IHOP - The Perils of Passion

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

How IHOP is misleading a generation of young people with false prophecy and false teaching and promoting an elitist
spirit within the body of Christ.

In our last two posts we have looked at some personal experiences regarding IHOP. In this installment, we will look at
the foundations of IHOP and where that has led to today.

Scott Pursley is the Senior Pastor at Lamb of God Fellowship in Livingston, NJ. He is a teacher who is well grounded
in the Word. This article was originally presented in sermon form (mp3) last September. I'd like to thank Pastor Scott
for reformatting his notes for publication at BeyondGrace.

The International House of Prayer, located in Kansas City Missouri is principally the vision of one man, its
founder and chief doctrinal spokesman, Mike Bickle. Therefore a critique of IHOP is in the final analysis a
critique of Mike Bickles teaching ministry. However, because of the unusual beginnings of Mr. Bickles
ministry and rise to national prominence it is also necessary to focus on the teaching/preaching ministries
of two alleged prophets, Paul Cain and Bob Jones. Their ministries are parallel developments and
significantly influence and shape Mr. Bickles perception of IHOPs divinely authorized origins.

The multi-million dollar ministry that is IHOP has it roots in the modest beginnings of the Kansas City
Fellowship of the early 1980s. According to Mr. Bickle, IHOP is a direct fulfillment of prophecies delivered
to him by Bob Jones and Paul Cain. Repeatedly Mr. Bickle has declared that no one has been more
integral to establishing the prophetic in his ministry than Bob Jones. Part of the mythology of Mr. Jones
legendary status as a prophet are numerous false prophecies, now largely forgotten. These include
claims of California being destroyed, nuclear weapons being detonated on the East and West Coast, and
an oft repeated story of a drought confirming special divine authorization on Mr. Bickles ministry.

From the very early days of Mr. Bickles ministry he adapted his own version of the so called Latter Rain
teaching of the late 1940s made popular principally through the writing of George Warnocks Feast of
Tabernacles (As well as a hand full of other, now obscure Pentecostal heretics). This parallel has been
pointed out to Mr. Bickle on numerous occasions necessitating a public denial of IHOPs dependance on
Latter Rain teaching. However, no actual substantive explanation has ensued from Mr. Bickle regarding
this allegation. The false teacher and Latter Rain proponent William Branham was very influential in the
theological formation of the disgraced prophet Paul Cain. Paul Cain in turn influenced greatly both Bob
Jones (who frequently referred to Mr. Cain as the greatest prophet of God on the earth) and Mike Bickle
who often appeared with Mr. Cain in large venues around the U.S.

The late 1980s saw the public challenge of Mr. Bickles ministry by another local Kansas City pastor
Ernie Gruen. Rev. Gruen produced a lengthy document attempting to document the numerous
outrageous claims, false prophecies and false teachings made by Mr. Bickle, Mr. Cain and Mr. Jones.
This document remains unchallenged, and Rev. Gruen stood by its truthfulness without wavering until his
death several years ago. In the years after this public challenge Mr. Jones would be exposed as a sexual
deviate engaged in horrendous manipulation of female congregants and Mr. Cain as a profligate
homosexual and alcoholic. In spite of these very public scandals, Mr. Bickles current ministry appears
undaunted and unaffected by the well established facts of the above history.

What are the specific errors of IHOP?

IHOP continues to draw a great deal of its sense of special calling and destiny from the alleged prophets
Bob Jones and Paul Cain. This in spite of the well known track record of both men. Every matriculating
One Thing intern is required to listen to a lengthy prophetic history of IHOP/KCF as part of their training
while resident at the IHOP program. At no point is their any mention of the numerous false prophecies or
profound moral failures of these men. In 2009 Mr. Bickle refreshed IHOPs teaching on its alleged
prophetic history in an 8 part series detailing the role of prophecy in establishing IHOPs divine origins.
But what false teachings emerge from the prophetic hoopla?

