As we review the horrific report on Mike Bickle, we should not forget those that were accomplices...

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"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. - Matthew 18:15-17 (ESV)

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The Bicklegate Report has dropped. After months and months of obfuscation, delay and denial, the truth is even far worse than anyone imagined when the story first broke that this revered "holiness" teacher was nothing but a sexual predator, of minors, and a lying false prophet. One of the problems when things take this long is we lose perspective. We forget the initial push back from Mike Bickle, IHOP leadership and the sycophants like Steven Strang and Charisma News. We forget how Misty Edwards tried to make herself the victim. We forget how IHOPKC assigned Eric Volz to lie on their behalf and stall the investigations. We forget how people smeared the advocacy group, made up of former IHOPKC leaders. We forget how it was characterized as a "hostile church takeover." We forget how the victims were accused of being pawns of the devil. We forget how even after the two victims came forward who were 12 and 13 years old when sexually abused by Bickle, that Steven Strang still was advocating for the restoration of the predatory wolf. We forget how Strang used Dr. Michael Brown to support this. We forget how Dr. Brown went down to IHOPKC to lecture people about discussing the matter. We forget and we move on past the things we really need to address and learn from because IHOPKC was and remains a cult. The 24-7 Prayer movement, which sounds pious, was NEVER of God. We now know that Bickle lied, along with Paul Cain and Bob Jones, two other sexual predators, to establish the false prophetic narrative.

I want to spend this review focused not as much on Mike Bickle. He has been disgraced and exposed and hopefully, no one will dream of "restoring" him to ministry. This report reveals some additional scope, as there were 17 victims of Mike Bickle throughout the decades. The most egregious are the two minors, who he had years long relationships with. One of which, he used to visit her at her high school, while he was a grown man. These two, along with Deborah Perkins, previously Jane Doe, remain the worst of the abuses. Perkins was the daughter of a family friend, who Bickle groomed, and seduced into a four-year sexual relationship, while married. Perkins was 18 when this was started by the then 40-something, married Bickle. We have some more detail about the Bickle initiated informal program called "Friends of the Bridegroom," which consisted of a research team of a carefully selected group of 18-19-year-olds, primarily girls. How he would focus on celibacy and sexual matters with the group, as he was grooming them. How he would come and go as he pleased in the apartment they were staying at, buy them gifts, and provide them money. How he would use fake prophecy to engage and control them. The report also reveals how Bickle would frequently describe his marriage with Diane as "almost celibate" and he would then intimate that he was exempt from the usual expectations of marriage. One particular disturbing image was the revelation that Bickle would create a warped narrative where he cast himself as the Priest, his wife Diane as the Nun, and Deborah Perkins as the Shulamite. As the report concluded, by using religious imagery and roles, Mike Bickle "deepened his control over her, reinforcing the idea that their interactions were special and justified." That really cuts to the core of how devious clergy abuse is. I remember once Tullian Tchividjian said that his affair with a sheep of his flock was just between two consenting adults. As if that mattered. What mattered is Tullian, or in this case Bickle, was in a position of spiritual authority. That is the trust that is manipulated and broken. That all being said, I want to drill down more on the abuse at the cult that was IHOPKC because it will become too easy to scapegoat Bickle to avoid any serious discussion about the culture that allowed it, encouraged it, and covered it up. Let me start with the exhaustive nature of this investigation by FIREFLY

"FIREFLY has received two hundred twenty-four (224) intakes through various channels,

including online survey responses, emails, and phone calls. Only three submissions were made

anonymously through the survey. We have been able to identify and interview thirty-two (32) Interviewed Survivors who were sexually abused or experienced sexually abusive misconduct during their time at IHOPKC. The credibility of this report is founded on the collective and corroborating testimony of the experiences of the victims and witnesses. It is not reliant on any single experience or victim, but rather on the consistent and overlapping accounts that paint a comprehensive picture of the systemic issues and misconduct within IHOPKC. This approach ensures that no single testimony is isolated, but instead, is part of a larger narrative that illustrates the extent and severity of the issues. This collective testimony strengthens the report's validity and highlights the urgent need to address the identified problems and implement changes to create a safer and more supportive environment. Throughout the investigation, FIREFLY meticulously reviewed and analyzed over 6,000 documents directly related to this case." - FIREFLY Report

This is the type of depth that IHOPKC leadership was trying to avoid for months. This is why they pretended to investigate using an in house IHOPKC congregant to do a superficial scrubbing. To give the appearance of taking things seriously, like when they brought in damage control expert, Eric Volz. It was all designed to protect the brand, not the victims. As the report shows, one witness said that in a meeting, IHOPKC Board Chairman Kurt Fuller stated the people in the advocacy group were "liars, and the sex abuse allegations were consensual." How is that quote aging now Kurt? There were some disturbing common threads throughout this report. First is the way that Bickle and IHOPKC used prophecy to shield themselves from criticism:

