The 'Dead' Rising To Life from Caskets

[Lewis]

Todd Bentley and the '13th Resurrection'

What was the name of that funeral home?

by Bud Press, Director

Christian Research Service

http://www.christianresearchservice.com

ChristianResearchService.blogspot.com

July 22, 2008



In this 5:28 YouTube video ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLv6C7b6m88 ), Todd Bentley reads an unverified e-mail and excitedly proclaims the "thirteenth resurrection from the dead" which, according to Bentley, took place at a funeral home.



While reading the e-mail, Bentley says a family requested that the God TV/Florida revival be aired during an "all-night wake" for a dead man resting in a casket. Amidst the cheers and applause from his revival audience, Bentley states:

At the funeral they played the revival, and we declared that our brother would not be embalmed. At 2:19 AM, my brother began to stir in his coffin! In his coffin!

And Bentley's followers went wild with cheers and shouts.



Bentley continues reading the unverified e-mail, stating that,

My brother sat up in the coffin praising God and the Reverend Todd Bentley! Now listen to this! My dear brother, all day, since he's been raised from the dead, has been telling us about his journey to heaven and how he thought he would never come back.



He died and went to heaven! Listen to this! He thought he would never come back to the earth to be with us, but then he heard our beloved Reverend Todd and his voice pulling his spirit out of heaven. All of us at the funeral home began screaming and shouting for more fire. Thank God for the revival and God TV!



NUMBER 13 FROM THE DEAD! We're gonna confirm it. We gotta confirm it. We're gonna do a follow up. But I thought I'd read it as I received the testimony.

I became curious after watching the video and called numerous funeral homes in and around Lakeland, Florida. I spoke to officials and asked questions pertaining to a dead-man being raised to life from his coffin. A few asked, "Are you serious?" while others laughed.



But without exception, they all said it had not happened. Also, a few of the officials said that if a dead man had actually been raised to life from a coffin, they would have known about it--nationwide.



Indeed, the dead being raised from their coffins in funeral homes, as well as the aftermath, would make local, state, national, and worldwide headlines, such as:



The 'Dead' Rising To Life from Caskets

Funeral Homes Closing Doors



No doubt funeral home directors and employees would be seeking a different line of work, or unemployment benefits.



Anyway, one funeral home representative said that a family--via the Lakeland revival--had come to the funeral home and prayed for one that had died, but the burial took place as scheduled.



So, just to make sure, I called the Board of Funerals, Cemetery, and Consumer Services in Florida and asked the same questions. Again, the answer was, "No." Had a dead-man sat up in his coffin--as described in the e-mail read by Todd Bentley--they would have heard about it.



While I believe wholeheartedly that God has and can raise the dead to life--embalmed or not--perhaps Todd Bentley will graciously provide the name of the funeral home in question, along with documented proof of all of the alleged "resurrections" from the dead.



It never hurts to ask, due to the fact that documented proof will stand up to intense scrutiny--provided the story is true, that is.



But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22).



Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1).





http://www.christianresearchservice.com/ToddBentley5.htm

 

[Free]

From an email:

An ICA 'APOSTLE' SPEAKS OUT on LAKELAND
-Andrew Strom.

[With huge thanks to RevivalSchool member 'SoulDan' for his help].

First, let me start by saying that Robert Ricciardelli has been
incredibly bold and courageous in speaking out on this issue in
recent days. He is one of the very few from NAR circles who have
dared to speak up - firstly on blogs and on the radio - and even on
our own Forum at RevivalSchool.com, etc. Robert is a member -
a "marketplace apostle" in Peter Wagner's "International Coalition
of Apostles" (ICA). He is the real deal. For him to speak out
about Lakeland is a very brave act indeed. Plus he is a Charisma
Magazine writer and a friend of Lee Grady.

Last week on July 14th Robert was a guest on Radio KGNW -
where he spoke of how he had just come back from Lakeland, and
told of his deep concerns and the background research that he
had been doing. On July 16th he commented on one Internet blog:
"Truth is there are very few people being healed in Lakeland. I
have worked with Charisma Magazine editor Lee Grady in
discovering how many false reports have been released as facts.
These are our brothers and sisters involved in this, but this move
of God has been a move of men with God still touching some
who come to seek Him."

