#2 Questions about Mike Bickle & IHOPKC
What caused everything to crumble?
Why?
Why have allegations brought against Mike Bickle devastated an entire ministry and community? If so many people believe that Jane Doe's and Tammy Woods' claims are true and credible, if further dysfunction among the leadership at IHOPKC is supported by so many testimonies, how are some people still convinced that everything is false? How are faithful intercessors and worship leaders, who consider themselves part of Gideon's army, still serving in the Global Prayer Room?
Who is right?
I am convinced that many believers on both sides of the story are sincerely following the Lord. That's why this mess is so complex. I still can't determine who is right. I can, however, speak about how it has affected me. If I speculate about former leaders, it is in relation to the impact they have had on my life.
What happened with IHOPKC?
From my perspective, the foundation of the IHOPKC ministry had been shifting and crumbling over time. The allegations brought forth in October 2023 revealed fatal cracks in the structure, which caused the entire building to implode.
Before we bought the house we are living in now, we spent a lot of time shopping. We had put a contract on a beautiful home with cathedral ceilings. I thought it was perfect. During the inspection, a number of alarming issues came to our attention. The biggest red flag was the foundation. We learned that it had settled significantly. One corner of the garage was at least a foot lower than another. Apparently, part of the house had been built on bedrock while other parts were built on areas filled in with dirt. Those parts were sinking. The home would need continual foundation repair. I asked the opinion of a structural engineer. He explained that he could not advise me, but off the record he said, "If it were me, I wouldn't walk away, I'd run!"
What happened with me?
I was a disciple of Mike Bickle. Until recently, I couldn't admitted that. Mike was not the reason I came to Kansas City. My relationship with the Lord had been deepening. The Fire in the Night Internship provided an avenue for me to grow in intimacy with Jesus as I spent hours in the prayer room doing prophetic artwork, dancing, and singing. Of course, those three months turned into two decades, and Mike's teachings became intertwined with my beliefs and understanding of God's Word. This is what I am seeking to disentangle.
I hadn't realized how much weight I had given to Mike's words and influence in my life. For the first few months of 2024, scriptures and prayers that I had learned from Mike would trigger a flood of emotions. I had never fully embraced all of his teachings on the end times because they seemed over my head, but I had transcribed many of Mike's messages on the first commandment. I had also led Bible studies through all of his teachings on the Song of Solomon. I prayed the apostolic prayers on the microphone and sang the hymns of Revelation on worship teams. So much of my experience over two decades was connected with things I believed about a man, what he taught, and how I saw him walking it out with the most unquestionable integrity.
How do we resolve the dissonance?
What I was experiencing was an extreme level of dissonance. I could not resolve two opposing sounds in my head. One was the truth of Scripture. The other was instruction from a sinful human shepherd whom I had held on a high spiritual pedestal. It was as if I had elevated Mike to the position of Jesus, infallible. Had Mike become an idol? If you had asked me about this point blank, I would have denied it. I thought Mike was the godliest man I had ever met, but did I unknowingly esteem his teachings as equivalent to Scripture?
Mike prayed and spoke about purity with phrases that included:
"Catch for us the little foxes that spoil the vine."
"How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your Word."
"...that I may walk worthy, fully pleasing You, being fruitful in every good work."
Then there was the book, "Seven Longings of the Human Heart," which demonstrated Mike's knowledge about every possible human temptation. Surely he had overcome all of them in order to write so authoritatively! I even included an outline of the seven longings in a book I wrote about Jesus, "Altogether Lovely, the Perfect Man." I incorporated Mike's summaries on the Song of Solomon into the devotional journal I published. Both of my books included forewords by Mike Bickle.
Book links:
Too many questions!
I cannot merely dismiss the claims about Mike Bickle's duplicity. I have too many questions. I do not know how to resolve the dissonance. In the past year, I have heard many testimonies that have helped. My journey is seeking to make sense of what I know and believe. The purpose of sharing my thoughts along the way is to help others who may be doing the same.
October 28, 2003
Here's a brief timeline provided by AI of the initial announcement and response:
Allegations against Mike Bickle, a minister, were announced publicly on October 28, 2023. The allegations included sexual abuse from multiple women over several decades.
Explanation
On October 28, 2023, news broke that Bickle was facing sexual abuse allegations.
The next day, International House of Prayer (IHOP) put Bickle on administrative leave while they investigated.
On December 12, 2023, Bickle admitted to past misconduct, but denied some of the allegations.
On December 22, 2023, IHOP announced that they would permanently sever ties with Bickle.
What is the Puzzle?
If you haven’t read my introduction to the Puzzle of the Western Church, go back and read my first article on Substack by clicking the link at the end.
Recommendation:
Subscribe to Rachael’s Substack for more background on the IHOPKC culture!
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I’ve had these exact questions…and all those sound bytes from sermons I remember too. ❤️