The former chief of the International House of Prayer Kansas City is dealing with one other sexual abuse allegation – this time for a teen whose household attended his church greater than 20 years in the past.
The accusation, first reported by the Kansas City Star, got here the identical week the church apologized for its delayed response to an preliminary intercourse abuse declare filed in opposition to the minister this previous fall by a girl who stated she was 19 when he reportedly assaulted her.
Mike Bickle, 68, allegedly molested his former babysitter Tammy Woods, whose household attended his church in St. Louis earlier than he began the 24/7 international prayer ministry, the outlet reported Thursday.
Woods is amongst at the very least two individuals who declare the minister sexually abused them once they have been youngsters.
The first person to publicly declare Bickle molested her got here ahead in October with accusations courting again to the late Nineteen Nineties.
In a Thursday submit on its IHOPKC’s web site, the Kansas City-based church wrote it was grief-stricken with the latest information. The group stated its leaders imagine each girls’s claims and publicly apologized.
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‘His predatory and abusive actions are sick’
In late December, the church introduced it was completely separating from Bickle amid his preliminary intercourse abuse allegations after a girl recognized as Jane Doe got here ahead with accusations in October.
“We imagine that Mike Bickle sexually abused and manipulated Jane Doe and Tammy Woods, who was a minor on the time,” the church posted on its webpage Thursday. “His predatory and abusive actions are sick and violate the Word of God, the wedding covenant.”
Bickle has not responded publicly to Woods’s claims and couldn’t instantly be reached by USA TODAY Friday.
But in a signed letter posted to his Instagram web page on Dec. 12, Bickle apologized to his spouse, household and the church.
“I want to express how deeply grieved I am that my past sins led to so much pain, confusion and division,” he wrote within the submit. “Some may wonder why I am just now making a public statement 20+ years later? It was because I was recently confronted about things I said or did 20+ years ago – things I believed were dealt with and under the blood of Jesus.”
He additionally admitted he “sinned by engaging in inappropriate behavior. My moral failures were real.”
The most recent sex abuse allegation
Woods, now 57, told the outlet the alleged abuse took place when she was age 14 when she was babysitter for Bickle’s two children.
She told the outlet it took place in the early 1980s in St. Louis, where Bickle pastored a church before moving to Kansas City where he later founded IHOPKC in 1999.
The woman told the outlet she decided to come forward with her story after hearing Jane Doe’s allegations several months ago and claimed the abuse occured in places including the church, Bickle’s home and in his car.
She told the Star it allegedly began with kissing, but progressed to fondling and Bickle moving on top of her ‘until he released.’ Prior to the alleged physical sexual abuse, Woods also recalled a detail the first victim shared: that Bickle told her he believed his wife would die and that they could be together.
“He also told me that Diane believes this, too.” Woods informed the outlet.
Records obtained by USA TODAY Friday present it wasn’t till December that the church started to formally examine Jane Doe’s claims.
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The church’s investigative findings
According to a seven-page report launched final week by the church, IHOPKC employed a investigative agency to look into Jane Doe’s abuse allegations in opposition to Bickle.
The report says it’s based mostly on interviews with individuals together with 4 girls allegedly abused by him together with Jane Doe, and a overview of paperwork supplied by witnesses, together with his Instagram submit.
“I recall 5 events the place I engaged in inappropriate conduct with (Jane Doe) which incorporates two events once we kissed,” Bickle stated, based on the report. “We each repented and agreed that these actions have been improper. Our friendship has been solely acceptable for many years, over which period I’ve obtained dozens of pleasant emails from her] and spoke at her wedding ceremony over twenty years in the past.”
The report doesn’t point out Woods’ claims however goes on to say Bickle and his spouse each stated “she believed she would die young.”
“He stated that he shared this remark with (the first) Jane Doeand regrets doing so,” the report reads. “He acknowledged that he didn’t inform anybody his spouse was going to die and he could be with them or married to them.”
In the top, the report concluded the next:
“Based on all of the credible proof, together with his personal acknowledgements of contact with the 2 Jane Does over twenty years in the past, it’s extra possible than not that (Bickle) engaged in inappropriate conduct together with sexual contact and clergy misconduct, in an abuse of energy for a person in a position of belief and management.”
IHOPKC apologizes for delayed response
This week the church apologized for not performing on the October declare sooner and stated it “dedicated to do higher.”
“Many in our group have been pained by our communications relating to these allegations,” its assertion reads. “We are sorry we fell quick on this space and left you feeling unseen, unheard and unappreciated. We thanks in your persistence and perseverance despite our shortcomings.” As a management workforce, we’re dedicated to do higher.”
On Friday, Bickle’s profile remained on the church’s web site.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and observe her on X @nataliealund.
