Like many others, I heard about the Lakeland revival earlier in the year. I tuned into the God Channel and was enthused to hear Todd Bentley preaching about a new anointing of the Spirit. I was also amazed to see the deeds of power that God seemed to be using him to perform such as healings and miracles. He claimed that in our day the words of Mt 10:8 were being fulfilled, including the raising of the dead. Night after night the crowds grew, the excitement strengthened, and it looked as if Bentley’s ministry was surpassing that of the great Kathryn Kulhman. Many was the time that I was deeply moved as the tattooed eccentric talked about “pressing closer to God,” and “breaking through” to the glory, in such a way that the fire of revival would fall all over the world.

Growing Apprehension

But as time passed I got more and more apprehensive. I said repeatedly to friends that, although I was thrilled by what was happening in Lakeland, the revival couldn’t last because Bentley would either burn-out or die. I felt that no human being, especially someone with such a dysfunctional background, could cope with all the expectations which were being placed upon him. I knew that he was from a broken home, that he had been jailed for a sex crime, and was a former drug addict. One night he talked about a two year long crisis he had endured shortly before the Lakeland revival. It sounded like a nervous breakdown. His marriage had nearly broken up, and he may have had an affair at that time.

It struck me that there was no balance in Bentley’s life, that he had an addictive personality and may well have substituted religious ecstasy for the highs that drugs had once given him. I was also worried by Bentley’s increasing emphasis on money, “that tainted thing” (Lk 16:9). For instance, I saw him preach and minister to about ten thousand people in Los Angeles. He announced that he wanted the members of the audience to donate half a million dollars. I was aware that he needed money to finance his various initiatives, but knowing that “the love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Tim 6:10), I felt so uneasy about what was happening that I never watched a Bentley broadcast again.

Charisms do not depend on person being in a state of grace. When I heard that there had been some sort of scandal, and that the evangelist had been asked to step down, admittedly I was disappointed, but I wasn’t really surprised. It has been reported that he had been drinking fairly heavily during the Lakeland revival, had formed an unhealthy emotional relationship with a female member of his staff, and had separated from his wife. It was yet another sad case of the unholy trinity of money, alcohol and sex disrupting the purposes of God.

Although Todd Bentley has feet of clay, I suspect that a lot of what happened as a result of his ministry was genuine. Catholic theology has always maintained that the exercise of the charisms does not depend on a person being in a state of grace. The gifts are not necessarily a sign of sanctity, they are given for the sanctification of others.

Dangers in high profile ministry

I think that the rise and fall of Todd Bentley has salutary lessons to teach, especially to all those involved in high profile ministry. Firstly, the psychologist in me is sceptical about the notion that conversion instantly delivers people from former weaknesses, such as low self- acceptance, addictive and obsessive tendencies, and a propensity to self- absorption. Growth in self-awareness, healing of memories and spiritual transformation requires a lot of time and effort. Grace both prompts and builds upon those efforts.

It strikes me that, although Todd Bentley has many natural and supernatural gifts, he may have moved into large scale ministry before he had the human and spiritual maturity to do so. It would seem that his religious imagination far exceeded his obedience. As a result, people in these situations, no matter how well intentioned their efforts, can be undermined by the shadow side of their personalities e.g. a messianic complex, motivated by an unconscious desire for public approval and affirmation as a compensation for a lack of adequate nurturance in childhood.

Need of people around you who will tell you the truth

Anyone who has a prominent role is in danger of becoming a captive of his or her persona. He or she needs to listen to those who love them as they are, and not as they appear to be. The danger is, that religious celebrities can surround themselves with sycophantic people who butter up their egos and only tell them what they want to hear. Shakespeare was wise when he had Cassius say to Brutus: “be prepared to hear; and since you know you cannot see yourself so well as by reflection, I, your glass (mirror), will modestly discover to yourself that of yourself which you yet know not of.” Billy Graham was so aware of this need that he employed an English journalist whose job was to humble him after his successful rallies. He did this by reminding the great evangelist of unpalatable truths about himself. We know that Todd Bentley said he listened to heavenly angels but I wonder if he listened to more human ones (Cf. Heb 13:2) such as honest friends or a good spiritual director? It also seems to me that, both he and the revival he was championing, were ill served when leaders of the Pentecostal churches prematurely endorsed his ministry on T.V., without proper discernment of Spirits (Cf. 1 Jn 4:1).

St Ignatius of Loyola learned as a result of personal experience that the devil can lead good people astray by appearing as an angel of light (Cf. 2 Cor 11:14). In other words he uses things that are good in themselves such as zeal for souls, to get people to do imprudent things, like not getting enough sleep, working too hard, neglecting family and friends, and being so heavenly minded as to be no earthly good. So, what is needed is moderation in all things. When human nature is neglected it invariably reasserts its needs, but often in a sinful way as the person seeks solace and comfort in such things as inappropriate relationships and behaviours.

Todd Bentley’s demise reminds me of the Greek myth about Icarus, whose father fashioned him a pair of wax wings while warning him not to fly too close to the sun. However, intoxicated by the ecstasy of flight, Icarus soared ever higher through the sky. In the process he melted his wings, plummeted into the sea, and was drowned. I feel very sorry for Bentley, his wife, children and many followers. We should pray for them while trying to see what was good in his ministry (cf. Phil 4:8), e.g. what he said about God’s glory, the power of the Holy Spirit, expectant faith, signs and wonders, and the need for revival on a world wide scale. Despite what has happened at Lakeland, we have good reason to believe that we are on the verge of a new outpouring of the Spirit associated with signs and wonders which will inaugurate a great harvesting of souls for God.