Evangelist Todd Bentley Reportedly Files for Separation – More from the Ledger

 Here’s the lastest report from the Lakeland Ledger on Todd Bentley’s separation:

By Cary McMullen

THE LEDGER

 

Published: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 at 5:17 p.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 at 5:20 p.m.

 

 

LAKELAND | 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.

Strader invited Bentley to Lakeland to lead the revival. The twice-daily services were streamed live over the Internet and also televised by God TV, a small Christian network, and attendance grew quickly. Young people were drawn by Bentley’s unorthodox appearance — with tattoos, piercings and a goatee — which resembles a biker rather than a buttoned-down televangelist.

Many traveled to Lakeland from outside Florida and the United States, and the revival changed location three times in search of larger venues. At its peak, the revival drew at least 10,000 people to services at Joker Marchant Stadium in May.

From late June to Aug. 2, the revival took place under two large tents on the grounds of Sun n’ Fun Fly-in that could accommodate up to 10,000 people, but it has now returned to Ignited Church.

Bentley and the Florida Outpouring have been controversial, even among other Pentecostals. Bentley has been criticized for making extravagant claims of miraculous healing and even claimed dozens of people in various locations have been raised from the dead as a result of prayers offered at the Lakeland revival.

Bentley’s flamboyant style seemed borrowed at times from professional wrestling, which Bentley has said he watches. He often exclaims “Bam” as he touches or shoves people to “impart” healing, and in a video circulating on the Internet, he was seen driving his knee into the abdomen of a man who said he had colon cancer, causing the man to fall to his knees.

 

Fresh Fire Ministry Issues Statement on Todd Bentley Separation

The following statement was issued today from Fresh Fire Ministry regarding Todd Bentley’s separation from his wife.

http://www.freshfire.ca/

Greetings Partners and Friends,

The last four months have been some of the most amazing months in the history of Fresh Fire Ministries. We have witnessed God pour out His Spirit in an unprecedented way in Florida and around the world in the first revival in history to be broadcasted live into literally millions of homes and churches across all five continents and into more than 200 countries. The “Outpourings” as they have come to be called are continuing now in many cities worldwide. These fiery hot coals of revival are sweeping through the Body of Christ, crossing geographical, political and denominational boundaries as the Holy Spirit brings the manifest presence of the glory of God back to His church with tangible demonstrations of his saving, healing, delivering power.

As a result, we as a ministry have experienced the blessing and the burden of exponential increases of activity and interest in our activities, functions and resources. Our website during the last few months has received as many as 6 million hits in one month and our office has struggled to cope with numberless phone calls and emails which have taxed our infrastructure and human resources almost to the breaking point. We so appreciate the patience and grace many of you have extended to us during this time, whether waiting for us to answer the phone or process your donation or product order. To overcome this challenge, we have hired more than a dozen new staff in our home base here in Abbotsford in addition to the many staff temporarily hired to help with the administration of the Outpouring in Lakeland, Florida.

The Lord’s blessings and abundance have been so evident on the ministry during this season of intense activity and we rejoice in seeing and being able to participate in what we believe is only the beginning of a worldwide awakening. It is with considerable sadness then, that we must temper the jubilation we know you all feel with the sobering news that Todd and Shonnah Bentley are presently experiencing significant friction in their relationship and are currently separated. We want to affirm that there has been no sexual immorality on the part of either Todd or Shonnah, nor has there ever been. Undoubtedly the pressures and the burden of the Outpouring, which approaches 144 days on August 23rd, have helped to create an atmosphere of fatigue and stress that has exacerbated existing issues in their relationship. We wish to stress however, that the Outpouring is not “to blame” for the current chain of events and that in effect we have no interest in blaming anyone, but rather we deeply covet your prayers for Todd and Shonnah and for Fresh Fire Ministries during this time.

We know that many of you will have questions, for most of which we presently have no answers. We cannot see far down the path ahead of us, but we have quiet confidence in the One who sees the end from the beginning and promises to provide grace and strength for whatever lies ahead. We are hopeful that the outcome will include restoration, but we can make neither promise nor guarantee. We intend to take each day as it comes and look intently for the new mercies promised us each morning. We will watch and pray and ask each of you to do the same, knowing that you will pray as you are led by the Holy Spirit.

In the meantime, we encourage you to continue to participate in current Outpourings, whether the Florida Outpouring or one in your area and region, …or to become one if there are none nearby. As a ministry, we continue to encourage and facilitate these growing Global Outpourings, providing Fresh Fire Associate ministries, resources, and input wherever needed.

We are still fully committed to our crusade in Uganda, Africa later this month, and though Todd will not be in attendance, our Fresh Fire Team and Associate Ministries will lead a team of almost one hundred people from around the world to share the love of God, the power of the gospel, and humanitarian aid with the people of Uganda. While there, we will also connect with the Uganda Jesus Village, the Fresh Fire Children’s Home where we shelter and provide for over 60 orphans rescued from war and poverty only a few years ago. We’re excited about seeing the recently purchased 35-acre property that will contain both a school and homes for the children and their “mamas.” As we step inside the first home (being completed as we arrive) we will be stepping towards our dream of not only protecting and nurturing hundreds of orphans, but raising them up to become full-fledged ambassadors of Christ to the nation of Africa and beyond.

With all of this in mind, we ask each of you to continue to pray with us, both for Todd and Shonnah and for this ministry, as we continue to bring the saving, healing, and delivering power of God to a dry and thirsty world, desperate for an encounter with the endless love of the living God.

We thank you again for your many prayers and support and we truly believe the promise of the Lord that He will indeed work all things together for our good.
With our sincerest blessings and gratitude,

The Fresh Fire Ministries Board of Directors

 

THE LAKELAND APOSTOLIC FINDINGS – Peter Wagner Responds

Peter Wagner’s latest newsletter sounds like a clean up job for his involvement in the Todd Bentley commissioning service.  Could that be because so many are leaving his ICA network because of it?  (My comments are in brackets in italics)

  A  Report From  Peter

THE LAKELAND APOSTOLIC FINDINGS
From the Lakeland Outpouring Apostolic Team
Written by C. Peter Wagner, Convening Apostle
(As of 8-11-08) Introduction
 
            Few events in recent church history have drawn as much national and international attention as the Lakeland Outpouring, May-August 2008, led by evangelist Todd Bentley and his Fresh Fire Ministries team.  A key factor contributing to this unusual phenomenon has been the decision of Rory and Wendy Alec to use GOD TV to televise the revival meetings internationally.

