Lakeland Revival

Lakeland Revival or Florida Healing Outpouring is a Christian revival which began on April 2, 2008 when Evangelist Todd Bentley of Fresh Fire Ministries was invited to Ignited Church in Lakeland, Florida by Pastor Stephen Strader. Bentley was originally invited to be in Lakeland for only five days but remained there for four months. As of|2008|08|07 services at Ignited Church are continuing, and the church plans to continue the revival through the end of 2008.

Through its airing on GOD TV, the revival became well-known throughout the Pentecostal movement.cite web|url=http://www.theledger.com/article/20080425/NEWS/804250386|title=Faith-Healing 'Outpouring' Overflows Venue|date=April 25, 2008|publisher=TheLedger.com|accessdate=2008-07-14] Bentley's ministry estimated that over 300,000 have visited and 1.2 million have watched via the Internet.cite news|url=http://fieldnotes.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/05/29/1075189.aspx|title=Revivalist Claims Hundreds of Healings|publisher="MSNBC"|author=Rhee, Alice|date=2008-05-29|accessdate=2008-06-10]

While not the first revival to have this much influence, two other examples being the Toronto Blessing and Pensacola Outpouring of the 1990s, it is the first big revival to focus almost exclusively on healing with past ones heavily emphasizing conversion.cite news | last = Reed | first = Travis | title = Florida revival drawing criticism-- and thousands of followers | language = | publisher = Associated Press | date = 2008-07-28 | url = http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/07/28/values/doc488dfebc26cae983553158.txt | accessdate = 2008-08-17 ]

On August 7, Bentley and Fresh Fire gave control of the revival to Ignited Church.cite web|url=http://www.thelakelandrevival.com/2008/08/lakeland-revival-outpouring-turned-over.html|title=Lakeland Revival Outpouring Turned over to Ignited Church|date=August 07, 2008|publisher=The Lakeland Revival Blog|accessdate=2008-08-20] Ignited Church continued to hold meetings daily through August; however, in September the meetings were reduced to six days a week. A statement was released on Fresh Fire Ministries' website on August 15, 2008 explaining that Todd Bentley would step down from ministry because of an "unhealthy relationship on an emotional level with a female member of his staff".cite web|url=http://www.freshfire.ca/?Id=1065&pid=8|title=Aug 15 - From the Board of Directors|date=August 15, 2008|publisher=Fresh Fire Ministries|accessdate=2008-08-15]

Controversy

The revival generated some controversy among members of the Christian community, as some leaders questioned (or even outright rejected) the authenticity of the revival.cite news|url=http://www.worldmag.com/articles/14145|title= Same old Scam? |author= Leonard, Rusty and Cole, Warren|date=2008-06-30|accessdate=2008-06-30] Some skeptics have challenged the revival on the basis of the evidence put forward for the healing testimonies and sermon content.cite web|url=http://www.charlotte.com/112/story/676527.html|title=Tattooed preacher says God heals through him|date=June 19, 2008|publisher=The Charlotte Observer|accessdate=2008-07-14] Some criticism stemmed from some of Todd Bentley's unorthodox practices, which included shouting "Bam, Bam!" while praying for the sick [cite web|url=http://fireinmybones.com/index.php?col=061808%7EBam%21+Pow%21+When+Prayer+Ministry+Gets+Violent+|title=Bam! Pow! When Prayer Ministry Gets Violent|date=June 18, 2008|publisher=Charisma Magazine Online|accessdate=2008-07-14] and testifying to having had visions of an angel named Emma. [cite web|url=http://fireinmybones.com/index.php?col=051408%7EHonest+Questions+About+the+Lakeland+Revival|title=Honest Questions About the Lakeland Revival|date=May 14, 2008|publisher=Charisma Magazine Online|accessdate=2008-07-14]

In June 2008, Nightline carried out an investigative report on Bentley. Some days after the broadcast, Fresh Fire Ministries released a statement announcing that Bentley was taking time off "to refresh and to rest" and their Lakeland broadcasts on GOD TV were put on hold..cite news|url=http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/FaithMatters/story?id=5338963&page=1 |title=Thousands Flock to Revival in Search of Miracles |publisher="ABC News"|author=|date=2008-06-09|accessdate=2008-06-09] One week later, God TV announced Bentley would resume the Lakeland meetings and the broadcasts continued. [cite news|url=http://www.god.tv/florida |title=Todd Bentley back at Lakeland from Friday |publisher="GOD TV"|author=|date=July 16, 2008 |accessdate=2008-06-09]

