New Allegations against Mike Bickle: Accused of Abusing a 14-Year-Old Before IHOPKC’s Founding

[essentialsaltes]

In the wake of additional allegations against its founder Mike Bickle, the International House of Prayer Kansas City (IHOPKC) cut off the livestream feed for the 24-7 prayer room that has defined its movement.

On Thursday night, the display read, “IHOPKC is entering a season of prayer and repentance.” The day before, the Kansas City Star ran a story on a woman who said Bickle abused her as a 14-year-old in the ’80s, when she was his family’s babysitter and he was a pastor in St. Louis.

IHOPKC released a statement condemning Bickle’s “predatory and abusive” actions, standing by his victims, and apologizing for its initial response of allowing him to defend himself when accusations surfaced last fall.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

I have just read a Charles Spurgeon sermon about God chastising those whom He loves. He says that when a believer sins, it is through the grace of God that their sins finds them out. There are unconverted rascals that their many sins are never exposed. But converted believers, whom God loves and to whom He extends His grace, eventually exposes their sins even after being hidden for years, so that these believers are brought to repentance.

I believe that this is the case with Mike Bickle. Because God's treasure is in earthen vessels, and he, like all the rest of us, struggle between the flesh and the Spirit, even though he has successfully hidden his sin concerning young women for decades, the Holy Spirit has brought it all to the surface, and it has been the Holy Spirit who has done this through the grace of God towards Bickle in order to chastise him to bring him to repentance and therefore set him in the right path, to further enhance his gifting in the Lord.

This has happened to quite a number of prominent preachers who have been publicly disgraced because of their defeat in their battles with the flesh. Chastisement is not pleasant, especially the public shame and loss of ministry, but the soul is saved and upon repentance fellowship with God is restored, even though the ministry might not be. But there are many gifts and functions within the body of Christ that are not out in the public arena, which are just important for the welfare of the church, and a disgraced pastor or evangelist can enter into those roles and continue their usefulness.

So, we need to view Mike Bickle as not a heretic and immoral person who should be on the road to hell, but as a genuine believer being chastised by the Lord, in order restore him to true fellowship with Christ. If he humbles himself under the mighty hand of God, accepts the chastisement, and is prepared to be led of the Holy Spirit into new areas of non public ministry, then he will receive mercy and grace from God and will continue to be a fruitful asset to the body of Christ.

Remember, he is not a racehorse with a broken leg. He should not be shot, but rehabilitated. It is sad that the church often shoots its wounded, while God seeks to bring healing and restoration to them.

 

[essentialsaltes]

I believe that this is the case with Mike Bickle. Because God's treasure is in earthen vessels, and he, like all the rest of us, struggle between the flesh and the Spirit, even though he has successfully hidden his sin concerning young women for decades, the Holy Spirit has brought it all to the surface, and it has been the Holy Spirit who has done this through the grace of God towards Bickle in order to chastise him to bring him to repentance and therefore set him in the right path, to further enhance his gifting in the Lord.

That's a really interesting response.

Do you think the Holy Spirit particularly chooses to expose religious leaders who have failed in this way?

Or maybe another way to ask, do you think religious leaders are 'just as likely' to have inappropriate sexual contact with minors as anybody else? But we see it in the news 'a lot' because the Holy Spirit is working to expose them?

--

I guess I see it more that certain roles and occupations lend themselves to being abused in this way. Obviously, within a religious tradition, religious authorities have... well, authority. And we've certainly seen the layers of secrecy that some organizations have used to hide transgressions that they knew about.

Of course, pastors are not unique in having opportunity and authority over minors.

So there are religious cases:

Protestant Church in Germany faces sexual abuse allegations​

Two missing girls found hidden in barrels at doomsday cult compound​

Church youth group leader said he ‘gave in to temptation’ when he sexually abused young girl: Police​

Former Norwalk youth minister pleads guilty to paying teen for sex in Shelton​

But others are not religious, but still have elements of opportunity and authority:

Westchester student sues L.A. Unified, alleges sexual abuse by assistant basketball coach​

Former Soccer Coach, Sheriff’s Deputy Who Allegedly Raped Young Girl Faces Hearing Today​

Missouri teacher accused of sexually assaulting a student arrested in Garden Ridge​

Teens testify that ex-PA political candidate hosted drunken party, punched one in face, sat in one's lap

American Airlines flight attendant faces child **** charge after allegedly filming minors in airplane bathrooms, DOJ says​

And of course, there are some cases that don't seem to fit the M.O. Not every pervert has a position of authority and opportunity.

