IHOPKC founder should never return to church leadership role, new report says
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- New report declares Mike Bickle permanently unfit for any church leadership role.
- Firefly investigation documented decades of abuse and systemic cover-up by Bickle.
- IHOPKC leadership urged to fund trauma therapy and publicly apologize to victims.
International House of Prayer-Kansas City founder Mike Bickle has violated Scripture and should be permanently disqualified from any kind of church leadership position, a team of church leaders and professional therapists said in a report issued Friday.
A return to leadership, the panel wrote in its report, would not be “scripturally sound.”
“In addition to causing unnecessary trauma to his past victims, this could put potential future victims at risk and blemish the reputations of any churches and Christians who would return him to such a position,” said the report, issued by the Pastoral Recommendation Team, which was established to make recommendations to IHOPKC after an independent investigation found that Bickle sexually abused women.
“It is with heavy hearts for all involved and with great solemnity that the PRT recognizes that Mike Bickle has disqualified himself permanently from holding any such high and honorable office anywhere in the Body of Christ in his lifetime.”
Bickle also must never be allowed to return to any congregation with IHOPKC ties, the report said.
“We specifically note that, for the protection of the community that Mike Bickle victimized and preyed upon, misusing his power and authority, he must never be permitted to reenter a congregation related to IHOPKC,” it said.
The report also recommended that IHOPKC establish a fund for victims and spouses to obtain trauma therapy and said the current board and leaders “should publicly apologize to the victims, their families, witnesses, and the whistleblowers, expressing their remorse for the pain, suffering, and humiliation that have been experienced.”
It defined “victims” as “anyone sexually abused, manipulated or intimidated by Mike Bickle or any other leaders at IHOPKC, and were directly or indirectly affected adversely by those actions and/or their cover-up.”
IHOPKC report
The 29-page report — a revamped version of one released in March that was pulled amid sharp criticism — said Bickle “has disregarded, disobeyed, and violated Scripture concerning walking in purity, being faithful to his marriage, and faithfully executing his high call to ministry and leadership” and “has repeatedly walked in blatant immorality, participated in ongoing patterns of unrepentant sinful behavior, and chosen to disregard — for over five decades — all warnings from Scripture … ”
For those reasons, the report said, “we believe that, according to Paul’s warning in 1 Corinthians 9:27, he should be considered as having ‘permanently disqualified’ himself from leadership as this Scripture describes, having failed to live in a manner commensurate with the Gospel message, the expectation of godly character, and the authority he received at the time of his ordination, which was to be used to protect and serve the flock of God (I Tim. 3:1-7 & Acts 20:28).”
Neither Bickle nor IHOPKC Executive Director Joseph Taylor responded to requests for comment on Friday.
The new document contains more than 30 nonbinding recommendations. The Pastoral Recommendation Team was convened by Tikkun Ministries, an organization that commissioned a third-party investigation into sex abuse allegations against Bickle and others associated with IHOPKC.
That investigation, conducted by Firefly, a Pennsylvania company with law enforcement expertise, found that Bickle committed sexual abuse or misconduct against 17 women — some when they were minors — over decades, in a thriving culture of systemic abuse and cover-up.
Tikkun directed the Pastoral Recommendation Team to provide suggestions in response to the investigation’s findings.
Tikkun released the PRT’s recommendations on March 3. The report said Bickle “should be removed from ministry of any kind until a process of repentance, counseling, healing, and restoration has taken place” and “should be barred for his lifetime from ever holding a paid, professional, public ministry again.”
But the document left the door open for Bickle to return to ministry in an “informal” role, laying out the steps he needed to take in order to do so. Bickle was placed on leave when the scandal first broke in late October 2023, and IHOPKC announced in December 2023 that it was “immediately, formally and permanently” separating from Bickle, who founded the 24/7 prayer movement in 1999.
The March report drew strong pushback from sex abuse survivors and former IHOPKC leaders and followers, who said the recommendations were weak and focused more on Bickle’s restoration than justice for his victims. Tikkun acknowledged that the critics’ concerns were “weighty enough to request the PRT to make some clarifications” and removed the report from its website until the revised version was complete.
Ron Cantor, a member of the Tikkun committee that coordinated the Firefly investigation, said Friday that the new report was sent to IHOPKC leadership.
“Until now they have not shown much openness, but maybe that will change,” Cantor told The Star in an email. “I hope so. We cannot ignore clergy sexual abuse, and we have to stand with victims and enforce biblical standards upon leaders (1 Tim 3:1ff, 5:19-20). This is not only for the safety of the Body of Christ, but for the health of the leader and his family.”
Spiritual, emotional and sexual abuse
The new report said that the Firefly investigation “provided testimony finding/establishing/concluding that Mike Bickle is a long-term and chronic sexual predator who used the power inherent in his leadership position to control, groom, manipulate, and intimidate people so that he could sexually abuse them for his personal gratification.”
The abuse included victims who were minors, it said, and Bickle’s tactics included spiritual and emotional abuse as well as “explicit sexual abuse.”
“The Firefly Report further noted that Bickle conspired to keep these abuses hidden for many years,” the new document said. “It appears Bickle’s ongoing sin and behavior during and before his time at IHOPKC was influential in the spread of abusive behavior through other staff members, who then victimized more unsuspecting victims.
“While Mike Bickle has admitted to some of these actions, we note that the admission lacks genuine markers of confession, including that the confessions were not voluntary, complete, or, to date, accompanied by any signs of genuine repentance.”
