How Should We Respond When A Leader Fails?

I have felt brokenhearted, upset, and confused at various times throughout this week as I have processed the recent allegations against Mike Bickle—founder of the International House of Prayer in Kansas City (IHOPKC) and inspiration to many, including me. To be honest, I have questioned whether I should write anything about it, considering that neither the church where I pastor nor Remnant Radio hold any organizational, financial, or legal ties to Mike or IHOPKC. However, I decided to write because many in the charismatic movement feel a relational tie to him.

In case you are unaware, the allegations pertain to spiritual and sexual abuse, and they span decades. IHOPKC has promised a third-party investigation, and I eagerly hope to learn the organization's name soon and that IHOPKC will commit in advance to abide by the findings. May truth come to light.

I will comment on the allegations themselves in Remnant Radio’s November 7 show, so you can tune into that if you'd like to hear my thoughts on them. Beyond the allegations, it feels important to address how we process news such as this—whether from IHOPKC or anywhere else. So here is my thinking.

First, this is a time for lament. From Mark Driscoll to Ravi Zaccarias to countless others, our hearts can feel numb when another leader falls. We can't let this happen. To feel brokenhearted over the brokenness of Christ's body is a sign of life. At the end of Paul's life, his letter to Timothy bleeds: "At my first defense, no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me" (2 Tim. 4:16). Biblical lament does not stuff pain; it opens the cavern before God. Such rawness and authenticity help us maintain hope.

Second, this is a time for prayer. In the words of Dr. Michael Brown, "For all those who were inspired to get involved in houses of prayer because of the influence of IHOPKC, now is not the time to run from the house of prayer because of discouragement or disillusionment. Now is the time to run TO the house of prayer." Let us pray for God's church to walk in holiness and not hypocrisy; let us pray for victims of abuse; let us pray for justice and light; let us pray for courage to say hard things and receive hard news; let us pray.

Third, this is a time for reflection. The charismatic movement has long maintained a so-called "honor culture" where we "touch not the Lord's anointed" (aka, misuse of a Bible verse) to "protect" leaders (not victims) from the "spirit of accusation." The truth is: hiding sin multiplies it. As "children of light" (Eph. 5:8), God calls us to "expose" works of darkness (5:11). This does not mean we give credence to every rumor we ever hear—the Bible teaches due process for accused leaders (1 Tim. 5:19-20)—however, we must resist the false notion that holiness requires us to "protect" leaders and organizations from credible claims.

This week, I re-read portions of the "CareWell Manual" that our church’s elders, staff, and key lay leaders spent over a year composing. It is a manual for preventing and addressing abuse of every kind. I reviewed with key leaders our policy for whistleblowers. We also discussed with our staff how to respond if they see anything suspicious. Finally, we encouraged each staff member with words I often say from the pulpit: all of us need one, two, or three best friends with whom we can share all our secrets. If you can't talk about it—it owns you. That secret you thought you'd take to the grave is already taking you there. Secrets are the devil's food. Only light can drive out darkness. I hope these recent allegations cause us to reflect more on the need for a lifestyle of walking in the light (cf. 1 Jhn 1:6-10).

Fourth, this is a time for discernment. On a few occasions, I have learned the hard way that I too easily trust people. Jesus "did not entrust himself to any man because he knew what was in man" (Jhn. 2:24). This cannot mean that Jesus trusted nobody. In context, this verse addressed the uncommitted crowds. Jesus didn't live for them. However, He did open His heart wide to His disciples. Discernment distinguishes cynicism (a refusal to trust anyone) from gullibility (foolhardy trust in everyone). Jesus walked in discernment, yet even He was betrayed. Discernment limits the betrayal we suffer, but it does not eliminate it. This makes it hard to trust.

CS Lewis addresses our temptation to recoil after betrayal in The Four Loves:

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket – safe, dark, motionless, airless – it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.”

I pray that we neither recoil into cynicism nor lean hard into gullibility but rather walk in discernment—recognizing that the choice to love makes us vulnerable, but the risk remains worth it.

Finally, this is a time for humility. The Scripture commands us to "be careful if you think you're standing firm, lest you fall" (1 Cor. 10:12). Nobody is above sin, even dark sin. If we stare down our noses, we find ourselves in the same mess. To judge another is to become the person we once judged.