What is the International House of Prayer?

The International House of Prayer in Kansas City

There's a place in Kansas City called IHOP. No, not the International House of Pancakes, though KC surely has one of those. Rather, it is the International House of Prayer, started by Mike Bickle September 19th of 99.

And since that day, they have hosted non-stop prayer and intercession 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Now that sounds great. Non-stop prayer. Who wouldn't want that? But we should also ask what kind of prayer?

IHOP has encouraged praying the scriptures, which is a great way to pray, but not the way IHOP does it. One of their methods involves reading a bible story, then closing your eyes and imagining yourself as that character, experiencing the story with all 5 senses, playing it out in your mind.

Visions, Prophecies, and False Teaching in Prayer

Again, this is what IHOP is calling prayer. Another method involves using a bible verse to tap into the spiritual realm, then meditating to find the Holy Spirit. You will then be brought to a place where you can ask God to show you visions and prophecies.

None of this is prayer. In fact, it goes back to a 2nd century false teaching called Montanism. Montanus, along with 2 women disciples, Priscia and Maximilla, claimed the Holy Spirit revealed things to them that superseded even the apostles.

They made false claims about the end times, which Bickle has also done, as he said the church brings about the great tribulation through prayer, just as Moses brought plagues upon Egypt through a staff.

Biblical Discernment About Visions and the Mind of Christ

The bible warns against listening to those who go on in detail about visions puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind instead of having the mind of Christ. We should indeed pray, but we must be discerning about right prayer when we understand the text.