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Archive for the 'Florida Outpouring' Category

What Lakeland Tells Me About the Church #2: The Church is Still Segregated

Published
by
Carl Thomas
on June 20, 2008
in Christianity, Florida Outpouring, Revival and prayer
. 9 Comments

I was going to title this post, “Revival is a White Thing” for dramatic effect but I don’t believe that so I opted out.

I went to Toronto, I have been to Lakeland, and I saw countless Brownsville services on tv.  I have been to Todd Bentley meetings, Patricia King, Reinhart Bonnke, Benny Hinn, Rodney Howard-Browne, Randy Clark, Jack Frost, Heidi Baker and a whole bunch of other folks and it was basically the same.  They are all white events.  Is revival a white phenomenon?

I know, you have a buddy on your worship team who is black or you have a latino family in your prayer team but that is not what I am talking about.  There are and were some people of color at these events.  But that is the exception. The fact remains that Pentecost was born in multiculturalism but by and large that is gone.

This is not a quota thing.  It’s a Kingdom thing.  I look at the folks sitting on the stage in Lakeland and pray that a shift will happen. But this goes both ways.

The Church of God in Christ is the largest Pentecostal denomination in America.  It is also an almost exclusively black denomination.  Are they producing no revivalists that can cross racial and denominational lines?  Are there no fire baptized COGIC ministers who want to see their churches better reflect the Kingdom?  Are there no prophets in the COGIC that want to bring their distinctives outside their denomination?

Or does this come down to musical tastes?  When I became a Christian I had a hard time finding music that is both anointed and sounds good.  I would be fine never hearing another guitar solo, acoustic guitar, or seeing tight pants or hair in the face.  I am also not really trying to hear anything with an organ and a drum slapping BAM boom BAM boom BAM boom BAM boom while the bass player plays a run.  That’s not really music to me.  Unfortunately for me, I found that if I want the anointing I have to watch worship leaders fulfill their childhood ambitions of being rock stars.

My city, Delray Beach integrated its little league teams for the first time this year.  That’s right.  2008 is the first year the black and white little leagues were not segregated.  I believe this is a prophetic sign that things are going to change in my town starting with my fellowship The Mission.  I hope this is a sign of larger things to come.

Popularity: 30% [?]

Lakeland OUtpouring CD

Published
by
Carl Thomas
on June 16, 2008
in Florida Outpouring
. 0 Comments

[ http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thethomasfa04-20 Correction: There is an album that was recorded right before the Florida Outpouring.

Popularity: 29% [?]

What Lakeland Tells Me About the Church

Published
by
Carl Thomas
on June 16, 2008
in Christianity, Florida Outpouring and Revival
. 2 Comments

I have gone to the meetings in Lakeland four different times now and I have seen it at different phases.  I have no desire to debate the legitimacy of what is happening, nor do I wish to rank it against anything else.

Through communicating with people ranging from the highly educated to those who want to know nothing more than what their spirit is telling them, I feel I have picked up a few things that we can learn from this event.

As with almost all posts on this site, this will be made with a Spirit-filled perspective toward those with the same theological bent.

Popularity: 29% [?]

Theological Response to Lakeland Critics

Published
by
Carl Thomas
on June 9, 2008
in Christianity, Deliverance, Doctrine, Florida Outpouring, Healing, Holy Spirit, Prophesy, Revival, Tongues, Tongues and interpretation, interpretation, prayer, todd bentley and visions
. 4 Comments

This was forwarded by Randy Clark. It is a 55 page defense of the activities of the Lakeland outpouring. Here is a selection from page 5:

Normative New Testament evangelism is accompanied by God’s power

A simple perusal of the following passages shows that true biblical revival always involved word and deed, the preaching of the gospel alongside people ministering and experiencing (not just talking about) God’s healing and miraculous power: Matt. 4:23; 9:35-36; 10:1, 7-8; 11:5; 12:15, 18; 15:30; 19:2 (cf. Mk. 10:1); 21:14 (cf. Lk. 21:37); Mk. 1: 38-39; 2:2, 11; 3:14-15; 6:12-13; 10:1 (cf. Mat. 19:2); Lk. 4:18; 5:17, 24; 6:6-11, 17-18; 7:22; 9:1-2; 10:9, 13; 13:10-13, 22, 32; 14:4, 7ff.; 21:37 (cf. Mat. 21:14); 16:15-18, 20; Jn. 3:2; 7:14-15, 21-23, 31, 38; 10:25, 32, 38; 12:37, 49; 14:10, 12; Acts 1:1; 2:22; 3:6, 12; 4:29-30; 5:12-16, 20-21, 28, 42; 6:8, 10; 8:4-7, 12; 9:17-18 (cf. 22:13), 34-35; 10:38; 14:3, 8-10, 15ff.; 15:12, 36; 18:5, 11 (cf. 2 Cor. 12:12; 1 Cor. 2:4-5); 19:8-12; Rom. 15:18-19; 1 Cor. 2:4-5; 11:1; 12:1-11, 28-31; 14:22-25; 2 Cor. 12:12; Gal. 3:5; Phil. 4:9; 1 Thes. 1:5-6; Heb. 2:3-4; 6:1-2; Jas. 5:13-16.

