"Response to Kozar" by Sam Storms

(This is the Word document/letter that Sam Storms sent to Steven Kozar on Nov. 16, 2025)

Steven,

I just concluded listening to both of your videos. I got the impression you wanted me to respond. So here it is.

[A word for those reading this who may get lost in the weeds. These are my comments on things Kozar said in his two videos. That is why they seem to be disconnected. If you want to follow the flow, you will need to watch his two videos and read my comments and responses that correspond to his accusations.]

I think the most frustrating thing about your recent video is that you only quote me from statements made prior to the implosion of IHOPKC and the disclosure of Bickle’s sexual misconduct. In the aftermath of that, I have repeatedly and on numerous occasions both in print and on podcasts acknowledged that Bickle exaggerated and lied about certain events in the so-called prophetic history.

What I don’t understand is that, assuming you are aware of my confession and acknowledgment of Bickle’s massive deception, you did not quote me saying so. Why continually point people to things that I no longer believe, stories that I have rejected, events that I have called into question. I can only assume, and hope that I’m wrong, that you are doing this to heap ridicule on me. But why have you said nothing about my statements that Bickle deceived and lied to me and countless others? Why have you not quoted my statements subsequent to his fall, but only ones that I made prior to it? 

You try to suggest at the beginning that you and perhaps others called out Bickle before his implosion in October of 2023. But every time I have said that neither I nor anyone else suspected Mike of misconduct, it was in reference to his sexual behavior. I’m not talking about whatever other theological or practical problems you and others might have with Bickle’s teaching. I only referenced his sexual misbehavior, and no one, at least no one with whom I have talked, ever had any suspicions that something was amiss.

You say that Bickle is either clueless or wicked. But you are not talking about his sexual misconduct as that had not yet been disclosed. So, my request is that you and others please cease suggesting that I or those with me in KC should have known about his sexual misbehavior.

Why do you recast my sincere comment about hoping that others don’t experience what I did as a manipulative way of redirecting people away from my lack of discernment. Can you not acknowledge that it is entirely legitimate for a Christian to hope and pray that other Christians don’t suffer from bad judgment the way I did?

Yes, Francis Chan and I did defend Bickle. How many times do I have to say what I’ve said a hundred or more times? I never defended him in order to lead people astray. I never promoted him at the same time I knew of his deception.

You ask how many young people might have gone to IHOPKC on the strength of Francis’ endorsement. Are you aware that I issued a very heartfelt public apology to anyone who might have gone to IHOPKC or trusted Bickle because of my endorsement of him? I’ve included that apology in which I ask for forgiveness (see below). Why is it that you say nothing about this in either of your videos?

Why would you say I try to gain sympathy for myself? I have done no such thing. And you say that I am still too close to Bickle and IHOPKC. What?????!!!!! I have insisted that Bickle never be allowed to enter any form of ministry ever again. I have said nothing in support of him or IHOPKC since the day I learned of his sins. You said that I am way too close to Bickle and IHOPKC. That is a total falsehood. Please apologize publicly for slandering me in this way.

Please stop telling people things that I think or desire that you have no knowledge of. Why would you say that I don’t want people to know about Bob Scott’s book. I’ve recommended it to countless individuals! I read it cover to cover when it was first released and have been in contact with Bob for quite some time since Mike’s sin was disclosed. I quote Bob’s book in my forthcoming book. 

You also seem to say that “the need for significance” was true of me. How would you know that? I trust that whatever needs I have, Jesus is more than enough to meet them.

Bob Scott had left staff long before I arrived in KC. His story about Bickle screaming at him and saying “it is all about me” is quite disturbing. But again, Bickle never once acted like this or spoke in this fashion during my seven years as his associate pastor.

You quote me as saying, “Mike Bickle is a great guy. But there’s just this one little thing where he tricked us.” Seriously Steve, please think about what you are doing. Since I learned about Bickle’s sexual sin, I never ever said he was a “great guy.” Before the disclosure of his sin, yes. But never since that time.

