Leaked documents showed that the International House of Prayer of Kansas City is planning to close and downsize. This comes six months after sex abuse allegations surfaced against founder and former leader Mike Bickle.
Here is what you need to know about IHOPKC and the movement’s recent upheaval.
What is IHOPKC?
The International House of Prayer of Kansas City – IHOPKC – is a Christian prayer organization that draws people from around the world to its headquarters on Red Bridge Road in South Kansas City. Known for its Bible college and 24-hour prayer room, the group has come under scrutiny for allegations of abuse by its founder, Mike Bickle, and what many former members call a coverup by leadership.
Why is IHOPKC closing?
IHOPKC said it would close its doors in the coming months and start a new, smaller organization, according to a leaked recording of a Monday staff meeting and email sent to staffers.
“The leadership feels the best way to resolve the issues is to close IHOPKC as an organization and shift to a more missional church structure in the future,” said the email from IHOPKC leadership.
This meant cutting paid positions and relying on “a much bigger pool of volunteers” to help sustain the round-the-clock prayer, according to the email.
Recent scandals caused the organization to lose donors, said senior pastor of IHOPKC’s Forerunner Church, Isaac Bennett, at Monday’s meeting.
Bennett said IHOPKC accrued “some pretty significant financial challenges,” with expenses outpacing revenue by about $500,000 a month.
In an emailed statement late Tuesday afternoon, IHOPKC attorney Audrey Manito said, “In a word, IHOPKC is NOT closing. To state the obvious, the last six months have been a test to the strengths and fortitude of our missions-based organization.”
Manito specified that the 24-hour prayer room would remain open, while the Bible college would close after this year’s graduation. “We do intend to review the functionality of various operational locations and will likely consolidate several.”
Manito said, “We have supported and will continue to support any and all victims of abuse, sexual or otherwise, whether here within IHOPKC, or anywhere in the community. “
Who is Mike Bickle?
Mike Bickle, 68, founded IHOPKC in 1999. Allegations of “clergy sexual abuse” against Bickle were presented to IHOPKC leadership in late October 2023.
On Dec. 12, 2023, Bickle publicly addressed the accusations for the first time, saying in a statement on X, formerly Twitter, “I sadly admit that 20+ years ago, I sinned by engaging in inappropriate behavior — my moral failures were real. (I am not admitting to the more intense sexual activities that some are suggesting).”
About 10 days after Bickle’s statement, IHOPKC announced that it was “immediately, formally and permanently” separating from Bickle, saying it had confirmed “a level of inappropriate behavior” on his part.
What are their beliefs?
The evangelical Christian organization emphasizes prayer and prophecy. Preachers, musicians and believers congregate at all hours of the day in the Kansas City prayer room and similar ones around the world.
What are the recent sex abuse allegations?
Multiple people have come forward accusing Bickle of sexual abuse going back more than 40 years.
In early February, a Michigan woman told The Star that Bickle groomed and sexually abused her in the 1980s, starting when she was 14 and he was 25. According to Tammy Woods, Bickle told her that his wife would die young and then they could be together. Other alleged victims have said they heard similar stories from Bickle.
Last October, former IHOPKC leaders went to current staff with a 50-page report containing allegations, including those of “Jane Doe,” who alleged Bickle abused her starting when she was 19 and he was 42. She said that from 1996 to 1999, Bickle had sexual interactions with her that included everything except intercourse. In addition, she said, Bickle gave her a key to his office and found and paid for apartments for her.
Other IHOPKC controversies
Ex-members have called IHOPKC cult-like. According to the organization’s website, 2,000 staff, students and interns work 50 hours per week “as they go from the prayer room to the classroom and then to ministry outreaches and works of service.” In addition to working as missionaries, staff raise their own money to support themselves.
IHOPKC made national headlines in 2012 after a follower was found dead in what was ruled a suicide. But after her funeral, a man came forward and said he’d killed her on the orders of her husband, who led a prayer group whose members lived together. The man was charged with first-degree murder but later recanted, and the charge was eventually dismissed.
And in 2018, a then-IHOPKC staff member was accused of sexually abusing a woman at a church in California in the mid-1980s when the accuser was a teen.