KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Mike Bickle, the founder of the International House of Prayer, has stepped away from public ministry due to "serious allegations" brought against him, the church announced over the weekend.
In a Facebook post, the church said it's executive leadership team hired the well-known law firm, Stinson LLP, to conduct an investigation into the allegations.
The allegations against Bickle include sexual immorality.
"Our executive leadership team and Mike Bickle have agreed that out of the best interest of the organization and integrity of of IHOPKC, Mike will step away from public ministry for an indefinite time, up to and including until we complete a thorough examination of the allegations and inquiry of the circumstances," the church said in a statement.
IHOPKC said in its statement there has been one allegation from 26 years ago that has "some credibility."
The church did acknowledge some of the allegations have been difficult to verify and some alleged events happened before the founding of IHOPKC.
Some of the women named in the allegations have denied the abuse and denounced the group for revealing their names.
The church was founded in May 1999, by Bickle and twenty full-time “intercessory missionaries,” according to church's website.
A video of the church addressing the allegations can be watched by clicking this link.
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