By Michael Bunker
mbunker@michaelbunker.com
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August 28, 2001 -- "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." 1 Timothy 6:17-19

This is long, but you need to read it.

This article is one that I have struggled over like no other. I have attempted to remain guided by the Holy Spirit, submitting all thoughts and ideas to Him and His purposes. This article can, in no way, be a complete treatise on the subject – nor can it be a proper answer to all of the questions that I have received regarding The Prophecy Club. I write this article for one purpose only: to counter the false impression (one that I believe has been intentionally created) that I am somehow in support, or in association with what is currently going on with the Prophecy Club.

First, let me start out with the obvious. Normally, this type of disclaimer should not be needed – but, based on the current state of intellectual entropy in the world, I can see where this small section might be needed:

I am not perfect, at least not in my flesh. In fact, I am so far from perfect that it is boo-scary. I will even go so far as to steal the title, "the least of the saints" because I find it ever so appropriate. Some will say, "then you are not qualified to comment". If that be so, then no man (save Jesus) is qualified to comment, exhort, correct, rebuke or chastise. On the contrary, I have been exhorted by God to correct and rebuke with ALL authority.

I have vices. Some of them I enjoy immensely. As most anyone who knows anything about me knows, I smoke cigars. I (along with the likes of Spurgeon, Lewis and many others) like cigars. I smoke cigars, because I like them. But… I don’t inhale. I like a glass of wine (the real kind) and, on occasion, provided it doesn’t throw a stumbling block in the way of a brother, I enjoy a beer or two. I even drink beers with Baptists.

I am intemperate. I do not mince words. I have almost no patience. I am at war with religion and the institutional church system. I advocate insurrection and violence against tyrants. I have alienated many of the people who might otherwise have supported me because I am unwilling to compromise. I "don’t play well with others". I am prideful, and I don’t spend enough time with my family. I get frustrated at women drivers, and men who drive like women. I don’t think left-handers should be allowed to play golf. I also generalize a lot. I enjoy sarcasm.

Now, we got that out of the way.

Many people have been emailing and calling me about the Prophecy Club. In the minds of most of the people, I am somehow affiliated with them. Like I said, I believe that Stan Johnson and the Prophecy Club have fostered this misconception. On three occasions on his radio show, Stan tried to get me to publicly support the "Jesus Crusades". I will not, and I do not. I agreed to go on three Prophecy Club tours, because I believed the message of warning was important, and because I believe that God desired that the message of warning about a growing, tyrannical, one-world surveillance state should be widely broadcast. Other than the three TECHNOLOGY videos that I did, which were produced by the Prophecy Club, I have no affiliation with them whatsoever.

I believe that when the Prophecy Club was in it’s heyday (when the message was one of warning, and it was delivered by men of integrity who KNEW SOMETHING), that God was using the Prophecy Club in a mighty way. Not because of them, but despite them. By the time I came along, most of the truly great messages and messengers had faded away – and the PC had resorted to the modern day "prophets" and "apostles", who prophesied out of their flesh. The message was bastardized and merchandized until very little of the original fire remained. By the time my second tour was over, the Y2K no-show, rumormongering and listener discontent at some of the garbage that was being broadcast by the Prophecy Club had cut the audience by 90%.

I was one of the first people to warn Stan Johnson personally of problems.

I talked to Stan about Bill Deagle during my first tour. It was clear that Bill was a heretic and liar – and I told Stan that. It took months for Stan to back off of Bill Deagle. He still sold Deagle’s videos and books long after he knew that Bill was a fraud. Stan even read a Bill Deagle "vision" at the end of my first video AFTER I told him that Bill Deagle was a lunatic. I also warned Stan about the poison of several other speakers, after people came up to me at the PC meetings crying - because they had allowed one of Stan’s speakers to "mark" them with an upside down cross on their forehead. When I found out Stan was going to send the gentile "rabbi" Michael Rood on tour – I warned him again. Rood proceeded to use the PC platform to build his own kingdom, while simultaneously convincing the world that he is an authentic "messianic Jewish rabbi". More false prophecies and wrong calendars were to follow.

Then, rather than return to their original base, or shut it down for lack of support – The P.C. changed gears. The money had dried up, and the golden goose was laying wooden eggs. Stan Johnson’s personal prophets (I call them the pocket prophets) were calling for "revivals" and "crusades". It began to look like a scaled-down TBN dog-and-pony show.

The money machine was being re-primed. Instead of having 400 people show up at meetings (each paying $7), the Prophecy Club was willing to entertain 20 people at several hundred dollars a person. For a large fee, you too could learn to prophesy, heal the sick, etc.

