Paul Cain Controversy in Lakeland
Tonight, at the Lakeland Revival, Todd Bentley prayed for people that were addicted to drugs and alcohol to be delivered. You could visibly see many people who looked like they had gone through some rough times getting hit with power. The best part however was that Todd told people that they had to get right with God and receive Jesus if they were going to be free. He asked Jesus to come into their lives and set them free just like he had been set free. A father and a son came up together. It was awesome to see them be ministered to after they just talked about how drugs and alcohol had taken away the wife and mother. Many people were visibly set free from torment. The love of God was being proclaimed. Todd quoted the scripture about Jesus being moved with compassion and healing all of their diseases. People who have been suicidal received prayer. One lady who was bedridden for three years was carried by Todd’s interns and her friend of over 23 years. This lady’s husband had been involved in witchcraft and as Todd went to pray for her, a demon manifested and tried to reach out for him. He spoke with authority for her to be loosed and she was set free praising God and giving Him glory. Many people in wheelchairs were getting up and walking. All of this and more was going on in tonights’ meeting. All of it good.
Then came an announcement that gave me pause:
Todd mentioned that Paul Cain just landed in Lakeland. Todd bought him a ticket and had him flown in so that he could speak about a prophetic word he gave in the past about healing revivals filling stadiums. If you don’t know about Paul Cain, he is a man many regarded as a modern day prophetic voice because of his supernatural gifts. He was also an associate of William Branham during the healing revival of the 40’s-60’s who Todd mentions frequently.
Not very long ago, Paul Cain was found out to have been involved in homosexuality and alcoholism for many years. (see here) Though regarded by many leaders in the past, he was publicly denounced by many leaders such as Rick Joyner of Morningstar and Mike Bickle of IHOP because he chose not to repent when confronted. He has since repented and sought restoration though he has said from his own mouth that he would “take a low profile.” He is now 75 years old and is being called by Todd to the meeting to share past prophecies that supposedly speak of these types of meetings taking place in stadiums. I have personally heard these prophecies going around in my circles as well.
Todd believes that there is restoration coming to the name of ministers like him and others like AA Allen who was said to have suffered from alcoholism as well.
Although, I would never hold back God’s amazing grace and restoration from anyone, I wonder out loud if this is the right time and place for this man to be brought to the stage. Why now, if ever? God can restore us, but does it mean that we get a platform again?
Especially with the high profile ministry falls that have happened over the recent years, what is Todd trying to prove with bringing Paul in? What happened to “nameless and faceless”? Is Todd way over his authority on this one? What would Joyner and Bickle who have known Paul Cain for years have to say?
One thing is for sure. It will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow night when he is brought on stage.
I will be watching too! I have been glued for the past few nights and if tonight is the same, then God will reveal anything that needs to be revealed. Perhaps Paul is a way to reach all the Christians that have fallen away and have made mistakes and run in the opposite direction of where God has called them. Maybe with all the “outings” that have accured lately, this will be a time to show God forgives EVERYONE who TRULY repents. If he is not truly “right” I belive it will be revealed tonight. I talked to Aaron today and he said that after 11 last night, there were many more people in wheelchairs that got up and walked, many for the first time in years! They were supposed to come back tonight because Aaron has to work tomorrow morning, but they are staying through tonight and leaving after the meeting. He said the anointing there is completely indescribable!!!!
Well, I was watching last night and didn’t see anyone walking for the first time, in fact, Todd asked them and they said “no” I can walk okay, just not a whole lot. It’s a technique Benny Hinn uses, seeing someone stand out of a wheelchair is dramatic, and manipulative.
Did you watch Cain last? Are you seeing that this revival is a mockery? It’s nothing but hype and emotionalism. Cain was sad and embarassing. Did you see the handsome young man he rambled on for 5 minutes about saying God was going to give him an unbelievable romance, one for the ages . . . does that sound like a prophetic word to you? The young man certainly seemed confused most of the time trying to figure out what Cain was saying.
And now Todd has been proclaimed . . . the “new breed”, the end-time prophet Elijah, and having the same angel and anointing as Branham, all in the course of about 5 minutes as Todd soaked it all into his twitching head.
If i were you, I’d be running alright, but as far from this thing as you can! Do not let anyone there lay hands on you.
The Paul Cain appearance might be due to the word Paul had in the late 1980’s about stadium ministry, as you’ve mentioned in your post. I think since Paul Cain has been seeking restoration for like three or four years, and there was some controversy as to his being “exposed” (is it the truth?) years ago, Todd thought it was appropriate to honor the dude.
The nameless and faceless generation of ministers, the ” new breed”from what Paul was saying, is just beginning, and this particular healing revival is just the beginning of something greater.