 

(So is Peter Wagner admitting that this was a media driven event?  Considering the fact that the tent is down already, that’s safe to assume!)
 
            As would be expected, true to the history of revivals, a powerful move of God like this

 

(Peter Wagner assumes that this is a move of God, which is highly questionable given the antics of Todd Bentley!)

 

inevitably draws serious attacks from the enemy and his forces of darkness. 

 

(So all the Christians who have questioned Todd’s astral projection and angel encounters are from the enemy, according to Peter Wagner???)

 

One outcome is a range of reactions to the phenomenon from those who focus on the hand of God in the ministry to those who focus on the damage that the enemy is doing.  Because of the unprecedented number of people who have been affected one way or another by Lakeland and because of instant communication through technology, opinions and points of view easily become public domain, and the body of Christ can readily become polarized, which, of course, would be a victory for the enemy.

 

(Peter, the Body is polarized because so many people are calling demonic manifestations the things of the Holy Spirit, and NO ONE is correcting it!)
 
            Unfortunately, in the case of Lakeland, the enemy has been succeeding, more than he should, in producing widespread confusion and even chaos throughout large segments of the body of Christ.
 
            Throughout the early weeks of the Outpouring I watched it from time to time on TV, I followed the news items and rejoiced at what God was doing in Lakeland, but the matter was located toward the bottom of my priority scale. 

 

(What does he think God was doing there? )

 

 I also became aware of a rising number of criticisms and concerns about what was going on there, but I had very little interest in absorbing or analyzing them.  This changed when I received a telephone call from Apostle Stephen Strader, Pastor of Ignited Church, and host of the Lakeland Outpouring.  Stephen called me as the Presiding Apostle of the International Coalition of Apostles (ICA) of which he was a member.  From first hand observation he described both the blessings and harsh opposition that they had begun to experience.  Then he said, “Where are the apostles?”

 

(A friend of mine saw Stephen Strader in Atlanta where he said publicly that he was glad that the venue moved out of his church because Todd Bentley was rude to his staff!)
 
            I believe the Holy Spirit spoke to me at that moment and said words to the effect, “Peter, you will need to answer that question.”  As I have written in my books, one of the roles of an apostle is to set things in order and another is to assure that the body of Christ is operating on the basis of sound, biblical doctrine.  There was no question about the need-disorder reigned, and many of the Lakeland doctrines as well as practices were being called into question on an international scope.  I believe that I was given a divine assignment that I hadn’t even desired, namely to attempt to bring some kind of apostolic order to this widespread and potentially damaging confusion.

 

 
            While I was talking to Stephen, God kept bringing the word “alignment” to the front of my mind, so I questioned him on Todd Bentley’s apostolic alignment.  The upshot was that Todd believed in apostles and prophets, but he had never entered into a formal alignment.  I did some more investigation over the next couple of days, and I was assured that this was indeed the case.

 (So, even though he knew that the Lakeland doctrines and practices were being called into question Peter Wagner NEVER publicly addressed these issues!!  All he was concerned about was bringing Todd into alignment!)

 

            As the picture developed, there were two pressing needs.  One was to facilitate apostolic alignment for Todd and the other was to deal responsibly with the doctrinal and ministry style issues being discussed.  Then the question became, Which should come first? 

 

 

(Seriously, he had to question this?? The fact that he did not deal with any of these issues made him look to the public as if he was condoning all of what was going on there!)

 

 Meanwhile I had been discussing these things with several friends, all of whom were also members of ICA and whose opinion I highly respected.  I immediately discovered to my surprise that many of my friends had formed highly-charged and emotionally intense opinions.  Some were advising me not to go to Lakeland to promote a formal alignment until the doctrinal issues first had been resolved.  Others took the opposite position.  I carefully considered what they said and weighed the pros and cons as best I could.

 

(He should have taken their advice and NOT gone!)
 
            My thinking was that I did not want to deal with doctrinal issues with any one but fellow apostles. 

 

(The public and those who had concerns needed to see someone use their authority to address these issues, or at least mention that these issues were going to be dealt with.  The fact that this did not happen, along with all the glowing “prophetic” words that were given over Todd, looked like all were giving their approval to his ministry)

 

 I had recently attempted a similar process that had to do with a certain prophet, and I had failed in accomplishing my goal of bringing about a reconciliation of opposing parties.  I felt that one of my mistakes had been attempting to deal directly with a prophet who was not aligned with me instead of dealing with an apostle with whom this person was in fact aligned.  I certainly knew that I did not want to attempt to work directly with an evangelist such as Todd Bentley, especially one whom I had never met.  If Todd was not apostolically aligned, this alignment needed to be formalized before I was prepared to go any further.  I am well aware that some friends thought I should have stopped right there and pulled out.  Perhaps I should have, but I felt that I would be disobeying the word from the Holy Spirit if I did.  Some of my friends have not yet forgiven me for not taking their advice, and, who knows?  Someday they might be telling me, “I told you so!”
 

(To see my notes on Peter Wagner’s false teaching on “apostolic alignment” see my blog : 

            Regardless, I knew that alignment needed to come first.  Chuck Pierce, with whom I am closely aligned prophetically, wholeheartedly agreed.  I did my due diligence and discovered that Ché Ahn was the ICA member who had the closest contact with Todd, and that Todd was willing to accept this alignment.  Ché felt that he should bring in Bill Johnson and John Arnott since all three of them were close to Todd and they lead the newly-formed Revival Alliance.  Unbelievably, all four of us had one date in common open all summer, Monday, June 23, so we decided that we would propose it to Todd.  He enthusiastically agreed and invited us to come.

 

(This just happened to be the occult holiday which was celebrated with fire ceremonies.  See my blog here)
 

            By now the word was getting out and I was receiving a quantity of email correspondence from other apostles who were interested.  I opened the door for those who desired to accompany us on the platform.  I did not allow prophets, evangelists pastors, or teachers to join the group-apostles only.  A total of 17 apostles participated representing three apostolic streams:  ICA, Revival Alliance, and Morning Star (Rick Joyner).