On another blog he wrote: "Charisma reporters and a few others
like myself have tried to get these verified and cannot... We actually
had offered to help, because any news of a resurrection in my
opinion is world news if it can be validated. But then when the
totals continued to mount which led to hype and embellishment,
they began to ask us to stop asking questions. Hmmmm?

"Friday night, Todd said that God said there were 1000 people that
were to give $1000, and they were to receive a 1000 fold blessing.
The one hour drama on this giving subject was so deceptively
evident that it was embarrasing to watch. On top of that, those
that would give that money were able to come to the platform to
be recognized."

Concerning the 'Resurrections' in Lakeland, Robert wrote: "We
have investigated the 20 plus "raised from the dead" claims as we
want to report them to the media, and they cannot be verified, but
were only called in, or sent in from an email. This is not responsible
reporting, and leaves many questions, which also adds to the
claims of hype and embellishment." [~Robert Ricciardelli blog
comments - 'jasonclark.ws' & 'stevehickey.wordpress.com']

The hour-long broadcast that Robert did on KGNW is also causing
quite a stir as it does the rounds on the Internet.

On our own Forum at RevivalSchool.com, Robert publicly added
the following comments:

"Peter Wagner and Chuck Pierce nominated me as a marketplace
apostle 6 years ago. I threw the title away before I ever got it. I am
not into titles, but I am into functions. The Lord told us "yes" to
engage, and He was going to show us some truth in the process.
Being engaged has given us a great oportunity to see the good,
the bad, and the ugly of the apostolic/prophetic movements. The
biggest thing along the way is the friends and associates we have
met that have a biblical worldview much the same as we do...

"After this year we will pray about next year and so far it looks
like the Father is giving us a sense that we may not to be a part
of the ICA if Peter and the leadership do not reconsider their
impromptu decision to jump into the Lakeland stream, when many
of us warned him not to. It was a mistake to coronate, when they
needed to father and correct Bentley from the direction he is
heading others into. It just put more fuel in his errant tank.

"I am praying for Todd, because he really is an evangelist, and he
is a gifted evangelist. But he cannot go on embellishing, speaking
untruths, hyping, manipulating, shoving, kicking, slapping, leg
dropping, and bamming his way on the pulpit without consequences.
God will not be mocked, and Todd and others must answer to Him
for everyone led astray.

"The biggest thing about Lakeland is the lack of the fear of our
Awesome God, lack of repentance and humility. Many have
exchanged the truth for a lie and chosen experience over content.
Angels, trances, and 3rd heaven focus has replaced the gospel
as a focus... Lord do what only you can do to bring your divine
alignment to all of us in Jesus name.." [-end quote]

I took note of the fact that Robert said that "many" had warned
Peter Wagner not to jump into the Lakeland stream. I also noted
that Robert seemed to be saying that he himself may leave the
ICA over this issue. I thanked him publicly for his courage in
speaking out, and asked him if there really was a lot of disagree-
ment even within Wagner's own movement?

Robert replied:
"To answer your question, yes there is at least a dozen ICA
members that I know of that are extremely concerned at Peter's
endorsement and more to follow as the nonsense continues. The
transferring of anointing, the focus on man bringing anything but
the gospel is amazing and sad.... if Peter Wagner, Bill Johnson,
and some distinguished members of the Who's Who in Charismania
say it is all good, then people just go with it. Some have begun to
see the YouTube and other information and begun to change.
Some go as far as to claim it as deception, others say it is a
move of God that needs correction.

"It is my opinion that it was man orchestrated and demonically
influenced from the very beginning. The worship has been good
and Roy Fields is an awesome worship leader, so many in the
worship and even watching from afar can sense God in the worship
of His people. The truth is God has been engaged in the worship
and has touched and healed some. This is why it has been so
confusing to some. I have heard that Roy Fields has stated a few
times that when the worship ends, God's presence leaves the
platform, and then Todd Bentley operates void of His presence.
That is why most all of what they have claimed cannot be verified,
because it just is not happening.

