(CP) Kansas Metropolis's Worldwide Home of Prayer has denied a report that the ministry is within the means of closing, however says it’s within the midst of a restructuring that may shut some facets of its operations this 12 months, together with the ministry's college.
“In brief, IHOPKC is NOT CLOSING,” the ministry informed The Christian Put up in a press release Monday.
“To state the apparent, the previous six months have been a take a look at of the power and energy of our mission-based group. Over the course of those previous months, our management workforce has labored tirelessly to evaluation and analyze the complete organizational construction of IHOPKC and the numerous missions we now have undertaken in our 24 years of existence.” the assertion continued. “This evaluation and reflection has led to inside choices to start a transition and reorganization course of that may enable us to deal with our core mission whereas addressing monetary realities.”
Roys' report, citing a leaked recording from executives at an inside IHOP College workers assembly and an e-mail from IHOP College President Matt Candler this week, stated IHOPKC is within the means of closing completely as a result of monetary influence of founder Mike. The Bickle sexual abuse scandal. IHOPKC completely minimize ties with Bickle final December.
In a press release to CP IHOPKC insisted that the ministry intends to proceed regardless of the gradual cancellation of IHOPU, its ministerial college.
“We aren’t closing the 24/7 prayer room; it stays the mainstay of our existence. We intend to evaluation the performance of the assorted working areas and certain consolidate a number of. Now we have additionally determined to stop operations of IHOPU, our ministry college, after this 12 months's commencement,” it stated ministry.
Division officers additionally seem to disclaim claims that they’re attempting to flee accountability for sexual abuse allegations in opposition to Bickle.
“Now we have supported and can proceed to assist all victims of abuse, sexual or in any other case, whether or not right here inside IHOPKC or anyplace in the neighborhood. To be clear, no lawsuits have been filed in opposition to IHOPKC; allegations of prior misconduct have been in opposition to people, not on our group,” the ministry stated.
“As we attempt to create a 'higher' model of IHOPKC, we might shut some home windows of our mission and open others, however once more, IHOPKC is NOT CLOSING,” officers added.
IHOPKC leaders, together with IHOP College President Matt Candler, revealed that the ministry was dropping roughly $500,000 a month because of too many donor connections to Bickle, The Roys Report famous.
“The IHOPKC as a corporation is starting to retreat,” Candler stated in a leaked recording of the assembly. “We are going to keep our prayer corridor and finally begin a brand new group.”
Isaac Bennett, who leads IHOPKC's Forerunner Church, additionally famous that lawsuits by victims of the Bickle sex-abuse scandal put the ministry below “important liabilities.”
“We're people who find themselves going to sue one another on the finish of the day,” he stated. “That creates important liabilities.”
Boz Tchividjian, grandson of Billy Graham, an legal professional and longtime advocate for victims of sexual abuse who represents considered one of Bickle's alleged victims, stated that if IHOPKC leaders imagine they’ll simply shut the ministry, then they may re-emerge as a rebranded group to flee accountability, they dwell . within the “realm of fantasy”.
“The concept they’ll merely shut it down and begin a brand new group and all earlier potential legal responsibility will likely be erased is the realm of fantasy,” he informed reporters. “If you wish to take all of the property directly, put it within the identify [a] a brand new group to restrict legal responsibility, which for my part could possibly be referred to as a fraudulent switch. The courtroom wouldn’t enable that.”
Within the leaked recording, Bennett reportedly defined that whereas the IHOPKC regarded for various methods to cope with the Bickle scandal, it discovered no approach to keep away from the legal responsibility the group was uncovered to because of allegations of the division's mishandling of abuse allegations. .
“In instances the place there may be abuse by clergy, the place there are allegations which might be unsolved – when there may be now an curiosity in an investigation that goes again to our whole 24-year historical past to seek out instances the place there was mishandling of abuse or the place there was a cover-up – up , or no matter else folks imagine occurred — these items will inevitably create a gaggle of people who wish to get restitution,” Bennett stated. “They usually're not going to knock on Mike's door as a result of, properly, he most likely gained't reply. However they don't knock on Mike's door as a result of he has no cash. However IHOPKC has the background.”
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