Hey, it's Tara Jean. Just a little message from the heart before we get into this next

season four bonus episode on the International House of Prayer. What's coming up includes talk of

sexual clergy abuse. Please take care. As well, the opinions expressed in this episode are people's

initial reactions to very disturbing allegations in their former

religious community. None of this has been proven in court. And there's also a fair bit of

swearing in this episode, so don't get caught off guard. You're listening to a frequency

podcast network production.

I think the craziest thing to me after the allegations came out, it really was to use a biblical idea, like scales fell from my eyes. And listening back to Mike and his sermons and the people around him and everything he said, it is so insane.

This is Heaven Bend. I'm Tara Jean Stevens.

The guy claims that Gabriel spoke to him.

The guy claims that God spoke to him, that he was visited by a literal angel.

This guy sets himself up as a prophet, as a voice in the wilderness, as a David figure.

This is the second season four bonus episode as I continue my spotlight on the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, Missouri.

And this is Isaac Cole, a former IHopper who was raised in this community.

This is his reaction to the news in recent weeks that IHop's founding leader, Mike Bickel,

has been accused of sexually and spiritually abusing several different women over decades.

And it's fucking crazy.

How was it that so many people in my life, my mother, who I consider to be a very smart person,

my father,

my grandmother,

all of these people in my life were not able to see through a,

including myself,

...