My Todd Bentley piece in Christianity Magazine
27 Jun 2008
I got a message on my mobile phone from Christianity agazine, saying they are going to use (in edited form), the piece I wrote on Todd Bentley.
It’s certainly one of the most read pieces on my blog. Mostly coming from google search hits on the topic. I wonder what it will look like with their edits?
Tagged: John Crowder, Todd Bentley
7 comments
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Comment by Adrian Roberts
12.28 am on 29 Jun 2008
Congratulations – given that they published a major article by their editor John Buckeridge only this month, they must like yours a lot. But Christianity Magazine, in its present guise, is one of the more sensible and balanced ones, not beholden to either Conservative Evangelicalism or charismatic sensationalism, but not radical for the sake of it.
Comment by Glen
8.42 pm on 30 Jun 2008
I’ve read your piece about Todd Bentley, and in my view it’s good news that Christianity magazine is publishing it.
I’ve only recently heard about the Todd Bentley movement, and my initial impression was that it’s no different from anything else one might come across on God TV.
But the more I hear about it, the more I get the impression that it is different – not because it’s something new, but because a lot more Christians than usual are getting hyped up and over excited about it, not just in the States, but in the UK.
So it’s refreshing to read a balanced perspective about the whole thing, and it’s positive to read that it’s going to be published in the “mean-stream” Christian media.
What I find disturbing about the Todd Bentley movement is that it could act as a big distraction from the social justice movement that has been gathering momentum in Church in the West – the spiritual movement which Jim Wallis (Sojourners), Tony Campolo (EAPE) and Brian McLaren write and speak about.
The hype surrounding the Todd Bentley movement could influence churches in the West to yet again retreat into the introverted “come to us” mentality and privatised spirituality which defined and dominated the western evangelical tradition in the latter part of the 20th century.
Genuine revival transforms not only individual lives, but societies. Genuine intimacy with God energises us for the pursuit of social justice. It saddens me that so many Christians in the UK would apparently rather buy a flight to make a religious pilgrimage to the States to see what goes on on a stage, than buy a flight to volunteer to help out Sojourners, Tony Campolo’s EAPE, or Shane Claibourne’s “Simple Way” community. Where might one find true blessing? Working with the poor on the streets and in the ghettos (where I’m sure many hidden – and perhaps more powerful – miracles occur) or in a room where the disabled and vulnerable are being paraded in front of TV camera’s?
Perhaps our guides through this might be people such as authors Richard Foster and the late Henri Nouwen, whose wisdom about authentic intimacy with God transcend the boundaries and divides of our diverse faith. Perhaps their wisdom could help us see through the fog of confusion (and hype) which surrounds the Todd Bentley movement, and help us discern where God is – and perhaps is not – in all this.
Comment by Jason
6.59 am on 29 Jun 2008
Tnx Adrian. It will be edited to be smaller as response, rather than a main piece!
Comment by Pastor S. E. Ray
5.33 am on 3 Jul 2008
Informative article to peruse at: http://www.eternalpath.com/lakeland.html
Comment by Adrian Roberts
12.03 am on 7 Jul 2008
Glen
I agree with what you say here; these are my concerns too:
“What I find disturbing about the Todd Bentley movement is that it could act as a big distraction from the social justice movement that has been gathering momentum in Church in the West – the spiritual movement which Jim Wallis (Sojourners), Tony Campolo (EAPE) and Brian McLaren write and speak about.
The hype surrounding the Todd Bentley movement could influence churches in the West to yet again retreat into the introverted “come to us” mentality and privatised spirituality which defined and dominated the western evangelical tradition in the latter part of the 20th century”.
The only caveat I would have with this is that miracles were part of Jesus’ teaching. He didn’t emphasize eternal damnation, or even the need to be saved. He preached the Kingdom, and his concept of this was a just society where people treated each other and the poor correctly – and that God healed by miracles. It would be great if more of us could use miracles now, to glorify God and alleviate suffering. However, Jesus used miracles in a different way than Todd Bentley et al. He criticised people who came wanting to see him do a miracle. He pointed out that some would not believe even if he did do a miracle. And he several times asked that a particular miracle should not be publicized. And there is absolutely no record of him pushing people over!
Adrian
Comment by James Prescott
5.08 pm on 9 Jul 2008
I look forward to seeing it in print!
Comment by ray stone
5.45 pm on 21 Jul 2008
For a great read check out “A Step Into Deliverance” by T. Pugh. It’s a riveting autobiography about a pastor’s journey into the deliverance ministry. A real page-turner
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