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Christian prophecy for the church and for the nations from a servant of God called to speak God’s word

A Worship Leader Speaks Out re: Todd Bentley & Then Quits

Thanks to the person that posted this, and may God bless you richly for your stand.

“I have been the worship leader at a certain church for the past three years. The elders of our church pushed Lakeland hard on the flock. I knew it was wrong but stood by and let it happen. Last week I wrote a five page letter to the elders about a few problems I see, but dealing largely with the Lakeland mess. I called for public repentance from the elders AND myself for leading the flock astray. Sunday night i was called into an elders meeting, where I sat for three hours and listened to every explanation in the world of why they weren’t in the wrong. It started becoming apparent to me that if these guys defended the sheep with the same zeal that they defend Todd Bentley, the church would be in great shape. By the end of the meeting, I knew that I could no longer justify having my family under their leadership, and stepped down from my position.

So, I’m another casualty of the Lakeland disaster. The fallout of this thing is gonna be huge. My heart breaks for the families and churches this deception has torn apart. A big THANK YOU to this site for looking out for the sheep, even when the shepherds are not.”

August 21, 2008 - Posted by endtimespropheticwords | False Prophets and Teachers, Fresh Fire ministries, Prophecy, Todd Bentley, signs and wonders | , , , , | 29 Comments

29 Comments »

  1. God bless you for standing for the truth.

    Comment by Inlovewithjesus | August 21, 2008

  2. If Christ has set you free, you are free indeed.

    Comment by BB | August 21, 2008

  3. Dutch Sheets published a long explanation and repentance/apology on his site for meant for the whole Body of Christ.

    Comment by Judy | August 22, 2008

  4. Article Quote: “So, I’m another casualty of the Lakeland disaster. The fallout of this thing is gonna be huge. My heart breaks for the families and churches this deception has torn apart. A big THANK YOU to this site for looking out for the sheep, even when the shepherds are not.”

    Answer: You are to be commended for taking a stand – after the Lord opened the eyes of your understanding to the deception in the ‘church’. The Lord is seeing to it that those that want to follow Him in truth – are not deceived, but delivered out. This was a ‘good’ thing that happened as it brought you out from those you ‘thought’ were your brothers. All things do work to good for ‘those that love God’ and are called according to His purpose’; therefore, even the Lakeland ‘circus’ was for the Glory of God, but not in the way the false prophets thought it would be.
    It served to ‘expose’ them and those like them.

    Comment by Marilynn | August 22, 2008

  5. Miriam, I was wondering, have you gone back and watched the archived service from August 06 on god tv? This is the service were Bentley officially turned over the ‘revival’ to Strader.

    Knowing what people know now, I’d encourage you to go back and watch it. Since it’s archived, you can fast forward it past the music etc. It’s unbelievably hard (I was cringing) to watch, however, if you get a chance check it out.

    http://www.god.tv/god?region=tb
    Aug 06 broadcast

    Comment by scott771 | August 22, 2008

  6. No can you give any indication what is said or is so bad?

    Comment by endtimespropheticwords | August 22, 2008

  7. The Dutch Sheets article spoken of above is found at:

    http://www.dutchsheets.org/index.cfm

    While I don’t at all agree with him on many, many things, I certainly do appreciate the honesty in this apology.

    Comment by cheryl U. | August 22, 2008

  8. Miriam, well, I could say many things. However, if you get a chance just fast forward it to the point where Bentley and Strader are standing on the stage recounting the history of the whole ‘outpouring.’

    Keep in mind that Strader already knew at this point information about Bentley that most of us probably still aren’t privy to. Watch as Bentley passes on the Baton and Strader blows his breath on Bentley for about 20 seconds, it’s pretty sad.

    Comment by scott771 | August 22, 2008

  9. Bravo to the worship leader who had the courage of his faith to see deception.

    As for Dutch Sheets, he needs to realize he cannot “Tolerate” false prophetic Jezebelic “friends” like Chuck Pierce.

    Nor can Dutch tolerate or have even passive agreements with the lying false doctrines of C Peter Wagner. (Who preaches that we “take cities” by not preaching the word or laying hands on unbelievers or disentangling the enemies lies off of them, but by doing pagan prayer walks over rivers and rooftops.)

    Dutch wrote a pretty good book on intercession. However it is his tolerated associations with these false prophets and apostles that is his sin.

    He criticizes those who endorsed Bentley at the coronation ceremony?

    Mr. Sheets, you endorse those who endorsed Bentley…

    … where is YOUR discernment? THEY are the problem and YOU remain the problem along with them until YOU repent of your tolerated associations.

    Sorry, but that is the reality behind Lakeland, Mr. Sheets.

