Media Spokesperson for Todd Bentley, Lynne Breidenbach, told local newspaper Bentley and his wife Shonnah have separated. (TheLedger.com) | Evangelist Todd Bentley, who led a Pentecostal revival in Lakeland from a modest beginning to near-historic proportions, has filed for separation from his wife, a former spokesperson said Monday, and will not return to the ongoing revival.

Lynne Breidenbach, a local woman who had been a media liaison for Bentley during the months-long Florida Outpouring Revival, told The Ledger that Bentley announced to his staff Monday afternoon that he and his wife, Shonnah, had separated. The Bentleys have two daughters and a son, and are Canadian citizens. Under Canadian law, separation is a preliminary step in divorce proceedings, lasting nine months. Breidenbach, who resigned as revival spokesperson Monday, called the news of the separation “very sad.”

“God uses fallen, flawed people. … This doesn’t invalidate what Todd did,” she said.

The revival began April 2 at Ignited Church in Lakeland. Bentley announced two weeks ago that he would end his regular appearances at the revival on Aug. 23 to resume his traveling evangelistic work, but he was scheduled to lead services next week. The Rev. Stephen Strader, pastor of Ignited Church, said Tuesday that he was informed three weeks ago that Bentley and his wife had been undergoing marriage counseling for a few years.

“Last week, Todd shared with me that his wife had returned to Canada, and he’s following her this week. I’ve been assured by his people that there is no third party involved,” Strader said.

Bentley’s Fresh Fire Ministries Web site indicates that a September appearance by Bentley in England has been postponed. Phone calls to Fresh Fire Ministries in Abbotsford, British Columbia, were not returned Tuesday.

Shonnah Bentley has made few appearances on stage during the revival, which is now in its 133rd consecutive day.

Bentley, 32, announced earlier this month he would establish a U.S. base of operations in Lakeland. Fresh Fire Ministries recently purchased a lot in Oak Landing, a development in Mulberry.

Pentecostals and evangelicals historically have frowned on divorce, citing scriptural prohibitions. Ministers who were divorced usually had to give up their careers, but there have been some notable exceptions in recent years and attitudes appear to be changing.

J. Lee Grady, editor of Charisma, a magazine for Pentecostals based in Orlando, said Tuesday the news of Bentley’s marital troubles would likely further polarize those following the revival.

“A large segment of the movement has been skeptical from day one. They’re going to see this as a natural progression. Others who have been following Todd are going to be spiritually shipwrecked. We’ve most definitely seen through this revival a lot of people are not grounded in Scripture, so for them, it won’t be an issue,” he said.

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To God be all the Glory!!
written by Servant, October 27, 2008

It is important for a man of God that his roots is established enough to handle a certain situation or any revelations from the Lord. A man of God must be sensitive to the voice of God, because if a man of God knows how to recognize the voice of God, this kind of break down will never happen. And to the crowd that has witnessed the marvelous miracles of the Lord in that revival, LOOK UP!! don't look around, for defeat comes from looking around. It is God who did the revival, not anybody else.

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