A response to the non-apology offered by Mike Bickle recently...

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But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, - Matthew 5:44 (ESV)

It seems the Charismatic kingmakers over at Charisma News got caught defending the indefensible when Mike Bickle admitted what they had been so desperately trying to defend him against and now it is time for CYA mode. Steven Strang said recently that he is not defending Mike Bickle amidst the accusations and now admissions of guilt on Bickle's part. Yes, you are Steven. Strang even went as far as to declare that Bickle was exonerated a few weeks back only to have Bickle confound that by confessing, sort of. Larry Tomczak also boldly said he stood with the man credibly accused of sexual and spiritual manipulation a few weeks back but after the Bickle confession he is now moonwalking away, while discussing "restoration" by offering up the examples of David and Moses. Except Mike Bickle is not David or Moses. He is Mike Bickle. He is the same false prophet he was before he was accused of prophetically manipulating a 19-year-old sheep into bed for a four-year sexual affair while he was a married 42-year-old minister. Bickle was also however a powerful force in the false teacher NAR church as leader of IHOP and the brand does not give up its own easy because he is a proven money maker. So Strang and his minions have set out to defame the former IHOP leaders who brought the accusations to light. They have also smeared the victims by proffering the notion that this was all about people not liking Mike and an ugly church split. Except it wasn't. They claimed to want accountability and an outside agency to investigate. Except they didn't. Instead, they lawyered up. Every one from Dr. Brown to the lowest Charisma News sycophants had their talking points. Bickle was just a poor old holiness preacher unfairly maligned by former leaders who secretly wanted all the IHOP power. The victims? Oh, they had all recanted, right? Wrong. Oh, and that one really credible story about the four-year manipulation? C'mon, that was 20 years ago! Doesn't Jesus have a statute of limitations on sin? No, He does not. A funny thing happened on the way to these defenses. Mike Bickle disagreed. Well, kinda. He had a lawyer draft a slimy response where he tried to admit something nebulous to avoid anything specific. Let us reason through this faux-apology as we are led to believe the true victim here, is Mike Bickle.

"To my Family and Friends, With a very heavy heart I want to express how deeply grieved I am that my past sins have led to so much pain, confusion, and division in the body of Christ in this hour. I sadly admit that 20+ years ago, I sinned by engaging in inappropriate behavior"my moral failures were real. (I am not admitting to the more intense sexual activities that some are suggesting). I hate my sin and I see it as serious and grievous before a holy God. I take all sin seriously, so on those occasions I quickly and sincerely repented in a way that resulted in receiving assurance from God followed by a daily resolve to live holy in all of my ways. God graciously helped me to respond in those times with a broken and contrite heart that was filled with godly sorrow. To this day, I remain sorrowful about those past failures." - Mike Bickle

So, let us start with the obvious. The pain, confusion and division may have originated from past sins but they themselves are not causing the current tumult. Mike Bickle is and his minions attacking the victims and playing word salad games with the truth. Also, as Boz Tchividjian said, what the heck is "inappropriate behavior?" in the first two lines we see Bickle describing his actions as sin, inappropriate behaviors, and moral failures. This is done intentionally to muddy the waters. Then to further the confusion he is causing; he tries to parse everything out. He sinned but not "the more intense sexual activities" some are suggesting? Which ones? What are you confessing to and what are you denying Mike? Note the admission of this being 20 years ago continues the pattern where they are trying to minimize the sin by reminding us it was so long ago. As if that matters. Not to mention that Bickle went on to build his empire at IHOP DURING this alleged four-year sexual manipulation. Note the absurd spiritual manipulation he then engages in. We are supposed to believe that Bickle repented back then and was personally assured by God Himself, that all was forgiven? What was this assurance? Or is this another prophetic manipulation where we just accept that God showed up in his room and said, "attaboy Mike, don't you worry none." Just consider the staggering arrogance here. He stands credibly accused of sexual and prophetic misconduct. The individual matter he is referring to is claimed by the victim to have lasted four years yet he says he repented "quickly." Then to dismiss any concern about why he buried this secret for the past few decades he just wants us to accept at face value that he was assured by Jesus that it was no biggee? Who are you claiming you responded to with a broken and contrite heart? Your family? Your wife? The victim? When David was filled with godly sorrow he still lost his kingdom, his child and had another kid rebel against him. Mike Bickle just moved on to become a millionaire with an international ministry based on the one thing he never seemed to personally have - holiness. It seems Mike is more sorrowful this came out at all.

