THE TODD BENTLEY DISAPPOINTMENT

THE TODD BENTLEY DISAPPOINTMENT
by Pam Clark (pamclark@prophetic.net)
 
Well, the note was in my mail box this morning as well as thousands of others that Todd Bentley is being unfaithful to his wife and children with another woman who was in the ministry with him there.  Some people - even those who did not support or believe in the Lakeland Revival - sacrifice everything but their hearts for the Lord.
 
It's a painful thing.  And while I can already anticipate all the "I told you so" emails I am going to get, the truth is I don't agree with all their premises.  Todd Bentley's "moral failure" hurts millions of people.  It hurts the Body of Christ, and subjects it to mockery, but he is human and humans fail - and some more publicly than others.  Your sin will find you out but so will your Savior.
Todd Bentley did not guard his heart.  And so many will feel betrayed.  Even I have to guard my emotions from the lies of the devil over this. 
 
This is not the first disappointment I have ever felt from the ministry.  I can go back many years and give examples, but we are dealing with humans in flesh.  My favorite heros have disappointed me, but do I give up on them anymore than I give up on myself?  I am sure I have failed others in their views of things.  And often we don't know the whole story, we just want the other people to be perfect in our eyes.
 
In this article I want to discuss some factors to consider.  This article is not meant to persuade you as much as it is here to help you and cause you to think.
 
I wish I was an drawing artist, I'd make a sketch, but have you ever seen those virtual people sillohuettes where you can put on the hair and clothes and even the voice now that we have advanced technical skills?  In my youth, we made paper dolls and made different paper outfits for them.  Now we do it in 3d animation.
 
But I would like to take one of those blank sillohuettes and ask you to make and show me the "model Christian."  Oh believe me, people have their ideas about that - what they look like, how they dress, and talk and act, and this is their prototype.  When they give to foreign fields for missionaries to people very unlike them, they (some) don't really care about the people, they just want to look like the model Christian who has sympathy for the "underprivileged."  They have no plans to love someone different than they are.
 
I have been on both sides where I have been blessed with money and also very needy and I have seen the different attitudes in giving.  Some, if you weren't so desperate, you'd like to throw it back at them!  Some gifts I have refused because they had slimy strings attached.  But God really does provide, through saint and sinner alike.  And He has the better way of proper ethics, which is something we struggle over.
 
I am saying all that to say this:  What is the model (perfect) Christian?  What is in your mind as to pass and fail, good and bad, okay and not okay, big time yes and big time no?  And does that measure up to what Jesus said and did with people?  Do you receive blessings from unrighteous people?  Do you receive money from unrighteous employers on your job even though you struggle to be good?
 
The Lakeland Revival focused on physical healing.  Very important but only one tiny aspect of the full salvation of Jesus Christ who restores spirit, soul and body and relationships.  God has emotional healings and family healings and inner healings as well as physical healings.  This world needs governmental healings as well!  And we have Bible promises for that.
 
I was talking to someone who is not in Spirit filled circles the other day and brought up the Lakeland Revival and she said she read in the paper how someone was healed at the Revival but when they got home, the healing went away.  There are a lot of factors in that I want to mention relating to that.
 
Jesus, who was God represented to us, brought healing.  That is undeniable Scripture and reality.  But how did He heal?  Did he send them to a doctor or put down doctors?  No to both of those questions.  When people came to Jesus, He usually asked them if they believed and had faith.  When they did, they received healing.
 
Sickness many times is a result of a bad environment or generational failure which can bring about a curse of judgment from the unrepented sin.  Sin also opens doors to devils or demons.  If a person gets in a Godly environment, especially around a corporate faith of belief, then it is easy to "catch" and receive the healing and deliverance. 
 
However if there is a return to an unbelieiving or even sinful and disrespecting or fearful lifestyle, that person can lose their healing because they were not strong enough alone on their own.  I think many fail to understand this.  If I go and get a healing and then return home to an environment that does not respect and honor God, He is not obligated to sustain that healing.  Many times the healing evangelist is blamed for that - when he or she is the one who worked for the corporate atmosphere of healing!
 
Todd Bentley had a lot of zeal.  He was passionate and driven and he used that strength to bring about a corporate atmosphere.  His zeal had some manifesations that were out of order but at the time, I would say he meant well but his zeal outran his wisdom.  (I am talking about methods of ministering to some people.  Some went beyond decent and in order in the fruit of the Spirit in being too aggressive with people.)  That wrong overzealous way of doing things happens to everyone in their life at one point or another - this just happened to be before a big audience and so it cost a lot.
 