1. That prior to the return of Jesus, and as a necessary condition of Christs return - apostles
and prophets of unparalleled spiritual power, and prophetic accuracy will arise to guide
the church into its final days.


a. To anyone who knows anything about the so-called Latter Rain Movement of the late
40s this teaching will sound quite reminiscent of that movements emphasis on
unprecedented latter day prophets and apostles.

b. This idea cannot be sustained by an appeal to the plain teaching of the N.T. Nowhere do
we read of a single promise of some future super class of latter day prophets and
apostles. I challenge any teacher to make the case for the clear teaching of this idea
anywhere in the N.T. It cannot be the case that something as consequential to the entire
church would have no plain biblical foundation, but only appeals to present prophetic
spokesmen and allegorical applications of scripture.


2. That a perfected church walking in unparalleled supernatural power (raising the dead will
become ordinary, and no illness will be able to stand before this perfected church), will
arise as a pre-condition of Christs return.


a. These claims have been repeatedly made for the past 60 years by Latter Rain influenced
teachers as well as the disgraced prophet Paul Cain (in his famous stadium visions) as
well as Bob Jones.

b. Once again, like the claim of super prophets and apostles, the claim of a perfected
church cannot be sustained by an appeal to the clear teaching of the N.T. The notion
that verses which speak of the church growing up to maturity, or unity being used to
substantiate claims of a coming super church are dubious at best.


3. Mr. Bickle teaches that prior to the return of Christ, a special class of Christians called
forerunners will be raised up to prepare the church for the return of Christ.


a. IHOPs defines forerunner in the following way: Forerunners are messengers who
proclaim now what the Holy Spirit is soon to emphasize in a universal way across the
nations. They are one short step ahead of what the Holy Spirit is about to openly
release, so they can prepare the people to respond rightly to Jesus by making known
Gods plans so the people can make sense of what will happen before it actually
happens.

b. IHOP has developed so many specialized terms that it became necessary to write and
post a glossary on their web site. Dr. Andrew Jackson writing of this phenomena states:
A cautionary red light should go on whenever we discover any church or Christian
movement creating, and extensively using, their own exclusive language. The habitual
use of insider language by a Christian movement can develop a we-are-different culture
within the greater church. Soon a persons use of prescribed terms and phrases is the
way to determine whether they are true insiders. It can also easily create a us and
them attitude within the Body of Christ. Many Christians living within such a cloistered
culture can often find it difficult to leave or relate with other Christians, who do not speak
their language, and who are frequently seen as spiritually luke-warm or compromising.

c. This teaching of a special class was not the first time Mr. Bickle and his associated
ministry had set forth this kind of teaching. In the mid 80s and into the 90s the term
favored by Mr. Bickle and his resident prophets Bob Jones and Paul Cain was the New
Breed. Some 50 years before a small but influential group called the Latter Rain taught
the same ideas under the name the overcomers George Warnock wrote in 1951 -
Christ is going to remain right where He is at Gods right hand until there shall arise a
group of overcomers who shall conquer over all Gods enemies. This is really no different
than Bickles words - "He is not coming any day. He is not coming until the people of God
globally are crying out in intercession with a bridal identity under the anointing of the
Spirit. Right now the prayer movement is growing fast.really fast! But when I say it's
growing fast instead of one percent of the Body of Christ taking hold of it, maybe 10
percent. It's.you know it's like 10 times bigger than it was a generation ago, but beloved
as fast as the prayer movement is growing, where people are getting hold of it, still for 90
percent of the Body of Christ it's not even on their mind. Jesus is not coming until the
Body of Christ globally is crying out "Come Lord Jesus, Come Lord Jesus, Come Lord
Jesus" and they don't just say "come and forgive me" they are crying out in the
understanding of who they are as the one that is cherished by Jesus in the bridal
identity.