 

 

(It looks like everyone wanted a piece of the action! Or should I say public attention?) 

 

The Alignment Ceremony
 
            My role in the ceremony was to facilitate Todd’s alignment with the three from Revival Alliance, who would then commission Todd as the evangelist to the Lakeland Outpouring.  The others were invited to join in with short prayers or prophecies as led.
 
            I need to explain a couple of things at this point, because it turns out that some have misunderstood what I have just said.  Some have thought that Todd is aligned with me, which is not the case. 

 

(Here’s where Peter is now cutting ties with Todd… too little too late!)

 

He is not a member of ICA.  We are barely acquainted.  Please note that purposely I have never come out and defended Todd against any of the accusations.  I have attempted to maintain neutrality in order to deal with the issues as objectively as possible.

 

(Does he actually think that it was objective when he oversaw the commissioning service?)
 
            Some have said that my very appearance in the ceremony constituted a de facto endorsement of the Lakeland Outpouring. 

 

(Yes, I agree!)

 

 I anticipated that this would be the case, and I felt I had to take the risk because I knew of no other way to proceed.  So while it was an endorsement, I in no way meant it to imply that I was endorsing Lakelands’s side of the controversial issues.  For one thing I couldn’t do that because I had not yet investigated them as I am doing now. 

 

(A little too late, don’t you think?  Especially now that Todd Bentley has filed for separation from his wife?)

 

 

I felt that the proper protocol was alignment first.  However, I did feel, and still do, that what was wrong with the Outpouring should be corrected if at all possible rather than rejected out of hand.
 
            Others wondered if this was an ICA event.  It was not.  However, I cannot separate myself from my role as the ICA leader, and I so identified myself in my paper.

 

Thirteen of the 17 apostles on the platform were ICA members, and they agreed that Todd would be better with formal apostolic alignment than without it.
 
            I have been scolded by some for making an apostolic decree at the end of my presentation.  They may be right.  However, I believe in apostolic alignment so much, that my thought was that Todd would be blessed more after the alignment than before.

 

Take note also that I mentioned a heightened level of discernment between truth and error which obviously has been called for.
 
            The vows of alignment with Ché, Bill, and John led to Todd’s commissioning.  Ché Ahn was in charge of this.  Notice that the only ones who laid on hands and commissioned were the three of them.  Several prayed and prophesied.  I want to make it clear that I did not commission Todd as some wrongly think.  I didn’t lay on hands, I didn’t anoint with oil, in fact I moved to the back and neither my wife, Doris, nor I prayed or prophesied.   I did this intentionally because I knew I would be wrongly positioned for the second part of my assignment if I did.
 

(So, now Peter is saying that HE did not commission Todd…. He only oversaw it, but his very presence sanctioned it!)

            With the alignment completed, I was ready to go on with the second part of the assignment, namely attempting to bring order out of the confusion concerning doctrines and ministry practices
 
Bringing Order to the Issues
 
            I felt that I needed a team of apostles who were willing to work with me in order to identify the concerns that had been brought up, define them as carefully as possible, and come to an opinion that could be issued to the public.  Ten other apostles have agreed to work with me in this project:  Ché Ahn, Bill Johnson, John Arnott, Chuck Pierce, Stephen Strader, Lee Grady, David Cannistraci, Steve Strang, Jeff Beacham, and Joe Askins.
 
            One of our first tasks was to develop a “Lakeland Spectrum” in order to help individuals concerned to know where they stood as over against others.  We have a five point spectrum (1)  Strong approval, (2) Concerned approval, (3) Neutral, (4) Conditional disapproval, (5) Strong disapproval.  The members of our apostolic team range from 1 to 4.5, so we have a range of perspectives.
 
            We have been working on sorting out what we now have, and the list is down to 24 issues.  We are taking this very seriously, and we understand that the process will take time.  When we arrive at our conclusions we will release them to the public.  John Arnott will be the point person to review our findings with Todd Bentley and the Fresh Fire Board of which he is a member.
 
            We will add to this report of the findings as soon as possible

 

Todd Bentley and wife Shonnah separate!

Thanks to Bene Diction’s blog for the following breaking story.   This is sad news and we need to continue to pray for this family.  Just one question comes to mind……Could Todd Bentley’s marriage troubles be the reason that the tent in Lakeland folded early? 

http://www.benedictionblogson.com/2008/08/12/todd-bentley-and-wife-separate/

Our Canadian charlatan, who headed to the US, made a small fortune and created a multi-media buzz in neo-charismatic services is separating from his wife and kids. He has not been able to draw the numbers, the money and do the hoodwinking in Canada and the UK, and started his Lakeland revival back in April, partnering with whomever wanted a cut. It was announced he had bought property in Polk County. Now the Bentley’s marriage has crumbled. Lakeland Ledger:

 

“Separation May End Bentley’s Lakeland Appearances

Todd Bentley, the evangelist who has led the Florida Outpouring revival here in Lakeland since April 2, has filed for separation from his wife and might not return to the revival, according to his former local spokesperson, Lynne Breidenbach. She said Bentley made the announcement to his staff this afternoon. Bentley and his wife, Shonnah, have two daughters and a son and are Canadian citizens. Under Canadian law, separation is a first step in divorce proceedings and takes nine months. Bentley and his wife have been in marriage counseling for several months, Breidenbach said. She called the situation “very sad” but insisted it “doesn’t invalidate what Todd did” at the revival.

Breidenbach, who said her contract with Bentley’s Fresh Fire ended today, said it is not clear whether Bentley will make further appearances at the revival. About two weeks ago, Bentley announced he would leave the revival on Aug. 23 in order to resume his traveling evangelistic work. The Fresh Fire Ministries Web site indicates that a September appearance by Bentley in England has been postponed. Stay tuned for further information.”

Fresh Fire Ministries bought the Florida empty ( update: maybe not empty, see comments) lot the end of July.