I can’t believe you would say that I affirmed Bickle as a great guy although he was sexually abusive. You are lying about me. I never ever affirmed Bickle again once I learned of his deception and sexual misconduct. You clearly make it sound as if I continued to affirm him as a good person even after I discovered his extensive sexual sin and double life. Why are you doing this? This is slander pure and simple.

Again, you show the video from the Roundtable where I said I know Mike to the depths of his soul and that he is humble and honorable. But why would you refer people to what I said before the revelation of his sin, instead of showing them clips from numerous videos and articles where I denounce him as a sexual predator and a fraud?

For you to say that Francis is pulling people into the Word of Faith and NAR movements is again blatant slander. Francis doesn’t believe anything in either of those movements, and neither do I. You owe Francis a public apology.

You say that I lack discernment. Yes, when it came to Bickle, I did. But then you point to the Firefly report about problems at IHOPKC. But I wasn’t at IHOPKC. I never heard anyone say anything critical of Bickle at IHOPKC. How can you cite the Firefly report to undermine my capacity to discern when that report wasn’t released until 2024?

Once again you are slandering me by saying that I was “covering up” Bickle’s abuse and sexual mistreatment of young women. How could I have been covering up something of which I had not one hint of knowledge? Please stop this slander! Maybe some people at IHOPKC were covering up Bickle’s sin, but I certainly wasn’t. I haven’t lived in KC since 2008. 

Your attempt to say I misquoted you simply won’t work. You said it in black and white. It was both because of the lack of accountability at IHOPKC and because no one knew it was happening. You must own up to the lie in the first half of your statement. You can’t wiggle out of your slanderous statement by appealing to the rest of the comment. The first part still stands as it is. Regardless of the reason why Bickle got away with his sin, be it the lack of accountability or the fact that no one knew, you still blatantly accuse me of covering it up.

No, it’s not a cohesive sentence. Nice try, but you can’t escape what you said. I’m not pretending you said something you didn’t. I’m saying you said something because there it is for all to read. 

In your attempt to respond to JonMark’s comment in defense of me, you once again cite the Firefly report of on-going cover up at IHOPKC. Yes, evidently that was happening. But again, I had no knowledge whatsoever that such was the case. You can’t keep appealing to the Firefly report when it discusses things that happened or didn’t happen at IHOPKC while I wasn’t living in KC and had no knowledge of such alleged behavior.

When I said that no one had any idea of Mike’s misconduct I was talking about the time I was in KC on Bickle’s staff. But even if we extend that to the years of IHOPKC, I had no knowledge that anyone had knowledge of a cover up going on. Maybe it was. But how was I to know that? No one contacted me to say so. 

I’m not trying to bully you. If anyone is being bullied, it is I.

You refer to the “four-year gap” that I hoped you wouldn’t notice. Again, you are slandering me. I never for a second chose not to mention those four years because of something sinister or something I was trying to hide. During those four years, 2004-08, I traveled approximately three times a month for several days at a time. I may have gone to the IHOPKC prayer room once or twice a month to pray, worship, and study. There is nothing sinister about my not mentioning those four years. But you make it sound like I was trying to hide something.

When I said I was “involved” at IHOPKC for those four years, perhaps a definition of “involved” is in order. That probably wasn’t the most accurate term to use. As I said, my “involvement” entailed the occasional visit to the prayer room. Nothing more.

By the way, why do you repeat my statement by slowing it down and increasing the deep tone of my voice? Is it not to ridicule? That hardly strikes me as the way one Christian should represent another.

You try to make my two statements about those four years sound contradictory. But why would it be necessary to go into detail about what I did or didn’t do during a four-year span of time? In addition to my traveling, I wrote 6 books in that period of time. And none of them were written while I was anywhere near IHOPKC.

