Todd Bentley's Apostolic and Prophetic Commissioning

I was unaware that a very special event took place in Lakeland, Florida recently. Rob Rufus said this in his sermon last Sunday morning;

"Tomorrow at Florida men that I honour and men that I know and have met like Bill Johnson will be standing on that platform with Rick Joyner and many others of wisdom and father dignity and a long trail of credibility will be standing with Todd and we bless that in Jesus Name!".

So I have looked into what took place a little. C. Peter Wagner opened the meeting and the commissioning and there is a transcript of what he said here. According to this transcript 3 recognised apostolic ministries were present and involved in leading the meeting and blessing Todd Bentley;

"Todd is following Paul’s example by inviting to the platform three apostolic pillars of today’s church: Ché Ahn of Pasadena, California, Bill Johnson of Redding, California, and John Arnott of Toronto, Canada, Todd’s native land. They represent an apostolic network called Revival Alliance".

I found a video clip of some of the proceedings thanks to You-Tube. Here it is:



This event makes things a little more difficult for what some are calling the "scoffers" or what Rob Rufus called; "The doctrine police". It was fairly easy to accuse Todd Bentley of being a lone shark or a loose canoon ball. The unity that something like "Together for the Gospel" excited many. Why should this unity be any different? These ministries may be Pentecostal/Charismatic (and aren't renowned for always standing together) but for I one am really excited at the interest and the passion that what is happening in Florida is attracting. Traditionally many who have been involved in former moves of God often stand against new moves. Yet to see John Arnott standing and lovingly blessing Todd Bentley and what is happening shows TRUE humility.

So I continue to watch what's going on in Florida with loads of excitement at what God will do next after this wonderful blessing in the midst of this unity and this passion and this vision.

The Joy of the Lord Being Your Strength!!

It's been an interesting week or so for both Pete and myself since the incredible Eastbourne Conference. Interesting being the operative word. The grace-hating spirit has really reared it's ugly head for us both at work and at home and it was a reminder to me of Rob's urging that we cannot jump from conference to conference for the spiritual highs and rely on that alone. We must walk continually - daily - in fellowship with the manifest Presence of God. I still haven't made up my mind yet about going to "Together on a Mission 2008". What's the point in being radical and planting radical churches if the glory of God and the manifest Presence of God doesn't accompany and overshadow what we do? So as yet Mark Driscoll still hasn't made my hit-list of must-hear speakers. In the past I used to go to conferences and seminars based on celebrity Christian speakers. As Rob Rufus said - we don't have that luxury anymore. The question is not - who's speaking but is God there in manifest power? Is that conference going to arm us to preach the Gospel not in Word only but power?

If the answer is - I'm not sure then should we be going? Could our money and our time be better well spent elsewhere? But I digress. Joy. Joy! The Bible says the joy of the Lord is our STRENGTH!! Why then did so many despise Toronto and the joy that it brought? Rob Rufus put me onto Heidi Baker but I must confess I haven't read or listened to much of her. So I was interested to see that she was speaking at a conference in Canada on God TV. Here's a clip:

Now if this awesome woman of God can speak at a conference and demonstrate the clear joy of the Lord and face trials such as her pastor's tongue and lips being cut out - then what chance would we have in facing similar trials WITHOUT that kind of joy? Rob Rufus said;

"The Church was never more in the will of God when they were no longer concious of themselves and were absolutely lost in the wonder of the knowledge and glory and bigness of God and the more sober the Church has got, the more out of the will of God they get and the less people get saved".

We need joy people! Pete and I spent a wonderful hour or so on the phone today speaking about grace and glory and Rob and every now and then joy would just consume us! In joy we can face any trial. In joy we can face any tribulation! I love Sam Storm's book; "The Singing God!". How do we get more joy? Get close to the One who is so so full of joy and at Who's hand is pleasures forevermore! I opened by talking about conferences. I want to sit under speakers like Rob or Heidi Baker who are so full of joy throughout all, that their delight in God is infectious!

A New Quote from a New Book

I didn't buy much when I was in Hong Kong at the "Grace and Glory!" Conference but I did buy one highly recommended book called "Freedom from the Religious Spirit" edited by C Peter Wagner. I've been reading and feeling quite undone by it but one quote in particular caught my eye. I've posted it on the quotes blog here, but it must be read again and again so here it is;

"For some people it seems easier to "die for the Lord" than to live for Him. Those who have a perverted understanding of the Cross glory more in death than they do in life. They fail to see that the point of the Cross is resurrection, not the grave".

I am very familiar with this understanding of the Cross that is so perverted. I remember when talk in church used to be of vision and hope for the future and then we began to speak of struggling through this weary life and looking to cross the old River Jordan and reach our eternal rest. "Pilgrims in this barren land". This barren land?! This world which God created for our pleasure and has an oath over it that one day it will be covered with the glory of the Lord! I've said it before - let's not allow our experience to shape how we read the Word of God. Let the Word of God shape our experience and our vision.

Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones puts it much better;

"I feel that the message that God is giving to us in this conference is in the words of Malachi. I believe He is saying this to us: 'Prove me now' - 'Prove Me. I am there; you prove Me.' This has become a tremendous conviction with me ... We must not be content until we have had some manifestation of the activity of God. We must concentrate on this. This is my plea, that we concentrate on this, because it is the great message of the Bible, so substantiated by the lessons of history. That is obviously today the only thing that gives us any hope as we face the future. And God seems to be saying that to us. 'Prove Me now. Try Me. Risk your everything on Me. Be fools for My sake. Cast yourselves utterly upon this belief.' Let us put it like this: Do we really believe that God can still act?

That is the question; that is the ultimate challenge. Or have we, for theological or some other reasons, excluded the very possibility? Here is the crucial matter. Do we individually and personally really believe that God still acts, can act and will act - in individuals, in groups of individuals, in churches, localities, perhaps even in countries? Do we believe that He is as capable of doing that today as He was in ancient times - the Old Testament, the New Testament times, the book of Acts, Protestant Reformation, Puritans, Methodist Awakening, 1859, 1904-5? Do we really believe that He can still do it?".

I'm about to leave now for work. What world-view will affect the way I face the day? Do I face it with confident assured hope that my God rules the universe and is progressively manifesting Himself in glory and power at the climax of the consummation of the ages? Or do I allow a warped view of the Cross to make me sigh and think "just another day nearer to heaven"!? God is saying "Prove Me now. Try Me. Risk your everything on Me. Be fools for My sake. Cast yourselves utterly upon this belief". God's alive! And He acts! And speaks! And moves! And intervenes!