In all the bizarre goings on, one of the things that struck me was the pain in the background in the knighting/commissioning tape. We catch a brief glimpse of a few of the wives of these self proclaimed prophets. It’s heart-breaking. Peter Wagner’s wife can been seen briefly in a motorized wheelchair. James Goll’s wife has cancer. Shonnah Bentley is in obvious pain and looking deeply distressed. (This is the last few minutes of the hastily called commissioning by men who lead thousands and thousands of sincere hurting seeking people astray).

See my blog entries on Todd Bentley’s occult commissioning service here:

Occult symbolisms in Todd Bentley “Commissioning” Service

 Todd Bentley’s Occult “Commissioning Service” Part 2

Todd Bentley’s Occult “Commissioning Service” Part 3 – William Branham anointing and the Knights of Malta

More of the knighting ceremony is here. For those that have followed Bentley’s rise and fall, you know the history. From the start Christians across the US, Australia, New Zealand and the UK began to question the theology and behavior coming from Lakeland. They were dismissed as heresy hunters until Pentecostals and charismatics also began to speak up. The unwillingness of Fresh Fire, Ignited (Lakeland) and God TV to be transparent, to address extra-biblical teaching escalated and Bentley wound up on a US network investigative show. It was his second (he’d brushed off Fox News) and Bentley took off.

While the PR machine in New York and GodTV tried to keep the buzz going, the very mediums used to start it were where insiders began to publicly back away. Charisma magazine’s Lee Grady, Robert Ricciardelli, a Member of Peter Wagner’s International Coalition of Apostles spoke on Salem Radio a US religious chain. The Assemblies of God in the US spoke up. The Lakeland tent folded and more human dominoes began to fall. The sham of unity crumbled, and now some of the leaders such as Peter Wagner who appeared in the knighting ceremony are backing away as publicly as they endorsed Lakeland.

We reap what we sow, we serve a holy God who will not be mocked. Satan can’t be blamed. Other’s can’t be blamed, no spin heals the wounded, and God’s love calls us to remember the lessons of history and immature leadership. There are no shortcuts, faith is not bling. Wisdom must be sought, it is not handed to us. We work out our salvation with awe and trembling. PR firms, business models, media platforms do not hide the lies of our life when we face the cross.

Would an unstable Canadian with a fractured marriage cause such a tumbling and upheaval again?
No.

I think a great deal more has gone on behind the scenes that has not been made public. These movements are cults of personality, existing for profit and for power. I continue to hope and pray the days of charlatans being taken at face value and controlling their message in media for long periods of time is over.

As fast as self proclaimed leaders con, there are people willing to step forward, and offer the standards of measurement believers hold to. I see no glee, no schadenfreude from those who Lakeland leaders mocked as ‘heresy hunters’.

 

 

There are more Todd Bentley’s waiting in the wings, the roots of these movements are rotten to their core, and we reap what we sow. Bentley’s show helped GodTV get out of temporary debt, I believe Lakeland’s ‘revival’ was calculated, planned, the Strader family are no strangers to raising money.

Few are surprised by the broken people left behind.

Fire of God or Occultic New Age Outpouring?

 The following article is a reprint from “Let us Reason”.  It is an excellent article about the supposed “fire” anointing that is manifesting in all these “revivals”.  I have said for a long time that this fire is NOT Biblical, but is an occultic manifestation. 

Joanne

The fire- Fresh Fire

http://www.letusreason.org/Latrain41.htm

What Bentley is teaching is not new – much of it can be found in the Latter Rain teachings that went through the late 40’s, 50-60’s.   O .L. Jaggers  was one of the Latter Ran promoters of this time period. He taught that God is “constantly revealing His Word and giving us new truths.” This is why the Latter Rain is also called a restoration movement. Because God is still speaking they believe he is still delivering new doctrines, these are confirmed by experience.

Bentley’s ministry- Fresh fires statement of faith says.#12. “…God is continually restoring truth and light to His Church. Therefore, we place no limit on further revelation; however, each must be substantiated according to the Scriptures”.O.L. Jaggers “And if you remember, John wrote the revelation. “ ‘In the new age each man will habitually use the power of God.‘ “The habitual use, the habitual use of this power will enable each individual of the church to accomplish his own purposes. Man will regain his power and his dominion over the elements. It is accomplished, he says, by understanding how to use our inherited authority over this power of God or God power.”This has always been about dominionism, taking dominion of the spiritual realm, angels and powers. What Satan tempted Jesus with he is using to tempt the church. You want power, I’ll give you power over more than you ever thought I’ll give you the supernatural..

Jaggers claimed: “A mighty revival time is moving around the world tonight…. Ministers are becoming flames of fire under a new anointing” (O.L. Jaggers the Kingdom of God tape transcript).

The same is promised today by the Latter Rain adherents. John Arnott writes to Todd Bentley: Todd, you need to keep going in these meetings as long as the Lord is moving. I feel that this is a prophetic sign that another wave of revival is coming to North America.

If you remember, the laughing revival was released in Lakeland via Rodney Howard Browne. Randy Clark went to one of Rodney’s meetings in November 2003 in Tulsa, and came to Toronto in January of 2004, and it all broke out here.

So, the meetings starting again in Lakeland could mean that revival gets another fresh start all over the world! John Arnott, Founding Pastor Toronto Airport Christian )

The same program continuing in different clothes. What’s that saying about birds of the same feather flock together,  not only is there gold- there’s feathers manifesting too.

Todd Bentley and Bob Jones: “The Third Wave is Here!’ 12 Places for Healing and Revival to Start are Mentioned–but THIS TIME IT’S GLOBAL”

“The Lord spoke to me while in Lakeland Florida and said, “‘This is My Holy Spirit ‘Bird Flu.’” A divine virus that is now aire borne and highly contagious and highly infectious. He said, This one is incurable! This one will spread throughout the whole world!”

(Posted on ad for MOANALUA GARDENS MISSIONARY CHURCH on the web.)