Stan Johnson’s new mantra is "God is always changing". In fact, he started his latest newsletter with that bizarre claim. The fact that the Bible states unequivocally that God NEVER changes (I change not) has not apparently stopped the funds from flowing in. Would the Prophecy Club have us believe that the CORNERSTONE of the building is changing all the time?

The Prophecy Club is now alluding to the Azusa Street revival (as if it was legitimate), and commenting on how this "revival" also started in Topeka. I guess we are supposed to believe that a) God is always changing, but b) he starts all of his "true" revivals in Topeka, Kansas. The fact that one of the Kansans who started the Azusa street "revival" was arrested in Texas a few years later for sodomy, hasn’t changed the widespread charismatic opinion of the nature of that freak show. The Azusa street "revival was panned by almost every biblically literate teacher of the day. The image of people barking like dogs, slithering around on the ground like serpents and laughing like hyenas have been repeated in other, more current "revivals". Brownwood, Pensacola and Toronto are the new centers for demonic "revival". It would be wise that the leaders of these heretical movements give 1st Corinthians a close read. It specifically lists the punishment for teachers who defile the Temple.

Financial Shenanigans

When I signed up for the Prophecy Club, I knew the rules. It was a bit of a racket, but I knew that broadcasting the message was important. I did somewhere around 80 cities in my Prophecy Club tours. At every city, I talked for 3 hours to people who paid $7 a person to get in. This is legitimate. The money from the door went to pay for airtime in each city. I used to be on the radio – I know what radio time costs.

Each Prophecy Club speaker makes his own deal with Stan. I have never been in this for the money, nor was money an issue with me when I signed on. However, by all accounts, the deal I agreed to was skimpy compared to some others that Stan has agreed to.

I was paid $200 per talk. When it is common for popular public speakers in this arena to bring anywhere from $1000 to $5000 a talk – I agreed to the P.C. minimum because I was not interested at all in the money. I began to be alarmed though, when I heard the Prophecy Club m.c.’s taking offerings "in the name of" the speaker. The impression was given that the money that was taken in the offering was given to the speaker. This never happened. I was paid $200 for each talk no matter how much money was raised during the evening. I always had a problem with this. One day, when I was in the Topeka office, Stan showed me a giving report from my hometown of Lubbock, Texas – where Stan had just spoken on his DANIEL tour. The offering was for $4500. I know that this is not typical, and I was at the meeting that Stan had here in Lubbock, there weren’t even 100 people in the room. But I was made aware, after m.c’s told me, that the offerings at my talks could bring in anywhere from $2000 to $3000 dollars a night. Keep in mind that, back on the tape table, there were three of my videos and one of my books. I was never paid ONE DIME for any of these tens of thousands of videos, which sold for $25.00 a piece. I was allowed to PURCHASE the videos for my own personal sale, at a price of $6.00 a piece. If that is Stan’s cost, then that means that he personally made over $19.00 a video.

WHAT ABOUT MY BOOK?

When Stan first called for me to do a P.C. tour, he told me that he needed "more information" so that he could offer a BUNKER SPECIAL. I gave him, freely, two one-hour videos on Preparedness, that Stan then offered for sale. I never received one dime for the thousands of Preparedness videos that were sold. He also asked if I had ever written a book. At the time, Steve Donaldson (my mentor) and I were writing the book PERSECUTION 2000: Preparing the Underground Church. Stan convinced me to allow him to publish the book. He said that if he published it, he could cover all the publication costs, and then I could buy it from him at cost. My cost for the book would be $1.50 each. Once again, I made the decision that getting the message out to the people was of primary importance. I agreed. He did NOT tell me that he registered the book in a way that had Christian bookstores calling HIM to purchase the book.

I recently spoke to Stan’s old publisher. I have to guess, since I do not have any sales figures, that somewhere between 10,000 and 30,000 books were sold. Stan told me personally one time that P2000 was one of the best selling books EVER from the Prophecy Club. I am under the impression that it still is. To this day, Steve Donaldson and I have received NOT ONE PENNY from the sale and distribution of P2000, INCLUDING sales to Christian bookstores by the Prophecy Club.

You might say, "Well, but you agreed to it". You might say that, thought that would not be totally correct – I had no idea the amount of money we were dealing with or the questionable ways that would be employed to raise the money. I did not know that the message was being prostituted for profit. I always assumed that I would be recompensed fairly by Christian brothers for my work.

Like I said, it was never about the money. Or is it.