"We have heard a few people getting well, being touched and so
on. There is a church here in North Carolina that brought 27 sick
down there for a week. Some with cancer, leukemia, diabetes
and such. None got healed and most were worse when they
came back. The emperor is not wearing any clothes and the truth
must be known. Many are claiming that Todd is the new thing
that God is doing. The fact is he is still operating in the old thing,
and operating with less integrity and character than the previous
one man shows.

"God is about nameless and faceless people who are operating
without any agenda but the Lord's. Preaching about the King
and His Kingdom, and moving supernaturally after Him, and as
they do, signs and wonders follow. The problem in Charismania
is that they seek the sign, they seek the thrill, they seek the
craft supply quality gold dust, feathers and gems. They may get
the chills and frills, but leave with nothing more than goose bumps
and really little spiritual change. When they seek the King, the
Kingdom of God and His righteousness, you begin to see
transformation take place at the heart level. This is God's way
and always has been... Bentley is just a product of the Charismatic/
apostolic/ prophetic trending away from Plumb line truth. At the
same time the fact is, none of us amount to much, no not one.
But in Him and dying to self and living His agenda, we can move
mountains... The church is getting there, I wrote an article for
Charisma that everything that can be shaken is being shaken,
and this is what is happening in a great way right now..." [end quote]

Friends, please write to Robert encouraging him if you can for
the courageous stand he is taking.

See more of his comments + links to his article & radio show
on the 'Scrolling Forum' at the following website (main page) -

http://www.revivalschool.com

PLEASE FORWARD This EMAIL TO OTHERS.

God bless you all,

Andrew Strom.

--
YES! - You have permission to post these emails
to friends or other groups, blogs, boards, etc. Go for it!

 

[Free]

That was a little longer than I thought, sorry. It's a quick read though and well worth it.

 

[Lewis]

Free thanks for that man.

 

[Free]

I thought it would be worth bringing this thread to life briefly since another one was started. From an August 13th email:

LIFE AFTER LAKELAND: Sorting Out the Confusion
-by J. Lee Grady.

Todd Bentley's announcement that his marriage is ending has
thrown our movement into a tailspin-and questions need to be answered.

It was not supposed to end like this.

Evangelist Todd Bentley had heralded the Lakeland revival as the
greatest Pentecostal outpouring since Azusa Street. From his
stage in a gigantic tent in Florida, Bentley preached to thousands,
bringing many of them to the stage for prayer. Many claimed to
be healed of deafness, blindness, heart problems, depression and
dozens of other conditions in the Lakeland services, which ran for
more than 100 consecutive nights. Bentley announced confidently
that dozens of people had been raised from the dead during the revival.

But this week, a few days after the Canadian preacher announced
the end of his visits to Lakeland, he told his staff that his marriage
is ending. Without blaming the pace of the revival for Bentley's
personal problems, his board released a public statement saying
that he and his wife, Shonnah, are separating. The news shocked
Bentley's adoring fans and saddened those who have questioned
his credibility since the Lakeland movement erupted in early April.

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.

I blame this lack of discernment, partly, on raw zeal for God. We're
spiritual hungry-which can be a good thing. But sometimes, hungry
people will eat anything.

Many of us would rather watch a noisy demonstration of miracles,
signs and wonders than have a quiet Bible study. Yet we are faced
today with the sad reality that our untempered zeal is a sign of
immaturity. Our adolescent craving for the wild and crazy makes
us do stupid things. It's way past time for us to grow up.

Why didn't anyone in Lakeland denounce the favorable comments
Bentley made about William Branham?

This one baffles me. Branham embraced horrible deception near
the end of his ministry... and his strange doctrines are still
embraced by a cultlike following today...

Why didn't anyone correct this error from the pulpit? Godly leaders
are supposed to protect the sheep from heresy, not spoon feed
deception to them. Only God knows how far this poison traveled
from Lakeland to take root elsewhere. May God forgive us for
allowing His Word to be so flippantly contaminated.

A prominent Pentecostal evangelist called me this week after
Bentley's news hit the fan. He said to me: "I'm now convinced that
a large segment of the charismatic church will follow the anti-Christ
when he shows up because they have no discernment." Ouch.
Hopefully we'll learn our lesson this time and apply the necessary
caution when an imposter shows up.

