---

Religion News Blog, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Aug. 18, 2008 News Summary
www.religionnewsblog.com

---

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Item 22093 • Posted: Monday August 18, 2008  

---

Divisive evangelist resigns from leadership position

An Abbotsford-based faith healer who has polarized North American evangelicals has agreed to step down as the head of Fresh Fire Ministries after it was discovered he had an “unhealthy relationship on an emotional level” with a female staff member.

The announcement about Todd Bentley, a 32-year-old Gibsons native, came Friday from the ministry’s board of directors.
[...]

In stepping down, Bentley will also refrain from all public ministries, including his meetings in south Florida which have attracted about 300,000 people to a church and baseball stadium since April.

“In the meantime, he’s going to get himself refreshed,” said Ken Greter, International Missions Director for Fresh Fire Ministries. A 38-city stadium tour of American cities has been postponed. Greter, who is also a member of the board of directors, said Fresh Fire Ministries will be notifying ministries in the fall if and when a tour will occur.

Bentley is spending time with friends in California and was unavailable for comment Sunday. Greter said when he spoke with Bentley on Saturday, the faith healer was in a “good frame of reference.”

Greter said the board started discussing Bentley’s leadership role within the past 10 days.

Just last week it was announced that Bentley had filed for separation from his wife.

Under Canadian law, separation is a first step in divorce proceedings and takes nine months.

According to Lynne Breidenbach, until recently Bentley’s formal spokesperson in Florida, Bentley and his wife have been in marriage counseling for several months.

However, in another report [t]he 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.

---

What You Can Do From Here

---

Read More Articles On These Topics Categories: Fresh Fire Ministries, Todd Bentley Tags: Fresh Fire Ministries, Todd Bentley Share, Blog About, Bookmark, or Email This Article Subscribe Religion News Blog RSS feed [What is this?] RSS by topic: Fresh Fire Ministries, Todd Bentley Read Another Article Previous entry: Netherlands recognizes polygamous marriages of Muslims. Sort of. Next entry: FLDS custody case ends for some children; starts for others. Evidence hearing may include hoax caller. Plus: Lessons of the Short Creek raid. RNB Homepage with latest headlines Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults Find Related Books Fresh Fire Ministries Most Popular Today NewsChannel 10 allowed inside self proclaimed messiah’s compound Wanda Barzee pleads guilty to charge in Elizabeth Smart case Judge cancels hearing in case against Warren Jeffs Atheists ‘just as ethical as churchgoers’ research shows

---

Share This Article

---

To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:

• Post a link on your blog or website:
  
• Send in an email or IM:
  
• Post on a forum:
  

Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- CounterCultSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.

Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- ApologeticsSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.