International House of Prayer to Close University, Reorganize Amid Abuse Allegations
- Michael Foust CrosswalkHeadlines Contributor
- Published Apr 17, 2024
The International House of Prayer-Kansas City said in a statement Tuesday it will shut down its university and reorganize as a ministry following allegations of sexual abuse against founder Mike Bickle that led to a parting of ways.
IHOPKC, a ministry with a church and a 24/7 prayer room, told KCTV in Kansas City that it will close its university after the current semester but that the ministry itself is not closing.
“Over the course of these last months, our leadership team has tirelessly endeavored to review and analyze the entire IHOPKC organizational structure and the many missions we have undertaken over our 24 years of existence,” a statement from the ministry said. “That review and reflection have led to internal decisions to begin a transition and reorganization process, which will allow us to focus on our main mission yet deal with the realities of finance.”
Founded in 1999, IHOPKC is perhaps best known for its 24/7 prayer room that is live-streamed. It parted ways with Bickle in December after an investigation concluded he “likely” was guilty of sexual misconduct.
The ministry said in a February statement: “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. … Many in our community have been pained by our communications regarding these allegations. We are sorry we fell short in this area and left you feeling unseen, unheard, and unappreciated. We thank you for your patience and perseverance in spite of our shortcomings. As a leadership team, we are committed to do better.”
One of the survivors told KCTV that the reorganization is welcome news.
“I was happy because it’s one step closer to justice and one step closer to them not having access to hurt any more women or men, but I was also sad because it didn’t need to happen like this,” Gracia, who didn’t want her last name released, told KCTV.
The Prayer room will stay open.
Photo Credit: ©Facebook/Mike Bickle Official Page
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
