This is the first report back from the new new ministry team that I have formed within YWAM.  Our first trip together was to Chemnitz, earlier in April.  Enjoy!

I am in the process of completely redesigned the site, in particular to enable the easy downloading of teaching mp3s… so watch out for the change!  I will more than likely have to do it gradually due to time pressures.

Over the last few days I have had the privilage leading the Derby YWAM teams staff days.  It’s a new beginning for them with new leaders and new staff.  We had three days of often deep encounter with God and hearing from Him.  The last day was a particularly memorable intercession time wherewe asked God to give afresh something of His heart for the nations to this small team.  Wow!  two hours of what I can only describe remarkable prayer went on for the Polish community, the Iranian community and China and Thailand.  Specific words, tears, groanings and a clear sense of breakthrough.

At the end of this time, the Lord’s presence seemed to descend on us to heal.  We prayed for five people, and saw God touch people.  The warmth of God came and took away pain in a shoulder caused by a cricketing injury.  We prayed for whiplash, backpain and also diviticulitis.

Myself, and a woman called Else, who were leading this time with them went home tired but thoroughly thrilled with what God had done.

Over the last couple of weeks, there has been an increasing swirl of controversy regarding Todd Bentley. I have had almost daily contact with him, and he asked me to post the following:

Todd Bentley asked me to convey his appreciation for all the prayers, expressions of love, and concern while he tries to navigate through this present situation. He is grieved by the trouble and confusion this has caused, especially to his friends, coworkers, and all who have trusted him. He wants to make a clear statement about it, acknowledging his responsibility in this and the mistakes he made, but he feels that he should first meet with Pastor Bill Johnson, who is out of the country and will not be available for a couple more weeks. He asks that you would continue to pray for him, and he thanks those who are willing to be patient. He wants to do this right and not hastily or superficially.

I would like to accept personal responsibility for counseling Todd to wait until he has talked with Bill before trying to make the “full disclosure” of his mistakes. This needs to be done right and in a way that does not unnecessarily hurt even more people. In just a couple of weeks, things should have calmed down enough for a statement to be made. Impatience is not a fruit of the Spirit, and I have personally never seen anything done under the kind of duress and pressure that some are trying to exert at this time that ended up not being a mistake.

The only thing that I have received from the Lord about this matter directly is that “those who rush to judgment will be exposed.” This entire matter, including the Lakeland Outpouring, is a test. To me, the miracles, healings, salvations, and profoundly changed lives that resulted in people, some that I personally know, make all that is happening now still worth it, many times over.

My opinion of the Lakeland Outpouring has not changed, and it will mark a demarcation point for the church that will have a positive impact on our future. I greatly appreciate all who helped to make it possible, and I also appreciate the devotion we are seeing to not compromise basic biblical standards of morality and integrity. If we handle what is now before us rightly, it can have an even greater impact than the Outpouring did to encourage and strengthen the church for the great tasks before us.

I have no doubt that many of the statements that are now being made are going to be regretted by those who made them. Since I am appealing for a couple of weeks to give Todd the chance to process these matters and meet with Bill Johnson, I think we should give any who may have made premature statements some grace too. There are leaders who are applauding some of these statements, but almost every Christian that has talked to me about them, as well as most of the leaders I have talked to, thought that they were hastily made statements meant to cover their bases which cost these leaders a lot of credibility. I have only read a few, and that was not necessarily my perspective, though it is very obvious with some.

Even if this is the case, this is a natural tendency when someone is wounded. I think we should resist writing off these people and maybe have a moratorium to allow everyone a chance to retract what they have written for the last couple of weeks. We are told in Galatians 6:7 that we will all reap what we sow, which means that if we want to receive grace, we should give it, and if we want to receive mercy, we should give it. There may be some of this in my own writing that I am not able to see because I too am hurt by this situation. Therefore, I am also asking for grace and mercy if this is the case.