When people have high energy, they look for ways to release it.  High energy people usually are leaders.   And if their home life is not guarded or in order, some bad things like this can occur.  These are things that fathers are supposed to teach sons and that mothers are supposed to teach daughters - natural and Spiritual. 
 
Todd came from a dysfunctional family life according to his own testimony, much of which had been restored, but things aren't always healed fully and suddenly.  Some repairs come over time through continual ministry.  We can know where we are in life and in our Body of Christ influence by our total (global) failures.  But we are making progress, too!
 
But we have a huge breakdown of the family today and it almost seems like it is every man for himself there, and those who were blessed with family support too often seem to lord it over those who didn't have that and delight in the mockery of failures with their better than thou "I told you so" spirit.
The Scriptures say:

Galatians 6:1-5 (NKJ)
1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
5 For each one shall bear his own load.
Many people blame "the manifestations" of shaking and yelling and laughing and running but that also has to be weighed.  I used to think all that was weird until I was around it and felt "the power."  On the day of Pentecost, people thought they were drunk and Peter had to explain it.
 
I have trembled before God, had holy laughter that loosened me up, felt so excited that I wanted to run and yell, had tears of sobbing intercessions, and felt that joy unspeakable and full of glory.  King David danced with all his might until his outer garment came off and did it before the Lord.  His wife who mocked him was distanced over that offense and therefore did not conceive children. 
King David's own offense with Bathsheba almost wiped him out and caused a lot of anger and disrespect and loss of honor in his kingdom.  Later his own sons caused him great grief as a result of all that.  All that had to be overcome, but it was!
 
There are different natures and experiences, and people express their emotions in different ways, but the Bible does say that the fruit of the Spirit is self control.  However, if you pour boiling water on me, I am going to have a reaction and yell and so will you!  Is God always unemotional?  I would say no.
 
Jesus is Truth and sometimes you have to work through things to see it.  Some prices are too high for different people.  But can God be found?  He is Truth and Truth will stand in your heart.  And if He can be found is there a value on the finding? 
Is everyone going to be the same?  No.  But if you want a certain thing (like a healing) strong enough, you will press through a lot of stuff to get it!
 
What if we judged everyone on what kinds of foods they enjoyed?  How crazy that would be.  Yet there are some foods that are definitely not healthy or safe or good for us.  Sometimes it's the portion more than the food.  We have to have some good logic and reasoning.
 
I am disappointed that Todd failed this temptation.  It hurts deeply his wife, his children, his staff, his converts, and everyone who loved and supported him.   What happened will go down in the books as history and will be even later very controversial. 
 
But do we guard our own hearts from letting this destroy our faith in a good God?  Can Todd repent?  Many will lose heart over this and that is the tragedy we will experience in pain.  Many will allow this disappointment to cause them to lose their healing or even more, their faith.  But where is their heart?  It can be resilient for many.   It's hard when the witness is through a person but maturity learns to let go to full dependence on His Spirit.   But for many it comes in stages.
 
Does that make Todd "of the devil" or "out" when the Scriptures say that the gift and calling of God are without repentance?  He may have succumbed to the devil and his plans with this failure, but does God judge by us or by His Son Jesus? 
 
We know that He judges by His Son who remained faithful.  And all sinners must come to and through His Son who remains faithful. 
 
Do moral failures happen in the mainline churches?  They most certainly do. 
 
I heard a story once about a Baptist deacon whose teenage son was killed in an auto accident.  Blood tests showed that he had been drinking and the father was livid over who would provide his underage son alcohol.  He made a really big deal out of it.  Time went by and one night the father went down to his basement where he kept his own secret stash of alcohol for stress and found the bottle missing.  It was then he realized where his son got the liquor.
 
Life is not perfect because we live in a fallen nature world.  But the places where we can express the righteousness and Kingdom of God are obviously more blessed places than many other places. 
 
Our nation has court systems which express judgments by your peers.  Not perfect by a long shot but better than places where a tyrannical dictator can decide your fate on his mood or whim.  The Kingdom of God has arrived here more than there by evidence of the righteousness and Love.  We need the graces of God.
 
