International House of Prayer

On May 7, 1999, the International House of Prayer of Kansas City (IHOPKC) was founded by Mike Bickle and twenty full-time “intercessory missionaries,” who cried out to God in prayer with worship for thirteen hours each day. Four months later, on September 19, 1999, prayer and worship extended to the full 24/7 schedule.

The International House of Prayer is an evangelical missions organization that is committed to praying for the release of the fullness of God’s power and purpose, as they actively win the lost, heal the sick, feed the poor, make disciples, and impact every sphere of society—family, education, government, economy, arts, media, religion, etc. The IHOPKC vision is to work in relationship with the wider Body of Christ to engage in the Great Commission, as they seek to walk out the two great commandments: to love God and people.

Who are they?

The Lord has called them to be a community of believers committed to God, each other, and to establishing and maintaining a 24/7 house of prayer in Kansas City—a perpetual solemn assembly gathering corporately to fast and pray in the spirit of the tabernacle of David.

They are committed to prayer, fasting, the Great Commission, and to living as forerunners, spiritually preparing for the unique dynamics of the end times. The work of their ministry includes equipping and sending out missionaries as dedicated intercessors and evangelists who work to see revival within the Church and a harvest among those searching for God. They take seriously the mandate to train believers to love Jesus and others wholeheartedly, as together they go forth to preach the Word, heal the sick, serve the poor, plant houses of prayer, and proclaim the return of Jesus across the earth.

The heart of their missions base is night-and-day prayer with worship. Two figures from the Bible who inspire them in this are Anna, one of the first evangelists and intercessors in the New Testament, who prayed and fasted for over sixty years before Jesus’ first coming (Lk. 2:37), and King David, who organized and paid 4,000 musicians and 288 singers to worship God night and day (1 Chr. 23:1–25:31).

Intercessory Missionaries

They refer to their full-time staff at the International House of Prayer as “intercessory missionaries.” They raise their own support to work as full-time missionaries who reach out to others from a lifestyle of prayer and worship. Today, about 2,000 believers (staff, students, and interns) serve full-time, investing fifty hours per week, as they go from the prayer room to the classroom and then to ministry outreaches and works of service. Also, as those who are committed to the forerunner message, they are spiritually equipping themselves to prepare others for the unique dynamics of the generation in which the Lord returns.

Their vision is to prepare thousands of full-time intercessory missionaries who, like John the Baptist, live a lifestyle of discipline and devotion to God, whose lives and voices cry out, “Prepare the way of the Lord!” They invite you to visit the prayer room in person or join them online via the free live webstream. Join with them as they set their hearts to love God, worship Him alone, and dedicate their lives to serving Him without reservation; to demonstrate their love for others in works of service, justice, outreach, and compassion; and to proclaim the return of Jesus.

Combining 24/7 Prayers for Justice with 24/7 Works of Justice

On September 19, 2009, while celebrating their ten-year anniversary together, they made a sober commitment before God to combine 24/7 prayers for justice with 24/7 works of justice until the Lord returns. Outreach has always been a vital part of their mission. However, at that time, they set their heart to significantly increase their outreach and ministry to others outside their missions base. Thus, they are developing many new outreach ministries that will continue 24/7 alongside their 24/7 prayer and worship.

Outreach

Their ministries and outreaches include increasing their current inner-city outreach with on-site food distribution, discipleship programs, provision of food and clothing for their children’s outreaches, street clean-up, and a prayer room operating in the inner city ten hours a day, working towards night-and-day prayer. Other outreaches include Children’s Justice Initiative to serve orphans and children at risk, and Exodus Cry helping victims of human trafficking. They are partnering with Women’s Life Center, a local crisis pregnancy center helping women who refuse abortion and choose life. In the future they plan to provide homes and restoration programs for victims of human trafficking and domestic violence, and prostitutes who respond to the Gospel.

They believe they are better equipped for ministry when their lives are rooted in prayer and worship and focused on intimacy with God, as they intercede for a breakthrough of the fullness of God’s power.

The 24/7 Prayer Room

On September 19, 1999, a prayer meeting began which continues to this day; from dawn to dusk and through the watches of the night, by the grace of God, prayer and worship have continued twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The prayer room is the foundation of all ministry and outreach at the IHOPKC Missions Base. Scripture teaches that night-and-day prayer is deeply connected to the release of the fullness of God’s power and purpose (Lk. 18:7–8; cf. Isa. 62:6–7). We are offering Jesus unremitting adoration and taking a stand in prayer for the manifestation of God’s justice in every realm of life.

A History of the Prayer Movement

Around 1000 BC, King David established a tabernacle in Jerusalem and set a precedent of night and day worship before the Lord that continued at various times throughout Israel and Judah’s history. Each time this order of worship was reintroduced, spiritual breakthrough, deliverance and military victory followed. Likewise, throughout the centuries, groups in Ireland, Germany, South Korea, and elsewhere across the globe have established day and night centers of prayer and worship. Following in this tradition, in 1999 the International House of Prayer started a prayer and worship meeting in Kansas City.

Their History

Over the last 25 plus years, the Lord has graciously given them about 25 powerful prophetic experiences that provide insight into what will happen in the days ahead in Kansas City, the USA, and other nations. These supernatural experiences were given to several prophetic people in the 1970s and 1980s. They include times when various believers saw the Lord, heard God’s audible voice, saw an angel, or had prophetic dreams that were dramatically confirmed. These prophetic experiences are referred to as IHOPKC’s prophetic history.

More information can be found on their website www.ihopkc.org