Todd Bentley is the extra-biblical revelations "in the supernatural" which do not conform to the Word of God. Of course, for those people who come there desperately seeking the healing power of Jesus, they get healed in the Name of Jesus Christ. At the same time, deception also takes place due to the work of the Devil. In a true revival, only the name of Jesus Christ is glorified. People repent of their sins and and turn to God. Restitution and restoration of failed relationship take place. Crimes in the society start disappearing. The Welsh revival is the best example. Let us not be deceived in these last days through the signs and wonders in Jesus' Name.
Job Anbalagan
http://www.gloryofhiscross.org
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Posted by ( faithwalk ) on May 9, 2008 at 1:09 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Someone mentioned if that is a gremlin on his shirt, it sure does look like it. It is not wise to seek after "revivals" It is noted that Paul Cain has been flown in to preach by this bentely, and mr. cain has yet to make it right since he confessed to homosexuality and alchoholism. Also mr. bentely himself has spent time in jail for molesting a child. We do not think there is justification for any of these men to be allowed to preach any where for any reason, and the authorities need to do an immediate investigation into these men. If he claims he is delivered there are many ways to minister without preaching. And none of these so called evangelists have yet to darken the door of any hospital especially the pediatric wards where ministry is so needed. We don't need to travel to get a move of God. He is right there with us anywhere we go, and He will not violate his integrity for any reason. I pray for a great discernment to arise out of this. I think more healings are going on, on a day to day basis without the need for these big crusades. There is too much of a temptation for greed, power, fame and every other sin. When will there be an outcry to stop this spiritual abuse and molestation? I pray it comes soon, and the truth be revealed.
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Posted by ( mikethom ) on May 9, 2008 at 1:48 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
His shirt is a "Demon Hunter" shirt; a Christian rock band. Or perhaps they are a Satanic band... your call. I also pray that the truth will be revealed ;)
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Posted by ( Da_north2100 ) on May 9, 2008 at 10:36 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
faithwalk,
I suppose you believe that a murder that ask's for forgivness will still go to hell. The Lord Forgives SIN. It's funny how the church is fighting this and those who never heard the word of God are embrassing it.
Yes the same God is in your house with you, but it's great when you have thousands calling on His name and he answers.
Time to get out of the box church's God is moving and your going to miss it.
I do pray that the truth is shown through this.
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Posted by ( saucybrat ) on May 9, 2008 at 11:56 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I would like to comment on Todd not going to the hospitals to heal the sick. In the Bible, when Jesus was walking through the crowd, the woman with the issue of blood reached out and touched the hem of Jesus garment. Jesus stopped and said "Who touched me?"
He felt the healing power go out from Him. He looked at the woman and said "Woman, by YOUR FAITH you are healed."
She reached out to Him for her healing, Jesus did not go to her ... how many others did He touch along the way. By reaching out in faith, that is how we are healed.
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