Todd Bentley and the Florida Healing Revival

I've not blogged for a while, things have been really busy here at Christian Chat with some major upgrades to the chat room software - it has been a tedious and difficult at times as the server was moved and capacity added.. however the finished product is great - we can now stream videos into the chat rooms to encourage people, we can send sounds, use avatar chat and speed the service we offer.

During this time a lot of people have been talking to me about the "Florida Healing Revival" and my asking my opinions on it and Todd Bentley so I thought this would be a great topic for my "Revived" blog!

Firstly I read this about the Revival in the Hebrides many years ago:

"When men in the streets are afraid to open their mouths and utter godless words lest the judgments of God should fall; when sinners, overawed by the Presence of God tremble in the streets and cry for mercy; when, without special meetings and sensational advertising, the Holy Ghost sweeps across cities and towns in Supernatural Power and holds men in the grip of terrifying Conviction; when "every shop becomes a pulpit, every heart an altar, every home a sanctuary" and people walk softly before God—This is Revival! "

So is this happening in Florida? As far as I can see this is not happening in Florida - I have not heard any stories of sinners in the street crying to God...but I have heard many testimonies of healing and of people repenting and coming to Christ.

This brings me onto my next observation.. Repentance. The dictionary definition of Repentance is "deep sorrow, compunction, or contrition for a past sin, wrongdoing, or the like. Remorse or contrition for past conduct or sin. " Now some naysayers are say that Todd Bentley does not preach repentance and well in one simple word "rubbish"! I have seen him preaching Repentance and as an evangelist I see him saying to people they need to repent.

Healings, miracles, signs and wonders are definitely happening though in the Florida meetings there are even reports of the dead being raised. Now when this begins to happen many are popping out of the wood work to discredit it but why are we so surprised at such miracles - this is Acts 2 ! I have also heard Todd Bentley speak about multitudes coming to Christ to be healed... and in a similar fashion multitudes are going to see Jesus move in Florida... and to Bentley this is just an opportunity to reach them with the gospel.

Some have also critised the unorthodox methods, the sheeka boom bahs the Bams and the booms when Todd Bentley lays hands on people.... but it reminds me of this story in the Bible...Mark 7:32-35 :"There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man.After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears. Then he spit and touched the man's tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, "Ephphatha!" (which means, "Be opened!" ). At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly." Not very orthodox is it? Anyway going to criticise Jesus for spitting at someone to heal them?

So is Florida a Revival? We are not seeing the same things that have happened in past Revivals... Where Divine conviction grips people everywhere; the strongholds of the devil tremble and many close their doors, while multitudes turn to Christ... however there are some amazing miracles happening which are and should continue to point us to Jesus Christ who intervenes and touches peoples needs and draws them to Him.

Next time I want to write an article about the "Ministry of pulling down the body" - it will be controversial so keep an eye out!

So what do you think about this move of God?