Yes, we are going to hurt for a while.  The media and the non-stop professional critics will have a field day.  But is your Savior worth keeping?  I think He is.  Spread the Word!  Jesus lives and He wins!
 

A MESSAGE FROM PETER WAGNER

A Message from Peter Wagner
 
 
An Update on Lakeland from Peter

August 25, 2008

            I was in the San Francisco airport on my way to Singapore and Indonesia when the news of Todd Bentley's separation from his wife became public on August 12.  When I arrived back home last week, I found that Doris had received and replied to around 1,700 emails and the stack of correspondence on my desk was unbelievable.  It took me the rest of the week to catch up!
 
            During the week I was gone, a major watershed occurred regarding the Lakeland situation as most of you would know.  We are now on a new playing field.  Lakeland Outpouring I, in which Todd Bentley was the main figure, is now history.  Lakeland Outpouring II, in which Stephen Strader of Ignited Church is the main figure, has begun.  The Outpouring started in a local church, went to a tent, and now is back in the local church.  My suggestion is that we no longer use the term "Lakeland Outpouring" but rather distinguish between Lakeland I and Lakeland II because they are very different.
 
            Let me talk a bit about the present, then revisit the past, then project the future.
 
The Present
 
            It will sound surprising to some, but Lakeland II in Ignited Church, which you will remember was the original host church, is going very well.  The big crowds and GOD TV, of course, are gone.  Ignited Church seats around 700 in the main sanctuary and Stephen Strader reports that on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings they have to use their overflow room.  It is comfortably filled on week nights.  The morning training sessions continue with a couple hundred every day, and teams continue to move daily into the streets of Lakeland spreading the gospel.  Percentage-wise the dramatic miracles and healings occur nightly with probably a higher percentage of salvations on a daily basis.  Support from local pastors is improving considerably.  The most interesting report is that every night some 30 percent are first-time attenders, meaning that people are still coming to Lakeland from the outside to experience Outpouring II.  A lady from our church with a severe chronic back problem went to Ignited Church and came home healed!  Such a thing does not usually happen when a public figure suddenly goes down the tubes, so we need to take our hats off to the apostolic gifts and role that Stephen Strader is demonstrating for us.
 
            Speaking of the public figure going down the tubes, Todd Bentley now carries the label of a liar and a deceiver.  I'm sorry to mention it, but I felt personally deceived in the same way when Ted Haggard's sin was exposed and he was immediately removed from ministry.  In the Lakeland I case, I am elated at the way things are turning out.  The Revival Alliance with whom Todd was aligned on June 23 has kicked into action with a vengeance.  Ché Ahn and Bill Johnson, like me, were overseas when things broke, but John Arnott stepped up to the plate and moved in apostolically.  It has since become clear that Todd's Fresh Fire Board could not have handled the situation, Stephen Strader and Ignited Church could not, nor could any of his other close friends.  Only the Revival Alliance could.  I am delighted that they are not buying into typical charismatic soft morality, also called "greasy grace" or "don't touch God's anointed" or "mercy must triumph over judgment," phrases that have been used on other similar occasions as convenient religious cop-out excuses.  They're proceeding in love, but it is tough love!
 
            Since this is an update, I will share some of what I know about what is happening with Bentley, but not all because some things need more verification and it is up to discernment of Revival Alliance what and when this will be revealed.  Suffice it to say that there is more than I am going to mention.  First of all, Todd has been removed from public ministry until further notice.  He has resigned from the ministry he founded, Fresh Fire, so he is no longer a part of that board.  It has become clear that he indulged in periodic drunkenness.  He has no intention at the moment of reconciling with Shonna, nor does she with him.  Their marriage has been torn for years by his emotional attachment with at least one other female whose physical contact went beyond hugging and kissing and holding hands.  Enough said-maybe more details will be revealed later-but it was clearly immoral.  All of this was skillfully concealed by lying and by swearing close associates who had observed his behavior to secrecy.  Stephen Strader, for example, knew nothing of this before June 23.  Apparently some of his board members did, but they did not have the ability to deal with it.
 
The Past
 
            I hope this is the last time I will have to address the past.  It is now history.  But as history is written, I feel that I have some responsibility of helping to have history be written accurately, especially since I have turned out to be a lightening rod for a number of severe criticisms.
 
