Well, just got a phone call this last evening that The Steve and Kathy Show has received 4 Emmy® Nominations from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Of course, that doesn't mean we will necessarily win, but it is a big honor even to receive a nomination from such a respected organization and from those outside the religious community. The winners will be announced October 4th.

My last blog concerning the Lakeland FL. revival got some interesting responses. Most of them were in agreement and glad that I finally came out with a statement. A couple of people missed the point. One accused me of pride and pointing the finger while he was doing the same thing right back at me and another I think thought that I was sort of kicking a man when he was down. Careful reading will reveal that I didn't even mention Todd. I know Todd. I was invited by him to attend the meetings. I didn't go. I didn't have time to go with so much breaking loose in our own services Thursday - Sunday every week. Through it all, I remained silent although I received e-mails daily asking me to comment on the revival.

Here is what I finally came out and said when it was all over. I said that hundreds of leaders have egg on their face. Why? Because so many rushed in and declared this to be the greatest wave in a hundred years that was to bring global revival to the world. Many said similar things within weeks of its beginning. These things were stated firmly by those who claim to be our prophets and apostles.

The reason they have egg on their face (and they do) is because they jumped the gun and landed on the bandwagon too quickly. As I said in my last blog. The Smithton Outpouring went for three and a half years, six services a week before moving to Kansas City. You know friends, after about six months people began to think maybe something was really going on that was of God.

Now let's use some common spiritual sense instead of making wild accusations when the obvious is pointed out. This thing in Lakeland went from about April to August. After around a hundred days or so, the revival ended, the tent came down, Todd's marriage was ending and now this week we learn of inappropriate behavior with a worker so now Todd is stepping down from ministry for a time. These are not accusations folks, these are facts. Can you blame anyone from saying, "huh?" Don't turn on innocent people for trying to see through the fog.

There was way too much "hoopla" way too fast. In my opinion, the reason so many did not see it coming is because they were blinded by the TV cameras and the crowds. The entire thing is very sad. I feel for Todd because he didn't put himself on TV and he didn't prophesy over himself. The best advice from those who came to lay hands on him would have been to say, "Slow down, take a deep breath and keep moving carefully forward. If this thing is of God, then those who try and stop it will be fighting God. If it is not of God, then it will come to an end all by itself."

All of us should be in unity that whatever it was and no matter how much good was done, something was obviously wrong, maybe at the start, maybe in the middle, but certainly, something went wrong in the end. After all of the noise is over, in the end, I don't think it will hardly make the history books. And what will be said, probably won't be good. So, I'm not pointing a finger at Todd. It was others that made him a superstar too fast for his own good.

Well, if we Christians can't sort this out in a discerning way, I guess we could present the story to the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. After they hear the facts, what do you think they would have to say? Would they be confused? I don't think so. At the very least, they may have an Emmy® statuette for all of us as players in a terrible tragedy.

Talk soon,

P. Steve

P.S. Let's try to be nice to the people that haven't done anything wrong and are genuinely just trying to figure this all out.