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Thoughts on Mike Bickle and the Techniques of the Narcissistic Charismatic Leader
#ihopkc #mikebickle
The following is an analysis of the following promo video for OneThing09 with @mikebickle and Misty Edwards because it is a fantastic example of Mike Bickle acting as a cult leader.
“IHOP is going out and the Holy Spirit’s telling us it is time to confront the compromise and the rise of darkness emerging in the Church, to respond to the Holy Spirit in the crisis in the land… If [God’s people] want to do the works of the Kingdom, [if] they want to heal the sick, [if] they want to prophesy, [if] they want to win the lost, [if] they want to be involved in an active way in compassion, [if] they want to impact society, now is the time! Yes!... We got to win the lost now, but we want to prepare for the unique things that are coming in the generation of the Lord’s return that are still some decades away… [ we must go] deep as a Forerunner so we have clarity in the Word for the unique dynamics of the generation of the Lord’s return while confronting the crisis in the Church of compromise and the crisis in our nation that are coming out of our government policies that are encoding so much liberal darkness… It’s a dangerous time if you’re not walking in the Holy Spirit or if you’re not paying attention. Many negative things are being said [out of] emotion, but many powerful things are being released as well. So we want you to come, we, again, we believe this is the most significant season for IHOP and we’re going to be sharing what the Holy Spirit is telling us, but more than that, what He’s saying to the Church and our nation.”
- Mike Bickle
youtube.com/watch?v=yCY2gG…
In this video, Mike does the following to promote a negative view of people outside of IHOPKC and promote his own community in an elitist way. Mike creates a "us versus them" paradigm (See what I did there?), promotes a doomsday mentality, utilizes but doesn't define his grandiose ideas/terms, creates an unbiblical sense of urgency, and uses the false image of Misty Edwards. In doing so, he creates a culture where people must depend on him and his vision for spiritual growth.
1) Us versus them paradigm.
Mike sets this up with his subtle switching of pronouns. Notice how he uses the "they” pronoun when he talks about the Church at large and if “they” want to prophesy and if “they” want to impact society. This is a subtle way to critique others in the Body of Christ, inferring that other Christians who aren’t partnered with IHOPKC aren’t going to impact the culture at large because they don’t share @ihopkc (and, thereby, Mike Bickle’s) vision.
He also uses “you’re” to emphasize that you might not be walking in the Holy Spirit or paying attention.
He then switches to “we” when he starts talking about the “uniqueness” of what his own organization is doing or going to do. “We” want to prepare for the unique things that are coming. “We” want to have clarity in the Word for the “unique” dynamics of the generation of the Lord’s return.
Mike also utilizes Christian Nationalism to further underline the uniqueness of IHOPKC in God’s eyes by stating that there is a crisis in our nation coming from “the darkness” of liberal policies. This reinforces the “us versus them” mentality.
He also states that the Church is in compromise and must be confronted. While I agree things must be confronted in the Church at large, Mike Bickle makes it a personal assignment for IHOPKC and their partners to do.
2) Doomsday cult
The belief that Jesus is returning this generation or the next/within the next few decades is a characteristic of cults. As many have testified, this sense of urgency led people to not take care of their children, not build skills or careers, and to look down on people who did. Instead, they spent an exorbitant amount of time in the Prayer Room trying to be part of the "elite" group of Christians who can gain "clarity in the Word" necessary for the last generation before Christ's return.
This unbiblical theology created an elitism within IHOPKC. Notice how he wants the Forerunners to “go deep” (aka pray in the Prayer Room) to have “clarity in the Word” for the “unique” dynamics of the generation of the Lord’s return.
Note, this is not to say Jesus isn’t returning in the next few decades. He might. But to state that it is a fact is unbiblical. (Matthew 25:13)
3) Unspecified terms/Plausible deniability
Notice how Mike Bickle uses grandiose phrases without defining what he means. He says:
a) There is compromise in the Church. (What compromise is he specifically referring to?)
b) There is darkness in the Church. (What darkness is he referring to?)
c) We need to respond to the Holy Spirit in this time. (What is the Holy Spirit doing in this time that we should respond to?)
d) There are unique dynamics of the generation of the Lord’s return. (What are those unique dynamics?)
e) The government is encoding liberal darkness. (What policies are encoding “liberal darkness”?)
f) It is a dangerous time to not be walking with the Holy Spirit or paying attention. (Why is it a dangerous time? What does he mean to be “walking with the Holy Spirit”? Paying attention to what?)
g) Many negative things are being spoken out of emotion. (What things?)
h) Many powerful things are being released as well. (What things?)
And the granddaddy of them all.
i) Jesus is returning in the next few decades. (How convenient to have a prophecy about the near future, but leave it so vague that it is impossible to disprove. I think Mike intentionally did this so that he could die and still have his “prophetic history” live on without him because you couldn’t disprove this prophecy until 100 years after his death).
(Side note: @kvministries does the same thing when he refers to restoring leaders but doesn’t mention Bob Hartley specifically in his recent post, even though we all know that his post is a justification for why Bob Hartley is still doing ministry at @bethelredding despite a video of him being a sexual predator circulating the internet. By not referencing Bob Hartley, he has plausible deniability and it is impossible to "prove" the post isn't about Bob, even though we all know it is.)
4) Creating a sense of urgency
Mike says, “Now is the time” to impact society and “now is the time” to win the lost. This idea of urgency is biblical in a sense (we should always be attempting to win the lost and commune with the Holy Spirit), but Mike uses it to underline the importance of this generation and appeals to the narcissism in individuals. Everyone wants to be part of the “unique” generation that “brings Jesus back”. Everyone wants to “impact society” in a meaningful way for Christ. Only a narcissist believes that Jesus made it their destiny to do so.
Bickle underscores the importance of this urgency by saying it is a “dangerous time” to not be paying attention (implying that he is paying attention) and to not be “walking in the Holy Spirit” (implying that he is walking in the Holy Spirit… even though he never says what this means).
5) Using Misty Edwards
Notice how little Misty says in this. In fact, I don’t think she even smiles until two minutes into this entire thing. She is visibly zoned out and clearly uncomfortable. This video could be done completely without Misty at all. Mike railroads her throughout the video. Misty Edward's celebrity status is used solely to endorse Mike's vision.
She's a tool to use in this video, not a person.
Much like how Mike tried to use Francis Chan's, @TheRemnantRadio's, @Samuel_Storms' and Bill Bright's endorsement to validate his ministry, prophetic history, and vision as legitimate, Mike used Misty's image as the ideal Forerunner to gain followers to the IHOPKC way.
(Side note: @chloedroberts has an excellent article on the "Misty Thing" and its use to create an impossible standard that even Misty couldn't live up to: thechloeroberts.substack.com/p/the-hypocris…)
Conclusion:
This entire culture of urgency and narcissism is incompatible with 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12:
“… [m]ake it your ambition to lead a quiet life. You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.”
The cult of IHOPKC made people’s faith dependent on Mike Bickle, dependent on the prophetic history, and dependent on others for financing their “prayer life.” It made the Prayer Room the foundation of their faith because you can't "feel the presence of God" or be a part of God's end times works without being involved in the prayer movement.
Depend on nothing else but the provision of God. Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
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