Your comment about my sermons at Bridgeway is again indirectly slanderous. If you go to Bridgeway church’s website, www.bridgewaychurch.com and click on Resources, then Sermons, you will see that every sermon I preached in those 14 years is still there. No, nothing suspicious or weird about it, but again you take advantage of even the slightest of “facts” (I regret even using the word “facts”) to try to discredit me.

This has nothing to do with our subject, but I want to make clear why I left Bridgeway lest you try to make use of it to further discredit me. After 18 months upon arriving, the elders fired my successor, Michael Rowntree, in what I consider an egregious act of poor judgment. Worse than that, they sinned against him in ways that I pointed out to them. I stood up for Michael and defended him. Over half the congregation at Bridgeway left as they also saw how horribly Michael was treated. After that, I could no longer stay there in good conscience. I am now a part time pastor at the new church plant that Michael launched a year ago, Convergence Church OKC. So if you want to make something evil and sinister out of that, go ahead.

Again, I have to keep asking you. Why would you direct people to blog posts in 2019 that I wrote before knowledge of Bickle’s sin? What possible reason would you have for continually doing that if not because you want to mock me? Especially given the fact that I have recanted and apologized for it all. You are a mystery to me. I’m trying my best to give you the benefit of the doubt, but your constant citation of things in the past that I have openly acknowledged were wrong and based on Mike’s deception of me, makes it difficult for me to conclude otherwise than that you are determined to undermine my integrity and mock me to the Christian public.

Again, you cite my blog posts from 2019 endorsing Bickle and IHOPKC. Why? You’ve already done that multiple times in your video. Why not instead cite my rejection of Bickle and my many statements criticizing the prophetic history, all of which have come after October 2023?

Yes, Remnant Radio took down the videos. I asked them to. It was a joint decision.

My goodness, how many times do you have to cite the weather information? Yes, you are right. Bickle lied about it and exaggerated. We are all in agreement on that. Enough already!

I am “responding” as you request. And I’ve responded multiple times in this email. Your report on the weather was correct. Bickle was wrong. Can we not find something else to talk about?

You then say that I “still” believe in the prophetic history. How many times are you going to lie about me? I do not “still” believe in it.

You cite the Firefly report, with which I totally agree. They did a pretty good job. You mention from the report that allegations against Bickle came to other IHOP leaders, and then splice in a moment where I say, “None of us knew anything.” In doing so, you prejudice the listener to think that I don’t know what I’m talking about. How can Sam say none of us knew anything when in fact the Firefly report says several people did? The answer: I wasn’t present in IHOP when these things happened. And my comment about “none of us knew” anything refers, once again for the umpteenth time! that this was in regard to my time in KC and is based on what I was told or not told by other people. You make it sound as if a whole lot of people knew and Sam says that no one did. But clearly my point is that no one ever even hinted about such to me. As far as I was concerned, as far as my knowledge extended, Bickle’s sinful conduct was hidden.

You continue to quote the Firefly report about systemic abuse and lack of accountability at IHOP that enabled Bickle to perpetuate his abuse of young women. Surprise, surprise! I completely agree! But I had no knowledge of any such shortcomings of IHOPKC until early in August of 2023.

The mere thought that a young girl went to IHOPKC on my recommendation and was abused by Bickle is utterly and absolutely abhorrent to me! Thus, my apology, repentance, and the asking of forgiveness in the email I have included below. 

At the 33-minute mark in your first video, Bickle says I knew Bob Jones. That isn’t entirely correct. I met him once, had lunch with him, but never went deeper in our relationship.

You sarcastically mock me for the statement that I had very little contact with Bickle or IHOPKC for several years. That is true. Then you cite the 2019 event where I was on stage with Bickle and others. That was six years ago, and long before Bickle’s sins were exposed. I wasn’t present for the 20th anniversary of IHOPKC and had nothing to do with it.