Indeed Paul said in Romans 15:18-19 that only the proclamation of the gospel that is accompanied by healing, signs and wonders, that display the power of the risen Lord, represents a full proclamation of the gospel: Rom. 15:18-19 (NIV)— I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. [italics and boldface mine]

Read and be blessed.

The suggested donation is $3-$5 to be paid to Fresh Fire to finance the work in Lakeland.

Popularity: 42% [?]

You Might Not Believe This But . . .

Published
by
Carl Thomas
on May 14, 2008
in Florida Outpouring, Revival and todd bentley
. 0 Comments

I went to Ignited Church back in June of Last year and blogged about it.  Here is a little thing I did not write.  At the end of worship a young guy from the church came up to me and commented on our vibrant worship.  He said,

“That’s the way to worship.”

I said to him,

“Get some!”

I thought, “Get some?  What in the world does that mean?”  I then told the guys who went with me the same story.  Again I wondered why in the world I would reply with, “Get some!”

Kind of funny how that is now the catch phrase at the revival.  I am not ordained a prophet but I declare things by the Spirit.

Popularity: 35% [?]

Florida Revival on TBN

Published
by
Carl Thomas
on May 13, 2008
in Florida Outpouring, Healing, Revival and todd bentley
. 0 Comments

Here is the piece that CBN did on the outpouring. I personally know one of the women that were interviewed in this piece. I visited her in the hospital and had a word of knowledge about fibromyalgia. She was later diagnosed with the ailment. That was about five years ago. I have never seen her move like she is moving in the video.

This page contained an embedded video. Click here to view it.

Popularity: 42% [?]

Todd Taking a Break from the Revival?

Published
by
Carl Thomas
on May 13, 2008
in Florida Outpouring, Revival and todd bentley
. 1 Comment

I just got word that Todd Bentley is confirmed for the Heart for the Nations conference this week in Pasadena, Ca.  On the conference website, David Tomberlin writes:

“…some have wondered if Todd and I are even going to be able to make it out but I can assure you our flights are booked and we are ready to come. In fact just today Todd was speaking to a major prophet on the phone regarding us being out there and that prophet is now planning to come! Todd and I are excited about spreading the Fire in California!!”

The conference is this week but I think it would be doubtful that Todd would be there Wendsday night since Bob Jones and Bobby Conner are going to Lakeland.  If you are in the L.A. area and are going, please send us a report!

Popularity: 38% [?]

Cool Testimony from a Pastor Visiting Lakeland

Published
by
Carl Thomas
on May 10, 2008
in Florida Outpouring, Holy Spirit, Revival and todd bentley
. 3 Comments

This is a really good post about Lakeland.  Patsy got sent to Lakeland by her folks and tells her tale.  What I really like about the testimony is that she did not say that Lakeland is a Panacea for all things ministry.  Instead, she knew God was moving and she prepared herself to not try to receive from Todd, but instead receive from God what He is doing there.  Here is a quote:

During the service, I went out an shared with the vendors who were working the food stands in the stadium. I was amazed at how open they were. I just shared the love of Jesus with them and invited them to come and experience Him for themselves. The amazing thing to me was how open the people in Lakeland are to the gospel. I talked to one girl there who has led over 1,000 people to the Lord since April 2. ONE THOUSAND SOULS! If that doesn’t excite you, you need to get saved.

Yes, there were miracles. Yes, people got out of wheelchairs. Yes, it was amazing. The response of the crowd, though, was to the presence of the Lord. The stuff was great, but what was the most awesome was the fact that the Lord was there in such intimacy. He was showing His great love to people by healing their diseases.

Read the whole post here.

Popularity: 43% [?]

