Plans for a new church connected to the embattled International House of Prayer Kansas City (IHOPKC) have been canceled, according to an email sent to the IHOPKC community this morning. Also, former IHOPKC Executive Team Member Isaac Bennett and his wife, Morgan, who were planning to pastor the new church, have left the 24/7 prayer ministry.
The email was sent by a reconfigured IHOPKC board of trustees and sought to dispel previous statements that IHOPKC was shutting down. Though many of the “expressions” of IHOPKC have closed, including its affiliated Forerunner Church, pastored by the Bennetts, and IHOP University, the ministry will continue to operate its prayer room, the email stated.
“We are committing to sustaining a vibrant spiritual community of believers wholeheartedly in love with Jesus, and are persevering in a more focused scope because the need for 24/7 prayer in Kansas City, America, and the nations has never been greater (emphasis in original),” the email stated.
However, the board said it had decided that the remaining IHOPKC ministry will operate “independent of any external church.” And it stated that the Bennetts’ previous plans to launch Sanctuary Church in collaboration with IHOPKC “will not be moving forward.”
“Despite the short-term disappointment, we are excited to see how the Lord will lead Isaac and Morgan, and bless any future ministry the Lord has for them,” the email stated.
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Since last fall, IHOPKC has been mired in controversy related to allegations that its founder, Mike Bickle, sexually abused multiple women, including two who were minors.
Since the scandal, IHOPKC has faced financial issues, bleeding $500,000 a month due to plummeting donations, according to a leaked email y grabación of an IHOPKC staff meeting in April. Bennett said in the leaked recording that closing IHOPKC and relaunching under a new name could limit liability if alleged victims sued the organization.
El Informe Roys reached out to Bennett for comment, but he did not immediately respond.
In yesterday’s email, IHOPKC also revealed its current board members, a list that was previously unknown.
The list includes Board Chairman General Kurt Fuller, who served for a short time as IHOPKC executive director. Also on the board is Malachi O’Brien, a business owner and staunch defender of IHOPKC, who called early reports of Bickle’s sexual misconduct “failure porn”; Ed Hackett, who was with Mike Bickle when IHOPKC was launched; Wellington Boone, a pastor and longtime friend of IHOPKC con controversial views on slavery as “redemptive”; Cindy Dodd, an IHOPKC missionary who was named as a director for IHOPKC in 2023; and Steve Brandt, a high-end Canadian donor, according to a former IHOPKC leader.
According to the email, the prayer room will “continue to be the heart of IHOPKC” and will continue to operate at its current location at the Red Bridge Center.
The prayer room will maintain an emphasis on prayer for Israel, training, and discipleship, the email said.
Though IHOPKC has determined the prayer room will operate independently of a church, the ministry said it has not yet worked out details of its governance structure.
“We realize that the long term health and wellbeing of the prayer room requires a formal governance structure for oversight, accountability, and spiritual strength,” the email states. “We are exploring the best fit moving forward and are committed to ensuring systems are in place for solid decision making and responsible leadership.”
In the announcement, the board invited feedback and promised to support staff.
“Your thoughts and ideas are important to us, we welcome and value them, and want to hear from you,” the announcement stated. “We intend to serve and support those who have been called as Intercessory Missionaries and the ones God will call in the days ahead.”
But this was met with criticism on X from Jeremy James Whitaker, former IHOPKC director of the School of Worship.
“i dearly love the value of 24/7 worship+prayer, but tbh this is hard to read. last time some of us (worship leaders and singers) tried appealing and giving concerns, a few friends were written up and threatened firing for ‘insubordination and divisiveness’. appeals went unheard.”
Rebecca Hopkins es una periodista radicada en Colorado.
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5 Respuestas
IHOPKC is a hybrid situation and is not a New Testament model to follow.
It was built on a false prophecy given by a child molester that took the very simple and clear teaching by Jesus upside down, stomping on it and erasing it replacing it with smoke machines, big multiple worship bands that put the Pharisees trumpets to shame, and a “prayer” spectacle show beamed all around the world over the Internet. Disgraceful for sure. It turned a sacred solo act into an absolute ridiculous show for the masses. And I have seen no one in charge repent!
It actually gives me great joy to see this whole corrupt enterprise gutted. To me it demonstrates the justice of God, and how He will not be mocked.
Can hardly wait for those Gen Fuller sermons. Lol.
And sadly, and infuriatingly, this “pseudo-church” known for it’s “pseudo-prayer” ministry, may soon be joined on the ash-heap of heresy/cultism/apostacy by another sham/scam if the things posted on the “Brooklyn Tabernacle Forum” result in investigations and incarcerations. Between Bickle and others being exposed and 1st Baptist Dallas’ sanctuary burning to the ground, I’d say judgement is increasing in the church. We ALL must do some intense soul searching as never before!
Yep, exactly what cults do. Condemn the truth speakers, assassinate the character of victims, malign and trash the character of anyone that dares to rebuke the corruption within the organization. They go to calculated, devious levels to harass, gaslight, and shame the men and women speaking out and standing strong in the battle to end criminal activities and financially shady activity that has occurred since the inception of IHOPKC.
Let’s hold to the knowledge this will not end until every detail of corruption and every person involved in any form of corruption or crimes are exposed and receive their due justice.
Keep up the good reporting!!