Back in February or so, I went out on my own with the information that is now on my third video. After doing a talk in Wichita, someone at that talk contacted Stan Johnson and told him that I had some great, new information on the Surveillance society. Stan called me only days after that meeting, asking me about the new information. He wanted me to go out on tour again, or at least shoot a third video for him. I was not positively inclined to do it. I told him that I had been invited (me of all people) to speak to a New Age conference in Denver. He asked me if I had any of the old videos and books to sell, I told him that I did not. I was out.

He said, " why don’t I send you out some books and videos and you throw them on your table?" I told him that I had to leave in a few days and that there was no time to get them to me. He said he would send them straight to the hotel at his expense. I agreed.

When I got to the hotel, there were about $700 dollars worth of books and videos there. Of course, the crowd in Denver was not interested in any of my information. They were hostile to my message, to say the least.

While I was in Denver, Stan called. He wanted me to do two radio shows updating my "new" information. He told me not to worry about paying for the videos and books; I could send back whatever didn’t sell. I told him that I would do the radio shows since he had sent me the videos. During that radio show he mentioned that I was going to be shooting a new video for the P.C. I still had not agreed to do so. Also, during those interviews, he tried to get me to publicly support what the P.C. was doing in the Crusades. I would not do it. Go to the P.C. archives and listen to my two February updates, you will hear this exchange.

When I returned home, I got a bill for $700 for the videos and books that I received up in Denver. A couple of days later, Stan called – and I told him that I didn’t have any money, and that I would have to send the books and videos back. He told me to hold off, that we would "work it out of what I was going to receive for doing the new video." Remember, at this time I had still not agreed to do the video.

A couple of days later, I called Stan back. He was not in the office. I spoke to one of his close assistants, and I told him that I would do the video on the following conditions:

1. I was able to keep the books and videos that I had.

2. I would receive 200 of the new videos once produced.

3. ALL of my expenses involved with getting to and returning from South Bend, Indiana for the video shoot would be covered.

I never heard back from Stan on this. The next thing I know, I received the Prophecy Club newsletter announcing the date of my new video shoot as part of an "intelligence briefing". I had to assume that my conditions had been met.

A couple of weeks later, Stan called wanting to do radio shows. Remember that all of these radio shows are done free as part of the "promotion" for the new video. I have never received ONE PENNY for doing a radio show with Stan Johnson. Before the interviews, I mentioned again that I had all these videos and we would need to come to a final agreement on my compensation for the new video. Stan began to tell me how "bad things are, financially", and how he was laying people off, etc. He told me it was costing him $1000 to fly me to South Bend!

"No problem", I said. I’ll drive to South Bend, and you can give me the $1000 for expenses.

Stan began to waffle. "Er. . .Uh. . .well, why don’t I give you two-hundred dollars for gas, that way the ‘ministry’ can save the money." I was floored. At this point, I decided to let the Holy Spirit deal with Stan, I was finished. I said, "Whatever, Stan". I never returned his calls to do more radio shows.

Right before I left for South Bend, I got another call from Stan. He wanted to do more radio shows. I told him that I was too busy right now. He said, "well, you will be getting your NORMAL $200" for the talk in South Bend. Once again, I was floored. But the newsletter had already gone out, and I was getting emails from people who were excited about seeing me up there.

I finally handed it over to the Lord. My wife was livid, and all my friends were advising me to blow Stan off. "I can’t", I said – people are counting on me.

I drove our motorhome up to South Bend. My expenses to get up there and back were over $800.

When I got to South Bend, Stan asked me to move up my talk several hours because one of the other speakers had not showed. I wondered why. I agreed to do it, so I could get out of town as soon as the taping was over.

Stan started the lead-in to the video. It was more of his Jesus Crusade stuff. He told us all how "God changed all the time", and asked the crowd how much money it would be worth to "get a touch from God". When he finally announced me, I had had enough RELIGION to last a lifetime. During my talk I made several comments about churchianity, false worship and manipulative ministries. Now, Stan and Leslie were livid. With about 50 minutes to go in the video, Stan was holding up a sign saying GET BACK TO TECHNOLOGY!

Apparently I am expected to work for free, AND let Stan Johnson edit my comments.

When the video was over, my associates and I bugged out of there. Back at the hotel, we fumed over the garbage that we had experienced. I went to go read the bible and study by the pool. Right after I left, Stan called the room. Leslie had had a "vision" from God for me. Jordan went and got it, and we read it. It was 6 pages of self-serving claptrap with God’s name on it. The "thus saith the Lord’s" were all for the P.C.’s sake.

1. I was to shut up about the church, quit attacking religion.

2. I was to get under authority (presumably under the "apostle" Stan).

I had a long talk with Ben and Jordan that night. Jordan is my student, and he has been living and travelling with me for 5 months. I thought this was the most valuable lesson on manipulation and religiosity that anyone could ever receive. But there was more to learn.

