If you are one of Come Aside’s paid subscribers, you likely read my November article where I shared some thoughts about the situation at IHOP. Particularly, I reflected on what I consider to be the unhealthy, even idolatrous way we have viewed apostles and the impossible expectations we have put on them.
I continue to be deeply burdened for IHOP, especially now with additional, horrific allegations published in the local Kansas City paper indicating that Mike Bickle has had a decades-long history of hidden immorality. Likely, those who are praying for the situation are most focused on praying for the “survivors” (the term we now use for those who have suffered abuse), while others will be praying for Bickle and his family— both are important. The cross is for both the most retched sinner and the broken.
Yet neither of these are my primary burden.
For me, it’s the unseen ones. Those who with deep devotion and love for Christ have earnestly, sacrificially, served, or are continuing to serve this ministry. These ones who believed the prophetic vision that God was calling for continuous prayer in this hour, (regardless of the cost) so that He could move in unique ways in our generation. They were told of the vision of global revival, stadiums filled, Israel turning to Christ, and the imminent return of Jesus, all warranted uncommon sacrifice and required a fire that could not be allowed to go out. This glorious vision was undergirded with a series of prophetic words and experiences that created a narrative, giving IHOP great, almost unquestionable, authority. I’m praying for these unseen ones who have been left reeling as this narrative unravels.
WHEN THINGS UNRAVEL
What happens if you pour your life out— perhaps for years, certain that this was the pinnacle of the prayer movement, and no price was too high to pay for Jesus— then it becomes clear that “the prayer movement” was not all that you were led to believe? What do you do when you don’t feel you can trust those who have led you, you’re not sure of their motives, and you have nowhere to go with your pain, or questions, or anger?
Twenty-thousand, mostly young adults, have served on staff at IHOP over its 24-year history. Countless thousands more, throughout the nations, have been deeply influenced by IHOP and looked to Bickle as the unshakable, holy, apostle of prayer that they could count on for stability and integrity even if their lives were being rocked in other ways.
These are the ones I’m praying for. The mostly unseen, collateral damage.
And my prayer is simple, I’m asking the Father to establish each of them in a healthy, accountable, local church where they are seen and loved, and draw them into a fresh encounter with the gospel. The gospel that is more than a salvation message, but which sets us free from all our religious striving to fully trust in Christ’s sufficiency as everything we need— including our High Priest. Trusting that He alone is the Great Intercessor who alone is able to unceasingly tend the fire on heaven’s altar. He has done it, and He is doing it; we receive, by faith, all the benefits of His ministry, and rest in that goodness.
We are invited to join Him but we must never cross the line to depend on the merit of our works rather than His, we must never try to outdo Him or replace His role.
JESUS OUR REDEEMER
It’s also the gospel that shows us the path of hope and redemption. Not just our past redemption, but our current need for Christ to encounter us in our brokenness, and take all the raw material of our messes and the messes we have stumbled into, reshaping them into an even better outcome. The application of the gospel in any situation ends up always being gloriously good news. He’s able to ensure that all things work together for those who are in Him. He is forever our Redeemer.
So I’m praying for these ones. Would you join me?
I’m sure many are struggling with disillusionment, but disillusionment with all of its pain, confusion, and anger is not awkward for Jesus. He’s met people in this place over and over again and has no trouble tending to our broken hearts, helping us to understand, to see Him, and bring us back to life again. Remember, He is the Resurrection. Years of cynicism and wandering in the wilderness don’t have to be the only option, but rather for many in the IHOP prayer movement, while the current situation looks like a disaster, it may be, their Emmaus Road moment.
Let’s take a look at Luke 24, the story of Emmaus Road.
AN EMMAUS ROAD MOMENT
“But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel…”
The disciples who were on the road to Emmaus were a part of the faithful company that had fully put their hope in Jesus. They had no backup, “plan B”. They were utterly convinced He was the Messiah, and for them, that meant— any day now— Jesus would shift gears into becoming that political and military Messiah which they were expecting... wouldn’t he? They had gotten in on the ground floor and were a part of the history-maker team that would deliver Israel! Heady days!
But then the cross— Jesus’ death in weakness and humiliation—the antithesis of their expectations, left them with the pain of crushing disappointment and despair. Did they even know how to hear God? Could they trust their own discernment? How could they have been so incredibly wrong? Did they waste the years they spent following Him?
Now to be clear, I am in no way suggesting Mike Bickle or IHOP are a parallel of Christ and are just misunderstood. Certainly not. But what I am saying is that like our friends on the road to Emmaus, those who felt they were called to serve IHOP likely had bought into some foundational assumptions that were not biblical. It is those assumptions and teachings, like the disciple’s expectation of a political Messiah, that have set them up for disillusionment. Illusions lead to disillusions when the bubble pops.
