In another shocking development, the International House of Prayer Kansas City (IHOPKC) is under intense scrutiny after a third woman came forward with allegations of grooming and sexual abuse against the ministry’s founder, Mike Bickle.
Boz Tchividjian, attorney and grandson of evangelist Billy Graham, has called unequivocally for the permanent closure of IHOPKC in light of these distressing revelations.
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Tchividjian expressed his strong stance on social media platform X, “It’s time. It’s time to permanently close the doors at IHOPKC. It’s time to take whatever monies are left & put them into a fund for those whose lives have been wrecked by a place that claims to love Jesus so much it prays to him 24/7. The praying hasn’t worked. It’s just made IHOPKC more pious in defending the indefensible. It’s time.”
It’s time. It’s time to permanently close the doors at IHOPKC.
— BozLaw P.A. (@bozlawpa) February 10, 2024
The latest accuser, Tammy Woods, now 57, alleges that Bickle sexually abused her in the 1980s when she was just 14 years old, in St. Louis before he founded IHOPKC. Woods disclosed that the abuse occurred in various locations, including Bickle’s car, her home, the church and his office. While the abuse involved sexual contact, there was reportedly no intercourse. Additionally, she revealed that Bickle predicted the premature death of his wife and suggested that she could become the mother to his sons.
These disturbing revelations follow an independent report released on Jan. 31, where Bickle admitted to engaging in “consensual sexual contact” with a woman associated with the 24/7 prayer ministry. This admission comes in addition to a previously confessed relationship with a primary accuser identified as Jane Doe.
While the report by attorney Rosalee McNamara outlined consensual contact, Woods insists that Bickle touched her without consent. “He did touch me,” she stated, recounting instances where Bickle would manipulate her hand for sexual contact and reciprocate.
Woods shared more on the disturbing nature of the situation, noting, “I have witnessed him genuinely weep and repent, like ask the Lord’s forgiveness, ask my forgiveness. I saw at 14, a man in anguish over failure, and he would always be like, ‘I can’t, we can’t do this again. And please forgive me.’ I believed all of that to be genuine … but it didn’t stop. We’d do good for a while and then crash.”
In response to the newest accusations, IHOPKC issued a statement condemning Bickle’s actions as “sick” and expressed remorse for their handling of the investigation into allegations against him. This apology comes after persistent criticism from Tchividjian and a group of former leaders at IHOPKC known as the Advocate Group.
Words cannot express the anger, shock, heartbreak, and sadness we have experienced as we have learned of allegations and testimonies of sexual abuse and manipulation concerning Mike Bickle, founder of IHOPKC.
We believe that Mike Bickle sexually abused and manipulated Jane Doe…
— IHOPKC (@ihopkc) February 9, 2024
As the Christian community grapples with this devastating situation, the Bible provides guidance on addressing sexual abuse within the church. Christians are urged to uphold justice and accountability, recognizing the severity of such offenses. The Bible emphasizes compassion and support for victims while promoting transparency and accountability within the church leadership (Titus 1:7-9; 1 Tim. 3:2-7; Prov. 29:2) .
In situations of abuse, the community is encouraged to stand against wrongdoing, seeking healing for the victims and justice according to biblical principles (Ps. 147:3, 9:9).
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James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.
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