KANSAS CITY (MO)
The Roys Report [Chicago IL]
February 1, 2024
By Julie Roys
Mike Bickle, founder of the International House of Prayer-Kansas City (IHOPKC), had “sexual contact” with a second, previously unreported Jane Doe victim, according to a report from IHOPKC’s highly-debated third-party investigation released last night. Bickle also “more likely than not” abused his power, the report stated.
The seven-page report by Rosalee McNamara of the Lathrop Group also confirmed that Bickle engaged in “inappropriate behavior” with a “primary ‘Jane Doe’” whose story was reported exclusively by The Roys Report (TRR) in November.
“Based on all the credible evidence, including his own acknowledgements of contact with the two Jane Does over twenty years ago, it is more likely than not that MB engaged in inappropriate behavior including sexual contact and clergy misconduct, in an abuse of power for a person in a position of trust and leadership,” McNamara’s report stated.
McNamara’s report was based on documents and interviews with some IHOPKC senior leaders, staff, and community members, as well a four alleged Jane Does who are denying abuse by Bickle.
However, the primary Jane Doe, her attorney, and an “advocate group” (AG), comprised of former IHOPKC top leaders who have become whistleblowers, refused to participate in McNamara’s investigation because they doubted its independence.
In a video posted last night, IHOPKC Spokesman Eric Volz said that IHOPKC had “opened up a line of communication” with the AG and are considering forming a commission of respected leaders to “evaluate the matter.” The idea of a commission was first floated publicly last week by charismatic Christian leader Dr. Michael Brown, who claimed a “new direction” to resolve the Bickle scandal was needed.
“The talks are preliminary, but things look promising,” Volz said.
Bickle founded IHOPKC in 1999. But the 24/7 prayer ministry permanently separated from Bickle several weeks ago due to his “level of inappropriate behavior.”
According to the report, Bickle declined to be interviewed by McNamara but responded to McNamara’s questions in writing.
Referring to the second Jane Doe, McNamara wrote that Bickle (“MB”) “admitted to inappropriate contact on three occasions with an individual connected with IHOP around 2002 to 2003. He described the contact as ‘consensual sexual contact that involved her touching me but not me touching her.’”
McNamara added that Bickle claimed he and Doe agreed the behavior “was wrong and the conduct stopped.” The report said Bickle’s account and Doe’s account, which McNamara found “credible,” were “very similar.”
Regarding the “primary ‘Jane Doe,’”McNamara wrote the “evidence is clear” that Bickle publicly admitted that he “sinned by engaging in inappropriate behavior” with Doe more than 20 years ago.
Bickle reportedly wrote to McNamara that “over 25 years ago, prior to the [May 7, 1999] formation of IHOP, I recall five occasions where I engaged in inappropriate behavior with [her] (which includes two occasions when we kissed). We both repented and agreed that those actions were wrong. Our friendship has been entirely appropriate for decades . . .”
Bickle’s account conflicts with what the primary Jane Doe told TRR. She said her sexual interactions with Bickle over a three-year period included everything but intercourse. She also recounted a time in 1997 when she met Bickle for dinner in Paris, then blacked out and woke up “very disoriented” the next morning in her hotel room.
Four alleged Jane Does deny abuse
McNamara’s report also included denials from four alleged Jane Does that Bickle had ever abused them.
As reported previously by TRR, some women, claiming to represent the views of at least five women falsely named as Jane Does, released a “Protest Statement” last week. In it, the women accused a so-called “advocate group” (AG) of falsely identifying them as Bickle’s victims and then abusing them when they didn’t submit to the AG’s narrative.
The AG, former top IHOPKC leaders advocating for alleged victims of Bickle, deny they ever abused any alleged victims. They admit, however, that one of the women denying abuse was identified by initials in a 50-page-document given confidentially to former IHOPKC Executive Director Stuart Greaves. One AG member also said he shared a couple names of possible victims in a confidential discussion with Greaves, which he now regrets.
McNamara said she spoke with four of the five alleged victims denying abuse. She said she was unable to interview one of the five alleged victims because she reportedly did “not want to be named in any manner.”
According to McNamara’s report, the alleged victims who spoke with her “were not happy about hearsay and rumors suggesting that they were victims or in any way subject to abuse or inappropriate treatment . . . by MB or others connected with IHOP.”
