Some Said They Blundered: Breaking My Decades Of Silence On Mike Bickle, The Kansas City Prophets and International House of Prayer- Kansas City

by Bob Scott

Over the last few decades, many dark secrets have been pouring out of Christian communities around the world. Most of them focus on some form of misuse of trust or abuse at the hands of church leaders. Whether you are Catholic or Protestant, you have not been spared these painful stories. For centuries religious leaders have “circled the wagons” in an attempt to preserve the money-making institutions they lead. Scripture verses have been used to try and silence people who were victims of their abuse. Words like “Gossiper” or “Slanderer” are thrown around carelessly to diminish people’s stories. The result has been a continual cycle of abuse and the disillusioned leaving the institutional church world in droves.

In 1982, author Bob Scott founded the Kansas City Fellowship with his friend and then brother-in-law Mike Bickle. It would begin a wonderful, nearly decade long period, of building relationships that would last a lifetime. Over that same time though they began to have very different perspectives about what and how things were transpiring in their church community. The most significant issue was how Mike was using a group of unusually gifted men later labeled “The Kansas City Prophets” and developing a mythology around himself through what he called “The Prophetic History”.

It would eventually become a source of deep pain for Bob as Mike would accuse him of being deceived, disloyal and wanting to lead the church astray. A friendship that began as teenagers was suddenly over. On the advice of fellow ministry colleagues who were concerned about his well being, Bob would have to leave the city and head to California with his family for a few years.

In 1993, Bob would meet David Pytches, the author of “Some Said It Thundered” which was released in 1990. That book was instrumental in putting Mike and the KCF church on the map internationally and giving them great influence. During their meeting, Bob discovered that David had been prevented from meeting with him in 1989 by both Mike & Jack Deere as he was researching the book. As they discussed significant information missing from David’s book, he made a promise to David that one day he would write a sequel and set the record straight while titling it “Some Said They Blundered”. They had a good laugh about it.

The tragic developments with Mike Bickle and the International House of Prayer in the Fall of 2023 left hundreds of thousands hurt and confused. The spiritual equations they had been given suddenly did not add up and the disillusionment that set in was painful to watch. For Bob, it was like watching a movie rerun. He had spent decades trying to heal the disillusioned and brokenhearted from the demise of Dominion Christian School and KCF. Suddenly he was thrust back into service in a pseudo religious MASH hospital trying to help people find their spiritual equilibrium again.

Bob has spent the last 40 years as a spiritual counselor and consultant to not only struggling church leaders but those in the Sports, Entertainment, Business and Geo-Political sectors who are all struggling with how they navigate their faith outside the church world. In those sectors, when there is failure, a common practice is to do a Postmortem to dissect, discover and decide what went wrong to learn from it. It’s not criticism to tear down but critique to build up. This book is Bob’s Postmortem on what went wrong and why, in the hope that future ministry leaders will learn and grow from it.

The stories and perspectives in the book will be eye opening for many and confirming for others. It will give you insight and understanding from behind-the-scenes stories that few know.

232 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 7, 2024

Reviews

[Sally Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's All Here

As a follower and supporter of IHOPKC, I had been dumbfounded by the news of the problems there. Bob explains the roots of the problems in an honest, open way without bitterness. It's a sad story, but one that needs to be told and learned from. I highly recommend this book.

[Sydney · Rating 3 out of 5]

The parts that were good were REALLY good, but I think maybe I went into this expecting something a little bit different.
Learning the context and background of Mike Bickle was really interesting and helpful. I wish there had been more about what happened with IHOPKC, but I think the author didn't include stuff he didn't know first-hand, which, ultimately, is probably better.
I think the discussion of Mike as a narcissist and sociopath was super interesting, and I wish that had been explored a bit more.
I also appreciated the information on additional resources at the end.

Things I didn't like:
I didn't think the author explained by he thought Mike might be autistic well enough. Especially since he used out-dated terminology. I also found his obsession with the sexuality of the Kansas City prophets a little weird (and definitely unnecessary - even if he believes (incorrectly) that homosexuality is a sin). He aired a lot of unnecessary dirty laundry, especially because the prophets are dead and can't respond.
I also felt like the author had a sense of superiority about being able to "see through" Mike when no one else could. But man, I wish he had said something years ago. I also wish he had talked a bit more about the prophetic history - which had such a huge part in the mythology of Mike.

[Robert Baxter · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent read, revealing

I have been influenced or exposed, from a distance, the likes of Deere, Joyner, Cain and Bickle since 1993. All had strongly positive impacts on me personally.
I am grateful there was a large distance geographically so that I did not get drawn into the inner workings of Joyner, Cain and Bickle.
I got to attend Jack Deeres church in the DFW area for a few years. Jack Deere is a good man with normal human flaws, now I understand why he quietly pulled away. Makes more sense. I do overall agree with this authors assessment of Jack.
The prophetic manipulation is shocking and appalling. The sense of self importance, as if any one person were "God's man," an important lesson we can take away.
Jesus was/is God's man by way of human representation. He was meek and humble, serving others and pointing to God.

[Allan Nemer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. If you came out of IHOP, NAR, etc or know someone who did, they should read this book. Although I didn't have anything to do with IHOP, I came out from under an NAR orientation years ago, so this book helped me. What struck me was the whole thing is worse than I imagined. Some issues with this book is it could have used a little more editing. Also, I felt that the author was a little too gracious to Paul Cain and Bob Jones.They were a mess.

[Deborah Rohl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book

Honest, raw, truths! I recommend to anyone who has been hurt, disillusioned or let down by fallen church leaders. This book brings context and healing.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful

Bob articulated very well the history and the humanity of people involved. His heart of compassion was woven throughout the book.

[Kathy Lazio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Making sense from a mess.

I appreciated Bob’s transparency of his personal tragedy and that of the leader’s and ministries involved. He presents the early history with clarity and helps fill in the missing pieces with details that only someone in the inner circle would know. For anyone who came under this ministry you need to read this.

[Mark Labonte · Rating 5 out of 5]

An emotionally taxing read

I thank bob scott for expending the emotional energy to lay this out with the thoughtful balance he portrays in all the vignettes and analyses. I literally did feel salve entering my soul as i waded through the first several chapters. The grandiosity of bickle emerges from behind the clouds of his self-effacing persona. However, i do really believe he had a high apostolic calling , and failed. Nevertheless ihop did impart many spiritual graces and growth in the prayer lives of many, while also providing a dramatically unhealthy context for so many.

Thank you, Bob

[Brittany Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an eye opening book that brings really helpful to the context of everything we now know about Mike Bickle. There were some grammar/punctuation errors and at times the structure was hard to follow or jumped around a lot, but overall the content more than made up for that.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history and downfall of IHOP-KC or who has suffered under a manipulative leader.

[Heidi Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend if you ever followed any prophetic ministries. Be wise and discerning and open to see the pitfalls of how people can elevate themselves over the truth of the Gospel.

[Michael H. Fry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful information and helpful context for anyone who grew up in the Metro/IHOP orbit. I personally thought the book would have benefited from additional editing and organization.

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for those interested in the current prophetic movement and a very insightful glimpse into the behind the scene world of Mike Bickle and IHOP.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kudos and thank you to Bob Scott for the history and insights given here. It really helps to understand better what happened with the prophets in Kansas City.
Unfortunately this book suffers from lack of a good editor. Besides some surface errors, it's just not organized and focused very well.
Still, I'm very glad to have read it.