los International House of Prayer Kansas City (IHOPKC) has just released a informe on initial findings, discounting some of the recent clergy sexual abuse allegations made against its founder Mike Bickle. The report also questions the “true objectives” of the “Complaint Group,” which presented the allegations to IHOPKC leadership in October.
This group, comprised of former IHOPKC leaders, publicó un comunicado Oct. 28, saying it had become aware of numerous allegations of sexual abuse against Bickle from “credible” women, “spanning several decades.”
However, IHOPKC said in its report that it has identified five of the eight women the group claimed are Bickle’s victims. Three of the women have publicly called the allegations “lies,” the report stated. A fourth has reportedly refused to communicate with IHOPKC’s lawyer. One of the women’s allegations predate IHOPKC’s founding, the report said. And four of the women did not give consent to be included in the list of alleged victims, the report said.
The report also claimed that the document presented by the complaint group didn’t contain any “actual evidence,” like victim statements, emails, or texts, but rather “only blank squares acting as exhibit placeholders.”
Dwayne Roberts, a founding member of IHOPKC and a member of the so-called “Complaint Group,” called IHOPKC’s report “disappointing on several levels” in a statement submitted to El Informe Roys (TRR).
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“We are firmly convinced that no charge should be made against an elder except in the case of two or three witnesses,” Roberts stated. “The fact that around 20 witnesses have come forward with first-hand experience of impropriety was why we could no longer remain silent.”
Roberts specifically took exception to the report’s claim that “victim #2” had “partial credibility.”
“This case includes a relationship between a 42-year-old internationally renowned minister and a 19-year-old, a relationship that began with prophetic manipulation and became a 4-year sexualized relationship that lasted into the early years of IHOPKC,” Roberts stated.
According to the report, the complaint group first approached IHOPKC on Oct. 24 with the allegations against Bickle. The report added that the group “did not, and has not, claimed that these women had ever previously made their allegations known to IHOPKC prior to October 2023.”
IHOPKC said in its report that it took the allegations against Bickle “very seriously,” and within 24 hours began looking into the details and asked Bickle to step away from public ministry.
However, the report claimed that the allegations came with “a list of pre-prepared demands ‘to prevent escalating levels of disclosure.’ These demands and threats, which included dictating the use of IHOPKC’s funds, generated an atmosphere of concern regarding the true objectives of the Complaint Group.”
The report added, “(U)pon review by outside legal counsel, it was determined that the collection and presentation of the allegations by the Complaint Group lacked any semblance of reliability or due process.”
In his statement to TRR, Roberts contested the timeline in the report.
“The statement that the Executive Leadership Team was officially notified on October 24th about these allegations is also untrue,” Roberts said. “While it is true that a meeting took place on that date and more information was given, key members of the ELT (executive leadership team) were officially notified on October 9th and (IHOPKC Executive Director) Stuart Greaves told me that the whole ELT was informed on October 10th.”
Roberts added “many of the allegations had been communicated over the prior 18 months in an ad hoc manner.”
IHOPKC says hiring 3rd-party to investigate is ‘premature’
IHOPKC also stated in a letter posted yesterday to its website that hiring an outside party, specializing in church abuse, to investigate is “premature.”
“IHOPKC has heard the demands to bring in a third party to investigate the organization in general, but this step is premature until IHOPKC can establish the credibility of the allegations and genuine intent of the Complaint Group,” IHOPKC stated.
YO ESPERO initially hired a national law firm, Stinson LLP, to investigate the allegations. But it changed course last week and instead hired a local lawyer, which it refused to identify.
A petition circulating online, which has garnered over 3,000 signatures, is urging IHOPKC to hire GRACE (Respuesta piadosa al abuso en un ambiente cristiano) to investigate the allegations.
IHOPKC said in its letter that it “made multiple attempts to reach out” to GRACE on Nov. 9, but GRACE did not respond. IHOPKC said it learned the next day that Attorney Boz Tchividjian, GRACE’s founder, is representing the “main alleged victim,” which disqualifies GRACE as an objective third party.
However, Robert Peters, GRACE’s director of institutional response, told TRR, “Following a review of communication channels, to our knowledge GRACE has never received any inquiries or communication from current IHOPKC leadership regarding recent allegations.”
Tchividjian, who confirmed with TRR that he’s representing one of Bickle’s alleged victims, told TRR that IHOPKC’s statement raises more questions than it answers.
“Who made the determination about the credibility of the allegations?” Tchividjian asked. “What was done to make that determination? What standard was used? . . . Institutions initiate an independent investigation for this precise purpose—and that is to review and assess allegations of reported allegations of abuse.”
