The Shack and the False Prophet Todd Bentley 

By C.Matthew Recker

mrecker@hbcnyc.org

Heritage Baptist Church
PO Box 7925
New York, NY  10116

In our culture of ever increasing paganism and environmentalism, humanism and evolution, post modernism and the emerging church, and New Age spirituality and evangelical compromise, we should not be surprised when false teachings and false teachers find popularity among the masses. 

Many post modern thinkers today, led by the likes of Robert Schuller, Rick Warren, and Bill Hybels, see that “Christianity as we have known it, has run its course and must be re-thought, re-invented, and replaced.” [i] Earlier this year, at a Rethink Conference co-hosted by Robert Schuller and Erwin McManus, which also featured speakers like Charles Colson and Kay Warren, the wife of Rick Warren, such messages were given that emphasized this goal.  And so we are a nation ripe for the false teachings of a book entitled, The Shack and a false prophet named Todd Bentley.

The Shack, an allegorical novel written by William P Young, has risen unexpectedly like a meteor to number one on the paperback fiction New York Times best seller list since June 8, 2008[ii]. In this we find an example of abundant false teaching.  Todd Bentley, a false prophet covered with tattoos and body piercing, claims that he kicks and chokes ignorant souls in the name of healing them.  He is a clear example of a false teacher.  Sadly, churches are accepting both the false teachings and the false teacher in their midst.

False Teachings of The Shack

The Shack’s story line is tragic and deeply personal, and this is the bait that draws in the reader to bite its deceptive doctrines of demons.  Mack’s daughter Missy was cruelly murdered.  Still surrounded by grief, Mack receives an invitation from “Papa” to a shack.  With some doubt he is drawn to the run down shed in the wilderness and meets “Papa” who to his surprise is a “large beaming African American woman” (p.82). She represents God our Father.  Then he meets a “small, distinctly Asian woman” whose name is Sarayu.  She represents the Holy Spirit of God.  Finally he meets a “Middle Eastern” man in his thirties, and this is supposedly Jesus (p.84).  Spiritual dialogues then take place which re-educates Mack’s view of God and Jesus Christ. 

Young portrays great error regarding our great God.  The Shack portrays God as a woman.  This aligns with pagan views of God throughout history!  Both God the Father and the Holy Spirit are humanized.  Jesus never returned to heaven and has no power in Himself.  These three persons are culturally relevant and non-judgmental.  The Jesus portrayed in The Shack has no desire to make anyone a Christian, but rather says, “Those who love me come from every system that exists.  They were Buddhists or Mormons, Baptists or Muslims…I have no desire to make them Christian, but I do want to join them in their transformation into sons and daughters of my Papa, into my brothers and sisters” (p.182).

If this is all we know about The Shack, it is enough to reveal much error.  Wrapped in a clever story, a view of God emerges that is unadulterated heresy.  This must not be overlooked or reasoned away!  The truth of God’s Word is unchanging and clear.  God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, eternally existing as three distinct persons in one divine essence.  God is our “King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God” who dwells “in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting” (1 Timothy 1:17; 6:16).  The Person of our great God is not to be trifled with, re-thought or re-imagined!  The doctrine of God is all important and vital to believe!  Just like Joel Osteen or Robert Schuller, who cloak their sermons in New Age language in order to appeal to vast crowds without offending anyone, The Shack presents a false god that will appeal to New Agers, emerging church members and pastors, and to compromising evangelical churches that have become so worldly they fear to stand against anything in American pop culture.

Although the Jesus of The Shack is “grounded” on earth (p.99-100) and is not seeking to convert anyone, the Jesus of the Bible is all-powerful, crucified for the world’s sin, bodily risen from death, and is now seated at the right hand of our Father in heaven. He will return in great glory, destroying the wicked and establishing His eternal Kingdom on earth.  He continually seeks and saves the lost, for that is what He came to accomplish (Luke 19:10).  Jesus says, “Come unto me” for He is the narrow way, the truth, and the life (Matthew 11:28-30; Matthew 7:13,14; John 14:6). 

Jesus also warned us to “beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep’s clothing” and The Shack is such an example of something seemingly innocent, but its false teachings can bring destruction to one’s soul (Matthew 7:15-16).  We must love God and His truth and not open ourselves or our churches to “another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted” and we are not to bear with teachings that are patent lies!  Beware, for evil communications like The Shack bring corruption from the simplicity that is in Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3, 4).

