March 10, 2009 — Todd Bentley, who became well-known for leading the Lakeland Outpouring until he stepped down after announcing he was divorcing his wife, Shonnah, has remarried.
He has also entered into a restoration process led by MorningStar Ministries founder Rick Joyner, it was announced Monday.
Joyner said Bentley and his new wife, Jessa, married “several weeks ago” and have moved to Fort Mill, S.C., where MorningStar is based. Jack Deere of Wellspring Church in Texas and Bill Johnson of Bethel Church in California will assist Joyner in overseeing Bentley’s restoration process.
“There were failures; there were mistakes-I want to be absolutely sure he sees them, understands them,” Joyner told Charisma. “I want to see that that gate is shut, that this is not going to happen again.
“I’m not in the business of trying to perfect anyone,” he added. “I’m not going to ask him to be perfect, but there are a lot of issues, and they’re valid. … He is not pushing for ministry or anything; he is trying to get his life right.”
Bentley had led revival meetings in Lakeland, Fla., for nearly four months when he suddenly stepped down from public ministry in August after informing staff members that he and his wife, Shonnah, were separating.
His Fresh Fire Ministries (FFM) board, based in British Columbia, later announced that Bentley had confessed to an inappropriate relationship with a female staff member and a senior board member said Bentley’s alcohol consumption had “crossed the line.”
Joyner said Bentley and his new wife admit that their relationship was “premature,” but say it did not begin until Bentley was convinced his first marriage could not be saved.
“They have both expressed that it was wrong and premature,” Joyner said in his statement. “They do not want to try and cover this up even though they know many will never accept them for it. Even so, they are married now and are resolved to make the most of their marriage, their lives, and to continue to serve the Lord in the best way that they can.” (Read Joyner’s statement.)
Joyner was one of several charismatic ministers who appeared on the platform at the Lakeland Outpouring last June when Bentley publicly submitted himself to the oversight of apostolic leaders Bill Johnson, John Arnott and Ché Ahn, who represent a group called the Revival Alliance.
Arnott said the alliance would serve in an advisory role during Bentley’s restoration process. “I trust all of those guys,” Arnott said. “They’re just men of integrity, men of grace.”
Arnott said Bentley, because of his actions, had stepped out of the fellowship of the alliance. “Relationally we all do care for him,” Arnott said. “But he wouldn’t be seen as a member in good standing.”
In a statement released with Joyner’s, Bentley said he has been in a season of brokenness. He said his previous marriage endured “years of unresolved conflicts” and apologized that it ended in divorce.
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