Perhaps a deeper look at the foundational teachings and assumptions that IHOP has been built on is a conversation worth having, but now doesn’t seem like the right time to do that theological audit, not when so many people are so devastated. Yet a few thoughts might help clear the fog if you are one of those who have been sideswiped by these recent events and are trying to sort out what you believe in order to regain your footing.
Here are a few of the assumptions, either taught or implied, that we should question:
The House of Prayer movement is the central furnace of the that fuels and leads prayer in the global Church. It is the forerunning ministry.
Continuous worship, interspersed with some intercession is what it means to “keep the fire on the altar burning” and to stop this marathon would be disobeying the mandate of God. It would mean losing IHOP’s great achievement and source of authority.
God is establishing houses of prayer, using a harp and bowl format, all over the earth as the necessary precursor for global harvest.
It’s primarily young adults that are God’s chosen instrument for this calling, the younger generation has a unique anointing for devotion and intercession.
There is one path to deep intimacy with Christ, which is scripture-based prayer and worship, with fasting.
If you are puzzled by what I have listed here, feel free to fire me an email and if you like, we can chat further. For everyone else, let’s stay on this idea of praying for those who have been disillusioned by recent revelations and how Luke 24 can help us.
Let’s notice how Jesus restored the disillusioned disciples in this passage and use it as a guide for our prayers.
JESUS IS PRESENT
We notice that Jesus comes alongside of those walking away from their place of pain— even if He’s not recognized (v15). He sees us, knows where we are, what we’ve experienced, and all that we are struggling with.
Pray for this, ask the Lord to tangibly draw near each one who is in this place of pain.
ISOLATION WON’T HELP US
We aren’t meant to walk alone.
Pray that no one will withdraw into isolation, but that God will set each person in healthy community, and surround them with friends and family, those that they can safely process with.
THE WORD IS A LIGHT IN TIMES OF DARKNESS
Jesus used the scriptures to lead them out of wrong assumptions and expectations. He revealed Himself and the plan of God in the scriptures. They were humble enough to let go of what they had previously clung to (v 27, 32) along with all the possibilities it held for their personal greatness.
Pray for the Lord to open the scriptures and reveal the gospel to each person. Pray that the word of God restores hope, brings correction where that’s needed, and reignites hearts with authentic, holy fire not the artificially produced hype of emotion or performance.
THE TABLE FEEDS OUR SPIRITS
Jesus uses the Table to open our eyes and does spiritual heart-work in us as we feast with Him. All we bring to the Table is our faith and our hunger. He hosts us and feeds us. This holy meal becomes a place of healing and renewal from the inside out (v35).
Again, pray for those who have been impacted and disillusioned by these recent revelations at IHOP. Pray for each one to come to the Table and keep coming — with hearts and hands open to receive new life from Christ. The Church has always seen the Table as a place to receive spiritual strength and nourishment. Feeding on heavenly bread is a necessary part of being restored (consider how God fed Elijah in his place of depression and anxiety. - 1 Ki 19:4-7).
CALLINGS FROM GOD ARE NOT LOST
Once restored, the Emmaus road disciples changed direction and returned to the city. There are legitimate callings that people thought would be walked out in the IHOP prayer movement, but God will instead, lead people to walk them out in the local church, the local expression of the City of God.
Pray for each person impacted by IHOP to be led to a dynamic local church that deeply embraces the gospel, not just the spiritual discipline of prayer. Pray for that difficult transition from believing that the prayer movement is more spiritual than the local church, to being able to humbly come under and be discipled. Pray that in this context the trauma and wounding that many have experienced would be tenderly and tenaciously ministered to, that these ones may find their callings unfold where they are planted.
THE CHURCH IS THE HOUSE OF PRAYER
Seven years ago, in 2017, the Lord spoke to me and said that “The House of Prayer movement had peaked”. In no way did that imply that He was shutting down prayer, but rather that He was repositioning it and was well able to cause prayer to increase in the lives of His people in addition to all their corporate gatherings, especially the local church. His house is His Church- not a separate para-church ministry that believes it is not the Bride, but rather an elite, “friend of the Bridegroom”.
And His Church IS a House of Prayer, not “becoming a house of prayer” or “should be a house of prayer”, it is. Whether that is seen evidenced in big prayer events, or unseen in the hiddenness of hearts and prayer closets all over the globe.
It is so because Christ Himself has made it so.
Great wisdom here. Thanks Sara.
Lots to ponder here. Thank you for this thoughtful, prayerful and gracious invitation to consider these recent troubling events in the light of Christ's lordship and the role of the local church. I greatly appreciate all that you've highlighted in this article.