"I am anguished that my past sins have caused great pain for my wife and family along with the IHOPKC family, and others. I am deeply sorry that my sin put the IHOPKC leadership and community in a very painful and difficult position. I asked my family for forgiveness. I now ask for forgiveness from the IHOPKC family and many in the body of Christ." - Mike Bickle

As most narcissistic cult of personality pastors this is all about Mike. Did you notice who was missing here in his apology tour? HIS VICTIMS! How about the great pain you caused multiple women over four decades? How about the woman whose innocence you stole at 19 when you were married? How about how you continued to manipulate her while starting IHOP? Please, save me the pious bemoaning. Which leadership are you sorry for? The current one that hired the best personal lawyers in KC to defend you or the former leaders you worked decades with that all your Charisma News buddies are defaming? Realize beloved that here we have the textbook confusion about forgiveness in the body of Christ. Mike Bickle needs to ask forgiveness from his victims and Christ. He can ask it of those he spiritually defrauded over the past forty years as well but that has nothing to do with getting his old job back. That is forfeited according the scripture. He also needs to ask forgiveness for decades of false teaching, making kids pray in his 24-7 sham so they could get college credit, eastern mysticism, covering up the Bethany Deaton murder, defending the IHOP minister who had admitted sexually abusing a teen at his former church and a myriad of other transgressions against the cause of Jesus Christ. He will not do that however because this is only about him getting past these allegations so he can get back into the NAR Industrial Complex. This is offered here because anyone who dares to stand against his "restoration" will be labeled as unforgiving when they have nothing to do with each other.

"Some may wonder why I am just now making a public statement 20+ years later? It is because I was recently confronted about things that I said or did 20+ years ago"things I believed were dealt with and under the blood of Jesus. Since this has now become public, I want to repent publicly. On October 28, 2023, I wrote the first draft of this statement but at that very same time, false allegations of sexual abuse were being circulated against me. I was given legal advice to wait to make my statement public for several important reasons"including creating the misunderstanding that I was confessing to the false allegations that were circulating. I am very sorry that it took so long for this personal statement to come out. This delay created additional pain, anguish, division, and more for so many people that I love. I am deeply sorry for this.

Since late October terrible things have been written against me in various communications (blogs, articles, posts, etc.) that describe me and various sinful things that I allegedly did. There are many misrepresentations of my words and actions in these communications including statements that are out of context, greatly exaggerated, or blatantly false." - Mike Bickle

Re-read the beginning of that paragraph again to fully digest the evil. So, the sin from 20 years ago was never discussed because he thought it was under the blood? Said who? The victim sure doesn't seem to feel that way. So now on record, Bickle admits that some nebulous sin of his, which is an alleged four year sexual and prophetic manipulation of a then 19-year-old, was buried and never brought to light because it was not somehow magically public to begin with? Is that the new biblical standard I am unaware of? He is admitting that he is only now addressing it publicly because the accusations were made public!! He again tries to muddy the waters and split the bill. Sure, I sinned and it was a moral failure but there were also allegations of false sexual abuse! Well, which is it? Again, remember that it sure appeared initially that several people were leaked as potential victims for the sole purpose of being able to publicly refute it so Bickle defenders could pretend the accusations were tenuous. Instead of simply doing the right thing biblically, Bickle had lawyered up himself early on and the advice given was to not make it seem like he was confessing? Shouldn't the issue be if he actually did it? If you honestly think a woman from your past stating that you used prophecy to sexually abuse her for four years is somehow in the wrong context then by all means provide the correct context! What has been greatly exaggerated Mike? What is blatantly false? Misty Edwards? That other woman with her Facebook post? We already know that. How about you stick to what you are clearly admitting!

"I ask that my family and friends do not defend me. I have confidence that the Lord will speak concerning what He sees and says about me in His timing. Please do not engage in debates on social media to defend me and please do not criticize those who are voicing their disdain for me. Please only speak blessing to them and about them (Matt. 5:44). In this way, we can minimize some of the divisiveness that the enemy has planned"and we can continue to stay focused on loving Jesus and one another. I am deeply committed to respond to those with complaints against me in the spirit of Psalm 18:35"both now and in the years to come. Some who are have spoken against me are friends (I will continue to view them as friends)." - Mike Bickle

Ahh the old high road approach. This nonsense gives his defenders the ability to continue the false victim narrative and how Mike has just stayed above the fray. The reality is he doesn't want the debate because that keeps the story alive and, in the headlines, and he wants it to go away as fast as possible. He also knows his position is untenable and cannot be properly defended. Just look at the tortured defenses from Strang, Tomczak and Dr. Brown so far. Realize that every time Mike Bickle stood behind the holy desk for the past forty years, he was a liar. He was just like Ravi Zacharias. He sinned, or had great moral failures or whatever verbiage you want and then went and preached on holiness. Dr. Michale Brown recently suggested that all of Mike's "great teaching" on holiness stands. No, it does not because it was a lie. The unmitigated gall and arrogance continues here though. The key verse today is Matthew 5:44, which clearly indicates that we are to pray for those who PERSECUTE us. So, according to the accused serial sexual abuser Mike Bickle, anyone who dares to question him is now persecuting him. Christians are persecuted every day in this world from beheadings in the Middle East to the underground church in China. THAT is persecution. Suggesting that when a 42-year-old preacher sexually and prophetically manipulates and 19-year-old sheep for four years and then buries it by claiming God told him it was ok, should no longer be allowed to minister, is not persecution Mike. The enemy is not the one behind folks demanding the truth. The enemy wants this mess covered up. The enemy wants the Bickle regime to continue because it has always done his work. By the way, he has decided to respond to complaints in the spirit of Psalm 18:35?