You seem to make a big deal of my comment that “we were in the prayer room as we always come by.” You do this no doubt to counter my point that my contact with IHOPKC was sporadic at best from 2008-2023. You slow down the video and warp the sound to make your point. But you need to know that we visited KC at most twice a year. Twice a year! Usually in August when we take a few days’ vacation. In most years we visited the prayer room once a year.

I did misspeak at one point in saying that I learned how to pray in the church “and at IHOP.” I learned very little about prayer from being at IHOP. How could I when I was only there one or two times a year? But in any case, it was incorrect of me to say that.

Sorry, but I in fact “don’t know that this is a straw man argument.” I find it amazing how you think you can read my mind! 

You mention what you believe are the “true reasons” for the criticism of Bickle and IHOP. At that time I didn’t believe the prophetic history was wrong. I do now. And I didn’t see any evidence of cult-like behavior at IHOP. And yes, Alcala, Jones, and Cain were engaged in egregious sexual misconduct. I knew of all the criticism directed at Bickle because of these men. As for the Gruen report, you will have to wait for my book to be released to read a detailed, line upon line analysis of it. Perhaps you aren’t aware of the fact that Gruen was involved in several adulterous affairs when he attacked Bickle and the church. But you can read about it in my book.

Mike was never good at numbers. I was on staff for 7 years and lived in KC for an additional 4. Eleven years total, not 12 years as Bickle said.

Yes, it is a good thing that only these four men were sinning sexually. Why would it be a bad thing to say that? It is horrible that these four did what they did, but the fact that others did not is a good thing, is it not?

As for the Firefly report that beginning in 1997 Bickle launched Friends of the Bridegroom and that he had sinfully close contact with a group of girls is clearly true. But again, I didn’t know of his misconduct with these young ladies. Bickle was an expert at hiding his actions from others. I first heard about his group of young ladies who did research for him in August of 2023.

“And Sam Storms is still really big on the prophetic history.” Why in the world would you say something so patently false? Did certain prophetic words come true? Yes. But many (most?) of them were fabricated or rely solely on the personal testimony of Bickle, Jones, and Cain. But for you to say that I am “still” supporting the prophetic history is a slanderous lie!

You say I spent my “entire” life propping up people like Bickle. Really? I’m turning 75 soon and I defended Bickle for only 30 of those years, from 1993-2023. 

So now you say that my words that they “fell into immoral conduct” isn’t sufficient. Ok. What they did was horrific. What should I have said that would satisfy you?

How dare you say that I minimize their sexual misconduct to protect myself. I don’t minimize it. If you had paid any attention to numerous podcasts that I have done, you would know that if anything I have maximized their sinful behavior. I’m honestly getting tired of having to call you out for slandering me and undermining my reputation.

I have followed along with Jack Deere every step of the way on this issue. We both have renounced Bickle and Cain and want nothing to do with them. Jack and I have talked at length about the entire scenario and are in complete agreement.

You say I was “dishonest” about what was said at the Roundtable and that it wasn’t true. Again, I beg to differ.

Strangely ironic, isn’t it, that you appear to embrace your view of spiritual gifts on the misconduct of certain Pentecostal and charismatic charlatans. I thought it was we charismatics who were guilty of basing our theology on experience. But that is a perfect description of you!

As for Benny Hinn, after watching Mike Winger’s videos my opinion of Benny Hinn has changed. I still can’t say with absolute confidence that he is or is not a believer. God knows those who are his. I don’t. My statement about his salvation was based on his affirmation of trusting Christ and the fact that he hasn’t denied a foundational truth of the gospel. The 9 member Trinity thing was ridiculous. Everyone knows that. Why he would say such a thing is beyond me, but it indicates that he shouldn’t be in ministry.

I didn’t say that as long as they make a profession of faith it doesn’t matter how much of a huckster they are. You said that. I don’t believe that. I didn’t believe it then and I don’t believe it now. But it wasn’t until I watched the Winger video series. By the way, how much of a “huckster” must a person be to lead you to declare them lost and heading for hell?

