Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Mike Bickle is Not a Cultist

This time I am looking at another post about International House of Prayer (IHOP) being a cult. To read the first post I published about IHOP being a cult go to here. I will look at what this second post has to say about the theology at IHOP. Click here to read the blog I am talking about in this post.

  1. Mike Bickle believes that the Church brings about the great tribulation. The church looses the judgments upon the world. It also claims that Mike “obviously refers to people who have adopted his movement” when talking about the people who pray during the tribulation for the judgments of God to come.
    1. I listened to what Mike actually said in a teaching about Revelations. From his teaching Mike believes that God will bring about the judgments as a result of the prayers of the church. God brings the tribulation not the Christians, but at the behest of the prayers of believers. He never says that IHOP people praying or even people praying as IHOP prays. I do think Mike is right saying that Christians do not pray as they should and hopefully he is right that Christians are changing in their prayers from just for salvation and being blessed to crying out for the lord, in the world and in their lives. The author is saying things Mike Bickle does not say. Some quotes from Mike Bickle on this subject:
      1. The prayers of all the saints during the tribulation will release the trumpet judgments
      2. The prayers of the martyrs in heaven will also be used to release God’s end-time judgments
      3. Jesus returns in answer to global concerts of prayer offered by the Church with a bridal identity. Every church will have a spirit of prayer in the End Times or they will cease to exist.
      4. Jesus will not release the seal judgments until the bowls of prayer around the throne are full. In other words, the end-time Church will be mature in prayer BEFORE the final 3½ years.
      5. Yes, Mike does believe The Church goes through the tribulation but that does not make him a cult.
      6. Mike believes that the Church will have victory over the Anti-Christ but that does not mean they won't die or will kill the Anti-Christ. Not turning from Christ to follow the Anti-Christ is victory.
  1. Mike teaches that there will be a great end time revival from Matthew 24 but the author sees no evidence of this in the chapter.
    1. Since Mike believes that Christians will be in the 7 year tribulation we can find these verses to support that there is a great mentioned in Mathew 24.
      1. Matthew 24: 14, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
      2. Matthew 24:30-31, “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.“
    2. Is Mike right about the Church going through the tribulation? I don't know. I don't think so but I know I can be wrong. Either way that does not make him a cultist.
  2. Mike Bickle allegorizes scripture wrongly. Specifically the 10 virgins is given as an example.
    1. The author does not agree with Mike Bickle on the meaning of these stories which Jesus tells. They disagree and I disagree with Mike on some of it but either way this is not a cultist issue. It is simply a Christian issue of interpretation.
  1. In the section Deeper Life Pietism the Author claims that there is not an “elite” christian but Mike Bickle says there is. Such as in the 10 virgins where the wise 5 virgins are Christians who have a close relationship with Jesus and the foolish virgins are Christians who do not have a close relationship. The author says the elite minded leaders of IHOP are imagining “passion for Jesus” along the lines of sensual intimacy that they have ascended into an elite class that will make them like Moses and able to call down plagues on the world.
    1. Yes, it is true that Mike Bickle wants everyone to have an intimate relationship with Jesus, but it is a spiritual intimacy and not a physical or sensual intimacy. Is there an elite Christian? Is Billy Graham an elite Christian? I would say he is an outstanding Christian because of his relationship with the Lord Jesus. If you agree with the definition of elite being “a select part of a group that is superior to the rest in terms of ability or qualities,“ then I would say Billy Graham is elite. I wish we all were elite and if we had an intimate relationship with Christ as we should, we would all be in that same category. Will that make us able to call down plagues? Only if we have a close enough relationship with Christ to hear Him tell us to call it down. Isn't that what intimacy is? Being close enough to someone to hear them and serve them? I never found anywhere where Mike said we would call down the plagues in Revelations but  our prayers would move God to send the plagues. Mike Bickle does not say people have to be with IHOP to be intimate with Jesus.
  2. The Marriage supper of the lamb section the author says Mike Bickle cannot know exactly what the Marriage supper means. He than goes on to tell about what we do know about it in relation to the Last Supper.
    1. The author did not say what wrong teaching Mike Bickle had but even if Mike Bickle was wrong in his interpretation of the marriage supper, that does not make him a cultist, only a Christian who is wrong on a minor point.
  3. Author's conclusion is he is right and Mike Bickle is wrong.
    1. Mike's stand is totally Christian and many people have twisted (accidentally or on purpose I do not know) what he has said. All Christians have disagreements but that does not make them cultist. A cult leader teaches that Jesus was not the only way to salvation.  The Bible is not the ultimate and inerrant word of God. They add to the scriptures because they do not see it as the final authority. IHOP does believe Jesus is God, salvation is through him alone and the Bible is inerrant and the final authority.  Here are some places to see what Mike Bickle and IHOP does believe. Read for yourself and decide.
      1. Teaching on Revelations

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