An independent report released this week said Mike Bickle, founder of the International House of Prayer Kansas City, confessed to engaging in “consensual sexual contact” with a woman in addition to a previously confessed relationship with a primary Jane Doe. Independent investigator and attorney Rosalee McNamara concluded that based on interviews she conducted with “numerous individuals as they were available,” Bickle likely engaged in sexual misconduct.
Rosalee McNamara of Lathrop Group
“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,” she wrote. “As previously stated, after these allegations emerged, in December 2023 IHOPKC announced it was ‘immediately, formally and permanently’ separating from MB.”
Although McNamara did not interview Bickle for the report, she noted that he responded to questions through his attorney and in his response to her, he confessed to the “consensual sexual contact.”
Metro Voice has reported on the events since October.
Healing and Hope in Crisis: Our Response to the McNamara Report #ihopkc pic.twitter.com/b0NK9vmBnX
— Eric Volz (@EricVolz) January 31, 2024
The report can be accessed HERE.
“MB also admitted to inappropriate contact on three occasions with an individual connected with IHOP around 2002 to 2003,” she wrote. “He described the contact as ‘consensual sexual contact that involved her touching me but not me touching her.’ He said they both agreed it was wrong and the conduct stopped. MB’s account and the account of the individual are very similar, including that it occurred in 2002 to 2003, and I find the individual’s account credible.”
Serving as an IHOPKC spokesperson, Eric Volz, managing director of the crisis management organization David House Agency, said in a video Wednesday that the ministry formally separated from Bickle after learning of the allegations from the second woman with whom Bickle admitted to having sexual contact.
“To be clear, this Jane Doe came directly to IHOPKC leadership, and she was immediately referred to Ms. McNamara,” Volz said. “Regardless of today’s findings or any outside pressure, Gen. [Kurt] Fuller and the leadership here have been paying attention and are fully committed to making sure this never happens again. They are working tirelessly to implement organizational changes and improvements that have become evident during this crisis.”
In her report, McNamara said that no restrictions were placed on her during the investigation and that “no entity or individual has attempted to limit or sway the investigation, its outcome, or this report in any way.”
Many individuals who have been monitoring the scandal are disappointed in the report and the process to get there.
Joel Richardson, a well-known author and teacher called the investigative 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,” he said.
–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice