866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org
We reported on this in the following articles:
“Burlington Tent Revival Ends” (August 3, 2016)
“Burlington Tent Revival Follow Up” (August 4, 2016)
“Burlington Revival Defenders” (August 8, 2016)
“Burlington Leaders and Sincere Men of God” (August 8, 2016)
“Burlington Tent Revival Correction and Update” (August 11, 2016)
Following is some more information we have received from preachers about the Burlington Revival and its leader, Evangelist C.T. Townsend:
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“I too agree and saw many things that didn’t line up with Scripture. I have family members that were disciplined for known sin and unrepentant. Yet at the tent they sent a video to me of them screaming to the top of their lungs during the dramatized showdown. My church folks asked me what I thought and my reply was, ‘Nevertheless, what saith the Scriptures.’ Thanks for the article and for your stand on truth.”
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“I just received the September Issue of O Timothy and appreciate your article on the Burlington Tent Revival. I have a friend who also is a pastor that attended the revival. He is a good friend but not separated and certainly has many ecumenical characteristics. This prevents me from using him to fill our pulpit and he has never asked me to fill his. His response to the meeting was so enthusiastic that it cause me pause to consider it, he of course suggesting that I attend. ... as I began to research the revival, CT Townsend, etc., what I found bothered me. ... This pastor friend was so impressed that his church took a group down to Burlington. Now, again, though they consider themselves Independent Baptists, they are not separated Baptists in dress, music, and other areas. Every one of his members that attended the revival spoke of how powerful, life changing, etc., it was. Yet there is not a single change in any of them that I’ve been able to see. The church is just as ecumenical as it ever was. I knew very little of the revival when this pastor told me about it and knew nothing of CT Townsend. My first thought was that this would bring my friend into a more separated walk. I truly thought it would bring his people around to see their lack of holy living. But clearly it didn’t. I do not believe that one can call what happened in Burlington a true spiritual revival. I’m sure there was some fruit from the week, but if you can attend such a ‘powerful experience’ and not turn toward Biblical holiness and separation, there’s something wrong.
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“C.T. Townsend’s brother, Brian, is a full-blown contemporary pastor in Georgia that C.T. has verbally supported. CT’s father-in-law married Brenda Ruppe of the Ruppe family, who were featured singers on the Gaither Homecoming specials. Her daughters formed the singing group ‘The Sisters’ and sing contemporary Southern Gospel music and have very immodest clothing in some of their photo shoots. I know we are not guilty because of family ties, but we become guilty when we promote our worldly families and their music, which C.T. has done publicly for years without any reproof.”
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“I’d like to take a moment and share with you a bit of research I’ve done. I’ve included all necessary citations for you to verify. With that said, here’s a verse I know you’re familiar with: ‘Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world’ (James 1:27). The Burlington Revival (using CT Townsend and his worship service program) did not keep itself unspotted from the world. First, allow me speak on the topic of CT Townsend. He is a CCM artist. You can visit his website (http://www.cttownsend.com/) and browse what he has for sale. He and his wife currently have 5 albums for sale. You can click on any of the albums to view its details. What you’ll find is that a significant number of their songs are covers of CCM titles."
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“Regarding the Burlington Revival: https://youtu.be/BBTeFT0F0BI?t=2370. This video clip is of the July 22 revival meeting which has been touted as the most successful meeting of the entire revival. There were a supposed 100 people saved that day. It is one of Burlington Revival’s most viewed clips on YouTube. And I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard pastors reference this specific meeting where all these people got saved in one night. But unfortunately there’s more to the story than that. First off, this meeting lasted 3 hours and 9 minutes. ... And what is most surprising is that there was no preaching at all. Some people may not find fault with that, but I do. I don’t believe people get saved through a worked-up worship program. I’m a firm believer that ‘it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe’ (1 Cor. 1:21). Secondly, the link I gave above has a timestamp that starts at 39:30. As this time they begin singing a song which they sing until the 1 hour mark. They sing this song over and over again for 20 minutes until everyone is worked up and in their emotions. People ‘get saved’ during this time, but this song gives no mention of the Gospel whatsoever. The song they sing is called ‘Send the Rain’ which is written by Aaron Butler of the Christian Rock band Ol’ Skool. You can visit their biography here - www.unsigned.com/olskool. I’d like to point out a quote they made from this biography regarding their own music: ‘Our music has a lot of roots in southern gospel, but with a touch of rock. We like to call it Southern Rock Gospel.’ The following are the lyrics to this song that was repeated over and over again. The song was written for the sole purpose of belittling traditional, solemn worship. ‘I'm tired of just the same old thing/ Of tradition wearing out your name/ I’m tired of a man-made worship hour/ I’m tired/ I’m tired of a song without any praise/ Where worshiping You is out of place/ I’m tired of religious formality/ I’m tired/ Send the rain/ Send the fire/ Send the wind/ Send the Holy Ghost in power/ Send the rain.’” [Note from Brother Cloud: This song promotes Pentecostal Latter Rain heresy, but the leaders of the Burlington Revival are too theologically ignorant to recognize this.]
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