Tchividjian added, “I don’t think most people outside the world of IHOP take that statement very seriously, because in essence, they’re making their own determinations as to the credibility of allegations made against the founder of the organization. Why in the world wouldn’t you have a qualified third party do that?”
Tchividjian also confirmed that he had heard from IHOPKC’s attorney, who he identified as Audrey Manito of Rouse Frets White Goss Gentile Rhodes, P.C. in Kansas City.
According to former IHOPKC staff, Manito is a member of the IHOPKC community.
After today’s news, some former IHOPKC staff are claiming IHOPKC’s reporting process isn’t safe for victims and are calling for its executive leaders to resign.
“IHOPKC’s statement calling a third party investigation ‘premature’ only further emphasizes their lack of commitment to a safe, transparent process for investigating abuse,” texted former IHOPKC staffer Susan Tuma to TRR.
“IHOPKC is not qualified to investigate, and attempts to ‘verify’ allegations themselves before calling in a third party are completely inappropriate. IHOPKC leadership must immediately step down and allow a full investigation by an independent third party like GRACE or Guideposts for the sake of truth, justice, and the future safety of vulnerable populations in their organization as a whole.”
IHOPKC said it “remains open to inviting a third party (or even multiple third parties)” to examine its finding.
IHOPKC also admitted that its recent process has revealed some deficiencies in how IHOPKC responds to abuse and the group plans to engage experts to do a full assessment.
The allegation document
IHOPKC’s preliminary findings offer a glimpse into the document that the complaint group brought to IHOPKC in October.
The document, which hasn’t been released publicly, includes a criminal allegation and an allegation of physical contact 26 years ago between Bickle and a woman, the report stated.
The report said the document refers to some of the women as Jane Does and some with initials. Two of the women’s names were mentioned “orally during conversations” the week of Oct. 24, the report stated.
The document claims that two victims were emotionally pursued and prophetically manipulated by Bickle. One of those women, however, has allegedly refuted the claim, telling an IHOPKC attorney that the members of the complaint group were “bullies.”
The report states that several victims named by the complaint group have refuted claims that they were Bickle’s victims.
IHOPKC worship leader Misty Edwards, and a woman named April Rose have posted online that they are not victims of Mike Bickle.
Another woman, Catherine Slezinger, posted online that she was “outraged” to find her name on the list of Bickle’s victims.
However, after Shiloah Bickle—the daughter of Mike Bickle’s son, Luke Bickle—called Slezinger’s credibility into question online, Slezinger deleted her post.
Michael Brown steps down as advisor
Well-known apologist and author, Michael Brown, who had been serving as an advisor to IHOPKC, announced today he is removing himself “from any official connection to the process.”
Brown said his “schedule constraints, including international travel,” prohibit him from staying “closely involved as necessary with the daily developments of the investigation into allegations against Mike Bickle.”
Brown added that he continues to “hope that a thorough, third-party investigation will bring the truth to light for the good of all involved.”
marrón preached at IHOPKC’s Forerunner Church on Sunday, Nov. 5 and urged people to trust IHOPKC’s leadership, who he claimed were not engaging in “damage control” but committed to bringing the “truth to light.”
Luego, Brown posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he had “made clear to (IHOP leadership) that it was essential that they bring in an outside firm (like GRACE or Guideposts) to investigate the allegations . . .”
Brown added, “I have been given assurances by the leadership that should the arrangement with the law firm not prove to be in the best interests of a fair investigation, they would bring in an outside organization like GRACE.
TRR asked Brown if he feels comfortable with IHOPKC’s decision to change law firms from Stinson to its own lawyer, and not to hire an independent organization, like GRACE or Soluciones de poste indicador. (Guidepost Solutions is the third party whose investigation revealed widespread cover-up of abuse within the Southern Baptist Convention.)
Brown replied, “At no point have (IHOPKC leaders) indicated to me that they are not open to bringing (in) an organization such as Guideposts.”
TRR also asked Brown what his level of confidence was that IHOPKC leaders did not know about any allegations of sexual abuse against Bickle before their recent statements to that effect.
Brown replied, “IHOPKC leaders have rehearsed the history with me in detail, face to face, and aside from the one alleged victim coming to them some time earlier (as they have acknowledged), to the best of my knowledge, they did not know about the other allegations until a local pastor (the complaint team) presented them with a 50-page document.”
Para TRR’s knowledge, IHOPKC has not admitted it knew about any allegations before Oct. 24, so TRR asked Brown what he was referring to. Brown said he could not comment further about the issue.
Julie Roys is a veteran investigative reporter and founder of The Roys Report. Rebecca Hopkins is a journalist based in Colorado.
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26 Respuestas
It is chilling that they might refuse to have a proper, independent investigation because they are unsure of the “genuine intent of the Complaint Group.” When it comes to their responsibility in the matter, it does not matter at all what the intent of the Complaint Group is.