The report added, “Each emphatically and persuasively denied that any inappropriate conduct, attempts at inappropriate conduct, or any relationship or conduct other than an appropriate, professional relationship and conduct occurred.”
McNamara said she had “not seen evidence inconsistent with their accounts” and found the women “very credible, assertive, and cooperative in the interview.”
According to McNamara’s report, one of the women reported that “a story was circulated about someone allegedly seeing MB (Bickle) drive his car into her garage.” The woman reportedly told McNamara that she had borrowed Bickle’s car on a few occasions, “including overnight when he did not need it.”
McNamara said she confirmed with other witnesses that Bickle frequently lent his car to people.
McNamara also stated that another alleged victim claimed that her ex-husband and an AG member had called her father, “claiming that his daughter was delusional and didn’t comprehend what happened between her and (Bickle).” McNamara said the father asked the ex-husband and AG member to exclude his daughter from “the situation because he knew both his own daughter and (Bickle) well, and he knew what his ex-son-in-law’s motive was.”
Glaring omissions, accusations, and “apology”
When IHOPKC announced it had hired McNamara in December, the primary Jane Doe, her attorney Basyle “Boz” Tchividjian, and the AG said they would not participate. Tchividjian and the AG noted that McNamara’s firm boasted about its successes defending church groups against sex abuse allegations on its website.
“Why would reported victims of sexual abuse and misconduct sit down with an attorney from a law firm who represents churches and then brags about their successes?” Tchividjian said at the time.
IHOPKC Spokesman Volz has consistently promised that the investigation would be independent.
And in her report, McNamara stated, “My investigation was unfettered. I was requested and encouraged to find the truth about the allegations. No entity or individual has attempted to limit or sway the investigation, its outcome, or this Report in any way.”
For the past several weeks, IHOPKC and the AG have participated in private talks about involving an agreed-upon investigator to work with McNamara.
However, those talks reportedly led to an impasse last week and prompted the AG to publish a series of videos, revealing the group’s failed attempts to work with IHOPKC to hold Bickle accountable.
Those videos then prompted acting IHOPKC Executive Director General Fuller to publish a defiant address in which he accused the AG of lying and announced his intentions of moving ahead with McNamara.
Volz later clarified the lying accusation on X, stating that Fuller had asked three members of the AG whether the group was producing a documentary and they said no.
AG member Jono Hall responded on X that Fuller had asked if Hall was “editing a documentary” on IHOPKC and Hall said no. Hall said he didn’t tell Fuller about the videotaped interviews because he didn’t consider them a documentary.
In an email to IHOPKC members this week, Fuller wrote, “I regret that I said publicly that I was lied to. No one knows which members of the Advocate Group I was referencing, and I intentionally didn’t mention any names, but it is clear to me now that I should have found another way to say it. I apologized to those who felt those words were direct at them—and my apology is genuine.”
Fuller also wrote that IHOPKC needs to “undergo a major organization and cultural reset to become the ministry the Lord intends us to be.” Fuller stated that IHOPKC is completely updating its HR policies and plans to teach everyone on its mission base how to report misconduct. It also is instituting new training for leaders, reorganizing its leadership structure, and improving its security, Fuller said.
Similarly, Volz took a more conciliatory approach in his video last night, saying that “the primary stakeholders in this crisis are all godly and righteous men and women lovers of Jesus. So, it’s time for disarmament—for all sides to come together in humility and love.
Volz also announced today that his “time providing crisis management services to IHOPKC has come to a close.”
“Absolute Trash”
Response to McNamara’s report and IHOPKC’s statements has been scathing by some in the charismatic Christian community.
Well-known author and teacher Joel Richardson called the report “absolute trash.”
“Based on numerous conversations I have had with very credible witnesses, the report addresses maybe 5% of the things Mike Bickle is (allegedly) guilty of.”
Similarly, a former missionary, Kyle D. Christensen, commented, “It’s truely (sic) amazing how you guys come out swinging and accusing the AG of lying . . . and then a few days later submit this plea for us all to move forward and pursue unity and forgiveness toward each other. Still haven’t heard apology 4 saying AG lied.”
One commenter Nate Hagerty, said after hearing Volz’s video, “This is a start. Not nearly enough, but it is definitely a different tone and direction.”
Hagerty later posted, “Now having looked at the report, I am much less encouraged. Junior grade stuff that indicates very little investigative curiosity. Yikes.”
Rebecca Hopkins contributed to this report.