Yesterday Dr. Michael Brown announced he was asked by unnamed sources to head up an investigative panel to look into the Todd Bentley mess. I wrote extensively yesterday about this but today one of the key enablers and perpetrators spoke out. It was Rick Joyner that oversaw the bogus restoration of Todd Bentley that allowed him back into ministry in the first place. Along with Bill Johnson, Joyner is guilty of allowing this parasite to continue to infect the body of Christ. Let us walk through his statement together and properly discern.
"Rick Joyner broadcasted live on Facebook Wednesday afternoon to address lingering questions surrounding public accusations against evangelist Todd Bentley and Joyner's own involvement in the ensuing controversy. Joyner denied all allegations that he was part of a Bentley "cover-up," and encouraged the creation of a third-party council of Christian arbiters who could determine the truth of the matter." -- Taylor Berglund
I bet he did. Joyner knows full well that NAR Gatekeeper Dr. Michael Brown has announced he will play Shaggy in the Scooby-Doo investigation of the Todd Bentley fiasco. I was criticized by someone yesterday for making light of this situation but enough is enough. The bible teaches us that false prophets and teachers deserve nothing but our utter derision and mockery. Elijah once mocked the Baal prophets that their god must have been too busy to answer them because he was relieving himself in the bathroom. Jesus called the Pharisees whitewashed tombs and a brood of vipers so please, save your self-piety. I have compassion and concern for the sheep of the Lord, not the wolves trying to devour them. As for Joyner, he stands accused in the more recent matter of ignoring the outreach attempts to resolve this quietly. To be honest, I could care less about that. His true complicity resides several years ago when he oversaw the bogus restoration of Bentley along with Bill Johnson. These matters are not in dispute. Joyner took no issue with the ridiculously unbiblical ministry Bentley was running in Lakeland and in fact went down in the NAR clown car to anoint him a prophet! So spare me the innocence routine. He then watched as Bentley divorced his wife and married his mistress nanny. After a brief hiatus, Joyner and Johnson declared Bentley safe to be let back into the sheep pen. As far as I am concerned all of the blood on Bentley's hands between then and now is on the heads of Bill Johnson and Rick Joyner. You do not get to play God with people's lives and then pretend you had nothing to do with it.
"On August 22, Stephen Powell accused Bentley of "sexual perversion" involving both male and female interns. Powell said Bentley got drunk, looked at pornography, used crude language and offered a male intern money in exchange for sex. Bentley has denied these allegations, calling some of them wild exaggerations and others complete fabrications. Joyner was part of a "healing team" created for Bentley in 2008, after Bentley stepped down from ministry due to an affair. Powell has accused Joyner of overlooking Bentley's sins and not disciplining him properly. In the video, which was hashtagged #RicksRant, Joyner said he has had lunch with Todd and Jessa Bentley, who told him they have been "falsely accused." He said he has no spiritual authority over Todd, but does still consider him a brother in Christ. Joyner also said the Bentleys consider him to be their spiritual father." -- Taylor Berglund
I think we are starting to see the cover up play out. I assume Taylor Berglund is just doing straight reporting of what she is being told but someone is leaving out key facts. They are leaving out the accusations of Bentley sexting with his interns up to and including sharing sexual information about what he and his wife were doing in bed. The reason why this is missing I assume is that Bentley originally admitted to these accusations. Berglund is reporting here that he has denied the allegations and that is flatly incorrect. He in fact called his sexting sins despicable.
'"I had lunch with Todd and Jessa yesterday," Joyner said. "You know, they're struggling. They really could use your prayers. You could imagine what they would feel like, and even if you think they're guilty, this is not the way things are supposed to be done. They feel like they've been falsely accused of just horrendous things. They've been convicted and found guilty. I got together with them to encourage them that there may be a way for them to be exonerated or found guilty. I made it clear. I said, 'Any of the stuff you're guilty of, it's going to be found out.'" Joyner also flatly denied allegations that he has been protecting Bentley or covering up his misdeeds.' -- Taylor Berglund
This is not the way things are supposed to be done? Seriously? You're right Rick. You should not go to an evangelist rally and get punched in the stomach when you have stage four pancreatic cancer. You should not be kicked in the face with a biker boot. You should not find out that your reverend husband has been sleeping with your nanny and then that the "church leaders" have oversaw his divorce from you to marry said nanny. As an intern, you should not be receiving sexts from your reverend boss who shares with you intimate details of his sex life with his wife. You are right Rick -- THIS IS NOT THE WAY THINGS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE! I am so glad you have so much compassion for the wolves and none for the sheep. It only cements that you yourself are as false as they come Mr. Joyner.
