After the initial weeks, GOD TV, a Christian satellite channel, pre-empted its primetime programming and broadcast the Lakeland meetings nightly.
[6] In June 2008, ABC's Nightline carried out an investigative report on Bentley, specifically scrutinizing his finances and his divine healing claims.
[9] The revival displayed many "ecstatic manifestations", and some participants claimed "esoteric experiences", such as divinely inspired visions and prophecies.
[3] The Lakeland Revival did not charge for attendance, but attendees could contribute to voluntary offerings that funded building and staff expenses.
[4] A newspaper in Vancouver reported that Bentley owned a home in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada, a 2007 GMC Sierra, and a 2003 Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
While Ignited Church continued to proclaim ongoing revival services after this date, the previous worldwide interest had faded.
Wood, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God USA, of which Ignited Church is a member, issued a statement on revival in June 2008.
[23] A noted Charismatic Bible scholar, theologian, author, and publisher, Steven Lambert, published a series of scathing articles soon after the meetings began, denouncing them as "wildfire," i.e., a false revival or movement, and demonstrating characteristics of the occult and cultism, remonstrating their principals, participants, and promoters, as well as repudiating the doctrines and practices fostered by and under the auspices of the meetings' organizers and participants.
[24][25][26] Religion scholar Matthew D. Taylor states that the event "raised searching questions about [C. Peter Wagner's] whole [New Apostolic Reformation] paradigm" as a number of the movement's prophets and apostles had supported Bentley because of personal revelations ostensibly from God.
[30] In an effort to verify reported healings, Bentley's staff said they welcomed as much documentation as people were willing to give, including verification from doctors.
They e-mailed the Observer information on 15 people reportedly healed, providing phone numbers for each and noting that 12 had received medical verification.
[35] At times, the healing services were criticized in mainstream media and on Internet blogs for the occasional violence done to the participants,[5][30][36] in the tradition of Smith Wigglesworth.
Bentley held that the Holy Spirit led him to such actions,[5][36] saying that those incidents were taken out of context and adding that miracles were happening simultaneously.
[30] Trevor Baker, who had invited Bentley to the Revival Fires Church in Dudley (UK), also defended these actions, saying: "He never does anything like that without first asking for the person's permission.