WesleyGospel Ministries

A really great Wesleyan sermon based on Lecture 3: “Devotion, January 30, 1839,” in the Charles Finney collection called The Promise of the Spirit (Bethany House, 1980), taken from The Oberlin Evangelist.

From his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.
–Acts 19:12 (KJV)–

Originally from here.

The Global Wesleyan Alliance is a Christ-centered community of Wesleyan Arminian holiness denominations and organizations that strengthens the prophetic voice and amplifies the missional fruitfulness of its members as they communicate and demonstrate the transforming message of scriptural holiness by:

Engaging in other lawful activity consistent with it’s tax exempt status as a corporation organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational and scientific purposes or corresponding sections of any future federal tax code.

Creating a greater community through intentional relationship building between organizations, leaders and congregations.

Collaboration in fulfilling Christ’s mission through pooling resources, sharing best practices, recommending standards to enable mutual recognition of ministerial credentials, joint resources development and publishing, and ministerial job placement.

Convening events and conferences for the promotion of holiness, discipleship, church healing and multiplication, leadership development, prayer denominational or judicatory leadership and networking, and issues of mutual concern.

Communicating with one another through sharing calendars, news, and information about special events, and issuing joint statements (subject to the endorsement by individual partner organization) addressing contemporary moral and spiritual issues.

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ORGANIZATIONS

• Association of Independent Methodists – 119 churches; YOUNG EARTH CREATION.
  
• Brethren in Christ, USA
  
• Church of Christ Holiness USA – 154 churches; YOUNG EARTH CREATION; ALL BLACK.
  
• Church of God (Anderson)
  
• Church of God (Holiness) – 120 churches; YOUNG EARTH CREATION; has a Bible Study Resource Library page–good spiritual fruit. Also a member of the InterChurch Holiness Convention. They have ITINERANT EVANGELISTS.
  
• Church of the Nazarene – NOT YOUNG EARTH.
  
• Churches of Christ in Christian Union – NOT YOUNG EARTH.
  
• Congregational Methodist Church
  
• The Wesleyan Church – 1,463 churches; YOUNG EARTH CREATION. They have ITINERANT EVANGELISTS.
  
• Evangelical Methodist Church
  
• Free Methodist Church
  
• International Fellowship of Bible Churches – 29 churches; YOUNG EARTH CREATION.
  
• Missionary Church – 463 churches; YOUNG EARTH CREATION.
  
• Salvation Army
  
• The Evangelical Church
  
• The Methodist Protestant Church

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By way of comparison, Dr. Shelton Smith has told me by email that he estimates about 20,000 IFB churches exist in the USA. There’s about 13,000 Assembly of God and 6,000 of Church of God (Cleveland) in the USA–that is, at least 19,000 classic Pentecostal churches. –J.B.

Originally from here.

Firefly, a Pennsylvania company with law enforcement expertise, said 210 people were interviewed during its 4 1⁄2-month investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct at IHOPKC and cover-up by its leaders. Every survivor and witness included in the report came forward voluntarily to share their stories, it said. In addition to the allegations against Bickle, the report said the investigation turned up 16 cases of sexual abuse and misconduct perpetrated by people associated with IHOPKC but not directly related to Bickle. “These findings highlight a broader issue within the organization that requires immediate attention and action,” it said.

Among the investigation’s findings:

1. Bickle used prophetic language to speak to victims, isolated them from others, bought them gifts, visited them in church-supplied apartments where they lived, frequently touched and kissed them and created circumstances in which they would see him undressed and aroused.

2. Abuse was allowed to persist unchecked, often with perpetrators being protected rather than held accountable.

3. Many victims were subjected to “Matthew 18” meetings, a reference to a conflict resolution procedure laid out in the Gospel of Matthew. In those meetings, the victims “were pressured into face-to-face confrontations with their accusers to determine who was lying.” “These meetings not only compounded the emotional distress of the victims but also undermined the integrity of the investigation process,” the report said. “Many victims felt intimidated and coerced, which led to further trauma and a sense of injustice. As a result, the credibility of the testimonies collected during these meetings was compromised.”

4. Bickle committed spiritual, emotional and sexual abuse starting as early as the 1970s, grooming and developing inappropriate relationships with women “while using ‘Matthew 18 Meetings’ to conceal, minimize, and silence victims of sexual abuse within the church.”

5. Bickle and IHOPKC’s Executive Leadership Team downplayed reports of sexual abuse, forced victims to confront their offenders and discouraged them from going to law enforcement authorities. “Their actions, or lack thereof, contributed to an environment where victims felt unsupported and vulnerable,” the report said. “This indifference not only exacerbated the trauma experienced by the victims but also allowed the perpetrators to evade accountability and continue their misconduct.”

6. Instead of being supported, staff members who reported sexual abuse of others to their supervisors often faced retaliation, such as being transferred to other positions or having their work hours reduced. Firefly said it reviewed more than 6,000 documents directly related to the case, and a Firefly representative visited IHOPKC to observe worship and praise activities.