Patricia King of Extreme Prophetic” tells us what’s to come “Appearances of Christ like the disciples experienced following His resurrection and like Paul experienced on the road to Damascus. He will appear to believers and non-believers.
Angelic visitations, appearances, and encounters like those found in the scriptures.
Third Heaven Visitations and Encounters like Moses and the 70 elders of Israel , Isaiah, Ezekiel, Paul, and John. Ascending and descending (earth to heaven and heaven to earth) like Jesus described and like the angels as seen in Jacob’s dream.
Appearances of the Great Cloud of Witnesses like Jesus, Peter, James, and John experienced
Walking on Water like Jesus and Peter. Transport in the Spirit through both visionary encounters and physical to physical like Ezekiel, Elijah, John, and Phillip. Walking into rooms where the doors are locked (possibly walking through walls) like Jesus. Raising the dead like Jesus did at funerals, at sickbeds, and even in graveyards. I have seen a vision of a revival of the raising of the dead. There will be an acceleration of resurrections.
Witnessing numerous heavenly signs and wonders such as: manifestations of gold, silver, diamond glitter, gem stones, oil, feathers, lights, lightning’s, thundering, manna, fire” (“Patricia King’s Positional Statement on “The Spiritual Revolution” off her website)

Nearly every miracle in the Bible is listed; this is the typical view of third wave kindomizers. While God can do miracles and even have one walk on water, this is a perfect example to show how outstretched these people that are into the signs and wonders movement are. The miracle of Peter never happened again, it was not repeated by any apostle or Christian. And it was done when Jesus was physically there. It had a purpose in training the twelve who would become apostles. But there are those who think everything they have done, from Moses to Paul, we can do, and more- Because the church is being empowered to do more than any apostle or prophet ever did. Welcome the Latter Rain which is not authentic but is driven by excitement and advertising.

As many prophets of the Latter Rain persuasion are all prophesying about this we are faced with -“This Revival will NOT be stopped.”

The Baptism of Fire

A good portion of what is taking place with Bentley sounds like Rodney Howard Browne’s encounter with the fire. Bentleys own words of in experiencing the Pillar of Fire – screaming, shaking and vibrating- The fire, the fire! Burn up my flesh! I want to feel the fire!” I was screaming” “The fire, the fire, I’m burning up! The fire is similar to what Rodney Browne said of his experience that was like the Kundalini power found in the serpent fire of Hinduism enlightenment.

Rodney Howard Browne “I cried out to God in sheer desperation. I wanted Him to manifest Himself to me and in me. I was hungry.” “As I prayed that day, I told the Lord, ‘Either you come down here and touch me, or I am going to come up there and touch you.’ I was desperate. I must have called out to God for about twenty minutes that day.”

Then one day “Suddenly the fire of God fell on me. It started on my head and went right down to my feet. His power burned in my body and stayed like that for three whole days.”The similarities to Rodney Browne are certainly there. “I was plugged into heaven’s electric light supply…my desire has been to go and plug other people in. My whole body was on fire. (Rodney Howard Browne. “The Touch of God” pp. 73-74.)

In Bentleys experience at the hotel with his friends being caught up in visions they are being being tormented, no prophet was tortured like this from their vision or experiences. “every single person in the room starts screaming, shaking and vibrating. …I had a vision of a fire and I started yelling out “My God is a consuming fire! My God is a consuming fire!” …As I see the fire come down I scream, “The fire, the fire! Burn up my flesh! I want to feel the fire!”

The concept of electricity and fire as the Holy Spirit seems to be a common denominator in these experiences which prove they are not a biblical power but an occult one. The Bible says nothing of a fire experience like these. These are commonly found and used in other religions and the occult.

“Purification: Let the fires of divinity burn out all dross. Let the pure gold emerge. Give me the gold of living love to shower upon the sons of men.” [From Alice Bailey's "Discipleship in the New Age; Vol. I - Instructions to Disciples"]

All this is not an original heresy, Bentley has similarities to many others, Hall, Browne, Branham, Hinn and others. From the time of Asuza street Parham promoted the ‘baptism of fire’ which came from Benjamin Irwin, founder of the Fire-Baptized Holiness Church. Teaching the ‘baptism of fire’ was a separate experience, a “third blessing”  (the blessing of sinless perfection).

During the time of the Latter Rain inception to its growth in popularity and practice there were certain individuals that influenced others by their teaching and preaching. One of them was Franklin Hall, who established a major fasting and prayer revival center. Hall claimed that God gave him the new revelation to impart Holy Ghost fire.

Hall promoted the impartation of fire baptism through the laying on of hands. For instance: When intensified, the operation of the Gifts of Healing by deliverance preachers makes a person become very warm or hot, wherever the healing power operates. The sick area has a hot feeling right on and over the disease. Sometimes the heal­ing fire ignites, so to speak, the very area of deadness or illness, consuming it away.” (Franklin Hall, ‘Atomic Power With God Through Fasting and Prayer’).

“I have said that impartation prayer is not really prayer, but a commanding of fire upon the person being touched by the “anointed” man of God. This, too, reflects Hall’s teaching on the ability to command fire upon those touched, describing how a skeptic was converted after having allowed Hall to lay hands on him, Hall states:

As Dr. Jumper stood before me, I commanded the Holy Ghost fire to descend and come all over him. The cloven tongues wrap around clothing did come upon nearly every part of Brother Jumper’s body. He testified to it being hot upon his physical flesh

.”

Hall taught many things that were a mixture of new age and Christian ideas. There was the Holy Spirit full baptism which would give us the restoration of the lost Garments of Adam and Eve.

Bob Jones also states that his alleged healing power came upon him when he was struck by lightning and saw  “a ball of fire danced all over that basement, and didn’t hurt me. But from that time forth my hands worked funny…. Anytime God is going to start a fire, he starts it with lightning. And you can take a little of that fire and impart it wherever it is needed. And it will start a God’s fire” (Bob Jones, Visions and Revelations, 1988.)

There are a number of other things that seemed to work  funny as well, as Bible Doctrine got burnt up right on the spot.

Toronto was all about catching the fire…Choo Thomas attended Toronto and later said in “1994 He anointed me my entire body with Holy Fire, then a month later, He showed me with His visual presence at the church during worship service”.Benny Hinn’s ministry is empowered by consistent visitations and visions. Here he relates one of his heavenly visitations to Paul Crouch on TBN “One afternoon,” Hinn states, “I saw a man in my bedroom… he was wrapped in fire… He was standing about this high off the floor [motions about one foot up with hand]. His feet never touch the floor, he was wrapped in fire.“… Hinn continued to explain in graphic detail how the man on fire tried to beat the flames away.