I personally think this was a humble thing for Todd to do– no minister, no matter how prophetic or gifted, has perfect character– when someone like Paul seeks restoration, and finds it, hey we are to welcome that.
We will be watching 2 from INDIA.
We r blessed out here.
Umm, Paul publically confessed to having long-term homosexual relationships and to being an alcoholic. It took Jack Deere, Rick Joyner and Mick Bickle challenging him to get him to get help because they knew about it. Then he refuses to submit to the restoration process. Just how non-perfect are you willing to overlook?
Sadly, I have far fewer doubts about Paul Cain’s gifting and ministry than I do of Todd’s.
I would love to read an update as I missed Paul Cain speaking. Has he been restored?
Found Paul Cain’s platform demeanor particularly sad. The whole thing had Samson like “qualities” Samson allowed his hair to be cut & his strength from God was withdrawn.Paul Cain was found in sin which he eventually admitted,Samson had one last chance once his hair grew back to show his strength.If Paul Cain has truly repented then God has forgiven him,why does he need a platform again?? I feel very sorry for the man but don’t believe it was a good idea to have him on a platform at this time & hope that Todd Bentley does not live to regret his decision.
Paul Cain got engaged at the beginning of the year – who is the woman? does this mean he is getting married this year? I would love to attend.
Who are we to say what God “should” and “should not” do? Do we really believe that God is the God of restoration??? The anointing DID increase when Paul Cain got there. Sure he stumbled over some of his words, because that was a big thing for him to show his face and be there and believe God for his own restoration. Christians who want perfection over compassion have the bigger problem, I think. Todd and Paul are examples of what God CAN do. The miracles were there. Can’t say I’ve seen them happening like that in other places that the critics approve of!
Maybe i’m missing something but i watched the meeting with Paul Cain and i saw no increase in ‘anointing’ and if i missed it…i personally (and i’m not infallible) have concerns over the source of the Lakeland anointing anyway, also we are called to test all things by scripture and regardless of whether or not Paul Cain has repented of his Sins (Homosexuality and Alcoholism) and been restored, he has not changed his stand point with regards the ‘New Breed’ / ‘Joels Army’ / Kingdom Dominion or as was named during the William Branham teachings ‘Latter Rain’ , and as i personally see those teachings as incorrect and misleading and in my opinion dangerous i believe that there is still need for caution and to a degree a need for a level of distance between us and Paul Cain with regards Teaching….I would also like to highlight that Todd Bentley seems to accept the Prophecies and teachings of those who have been prooven to teach things not inline with the Word (Ernie Gruen Report to name just one source)and not only accepts them but actually uses them to validate his ministry…Guys does anyone else struggle with this????
dear all. i believe that Go is a restorer. i too felt that God remained faithful to the prophesy . I am pleased that God in divers time spoke through prophets. my job in this revival is 1 acts 17v11 search the scriptures to see if these things are so and believe. 2 pray for the revival to go in the direction God wants it to go. I certainly dont believe that I am to be a sopectator. i heard Todd Bentley ask or prayer. He is believing God to open the wells of revival that Satan has closed over the years. I know that Paul Cain was brought because Todd B entley wants to hear and honour All that God has done. All of us can be judges but HOW ABOUT US BEING MOVED WITH COMPASSION FOR OUR SICK BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND FOR A SICK AND DYING WORLD AND CRY OUT FOR GOD TO MOVE IN REVIVAL. i HAVE FOUND THAT WHILST IN PRAYER I HAVE HAD NO TIME TO JUDGE . SATAN AND HIS COHORTS ARE BUSY TRYING TO PROVE HOW GOD CANNOT RESTORE HIS FAILED SERVANTS AND TO GET BTHE WORLD TO JUDGE THE BODY AND DISPROVE JESUS THAT GREATER WORKS WILL WE DO. WE NEED THE WELLS OF REVIVAL OPENED .PRAYER WILL LEAD US ALL INTO TRUTH. I WANT TO SEE GOD RESTORE HIS PEOPLE BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT LOVE AND HIS GREAT MERCY AND TO SEE GODS POWER REACH OUT AND THE GREATER GLORY. I THANK YOU FATHER FOR TODD BENTLEYS HEART TO HONOUR YOU AND FOR HIS DESIRE TO HONOUR THE WORK YOU HAVE DONE IN THE LIFE OF MEN . FATHER I PRAY YOU WILL RAISE UP MEN AND PRAYER THAT WILL BRING YOUR LOVE AND COMPASSION TO A DYING WORLD. FATHER RELEASE YOUR GLORY THAT MEN WILL KNOW THAT JESUS IS LORD. WE PRAY FOR INTERCESSORY PRAYER DAY AND NIGHT OVERR THIS REVIVAL TO SEE YOU WIN FATHER AND THE NAME OF YOUR SON LIFTED UP . FATHER YOU SAID IF YOU BE LIFTED UP YOU WILL DRAW ALL MEN TO YOURSELF.LORD WE PRAY FOR YOUR HAND TO BE STRETCHED OUT. CONFOUND THE ENEMY AND LORD BUILD YOUR CHURCH AND THE GATES GATES OF HELL – SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST EACH MEMBER OF THE BODY-AMEN
The author of this comment seemed to cut and paste this response into our comments, but I am letting it through so that you can hear where he’s coming from-John
I raise honest and true objections, it gets turned into
“you’re saying he’s a false teacher”
“you’re saying this revival is not of God”
“you’re touching God’s anointed”
“you shouldn’t judge it after the flesh”
“ad nauseam”, to borrow your phrase.