My main concern is that some of the worst doctrines and actions taken in church history were the result of people responding out of their wounds rather than by following the Lord. A lot of people are understandably hurting right now. Even so, those who resist taking action or making statements out of their pain, or under pressure, will be glad they did. Again, impatience is not a fruit of the Spirit, and it will never lead us to where the Lord wants to take us. Those who rush to judgment, or are hasty to take action, are not treated kindly in Scripture, and are likely to pay a high and unnecessary price for it.

I recommended to Todd to allow a panel of those who are considered true elders in the body of Christ, who could be impartial, to judge this situation, and he readily agreed. He did not make any demands or suggestions about who should be on the panel. He only said that he felt he should not cross the line and say anything negative about his wife, and that he intends to continue to love her and his children, and take care of them.

The Apostle Paul lamented in I Corinthians 6:5 saying it was to their shame that there were no judges among them, yet they were even called to judge angels. The lack of elders, who are also called as judges, is probably still the main cause for much of the shame that continues in the body of Christ. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of the Lord’s throne as we are told in Psalm 89:14, and if we are going to walk in His authority there must be a place for due process that is a standard of justice. God obviously cares very deeply about people being treated fairly and that His standards of righteousness are upheld. His seat of authority demands this for a foundation.

One thing we can be sure of—the Judge is on His throne and all of this is going to work out for good for His people. I am more encouraged every day at what is unfolding and at the great opportunity this situation is for us. The Holy Spirit moved upon the chaos in the beginning and look at the beautiful creation He brought forth! He knows how to do this and seems to love the opportunity that chaos gives Him to show what He can do. This, too, will work out for good to everyone who loves Him and is called according to His purpose. We have this as a sure promise from the One who cannot lie.

sourced here Rick Joyner, 8/23/2008

With deep sadness and in prayer for them both I have taken a few minutes out of my holiday to write this. I cannot write much now save to say I feel deeply for them and appreciate the wise and necessary move that Todd has taken in stepping down from public ministry. Please pray with me for the Holy Spirit to heal and restore their marriage and love for one another deeply.

Many of you will know that I can understand some of what they are going through. they need prayer and not criticism. I hate the way the enemy will use this as more stumbling block material for what is clearly God’s Spirit bringing healing and salvation to many worlwide. This move was championed by Todd but it is God doing his works of love and He has not changed. Let us keep pushing into God more and not grow weary. let’s push into God for the working of all things together for our good.

We have just learned that it hasn’t been possible to arrange Todd Bentley’s planned visit to the NEC on September 20th – 23rd as the venue became unavailable. Unfortunately with events of this scale there can be late changes to arrangements and we are awaiting news from the event organisers on when Todd will be visiting, and where the event will be held. Our apologies to anyone who has made any arrangements on the basis of the original information and we will pass on confirmed information as soon as it is available.

I will post any updates to Todd visiting the UK here as I get them.

Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.

Whilst in God’s presence recently I was pondering how it was the Israelites found it so difficult to trust God to enter the promised land. I was quizing the Lord how that could be so after all they had seen God do. He’d performed wonders infront of them in Egypt, He’d miraculously parted the red sea in front of their very eyes, yet they did not trust Him to help them enter. Throughout their history they were quick to forget.

Then the Spirit prompted me how easily I forget the goodness and the power of God. God may have done amazing things a week ago, even a day ago, but it can be so easy in the ‘terror of the now’ forget all of that and panic.

Througout the bible we are encouraged to remember our God and His works. Why? It is our testimony of what He has done in and through us and it is powerful. When we recall it, it stirs our faith, questions our doubts and starts to birth hope within us that God will do it again. It’s as if, when we recount it, it makes those interventions tangible again.  Within our grasp.  It’s like we call on the Kingdom to be here again, as then and as it is now in heaven.

I am starting to take seriously noting what God has done each day… sovereignly done.  How we prayed for a woman a few days ago with pain in her hip, and she had not pain the rest of the day.  How pain in a womans chest that had been there for three weeks, left in a worship meeting.  When we remember what God has done and said, we start to see the connections throughout our days, and we have faith.