David Sliker, a member of the International House of Prayer’s (IHOPKC) executive leadership team (ELT), has resigned effective immediately, the embattled Kansas-City ministry announced on social media yesterday. Sliker also resigned as president of IHOP University.
“After seven years of faithful service, our dear brother in Christ, David Sliker, has decided to step down as President of IHOPU,” the statement says. “David is also stepping down from the IHOPKC’s Executive Leadership Team, effective immediately. This was a mutual decision made in the best interest of the IHOPKC community and David’s family.”
This is the latest resignation following allegations last October that IHOPKC founder Mike Bickle sexually abused multiple women while also pastoring and then leading a prayer movement that spread around the world. IHOPKC’s executive director Stuart Greaves resigned in December.
Greaves, Sliker, and the rest of the ELT have come under fire for mishandling reports of abuse and requests for a third-party investigation. The Roys Report (TRR) also previously reported that Sliker required a couple to go through a Matthew 18 process with IHOPKC staff Brad Tebbutt after they requested Tebbutt’s firing. Tebbutt had been accused of sexually molesting a minor at a previous church. Tebbutt also left in early December in a “mutual decision,” according to a Dec. 28 X post by IHOPKC’s spokesperson Eric Volz.
“Not once has there ever been a report of misconduct or inappropriate behavior by him,” Volz wrote of Tebbutt.
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Volz later replied to criticism of IHOPKC’s response to GRACE’s recommendations in the Tebbutt situation, calling Tebbutt a “model staff member.”
“I have been told that all the students loved him,” Volz wrote.
Jennifer Roach, Tebbutt’s victim from a previous church, said in a lawsuit against him that he fondled her and engaged in sexual intercourse with her beginning when she was 14. But Tebbutt told a IHOPKC leader that what had occurred was “inappropriate” but more of an “emotional connection,” according to a 2019 investigative report by Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (GRACE). Tebbutt also reportedly said the interactions were “sexual” only in that they involved “kissing and (engaged in inappropriate touching).” According to Tebbutt, all the sexual contact was “above the clothes” and “nothing below the belt.”
Volz said that “former leaders” were responsible for implementing GRACE’s recommendations, which included implementing a safeguarding committee to guide the organization in how to respond to abuse.
“It’s interesting that Dave’s resignation came on the heels of questions people are asking about Brad and Brad just resigned,” former IHOPKC staffer Susan Tuma told TRR. “It was sort of this move to . . . pin it on former leaders.”
Meanwhile, Sliker hasn’t responded to his critics’ questions, Tuma said.
“He hasn’t answered any questions about it,” Tuma said. “It hasn’t been addressed. There’s just a lot of questionable actions of his handling of this scenario.”
Sliker was allegedly present for an Oct. 24 meeting at which a man whose wife alleges Bickle sexually abused her shared those allegations with the ELT. On Oct. 29, Greaves announced the ELT had asked Bickle to stop preaching or engaging in ministry on Oct. 26. Greaves later said IHOPKC responded within 24 hours of “official notice,” of the allegations.
A leaked audio recording between Sliker and a whistleblower who confronted Sliker about the timeline of Sliker’s knowledge and response appears to show Sliker using expletives to say it was a “lie” that he knew any earlier. But an advocacy group has refuted this timeline, saying that the ELT knew of the allegations by Oct. 10.
IHOPKC’s statement didn’t address any recent criticisms about Sliker, but praised his “service and dedication.”
“We honor David’s service and dedication,” the statement says. “He is loved by the IHOPKC community and he remains in good standing with this spiritual family.”
Former IHOPKC staff are concerned that with Sliker’s discipline-free resignation, victims won’t get answers, said Josh Rainwater, who runs a Facebook support group for former IHOPKCers.
“I believe I share many of my fellow past student and staff members’ concerns that as Dave leaves, he takes with him crucial information that stakeholders require to understand why we are here,” Rainwater told TRR. “I fear this is an example of IHOPKC being as willfully ignorant as legally possible regarding the disproportionate human costs of their movement.”
IHOPKC has appointed Matt Candler as IHOPU’s new president, according to the statement.
“Matt and his leadership team will be communicating all the necessary information with the faculty and students in the coming days,” the statement said. “Thank you for continued prayers in this season.”
Responses on social media
Some people online responded with praise of Sliker and IHOPKC.
Malachi O’Brien wrote on X: “I am immensely grateful for Dave Sliker and his service/leadership. Mostly grateful for his friendship & love for Jesus. This is a solid step forward for the future of @ihopkc I am more and more confident about the work of General Fuller & @EricVolz Definitely not playing.”
Chris Robbins on X wrote: “Many of us in the silent majority want the “resignations” to end and the pathway for Mike to return to leading us on in prayer and story telling to continue. It’s time for an armistice.”
But others questioned the resignation.
A user going by A Tale Told by an Idiot wrote on X: “Sliker was a cancer but I fear that he metastasized in IHOPKC and I’m not sure it’s worth saving at all.”
Another user, AD, wrote on X: “The rebranding and whitewashing has begun. Tip of the iceberg.”
Rebecca Hopkins is a journalist based in Colorado.
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12 Responses
We are witnessing the implosion of this organization in real time. Just like RZIM. To borrow a line from Hemingway, “Gradually then suddenly.” It seems we are now in the suddenly stage.
Why is there so much sexual abuse and corruption in the church? It’s so disturbing. I just don’t get it. I come from 2 churches with bully behavior and narcissistic leadership and left those. I wouldn’t doubt if there was also sexual immorality in the leadership. Everyday we hear of all this coming from churches…I really can’t wrap my head around being able to act one way, leading a flock, praying for people, etc yet be so utterly wretched. It turns my stomach and I’m so completely disgusted by all of it.Are these just “godly” men who refuse to control their lusts? No.They are so ungodly. Could the really know Jesus as their Savior? I don’t know how. I just don’t get it.
