Tod Bentley and the Use of Words

Crippled People

As I watch the revival unfold on various video clips, I am continuously awestruck by Mr. Bentley's mockery and overall disrespect of people with disabilities. This disrespect is evidenced not only by his physical assaults on those with illnesses and disabilities or the way he has people do dangerous things to their bodies (having people with back problems twist and turn) by also by his use of the phrase, 'crippled people'.

I do not expect every church leader to keep up with the ever changing list of words used to describe disabilities and how to refer to people who have them. However, I would appreciate it if they at least understood the some of the words they do use in the context of the word's history and how much it has offended and hurt people with disabilities. I asked my mother, who has a physical disability, how she would feel is someone referred to her as a crippled person, and just the question hurt her feelings.

The word 'crippled' is not necessarily a bad word. However, it is an old word, one that connotes past images of how we used to see those with disabilities- helpless, useless, and a drain on society. Yet, many in the Church have been throwing it around a lot, including Todd Bentley, his followers, and the media covering this revival. Why? Who is not aware that referring to people with disabilities as 'crippled people' offensive to many with disabilities these days?

My own thoughts is that it is evidence that much of the Church, not just those who are a part of this revival, has ignored the struggles of those with disabilities. Their whole struggles, struggles of not just physical pain, but the emotional toll of having a disability, the loneliness associated with it, the abuse and rejection many with disabilities face.

Paul wrote about being all things to all people, including becoming weak with those who are weak for the sake of the Gospel, to share the blessing of it (1 Corinthians 9:22-23). To be disabled with those who are disabled means to understand that referring to people as 'crippled people' these days means that those with disabilities will not want to hear the message of the Gospel if they those preaching it to them are hurting their feelings.

For more information on language and disability, visit Disability is Natural's webpage on People FirstLanguage. Also, for a personal perspective on society and disability, read Degree of Disability from the blog Wheelie Catholic.

The Evangelical Sensation at the Moment

In April Todd Bentley of Fresh Fire Ministries in Canada began leading a revival in Lakeland, Florida. Intended to last just a few days, he has extended these revival meetings well into this summer, taking a small break after this ABC Nightline interview, but returning not long afterward. Very concerned about what is happening in Lakeland, I'd like to write about this Nightline interview.

'Just him and God'

In this interview, we learn that Bentley "defiantly steers clear of any organized denomination, any chain of accountability. As he sees it, it is just him and God." The idea of 'just him and God' sends off alarm bells in me. I am not so much bothered that he is not connected with any denomination, for I myself attend a nondenominational church. But the fact that he is not connected to any denomination for accountability and is not accountable to anyone in what he is doing in these revivals- again, alarm bells.

A person of Mr. Bentley's growing fame needs the accountability of counselors. (Actually, all believers need accountability.) That person can get lost in his own thoughts and ideas, believing he is walking in the way of God, yet, without the wise counsel of of othrs, can err in doctrine and even in conduct. He can be caught up in secret sin, as well-known men and women of God can be more tempted than other believers in areas of pride, self-righeousness, greed, and other sins, only to eventually fall loudly and disgracefully.

I can understand the idea of 'just me and God', I really can, having spent spent most of my Christian living that way. However, I can also attest to the freedom I found from secret sins and in incresing faulty ideas about God born of my own fallen mind and introspection when I began adding other believers into the 'just God and me' formula.

As Psalm 37:30 says, "The godly offer good counsel; they teach right from wrong." Proverbs 11:14 says, "Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety." Proverbs 19:20 says, "Listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days." Colossians 3:16 says, "Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he (Christ) gives."

'I believe miracles happen in their own time'

June Cochran (sp?) interviewed in this piece says Bently's followers pressure her to come to the revival and be cured. "They're not hearing what they're saying," Cochran feels. "They're saying something's wrong with us, and if we don't already have our self esteem already built up, then it just tears us down even more. Like we're not even worthy to be here."

I have to wonder. How many of Christ's followers would notice a woman like June Cochran, a woman who gets around town in an electric wheelchair, were it not for the idea that 'revival' is happening and the belief that people like 'that' are getting healed? How many of Christ's followers really see Ms. Cochran, beyond the disability to the woman, instead of a broken body needing to be mended.

How many of Christ's followers have seen Ms. Cochran and invited her to church, just as she is, no strings attactched, no expectation of healing, just invited her to be a part of the community of God, encouraging her toward repentence and faith in Christ and in growing fully in that relationship? How many respect her belief of, "I believe miracles happen in their own time", understanding that the timing of physical and other kinds of healing in a person are up to God?

How many followers will go back to ignoring the June Cochrans when the sensation of the healing revival dies down?

'Not a single miricle claim of Bentley's could be verrified.'

And how about those healings?

When asked by Nightline for verifiable information of just three people who've been healed (we just want three people, they said), Bentley offers a them a 'media package' with incomplete contact inormation and a few pages of incomplete mediacl records with doctors names crossed out.

Nightline was given the name of a woman whose cancerous tumor had shrunk upon returning to the doctor after she saw Bentley. However, her husband stated that this could just be a coincidence because she is still receiving medical treatment. He did send Nightline some of his wife's medical information, but with doctors names and clinics named obscured. Not a single miricle claim of Bentley's could be verrified.

I am concerned that the ministry of Todd Bentley is clearly spiritualy abusing and deceiving many. More on that later.


Pt. 1



Pt. 2

I Am a Hypocritical Christian

I think there's a bit of hypocrisy in the post I just wrote. As a Christian it is much easier to speak out against the errors of the secular world. The secular world almost by definition is errant. Without the redemptive viewpoint of Christ, its morals and ideology are fallen.

But what about when those in the Church are erring? What about when, in the name of God, pastors spew false theology, thus blaspheming God, and in grandiose manner, claiming the gift of healing and prophesy, mock, abuse, and financially exploit their followers, hurting most those who are hurting most- those struggling with disabilities illnesses, and other painful life issues? Who holds them accountable?

What about those who claim a secret message of Jesus, where Christianity becomes a life of good works and relativism, where the mystery of the faith morphs into mysticism, the Word of God is questioned as the actual Word of God, and the sacrificial atonement of the cross becomes, rather, more of a generalized sacrifice for suffering?
All kinds of Christians come together to march for life, but it feels to me that we are reluctant to come together to speak for truth.

Gerri McGhee of Abiding Life Ministries wrote, "Beware that now in many churches self-appointed prophets, pretending to be sheep, are working at redefining Biblical Christianity; treating the Word of God as if it were irrelevant."

And I've been becoming aware. I don't know what to do with my awareness. Who am I to speak out against my brothers and sisters, or at least what they are doing? Who am I not to?

What, as Christians, do we do in light of false teaching in the name of our God and our faith? In this church of billions, how do we, as Biblicaly mandated, go to them in first in private, and then, if they do not respond, let the church deal with them? Who are the elders of these elders who will love them back into the faith?

We can't just stay mostly silent as we have been- can we?