I told Jordan, "Do you want to look this thing in the eye, so you’ll always recognize it, and you’ll always know what manipulation looks like?"

"Yes", he said.

I said, "OK, I am going to send you on a mission. I want you to go to Stan Johnson’s room RIGHT NOW (It was about 11pm). I want you to ask for a "personal prophecy", and I am going to tell you what he is going to say." I smiled, "Stan is going to tell you that you are getting false teaching, and that you should come learn from him, or that you should go ‘get a touch from God’ at a Jesus Crusade. Now go."

Jordan went and knocked on Stan’s door. Stan took him upstairs at the Signature Inn where they had a small meeting area.

Stan told Jordan that he was a "white car, pure and clean", but that he had been "splattered with dirt" – the dirt was "bad teaching". Stan told him that he should "go to a Jesus Crusade" and learn the NEW worship and praise style. More manipulative churchianity. What a great lesson! What a great "personal prophecy".

I never received one dime for my third video with Stan Johnson and the Prophecy Club. Not one dime. My expenses were not covered, and I never received $200 for my honorarium.

By the way, from the pulpit up in South bend, RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME AND MY ASSOCIATES, Stan Johnson told the crowd that he was receiving "thousand dollar checks daily and ten-thousand dollar checks every week". I and my family still live in poverty for the sake of the gospel. My family eats dehydrated Y2K food, homegrown vegatables and donated venison. Ain't it all grand?

About three weeks after I got home, I received a bill from the Prophecy Club asking me for $700 for the old books and tapes. So I after doing a THIRD VIDEO which will sell thousands of copies for Stan Johnson at $25 a piece, I received nothing but a bill for $700. I owed HIM money.

When I wrote my recent article entitled SPIRITISM AND THE PROPHECY MOVEMENT. I got an email from Stan Johnson entitled, "Let’s be Friends". The email basically told me to shut up and don’t talk about the Prophecy Club. He listed all the "kindnesses" that he had extended to me.

Really. I couldn’t make this stuff up.

I wrote Stan back and told him all my grievances and asked him to reply to them. He did not. On Saturday, I wrote him another email telling him that I was writing this article, and that if he wanted to defend himself, I would include his comments here. He wrote back and told me that he "had never received my email with grievances", and could I resend it. I did so. The Saturday email had specifically stated that I would be finishing this article on Monday. Stan was stalling for time.

I don't know have any idea how Stan Johnson has responded to my grievances. I have not heard back from him. Maybe he thought that I would just "go away". On his website, under the archives, he still has a Jesus Crusade abomination audio under my name and heading. He is still leading people to believe that I support what he is doing. I do not.

Let's lay this all out.

Stan Johnson owes me money, alot of money. Not by contract, but because it is the right thing to do. I will not sue him, pester him, or ask him for the money. It is not about the money. It is about right and wrong. I have fulfilled all my obligations to the Prophecy Club. I have made Stan Johnson's offences known to Stan Johnson. Now, I bring this concern to the brethren. Not because I desire that Stan Johnson suffer, but because it is the right thing to do.

People are being hurt by Stan and his ministry. He is wrong, and he needs to know that. Everything I have done has been above board. I have defrauded no man. I will allow myself to be defrauded, because I will not use Caesars courts to make a point.

Here is what I DO demand. I demand that the Prophecy Club cease using my name or my infomation. I cannot stop Stan from selling the videos, but the book is under my copyright - and I demand that he stop selling it. I also ask that Stan Johnson publicly state, on his radio show, that I in no way support the Jesus Crusades, or the current direction of the Prophecy Club. If he does not do that, I will make a point of publishing (at some future date) all the heresy and blasphemy that these Crusades employ. I would rather that we just make a clean break.

I am willing to listen to Stan Johnson's side of the story, provided he ever supplies it. I am also willing to report to you his side of the story via my website (something He is clearly not willing to let ME do).

I ask for your prayers and supplications for Stan Johnson, the Prophecy Club and their employees. I ask you to pray that the Lord bless them, that He open their eyes, and that they turn from this way to which they have strayed. I also ask you to contact the P.C. let them know what you think about this issue. They are a public ministry, tied to a 501c-3 tax free foundation, and you have the right to be heard. I ask that you forward this to other speakers, to friends and interested parties, and Christian media outlets. I do not have a worldwide radio show from which to be heard.

I also ask for your prayers for me, my family and my associates. We are nobodies with no budget and no media voice. We cannot harm anybody. But we can suffer attacks, like we always do. I am certain that this issue will engender such attacks.

Your servant in Christ Jesus,
Michael Bunker

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