Since this topic still brings up emotions, it is a good time to use it for planning. If we were to see the warning signs in our churches, what actions would we take? At what point would we confront lax standards, if at all? To what extent would we step in to help make things work toward God's glory?
This international series of services hit many believers hard. Some had invested time and money, prayer, and some invited friends to watch the services. To find out that harm might be caused through something we supported is both humbling and painful.
Each incident like this causes us to be more cautious. Less excited about what God is doing in churches. More wary of whether a person is "really of God" or not. When we get jaded, we put more limits on God and ourselves. We find it harder to settle into a fellowship.
http://www.freshfire.ca/?Id=1067&pid=8
Thanks for the link. The Fresh Fire leadership pointed out some things they would probably watch out for in the future:
1. As the Outpouring continued, the Board of Directors and other leaders in Lakeland suggested that Todd take a few days off each week to rest and refresh. We learned from experience, however, and the post-Lakeland counsel of Christian leaders, that the anointing can be addictive.
2. Significant personal issues in Todds life and make-up, as well as, flaws in the functioning structure of our leadership resulted in an impossible pace to maintain
seven nights a week for more than 15 weeks on end. We fully accept the responsibility as a Board of Directors for this lapse in judgment; we should have required that not just Todd and the team, but the entire Outpouring rest a minimum of one day a week.
3. As the pressure of leading the revival continued, media attention increased resulting in less and less personal time.
4. As fatigue began to set in, significant personal issues ...were exacerbated...With the development of more friction in his marriage relationship, Todd began to make irrational decisions.
5. The fact that the revival was .. three thousand miles from our home office... the entire administration for the revival was provided by a rotating stream of church leaders and Board members who would assist behind the scenes and on the platform for a few weeks at a time and then return to Canada, usually on the verge of total exhaustion.
6. Many early signs that something was drastically wrong were overlooked. By the time we became fully aware and/or were willing to admit how dysfunctional things had become behind the scenes, the damage had already been done.
7, Since then, many false accusations and rumors surrounding both Todd and the Lakeland Outpouring have attempted to use Todds failures as a springboard to question the legitimacy of the revival.
8. With genuine accountability, inner healing, counseling and deliverance we are confident that it is entirely possible for Todd to come through and gain victory over a number of significant personal issues with which he is struggling.
9. What Todd has done should not only be defined by his present failure. He has raised the bar on what is possible. He has broken a barrier of sorts for all of us and made a pathway into new possibilities.
10.So please pray for Todd and also for Shonnah and their family. Pray with fervency that the Lord would do a mighty miracle for the number one purpose of bringing vindication to His Name, but also that we might see our brother restored. We cannot control a persons choices, nor have we any desire to do so. What we can control is our response to their choices and see the Lord take what the enemy means for evil and work it together for good.
These observations and apologies form a worthwhile structure for future revivals that we might be a part of. Establishing a solid base before trying to handle exponential growth.
Being prepared for criticism. Setting a Biblical policy on rest for all those involved, no matter how much God is working.
Well how come he's having counselling without being willing to have counselling? You can't force someone to go and receive counselling; however much other people may be hurt/appalled/affected by someone else's behaviour, they will not change unless they want to change, and if they don't want to change then it doesn't matter who they talk to.