To say, as I did, that such men as Hinn shouldn’t be in ministry, is not the same as saying they are unsaved.

Osman says my view is “an easy out.” There is nothing easy about taking a position on whether or not someone is saved or unfit for ministry.

You are correct about the mistakes and exaggerations Bickle made in reporting the weather events. Not all of it was false, as I show in my book. But in light of the information that has come to me subsequent to Bickle’s fall, I now know that you didn’t “badly distort” that information. So I apologize for that comment and ask your forgiveness.

Seriously, Steve, don’t you think you have said enough about the weather reports? You’re beating it like a dead horse. You were correct that Bickle’s report and my quoting of him was only partially true (your words). I was deceived into thinking it was entirely true. I apologize in sack cloth and ashes! Enough already!

Again, how many times do I have to repeat myself? My trip to the KC library concerned the events of August 23 and the rain. I wasn’t talking about the snow or anything else. And here is the testimony of a man whose name I won’t mention who is not on Bickle’s side. 

In a personal email to me, Steve . . ., who, together with his wife Jane, had been involved in the Kansas City church from day one, confirmed the reality of the rain. He wrote:

Despite what the “official” weather bureau records suggest, it absolutely DID RAIN fiercely on the very day Bob Jones has prophesied following the solemn assembly. We were there and everyone was wildly anticipating what might happen after a very long, dry summer. At or about 7PM the heavens opened. I'm not sure I've EVER seen it rain that hard. We were all jumping and shouting and laughing and celebrating after the disappointing end to the solemn assembly itself 3 months earlier. I tell you this because it was THIS EVENT (and one other) that kept me participating for the next decade even when I had serious doubts about Mike's theology on the critical role “we” played in God's timetable for the second coming. I couldn't quite shake the supernatural nature of that torrential rain and was kept by the thought that I didn't want to stand before the Lord someday and have Him say, “I invited you to be a part of something truly historic but you were too cynical and walked away.”

Again, one more time, the records I saw confirm the rain on August 23. I wasn’t talking about the events of March 7 or March 21 and the snow. Am I not being clear on this?

You can continue to show the official weather reports for temperature and snow on March 7 and 21 until you are blue in the face, but it is entirely irrelevant to my point. I was talking about the weather report for August 23.

My point about Justin’s comment that Jones was sexually immoral is that I have a definition for that and I think it is the same that the general public shares. It refers to someone who has engaged in sexual intercourse. I simply wanted to make certain that people didn’t conclude something about Jones that wasn’t true. Was his behavior immoral and evil and horribly sinful? Absolutely yes. I never denied this. You say, “he didn’t have sex with them, if that’s what you mean.” Yes, that is precisely what I mean/meant. Your hint or suggestion that I am saying what Jones did is “sort of ok” is again slanderous.

No one ever said to “accept” what Jones said to the women. Where did you get that?

You say that Jones and people like him should be put out of the church and we should protect people from them. I agree. Perhaps you aren’t aware of the strict discipline and steps taken to remove Jones from ministry. You can read about it in my book. I would also say that what David did with Bathsheba and her husband was far worse and far more sinful than what Jones did. But you say anyone who does any such thing should never be trusted and that anything they taught or prophesied in the past should be rejected. And I suspect that you will try to turn that statement about David / Jones into “Sam is once again minimizing Jones’s sin.” No, no, no.

And you suggest that we are “protecting” Bob Jones from the discernment ministries. Show me one word that remotely suggests that Jones was protected.

How dare you say that I “downplay” Jones sin and that it “wasn’t that bad.” Stop lying about me. I never, ever said it “wasn’t that bad.” How do you sleep at night? Who said Jones was a “really good guy that we should love and respect?” I certainly never did.

