Mike Bickle’s IHOP Commits to Raising Up 1 Million Intercessors to Cover Global Missions

It’s an intercession and missions partnership that could help see the gospel preached in every nation. International House of Prayer of Kansas City (IHOPKC) has joined with Youth With a Mission (YWAM) in a new commitment to cover global missions in prayer.

This partnership was birthed on Sept. 11 at the end of a week-long gathering of thousands of YWAM and IHOPKC staff that focused on several Great Commission thrusts, including ending Bible poverty (providing Scripture in every language) and a commitment to seeing every sphere of society impacted with the gospel. 

JOIN JENNIFER ON FACEBOOK FOR SPIRITUAL COMMENTARY AND ENCOURAGEMENT. CLICK HERE.

Mike Bickle took the challenge from Loren Cunningham, co-founder of YWAM, to help raise up 1 million intercessors to cover their global missions in prayer.

“We love what the Lord has done through Loren and Darlene Cunningham and the whole YWAM family for over 50 years, and we are committing to cover them in intercession for the great cause of advancing the kingdom in the nations and to call other prayer ministries throughout the world to join us,” Bickle told me.

Throughout the week-long gathering, only two miles from the YWAM base, IHOP interceded 24/7 for YWAM and its local and international staff. Now, IHOP is taking its commitment to pray for YWAM to a new level to see the gospel of the kingdom advanced in all nations and to call other prayer ministries throughout the world to join in.

Darlene Cunningham, YWAM co-founder with her husband Loren, responded with gratefulness, “The practice of intercession — hearing from God and praying His prayers — is part of the core DNA of YWAM from the beginning,” Cunningham told me. “We need it, and I am so thankful that IHOP is joining us in the great endeavor.”

Joined on stage by other senior YWAM leaders such as John Dawson, David Hamilton and Mark Anderson, and IHOP’s Allen Hood and Daniel Lim, the spirit of love and a deep bond of unity between these two spiritual families was striking.

Dawson, president emeritus of Youth With a Mission, told me prayer movements have birthed revivals and revivals have birthed missions’ movements. He still remembers with awe the 100-year watch of the Moravians and its relationship to the great awakenings and missions movements that sprang from them.

“The 17-year commitment to 24/7 prayer maintained faithfully by IHOP Kansas City is no small thing in our eyes. Out at the ends of the Earth, our missionaries can feel the power of this loving shield; in the hard places, in the dangerous places, we know we are not alone because intercessors are travailing, even through the night watches,” Dawson says. “With tears of joy, we have communicated our gratitude to Mike and the community of worshippers who stand with him. With thankful hearts we came to Kansas City to report our victories and trials, only to experience an even greater commitment to prayer mobilization.”

In light of this partnership, Dawson told me YWAMers are returning to their posts around the world with full hearts.

“A million intercessors! The implications are staggering,” Dawson says. “There is a growing army of intercessory missionaries who actively focus on world evangelization, county by county, people group by people group. They may not be on location as we are, but they are totally engaged nonetheless.”

Since its 1999 launch, IHOP has been committed to partnering with many others to see the gospel preached in all the nations. Recognizing that prayer is both the fuel and goal of effective evangelism, discipleship and healthy Christian communities, the ministry has established 24/7 prayer and worship as the center of its missions base in Kansas City.