The new report called for Bickle to apologize for his actions.
“Mike Bickle should publicly and in writing take responsibility for his years of inappropriate sexual misconduct, sexual abuse, manipulation, and participation in minimizing and covering up his actions and the actions of other staff,” it said. “Moreover, he should publicly and in writing repent to the victims, their families, witnesses, and the body of Christ for his abusive behavior.”
The report also made recommendations about Bickle’s involvement in any local church.
“According to I Corinthians 5:1-13 and Matthew 18:17, Mike Bickle should be removed from local church fellowship until such time as he would humbly submit to the process of repentance described herein,” it said. The process would include receiving professional counseling with a psychological evaluation “and evidence that he has faced and received healing from the inner conflicts that drove his repeated abusive behavior,” the report said.
If Bickle were to be welcomed into fellowship in a local church, it said, he should only be allowed to serve in non-leadership roles. Those roles must be on a volunteer basis, in a nonpublic position and “somewhere other than IHOPKC and its affiliates.”
The roles may not include speaking or teaching publicly or privately; platform ministry; public or private leadership of people; or any place of influence “where similar conduct documented in the Firefly Report could be repeated,” the report said.
As far as events related to IHOPKC, it said, Bickle “should be permanently barred from attending any corporate church gatherings, holding office, or participating in unpaid/paid, professional, public, or private ministry at IHOPKC or its affiliates.”
The report said the IHOPKC board of directors should appoint an Independent Council of Presbyters, or ICP, to implement its recommendations. The council should consist of five to 10 ministry leaders, clinical therapists and those with experience in victim care who are not associated with IHOPKC, it said. Progress should be reported to IHOPKC’s board of directors and made public.
Leaders covered up abuse
The new report also addressed the issue of IHOPKC staffers and leaders who covered up the abuse.
“Leaders used their positions of authority to preserve their leader, Mike Bickle, and their organization, IHOPKC, rather than protect those who encountered unwanted sexual behavior, sexual abuse, spiritual abuse, and emotional abuse,” it said.
In many cases, it said, the allegations should have been reported to legal authorities, “and in all cases, these allegations should have led to immediate action by leadership to protect the vulnerable and diligently pursue the truth and biblical justice.”
Those leaders, it said, “should step away from all public ministry for a minimum of two (2) years, be permanently disqualified from holding office at IHOPKC or its affiliates, be required to repent publicly, and receive accountability from outside counsel/auditing with oversight of the ICP.”
Those named in the report were former IHOPKC leaders Stuart Greaves, David Sliker and Lenny La Guardia. Sliker declined to comment. The others did not respond to requests for comment.
The original Pastoral Recommendation Team report also included IHOPKC’s Taylor and three other former leaders. The new report, however, didn’t mention them.
On July 3, Taylor sent an email from him and his wife to followers with the subject line, “Moving Forward Together — An Update from IHOPKC.”
Taylor thanked them for their prayers, patience and generosity for carrying IHOPKC “through a refining season that none of us expected.”
He said that “we sense the Holy Spirit calling us to strengthen and expand the structures needed for what He is doing now.”
“New leadership is in place, a fresh strategic framework is guiding our steps, and we are witnessing the beginnings of the fruit of realignment and renewed vision. We see this as a Spirit-led refining — shaping us for a greater outpouring and deeper unity as we move forward together.”
Taylor mentioned the Firefly investigation, saying that “while we do not agree with the full scope of the Firefly report, we have taken the recommendations into consideration and compared them against the work already underway here.”
The email listed several steps it said had been taken to address safety and financial concerns. Child safeguarding policies that were in place are being aligned with Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention standards, it said, and the anti-sexual harassment policy has been implemented and strengthened.
Background checks and screenings have been reviewed and training on abuse awareness and reporting has been reinforced. When it comes to finances, the email said, IHOPKC is following Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability standards and is continuing audits with an independent firm. And, the email said, the ministry has put new leadership in place across key departments.
The note concluded by saying that “God is not finished with IHOPKC.”
“We’re still contending for revival,” it said. “Still crying out night and day. Still believing for His return.”
After pulling the original Pastoral Recommendation Team report in March, Tikkun added attorney Rachael Denhollander to the group as a communications and educational consultant.
Denhollander, a former gymnast, is widely known as the first woman to publicly accuse USA Gymnastics’ team doctor Larry Nassar of sexual abuse and pursue charges against him.
She had been a consultant for Tikkun throughout the Firefly investigation but had not been involved with the PRT report.
Tikkun added others to the panel as well, including Diane Langberg, a clinical psychologist with more than 50 years of experience counseling trauma survivors, caregivers and clergy around the world, and Tim LeCroy, a pastor and scholar with expertise in domestic abuse and sexual abuse.
Members of the Advocate Group — former IHOPKC leaders who supported those who came forward with allegations and pushed for an outside investigation — were pleased with the new report.
“This report represents a thorough, biblically-grounded response to deeply serious allegations that demanded comprehensive investigation and clear recommendations for accountability, restoration and systemic reform,” said Jono Hall, speaking for the group.
“While the recommendations are extensive and appropriately severe given the documented patterns of abuse and cover-up — including the critical requirement that IHOPKC permanently sever all ties with Mike Bickle and bar him from any involvement with the organization or its affiliates — the real test will be whether IHOPKC’s current leadership demonstrates genuine commitment to implementing these changes rather than continuing patterns of self-protection that have characterized their response over the past two years.”
