Meditations about the Fall of a Minister

Hi friends,

I was thinking a lot recently about renewal and the price of rejection. When I read this article about the Lakeland revival, I was particularly blessed by Bill's views about it. There are three responses which he wrote at different times with regards to Todd Bentley's meltdown:
http://www.bjm.org/questions/11/update-what-do-you-think-about-todd-bentley-and-the-lakeland-revival.html?file=regarding-todd-bentley

I think this is a very real article that shows us a few principles:
1) In moving in the power of the Spirit, rejection can be expected. Particularly heated and unexpected rejection. And with regards to Todd Bentley's meltdown, what it shows is that rejection, at that kind of heat, is particularly stressful and makes current temptations that much stronger and harder to handle. And so rather than his fall supposedly showing that the power is not real/from God, what it really shows is how much toll a stressful schedule and unwarranted rejection from fellow Christians can do. Probably the best advice is for a minister who is moving in such power to make sure other stresses are minimised as much as possible. There's only so much a human can take.

2) The people moving in the power of the Spirit are moving according to a gifting and should be given maximum permission to move with their gifting, especially since their gifting is already by nature controversial. I didn't hold Bill Johnson in particularly high esteem, but what he said touched my heart. He asked rhetorically whether people like us have ever seen the man before, talked with him, experienced his ministry, and benefited from his gifting. And I think he made his point quite clearly: Todd is just a Christian like the rest of us, gifted to move in a certain area, and very susceptible to falls, just like the rest of us, but also like us, sincere in loving God. So the overall point is that Todd is not perfect, neither is the Lakeland revival, but nonetheless is carried out by God among imperfect people who sincerely seek God. And so it makes sense to put as little barriers as possible for the ministry of these people. Just wondering aloud: I wonder how many people are willing to give such concessions to Todd's ministry. If anything, this has firstly convinced me of Bill Johnson's maturity in this issue. It also convinced me that a critical spirit is the worst thing any ministry can have. Criticism, even if well-intentioned, never builds up the body of Christ. It only adds pressure to the minister to perform and to be proven 'correct'. This makes them insecure and more likely to fall into abuses and temptations that surround everyone, not just them. Patience, and good teaching, is what is required. Patience, because it takes a long long time to shape a person's character, and good teaching, so that at least the person can head to the correct destination. Right now, what pains my heart is that in this world of ours, there are so many without proper teaching, and even more who do not have the patience to see someone in the miraculous grow. It pains my heart everytime when thinking about it, and when thinking about the criticisms that people will level against the servants of God.

Right now, what it also makes me think is that kind of rejection if I and my fellow elders were to move in this kind of ministry. The pressures are greater now 'cos the criticism is faster. The information spreads faster, and the rejection thus accelerates faster. May God give us all the 'thick-skinness' to withstand. A verse came to mind, not very optimistic, but at least the Master said it: "Rejoice when men persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you, because of Me." I think this also applied when going through persecution for the sake of the Holy Spirit.

God bless you all. Sharing these thoughts with you just for your benefit. Not in any particular response to any issue.

Dan