Michael Brown says “trust the process.” Yet, this is a process that he can no longer stomach to be a part of. Hypocrisy is a heavy load to carry, especially when we recall that Jesus despises hypocrisy.
It doesn’t matter at all what the INTENT of the Complaint Group Is. Uhhhh… ??? Where have these women been over all these years… it’s interesting that the INTENT ( shady) all of the sudden want access to funding. Check out 2 Timothy’s 3: ——- these behaviors are spoken about the Church in the latter days. INTENT is a SIGNIFICANT ISSUE. And if there are legit victims. Why aren’t they going forward to leadership IHOP … !! There’s a CON JOB gong on Somewhere.
Wow, Dawn!! From this article you conclude these women are after money. I would never want you on my jury if I was on trial.
“When it comes to their responsibility in the matter” intent is irrelevant. All that matters are the facts. These charges are either true or they are false and if they are true but being raised by people with wrong intentions that is not a reason to not address them fully and appropriately. If an employee says that another employee is violating safety issues so that their company is producing a product that will harm people, the company needs to look into and address the issue of the safety of their product no matter what the intent or motivation of the informant is.
Surely you know (by now…) what is the typical reaction of most “ministries” when presented with an account of sexual abuse within their ranks. Most women are reluctant to expose themselves to that kind of public shaming.
DARVO-DARVO-DARVO… (Deny, Attack the victims/truth tellers, Reverse the Victim-Offender roles). https://bayareacbtcenter.com/reverse-darvo-for-combating-gaslighting-and-emotional-abuse/#:~:text=DARVO%20is%20an%20acronym%20that,the%20blame%20onto%20their%20victims.
It’s a pattern used by Ravi Zacharias and his ‘ministry’ leaders/board members and many other so-called ‘ministry’ leaders and board members MIS-representing God in the name of protecting the system and a popular leader/teacher, because ‘the show must go on,’ the money needs to keep flowing in so everyone can keep their positions and titles and being paid lots of money for what is described as ‘ministry.’
Hard to argue with any of your points Paul!
There is a scene in ‘All The Presidents Men’ where Ben Bradley (Wash Post Editor) is talking to Woodward and Bernstein about someone they have interviewed and say’s ‘it’s a non denial, denial’….Bernstein say’s ‘whats a real denial?’ … Bradley say’s ‘When they start calling us @#$% liars, we’d better circle the wagons’.
If you were a well known minister and accused of sexual immorality and you were innocent, wouldn’t you come out swinging? If it really is a witch hunt and Bickle is innocent why aren’t they lawyering up and in attack mode? My guess is there have been internal mini eruptions for along time before any of this became public…probably for years.
When RZIM ‘investigated Ravi, including his publisher, his denomination and board, they all decided there was no evidence. But then, it was discovered that their ‘investigation’ included simply asking Ravi if he was at fault…then Ravi signed NDA’s, paid people off and then said no money exchanged hands. So if this group is committed to integrity, they will ask Bickle for his story and if he was sexually involved with any women other than his wife – but they will also use Guidepost for the sake of authenticity, transparency and integrity. At the same time, if they are simply protecting the brand, which is what most ‘ministry’ boards do in these kinds of situations – they will settle for an investigator they can control, because it’s all about damage control, instead of transparency and integrity.
So I am thankful for Julie Roys and her team for their hard work – even though they have often been maligned and attacked, despite the fact that with Ravi, James McDonald and many others, their reporting has been very accurate…
Dawn is spot on. Intent means everything. I find it interesting that 3 former leaders are involved who all believe the accusers. Something doesn’t feel right. 3 or 4 people have said Mike never treated them inappropriately. That causes all 8 to be suspect. The President of Grace is also representing one of women accusing MIKE?????
Joseph, Boz founded GRACE many years ago but has since let others “run” the org (although he is still on their board), so he can focus his attention on representing church abuse victims in legal cases.
I would ask you to please read the comments on the change.org petition to discern if the issues at IHOPKC only involve 2-4 people. Even so, having just one single accuser is worth an impartial 3rd party investigation.
Time will ultimately tell in this situation, as many others.
For an organization who’s raison d’être is 24/7 prayer, it beggars the imagination that it has taken this many years, and probably TENS of THOUSANDS of hours of praying to the Lord, with this as the end result. I presume prayer to be a two-way street: somebody is praying and Somebody is Listening and the Somebody who is Listening responds to the somebody who is praying… you know kind of a two-way street. For all of the “revelations” Bickle and Co. have claimed and testified to over these past decades, smart money would have to question not only their veracity, but the worth of this whole enterprise itself. Somehow it looks more like these folks have been talking to the ceiling in my humble opinion.