I never once said the revival was NOT of God nor did I question Bentley’s ministry.
But let me ask you this.
When did this become about defending Todd Bentley?
Isn’t the revival the faith of His people meeting the Power of their God?
Isn’t this supposed to be NOT about personalities?
Didn’t Paul say,
“One of you says ‘I’m of Paul’;
Another says ‘I’m of Apollos’;
Another says ‘I’m of Peter’;
Another says ‘I’m of Christ’,
So why are there divisions among you??”"
So why do we have to make this about Todd Bentley?
I’m just asking some honest questions, and this is turning into some kind of personality contest to where people are trying to defend someone they don’t even know.
We don’t know what is in his mind and in his heart.
We don’t see what he does in secret.
We don’t see what goes on when the lights are out.
So we don’t need to try to prop him up like he’s something above the rest of us, because it is God bringing the power, when people bring the faith, and when a person goes home healed, or goes home restored, or goes home better than they were before, Todd Bentley needs no defense nor explanation, – CUZ HE DIDN’T DO IT IN THE FIRST PLACE.
Look …
All I am saying is that with such a revival going on, it would behoove Todd Bentley to close the door to Satan’s opportunities, lest false [or true] accusation should arise. We all saw what happened to Carlton Pearson’s effectiveness in ministry, and his numbers in ministry, and his influence in ministry, and his audience in ministry, when it was revealed that he had gotten off into false doctrine.
Speaking of false doctrine, Todd Bentley claims to have “Emma”, the angel which supposedly guided William Branham’s ministry. Sure, under Branham’s ministry, many were saved, et cetera, but have you read the rest of what Branham’s ministry was like? False doctrine was the biggest downfall of William Branham.
Really, if you look at what I am saying, this would help your boy a lot, rather than hurt him, because if he would take necessary precautions to avoid the traps Satan would lay, then these revivals [supposedly that HE is responsible for, yeah right] would go on and on day after day, and people would get more saved, and people would get more healed, and more would get saved, and more would come back to God, and a partridge in a pear tree.
It really bothers me how Pentecostal Christians turn helpful criticism [which could eventually save their pet revivals and their pet ministers on the long road] and view it as “evil”, “touching God’s anointed”, “critical spirit”, “the flesh”, and other various and sundry things which are blinding them to the pitfalls that their heroes could easily avoid.
A laundry list of Charismatics who refused to be warned; among them, to name just a FEW,
William Branham [false doctrine],
Jack Coe [pushing himself too much in ministry, overeating, greed],
Roberts Liardon [homosexuality],
Ted Haggard [homosexuality, drug abuse],
Paul Cain [homosexuality, alcoholism],
and Carlton Pearson [false doctrine, willful blindness],
all of whom were “criticized, “God’s anointed were touched”, “viewed after the flesh”, so on and so forth while their cheerleaders egged them on to go on ministering when the evil critics were bringing up those washed-out bridges in the road ahead which had been demolished by the raging storm.
They were “criticized”, “judged after the flesh”, “God’s anointed were touched”, et cetera, but I have another word for the above –
WARNED.
If those preachers and ministers had listened to their annoying critics, they’d have fulfilled all the call of God for their lives, more would have been saved, many millions would have been healed, and the opportunities they would have provided with their meetings would have given many the chance to bring the faith as God brought the power.
But, alas, it was not to be.
DAMN THE TORPEDOES!!!! FULL SPEED AHEAD!!!
… was the famous quote of Commander David Farragut in response to attacks on his mighty vessel.
So it is now with Charismatics in response to their attackers.
Only – Farragut succeeded.
Question is, does it work this way in ministry?
An honest question. It’s worth an honest answer.
In response to ELIJ. post on May 6, 2008 about Paul Cain’s engagement: The woman’s name is Deanna Ross. I heard thru the grapevine that she is about 40 years younger than him and gorgeous. I think she was an ex-model or actress or something, who is involved in the ministry.