    Comment by AriseMyLove | August 22, 2008

  10. Let’s all pray for that worship leader and his family…know how he feels. On the one hand, these were people that he had worshiped and felowshipped with. On the other, his shock at hearing them justify themselves and their flawed doctrine…

    :-(

    Comment by bn | August 22, 2008

  11. You absoutely did the righteous thing. When I prayed and asked to Lord about Bently’s movement–especiallay the way casual and “familiar” way that ministry has toward to Holy Spirit, the Lord said the shepards are too busy wanting to be the head sheep”. “They do not come away to the mountain to learn of me as did Moses so that they can lead the sheep as a shephard does, but they would rather be popular with the sheep.” Thank you for being a Shepard and not a sheep. We need men of God who are faithful to Him and His calling and not men who want to be the mose popular sheep in the fold. Did a true prophet of God ever walk in popularity–I don’t think so.

    Thanks again for your faithfulness to The Great Shepard!!!

    Comment by Marie | August 22, 2008

  12. I certainly appreciate the encouragement, but I’m afraid the pats on the back are unwarranted. It was probably a year ago when the whole NAR-type thing started invading the church. Out of nowhere, started seeing studies by people like Bill Hamon, Mark Virkler and Ryan Watt. The elders started attending conferences by Mahesh Chavda, Rick Joyner, and Todd Bentley. People started getting “slain” during our worship time. Elders started having soaking sessions at their homes. When Lakeland hit, it was like the circus came to town. Every week the sermon would somehow end up about Lakeland, or why not to criticize Bentley. The church was opened everyday, and the God TV telecast was played on the big screen. All kinds of tales came out of those meetings. People touching the wall and falling out in the spirit, people beeing slain by one of Todd’s Bams, one of Todd’s words of knowledge directly relating to someone in our church…etc. For the last four months I prayed heavily that God would have someone stand up against the nonsense. I knew that something had to be done, yet I stood and watched many people fall into deception, and others fall away all together. Why didn’t I take a stand? I don’t know. I gave myself a different excuse every week. I guess it was just cowardice. Afraid I’d end up where I am right now. Finally, I thought with the revival winding down, maybe it would all go away, but no, more pushing, more excuses for Todd. Then they announced Virkler was coming to our church for a dream interpretation seminar. That was enough. I had to take a stand. I sincerely hoped that after writing my letter, all the elders and I would be on our faces this Sunday, before God and the church, repenting and crying out for forgiveness. A few minutes into our meeting, it was clear that wasn’t going to happen. Guys, this movement has a real anger towards discernment, and though they won’t admit it, they are quite put-off with the Bible. It was a real disheartening time for me. The final straw came when I asked who are the false prophets Jesus spoke about in Matt 24:24. The answer I got: “I don’t worry about who the false prophets are, I can learn for anyone.” Scary. I knew that moment that I could never allow my kids to be under that type of spiritual leadership.
    Anyhow, thanks for letting me vent. I’m feeling pretty isolated right now, and everyone seems to have distanced themselves from me. I guess Josh is a Pharisee, or has a religous spirit. That’s fine. The truth is out there now, and can’t be ignored. They’ll have to deal with it. I pray that more are willing to humble themselves and repent before even more damage is done to the body.

    Comment by Josh | August 22, 2008

  13. Miriam,

    Not to throw off the thread above but what is the story with the new symbols. Is your site under some form of attack.

    Greg.

    Comment by Greg. | August 22, 2008

  14. Regarding the sub-conversation on this string on Dutch Sheets, it was Sheets who introduced many of the false spiritual warfare practices via his Taking the City for God book he wrote. I least I think he pre-dated Wagner’s teachings, but it could be vice versa. Either way, Sheets advocates prayer walking, flying, etc and researching the library to discover what spirits are dominating an area in order to tear down that principality. Note that he’s never demonstrated the effectiveness of this, since we’re not authorized to tear down demonic princes until Jesus Himself comes and does it at the end of all things.

    I like Sheets’ apology, but he’s still a false teacher and false apostle.

    Comment by Jamadan | August 22, 2008

  15. Thank you, thank you for shepherding your family, for taking the narrow path… for loving the approval of God more than the approval of man. continue to intercede for a humble and broken heart for the pastors and elders and do not let the enemy sow anything in your heart.

    Comment by NoSmallStir | August 22, 2008

  16. Greg – what from aliens? Do you hate them then and want to go back to the old icons? What do others think?

    Comment by endtimespropheticwords | August 22, 2008

  17. Josh – ok you did not do the right think before, but the important thing is that you are recognising your personal responsibility and guilt and confessing it and truly repenting of it and producing with fruit in keeping with it. Therefore you are forgiven, and praise God that you have NOW obeyed God. I erred at the time of Toronto. All of us can be decieved.