            Most of you know this, but let me reiterate to keep it on record.  Previous to around the middle of June, my interest in Lakeland was about a 2 on a scale of 1-10.  Then I got a call from Stephen Strader, the host pastor who was a member of ICA, which I lead, with a passionate appeal for apostolic intervention because chaos and confusion had begin to invade the Outpouring I.  Toward the end of the hour we were talking, I received one of my infrequent direct words from God:  "Alignment!"  Just one word, but I knew I had a divine command and responsibility.
 
            Once I knew that God had assigned me to initiate some sort of apostolic intervention at Stephen's side, I began praying and consulting with close colleagues.  In less than two days I discovered that Todd Bentley had no formal, established apostolic alignment.  I asked God how I should proceed, especially since I had no inclination to attempt an apostle-evangelist approach and expect that Bentley would submit to or even listen to what I had to say if I made an appointment with him in Lakeland.  I felt that proper apostolic protocol would be for me to deal with one or more peer-level apostles to whom Todd had aligned apostolically.  Since as yet he had no such alignment, I began asking God how such an alignment might come about.  He directed me to my close friend, Ché Ahn, who himself is apostolically aligned with me and who also had been close to Bentley for years.  Ché agreed that the best apostolic protocol would be for Todd to align with the Revival Alliance if he were willing.  Ché called him and Bentley agreed to submit publicly to the Revival Alliance.
 
            At this point some disagreements arose.  I have already mentioned that I was consulting with several apostolic colleagues whom I trusted and whom I know trusted me.  It is very necessary for us to understand exactly what the disagreement was about.  It was about the most appropriate apostolic protocol for the occasion.  After prayerfully listening to the different points of view with careful consideration of what was being said, the decision had to be mine.  I believe that God's word to me about "Alignment!" had to be directional.  I concluded that the best protocol was to do the alignment first, then deal with the issues that had been raised.  My other friends disagreed and urged me to deal with Todd's problems first then do the alignment.  I respected their point of view and I was very sorry that I had to follow God's leading for me personally instead of taking their advice.  It was not a comfortable decision.
 
            Now let me address what was behind much of their disagreement with my apostolic protocol.  They were concerned that if I appeared on the platform with GOD TV, many viewers would interpret it as my personal endorsement of everything that was going on in Lakeland I, and since they were so closely associated with me, they would be implicated as well.  This was a legitimate concern, and one I seriously wrestled with as I made my decision.  If I went to Lakeland and presided over the alignment, some might well take it as an endorsement.  It was a risk, I knew.  Let me say personally that all my life I have been a risk-taker instead of a play-it-safe person, and I have taken many hits for it.  As an example going to the jungles of Bolivia as a career field missionary when I was 25 with my wife and a one-year-old baby girl was a serious risk.  Both that daughter and another who was born in the jungle without medical attention came close to losing their lives during those five years.  And we were criticized for our decision to take the risk by many, including parents!
 
            Closer to the Lakeland I situation, I have a private list of no fewer than 18 high-profile Christian leaders starting from the 1970s until Bentley for whom I took risks.  For each one of them I took serious criticisms and in some cases personal hits even much more serious than I have received in this current case because I endorsed or partnered with or provided alignment for them.  Some were typified as "crazy!"  However, I can pretty much discern winners, although not always.  My track record for the 18 is 72% emerged as real winners (you would know most of them), 17% ended up losers (including Bentley), and 11% indecisive. I'm sorry for the losers, but they prove I am not perfect.  The point I am making is that I am no stranger to taking risks and living with the fallout.
 
            One fallout from Lakeland I is that several have resigned from ICA and other organizations that I lead because they no longer want to be identified with me.  Others are still upset.  Still, believe it or not, I think that everyone involved is still my friend.  We just disagree.
 
            I want it understood that I did not go to Lakeland on June 23 for Todd Bentley.  I had never met him personally.  I had no knowledge of and little interest in his ministry.  I went because I received an apostolic plea to help bring order to the confusion and chaos  that was sweeping through the body of Christ worldwide because of the television.  I went strictly for the body of Christ at the invitation of the host pastor of the Outpouring I. 
 