4. IHOP teaches as a pre-condition of the return of Christ, the church must be crying out 24/7
Come, Lord, Jesus Come with a full understanding of the so-called bridal identity.


a. IHOP's own self-understanding is that it has been given the task and calling of informing
the entire church globally of this necessity. This task will be fulfilled by establishing
Houses of Prayer all around the world and engaging in 24/7 prayer. (Just as an aside this
requires 84 2-hour slots of worship/prayer per week and incredibly expensive
undertaking.)


The concept of the bridal paradigm is at the core of IHOPs reason for
existence. The bridal paradigm or identity is an understanding of the relationship
between the individual Christian and Christ that is analogous to the
romantic/emotional/sensual relationship a husband has with his wife. This is a
biblically unsustainable construct, whose theological foundations rest on a hyper
allegorical interpretation of the Song of Solomon.

IHOP sets forth the personal devotional expectation that the last days necessary
spiritual identity of bridal mysticism is a pre-condition to Christ returning to the
earth. This understanding of Christian devotional spirituality owes more to the
writings of Bernard of Clairvaux and the Bridal mysticism of the Medieval female
monastics than to the teaching of the N.T. According to Leon Podles excellent
study of the feminization of Christianity entitled The Church Impotent After
about 1300 in Germany it was chiefly among women that the Brautmystic i.e.
the love affair between Christ and the soul, leading to espousal and marriage
was to be found. Later male writers were required to go through all sorts of
convolutions to adapt this kind of language to their spiritual situation.

The Bible does teach that the church is the bride of Christ, but its primary
emphasis in both the occasions that this figure occurs in the O.T. as well as the
half dozen or so times it occurs in the N.T. is not on emotional/spiritual intimacy
but on the covenantal faithfulness of God to his people. Marriage is used as a
picture of covenant commitment, not as a pattern for individual Christian
devotion.

But with the Bridal mysticism of IHOP also comes a host of other anointings
allegedly to be sought after by the most hungry and sincere Christians among us
the so-called wilderness lifestyle of John the Baptist (a lifestyle by the way the
bible tells us absolutely nothing about); Anna anointing. Referring to Anna who
"did not depart from the temple In application, this refers to the grace to spend
long hours in prayer with fasting and to sustain it for many years; Daniel
anointing. A special grace to enter into extended periods of fasting and prayer,
specifically seeking revelation as to the meaning and implications of dreams,
visions, or other divine communications regarding the end timesJoseph
anointing. Referring to those called to prosper in the marketplace so that they
might make provision to "preserve life" in the time when God releases His end-
time judgments on the earth.



Conclusions: I believe that IHOP is promoting a version of Christianity that is rooted in false prophecies
and false prophets. There is a clear link between the IHOP of 2010 and the claims of divine authorization
from the early 1980s and Kansas City Fellowship. A great deal of the intensity and bold assertions to do
what they do come directly from the false prophets Bob Jones and Paul Cain.


Second, there are troubling examples of Mike Bickle knowingly continuing claims that have been shown
to be false. Stories that allegedly authenticate the divine origins of Paul Cain and Bob Jones have been
proven false, but are still circulated by the ministry. There has been no serious effort by IHOP to
disassociate itself with the words of men who so thoroughly qualify as false prophets.

The central claims made by IHOP regarding its legitimacy The rise of new apostles and prophets (as
sources of authority); the end times revival of unprecedented signs and wonders; the necessity of the
church embracing the bridal paradigm; the emergence of a special class called the forerunnersare not
taught by the Scriptures. These ideas own more to the independent Pentecostal movement of the mid
1940s called the Latter Rain (a connection IHOP is well aware that others have made, and their response
is to simply deny it) than to the plain teaching of the Word of God.

IHOP in its previous incarnation as the Kansas City Fellowship has a track record of stirring up division
with promises of amazing power and greatly expanded ministry. Leaders were told that they would be
speaking to multitudes, seeing miracles, witnessing to kings and presidents and enjoying tremendous
blessings None of these things came to pass. Nearly 20 years ago Mike Bickle acknowledged a spirit
of elitism had characterized the KCF. But the same teachings that produced it were replicated again in
the ministry of IHOP and its so-called Forerunner calling.