    Elijah was in a lonely place, but praise God he had more power than all the prophets of Baal put together. Remember the God you serve and all the (real) angels on God’s side, open your eyes and see the chariots of God, and praise God run alongside one and find the men that God wants you now to reach…

    Comment by endtimespropheticwords | August 22, 2008

  18. certainly you can come up with some other icons..are we in grade school passing notes with pictures of our friends?

    Comment by John C | August 22, 2008

  19. i was trying to be cute.

    Comment by John C | August 22, 2008

  20. Josh – I just want to encourage you to lean on God during this time of loneliness. I know how you feel. I’m blessed that I have my husband standing with me and we have a wonderful church family but this whole thing has put quite a division between my parents and one of my sisters and I. It hurts. But I know that no matter what happens in my relationship with them I will always have God. He is always faithful. You’re right in that people caught up in this do have an anger towards discernment. I’ve experienced reactions like that myself as I’m sure many others here have as well. I just keep praying that my family members’ eyes will be opened along with everyone else’s.

    Btw Miriam, I like the new icons. I think they are a little more fun than the old ones. But that’s just my opinion. :-)

    Comment by ErinG | August 22, 2008

  21. Well, I was surprised to see the little yellow cartoon icon by my name, but after a while it grew on me. I think I would miss it now. It sorta fits me anyway…….

    Comment by jennifer | August 22, 2008

  22. There are a choice of three icons. These monster/alien things – ugly, I do not like them but they are more memorable and distinguishable than the former patterned squares – the patetrned squares OR some other ugly creatures that are even more ugly I think….

    Comment by endtimespropheticwords | August 22, 2008

  23. Josh, you are not alone. Those of us who have taken stands have been accused of all kinds of things. “Religious, jezabelles, divisve,” blah blah blah. It used to bother me years ago. Made me feel like I constantly had to defend myself. But not anymore. Being seperated the past few months from those who will not test things has challenged me even more. God has allowed this to seperate those who love His truth and those who do not. May you be a voice in the wilderness in the days ahead. May you be bold and strong and walk and talk without compromise in the days ahead. For a stronger delusion is coming. And God is calling His true children, the children of the day and not night, to KNOW Him. You are his son and He is more than enough for you. Be blessed my brother and walk in truth.

    Comment by redeemedhippie | August 22, 2008

  24. Josh,
    You aren’t alone. I think just about everyone here has a story to tell of feeling spit on for speaking up for the truth. Discernment and holding to Biblical truth is not attractive to those who want experiences at the cost of truth. Hang in there friend!

    Comment by Mary B. | August 23, 2008

  25. Miriam,

    Sorry about the icons comment, didn’t mean to offend. I am computer illiterate and thought maybe someone was trying to sabotage your blogg. The Icons are not really my cup of tea but it sounds like you don’t have nuch of a choice. HEY, I put up with my last Icon and it was PINK!!!!(Smiley face). How do you put in the smiley face Icon. Anyway, I dont want to distract so back to the subject matter of the post.

    Greg.

    Comment by greg | August 23, 2008

  26. Greg – no offence taken, they are pretty ugly :)

    Comment by endtimespropheticwords | August 24, 2008

  27. a smiley face is : plus ) after it.

    Comment by endtimespropheticwords | August 24, 2008

  28. Josh, I want you to know that I am praying for you. I wish I could do more to help, but as I am in the UK that would be difficult.

    I know that at first you were silent, but in the end you did the right thing. That took courage and I am not too sure I would have the courage.
    I pry God will send you and your family friends and will comfort you.

    Comment by V eronica | August 25, 2008

  29. Josh,

    I became a Christian in 1996 at the age of 18. I am not from a Christian background and had a difficult childhood, so I was willing to believe anything I was taught. I was so hungry for spiritual experiences. As a result I got involved with faith prosperity churches and also was involved with a charismatic house church that was in many ways a cult. I got very hurt and was abused, mainly because the fact that my long term battle with depression did not fit too well in their theology. ( I was of the devil and was evil becuase true Christians are victorious!)

    The worst thing about that time though was the way I treated others. I got people to believe in the faith prosperity message. I also remember one time when the pastor made a woman in a wheelchair go to the front and he made her walk. (She could walk a little) I feel so ashamed that I cheered him on. I do believe God heals, but now I realise the pastor acted in presumption not faith and we all contributed in making a woman who was already depressed feel even worse.

    The reason I am sharing this is that I want you to know that you are not alone in making mistakes of this nature, but you have been humble and repented so you are forgiven
    I am so sorry that you have faced such opposition and rejection. I pray that God will be close to you and provide for you.

    You have done the right thing. In a sense, by finally speaking out like others on this site you are helping to warn vunerable people like the person I used to be. I worry so much because I don’t want to see anyone hurt and I don’t want to see people’s faith destroyed.

    Comment by V eronica | August 25, 2008


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