The False Prophet Todd Bentley

Todd Bentley is the leader of an alleged revival taking place in Lakeland, Florida.  Many claim that this is a Holy Spirit outpouring in these end times.  Some are calling it the Third Wave (the first wave being in Toronto, the second wave in Pensacola, and now this). Todd Bentley claims that his ministry is being blessed by an angel called Emma who also assisted William Branham in his healing ministry in the 1940’s.  Branham, now deceased, was a false prophet who taught that the doctrine of the Trinity was a pagan doctrine from the devil and also claimed that he could do no healings until his angel arrived.   Bentley was introduced to Emma by a perverted, now disgraced Vineyard prophet named Bob Jones.  It is very possible that this angel is a demonic spirit named “Emma-O” who is the Japanese Buddhist Lord of hell who judges souls and places them in hell (see an extended quote below about how Bentley “met” Emma through Bob Jones.) [iii]

In online You Tube videos, Bentley can be seen bragging about hearing the voice of God telling him to deceive and lie that he is possessed of a demon, how great he is by slamming a woman’s legs like a baseball bat on the stage, choking sick people, and hitting people so hard that once a tooth popped out of his victim’s mouth.  He is arrogant and boastful at best; at worst he is a demon possessed false prophet who aligns himself with men like William Branham who believed in doctrines of demons. Nevertheless, people are flocking to his meetings and lining up to supposedly be healed by this man! (http://youtube.com/watch?v=_K8XjObzfxm).  

The Apostle Paul tells us that this is nothing new, for Satan has his “false apostles and deceitful workers who transform themselves into the apostles of Christ.  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light….Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.  For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face” (2 Corinthians 11:13-20).

Here are a few of Todd Bentley’s false teachings that can be heard on You Tube with a truth statement from Scripture after his lie:

Bentley’s lie: He claims the Lord tells him to pound people in the stomach and brags that they vomit up cancer. 

God’s Truth: Neither Jesus nor the apostles ever hit anyone to heal them.  Jesus was meek and lowly of heart and only healed with words and sometimes with touches of compassionate gentleness (Mark 1:41; Luke 13:12).

Bentley’s lie: Todd Bentley boasts that Jesus speaks audibly to him and even told him to lie that he had a demonic spirit while attending a Catholic charismatic meeting. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtSK9TyduR4)

God’s Truth: Jesus is truth and speaks only truth and His true servants speak the truth in love (John 14:6; Ephesians 4:15).  We do not win people to Christ nor experience revival through lies.

Bentley’s lie: The Jesus of Todd Bentley only cares about “healing and signs and wonders.” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwEW8gtxVS0&NR=1)

God’s Truth: Jesus tells us that “an evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign” and he rebukes those who will not believe except they “see signs and wonders” (Matthew 12:39; John 4:48).

Bentley’s lie: Bentley shouts BAM, BAM over and over as he supposedly releases “the angels of revival and of breakthrough.” 

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Bup1HxKl-s&feature=related)

God’s Truth: God’s people pray to God for revival as in Psalm 85:4-7.  Turn us, O God of our salvation…wilt thou not revive us again…show us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.”  God brings revival, not angels!

Bentley’s lie: He believes in a prophetic angel named Emma.  He prays to this angel when he needs a financial breakthrough.  He can be seen shouting over and over “ANGEL, ANGEL!”  (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIUOwfBEYfk)  He describes this angel as “beautiful and young-about 22 years old…she glided into the room, emitting brilliant light and colors.” (see full quote below)

Truth: We are not to allow anyone to beguile us in the “worshiping of angels” for Satan is transformed into an angel of light.  In these latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy” (Colossians 2:18; 2 Corinthians 11:14; 1 Timothy 4:1,2).  Bentley fits these verses.

Bentley’s lie: He asked God at one meeting why His power was not moving, and God told him “because you haven’t kicked that woman in the face.”  He then tells how the Holy Spirit came upon him to kick a woman in the face with his biker boot, and she supposedly came under the power of God.

Truth: This is ridiculous and preposterous and who knows if it even happened!  Bentley could be fabricating stories like this to make himself appear great, but obviously it only reveals himself as a false prophet.  Jeremiah 23:28 says, “The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully.  What is the chaff to the wheat?”

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).  As we test The Shack and Todd Bentley’s ministry by the Word of God, it is clear that they are not of God.