Hinn says the Church is deficient because of the absence of a “fire” anointing. He explains:“ the reason the Church has had partial liberty, is because we have not known the fullness of fire. The anointing as fire is coming to your life.” Hinn tells us that this new “fire” anointing will burn away bondage and sin.

Is the blood of Jesus Christ not sufficient to cleanse from all?  (1 jn.1:9) Now we need a fire baptism to burn away sin? (1 Peter 1:18-19). Just like it was taught from the Latter Rain.

Benny Hinn often promises to give fire on people “Many of you feel a tremendous anointing on you, like fire, he repeats “fire” about a dozen times. They all go down when he says “fire on you.”

“Many of you feel the power like that of fire. Others feel like electricity just rushing through your body.” “You begin to feel a mighty fire when we’re holding the service. Some began to feel fire and warmth come on you only in the service. (Benny Hinn Honolulu Blaisdell Jan.21 1999)

Choo Thomas says of her experience “I received the fire of the Holy Spirit while I was praying at home in January 1994. About a month later, I saw the Lord’s presence while I was worshiping at the Neighborhood Assembly of God in Tacoma.”  In the Occult and Gnosticism there are teaching that angels that bring fire with them. Could this be what is taking place in these meetings that are out of order. The ascended masters: “Beings called Yan yin, Mary Diana angels of sacred fire, the legions of the angelic hosts all are called upon for service and power to release and distribute the flame.”

“The more you understand the reality and the presence, the more you can accept the presence of these healing violet flame angels, the closer, they will come and the greater their strength and power of that sacred fire wrapped around you” (I Am healing decrees Saint Germaine press 1976 p.6)

Fire what does this mean? It is not a Bible concept for the believer these occult energies are like fire. Being formerly involved in the new age movement I experienced the energy released in spiritual experiences and they are just like what I see taking place in these revivals. There is no biblical precedent for this and the energy does not set one free but brings them into bondage.

What we are seeing today is what Bickle and the Kansas city prophets spoke of in 1989 “what’s going to be coming down in the next twenty years you and I have no frame of reference for understanding. It is going to be so unusual you are not going to be able to look at the word for every manifestation and find one there because the Spirit of the Lord has so many manifestations that you and I know nothing about”  (Divine Appointment [Introduction], Mike Bickle, 3/29/89, cassette tape)

 

At the National School of the Prophets conference of Peter Wagner’s New Apostolic movement Mike Bickle gives us his misinterpretation of the fire in Scripture and he and Cindy Jacobs are teaching the very same concepts as Bentley :

Cindy Jacobs “I was sharing this about the fire issuing forth with Mike Bickel. …, share this about the fire issuing forth, about revelation.’

(

Mike Bickel speaking)

 

‘The river of fire broke in upon them in Acts 2. Tongues of fire baptizing them afresh. It’s the anointing of the forerunner’s spirit, and the thing ends in Revelation chapter 15. On the sea of glass, worshiping God, mingled in flaming fire with the harps of God in our hands. The church, the bride of Christ, that got a down payment in Acts 2, a room of a hundred and twenty with fire, is going to end up with these thousands and thousands and thousands, Revelation 15, verse 2 and 3, mingled with the same fire of Acts 2, the river of God, the Holy Spirit, clothing us with fire “

(Cindy Jacobs speaking)

 

 

Hallelujah! The Holy Spirit is fire and where does He abide? In here. That we begin to decree and declare what’s going to happen. There’s gonna be a fiery issue out of our mouths. The fire of God. The glory of fire, the Holy Fire, whatever you what to tell it. The fire of the living God that came in us at Pentecost, you see, we just didn’t receive tongues, we received fire at Pentecost. And the fire of the Holy Spirit is coming” “, we declare right now that the power that is released angelicly, the fiery servants of God are being released right now upon the state of New Jersey. We say they are being released now. Lord, we declare the fire that is released, the fire, the Michael force of angels is going in, come down, we cry out. Come down.” “We say, “Angelic forces, assign yourself to the sons and daughters of New Jersey.”

“There is something the Holy Spirit is gonna lay on you. Hallelujah. Come on, some of you speakers. Dutch. Come on, Bishop. Come on, let’s lay hands on them. Father, in Jesus’ name we decree and declare that you’re going to carry this back, for the, for the anointing of revival. We speak of fire, God, right now. Right now, right now, fire of God. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho. Yeah, yeah, the fire of God. The fire of God. We release it and we declare it.” “Come on, speak the fire of God right now. Right now. Right now. Just receive it.”

if you got fire, you can stir up fire too. Stir it up. Kindle it. … Baptize us with fire” Do you have a fire song? Do you have a fire song? Okay. We’re going to do a fire song. I can’t preach yet because God is going to do something.” “We’re gonna sing a fire song. Whoa, are you ready? Come on the, stir it up. The gift, you stirring it up. Stir it up. (Man singing) Burn in me, burn in me. Let the fire of the Holy Ghost burn in me. Burn in me. Burn in me.”

Jacobs continue to do this as mantra about a dozen more times, completely and then gives us the clincher—

“The fresh fire from Heaven burning inside, I’m releasing inside, so, receive a new anointing, my prayers for you.. “Fresh fire,” says the Lord, “coming down. I’m exploding it now.” Receive the fire of the Lord. It’s coming now, it’s coming down. Fresh fire, fresh fire is raining down. Lift up your hands. “Receive the fresh fire for the nations,” says the Lord. Fresh fire. Just coming, fresh fire. A new fire for the nations. “I’m sending you fire,” says the Lord. “A fresh new fire is coming down. I’m giving you my heart for the nations, the fresh fire for the nations.” “”Oh, receive it right now,” says the Lord. A fresh fire, a brand new fire. Holy Ghost fire is yours right now.

Let loose your fire, God. Let loose the fire of the Holy Spirit right now. Right now, Lord. Send them home with fire. Fire. Fire, fire. Burn, Lord, burn, Lord, burn, Lord. Let the fire burn, yeah, Pentecost fire. And from his mouth comes, oh, the sword of the spirit, with burning fire, and his eyes are flames of fire. Oh. Hallelujah.