            The final question is:  Was it successful?  Looking back, I praise God for using me and others to help bring order to confusion, which is one of the chief biblical tasks of an apostle.  Stephen Strader, who has been keeping records, affirms that the evil that the prince of the power of the air had been subtly introducing into the Outpouring I started to be exposed and unraveled the day after the alignment, June 24!  Spiritually, this is very understandable.  Just about every leader I knew had discerned that Lakeland I was a mixture of the godly and the ungodly.  We were praying in one accord that the evil would be separated from the good.  My take is that God had decided to answer these prayers and in order to facilitate His process, He assigned me and the Revival Alliance leaders and others who were with us to align Todd Bentley apostolically for the first time in his life.  When we did this publicly, spiritual transactions took place in the invisible world that would not allow the enemy to maintain the veil of secrecy he had carefully placed over the Outpouring.  The evil was exposed, Revival Alliance had the authority to deal with it, and the net result is that order is replacing chaos in the body of Christ.
 
            In my section above on "The Present" I gave you some details.  Believe me, they are only the tip of the iceberg as I just learned from a new phone call even as I was writing this paper.  The proper apostolic structure, happily, is in place at the time of crisis!
 
The Future
 
            It is now important to recognize that from now on we have a different playing field.  Two separate things are going on.  (1) The Revival Alliance is dealing with Todd Bentley and the fallout from his sin that has been and continues to be exposed.  (2)  I have told you previously about a group of 11 apostles that I have formed into the Lakeland Outpouring Apostolic Team.  We no longer need to deal with Lakeland I and Bentley as such.  However, we have a list of 24 serious issues that have emerged from that unpleasant experience which need to be thoroughly discussed with the conclusions circulated in the body of Christ.  If you have seen Dutch Sheets' recent "A Statement and Appeal Regarding Lakeland" you will get a glimpse of some of the things that we agree need to become standard operational beliefs and practices, particularly in our charismatically-inclined evangelical segment of the church.
 
            It will take time, but our Apostolic Team will get to work on the 24 issues after some of this present dust settles, and we will be back to you!
 
Blessings,
Peter

A PROPHETIC WARNING FROM CHUCK

RUSSIA-GEORGIA! With the present Russian conflict with Georgia, the Lord awakened me this morning and said, "Alert my watchmen!" This is what I wrote in God's Unfolding Battle Plan:
 
 A  Prophetic Warning from Chuck

A New River of Terror is Beginning to Flow from the North
August 9, 2008 
   One such nation that will align with others to come against Israel is Russia. She and her children, Gog and Magog, will arise with new strength in days ahead and attempt to rule. Ezekiel 38:3-6 says: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords. Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops-many people are with you.
 

   As a result of Russia's newfound aggression, the United States and other nations will begin to distance themselves from Russia. In fact, 2008 will be the defining year for Russia. For a season, a new favor will arise and rest upon Russia so that new alignments can be formed. The nations listed in Ezekiel (obviously with their modern-day names) will begin to align with this power from the north that is seeking a renewed role in world influence. The Cold War is over, and the thaw has occurred. Now these nations will become "hot" in the next 10 years. A new river of terror will begin to flow from the north." (pp 190 - 191)  But God! The above quotes from God's Unfolding Battle Plan (Regal Books, 2007) are very important to read because of the impact that the events beginning in that region will have on the realignment of the nations world-wide. Here are some things to ponder:
 
   Russia will continue to be the pursuing, dominant force that attempts to rule the Caucasus. Russia is in the process of redefining that region of the world. The Georgia "war" is the first major Russian intervention with this level of impact that has occurred in several years. What you must notice is the new boldness and confidence that Russia is now poised to demonstrate to the world. You also must be aware of their indifference to general worldwide opinion.
 
   The Georgia conflict will become a defining moment in the future of world history. If you want to look at this from the standpoint of playing cards, Russia now holds the "trump" in the suit concerning America and Iran. Start watching very carefully for the reaction of the former Russian satellite states.
 

   One aspect of what is happening is really against the United States. Because the United States has strengthened their influence in Georgia, Russia knows that the relationships of the US will have priority to the resources of the region. This conflict, like most others in the initial stages, is really about the control of wealth and pipelines carrying oil out of the Caspian area. Russia cannot stand the thought of oil being routed through Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan to Turkey, creating a benefit to the West and Israel.
 

   These are key times. We must stay focused because of changing events around us. If China becomes pro-Russia, we in America will be in more trouble than we realize.
 

   Let me suggest once again that you get The Future War of the Church (Updated Version), God's Unfolding Battle Plan, and Interpreting the Times! These books will be very helpful to you. You can focus on the chapters you need most to prophetically understand how to process the season we are living in and how the times affect the generations ahead.
 

