Ep. 435: IHOPKC and Mike Bickle, Samaritan’s Purse Dodges Freeze on Aid, 50 Largest Relief and Development Ministries

On today’s program, an independent investigation into the International House of Prayer in Kansas City and its founder Mike Bickle was released this week…finding 17 cases of abuse leveled against him. Samaritan’s Purse dodges the Trump administration’s freeze on foreign aid. Other ministries—especially those working to resettle refugees—aren’t faring as well, however…many face furloughs as they scramble to support the thousands of refugees already in the United States depending on them for rent and basic necessities. We’ll take a look. And, the 50 largest relief and development ministries in the MinistryWatch database. But first, Church of the Highlands founding pastor Chris Hodges announced Sunday that he is stepping down as lead pastor. Hodges planted Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, Alabama, in 2001, and has seen explosive growth in its 24 years. According to Outreach 100, about 60,000 congregants attend the worship services on a given weekend, making it the second largest church in the nation in attendance. Hodges made his announcement Sunday (Feb. 2), the same day the church celebrated its 24th anniversary. Hodges said Mark Pettus will step into the role of lead pastor, and he will take on the role as founding pastor. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Daniel Ritchie, Kathryn Post, Bob Smietana, Mark Wingfield, Tony Mator, Jack Jenkins, Aleja Hertzler-McCain, Adelle Banks, Kim Roberts, Mark Kellner, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to Baptist News Global and the Baptist Paper for contributing material for this week’s podcast. Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENT Warren: Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina. Natasha: And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast. Warren: On today’s program, an independent investigation into the International House of Prayer in Kansas City and its founder Mike Bickle was released this week…finding 17 cases of abuse leveled against him. Samaritan’s Purse dodges the Trump administration’s freeze on foreign aid. Other ministries—especially those working to resettle refugees—aren’t faring as well, however…many face furloughs as they scramble to support the thousands of refugees already in the United States depending on them for rent and basic necessities. We’ll take a look. And, the 50 largest relief and development ministries in the MinistryWatch database. Natasha: But first, Church of the Highlands founding pastor Chris Hodges announced Sunday that he is stepping down as lead pastor. Warren: Hodges planted Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, Alabama, in 2001, and has seen explosive growth in its 24 years. According to Outreach 100, about 60,000 congregants attend the worship services on a given weekend, making it the second largest church in the nation in attendance. Hodges made his announcement Sunday (Feb. 2), the same day the church celebrated its 24th anniversary. Hodges said Mark Pettus will step into the role of lead pastor, and he will take on the role as founding pastor. Natasha: What does he plan to do next? Warren: Hodges said he would increase his efforts at Highlands College as chancellor. Hodges said he’s not retiring, and he’s not burned out, but he has reached a state in life in which he wants to empower other leaders. Natasha: Next, the report is out, detailing abuse by IHOP KC founder, Mike Bickle. Warren: Mike Bickle, the influential founder of the International House of Prayer, a global missionary group, committed sexual abuse or misconduct involving at least 17 survivors, according to an independent report released Monday (Feb. 3). The allegations range from spiritual abuse to rape. The report was conducted by the investigative firm Firefly. The report was based on a review of over 6,000 documents and interviews with 210 individuals. Natasha: Bickle was initially accused of clergy sexual abuse by former IHOPKC leaders in October 2023 based on allegations from several women that spanned multiple decades. Warren: In December 2023, he confessed to “inappropriate behavior” but not the “more intense sexual activities” he had been accused of. IHOPKC leaders soon cut ties with Bickle. Bickle did not respond to an email request for comment. Natasha: The report indicated that Bickle was not the only contributor to the problems at IHOPKC. Warren: The report said it found a deliberate indifference by BICKLE and the ELT (Executive Leadership Team) in minimizing reports of sexual abuse, requiring victims to confront their offenders, and discouraging victims from seeking law enforcement assistance. Natasha: Next, Southwestern Seminary find a solution to their dept problem. Warren: A big real estate deal has erased $4.2 million in short-term debt held by Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Natasha: The Fort Worth, Texas-based school, one of six seminaries owned by the Southern Baptist Convention, had been in a financial and enrollment freefall as recently as two years ago, leading to the forced resignation of former President Adam Greenway. Warren: He had succeeded President Paige Patterson, who was fired by trustees over mishandling sexual abuse allegations and allegedly mismanaging funds. Under Patterson’s leadership, Southwestern Seminary’s FTE enrollment dropped 53% — the greatest shrinkage of enrollment in SBC seminary history. Things got worse under Greenway’s leadership, causing enrollment to drop to the lowest level since World War II. Natasha: Even as enrollment slid year after year, Patterson went on a building spree and faculty hiring binge that could not be funded in the long-term. From 2002 to 2022 the school had accumulated a $140.1-million operating deficit. Warren: David Dockery was brought in to right the ship, and he has taken significant steps to do so. President Dockery told the Morning News the short-term deficit the school faced was completely erased by the sale of an aging student housing complex that brought in $14.225 million. Natasha: That complex, known as Carroll Park apartments, consists of 20 acres located a few blocks away from the main seminary campus. Warren: The largest part of the parcel was bought by a government-nonprofit coalition that will use the old military-style duplexes and triplexes as permanent housing for the homeless and for families fleeing domestic violence. The real estate deal — which could be the first of several — not only wiped out the short-term debt but reduced long-term debt from $15.8 million in 2022 to $14.2 million in 2024. Dockery said the seminary also reduced its payroll by cutting staff and has managed to begin increasing student enrollment. Natasha: Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, Samaritan’s Purse dodges Trump’s foreign aid freeze. I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and we’ll have that story and much more, after this short break. BREAK SECOND SEGMENT Natasha: Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Next, the story we promised before the break. Warren: As Christian ministries scramble to discern and communicate the impact of President Trump’s 90-day pause on foreign aid, Samaritan’s Purse wants to assure donors its global poverty-relief and disaster response efforts are secure. Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham said in a statement released to MinistryWatch, “The recent stop order on foreign aid does not affect Samaritan’s Purse because the State Department has issued a waiver for life-saving essential aid such as food and medicine.” Natasha: The Boone, N.C., nonprofit is one of the largest Christian NGOs to partner with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), a prime target of the Trump administration’s investigation into waste, corruption and inappropriate uses of federal tax dollars. Warren: Brookings reports that over the last four years alone, Samaritan’s Purse received USAID funds totaling more than $90 million. Those grants were used for global relief efforts such as the humanitarian response to the February 2023 earthquake in Turkey and Syria. For now, Samaritan’s Purse is shielded by a waiver signed by U.S. Secretary of State (and current USAID acting director) Marco Rubio on Jan. 28. Preceded by two other waivers exempting military funding for Israel and Egypt and emergency food assistance, the latest memo calls on “existing life-saving humanitarian assistance programs” to continue their work. Rubio’s waiver is good news for the many faith-based nonprofits that depend on USAID to fund relief work around the world. Forbes reports that from 2013 to 2022, Catholic Relief Services was the top U.S. NGO to receive USAID funding ($4.6 billion). World Vision was another top contender at $1.2 billion, as well as Mercy Corps at $1.1 billion. Natasha: Our next story also dives into ramifications of Trump’s actions Warren: Nonprofit ministries that partner with the federal government to resettle refugees are facing widespread layoffs and furloughs after President Donald Trump’s administration suspended the refugee program and, according to one of the faith groups, refuses to reimburse the organizations for humanitarian work performed before the president assumed office. Natasha: Matthew Soerens is vice president of advocacy and policy at World Relief, an evangelical Christian group that resettles refugees. Warren: He said his organization continues to reel from several actions taken