Cindy Jacobs speaking at the National School of the Prophets. subtitled “Mobilizing the Prophetic Office.”- recorded at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, May 11th, 2000)

This was only a small sample of the wonderful antics of the prophets under Peter Wagner. If you think this does not sound like someone that is right you should see the video or hear the audio to hear her screaming this. The transcript just does not communicate the activity of the meeting.

Jesus said you know not what spirit you are you are by wanting to call down fire from heaven. James and John wanted to do this for a judgment (Luke 9:55-56). We can’t even do it for a blessing, it can’t be done.

Experiencing fire, having it imparted is not a Bible concept for the believer.

 

-A light that is really darkness The Fire as an ANOINTING-

 

“THE FAMILY” AND ITS HIJACKING OF EVANGELICALISM

“THE FAMILY” AND ITS HIJACKING OF EVANGELICALISM

PART 1

 http://newswithviews.com/Cumbey/constance22.htm

By Attorney Constance Cumbey
August 8, 2008
NewsWithViews.com

“Now all of the resonating core groups with outwardly different purposes are merging and blending and coming together to do THE ONE WORK.” Barbara Marx Hubbard to a Unity Church congregation, Seattle, Washington, April, 1988.

The Washington Fellowship, a Washington, D.C. and suburbs based Christian organization has received much publicity in the past two years. Jeff Sharlet’s new book, THE FAMILY says it reveals “the secret fundamentalism at the heart of American Power.” If only zeal for Jesus were what “The Fellowship” was about, I might not bother writing this article, except perhaps to advocate on its behalf. Unfortunately it is abundantly clear that any alleged “fundamentalism” at the “core” of the Fellowship is much more akin to the New Age networking type than it is to Christian orthodoxy. Another prominent internet researcher, Wayne Madsen, charges that the Fellowship is using Jesus as a cynical logo in pursuit of cynical political pursuits. He goes so far as to call it a monstrous criminal plot to seize control of the “biggest prize of all – the United States government.”

Years ago the New Agers tried to pin the Jim Jones and his kool aid mass murder/suicide cult on what they called “fundamental Christianity.” I was happy to have played a small role in giving him back to his long time New Age Movement confederates. Jim Jones had been a New Ager from the beginning, listed in two major New Age directories in the early 1972s as a New Age center networking with other New Age centers.

Now that “The Family” together with its Doug Coe leadership is being pointed to as an example of “Christians” trying to take over the United States government and beyond, it is time that the record be set straight. It is much more akin to a New Age operation than any Christian one. That the Fellowship sometimes known as “The Cedars” is influential and powerful is hardly disputable. As the Los Angeles Times reported:

“While the annual breakfast is a widely known event attended by a succession of U.S. presidents and foreign dignitaries, the Fellowship’s role in diplomacy and current events has remained in the shadows. That’s the way the organization wants it …”

What I have discovered is that “The Family” and the Institute for Noetic Sciences, one of the most all time powerful New Age organizations, have intertwined core leadership and financing.

The Fellowship did not come under my personal radar until late October 1987. Colorado friends expressed me tapes of a David Spangler talk at a Boulder Episcopalian church. , He explained to the audience that his talk to the Episcopalian church had been added “almost as an afterthought.” The real reason he was in town was to attend the latest in a series of ongoing meetings he had been having with Evangelical Christian leaders. This last one just finished had been held at the Gold Lake Ranch near Boulder, Colorado. A prior conference had been held at Hollyhock Farms in British Columbia. That is another established New Age center.

I wrote much of Spangler in my 1983 book, THE HIDDEN DANGERS OF THE RAINBOW. David Spangler is the New Age leader who distinguished himself by writing in his innocuously named book, REFLECTIONS ON THE CHRIST that the required entry point to the New Age was “a Luciferic initiation.”[1] That may be the most honest thing anybody ever said about the New Age Movement.

Among many outrages, in a chapter entitled LUCIFER, CHRIST AND GOD, Spangler wrote:

“The being who chose to embody these energies and to be in essence the angel of man’s inner evolution is the being we know as Lucifer. (p. 36) . . . The being that helps man reach this point [“freedom”] is Lucifer. That is his role. He is the angel of man’s evolution. He is the angel of man’s inner light. Lucifer is the spirit of light in the microcosmic world. (p. 37) . . . When this great project of evolution began, man went forth as consciousness to learn his divinity and Lucifer went with him Lucifer was just what his name implies – the bringer of light. (pp. 36-37) . . . “It is important to see that Lucifer, as I am using this term, describes an angel, a being, a great and mighty planetary consciousness. . . . “Christ is the same force as Lucifer but moving in seemingly the opposite direction . . . the light that reveals to us the path to Christ comes from Lucifer. . . . Lucifer prepares man in all ways for the experience of Christhood and the Christ prepares man for the experience of God. (p. 43) , , , “Lucifer works within each of us to bring us to wholeness and as we move into a new age, which is the age of man’s wholeness, each of us in some way is brought to that point which I term the Luciferic initiation, the particular doorway through which the individual must pass . . . (p. 44) Lucifer comes to give to us the final gift of wholeness. If we accept it then he is free and we are free. That is the Luciferic initiation It is one that many people now, and in the days ahead, will be facing, for it s an initiation into the New Age . . .” (p. 45)

My path and the path of “The Fellowship” were to unpleasantly cross in July 1988. I rather suspect they were aware of my whereabouts and work long before that. I rightfully suspect that events and donor trails of the Fellowship had much to do with frantic evangelical leadership attempts to halt my work and question the very existence of the New Age Movement. Christianity Today, InterVarsity Publishing, InterVarsity Cbristian Fellowship, Campus Crusade for Christ, Multnomah College, Spiritual Counterfeits Project, Christian Research Institute, Denver Seminary leadership (Vernon Grounds and J. Gordon Lewis) were among those joining hands in an effort to bring into question the very existence of the New Age Movement on an organized level. Pat Robertson, Harald Bredesen, and even some of those I counted as friends and allies tried either openly or surreptitiously to block my work.

