Story by Carl Gibson • AlterNet
Image: Wikimedia Commons /
Mike Bickle, the leader of the Kansas City-based International House of Prayer (IHOP), has been accused by multiple women of sexual abuse dating back years.
In a statement released over the weekend, Dwayne Roberts and Brian Kimm — who are former leaders of Bickle's organization — along with the Rev. Wes Martin, allege that Bickle used his position to sexually abuse several women. Roberts, Kimm, and Martin said there were "serious allegations spanning several decades," and that the victims, who have not yet disclosed their names, "have always been viewed as credible, trustworthy, and courageous."
"None of these victims had any intention to punish Mike Bickle and they had nothing to gain by sharing their experiences except the pursuit of truth, repentance, mercy, and grace," the statement read.
According to a report in Religion News Service, Bickle may have had advance knowledge of forthcoming allegations, as he preached on October 20th about the dangers of false allegations. In leaked video of an IHOP meeting posted to YouTube, church leaders and staff can be heard warning against the use of the term "black horse," which Bickle has deployed in the past to describe false allegations against church leaders.
Bickle's fellow clergymen stated that the accusations "seemed out of character to the man we thought we knew, but they were so serious we could not ignore them."
"[T]he 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," the statement read. "We do not share this process to fill in salacious details, but to protect the integrity of the victims and their experiences that were shared."
Mike Bickle has been a leader in Evangelical Christian circles for decades. His ministry is known for setting up round-the-clock "prayer rooms" that are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. After Donald Trump was elected to the presidency, Bickle said it was a "huge reprieve from heaven." Church leaders have reportedly asked Bickle to not attend any prayer meetings, preach any sermons, or post to social media while its investigation into the allegations against him is ongoing.
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