"As Matthew D. Taylor observes, in apostolic and prophetic circles, people like BICKLE are given an almost unfathomable amount of spiritual authority"far beyond most evangelical pastors. They are seen as oracles of God, speaking with the voice of God through prophecy, and leading the church under divine apostolic directives. That is a straightforward recipe for abuse and cover-up. Indeed, it's baked into BICKLE'S decades-long prophetic narrative that anyone who criticizes or exposes him must be an agent of Satan." - FIREFLY Report

We have heard and it is referenced throughout this report the fake "black horse prophecy." Bickle and IHOP leadership wielded this nonsense as a weapon against any criticism. This feature is prominent throughout Charismania and the apostate church. Everything positive is presented as the providence and provision of God, or "blessing." Anything negative, including warranted concerns or criticism is presented as from Satan and evil. This way the wolf is always regarded in as pious as terms possible and is shielded. When you read the above linked report, and you should read it all, ask yourself how could he get away with so much for so many decades? Predators in the pulpit rely on two things - na??ve sheep and complicit leadership. The purpose driven church model created the cult of personality pastor that the church is centered around. At IHOPKC, that cult leader was Mike Bickle. The people were duped but it is the leadership that rode alongside of him for over forty years that allowed it, encouraged it and facilitated it. When no one asks why Bickle had a lock on the inside of his office door, that is willful complicity. We saw the same thing with Ravi Zacharias. Everyone around him knew something was wrong but no one did anything about it. We saw it at the start of the Bickle story breaking. The attacks on former leaders. The smearing of the victims. Steven Strang said that the advocates were trying to take over Bickle's empire and that the sexual abuse victims were being used by Satan. I am glad that Mike Bickle is exposed but we need to hold the Steven Strang's of the world accountable. The Dr. Michael Brown's of the world. Sam Storms needs to be held accountable for this direct quote from just before the scandal broke:

"I know this man (Bickle) to the depths of his soul. I cannot think of a more biblically orthodox, humble, Christ exalting individual who lives an incredibly simple lifestyle. So, when I hear people say that he is a false teacher it angers me because I know the individual. I know the man personally. And he is not NAR that has been claimed by so many. He has openly defied it." - Sam Storms

He is the most biblically orthodox sexual abuser of 12-year-olds Sam. Now, many would scream - how was Sam supposed to know! I say nonsense! The problem is not that Sam didn't know but that he never put himself in a position to ever know! When you deify man, you cannot possibly see what might be wrong! Mike Bickle was revered as the very oracle of God that Matthew Taylor speaks about. Except Bickle was nothing more than a deranged false teacher. He supported horrifically bad theology, including the sick bridal paradigm and the Joel end times army. IHOP had been exposed over and over again as a cult, even as far back as when Bethany Deaton was murdered in 2012. There were more signs when they defended hiring a former sexual abuser of minors because they felt he had been "restored." The entire 24-7 prayer thing was demonic and former students testified to the oppressive nature of IHOPKC. The record was all there but when you think as Sam Storms, or Strang, or Brown, you stand ZERO chance of seeing it. When you are more concerned with exalting the wolves, you do not see the sheep you are standing on top of. Another feature throughout this report is the constant abuse of Matthew 18, which I recently referred to as the last refuge of the false teacher scoundrel. Consider these four examples from the report:

'In an email dated October 23, 2023, at 12:42 PM, Bickle wrote to IW #13, (IS) Deborah

Perkins's husband, reminding him of the Matthew 18 process. Towards the end of the email,

Bickle states, "I am still waiting for the ladies who allegedly have a story to come to me and

Stuart according to Matthew 18:15-18. I am very sure none will come because they do have a

real story. I'm praying.

The investigation revealed that many victims were subjected to "Matthew 18" meetings, where

they were pressured into face-to-face confrontations with their accusers to determine who was

lying. These meetings not only compounded the emotional distress of the victims but also

undermined the integrity of the investigation process. Many victims felt intimidated and coerced,

which led to further trauma and a sense of injustice. As a result, the credibility of the testimonies

collected during these meetings was compromised. This practice reflects a deeply flawed approach to handling allegations of abuse, prioritizing the organization's reputation over the well-being of the victims. The use of "Matthew 18 meetings" not only silenced victims but also perpetuated a culture of fear and intimidation. Victims were made to feel as though their experiences were invalid, and the burden of proof was unfairly placed on them.

