“I have a tent so they can bring the dead … put ‘em in the tent while I’m preaching … so they don’t stink in the sun.” Todd Bentley
The story of Lazarus in Scripture (John 11) is a powerful testimony to the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. Given “authority over all things in heaven and on earth,” (Matthew 28:18) Christ’s act of resurrecting Lazarus had to be, for those contemporary onlookers, an event invoking staggering awe of His power. Equally, it serves for us as a powerful metaphor that we who, once dead in trespasses and sins, (Ephesians 2:1) have been brought from spiritual death unto spiritual life.
But … if you’re an instrument of demonic deception, the self-proclaimed power to raise the dead is a toxic talent that will drive thousands of Word-void souls to seek solace in the alleged divine touch of your hands, the presumed power of your prayers. Oh, yeah, they’ll no doubt fill your “support our ministry” coffers as well.
Todd Bentley is such a man.
“I actually have a dead raising tent that I’ve used for ten years in Africa. I also use it for the demon possessed … cause I figure the dead and the demon possessed could be in the same tent.” Todd Bentley
Bentley, who was commissioned in 2008 as an evangelist by the New Apostolic Reformation grand-poobah and chief deceiver …errr … “apostle,” Peter Wagner, puts a sign over his tent of death during his charlatan crusades. “Dead Raising Tent” points the attendees where to bring in their dead.
(There is, by the way, a sign over the presumed historical site of Lazarus’ resurrection. We’re pretty sure, however, that the sign was added quite some time subsequent to Christ’s work.)
“If I’m preaching in a city and anybody dies, I ask them to bring them to the meeting, put ‘em in the tent and we pray over them and if nothing happens, we bury them.” Todd Bentley
This charlatan does have, however, rules for the corpse-carrying crowd. He wants them to be freshly dead.
“Give me two days. If they’re fresh … the closer they are to freshly dead, the easier they are to resurrect. Biblically … four days … Lazarus was four days … We could probably hit that … max.” Todd Bentley
Bentley claims that he gets calls and emails from people asking him to pray for their dead. He’s prayed for over a thousand such departed. And, guess what else he claims?
“We’ve had 35 resurrections from the dead … testimonies of people raised from the dead. Some of them I’ve seen right before my eyes … pretty amazing stuff …” Todd Bentley
Pretty amazing is right … and pretty false. Bentley claims to have raised more people from the dead than is recorded in all of Scripture, where nine such events are given, besides the resurrection of Christ. Scripture teaches clearly that “man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27) While you know it had to be a sacrifice for poor Lazarus to have gone to glory, only to be brought back by the Lord as an example of His power for His glory, those resurrection realities of Scripture* are experienced today not by physical restoration, but spiritual regeneration.
Such apostolic signs and wonder gifts have ceased, and though Satanic miracles are possible (2 Thessalonians 2:9), even raising the dead seems to be a power not possessed by the enemy of our Lord. But his effort at counterfeiting faith and misleading many is ever constant, facilitated by wide-path attendants like Bentley.
The Biblically-focused believer will quickly recognize the blasphemous, false behavior of ilk like Bentley. Truth sets us free from such deception, though many who lack that Truth are duped into false hope under a sign that promises “heaven” while delivering, instead, “destruction.” (Matthew 7:13)
As if this isn’t worrisome enough, here’s something else that is really concerning.
While the acceptance of such charlatanry may be commonplace in the growing NAR, charismania movement, its influence is increasingly seen in more traditional “mainstream” denominations as well. As the Hillsongs and Bethels gain increasing acceptance, often through their music, their illicit doctrines are sure to follow.
Consider the faith-threatening threads that link Todd Bentley, C. Peter Wagner, and the Southern Baptist Convention.
Bentley claims to raise the dead. Wagner, former Fuller Seminary professor, now the chief apostle of this counterfeit faith, readily accepts the reality of not just continuing apostolic signs and wonders – think tongues,healing the sick and casting out demons – in the church today, but also the gift of raising the dead.
“I too, now believe that dead people are literally being raised in the world today. As soon as I say that some ask if I believe it is normative. I doubt it would be normative in any local situation, but it probably is normative in terms of the universal body of Christ. Even though it is an extremely uncommon event, I would not be surprised if it were happening several times a year” C. Peter Wagner (Source)
Wagner, (in the video below) endorses Bentley in his evangelistic, heal the sick, raise the dead ministry, a ministry that claims no less that 35 resurrections. Worth noting, as well, is that Bentley’s ministry is divinely instructed to focus, not on Christ, but on the supernatural wonders. According to Bentley’s conversation with God, he was told to drop the “believe in Jesus” part of his act.
“You know, I told the Lord, “Why can’t I just move in healing and forget talking about all that other stuff?” He said, “Because, Todd, you gotta get the people to believe in the angel.” I said, “God, why do I want people to believe in the angel, isn’t it about getting the people to believe in Jesus?” He said, “The people already believe in Jesus, but the church doesn’t believe in the supernatural.” The church has no problem believing in Jesus. But what we don’t believe in is the supernatural.” Todd Bentley (Source)
Wagner, though, has no problem endorsing a man whose ministry is not about Jesus.
