Originally published in CBN News
Mike Bickle, the founder and longtime leader of the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, Missouri (IHOPKC) has been accused of sexual abuse by women spanning several decades.
In a statement released kast Saturday, former IHOP leaders Dwayne Roberts and Brian Kim, along with Wes Martin, the former pastor of Forerunner Christian Fellowship, said: “A few days ago, we made the leadership team of the International House of Prayer in Kansas City (IHOPKC) aware of serious allegations spanning several decades concerning its founder, Mike Bickle.”
“Without going into details to protect the privacy of the victims’ identities, we have found these allegations of clergy sexual abuse by Mike Bickle to be credible and long-standing. The credibility of these allegations is not based on any one experience or any one victim, but on the collective and corroborating testimony of the experiences of several victims,” the statement said.
The names of the women who accused Bickle have not been released.
The three men said prior to meeting with the leadership team of IHOP, they attempted to bring the allegations and the testimony of one of the victims directly to Mike Bickle, who refused to meet with them.
Martin, Kim, and Roberts wrote: “To be clear, the allegations made about Mike Bickle’s misconduct were sexual in nature where the marriage covenant was not honored. Furthermore, the allegations made also reveal that Mike Bickle used his position of spiritual authority over the victims to manipulate them.”
Last Sunday, Bickle preached a sermon warning about the dangers of false allegations, the Religion News Service reported.
IHOPKC Executive Director Stuart Greaves held a special meeting of the church staff in a meeting Friday, (Oct. 27) to inform them about the allegations against Bickle, 68, according to The Kansas City Star.
Bickle has led the IHOPKC organisation since it was founded in 1999.
On Sunday the IHOPKC Executive leadership team announced to their Forerunner Church spiritual family about the allegations against Bickle.
The text of the statement was also posted on the social media platform X.
“We are heartbroken to share that we have recently become aware of serious allegations including sexual immorality directed against Mike Bickle, the founder of IHOPKC. Our leadership team takes these allegations very seriously and we are laboring for truth, light, redemption, and righteousness. We are engaging with outside parties to access and arbitrate these allegations,” the team’s statement said.
The leaders asked the congregation “for patience as we work through this complex and very difficult situation.”
The team also said on October 26 it had “asked Bickle and he agreed to not preach or teach from the IHOPKC platform, attend our 24-hour prayer room or engage his social media channels while we work with others to address this situation.”
“As difficult as this is for many, we are trusting in Jesus’ wise and good leadership to help and strengthen us as we anchor our hope in him,” the statement concluded.
CBN News has reached out to IHOPKC for further comment. We will post it here if we hear back.
Meanwhile, revivalist Dr. Malachi O’Brien, who has ties to IHOPKC and Bickle, issued an extensive statement of his own, saying he was stunned by the allegations. “48 hours (ago) I was made aware of news that rocked me. News that I never thought I would hear. News I knew would become national headlines…”
In a statement on X, he acknowledged: “The TENSION of innocent until proven guilty AND the need to validate and care for victims of any and all kinds of abuse. Mike has denied the allegations and I choose to believe he deserves the benefit of the doubt and I fully believed credible accusations must be taken seriously and victims deserve to be taken seriously and helped/heard in all ways. We must never victimize victims with our words. They need safety to share without repercussions & character assassination.”
O’Brien continued: “What is hidden will be made known. The faith family of IHOPKC and Forerunner church need our prayers.”
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Good day
I’m shocked at the excessively detailed report you have published about the Mike Bickle accusations, without any follow up, and before he has been found guilty. This smacks of the Hillsong drama, in which the accused was found eventually to be not guilty. Why are you resorting to glossy and scandalous media reporting? I hope sincerely that this will stop. A similar report, which could tarnish her name and reputation, is about “Pandor” as you refer to her in your report. I was put off reading any further Gateway News, even about the one-sided feature from a pastor about Siya, one of my heroes.
Please review what you publish, so that it doesn’t appear sensational journalism.
Thank you
Dave
Gateway News welcomes comments and criticism from our readers. Regarding our coverage of the Mike Bickle matter, we will certainly endeavour to report on further developments. The report we used was published by respected Christian platform CBN News and is no more detailed than reports by many other respected Christian news services. I believe it is a very fair and balanced report. It is a painful matter. Our use of “Pandor” in the headline is standard news practice. Later in the report we refer to the minister by her full name and title.
On Siya, also somebody I admire greatly, the pastor was honouring him and cautioning us not to place unfair pressure of expectations on him. At least that is how I undersnd the report by Premier Christian News.
Regarding the IHOP lead pastor, GOD is going to clean His house, worldwide. All leaders are gently warned by GOD through human vessels and dreams, before it becomes public. GOD is very gracious. The victims need help to receive healing from spiritual and sexual abuse. The report is balanced and thoughtfully presented.
“The report we used was published by respected Christian platform CBN News and is no more detailed than reports by many other respected Christian news services. I believe it is a very fair and balanced report. It is a painful matter. ” This is Gateway News editor’s reply in substantiating their publishing the Mike Buckle story, which is biased and not in favour or empathy towards this victim. Just because he says CBN News is “respected” shouldn’t be a reason to publish this unfair report. If it is “a painful matter”, why does it need to be published at all? Would Jesus do anything like Gateway has done? Is an apology the right response?
CBN News is described as “a half-hour daily news program featuring reports on national and international news stories from a conservative, Christian perspective. ” That in itself is a narrow worldview. Not a “fair and balanced” account, as the editor suggests.