Why did God TV tell people that "any criticism of Todd Bentley is demonic"?

This ridiculous statement was actually made on one of God TV's
pre-shows. In fact, the network's hosts also warned listeners that
if they listened to criticism of Bentley, they could lose their healings.

This is cultic manipulation at its worst. The Bible tells us that the
Bereans were noble believers because they studied the Scriptures
daily "to see whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11, NASB).
Yet in the case of Lakeland, honest intellectual inquiry was viewed
as a sign of weakness. People were expected to jump first and
then open their eyes.

Just because we believe in the power of the Holy Spirit does not
mean we check our brains at the church door. We are commanded
to test the spirits. Jesus wants us to love Him with our hearts and our minds.

Because of the Lakeland scandal, there may be large numbers of
people who feel they've been burned by Bentley. Some may give
up on church and join the growing ranks of bitter, disenfranchised
Christians. Others may suffer total spiritual shipwreck. This could
have been avoided if leaders had been more vocal about their
objections and urged people to evaluate spiritual experiences
through the filter of God's Word.

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?

This controversial ceremony was organized by Peter Wagner, who
felt that one of Bentley's greatest needs was proper spiritual
covering. He asked California pastors Che Ahn and Bill Johnson,
along with Canadian pastor John Arnott, to lay hands on Bentley
and bring him under their care.

Bentley certainly needs such covering. No one in ministry today
should be out on their own, living in isolation without checks,
balances and wise counsel. It was commendable that Wagner
reached out to Bentley and that Bentley acknowledged his need
for spiritual fathers by agreeing to submit to the process. The
question remains, however, whether it was wise to commend
Bentley during a televised commissioning service that at times
seemed more like a king's coronation.

In hindsight, we can all see that it would have been better to take
Bentley into a back room and talk about his personal issues.

The Bible tells us that ordination of a minister is a sober
responsibility. Paul wrote: "Do not lay hands upon anyone too
hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others"
(1 Tim. 5:22). We might be tempted to rush the process, but the
apostle warned against fast-tracking ordination-and he said that
those who commission a minister who is not ready for the job will
bear some of the blame for his failures.

I trust that Wagner, Ahn, Johnson and Arnott didn't know of
Bentley's problems before they ordained him. I am sure they are
saddened by the events of this week and are reaching out to
Bentley and his wife to promote healing and restoration. But I
believe that they, along with Bentley and the owners of God TV,
owe the body of Christ a forthright, public apology for thrusting
Bentley's ministry into the spotlight prematurely. (Perhaps such
an apology should be aired on God TV.)

Can anything good come out of this?

That depends on how people respond. If the men assigned to
oversee Bentley offer loving but firm correction, and if Bentley
responds humbly to the process by stepping out of ministry for a
season of rehabilitation, we could witness a healthy case of church
discipline play out the way it is supposed to. If all those who were
so eager to promote Bentley now rush just as fast to repent for
their errors in judgment, then the rest of us could breathe a huge
sigh of relief-and the credibility of our movement could be restored.

I still believe that God desires to visit our nation in supernatural
power. I know He wants to heal multitudes, and I will continue
praying for a healing revival to sweep across the United States.
But we must contend for the genuine, not an imitation. True revival
will be accompanied by brokenness, humility, reverence and
repentance-not the arrogance, showmanship and empty hype
that often was on display in Lakeland.

We are weathering an unprecedented season of moral failure and
spiritual compromise in our nation today. I urge everyone in the
charismatic world to pray for Bentley; his wife, Shonnah; his three
young children; Bentley's ministry staff; and the men and women
who serve as his counselors and advisers. Let's pray that God will
turn this embarrassing debacle into an opportunity for miraculous restoration.

~SOURCE: http://www.charismanews.com/

 

[Carol Lowery]

Thanks I appreciate it, I've not heard of this guy before my God son asked me about him. Wish I was still in the closet of ignorance when it comes to him. But again thanks.

Kudos HIM,
carolpsalm 91 <><