Bible teacher Francis Chan has released a lengthy statement addressing his past public statements supporting IHOPKC founder Mike Bickle, in light of allegations of more than a dozen sexual abuse and harassment claims against him, including by minors.
After explaining that he’s been hesitant and slow to respond about previous endorsements of Christian leaders who went off the rails, Chan begins:
I have had several requests these past few years to make public statements about those I once endorsed who no longer walk in integrity. I have been slow to respond for some of the reasons stated above, and I understand that this may have caused some confusion. It is my hope in this statement to provide clarity in a way that brings grace and avoids stirring up strife.
I have been at this for a long time. In the age before the internet and social media, when a leader was caught in unrepentant sin, it was assumed that those who previously had endorsed him or her no longer stood by those statements in light of the new information. Only in recent years has it become the expectation that everyone who ever publicly affirmed someone as a brother or sister must publicly denounce them if they fall.
For the sake of clarity, please know that of course I do not continue to endorse people like Mike Bickle who have been caught in unrepentant immorality. But if I were to make public statements every time I was wrong about someone I once trusted, sadly, it would be a very, very long list.
He adds:
I understand that some people see it as apathetic or irresponsible to refrain from commenting on these situations. But I would ask you to consider that after issues have been disclosed about someone, there may be some of us who remain silent, not because we don’t care, but because we believe there is already too much focus and discussion about these people.
Turning to the question of why he stayed silent for so long, nearly three years:
Some assume that I don’t speak about these people because I am embarrassed to admit I was deceived by them. That’s really not an issue for me. I publicly admit I have been fooled hundreds of times in my life. I have wrongly trusted many leaders. Hopefully, I have become wiser, but I will still make mistakes.
Specifically, he speaks to his defense of Mike Bickle at the initial accusation, where he dismissed complaints.
I know that my endorsements of leaders who have later fallen have added to the hurt and heartbreak experienced by the Body, and for this, I sincerely apologize. To those who have been victimized, deceived, or discouraged by these leaders, I am praying that God will bring supernatural healing and comfort in the way that only He can.
I also want to apologize for specific careless words I spoke when I said that people were “so foolish” for ditching Mike “because you heard something from a friend.” When I said that, I had in mind common theological critiques and unverified criticisms.
In light of everything that came out afterwards, I regret saying that, as I realize I could have discouraged people who had legitimate concerns or given the impression that silence is best when there is real abuse or unrepentant sin.
Similarly, Network Elders of We Are Church added to the statement, making it clear that “Francis did not have knowledge of hidden moral failure at the time of his associations or endorsements. Had credible information of that nature been known to him at that time, he would not have partnered with or endorsed these individuals in the way he did.”
They note that when Francis first heard about the allegations about Mike in 2023, “Francis got on a plane to confront Mike in person with Sam. Mike refused that meeting. It was Chris Reed who stopped them at the door. This action from Francis became public knowledge soon afterwards.” (We wrote about that here)
They also further address Chris Reed, who was recently outed as faking prophecies and being involved in a sex scandal, and whom Chan made some very kind and flattering comments about:
During the July 2021 gathering, several of us elders personally observed Chris Reed give prophetic words that were highly specific and were hard for us to explain apart from the supernatural. At the moment, we assumed his gift was legitimate. We were also operating largely based on IHOPKC leadership’s endorsement of him.
In hindsight, this highlights an unfortunate pattern. In a desire to trust and give the benefit of the doubt, we trusted other people’s endorsements.
Some have claimed Francis endorsed Chris Reed in this clip: Investing in the Next Generation | Francis Chan at the Send Pre-Rally. We do not believe that is an accurate characterization. Francis’ comments were meant to challenge people not to distance themselves from someone who has a prophetic gifting solely because they reject charismatic gifts. He was attempting to stir faith in people in regard to prophecy, not issue a formal endorsement of Chris Reed. At that time, Francis had very little personal knowledge of Chris and had actually just met him, which he states at 20:14 in the message.
We recognize that public words carry weight, and we understand how those comments could be perceived as a broader affirmation than intended, however. For that reason, we want to be clear: We do not endorse Chris Reed and have never intended to do so.
They conclude:
Francis has often shared that he came from a background known for being highly critical and quick to distance from others over theological differences. In later years, he felt deeply convicted about Jesus’ call to unity in the body of Christ. In seeking to move away from hyper-criticism, he acknowledges now that he probably swung too far in the opposite direction, being overly trusting in certain associations.
There was a sincere zeal to defend those believers who had been ostracized and to model unity across differences. But in hindsight, that desire, while rooted in good, contributed to some mistakes in judgment.
Francis has been encouraged by us, as well as so many other respected leaders in the larger church, to not only speak where he already agrees with people, but to speak in places where correction might be needed. When Francis sees issues, his instinct is to have conversations directly in the hope that engagement will produce needed change rather than public critiques.
However, we recognize and have learned more that relational engagement must be paired with stronger structural discernment and clearer boundaries regarding endorsement.
Notably, Chan has continued praising and supporting men like Benny Hinn.
