# Is this the future of church (International House of Prayer)?



## shackleton (Aug 3, 2008)

International House of Prayer

This is Mike Bickle and the Kansas City Prophets the next generation. Sam Storms is affiliated with this but I do not know to what degree. 

They have a building that is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, anytime day or night and people, (usually 20 somethings) can come in and pray and listen to music that helps them pray. There is also a coffee shop, bookstore, school of ministry and a realty office. 

People can come here to pray, listen to music (it is like a 24/7 worship service) and when they want teaching (that consists of praying, fasting, casting out demons and premillinnial dispensationalism) they listen to one of a series of conference tapes, this is where the teaching comes from, conferences and the school of ministry. 

I went to his church back about 20 years ago it was a Vineyard church and was just developing ideas that have been perfected and made into what it is today. I had thought that it had gone out of business but was out driving around and happened to drive past it, all I can say is WOW! And wonder if this is what most contemporary churches are heading towards.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV5laQ4bbNE"]YouTube - International House of Prayer Kansas City[/ame]


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## shackleton (Aug 3, 2008)

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDBRgZP7ul8&feature=related]YouTube - Mike Bickle with IHOP on CBN[/ame]


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## SueS (Aug 6, 2008)

I've seen signs for an IHOP up in the Calcutta, Ohio area - it took me a while to realize what the initials stood for - at first I thought it was an International House of Pancakes  Too bad it's not - they have some fantastically decadent waffles - YUM!!!


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## Reformed Baptist (Aug 6, 2008)

I know of this church. I am pretty sure we have friends that attend there. I was involved with the prophetic movement for a number of years. This is also the prophetic movement to a large degree. We need to be discerning about these things. We need to hear what is being said and not be too caught up in the "vision" of it. 

No, these folks are not going to pray Jesus back. Yes, the Lord will come back with or without them. What is the focus of the movement that they think will never end until the Lord comes back? Missions. What is God's focus? His own glory. Why does He delay (as some count delaying) His return? The salvation of the elect. How will the elect be called? Through the preaching of the Gospel. Where was Christ crucified and risen from the dead mentioned? It wasn't. 

I am not saying its not being preached by them. But as one who was in a similiar movement you will find these folks feeling like all heaven is about to break loose, but scarcely understanding their justification before God.


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## shackleton (Aug 6, 2008)

I went to this very church way back when it was only a Vineyard Church and could see the seeds of what it has become today. I went and sat for a while and listened to their prayer/worship meeting and I am at a loss as to what to think. 

On the one hand it seems like it is just fulfilling a niche that is wanted in the church, that is, a lot of people nowadays just seem like all they want out of church is the worship service because it makes them feel good and lets them forget about their problems. (This is what people have told me, even reformed people). So because of this it is very popular (I have been over their twice now and both times the parking lot was full, the place is not hurting for people). The music is almost like a mood altering drug, in fact it is exactly like that. 

On the other hand I am not sure what good this is doing, praying for hours at a time, but not about anything. Mike Bickle himself stated that prayer gets boring when doing it for hours at a time and so music has been added to help the mood. But the people praying just seem to be there for themselves, to make them feel better, (see above) so what godly purpose is this fulfilling? They are praying rather than doing and they are praying strictly as a way to get something for themselves. 

On the other, other hand or foot, they are praying so is God honoring that in some way? 

When looking in on their bookstore the have everything ever written by A.W. Pink, they use Wayne Grudem's theology in their school, they are rabidly dispensational and have classes and books on how to prophecy and how to cast out demons and heal the sick. With hundreds of hours of teaching by Bickle on prophecy and healing and how to do both. 

IHOP:The Harp and Bowl 24-hour prayer initiative of Mike Bickle


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## Jared (Aug 10, 2008)

I'm not entirely sure that I would consider them to be dispensational. I have listened to Mike Bickle quite a bit and I know that they are classical premillenialists. Most people in the prophetic movement will say that they are not dispensationalists because they think that most dispensationalists are simply buying into escapism. Their goal is to impact the culture and escapism would undermine that. 

They sell John Piper's books from their website and Sam Storms is friends with Mike Bickle. In fact, one of Sam's books, "Onething" is dedicated to Bickle.

BTW: Mike and the staff at IHOP preach but not at the House Of Prayer. The House Of Prayer is simply a place to go and spend time with God. It is modeled after the tabernacle of David and the Moravians. 

Unlike IHOP, Sam Storms is an Amillenialist.


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Aug 11, 2008)

I would not entirely mind if the future of the Church was the International House of _Pancakes_!!!


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## shackleton (Aug 11, 2008)

I know in the bookstore of IHOP Bickle has a lot of teaching tapes on prophecy and that seems to be the motivation for a lot of what they do. I heard him mention once that he believed the end to be in the next 5-50 years, probably closer to 50. I assumed they were Dispensational's since most people obsessed with the end are. On the other hand, his books on prophecy were by George Eldon Ladd.


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