Tammy Woods, now a 57-year-old mom and grandmother who claims she was groomed and sexually abused by the founding father of the Worldwide Home of Prayer Kansas Metropolis within the Eighties when she was simply 14 years outdated, has written an open letter explaining why he went public.
The letter, revealed by The Roys Report (TRR), was written Jan. 30 to Bickle and his spouse, Diane, earlier than she informed the Kansas Metropolis Star earlier this week how she had been abused. Along with serving to her discover the braveness to inform her story to the Kansas Metropolis Star, the letter additionally helped her share her story with the police, her pastors and Billy Graham's well-known legal professional and grandson, Boz Tchividjian, in keeping with TRR.
“Please don’t take this as defamation of character, consideration searching for, gold digging or vengeful revenge. Now we have an excessive amount of historical past for such imposition. Over time and on this disaster, you could have mentioned time and time once more that you just belief my judgment. Please imagine me. This letter is the end result of a 21-day quick and a decision to dwell in mild and fact as an alternative of shadows and lies,” defined Woods, who used her maiden title for the story.
“I enter the sector not with a smoking gun of braveness hoping to take down an amazing man of God and his legacy, however with a bleeding coronary heart masterfully cheated and attraction to my mentor, good friend and abuser – please personal them. chapters in vulnerability, humility and repentance,” she reasoned, urging him to free different survivors of his alleged abuse to cease masking for him.
In her interview with the Kansas Metropolis Star, Woods mentioned the IHOPKC founder abused her in St. Louis, the place he pastored the church earlier than transferring to Kansas Metropolis and founding IHOPKC in 1999.
Woods claims Bickle abused her in his automobile, at her dwelling, at church and in his workplace. She mentioned the abuse, which started when she started babysitting his two sons, included sexual contact however not intercourse. She disclosed that the founding father of IHOPKC additionally informed her a number of instances that his spouse Diane would die younger and advised that she could possibly be the mom of his sons.
“He'd kiss my neck, he'd kiss my cheeks, he'd kiss my brow,” Woods informed the Star, recalling how Bickle first kissed her as a lover in her dwelling when she was simply 14 years outdated. 'kiss' kiss was in my home. He by some means dragged me into the toilet. And he kissed me like a person kisses a girl.”
Woods' story emerged after an unbiased report launched Jan. 31 and ready by legal professional Rosalee McNamara. In that report, Bickle admitted to participating in “consensual sexual contact” with a girl related to the 24/7 prayer ministry along with a beforehand admitted relationship with main Jane Doe, who claimed to have been his mistress for a number of years.
One other lady, recognized as “TH,” additionally added to Bickle's alleged sample of abusing underage ladies when she informed TRR this month that Bickle started grooming and sexually abusing her when she was 15 and was a 20-year-old intern on the church within the mid-Seventies twentieth century. TH said that she is the ex-wife of self-proclaimed “prophet” Bob Hartley of Hartley Hope Ministries, who was lately banned by IHOPKC from their 24/7 prayer corridor after he was publicly accused of sexual assault and a sample of predatory conduct. quite a few alleged feminine victims.
Bickle pleaded responsible final December to “inappropriate conduct” however to not the “extra intense sexual actions some have advised” after a gaggle of former IHOPKC leaders often called an advocacy group introduced allegations of abuse spanning a long time towards him.
“It’s with a really heavy coronary heart that I wish to categorical how deeply saddened I’m that my previous sins have led to a lot ache, confusion and division within the physique of Christ at this hour. I sadly admit that over 20 years in the past I sinned by participating into inappropriate conduct — my ethical failings had been actual,” Bickle mentioned in an announcement posted on his Fb web page, including, “I don’t condone the extra intense sexual exercise that some counsel.”
Bickle's confession got here after the lady, recognized by TRR as Jane Doe, alleged that for about three years, from 1996 to 1999, earlier than she discovered IHOPKC, Bickle paid for her condo, gave her a key to his workplace and engaged in each sexual act. along with her besides copulation. She mentioned the founding father of IHOPKC wooed her with Scripture when she was simply 19 and he was 42, then made her his saved spouse for a number of years when he began his now common ministry.
IHOPKC leaders beforehand famous that that they had recognized 5 of the eight or so ladies the advocacy group claimed had been Bickle's victims and located the proof weak. Three of the alleged victims referred to as the allegations “lies.” One of many alleged victims declined to talk with a lawyer for the division. Solely the first Jane Doe that Tchividjian at the moment represents has been discovered credible.
“Please free the others from their life sentence of shadows and lies. Please permit us to faithfully wound one another like former buddies as an alternative of scripting our cowl as pawns to be manipulated. Please allow us to exhale collectively on the finish,” Woods urged Bickle in her letter.
“My title shouldn’t be Jane Doe; when it began it was Tammy Woods. This isn’t meant for lawyer fodder or social media gas. It’s a wounded coronary heart provided in sincere confession to my religious guides and household and prolonged throughout miles, a long time, plot twists and contexts that can significantly attraction to you son of a boxer – this can be a technical knockout; please throw within the towel; please do what’s true and honorable earlier than the Lord.”
Contact: leonardo.blair@christianpost.com Observe Leonard Blair on Twitter: @lebloir Observe Leonard Blair on Fb: LeoBlairChristianPost
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