Lakeland Healing Revival : What I would like to see

Published
by
Carl Thomas
on May 9, 2008
in Florida Outpouring, Healing, Revival and todd bentley
. 11 Comments

Here is what I would like to see at the Florida Healing Revival with Todd Bentley in Lakeland:

Misty Edwards singing “Only a Shadow“ Kari Jobe, Klaus Khuehn, and Rick Pino leading worship together one night culminating with Rick singing Mighty Warrior. Reinhart Bonnke preaching one Saturday service at the airport with a mass evangelistic call culminating in him releasing evangelists into the harvest. Heidi Baker to bring a team of Mozambican children to preach to really offend the religious. Todd to leg drop any big name TBN preacher for the same reason. Jentezen Franklin preach “The Spirit of Python” Me calling down fire.

Anything you want to see?

note: This is not a place for critics of the revival. Your posts will not be published.

Popularity: 46% [?]

Eat the Meat, Spit Out the Bones

Published
by
Carl Thomas
on May 8, 2008
in Florida Outpouring and Revival
. 6 Comments

It should be obvious that I am a supporter of the move of God Lakeland. But that does not mean that I support everything that happens in every meeting. I have never been a part of anything that I thought was 100% on track (including my own ministry). That does not mean I reject my own ministry as the work of the devil. And just because you see some issues with Lakeland does not mean it is the work of the devil. In 2 Corinthins, Paul repented for not receiving an offering. Does that mean his ministry was a work of the devil prior to that point? Of course not.

Steve Strange has checked in on the revival and he is not in 100%. Nothing wrong with that. But contrary to others, he has not said that since these meetings don’t look completely like a meeting he would lead they are of the devil. He has chosen to eat the meat and spit out the bones. Some might think there are more bones than meat. Others may not see any bones at all. Here is what he has said

A great revival took place in Wales in 1904. Sadly there is little to show today for the effects of that revival. Two years later the Pentecost revival started at Azusa Street in Los Angeles. The black church where it started actually closed around 1930. But the revival it generated continues to include more than 400 million people around the world today.

The difference between the two revivals is that the Pentecost revival has actually been a “series of revivals” that has happened again and again over the years– the Latter Rain movement and the healing revivals of the late 40’s; Full Gospel business men that started in the 50’s, along with ministries emerging such as Kathryn Kuhlman; followed by the Charismatic movement of the 60’s in the mainline Protestant churches and the Roman Catholic church. Then there has been the Faith movement, the Apostolic movement, and various revival outbreakings in places like Toronto and Brownsville.

The latest outbreak of revival is apparently in Lakeland, Florida. It started with meetings with Todd Bentley on April 2 at Ignited Church pastored by my long-time friend Steve Strader. I’ve know Steve since I was in the 9th grade and he was in the 6th grade when his father Karl Strader came to pastor the church my family attended in Lakeland. That was also the church where Rodney Howard Browne’s ministry really took off in the United States with extended meetings back in the early 90’s.

Continue reading ‘Eat the Meat, Spit Out the Bones’

Popularity: 33% [?]

Hank Hanegraaff : Spokesman for the Devil

Published
by
Carl Thomas
on May 5, 2008
in Christianity, Deliverance, Florida Outpouring, Healing, Holy Spirit, Revival and The Goofy Church
. 6 Comments

There is another move of God afoot so that is sure to bring out all the people who hate God. Sure enough, Hank Hanegraaff has checked in on the Lakeland Revival. Hank Hannegraaff sees that people are having their faith restored in God, are getting saved, and healed and here is how he views the events,

“We’re in desperate times, and we’ve got desperate people. And they’re looking for a quick fix,” Hanegraaff said in an interview from Charlotte, N.C. “But all they’re getting is false hope.”

There you have it folks. Hank has played his final hand. Faith in Jesus is a false hope. There is no salvation. Jesus never heals. God does not deliver. To believe in the God of the bible is to put your trust in fables.

Jesus warns the church repeatedly to beware of false teachers. In fact, we know that the anti-christ will try to divert attention from Jesus to himself. Surely this is the foundation for the end time deception. If the devil can convince enough people that sickness is from God and healings are from him then he can set the world up for the anti-christ.

edit: I have made corrections based on the response by Michael.

Popularity: 42% [?]

A Secular News Station Testifies About the Miracles in Lakeland

Published
by
Carl Thomas
on April 30, 2008
in Florida Outpouring and Revival
. 1 Comment

Tampa Bay Channel 10 sent a reporter to check out the revival in Lakeland. Todd Bentley has challenged the secular media to come check it out.


http://www.tampabays10.com/video/16×9/?aid=60664&sid=79309

Popularity: 40% [?]

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