Todd Bentley, the preacher at the center of the so-called “Lakeland Revival,” is separating from his wife.

J. Lee Grady of Charisma magazine writes:

I’m sad. I’m disappointed. And I’m angry. Here are few of my many, many questions about this fiasco:

Why did so many people flock to Lakeland from around the world to rally behind an evangelist who had serious credibility issues from the beginning?

To put it bluntly, we’re just plain gullible.

From the first week of the Lakeland revival, many discerning Christians raised questions about Bentley’s beliefs and practices. They felt uneasy when he said he talked to an angel in his hotel room. They sensed something amiss when he wore a T-shirt with a skeleton on it. They wondered why a man of God would cover himself with tattoos. They were horrified when they heard him describe how he tackled a man and knocked his tooth out during prayer.

But among those who jumped on the Lakeland bandwagon, discernment was discouraged. They were expected to swallow and follow. The message was clear: “This is God. Don’t question.” So before we could all say, “Sheeka Boomba” (as Bentley often prayed from his pulpit), many people went home, prayed for people and shoved them to the floor with reckless abandon, Bentley-style.

He goes on to ask some more important questions:

• Why did God TV tell people that “any criticism of Todd Bentley is demonic”?
• Why did a group of respected ministers lay hands on Bentley on June 23 and publicly ordain him? Did they know of his personal problems?

Your Turn

In light of my last couple of posts about what defines us and gives us value, what do you think: Does Todd Bentley’s separation from his wife redefine what he is, or do his actions reveal what he was all along?

[HT: John Piper via JT]