The Scandal of The Shack (It Changed My Life)

When I read the Shack it was a very healing experience for me. It made me question and consider the fact that God loves and wants to save the very worst of humans, pedophiles, porn stars, Muslim terrorists, and even judgmental Christians – and I was among the worst of these!) Through this story he wrote for his children, William Paul Young demonstrates what Scripture tells us:

“Where sin abounds, grace much more abounds.” Romans 5:20

I remember reading one part in the book about a son’s relationship to his father. I became so angry that I threw the book across the room. I was angry because it was bringing up my own painful and strained relationship with my father. I was bitter about my parents divorce and I hadn’t talked with my dad in a couple years. He had rejected his family. He had rejected me. I wrote a song you’ll never hear about that pain and the blame.

Well a few days later after I finished the book, I had the most powerful encounter with the love of Jesus. It happened, as it often does with me, in a dream.

Here tis:

I was standing there looking at my dad. My brother was there as well and my first impression was an overwhelming awareness that we are One. Then God started to reveal how he felt about my dad. God’s love started pouring into my heart and it grew in intensity. It just kept growing and growing more and more intense and I thought, “Is there any end to this love?” It became so intense I was convinced I would explode into a million pieces. Fearing for my life I shook myself awake as if to say, “No more!”

That profound experience healed my relationship with my dad. Of course I forgave him! I have treated him with love and respect ever since. I called him up shortly after that and was going to send him the book The Shack but he told me that he had just read it. The book made quite an impact on him as well.

Wow God!

From My friend Robby Dawkins:

Is there a Demonic Spirit related to the movie the Shack? The Answer is yes!
I read the book several years ago and weeped so hard. It made me angry then broke my heart. Then watching the movie tonight with my wife Angie Dawkins, all those emotions were stirred once again. This story is really about the authors horrific struggle with the Lord after suffering sexual abuse as a missionaries kid. This deep wound is depicted in the story with a horrific tragedy in a family.
None of the depictions of God are Caucasian (loved it!) And portraits God in both male and female form (loved that too). This movie is so powerful and I felt the Presence of the Lord so strong at various points of it. And felt the theology to be very sound.
So what of the demonic I mentioned you ask? I believe their is a demonic assignment against this book and movie. It’s both by a Religious Spirit and a spirit that insights Prejudice. These Demonic spirits are trying to block people from experiencing healing and freedom from a critical spirit.
I highly recommend you take every atheist, spiritually wounded, orphaned spirited person you know to this movie and then a “sit down” with them afterwards to process it.
It sets us up to bring many to Christ…

I have written much more about the Shack and the other books Wm Paul Young has written. Here are some of the most important ones to check out:

Papa With Scars (Theology behind The Shack) – Biblical discussion looking at the question, was Papa with and in Jesus on the cross?

The Shack (a response to a critic) – Here I take on a prominent critic and address all of what most critics see as the most scandalous parts of the book, The Shack

Your Love Drives My Fear Away (Song I wrote inspired by The Shack)

The Shack Revisited (A conference that Theologians Wm Paul Young and C Baxter Kruger did explaining and discussing the theology behind The Shack)

William Paul Young and his book Crossroads: https://daniellovett.com/2013/07/15/cross-roads-by-william-paul-young-book-review/

William Paul Young and his book Eve: https://daniellovett.com/2015/09/23/william-paul-young-and-his-new-novel-eve/ and