F. Commitment #6: I commit to share with the leadership if my friend "repeatedly" stumbles in

immorality. I will first tell my friend before sharing with a leader to convince him to go with me.

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears

you, you have gained your brother. If he will not hear, take with you one or two more"If he

refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. (Mt. 18:15-17)

IS #8's experience is deeply distressing. At 18, she advised she was sexually assaulted by ASM #

5. When she reported the assault to two staff members, she was told not to talk about it and was

forced to leave the prayer room group. She was made to attend a Matthew 18 meeting with the

offender and was told to use the word "violate" instead of "sexual abuse." IS #8 said, "She went

to people she thought she could trust, only to be met with dismissal and further harm."' - FIREFLY Report

The first excerpt is from a communication between Bickle and the husband of Deborah Perkins, right when the scandal was breaking. The arrogance of Bickle to send this to the husband of a woman he knows he abused for four years is staggering. What is worse however is the utter butchering of Matthew 18. Mike Bickle's victims do not have to go to him according to these verses, which I have provided as the key verses above. These verses were not designed so sheep have to go to their abusive shepherds and work things out. This is the same nonsense that Dr. Michael Brown tried to say when defending his abuse from 20 years earlier. Abusive leaders hide behind Matthew 18 because they retain all the power in that scenario and control all the information. The second excerpt is the admission from FIREFLY that this Matthew 18 meeting scheme was a primary feature at IHOPKC and was used to protect leadership and Bickle. Imagine the horror of being sexually assaulted by someone you looked up to as a spiritual leader and then when you get up the courage to report it, you are forced to "confront him." To make matters worse, you are taught that the process is biblical when it clearly is not. This was not a one off either. This was IHOPKC. Bickle will answer when he stands before Christ but it is the leadership that allowed this garbage to go on for decades. The third excerpt is from the "Purity Covenant" developed by Bickle. So, a man who knew he had built this false prophetic empire on the bones of his 12-year-old victims, made his students live by a "purity covenant." The majority of these guidelines involved informing leadership and telling no one else. Using Matthew 18 to control the flow of information. The language throughout the covenant was about not sinning in immorality, not being turned over to Satan, and confessing all. Written by a man who told multiple girls, some underage, that God showed him his wife would die so they could be together. Disgusting for sure but only allowable by the complicit leadership. The final excerpt on Matthew 18 is a victim (IS #8) story about an 18-year-old being sexually assaulted by a staff member (ASM #5). This poor girl, who just thought she came to IHOPKC to serve God, was then victimized again by leadership who punished her and forced her to meet with her abuser. Before you go thinking I am being unfair to leadership, consider this from the report as well:

'On December 6, 2023, LAGUARDIA met with the Ministry Outreach team and an attorney who

guided them through a 50-page document that the Executive Leadership Team (ELT)28 had

received from the Advocate Group (AG)29. During the meeting, IW #206 mentioned that

LAGUARDIA had urged the group to disregard the allegations against BICKLE. When IW #206

asked LAGUARDIA about the story of BICKLE'S wife dying, LAGUARDIA responded by

saying, "Jesus is going to return soon, Mike and Diane are going to preach boldly, Diane is

going to die a martyr, and Mike will have to marry someone else."' - FIREFLY Report

The IHOPKC leadership was meeting with their Ministry Outreach Team two months after the scandal broke and still telling them to disregard the allegations! They were clearly on board with the false prophecies of Bickle's wife dying and supported it! Yes, Mike Bickle is a sick man but so was all of the IHOPKC leadership who should never be allowed near church leadership again. The LaGuardia reference here is Lenny LaGuardia, who just a few months ago was begging for money online to start a new children's ministry because that was his role at IHOPKC. Did you get that? The guy who had no problem with Bickle false prophesying to lure minors into bed, was starting a new children's ministry. Absolutely repulsive. Now let us turn to the horrific stories in this report that are actually not related directly to Mike Bickle. FIREFLY identified 16 accused staff members (ASM), who were accused in the interviewing process of sexual assault. When the leader is a sexual predator, what he leads becomes a haven for the same. There is a reason why all of the Kansas City false prophets fell from being sexual abusers. Of the 16, FIREFLY received permission to speak about nine of them. I will highlight some now:

"In 2010, ASM #2 allegedly sexually assaulted and raped a 16-year-old male, IS #24. We have

attempted to contact ASM #2, and ASM #2 referred us to his attorney. We did receive an email

response that stated he was willing to cooperate with the third-party investigation but, because of pending legal action, was forbidden to be interviewed. (Note that on October 17, 2024, the