Taking my comment about Bob Jones actually having a prophetic gift and comparing it to the charlatan Todd Bentley is even beneath you. I never said that Todd Bentley “sure had a gift”. Where did you get that? If you, Justin, and Jim think I am always reluctant to call someone a false teacher and false prophet, listen closely: “Todd Bentley is a false teacher/prophet and is assuredly not saved.”

My comment that “I don’t know how to interpret that”, referring to the video Justin showed us, was an honest confession. I couldn’t make sense of what you or Justin were saying that took place. But why do you employ a mocking version of my comment by repeating it several times and deepening my voice? That is not the way Christians should treat other Christians, at least in my humble opinion.

My purpose in saying “I don’t care” if it was a fabrication was to make the point that what I care about is whether or not a person is healed. God is merciful enough that he can choose to heal someone even through a charlatan. Now, having said that, do I regret saying “I don’t care” at that point of the video? Yes. Why? Because it is so easily misinterpreted by some to think I’m saying I don’t care about truth. But that wasn’t my point. In hindsight, I wish I hadn’t said it, but I did, and I’ll live with the consequences.

Am I “bothered” as you say when someone exposes a false healer? No, of course not. And it sounded as if you said that I have an idolatrous view of healing. Perhaps I misheard you. But if you did say it, it is so absurd it hardly needs comment.

To say that I don’t care that people are being deceived is again slanderous. I’ve been in ministry for 50 years and I urge you to talk to anyone who has sat under my preaching and ask them if I don’t care that people are being deceived and hurt.

So, let me get this straight. Because I quoted 1 Cor. 14:1 and Paul’s command that we should earnestly desire spiritual gifts, especially prophecy, I am not to be regarded as a bible scholar. What? That’s what the text says! And then you quickly cut to Chris Reed as if his fakery disproves or undermines Paul’s exhortation.

You refer to Chris Reed and say that “this is the world Sam Storms has been perpetuating his entire lifetime.” Wow. Chris Reed is a huckster who should never be in ministry. And to say that I have perpetuated this sort of nonsense for my entire lifetime . . . I’m almost without words to respond to such a false, deceitful, outrageous statement. 

I’m happy to acknowledge that the people Justin showed us on his laptop are making a mockery of healing. That is why I am so passionately committed to doing it right.

Again, you said that a year and a half after the roundtable I am defending Todd White. Not true! How dare you make up lies such as that! Tell me how my comment that those men should not be in ministry is defending Todd White. Your reasoning is beyond me.

Yes, Bickle lied about the temperature. You say that I repeated this verbatim on Remnant Radio. Yes, but why then did you not say that I repeatedly retracted my comments about the truthfulness of that story? After the implosion of IHOPKC and the disclosure of Bickle’s sexual misconduct, I did a much deeper dive into everything and uncovered documents that I had not seen before. You must be aware of the fact that I have apologized publicly many times and have acknowledged that the story Bickle told about the temperature on March 7 was false. 

It actually gets worse. A short time before Bickle was exposed he appeared on Jim Bakker’s TV show (now that’s a bad idea!). There he said the temperature was 80 degrees! Needless to say, or maybe it does need to be said, once I realized that Bickle had lied I completely retracted my endorsement of this story and of Bickle. I document all of this in my forthcoming book, The Rise and Fall of the Kansas City Prophets.

Should I have double checked Bickle’s claim by going to the national weather report for that day? Yes, of course. But I was so entirely convinced of Bickle’s integrity that it never crossed my mind. 

I’ve already mentioned this, but since you brought it up more than once, I need to respond yet again. You show a clip from the Roundtable where I refer to my research at the KC library. You mistakenly think that this was in regard to the weather on March 7. It was not. My time at the library entirely concerned the issue of whether it rained on August 23 in fulfillment of Bob Jones’s prophetic word. But by mistakenly (I trust inadvertently) telling people that it concerned the weather report of March 7, you leave people with the impression that I am a liar.