And somebody has been laughing all the way to the bank.
So Michael Brown conveniently steps down now. He should be investigated in my opinion. Him and a few others I will refrain from naming. Any man who actually has the nerve to defend Bickle, as Brown has done, needs to be investigated also. In 20 years of sitting behind a microphone and covering church scandals like this, not one time have the victims ever lied and the leaders been innocent. Brown knows things and frankly I think he’s skipping out on false reasons. As a friend of mine once said, where there is smoke, there is fire.
Stacy Harper I am very grieved at your negative words about Dr. Michael Brown. He is a man of great wisdom, integrity, humility and character. He has served God faithfully with no scandals in his life for over 50 years. He is full of grace and truth. I was very impressed with how he and a team of people handled the Evangelist Todd Bentley fiasco a few years ago. They spoke the truth in love and never compromised or covered things up. He genuinely cares about the body of Christ and that the damage the enemy does through sin and compromise are minimized and that the name of JESUS is exalted. He walks in love and desires unity and healing for everyone. His life bears the genuine fruit of the Holy Spirit. He gave valid reasons for stepping back from a public role in this situation. Why don’t you give him credit for that? You are shooting your mouth off and attacking his character. Guard your heart Stacy with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life. Michael Brown believes in due diligence and has encouraged people to pray and wait for the truth to come out as the investigations move forward. He is wanting people to not gossip and make things worse as we all grieve this situation. Lift everyone up in prayer Stacy and don’t make things worse by attacking people’s character without cause.
Thank you so much Joyja for this comment. While I have found myself disagreeing with Michael Brown more over the years, I respect and admire him 100% and trust his heart is in the right place.
We have to be so careful not to be quick to judgment, and remember this warning –
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you”.
This does not mean we cannot use discernment to distinguish what is right from what is wrong, but we do not know anyone’s heart nor all of the facts. We leave it to God to be the judge.
Warning: trusting the celebrity who could not get to their current position without being a narcissist is always a foolish and dangerous thing to do. To trust someone absolutely who is not Jesus Christ is foolish! Period. That is how you start personality cults. We are called to love and follow one man: Jesus Christ. To make statements like this is to have divided loyalties and is actually a form of idolatry. The truth is the truth: Jesus Christ. The rest of us ain’t and none of us deserve that extreme a loyalty. These celebrities face a very, very harsh final judgment based on the size of their fanbase. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. None of our celebrities are any of those things and should never be treated as such.
Are you saying Michael Brown is a narcissist and a celebrity?
The irony in your comment Tricia is that you take scripture out of context and misapply it while at the same time judge me wrongly. Talk about discernment! LOL
Thank you for sharing about how you feel. I disagree and if you’re so careless as to get my name wrong, that tells me that you may be careless about other things. Saying that Michael Brown should be investigated also is my opinion and I have a right to my opinion. Nowhere did I call him names or anything, if you can show me one name I called him, then I’d like to see it. I don’t trust him. He’s defended a man who is a known false prophet to begin with and Browns discernment on that alone makes me question his discernment on this. Tell me why you referred to me as Stacy Harper when that isn’t my name. What’s your excuse when my name is clearly written in black ink on your screen.
stacy,
I worked in public education for 11 years at major school districts like Oklahoma City, Kansas City, and Chicago. In my time I saw verifiable false accusations by children/teens against classmates and adults in 5 cases (verified by eyewitness, video recording, secret cellphone recordings). That is not to cast blame on all accusers at all, I presume that most are indeed telling the truth. But my experience tells me that we have to be discerning.
My experience is in public education, not the church, but I am not comfortable with a stance that alleged victims never lie. Every case I saw personally was malicious.
This case at IHOPKC looks utterly rotten though.
Wesley,
I worked as a school therapist in California for years, also in the church and was a podcast host for almost 20 years covering these issues and I can tell you that while your experience is valid, that is not the majority of cases. Research suggests that 92% of accusations are true. Regardless, it’s a sad world we live in.
I suspect Brown is fleeing for the exit before the excrement hits the whirling blades appliance that moves air. Much like a Rattus rattus leaving a vessel that will soon go to Davy Jones locker.
These large Mega churches are simply businesses for profit. They use a few select Bible verses that fits their agenda. They usually have no denominational attachment and they use the US tax code to hide their money & resources. It is a huge racket in this country and around the world. The lights, smoke, music entertainment brings in people looking entertaining, trendy church fun. It’s not about the real gospel.
If you want insight into the pure cult environment of IHOPKC and the NAR movement, read this article. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/love-and-death-in-the-house-of-prayer-53866/
Good article – sometimes the children of “the world” are wiser than the children of light, as Jesus said. They are not blinded by the preferential idolatry of naive believers. Sad.