The main focus of the services were on what supporters believe to be divine healing of conditions such as cancer, deafness, diabetes, and paralysis. Bentley's most controversial consisted of twenty cases where he says the dead were raised. In an effort to verify reported healings, Bentley's staff said they welcomed as much documentation as people were willing to give, including verification from doctors. Nightline's June 2008 investigation was unable to independently verify any of the healings. Participants in the revival were known to sing, laugh, and shout ecstatically, and many would fall down under the influence of the Holy Spirit, according to revival leaders.

At times, the healing services were criticized in mainstream media and on internet blogs for the occasional violence done to the participants. [http://tampabay.com/news/religion/article651191.ece Todd Bentley's revival in Lakeland draws 400,000 and counting - St. Petersburg Times ] ] [http://www.goodnewsfl.org/local.asp?page=bc/0608/front/todd.asp The Good News of South Florida - Local ] ] Todd Bentley was known to forcefully kick, hit, smack [ [http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080718/NEWS01/807180458 Evangelist Todd Bentley brings healing ministry to Louisville | courier-journal | The Courier-Journal ] ] or knock over participants. In one incident a man was knocked over and lost a tooth. In another, an elderly woman was intentionally kicked in the face. During such times Bentley holds that the Holy Spirit led him to such actions. Bentley responded to critisism by saying that those cases are taken out of context, adding that miracles were happening simultaneously.

Finances

The Lakeland Revival does not charge for attendance, but attendees can contribute to voluntary offerings that fund building and staff expenses. In response to questions about finances, Strader and Bentley stated in interviews that the Lakeland Revival has been funded entirely from these voluntary donations. [cite web|url=http://christiancrunch.wordpress.com/2008/06/18/geraldo-rivera-todd-bentley-and-the-lakeland-revival/|title=Geraldo Rivera, Todd Bentley, and the Lakeland Revival|date=June 18, 2008|publisher=Christian Crunch.com|accessdate=2008-06-24] The event has changed venues on a number of occasions, starting at the Ignited Church and sister church in Auburndale, and moving to the $15,000 per night Lakeland Center and Marchant Stadium. After outgrowing its previous venues, the revival meetings moved to an air conditioned tent that seated 10,000. On August 3, the revival meetings returned to Ignited Church.

Bentley said that he would open the books for independent auditors. However, requests for financial disclosure from World Magazine were met with a comment that Bentley was "too busy keeping up with what God is doing" to provide financial information.

Bentley's spokesperson has said that Bentley "continues to draw his standard salary, set by his board, from his office in Canada. It is a modest salary and is in the five-figure range," and that Fresh Fire Ministries is audited annually. A newspaper in Vancouver reported that Bentley owned a home in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada, a 2007 GMC Sierra, and a 2003 Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

ee also

*Brownsville Revival
*Toronto Blessing

References

External links

* [http://www.ignitedchurch.com/ Ignited Church]
* [http://www.thelakelandrevival.com/ The Lakeland Revival] Daily updates from Lakeland. (Not the official website.)
* [http://www.god.tv/ God TV] - television (and online streaming) coverage of the revival
* [http://www.freshfire.ca/ Fresh Fire Ministries] Todd Bentley's ministry's website
* [http://iworshiphere.com/Ministry.aspx?ministryId=ignitedchurch iWorshipHere: Ignited Church] - internet video streaming of the revival
* [http://www.overflowrooms.com/ OVERFLOWROOMS.COM] - Directory of churches that are revival centers of the outpouring around the world
* [http://www.thedesperate.com/ TheDesperate] - Latest news, praise reports, prayer requests
* [http://www.christianitymagazine.co.uk/features/florida.aspx/ Christianity magazine] - 'A fresh outpouring' article about the Lakeland revival
* [http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=revival-in-lakeland-fl Radical Living in a Comfortable World] - A critical and faithful look at the Lakeland Revival
* [http://www.wreckedfortheordinary.com/category.asp?category=community&filename=lakeland-revival-does-todd-bentley-go-too-far Wrecked for the Ordinary] - "Does Todd Bentley Go Too Far?" (Live report from the revival)