-End-

PANGGILAN PADA HIDUP SEDERHANA

PANGGILAN UNTUK MENJADI RADIKAL:
SUATU PANGGILAN KEPADA GAYA HIDUP SEDERHANA
Kita telah mendiskusikan bahwa menjadi radikal adalah kembali kepada akar atau dasar dan mulai mendefenisikan kembali apa kata Alkitab tentang gaya hidup kita pada generasi kita. Jadi gaya hidup yang kita terapkan sebenarnya ditentukan oleh dasar kita atau dari defenisi ulang mengenai apa yang Tuhan inginkan agar kita jadi dalam generasi kita.
Hal utama yang saya tahu penting adalah bahwa setiap hal yang kita buat harus SEDERHANA. Ini waktu bagi kita untuk kembali pada akar dan menjadi sederhana. Ada panggilan dari Kerajaan untuk kita merangkul gaya hidup sederhana ini. Yesus adalah seorang sederhana yang mengajarkan gaya hidup sederhana untuk kembali pada hal yang mendasar pada Tuhan. Segala sesuatu yang DIA ajar dan hidupi tentang kesederhanaan akan mengasihi Bapa dan ketaatan-Nya mengerjakan kehendak Bapa.
Masalah besar kita adalah kita terlalu rumit dalam cara kita menghidupi apa yang kita percayai. Yang telah menyebabkan kebingungan besar kepada dunia karena ketika kita rumit, pesan kita menjadi kabur dan orang kadang tak dapat mengerti kasih Allah karena hidup kita menunjukkan kasih yang rumit karena ketidak-satuan kita. Saya tahu tantangannya bahwa dalam dunia yang rumit ini, kesederhanaan selalu menjadi suatu ancaman.
Saya percaya bahwa dalam kesederhanaan pesan kita menjadi jelas, karena orang dapat dengan mudah mengerti hal-hal sederhana. Apa yang saya maksud adalah bahwa orang dapat melihat dan mengerti pesan kita melalui hidup kita. Hanyalah kejelasan yang dapat membawa pengertian dalam hati orang banyak. Juga kita perlu mengerti bahwa ketika kita sederhana, kita dapat dengan mudah bergerak. Artinya bahwa melalui kesederhanaan, gaya hidup kita bukan hanya sesuatu yang dapat dinikmati dalam komunitas kita tetapi juga dapat menjadi suatu pergerakan yang mempengaruhi generasi. Ini benar bahwa kita tahu melalui sejarah, semua pergerakan dimulai dengan suatu kesederhanaan. Yesus memulai pergerakan pemuridan-Nya dengan orang-orang yang sanagt sederhana yang menghidupi kesederhaan kasih dan ketaatan melalui penyangkalan diri dan memikul salib. Karena mereka menghidupi apa yang mereka percayai, kejelasan pesan mereka menembus masyarakat. Karena hal itu begitu sederhana banyak orang dapat dengan mudah menghidupi apa yang mereka mengerti, dengan demikianlah lahirlah pergerakan itu.
Melalui sejarah kita belajar bahwa gereja dengan mudah menjadi kaku dan tidak flexibel karena kerumitan. Bahwa gereja telah melalui dan secara perlahan-lahan menjadi rumit seperti dunia dimana gereja hidup. Karena gereja telah menjadi sangat tidak flexibel, gereja sekarang ada pada keadaan yang sangat sulit untuk berubah. Gereja tidak mau berubah. Waktu saudara rumit, saudara tidak mau berubah. Dengan demikian sebagai agen perubahan kita telah gagal dengan tugas kita dari Tuhan. Kesederhaan menolong kita untuk berubah menurut kehendak Allah melalui generasi.
Hal terakhir yang saya mau bagi adalah bahwa ketika kita menghidupi hidup yang sederhana; kita dapat dengan mudah "DIUTUS" ke ladang misi. Kata "DIUTUS", terkadang dimaksudkan dengan keperluan support keuangan didalamnya. Kita menghindari mengutus orang dikarenakan kita mengeluhkan anggaran yang diperlukan di dalamnya. Tapi kenyataannya adalah ini bahwa kita dapat dan mampu untuk mengutus orang ke ladang misi jika kita mau membayar harga untuk hidup dalam kesederhanaan. Tantangan besar kita adalah gaya hidup mewah kita telah menghabiskan seluruh keuangan kita. Jujur, kita semua terikat kepada zona nyaman materialisme dan kepentingan diri sendiri. Ini adalah waktu bagi kita untuk menyerahkan semua kenyamanan ini kepada Yesus dan meninggalkannya dibelakang. Kita perlu mengubah cara kita berpikir. Kita perlu mengerti bahwa dunia ini didasarkan pada prinsip memberi. Ketika saudara sederhana, saudara dapat dengan mudah memberi untuk memperluar Kerajaan Allah.
Selamat datang pada pergerakan Kesederhanaan!