From what I can tell, there are about 300,000 churches in the U.S. The number of ministers and Christian leaders who fail publicly is far too high (I have some ideas about why). However, it is hard to say what percentage of all active ministers display narcissism or other personality disorders or who abuse or manipulate members of their flock. We are not going to hear a thing about ministers who run long, serve faithfully, and finish well. It’s not newsworthy. However, there are clearly some systemic issues, spiritual issues, and other issues that the spotlight is on in our times that are horrifying, indeed. Whether the percentage is higher or lower than we have been forced to face, there are lessons waiting to be learned and one of them is that the same-old-same-old is not an option for the future. Thanks to the Roys team for helping us face some hard truths. Now, we have to ask ourselves: “what are the lessons, here” and “when will we in the Church start really applying them”?
I understand your disappointment but be careful not to judge. We are told VERY clearly not to judge or with the measure we use, it will be measured to us. These men such as Mike Bickle are in the end sinful like you and me, making mistakes AS MUCH as you and me. Mercy triumphs over judgement…do not use your words to cast judgement BUT use your words to pray for these men who may have fallen to fully return to the Lord AND to their Ministry. If you really have the love of Jesus in you, you will do this.
I knew it wouldn’t be long before people with zero discernment would be calling for Bickle to come back despite the fact that through these incidents he has disqualified himself from ever serving in the pultpit again.
We live in close proximity to the Pennsylvania State University here in Central Pennsylvania, also known as “Happy Valley” but during the decades of the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and up until 2012 when Jerry Sandusky was placed into the slammer, it was anything but happy for many young boys (and some girls, we are realizing). I yet have a copy in my home library of Jerry’s “Touched: The Jerry Sandusky Story” book (an autobiography published in 2001 – the year in which one brave Michael McQueary, University graduate and former quarterback for the Nittany Lions, 1994-1997, dared to report to a Coach Joseph Vincent Paterno about an incident in which he had witnessed a physical (sexual) encounter between Jerry Sandusky and a very young boy on 02/09/2001 in the coach’s shower of the University Leach Building. He had reported the incident then to Coach Joseph Paterno in his home in State College the very next morning, a Sabbath day, 02/10/2001, during which the coach had replied: “Mike you did what you had to do.” Nothing was done until a Patriot-News reporter Sara Elizabeth Ganim (Penn State University graduate also, 2008) broke the news of this cover up in articles published in The Patriot-News. Up until that time in 2011 after Sara began her reports, after Michael McQueary had reported the incident to Paterno more than a decade prior, he states that in contacts with Jerry Sandusky (such as golf events), he just had to grin and grin, with teeth clenched, powerless to further proceed with his intense emotional responses within regarding young children and sexual abuse …
May YHWH help us to NEVER strengthen the hands of the evil oppressors or the vile abusers, is our prayer.
Craig and Karen (and everyone else, really) would do well to check the several Sandusky stories in a blog called The Frank Report. They could also Google an essay by me called “A Shower of Lies.”
*in the coach’s shower of the University Lasch Building (correction)
It is sad that Mike Bickle would still be in the ministry as of 2023, when his false teachings were exposed in detail by Ernie Gruen as far back as 1990 in his book “Do We Keep Smiling And Say Nothing?”
https://archive.org/details/DoWeKeepSmilingAndSayNothing-GruenRpt-AbberantPracticesKcp/mode/2up
Also, in 1991, David Pytches, in his book “Some Said It Thundered – A Personal Encounter With the Kansas City Prophets,” which was very favorable to KCP, stated:
“Ernie Gruen, a respected Kansas City pastor, led the dissenting voices raised against the extremes of prophetic movement. Most of the objections were solid, pointing out errors that desperately needed correction. . . .
“Gruen accused KCF of sending out false prophets, of prophesying area churches to close down (and then join KCF), and of outright lying. ‘A prophet who admits he is right only 40% of the time is not only a nonprophet,’ Gruen charged, ‘he is dangerous.’ . . .
“In May [1989] Bickle was invited by the Charismatic Concerns Committee to attend their annual retreat near St. Louis. He was well received, but he refused to discuss Gruen or his accusations.” (pp. 146-147)
More than 30 years after these widely publicized warnings, Bickle was still in the ministry. And he will probably be back soon.
Since you featured Ms Tuma so prominently, what else can you tell us about her besides she was a minion with an opinion?
You may not care but readers might like to know the incident with Mr Tebbutt was like 35 years ago.
Sexual impropriety is becoming the hallmark of all-powerful, narcissistic evangelical prophet / apostle / thought-leaders. The truth is they can do anything. They can say anything. But apparently they can’t control their urges. They can say they had a meeting with the archangel Michael (or was is Gabriel, Mr. Bickle?). And the evidence shows people will believe you, will hang on your every word.
-I have a suggestion. If they really take the Bible seriously, if they really follow Jesus, how about this solution for the church, also a Matthew 18 dictim:
18:8 “Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
18:9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.”
Do they follow the words of Jesus or don’t they? Wasn’t this the Lord’s stated remedy for sexual sin? But, evidently no one really believes any of it, considering none of us have seen any Christian sexual offenders Jesus missing hands or eyes due to their problematic obsession. We know it is all smoke and mirrors.
In the final estimate it’s obvious that none of it really matters at all. These guys just go on, get forgiven, and leave victims to deal with the aftermath.
The secular law is the only real solution for these offenders. Violating a position of trust is a legal issue, and these men should face legal repurcussions.
All of this, did NOT need to go public. This is exactly what the devil wanted, to make His Church look bad, and give people in the world reason not to follow God.