Pastoral team suggests biblical path for Mike Bickle to return to ministry

A pastoral team commissioned by the Messianic Jewish umbrella organization Tikkun International has suggested there might be a biblical path for International House of Prayer Kansas City founder Mike Bickle to return to ministry. This comes after recent findings that he used predatory tactics and spiritual manipulation to sexually abuse at least 17 females, including minors.

The suggestion was published just over a month after Tikkun International released the results of an independent investigation of Bickle and IHOPKC by sexual abuse investigation firm Firefly that provided a comprehensive assessment of Bickle’s predation, IHOPKC and the allegations of victims of the former leader.

In the new report commissioned by Tikkun International and published earlier this month, the pastoral team, identified as the “Pastoral Recommendation Team” (PRT), cited Galatians 6:1 as support for how Bickle could be restored if he is willing to submit their recommendations.

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Using Galatians 6:1 as a guide, ‘Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted (NKJV).’ The PRT worked from an assumption that God wants to restore Christian brothers and sisters. The primary goal was to facilitate and enable every person involved, both perpetrators and victims, to be all the persons God intended them to be.

While this restoration may not include a restoration back into the same position, at the same location or among the same people harmed by their sin, we believe it certainly does include a restoration back to healthy spiritual fellowship within the Body of Christ elsewhere.

The PRT, which was convened by Dan Juster of Tikkun Ministries, includes Jerry Dirmann, a leader in The Foursquare Church denomination who pastors The Rock multi-site church and runs the Solid Lives Network, along with the Jesus Disciple system.

Other PRT members are: Mark and Nicki Pfeifer, co-conveners of International Coalition of Apostolic Leaders; Steve Prokopchak, a senior member of DOVE International Network and Apostolic Team who also serves as a marriage and family counselor and provides oversight for a network of ministries; and Rich Nichol, Rabbi Emeritus of Ruach Yisrael in the Boston area.

A number of mental health experts were also involved in making the recommendations for restoration. They include: Monica Mouer, a licensed clinical mental health counselor supervisor who is trained to address sex addiction, developmental trauma, dissociative disorders, and complex trauma including sexual abuse; Wanda K. Morgan, a retired licensed clinical psychologist with over 30 years of experience; and Kim Vastine, a chaplain and minister, who is also a biblical counselor for inner healing of sexual, spiritual, and emotional trauma and abuse.

The PRT suggested that in order to facilitate Bickle’s restoration, the ministry would have to create an Independent Counsel of Presbyters consisting of about five to 10 seasoned pastoral figures and clinical therapists “who are not presently engaged in any capacity at IHOPKC.”

The expert team agreed that “According to I Corinthians 5:1-5, Mike Bickle should be removed from ministry of any kind until a process of repentance, counseling, healing, and restoration has taken place. He also should be barred for his lifetime from ever holding a paid, professional, public ministry again.”

If he is restored, however, Bickle could return to “informal ministry.”

“Should he desire to return to informal ministry, there must be a full release in writing from the ICP with the approval of any therapists with whom he has received counsel. These recommendations should be implemented and overseen by the ICP and reported in writing to the IHOPKC Board of Directors and made available to the IHOPKC congregation and the public,” the PRT suggested.

As part of his restoration process, the PRT recommended that Bickle publicly take responsibility in writing “for his years of inappropriate sexual misconduct, sexual abuse, manipulation, participation in minimizing and covering up his actions and the actions of other staff.”

They also recommended that he make a public apology in writing “the victims, their families, witnesses, and the body of Christ for his abusive behavior.”

It was further recommended that Bickle “submit to the recommendations for discipline, professional counseling for himself and his marriage and restoration process set forth by the ICP,” including a clinical/psychological evaluation and “long-term professional counseling with qualified professionals and accountability.”

“This committee realizes these recommendations are completely subject to Mike Bickle’s willingness to submit to them and are not the responsibility of the present IHOPKC Board of Directors to complete,” the PRT added. “If he chooses not to comply, this information should be made public.”

The independent investigation of Bickle and IHOPKC published last month, paints the embattled founder of the 24-hour prayer ministry as a predator who used his influence, gifts, money, and position as a spiritual leader to bend young and vulnerable women to his will.

“Throughout the investigation, we have identified and interviewed seventeen (17) Survivors who were either sexually abused or experienced sexually abusive misconduct, including sexual abuse, rape, clergy abuse, and spiritual abuse, perpetrated by Bickle beginning to our knowledge in the mid-1970s,” investigators wrote.

“These acts of abuse have had profound and lasting impacts on the lives of the victims, causing significant emotional, psychological, and spiritual harm. The survivors have shown immense courage in coming forward to share their experiences despite the fear and trauma associated with these events.”

Among Bickle’s survivors is Deborah Perkins, the first woman to go public with her account of alleged abuse. She told investigators that Bickle made her read Scripture after their sexual encounters.

“Bickle’s actions in having Deborah Perkins pray Psalm 51 … after sexual encounters was another layer of his manipulation,” investigators noted. “By invoking a prayer of repentance, he further distorted her understanding of the situation, making her feel complicit in the abuse.”