UPDATE: GOD TV extends live airing of healing services in KZN

GOD TV will continue to carry live coverage of the Great Awakening Healing Revival with Canadian evangelist Todd Bentley in Tongaat, KwaZulu-Natal, until at least the end of this week, the global Christian broadcaster confirmed today (Monday, April 15, 2013).

On Friday GOD TV announced in a press release that it was interrupting its schedule to carry live coverage of the healing rally at the AFM Church in Tongaat, where an outbreak of miracles was being seen, from Friday until Sunday. On its website today, GOD TV says that co-founders Rory and Wendy Alec have decided to extend the special screenings “as  e-mails, prayer requests and phone calls flood in to the ministry’ and . The screenings air from 19.00.

The GOD TV website report says that more than 1 000 people around the world have confirmed that they have opened their homes “to share the revival with their family and friends and neighbours” , and that churches in the UK and other countries are screening the meetings on big screens.

Five years ago, GOD TV carried the Florida Healing Outpouring live daily for several weeks from Lakeland, Florida, where Bentley was a key figure in a move of God characterised by numerous reports of people receiving divine healing. Bentley subsequently withdrew from ministry following a breakdown in his marriage and his emotional involvement with a female staff member who he subsequently married. High profile Christian leaders Rick Joyner, Jack Deere and Bill Johnson collaborated in a process of spiritual restoration for Bentley and his family and in 2010, Joyner announced that he was restored and ready to return to ministry.

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In its press release on Friday, GOD TV says: “Given the latest miracles taking place in KwaZulu-Natal, GOD TV founders, Rory and Wendy Alec believe we may be seeing the outbreak of a new revival.”

Todd Bentley was with Rory and Wendy Alec for ‘Revival Alert’ in Jerusalem in January where he shared his heart for revival and his take on what happened five years ago at Lakeland — a reference to the implosion of his marriage and ministry in 2008. This encounter can be viewed online at: god.tv/revivalalert.

Healing miracles documented
“Todd has been touring South Africa this month and many healing miracles have been documented. These include a girl who was born deaf in both ears and mute, who spoke for the first time and a man blind in his left eye who was instantly able to see. Over 10 000 people have attended the meetings in Durban and hundreds of Muslims and Hindus have committed their lives to Christ,” says GOD TV.

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The press release quotes Bentley saying: “Something is really happening here in Durban. It’s a move of God. It’s an explosion of power. The hospitals are calling for prayer. They are bringing the sick from the hospit als too. One man that was crippled and blind from kidney failure was healed. This is the closest I have been to revival since Lakeland!”

GOD TV reports that speaking about Todd Bentley during Revival Alert, Rick Joyner of MorningStar Ministries said that Lakeland was just a forerunner to something greater. “God showed me when I first met Todd what he was called to do. He is going to lead many millions to God and he has just started. Lakeland was only a preview of what the Lord is going to do through Todd Bentley. Those who have been forgiven much, love much.”

Sin, forgiveness and restoration
In a 2011 letter, Bill Johnson, Senior Pastor of Bethel Church in Redding, California wrote of Bentley’s controversial fall and restoration: “I don’t want to do anything that will cause young people to think they can intentionally sin, say they’re sorry, and go about life as though nothing happened. That is so far from reality. Sin has consequences that must not be ignored. (I don’t say this to imply that Todd has taken his sin or situation flippantly. I don’t believe that is true. It is just a possible message I don’t want to convey when we release a person back into ministry.) On the other hand, I also don’t want to miss the chance to demonstrate what the grace of God looks like. There are so many that are in Todd’s position that need to know that God forgives and restores. People need permission to truly live as though they are forgiven. That is the greater story.

“In conclusion, I recommend Todd to you, believing that you will be blessed and encouraged by his ministry. But perhaps even more important is the fact that Todd will be a reminder to us that it is possible to stand after such a great fall. We all live by grace, and only by grace. We desperately need examples of those who have walked in integrity all of their lives. But when there is sin, we need examples of restoration to bring hope to the broken people, many of whom are in our congregations. God will use Todd to be a message of restoration.”

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GOD TV can be viewed across Africa via satellite, on TopTV and on the public bouquet of DSTV in South Africa and via KISS TV in Kenya. The Great Awakening Healing Revival will be streamed LIVE at www.god.tv and also through the GOD TV App, available on iTunes.