The motivating impulse for the frantic effort to deprive the Christian world of warnings of a movement publicly working for (1) a “New World Order; (2) a “New World Religion” and (3) a New Age “messiah” who was clearly not Jesus may well have stemmed from major financial support and political ties with one of the most prominent and visible New Age promoters – billionaire Harvard graduate attorney, Paul N. Temple. Paul Temple, together with astronaut Edgar Mitchell, organized the Institute of Noetic Sciences in 1973. Working closely with the two of them was Stanford Research Institute’s Willis Harman.

Paul N. Temple who proudly professes his role in establishing the Institute of Noetic Sciences in 1973 worked, per the Billy Graham Center archives, with the Fellowship as early as January 1944. He would have been 21 years old that year. In the last few years he has given millions of dollars to various causes he supports through his Three Swallows Foundation. The information was culled from its 990 reports. Nearly $1.7 million dollars since 1998 went to the “International Foundation.” Although one funding report gave a link to a modest Arkansas operation, searching the address on the 990 reports quickly yielded Doug Coe’s Washington, D.C. address. I detailed those amounts in an article I posted several weeks ago to my own blogspot., “The Harmonic Convergence of Noetic Science and Evangelicalism.” That article detailed the financial aid of Paul Temple and his Three Swallows Foundation to both the Institute of Noetic Sciences and Doug Coe’s Fellowship Foundation may be read by clicking here.

I am certain that many rationalized this as some did in heated discussions I had with certain evangelical leaders about their acceptance of largesse from Rev. Moon by a belief that “it’s ok to take New Age moneys to build the Kingdom of God on earth.”

In my opinion, God does not need twenty five cents of moneys dedicated to Rev. Moon nor to the Institute of Noetic Sciences to build his kingdom! What was built was not the “Kingdom of God on Earth,” but silence sufficient to allow the final nails to be built in the long awaited kingdom of the Antichrist – the open and obvious expectancy of the New Age forces who shamelessly avow their loyalties to Lucifer.

How I found it:

After listening to David Spangler’s taped lecture of October 26, 1987, I launched through California helpers an effort to secure the Gold Lake Ranch tapes. Our caller was told by Gold Lake ranch personel that “the meeting was by invitation only,” She was further told that the meeting had been fully taped and each and every participant had been supplied a full set of the tapes. When our caller expressed disappointment, the very helpful Gold Lake Ranch responder said, “why don’t you contact one of your friends who was there and duplicate their tapes.” She acted, per my assistant, as if it were no big deal.

Good idea! We called our “friends” at the Spiritual Counterfeits Project. David Spangler had reported they were in his speech. The lady my research assistant spoke with promised to get information and call her back which she did a little more than two hours later. She called saying, “I’m fairly new around here and don’t pretend to know all the ins and outs, but something is definitely wrong. I have mailed out hundreds of tapes – of anything and everything. I have never denied a request for tapes before. When I requested these tapes, they went into a closed door meeting from which they have just now emerged and said “no tapes are available. The meeting was not taped.”

That was obviously a lie. I placed a plea in my then newsletter, CONSTANCE CUMBEY’S NEW AGE MONITOR begging for somebody to come forward. You can read about that frustrating effort which spanned nearly a year by clicking this link.

I made a few telephone calls to Colorado contacts who reported in turn a few names of disturbed friends there who were there. I compiled a data base using a MicroSoft card file program. As I received new information, I added same to the data base.

All information seemed to cease when I received a telephone call asking me to do a television debate in April, 1988 against New Age writer, Marilyn Ferguson. I accepted the challenge. A few minutes later I received a telephone call from Ms. Ferguson herself. She suggested we might want to consider telling our television audience all the things we agreed upon rather than our differences. I had no intention of doing that, but as long as she was calling my house in such a nice conciliatory mood, I decided to take advantage and explore any knowledge she had of the Gold Lake doings. She told me she had not received her invitation to that particular party either, but she would see what she could learn and get back to me. She called me back a few minutes later. She said she had spoken to David Spangler who told her the meeting had been organized by Evangelicals and Barbara Marx Hubbard had chaired it at the invitation of the Evangelicals.

It was to be several more months before I would learn of Doug Coe’s purported organization of the event. I say “purported,” because it now appears that although Doug Coe was an active participant, the event more likely was organized as part of an effort to neutralize Christian opposition to the New Age Movement. It appears to have been organized by Paul Temple’s daughter Robin who noted in the invitation that Doug Coe and Barbara Marx Hubbard had agreed to co-chair the event. This was the same Paul N. Temple who was an activist with the Prayer Breakfast network even before Doug Coe – since the days of founder Abraham (“Abram) Vereide. It was also the same Paul N. Temple who had bought Mark Hatfield’s Washington, D.C. real estate at an inflated price in 1981, leading to a Senate Ethics investigation of the former Oregon governor who went on to serve many years in the United States Senate.

Next Week part two. Buying Evangelical Silence: The Institute of Noetic Sciences and the Moonies buy Christian suppression and silence.

Footnotes:

1. Spangler, David. REFLECTIONS ON THE CHRIST, published by Findhorn Publications, Findhorn, Moray, Scotland, Third Edition, 1981.

© 2008 – Constance Cumbey – All Rights Reserved

 

Constance Cumbey is an active Michigan lawyer. Constance practices her profession primarily in, Southeastern Michigan, USA. Sometimes she also works in what she calls her “old stomping grounds” of Michigan’s State Capital, Lansing, Michigan where she practices administrative, state law related matters. She’s enjoyed active and stimulating careers in government, politics, law and as a published and translated author. In the past she served as a national officer of the National Association of Women Lawyers and chaired the Family Law subcommittee of the General Practice Section of the American Bar Association.

Before beginning her legal career, she worked as a legislative analyst for the Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives, and while in law school as a consultant to the Appropriations Committee of the Michigan State Senate. She also served as the first charter position Executive Assistant to the May or of the Detroit enclave City of Highland Park, Michigan. Seven years into her legal career, she went on to become the author of the first major critical book about the New Age Movement, THE HIDDEN DANGERS OF THE RAINBOW: The New Age Movement and our Coming Age of Barbarism (1983); A PLANNED DECEPTION: The Staging of a New Age Messiah (1986). Currently, she’s completing a volume about Javier Solana, the Barcelona Process, Israel and the European Union.

E-mail: cumbey@gmail.com

Blog Spot: www.cumbey.blogspot.com