“This commissioning represents a powerful spiritual transaction taking place in the invisible world. With this in mind, I take the apostolic authority that God has given me and I decree to Todd Bentley, your power will increase, your authority will increase, your favor will increase, your influence will increase, your revelation will increase.” C. Peter Wagner (Source)
That’s thread number one … Peter Wagner, from his own apostolic authority, endorses Todd Bentley, a man who preaches miracles instead of the Messiah.
Now, if you’re a mainstream denominational congregant – especially if you’re Southern Baptist – I guess get ready to see, perhaps, one of Bentley’s “Raise The Dead” tents outside the next church planting seminar or the annual SBC Convention gathering.
Why? Because Peter Wagner serves as a premiere church growth influencer for the SBC.
And that’s thread number two.
The SBC, ever drooling to find some method to place a tourniquet on the massive hemorrhaging of members from its ranks, is linked directly with the church growth protocols of the illicit, spiritually toxic, and undeniably unscriptural New Apostolic Reformation.
Thom Rainer, president of LifeWay, penned The Book of Church Growth as both a historical summary of, and guide for, church planting. Who endorsed this book, wrote its preface? Right. C. Peter Wagner.
“Thom Rainer has accomplished what many of the veterans of church growth have been desiring for years – a true textbook for teaching church growth.” C Peter Wagner, Preface, The Book of Church Growth
In response to this charlatan’s hearty endorsement of his tome, Rainer reciprocated in his introduction by acknowledging Wagner as one of his “two mentors.”
“C. Peter Wagner, who honored me greatly by writing the foreword to this book, has given me countless hours of interviews and correspondence, and hundreds of pages of pertinent material. He is the primary reason I remain convinced that the best days of the Church Growth Movement are still ahead. The reader will see Dr. Wagner’s influence throughout this book.” Thom Rainer, Introduction, The Book of Church Growth
Thom Rainer, one of the SBC intelligentsia supporting, prodding, and pleading for church planting in the SBC, finds his premiere source of inspiration from a modern day apostle. How nice. And how unscriptural.
No doubt the argument will be made that the endorsement of practices utilized by the NAR in no way represents an endorsement of the theology of the NAR. One hopes, at least, that argument would be proffered. But even so, endorsing and seeking to enact the practices of an unbiblical, decidedly worldly movement is a clear violation of Scriptural commands.
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God. 2 Corinthians 6:14-16
There’s only one way to read this. Either Rainer, and – by default – the SBC church growth gurus who equally laud his church planting guidance, consider the NAR and its charismatic excesses to be exhibitions of anti-biblical, false “lawlessness” or they implicitly endorse it as acceptable, seeking, as Rainer does, to harness the successful techniques of their church growth strategies for use within the SBC.
If Rainer – who lauds Wagner, who lauds Bentley – has no problem with a theology that accepts modern day apostles who can raise the dead, heal the sick, cast out demons, and jabber in drool dripping tongues, then he considers them not to be, as Christ most certainly would, “workers of lawlessness.” (Matthew 7:23) Why, then, should he question their methodologies if he has no problem with their theology?
The only way which the SBC can engage with NAR church growth principles AND be found in obedience to Paul’s commands in 2 Corinthians is if the NAR is not considered “lawlessness.” Paul gives no gap for denying a theology while allowing the embrace of its technique.
Believers are told, with absolute certainty, by a bonafide apostle, “do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.” That certainly means don’t endorse their theology, allow it to creep into the church, permit it to be given soil to grow. But it also means … do not use their ways. We are to have no partnership, no fellowship, no accord, no portion, and no agreement with them. Seems pretty clear.
The influence of false teachers in the church is evident to the discerning believer. Increasingly the behavior of the fomenters of this false fringe may be seen in the experiential appeals from our pulpits, in music and “worship experiences.” But so too is the diabolical influence being realized behind the pulpit as denominations, like the SBC, seek to grab some of the church growth gusto driven by the dead-raising likes of Bentley, as his modern-day apostle buddy Wagner cheers him on.
True believers in the church need to stand firmly against these influences. If we do not stand against the practical and theological impulses of this wicked movement, how long will it be before we see a “Dead Raising Tent” emblazoned with an SBC logo become standard equipment for church growth events?
Oh, as far as church growth concerns go, we don’t have to worry about that. It’s being handled.
“I will build my church.” Jesus, Matthew 16:18
And, since Scripture nowhere tells us to build the church, any effort to circumvent Christ’s efforts by utilizing the tools and techniques of the lawless will meet with failure. But, what’s worse, many who engage in such illicit behavior will, one day, hear the words, “Depart from me.” (Matthew 7:23)
Share the Gospel. That’s our part of church growth … and it’s a glorious, gracious task.
*Scripture gives nine occasions of the dead being raised to life, besides the resurrection of our Lord. They can be found in 1 Kings 17:22; 2 Kings 4:33-36; 13:21; Matthew 27:52; Luke 7:11-17; 8:40-56;John 11:43-44; Acts 9:40-41; Acts 20:9-12.
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[Contributed by Bud Ahlheim]