PANGGILAN UNTUK BELAJAR DARI YESUS

PANGGILAN MENJADI RADIKAL: Suatu Panggilan Untuk Belajar Dari Yesus
"Marilah kepada-Ku, semua yang letih lesu dan berbeban berat, Aku akan memberi kelegaan kepadamu. Pikullah kuk yang Kupasang dan belajarlah pada-Ku, karena Aku lemah lembut dan rendah hati dan jiwamu akan mendapat ketenangan. Sebab kuk yang Kupasang itu enak dan beban-Kupun ringan." Yesus
Ada panggilan dari hati Yesus kepada setiap orang untuk datang kepada-Nya dan belajar dari pada-Nya. Yesus tidak hanya datang untuk orang-orang tertentu di Timur Tengah tetapi Dia datang untuk semua orang di dunia. Dia juga tidak datang untuk mendirikan suatu agama tetapi membawa gaya hidup Kerajaan di dunia ini seperti di Surga. Jadi Dia memanggil kita untuk belajar dari pengalaman-Nya akan suatu gaya hidup yang mengubah dunia.
Tuhan mau kita belajar dari Yesus yang datang untuk memanifestasikan gaya hidup Tuhan kepada manusia. Kenapa kita harus belajar dari Yesus? Karena Yesus adalah seorang pembelajar atau murid yang baik dan dalam proses pembelajaran-Nya, Dia telah menunjukkan kemampuan untuk menjadi taat, mau dan rela untuk mengerjakan kehendak Tuhan, anugerah dibawah penderitaan dan dengan kasih memanifestasikan Bapa kepada dunia yang Dia kasihi.
Untuk belajar dari Yesus kita perlu untuk menresponi panggilan-Nya PERTAMA-TAMA dan membiarkan ...

ENTER THE NEW THINGS - BY SAMUEL SAPUTRA

Enter the New Things
Yes 42: 9 ‘…Nubuat-nubuat yang dahulu sekarang sudah menjadi kenyataan. Hal-hal yang baru hendak Kuberitahukan. Sebelum hal itu. Muncul, Aku mengabarkannya kepadamu…’

Tuhan sedang melakukan hal-hal yang baru dalam hati umatnya yang mengenal dan mengasihi Dia. Tuhan ingin memakai gerejaNya dengan cara yang berbeda dibanding waktu-waktu yang lalu. Allah melakukan hal yang fresh di bumi ini sesuatu yang belum pernah terbayangkan sebelumnya, pertanyaannya adalah begaimana gereja Tuhan bisa masuk kedalam hal-hal baru yang Bapa siapkan.

PERTAMA
Gereja Tuhan harus bertobat dari kesalahan masa lalu secara pribadi atau gereja secara korporat. Memang benar Tuhan mengampuni dosa kita tapi bukan berarti kita bisa terus tinggal dalam kesalahan itu. Bertobat mempunyai pemahaman berbalik, berubah hati, dan pikiran yang membawa perubahan arah dan gaya hidup. Sudah waktunya untuk jujur melihat dosa sebagai dosa dan tidak menyebutnya hanya sebagai kelemahan serta merasionalisasinya dengan memaklumi diri sendiri serta menyalahkan keadaan.
Dosa adalah dosa janganlah permainkan kasih karunia Tuhan sebagai kesempatan untuk hidup dalam dosa. Jika saudara berdosa bertobatlah, berubahlah sebelum terang Tuhan menelanjangi kegelapan tersembunyi dalam hidupmu. Apa yang dibisikan ditelinga tiba waktunya akan diteriakan dari atas atap rumah sehingga semua orang dapat mendengarnya.

