Eric Volz

On how snatching Americans is good business for foreign governments. Stay awake. Stay informed.

The IHOPKC matter is trending again, and a wave of misinformation about my role has been circulating after a pastor (and member of the advocate group) recently made inaccurate claims on a YouTube podcast. Everyone seems to have an opinion or theory about what happened at IHOPKC, but as one of the few people who knows the full story, I can tell you that most of these theories are far from accurate. I’ll clarify a few points that caught my attention: 1) I was not hired by Mike Bickle to "run crisis management" or to "protect him." I didn’t know Mike personally before I sat down to question him about the allegations and had no allegiance to shield him from accountability. My firm was engaged to provide crisis management services to IHOPKC, the organization—not to Mike. The engagement wasn’t about money—I did it out of what I believed to be service to the Lord and loyalty to friends and mentors who served as intercessory missionaries there and who were innocently caught in the crossfire. 2) The idea that everything early on at IHOPKC was "Bickle-approved" is categorically false. I was present for the largest decision points with the ELT, and I can state definitively that Mike was not involved in or controlling any of that processes. Many members of the advocate group seem to have elevated Mike into a spiritual idol or king status and have projected their experiences with him onto others, claiming he must have been pulling the ELT’s strings behind the scenes. That was simply not the case. (I believe some individuals from the advocate group have come to terms with their idolatry of Mike and publicly repented.) 4) What do I mean when I say I never saw evidence of spiritual or sexual abuse during my time there? Here are a few examples and also some previously undisclosed insight as to why I was cautious about some of the advocate group’s claims: • Jane Doe #1: Two women who were closest to Jane Doe #1 during the years she claimed abuse occurred reported that she was NOT abused by Mike. Both of these women know Jane Doe #1 and her story better than any member of the advocate group. They provided detailed context about what they believed to be her motivations. some of which has still not be made public. Jane Doe #1 refused to speak with IHOPKC attorneys or participate in the McNamara investigation. Mike denied aspects of her claims at the time. (I don’t know if he’s changed his position since I left.) All of this made me slow to accept the totality of her allegations. (On a separate note, after I left the case, I was made aware that Jane Doe #1 had been telling people in private that I was guilty of murdering my ex-girlfriend in Nicaragua and tried to convince a female intercessor at IHOPKC that I was a dangerous man. Obviously, both of these allegations are completely false. My wrongful imprisonment in Nicaragua is well-documented as part of the national database of wrongfully convicted persons, and I am no stranger to people using fear as a strategy to manipulate or discredit. I am truly sorry for any suffering that Jane Doe #1 has experienced in life, but her careless and false accusations further highlighted a troubling lack of integrity and character.) • Jane Doe #2 from the McNamara Report: We discovered Jane Doe #2—not the advocate group—and connected her to McNamara to report her story. She didn’t claim abuse by Mike. Nevertheless, because Mike didn’t disclose her existence when I initially questioned him, IHOPKC’s legal counsel and General Fuller, after confirming Jane Doe #2’s story, immediately and permanently separated from Mike. The claim that I was protecting Mike or enabling him is false. In fact, my firm’s work was a key reason for IHOPKC’s decision to separate from him. • Tammy Woods: She shared her story with the news media about a week after I withdrew from the case. I immediately issued a public statement acknowledging her bravery in coming forward and stated that I thought her story sounded credible. I even detailed a few of the reasons. I also expressed disappointment that Mike Bickle chose to remain silent (and still does, as far as I know). That said, I don’t consider interviews with news media to constitute “evidence.” As far as I know, Tammy refused to speak with IHOPKC or McNamara. At this point, it would require a qualified investigation to determine the validity of her claims. The advocate group claimed to have over a dozen cases of documented abuse but refused to share any of them with IHOPKC. They even discouraged alleged victims from reporting to IHOPKC or McNamara. Their 50 page document (which they have claim was just a work in progress) also did not contain any documented evidence of abuse. So to this day, when I say I never saw evidence of spiritual or sexual abuse while I was there, I am being honest. I am not aware of what those other advocate group cases allege. If it’s true that other evidenced cases of abuse exist, I look forward to the disclosure of the details. No matter how unpopular it might be, I don’t budge unless I see actual evidence. This is even more true in cases with high levels of social media sentiment, public pressure campaigns, and spiritual undertones. Most professionals who have taken the Law Enforcement Oath of Honor to uphold fairness and justice would agree that it is better for 100 guilty men to go free than for one innocent man to suffer. Unjust scales are an abomination to the Lord, and these principles guide my approach to the burden of proof in these cases. 4) I never claimed the IHOPKC “crisis was over.” This is yet another example of manipulation and spin by dishonest individuals on the internet who seem determined to keep the story alive. (Refer to my X post attached below from February for clarification.) 5) The Blue Shirt Conspiracy: There were no pre-recorded videos. For weeks, I recommended that IHOPKC appoint one of its pastors or leaders as an official spokesperson. For various reasons, no one was willing or able, so after much consideration knowing that I would be attacked and targeted, I agreed to do it. After the decision was made, I walked across the street from the attorney’s office in Leawood to a men’s clothing store and purchased the blue shirt for on-camera statements. The shirt hung in the studio so I wouldn’t have to iron it or worry about what to wear amidst all the running around. It was amusing to watch internet “investigators” analyze the wrinkles though. (See attached photos below) 6) Was the IHOPKC crisis an example of God cleansing His Church? I recently responded to a question on X about the spiritual dynamics I observed during the IHOPKC crisis. I said, “What I witnessed wasn’t a move of God to cleanse the Church or dismantle the 'old guard.' It was a demonic operation designed to silence the prophetic.” This comment was in reference to the secular cancel culture dynamics I observed: dishonest journalist, attempted blackmail, disclosure of recordings made in secret, pressure donors to leave, etc. And then there was all the pride, betrayal, bomb threats, plaintiff lawyers publicly demanding that IHOPKC be shut down, and even the multi day manhunt and arrest of a man who had threatened to come kill everyone in the prayer room. There is so much evil that rose up against IHOPKC that the general public is not aware of. Whatever may have started with honest intentions was, at least in part, quickly hijacked by the forces of darkness, leading to a mixture that caused confusion and division. That is my personal opinion based on what I witnessed first hand. While IHOPKC was far from perfect, the onslaught of attacks went far beyond a group of concerned brothers and sisters in Christ. This became a spiritual and cultural battle that exposed sin in hearts on all sides. I fully support exposure and accountability—but it must be done biblically, with restoration as the goal, not division or destruction. By God’s grace, the prayer room never shut down and the worship continues to this day. In love and faith, Eric Volz

There were no pre-recorded videos. My blue shirt hung in the studio so I wouldn't have to iron or worry about what to wear. It was fun to watch you all analyze the wrinkles though. 🤣

Respetado Miguel, gracias por compartir esto. Respeto sus líneas, no obstante, es imperioso para mi aclarar algunas líneas de su post arriba. Ciertamente yo fui víctima de una condena errada (por un error deshonesto) en primera instancia. Actualmente mi condonación es “No culpable”, por lo tanto, mi presunción de inocencia está incólume y así debería tenérseme, en consecuencia, yo no soy “el otro condenado.” Usted seguramente sabe lo calamitoso que es que te traten como culpable. Mi condición de inocente o no culpable es también un derecho humano. Aprecio su objetividad, con todo respeto. Para los que les interesa los detalles verdaderos de caso. 30 min Subtitulado en Español.