Missing 16-year-old girl from Ohio located in Florida with help from video game​

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

That's a really interesting response.

Do you think the Holy Spirit particularly chooses to expose religious leaders who have failed in this way?

Or maybe another way to ask, do you think religious leaders are 'just as likely' to have inappropriate sexual contact with minors as anybody else? But we see it in the news 'a lot' because the Holy Spirit is working to expose them?

--

I guess I see it more that certain roles and occupations lend themselves to being abused in this way. Obviously, within a religious tradition, religious authorities have... well, authority. And we've certainly seen the layers of secrecy that some organizations have used to hide transgressions that they knew about.

Of course, pastors are not unique in having opportunity and authority over minors.

So there are religious cases:

Protestant Church in Germany faces sexual abuse allegations​

Two missing girls found hidden in barrels at doomsday cult compound​

Church youth group leader said he ‘gave in to temptation’ when he sexually abused young girl: Police​

Former Norwalk youth minister pleads guilty to paying teen for sex in Shelton​

But others are not religious, but still have elements of opportunity and authority:

Westchester student sues L.A. Unified, alleges sexual abuse by assistant basketball coach​

Former Soccer Coach, Sheriff’s Deputy Who Allegedly Raped Young Girl Faces Hearing Today​

Missouri teacher accused of sexually assaulting a student arrested in Garden Ridge​

Teens testify that ex-PA political candidate hosted drunken party, punched one in face, sat in one's lap

American Airlines flight attendant faces child **** charge after allegedly filming minors in airplane bathrooms, DOJ says​

And of course, there are some cases that don't seem to fit the M.O. Not every pervert has a position of authority and opportunity.

Missing 16-year-old girl from Ohio located in Florida with help from video game​

The point is that exposure of sin in believers is through God's grace to chastise them, so that even though the believer may suffer and lose everything, his soul will be saved. Often unbelievers will get away with their sins, and this may wonder why God is letting that happen when the victims are suffering. This is because God gives them enough rope to hang themselves at the Judgment.

This is the difference. Unbelievers will be judged.
Believers will be chastised in this life but not judged in the next.

Chastisement is not pretty or pleasant. Mike Bickle will lose his ministry, reputation, livelihood, marriage, and possibly millions in litigation. God's grace says that it is better to lose the whole world and to preserve his soul. He may end up being saved as of by fire, but at least he will be saved.

But unbelievers getting away with sin in this life shows that God's grace is not extended to them, unless they realise what they are doing and repent, putting their trust in Christ as Saviour. As a result, God's grace will be extended to them through chastisement and they may suffer some horrible consequences for their sin, but they will be saved.

 

[essentialsaltes]

American Airlines flight attendant faces child **** charge after allegedly filming minors in airplane bathrooms, DOJ says​

American Airlines takes (briefly) an unusual tactic in its court filings.

American Airlines claims 9-year-old 'should have known' she was being recorded in airplane bathroom​

On Wednesday, a spokesperson for the airline responded to the public outcry over the controversial document.

"Our outside legal counsel retained with our insurance company made an error in this filing," the statement said. "The included defense is not representative of our airline and we have directed it be amended this morning. We do not believe this child is at fault and we take the allegations involving a former team member very seriously. Our core mission is to care for people — and the foundation of that is the safety and security of our customers and team."

 

[iluvatar5150]

American Airlines takes (briefly) an unusual tactic in its court filings.

American Airlines claims 9-year-old 'should have known' she was being recorded in airplane bathroom​

On Wednesday, a spokesperson for the airline responded to the public outcry over the controversial document.

"Our outside legal counsel retained with our insurance company made an error in this filing," the statement said. "The included defense is not representative of our airline and we have directed it be amended this morning. We do not believe this child is at fault and we take the allegations involving a former team member very seriously. Our core mission is to care for people — and the foundation of that is the safety and security of our customers and team."

wrong thread?

 

[essentialsaltes]

wrong thread?

I admit it doesn't match the OP, but does connect to post #3.

 

[Chesterton]

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