I was also referring to March 21 and the question of whether it had snowed late that spring. The answer is yes, it had. I include the data from the KC newspaper and the weather service to prove it. It was not a large snowfall. But it was enough that Art Katz used it as an excuse not to fly out of town that night. In point of fact, he wanted to visit again with Bob Jones and that provided him with a convenient excuse. I never knew this, but once I discovered it, I acknowledged my mistake and have included this in my book. 

You say in the video released on November 15 that “it didn’t snow.” Yes it did. It was minimal, but it did in fact snow. Yes, my records show that it was .3 inches of snow. So, it did snow. But the amount was negligible. 

You say that I was repeating what Bickle said about the snow. Yes. But since I have repeatedly and publicly acknowledged that Bickle fabricated information to support Jones’s alleged prophetic word, I can’t help but keep asking you, Why do you constantly go back and cite things that I have repudiated and apologized for? Why not instead, as an expression of Christian charity, say that Sam later discovered that Bickle was misleading (yes, even lying) about the weather that day, and that he has openly confessed this and repented of it?

You accuse me of “bullying” people. I did no such thing. That I was inaccurate in my report is true. I freely confess that. But for you to charge me with “bullying” people is slanderous.

Yes, I did say on Remnant Radio that Bickle reported that Art Katz couldn’t leave that night because of the snow. Now I know he was lying. My error was in trusting Bickle. But I didn’t lie.

You say again, “Did no one bother to look at this? No.” You are correct. We all trusted Mike implicitly. It never crossed my mind that this man that I thought I knew could be deceptive. I am resigned to living with that failure on my part for the rest of my life. What more do you want me to say?

Bickle again exaggerated the length and intensity of the rain on August 23. My error is that I believed he was speaking truthfully. 

You say once again, “just the way Sam Storms tells it.” When you say it like this you are giving people the impression that I am saying that in the present day. That is false. Why wouldn’t you be more accurate and say, “just the way Sam Storms told it in the past, when he was still under the impression that Bickle was trustworthy?” 

One of the primary reasons I am increasingly skeptical about much of the prophetic history is that many of the prophecies were supposed to be indicators, perhaps even proofs, that revival would come to KC and to the U.S. It hasn’t come. That is why I am skeptical of the prophetic history, something that I write about extensively in my forthcoming book.

You say, perhaps Sam Storms was in on it. Why would you say that? Even though you then seemed to back off the assertion, you leave people with doubts in their mind about my integrity.

[I posted the following article on my blog, www.samstorms.org, on February 7, 2025. I was moved to do so after watching the interview of Deborah Perkins by Julie Roys on February 3, 2025, a podcast which you can access at www.julieroys.com. It is titled, Mike Bickle’s Primary “Jane Doe” Comes Forward.]

My Heartfelt Apology to the Body of Christ, by Sam Storms

February 7, 2025

Most of you are undoubtedly aware of the horrible events that have been revealed concerning the predatory sexual misconduct of Mike Bickle. Numerous other sinful actions took place at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City that implicate former staff members and leaders. If you are hearing this for the first time, I encourage you to visit www.julieroys.com and read the many articles that have been posted since the Fall of 2023. You can also watch two videos where Roys interviews the first of several so-called “Jane Doe’s” who were victims of Bickle. Her name is Deborah Perkins, a truly courageous and godly woman that I have known for close to 30 years.

It isn’t my purpose to rehearse or describe the sordid events that took place at IHOPKC and in the many years preceding its establishment. My purpose here is to express my deeply sincere and profound apologies to those who suffered under Bickle’s leadership or abuse because of my former endorsement of him.

Ever since I first met Bickle in January of 1991, through the years when I served as one of his associate pastors at the church he led, up through the present day, I have been his most vocal defender and advocate. I’ve written articles praising the ministry of IHOPKC and have responded to the many criticisms that were launched against Bickle. I must confess that I thought I knew the man. I regarded him as one of my closest friends. When I first heard of his indiscretions (that word is far too lenient for what he has done) on August 2, 2023, I couldn’t believe what I was told. That is, until I had a long zoom call with Deborah and her husband, Murray, followed by several telephone conversations. The evidence began to mount with each passing day that the man I so passionately defended and admired was a wicked, two-faced abuser of women, most of whom were much younger than he.