You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great. - Psalm 18:35 (ESV)

This entire Psalm is about how God delivered David from his enemies. Is that how Mike Bickle is viewing the fact that he abused women for decades? That despite it all, the gentleness of God has made Mike Bickle great? Seriously? This is an ego run amok without a shred of humility. I know it gets lost in the woe is me of this alleged apology but Mike Bickle is not the victim here. He is the predator.

"For an extended season, I will not engage in my public preaching ministry (conferences, social media, zooms, etc.)"I see this as God's "delayed" loving discipline on my life (Heb. 12:6, 11). I will look to other leaders to determine how long this season will last"it may be long and it may even be permanent. I will only reengage in my public preaching ministry, if God confirms it through others. I am at peace with whatever He wants (2 Sam. 15:25-26). Jesus, I love and trust You!" - Mike Bickle

Wow, and so we come to the penultimate purpose of this statement. Mike Bickle has not spent a single word here about his victim or victims. It has always been all about him. So, he thinks that being asked to step aside and just live a normal millionaire life for awhile is "discipline" for sexually abusing women over the years. Note the cleverness here of putting it on others if he returns. If "God" confirms he should return through others. Gee, I wonder who those others are? Allow me to translate for you. If Strang, Tomczak and Dr. Brown all feel that sufficient public flogging has occurred and Mike has "repented" while being so brave to tell others to not defend him and pray for those persecuting him, then he will return to public ministry? Aww he loves and trusts Jesus? Well not enough to have told the truth for the past few decades. Well, he doesn't love and trust Jesus enough to not go and lawyer up. He doesn't love and trust Jesus enough to tell his followers to stop smearing the former IHOP leaders. He doesn't love and trust Jesus enough to tell the current leadership to hire an independent firm to investigate this sordid debacle. He doesn't love and trust Jesus enough to utter a single, solitary word about his victims here. He does however love and trust "Jesus" to confirm he is allowed to go back to false teaching if enough of his friends say it's cool. Again, wow.

"I honor and love the IHOPKC community and will forever be grateful for them. They are a most remarkable people"they are truly marvelous comrades. I know the Lord is with them and that His favor and grace will continue to rest on them. Pray for me, Diane, and my beloved family. They have expressed their love and support for me in extravagant ways. With much sorrow yet with prayerful confidence in God's perfect leadership, Mike Bickle" - Mike Bickle

And a pious close now that he has asked for forgiveness, secured his path for coming back to work, and blamed it all on being persecuted. So, we are supposed to pray for Mike, his wife and his family, once again as if they are the victims. No prayers for the defamed former leaders. No prayers for the defamed victims. Please do not lose sight of the facts here amidst the flowery piety and cries of persecution. Mike Bickle has been accused by multiple women of sexually, prophetically, and spiritually manipulating them. The one case that everyone seems to focus on is about a woman who was only 19 at the time when the 42-year-old married Bickle used prophecy, in other words pretending to hear from God, to coerce the woman into bed and into a four-year relationship. Now, we have Bickle admitting to sin from decades ago, lining up with this accusation but he presents it is an oopsie. Just a little moral failing that Jesus assured him at the time he could sweep under the rug, I mean under the blood. He went on to bury the story and God only knows what damage he did to the victim or victims. He built a million-dollar international ministry upon the foundation of putrid ministerial disqualification. He had the nerve to preach holiness knowing he had defiled his own marriage vows, not once, but over many years. He admits that he never went public until his victims did. How brave. He lawyered up and had his current IHOP leadership do the same. His buddies all came out to defend him and now he has publicly called for those same compromised men to pave the way for him to return like Lazarus. Well, if Lazarus was a multiple time sexual abuser who lies about what God says to convince young women to commit adultery with him. We are just at the tip of this iceberg beloved and Mike Bickle is trying desperately to make it all go away. You're not the victim Mike. Save your false piety and I would advise you to keep that lawyer who drafted this faux apology as it sure seems like you are going to need him.

Reverend Anthony Wade - December 18, 2023

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.