Jackson County, Missouri prosecutor decided not to file charges against ASM #2) According to IW #2, ASM #2 was involved in youth leadership at IHOPKC and led a small group of teen boys. IW #4 stated that he would often take the boys on outings to places like the YWCA gym in Overland Park, MO. While at the gym, the boys would be encouraged to disrobe and take Showers. IS #25 stated that ASM #2 would find ways to be alone with the boys and ask personal questions about their sexuality. IW #4 advised he contacted SLIKER about the allegations occurring during the youth outings, and that SLIKER stated, "he didn't think it was a big deal." ASM #2 was allowed to continue in the ministry. IW #2 noted that the situation was reported to GREAVES and LAGUARDIA, and nothing was done. IW #50 went to LAGUARDIA stating that ASM #2 needed to be removed from working around kids, and he was told, "No one could be banned." IW #27, while working in the children's department, was never notified of the actions being taken by the ELT during the investigation of ASM #2 and what occurred during the youth outings. IW #8 stated that ASM #2, while in the prayer room, pulled a boy, who was unable to be identified as part of this investigation, into a side room to talk to him about masturbation, his need to confess, and that he wanted to find time to shower with him to wash away his sins." - FIREFLY Report

When David Sliker resigned from the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) in January of 2024, spin doctor Eric Volz said defiantly about him, "Not once has there ever been a report of misconduct or inappropriate behavior by him." Really? How about now? How about someone cosplaying as a Christian leader thinking it was not a big deal that a man already accused of raping a 16-year-old boy, liked to take the IHOPKC boys to the YWCA so he could watch them disrobe, talk to them about masturbation and say he wanted to find time to shower with them to wash away their sins! Dear Lord, are you serious right now! Greaves refers to Stuart Greaves, who also had to resign from the ELT. The leadership said they honored David Sliker's service and dedication when he resigned. THIS is what is wrong in the apostate church system today when it comes to the corrupt leadership that protects wolves and spits on sheep. On a different victim, Olivia Bauman-Pousseur, Sliker ambushed her by arranging a meeting with the staff member she accused but did not tell her that was who she would be meeting with! Nice. She instead was told, that ASM #3 had repented and warned her not to tell anyone, including her parents, of what had happened. SLIKER told her, "Jesus doesn't go spreading all of our sins, so we shouldn't share the sins of others." Can you imagine your daughter reporting being sexually assaulted by a staff person at their church and the leadership tricking her into meeting with her assailant and then claim he "repented" and she shouldn't tell anyone including her parents! Then to use Jesus to perpetuate this abuse is so vile. Again, the leadership, not just Bickle. Next three examples:

"IS #8, after being sexually assaulted by ASM #5 at IHOPKC, sought help from trusted

leadership figures. Instead of receiving support, she was told that the term "assault" was too

strong and was discouraged from going to the police or disclosing the incident to anyone. IW

#16 said, "You are Holy if you don't talk. If you talk, you are toxic." This statement was made

many times throughout the investigation by other victims. IW # 191 stated there was a "code of

silence" at IHOPKC.

IS #23, a minor, joined IHOPKC as an intern. Unfortunately, there were no specific protections

in place for minors, and they were treated as adults, encouraged to fast and spend long hours in

the prayer room. Shortly after his arrival, he was targeted and groomed by ASM #7, a male

leader who exploited the prophetic to lure interns into sexual abuse.

IS #14 was sexually assaulted and raped by ASM #9, a staff member of the Nightwatch program.

She reported what had happened to her supervisor, Donna Edwards, and they met with

GREAVES, the director of the Nightwatch program. IS #14 was told that the word "rape" was

too strong of a word to use for what happened. She attended multiple meetings with different

people who questioned her about the incident, which only crushed her spirit. Church officials

asked her to retract her story and apologize to the offender formally. They also told her that she

should not go to the police. IS #14 stated that "How the church handled the situation was far

more traumatic than the rape itself." This incident highlights the critical need for organizations to have proper safeguarding measures and to take allegations seriously while providing a safe and supportive environment for those who come forward." - FIREFLY Report

