The Todd Bentley revival in Lakeland seems to have outgrown it's initial Ignited Church home and its sister church in Auburndale; they've been moving between the 7000-seat Lakeland Center and Marchant Stadium, the Detroit Tigers' spring training stadium. The Tampa Tribune piece on the revival does a decent stab at balance and background, going for replies from hostile heresy-hunter Hank Hanegraaff and a friendly take from Charisma magazine's J Lee Grady.
Mike LaPan, executive director of the Lakeland Center, estimated the crowd at nearly 7,000 Monday night and 4,000 to 5,000 Tuesday and Wednesday. Fresh Fire paid the Lakeland Center about $15,000 per day, said LaPan, who complimented the crowds for their behavior.
That's a good chunk of change; they'll need at least $3/head in donations just to cover the rental fees. The problem for the Bentley crew is that the Tigers' farm club in Lakeland uses the stadium and the Lakeland Center has other events.
The revival will return to the Lakeland Center from Monday through Thursday of next week.
"Bu after that, we're homeless," said Lynne Breidenbach, a spokeswoman for [Ignited Church pastor Stephen] Strader. Finding a venue for the services, which brought 5,000 or more people to the Lakeland Center each night this week, is a challenge.
"It's hard finding a place with 10,000 seats," said Breidenbach. She noted that revival organizers contacted the Ford Amphitheatre in Tampa, but found that it was also booked.
Well, strangely enough, their old Carpenter's Home church would be perfect for the occasion. Unfortunately, they just got done selling it in 2006. Would they be gutsy enough to ask? Would the Church Without Walls (a Word-of-Faith-style joint that would be open in theory to such a revival) gutsy enough to go along and humble enough to let the local upstarts get first billing?
I'm mugwumping on the theological merits of this. It's hard to get objective information; you either have the Holy Spirit junkies who can't get enough of Bentley and this "Florida Outpouring" or you have the heresy-hunters who train both barrels at anything charismatic and noteworthy.
What we do seem to have is something that could be the Toronto of the late 00s; TACF had to buy a conference center and convert it into a church to handle their crowds.
At least people will have better weather to visit this revival in. We'll see how the charismatic pilgrims handle the "air you can wear" of a Florida summer.
I was there Fri and Sat night @ Marchant.
I'm a Holy Spirit junkie :D But I'm not a Bentley groupie. He's just the messenger... God could've used you or me just as much as Todd (and I pray that He will!!)
This stuff is for real. Rock your socks off revival. God is glorified (and there's nothing like glorifying Him with 12000 or so other people either!!)... the lame walk, the deaf hear, there's nothing like it. We experienced a miracle before we went (Glory to God it's spread through the TV and internet!) and saw people get up out of wheelchairs, see, hear... amazing stuff. Even met a lady in person who went believing it was all a fraud, and she got healed!!
Will they take in 15,000 a day? Oh absolutely. People seem to be giving very generously. But I will say this... Todd's not a pushy guy when it comes to money. Now, he does encourage generous giving, and has stated that the money is going to fund the revival and that people NEED to give, and has even pointed out that God's not going to bless someone who's stingy in their giving... but he's also pointed out that stingy has nothing to do with income or ability to give. A person giving $5 isn't necessarily stingy... BUT (here's the good part)... I don't think he spends more than 5 minutes asking for money. He asks, the ushers hand out envelopes, they collect, and the service goes on... it's a good thing. :)
They're already talking about buying a building...
Posted by: Kathi | May 06, 2008 at 09:32 PM
I just had to write! My husband and I have been going to Ignited Church in the am services and then in the evening.(Todd Bentley) I am definitely a skeptic..probably the worst(so says my sister)but this is for real. I was healed in my house watching tv of a pain in my leg. Just quit hurting. Sounds crazy but true. This is not about Todd.. It's a God thing. I have only seen offering taken up a few times. Most of the time it has been taken up after I have left. I usually leave at 10 or 10:30. It's not about money. My Mom has always said God is not a beggar and he will supply our needs. I just praise God for this! What I don't understand is that the Tampa Tribune is doing reporting of the revival and not the Ledger! When you have people coming from all over the world, hotels booking up..something is happening! People are fed up with religion and ministers with their hands out!
God bless
Cheri
Posted by: Cherismoore | May 10, 2008 at 10:41 AM