Tom Stipe remarked in his testimony published as the forward to Hank Hanegraaffs book called
Counterfeit Revival: Not long after prophecy du jour became the primary source of direction, a trail of
devastated believers began to line up outside our pastoral counseling offices. Young people promised
teen success and stardom through prophecy were left picking up the pieces of their shattered hopes
because God had apparently gone back on his promises

One of the things Tom Stipe stated in his testimony We listened intently to the flattery of our new
friends, the prophets. Our skepticism barely peaked above the surface. This is precisely what scriptures
warns about concerning false prophets and false teachers: by smooth talk and flattery the deceive the
hearts of the nave. (Romans 16:18b)

Consistently the false prophets of the KCF/IHOP circle prophesied visions of their own minds, not from
the mouth of the Lord (either because what they prophesied did not come to pass or what it taught was
not biblical). Consistently they spoke of angels, and going on in detail about visions (warned against
in Col. 2:18) Consistently they spoke of frequent angel visitations, trips to heaven almost at will, bizarre
teachings about bloodlines, conversations with dead saints, face to face meetings with Jesus etc. In
precisely the very way that scripture warned about false prophets confirming one anothers words the
false prophets of KCF/IHOP confirmed one another with flattery upon flattery.

Yet 2 Peter 2 warns of those false prophets like Bob Jones and Paul Cain who follow their sensuality and
who because of their conduct bring disgrace on the way of truth. Peter even warns that they have eyes
full of adultery and are insatiable for sin, the very character of the man who Mike Bickle and others called
the greatest prophet on the earth Paul Cain. It is precisely this kind of hypocrisy that Jesus and the
apostles warned about and against.

It is because of these things that we must warn against involvement with IHOP. Its foundation built upon
the words of false prophets, its core teachings insistence on a hyped-up mixture of elitism, reliance on
subjectivity and mysticism, and teaching which cannot be sustained by the plain reading of the
scriptures compel us to warn.


Consider the words of a former intern from the One Thing Internship:

This is a very close paraphrase of what Ive heard many, many times at One Thing, IHOP conferences
and in teachings by leaders: YOU are called to be on the cutting edge. Come here and join a community
of other people who are like you, called to what youre called to. We understand you. Youve been mis-
understood in the church. Youve had your wings clipped, your gifts misunderstood. Here you can fulfill
your forerunner calling that your family just hasnt understood about you. You might feel like you dont fit
back home, youre on the outside, no one understands the fire in you. Well we get it. You are the leaders
that G-d is raising up in these end times and you will be kings and queens on the earthreigning with
Him. You were made for this place. IHOP is an incubator for people like you.


Narcissistic speeches like this instill a sense of pride, arrogance and elitism in the hearts of youth who
hear it and it feeds their need for validation and identity. They run to IHOP, leave their families, join
internshipshoping that what theyve heard is true. They go to IHOP looking for identityinstead of
finding it in Jesus.

Once outside of the IHOP environment, they are terrified and overwhelmed by the real world and dont
know how to function in it when theyve been in an intensive internship environment. There is a degree of
re-acclimating to normal life that feels like an IHOP detox afterward. Its a severe emotional drop because
the hyped up services and conferences that were your manna are now gone and when there is no prayer
room, your life in God feels empty and lifeless. Many simply dont know how to engage with God in a real
day-to-day basis once theyve left. I experienced this and heard the exact same thing from a handful of
my friends after they left IHOP and the internship. At that point when disillusionment sets in, I know many
interns that walked away from God completely upon leaving the internship and went back into lifestyles
worse than the ones they left when they came to IHOP originally.

May God have mercy on those who teach these pernicious lies and bring them to a place of humble
repentance and renunciation of what cannot succeed and will only in the long run bring disillusionment,
and profound discouragement to the thousands of young people who are held in its destructive grasp.