KEDUA
Jangan tinggal pada kesuksesan masa lalu. Rasa mapan karena sukses yang dicapai telah menjadi penghambat terbesar bagi gereja untuk maju lebih dari pada kesukaran dan penderitaan. Sejarah gereja membuktikan bahwa aniaya dan kesukaran telah membuat gereja Tuhan semakin kuat, Bahkan aniaya telah jadi pemicu utama yang membawa percepatan bagi Injil diberitakan diseluruh dunia. Sindrom Laodikia telah menyerang umat Tuhan dan gereja yang menyebabkan kesuaman dan apatisme rohani. Kemapanan adalah sama dengan kesombongan, yang merupakan penyebab gereja Laodikia jatuh dalam kesuaman karena mereka berkata kami kaya, terus memperkaya diri, kami cukup, tidak kekurangan suatu apapun.

Ingat Tuhan bukan Allah yang statis dan apatis tetapi Dia Tuhan yang agresif, active dan terus bergerak maju untuk membawa umat Tuhan masuk kedalam tujuan yang ada dihatiNya. Dalam Matius 17 murid Yesus ingin mendirikan tiga tenda untuk mewadahi kemuliaan dan pengalaman yang dasyat diatas gunung. Kemuliaan Tuhan tidak bisa diwadahi oleh manusia sebab Dia terus bergerak dan menyatakan kemuliaan yang lebih besar.

Don’t dwell in the past sin and mistake, do not dwell in the past glory and anointing, Because there’s greater Glory waiting for you (Hag 2:5-10).

“Janganlah biarkan dosa dan kesalahan masa lalu menghalangimu masuk kedalam masa depanmu, janganlah biarkan kemuliaan masa lalu menghalangimu mengalami kemuliaan yang lebih besar yang menunggumu.”

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+62 818 296 399
+62 298 318 031 (tlp/fax)
samuel.saputra@yahoo.com

GAYA HIDUP SEBAGAI YANG DIUTUS

PANGGILAN MENJADI RADIKAL: Gaya hidup sebagai yang DIUTUS.
"Damai bagimu! Seperti Bapa telah mengutus aku, Aku juga mengutus kamu." Yesus.
Ada sesuatu yang luar biasa tentang kata DIUTUS. Banyak kali Yesus berbicara fakta bahwa Dia diutus oleh Bapa. Dia sedang mengatakan bahwa alasan paling sebenarnya Dia mengutus kita untuk pergi mengerjakan kehendak Bapa adalah bahwa karena dia juga telah diutus ke dunia untuk melakukan kehendak Bapa. Kita perlu mengambil ini sebagai gaya hidup, menginkarnasikan Amanat Agung ke dalam darah dan daging kita setiap hari.
Ada banyak pokok bahasan hari-hari ini tentang Gereja yang MENGUTUS. Saya lebih tertarik pada MENGUTUS kehidupan. Ketika kita berbicara gereja kita dapat dengan mudah menunjuk kesalahan gereja dan ketidaksesuaiannya namun kita justru menarik diri kita dari kritik itu sendiri. Saya harus mengakui bahwa saya telah melakukan hal-hal yang salah di masa lalu yang telah menyinggung banyak orang lain dan untuk saya minta maaf. Mudah untuk menemukan kesalahan gereja tetapi sangat sulit mengakui bahwa kitalah gereja itu.
Menerima undangan Yesus untuk pergi dan menjadikan murid adalah berarti mengerti hati gereja yang sebenarnya. Ini adalah mengutus kehidupan. Ketika saya berpikir tentang menjadikan murid, yang saya pikirkan adalah menjamah seluruh bagian kehidupan tanpa terkecuali pada diri seseorang.
Gaya hidup mengutus adalah suatu investasi dalam kehidupan orang lain. Ini bukanlah program. Dan pastinya ini lebih dari sekedar mengatur aktivitas outreach. Menjadi orang yang diutus punya arti membangun jembatan kepada kehidupan orang lain - supaya mereka boleh mengenal Yesus dan menemukan apa artinya sungguh-sungguh menjadi hidup, mekhluk hidup yang bebas. Ini adalah sikap yang mengatakan, "Aku akan menginvestasikan hidupku pada orang lain untuk Kristus dan tujuan-Nya di bumi." Artinya aku akan hidup seperti itu dalam setiap segi kehidupan setiap hari. Dibutuhkan pewahyuan bagi kita untuk mengerti ...