William Branham 1950 Todd Bentley 2008
The year anniversary date of the Lakeland outpouring is tomorrow, April 2. What a year of shaking this has been!
When the Lakeland outpouring began a year ago, I expressed my deep concern about the need I saw for the catalyst, Todd Bentley, to receive emotional healing. I contacted a leader who was directly involved and had close relationship with Todd. I shared my fear that Todd was going to “crash” and that it would be devastating for him personally and for the Church at large if he didn’t get healing.
My warning was not heeded and Todd did have a very public “crash.” I believe this could have been avoided and there is a lesson to be learned.
I personally did not attend the Lakeland meetings, nor did I watch them on television because I was grieved by the “fruit” I was observing. I believed that genuine healing and miracles were taking place in Lakeland, but was alarmed over the exaggeration and hype that was also occurring.
Some ministers from our area went to the Lakeland meetings and seemed very prideful on their return. Some boasted that they were going to “bring revival” to the region because Todd had laid hands on them. When they started extended meetings in our area, I received reports that many walked out of those meetings because of the pride, hype and competition that was being exhibited.
The Latter Rain movement began in 1948 and there were many healings and miracles. William Branham was a key figure in that revival. He was killed in a car crash in 1965. When the Lakeland outpouring began, there was a car accident in our area and another man with the same name (William Branham) was killed in that crash. The accident report said he was going too fast for the conditions.
I felt there was a prophetic parallel. I felt that Todd needed to slow down to deal with his issues and the media was fueling something that was going too fast for the conditions.
“We can destroy with our character what we build with our gift.” In the Latter Rain movement, there was lust, greed, pride, jealousy and competition. That move of God stopped as a result. I believe those same issues stopped the Lakeland outpouring.
I hoped that the Lakeland scandal would start a conversation about our need for emotional healing and our need for true mothers and fathers. Unless we receive healing for our souls, we will continue to make the same mistakes as past revivalists. It has been said if we don’t study history, we are doomed to repeat it.
Revolution Church 