IS #8 sought help from "trusted leadership figures" but instead of getting that help, she was gaslit to think that she wasn't really assaulted. She was spiritually strongarmed into not going to the police or speaking to anyone else about it. If SHE talked, she would be considered toxic and she could only be "holy" if she was a good little girl and said nothing. Not just her but many other victims as well. Then we have IS #23, who was a minor. He was led into this world of super spiritual fasting and long shifts in the demonic prayer room while one of the staff members lured him into sexual abuse. IS #14 was raped an IHOPKC staff person. She told her supervisor and after meeting with Stuart Greaves from the ELT she was told "rape" was too strong a word? Then they asked her to retract her story and apologize to the rapist! I highlight these because these are the victims who will be overlooked because they do not directly touch upon Bickle. Like IS #48 who was being stalked and harassed by an IHOPKC staff person but when it was brought to Bickle's attention, he sided with the staff person. Or when IS #77 asked David Sliker why a different offender was still on staff and was told by Sliker: "We never take a guy out of his game when he's being restored." This highlights another common theme not only in this report but in Charismaniacal circles when a leader is found to be in sin. There is always an immediate gravitational pull to save the leader at the expense of the sheep. It is always about "restoring" the leader. Remember, Strang still wanted Bickle restored even after the allegations included minors as young as 12 years old! Restoration has to do with one's walk with the Lord, not their job. I might add here that there is significant proof that these people were never saved to begin with! Do you think Mike Bickle had the indwelt Holy Spirit when he would visit the high school of his girlfriend when he was a married 20-something pastor? Seriously? The brand always protects the brand beloved. This is a multi-multi-million-dollar industry. That is why Greaves, Sliker, LaGuardia and the rest of this gaggle of enablers continued to empower the wolf. Don't tell me they did not know! This report reveals that they knew and they sided with the wolves at every single turn. Just some final report findings, which deserve to be mentioned:

"IS #13 had confidentially contacted her leaders seeking help about a situation with a female staff member who was sexually harassing her. She was told that she wasn't following the biblical

process, Matthew 18, correctly. No action was ever taken by the ELT against the staff member.

IS #13 reached out to SLIKER, who reportedly told her to "Pull your big girl panties up; you

signed up for this."

Multiple victims reported that after the Matthew 18 meetings, they were required to attend

IHOP's Living Waters Program, which was run by Tracey Bickle (BICKLE'S sister). This

program was intended to help individuals with sexual issues. However, the mandatory nature of

this program and its connection to the leadership raised concerns about its effectiveness and the

true intentions behind it. Many of the victims we interviewed felt that the program was another

way to control and silence them rather than providing genuine support and healing.

The investigation has revealed that victims were often forced to disclose their personal sexual

history or history of being sexually abused as a child. In many instances, these deeply personal

stories were then used in prophetic words spoken by leaders or were used publicly to humiliate

victims in front of other students and staff. The use of victims' personal histories in such a

manner is a gross violation of trust and further exemplifies the toxic environment fostered by the

leadership.

IW #130 stated that the phrase, "You did not speak against the Lord's anointed," was often used

to silence those who tried to report abuse, creating an environment where victims felt powerless

and unsupported. This systemic failure within the leadership has had a profound impact on the

victims and the overall integrity of the organization." - FIREFLY Report

Two more abuses of Matthew 18. An over emphasis on sexual histories and sins, designed by a serial sexual abuser, who surrounded himself with other sexual abusers he then defended. Mike Bickle was never the "Lord's anointed" and clearly these scriptural idiots do not even understand what that verse means. Look, Mike Bickle is obviously despicable but do not allow the powers within the Charismaniacal Industrial Complex try to pawn all of this off on him. He will get what is coming to him for the lives he has ruined. What we cannot allow to pass by now is the accountability for all of those involved. Mike Bickle was not the only perpetrator in this sad story. It was the leadership that smeared the advocate group, said the victims were lying tools of Satan, and then tried to cover this up. From LaGuardia, Greaves, Sliker and Volz to all of the people from the past forty years that allowed this to continue as the bodies piled up. Do not let them disrespect the victims further by pretending they had nothing to do with it or that somehow, they just did not know. Read this report in its entirety because I could not cover all of it. These are real people beloved. Kids. They went to IHOPKC because they thought it was a move of God and they were indoctrinated, manipulated, abused, raped, gaslit, and then tortured to relive it but never tell anyone. What has happened to their faith today? Who knows the eternal damage the IHOPKC leadership has done. I have said it throughout this debacle. There is nothing redeemable here. We now know that Bickle lied about the fake prophetic foundation of IHOPKC. The entire 24-7 prayer movement was Satanic from day one and needs to be burned to the ground with the rest of it. It needs to remain as a blight upon the church. A reminder of what happens when churches become unaccountable cults. Mike Bickle is the catalyst but he had forty plus years of help in destroying these lives and they to must go.

Reverend Anthony Wade - February 4, 2025

Authors Bio:
Credentialed Minister of the Gospel for the Assemblies of God. Owner and founder of 828 ministries. Vice President for Goodwill Industries. Always remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.