Mike Bickle Turns Away Francis Chan+ Sam Storm Says He Believes ‘Jane Doe’
A longtime friend and supporter of Mike Bickle says he believes the allegations against the IHOPKC founder, and recounts a recent incident where Bickle turned away he and Francis Chan.
Sam Storms, a member of the Council of The Gospel Coalition, past President of the Evangelical Theological Society, and former IHOPKC board member who ministered alongside Bickle for nearly a decade, write in a recent blog post:
We were made aware of the allegations of clergy sexual abuse at different times over the past several months. We have now both spoken extensively with one of the primary Jane Does and her husband and believe what she has said about the sexual nature of their interaction. In her own words, it involved everything short of sexual intercourse. There is no reason to doubt the accuracy of her testimony. Our hearts break for what she suffered and for the ongoing grief this horrific injustice has caused her and her family.
He continues:
Sam and Francis Chan attempted to visit Mike at his home on October 31 where Chris Reed turned them away at the door. He said that Mike had been instructed not to meet or speak with anyone, which Mike later confirmed in a brief email to Sam. We were subsequently informed that Mike was following the counsel of Eric Volz.
As a matter of conscience, we write now to publicly state that we believe Jane Doe. We deeply regret not being aware of her situation at the time it occurred. We have now been made aware of additional allegations directed at Mike for behavior subsequent to his relationship with Jane Doe. These are grievous and weighty.
Storms says that a recent statement by Bickle, where he only admits to ‘inappropriate behavior‘ and deflects all other blame, is “woefully inadequate” and that it is most lacking in “explicitly owning the sin he committed against Jane Doe(s), repenting, and asking for forgiveness.” He concludes:
We believe Mike has had every opportunity to vulnerably share any temptations or struggles with sin with fellow leaders in order to find God’s mercy and pathway to wholeness. Sadly, we believe he has not remained faithful to this commitment, but rather engaged in deceptive and manipulative actions to exploit the vulnerability of a godly young woman. As such, we are in firm agreement with Mike stepping down from Christian ministry.
Though I in no way defend Mike Bickle’s alleged misconduct, it’s not a little troubling to me how those rushing to judgment of him for being wicked and thus contrary to God’s Word themselves not only fail to obey His Word, but fail even to MENTION It! The amount of mendacity and coercion in their midst is staggering.
John 7:24 Legacy Standard Bible “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
One’s even been removed from the pastorate soon after condemning Mike, to me likely for failing to fear God in the following from 1 Samuel but sadly lacking in discernment immediately ran over to another gullible congregation also lacking in discernment that gladly scooped him up. My question foe those decrying those defending Mike for lack of discernment of his alleged wickednesses is what about the hypocritical Matthew 7| Luke 6 beam in your own eyes? How many women [like Misty Edwards among others] have Mike’s accusers tried to coerce into condemning him when they steadfastly testify he did nothing to them. As usual it’s obvious both sides are sinful with Mike’s accusers unbiblically pretending phony, righteousness contrary to and violating 1 John 1:8-10 LSB If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.
Then we’re supposed to take their Revelation 12* accusations of Mike seriously after their flagrant rejection and violation of God’s Word?
Where are the righteous who, like King David, refuse to touch the Lord’s Anointed? 1 Samuel 24:6 LSB So he said to his men, “Far be it from me because of Yahweh that I should do this thing to my lord, the anointed of Yahweh, to send forth my hand against him, since he is the anointed of Yahweh.” also 1 Samuel 26 & 2 Samuel 1, 3 witnesses.
*=[Revelation 12:10-11 LSB Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. 11 “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their witness, and they did not love their life even to death.]
In the rush to too often mendacious judgment I see no fear of God that is only the beginning of wisdom, Job 28:28; Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7; 9:10; Ecclesiastes 12:13, rather hypocritical, sinful flesh refusing to obey God’s commands while absurdly condemning Mike for the same:
Deuteronomy 32:35 LSB ‘Vengeance is Mine, and retribution, In due time their foot will stumble; For the day of their disaster is near, And the impending things are hastening upon them.’ also Romans 12:19; Hebrews 10:30. 3 witnesses. I’m not going automatically to approve Mike’s alleged actions, but, knowing nothing about what actually happened, as most of his accusers don’t, only innuendo, but what I’ve seen is massive hypocrisy where accusers gleefully and flagrantly violate Scripture all over the place as they accuse Mike, one finger pointing to Mike but three to themselves and the big thumb pointing up to God to call down His righteous judgment on themselves, God save us. I know one of his male accusers to be very unstable by his own public admission about his own headship, conveniently, amazingly finding the accusations of some of the women “credible,” making me wonder not a little. God save us and bring both Mike and his disgustingly self-righteous, ironically UNbiblical accusers to repent.