I’m heartbroken beyond words. When people ask me why I didn’t discern anything during my 35-year relationship with Bickle, I have no good answer. My only solace is that no one else detected anything amiss in the man. I’m not trying to excuse my blindness and lack of discernment. I simply don’t know why God waited as long as he did to uncover Bickle and his sins. I am truly deserving of whatever ridicule or criticism that comes my way for being blind to this man’s true character. It forces me to ask, why would anyone ever trust my judgment again. I can’t undo the past or gloss over my mistakes, but I can speak honestly and sincerely to many of you who are deeply wounded by my vocal support of Bickle through the years. It grieves me beyond words that some of you have walked away from the Lord and from his church because of Bickle’s betrayal of all of us.

However, I also want to acknowledge the spiritual blessings and growth that many of you experienced during your time at IHOPKC and at Forerunner Church. In spite of what has been revealed of Bickle’s behavior, I’m sure that there are people who look back on their time in Kansas City with fond memories and gratitude for what God did in their lives. That being said, I now proceed with the main reason why I’m writing this.

I apologize, repent, and ask forgiveness from my immediate family members (my two daughters, six grandchildren, my sister and her husband, and all their extended family) for the way I influenced them through my misguided endorsement of Mike Bickle.

I apologize, repent, and ask forgiveness from those of you who may have moved to Kansas City and joined IHOPKC on the strength of my endorsement of Bickle. Please forgive me.

I apologize, repent, and ask forgiveness from those of you who suffered under his abusive leadership because of words that I spoke in public in support of him. Please forgive me.

I apologize, repent, and ask forgiveness from anyone who was sexually victimized by Bickle, having put yourself in a position to endure such sin because you trusted my words of affirmation. Please forgive me.

I apologize, repent, and ask forgiveness from those of you who invested considerable sums of money into the “ministry” of IHOPKC and into Bickle personally, based on what you may have heard or read from me saying that he was trustworthy. Please forgive me.

I apologize, repent, and ask forgiveness from those of you who suspended your critical judgment of Bickle simply because I did. Please forgive me.

I apologize, repent, and ask forgiveness from those of you who have lost confidence in the truth of the Bible because of Bickle’s sinful conduct and my failure to warn you about it. Please forgive me.

I apologize, repent, and ask forgiveness from those of you who have grown cynical or suspicious about the work of the Holy Spirit and the charismatic gifts because of your trust in my misguided belief that Bickle was a good and godly representative of what being a biblical charismatic should look like. Please forgive me.

I apologize, repent, and ask forgiveness from those of you who have walked away from your faith or from the church or are in process of deconstructing because of Bickle’s transgressions, having put your confidence in him because you heard my endorsement. Please forgive me.

I apologize, repent, and ask forgiveness from those of you who suspended your pursuit of higher education or a career or even delayed getting married and having children because of the teaching of Bickle concerning the urgency to be prepared as “forerunners” of the imminent appearing of Jesus. Some of you may have embraced this approach because you knew that I had spoken highly of the “ministry” IHOPKC. Please forgive me.

I am certain that there are others to whom I owe this apology and request for forgiveness. I will continue to search my soul for insight on this, and whenever I discover other ways in which I misled you concerning Bickle and IHOPKC and caused you to suffer spiritually, emotionally, physically, financially, sexually, or theologically, I will quickly and sincerely repent and ask your forgiveness.

Until then, may God bless you and keep you and make his face to shine upon you.

Steven, I have no desire to engage in an internet/podcast/email war with you over these matters. I only ask that you own up to the many ways that you misrepresent me in your videos.

Cordially, in Christ,

Sam Storms