From Wikipedia, a little background......"Michael Leroy Bickle[1] (born July 17, 1955)[2][3] is an American evangelical leader best known for his leadership of the International House of Prayer (IHOPKC). As the leader of IHOPKC, Bickle oversees several ministries and a Bible school. Bickle has written a number of books and served as the pastor of multiple churches.[4]"
As you could see, it was once called IHOP "International House Of Prayer" without the letters "KC," but either because IHOP "International House Of Pancakes" cited a trademark infringment or International House Of Prayer had done it on it's own to distinguish itself, they've added KC (Kansas City) to avoid being confused with International House Of Pancakes.
From Christian Post and Charisma Magazine, it appears that Mike Bickle confessed to have had sexual immorality with a 19 year old, while he was 42, some 20 years ago.
Again, from Wikipedia, "On October 28, 2023, news broke that Mike Bickle faced allegations of sexual abuse from several women over a span of decades.[34][35][36] The next day, International House of Prayer announced that Bickle had been removed from leadership and that the church had contracted Stinson LLP to conduct an investigation.[37][38]
Following criticism about its decision to hire Stinson LLP, the organization chose instead a local Kansas City law firm to lead the investigation.[39] On November 30, 2023 “Jane Doe” alleged that Bickle sexually abused her from 1996 to 1999, starting when she was 19 and he was 42. [40][41] On December 12, 2023, Bickle confessed to past misconduct, while denying some of the allegations.[42]"
Obviously, when allegations surface, the first thing that preachers caught in sexual immorality do is deny the allegations. It's common because when you have a large or medium following of people, your first instinct is to defend yourself because you don't want to lose it all.
So circling the wagons to protect the leader and his ministry/empire is a common occurrence.
To IHOPKC executives credit, they've asked Mike Bickle to step down, but some measure of actions to coverup are alleged.
Your "reputation" and a lot of money is what's at stake.
Your marriage takes a back seat.
On the other hand, it's common for attacks to come to discredit ministers with solid ministerial integrity to stop them from ministry.
But now, after denying the allegations, it appears that at least in one instance, the allegations were true and Mike confessed to his sin.
From what I've read, Mike Bickle never called it "sin."
When Nathan confronted David with his "Secret Sexual Sin," (an actual book), David admitted that he had sinned against the Lord. But it took Nathan to confront David for David to admit his sin.
2 Samuel 12:9-13 (NKJV) "Why have you despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon.
Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’
Thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.
For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun.’”
So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”
With Mike Bickle, he was compelled to confess his sin because the inevitability of discovery was before him, even after 20 years of successfuly keeping it a secret.
Today, there's no fear of the Lord. We believe that we can get away with it.
We can hide it and believe that no one else will know. To have this mentality, underscores that the reality of the Lord doesn't exist in their mind.
Because if the Lord is real to them, they would never do it.
I had this same mentality when I was involved with pornography for over 10 years.
There was no fear of God in my life.
The wages of sin is death, according to Paul in Romans 6:23.
Pornograhy is adultery according to the Lord in Matthew 5:27-30. Adulterers will not inherit the kingdom of God according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:8-9. Fornicators and adulterers God will judge according to Hebrews 13:4.
The sexually immoral will have their part in the lake of fire according to Revelation 21:8. Outside are the sexual immoral according to Revelation 22:15.
I had the same mentality as David. David was given favor by God to kill Goliath but the Goliath called sexual immorality within, David couldn't or wouldn't slay.
Then with Mike Bickle, there's his connection to strange manifestations associated with charismatics and WOF (Word of Faith) circles.
False doctrine is connected with sexual immorality.
When you can lie in front of people about angels, spiritual manifestatiions of healing and deliverance, nice sounding compelling music in the "praise and worship" phenomenons of our day, prayer, spiritual warfare and other catchy operations, what else could be hidden?
Usually sexual immorality. Remember. Mike kept it hidden for 20 years.
Luke 8:17 (NKJV) "For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light."
It's very rare that sexual immorality wasn't found or was pervasive then, but today, it's definitely common.
But it's not just the non denominations of the charismatic and WOF communities. Obviously, it's in denominational circles as well.
Some will say that we should pray for Mike Bickle.
Before we go there, we have to underscore the fact that on YouTube, there's several of Mike Bickle's teachings that's unScriptural. When you're dealing with false doctrine, false doctrine doesn't come from God.
While it may be true that most people that fall prey to false doctrine may have started out correct. But then, they turn and pervert the gospel of Christ.
Unless they renounce, denounce, rescind, and destroy their false teachings, they're no different than Hymenaeus, Philetus, and Alexander.
You have to repent and place faith on Christ alone, then renounce, denounce, rescind, and destroy false doctrine and return to the very basic message of the gospel (see 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 and Galatians 1:6-9).
So. First things first. For Mike Bickle. Get born again.
All of the charismatics that supported Mike Bickle is now eating crow.
They're just as corrupt.
And if Mike Bickle claims to be born again, renounce, denounce, rescind, and destroy false doctrine and fall under real accountability with teeth. When it comes to accountability, you don't make up the rules, and you don't institute a timetable to resume ministry.
Also, while it varies from person to person, uncovering and pubically exposing your own sexual sins goes a long way to re-establishing person credibility. The world will never forgive you, but grace from some of God's people is healthy.
We have no business betraying the trust of believers in Christ, however, Paul's admonishes us...
Galatians 6:1-5 (NKJV) "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load."
And James tells us,
James 5:15-16 (NKJV) "...and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed."
John 20:21-23 (NKJV) "So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
So we get crushed for offending God. If we're married, we get crushed for violating our vows to be faithful in marriage. David was so crushed after Nathan uncovered his secret, that Psalm 51 revealed how he offended God in murdering one of his most trusted soldiers to have his wife.
Get crushed Mike. Get crushed.
Matthew 21:43-44 (NKJV) “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”
We'll all stand before the Lord to render an account and judgment begins at the house of God.
Romans 14:10-13 (NKJV) "But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
For it is written:
“As I live, says the LORD,
Every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall confess to God.”
So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.
Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way."
2 Corinthians 5:9-11 (NKJV) "Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences." Hebrews 4:12-13 (NKJV) "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."
1 Peter 4:17-18 (NKJV) "For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?
Now
“If the righteous one is scarcely saved,
Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?”
When you sit in judgment of others while hiding your own sins, it will come out. You can read how Mike Bickle sat in judgment of Paul Cain while keeping his own sin a secret here.
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