The response to my public apology for having endorsed Mike Bickle has prompted me to write this brief word of clarification.

In the apology, and in other communications over the past 14 months, I stated that at no time did I discern anything amiss in Mike Bickle’s conduct. I was referring specifically to his sexual sin. No one, to my knowledge, ever suggested to me or others that Mike was engaged in sexual misconduct.

For example, Chris Rosebrough cites my comment that “no one else detected anything amiss in the man” (i.e., in Bickle). Said Rosebrough: “This is false. A notable number of us noticed many things amiss in Bickle.”

But Rosebrough and those who responded in like fashion fail to note that I was referring exclusively to Bickle’s sexual misconduct. I was not referring to his theology. I will take responsibility for not being clear on this point.

So let me be quite clear now. For all his shortcomings, Mike Bickle has always been a vocal advocate of the foundational truths of Christianity. This does not mean I am coming to his defense or minimizing the gravity of his sexual misconduct. I am simply saying that he has always affirmed the inerrancy and sufficiency of Scripture, the Trinity, the virgin birth, incarnation, deity, sinless life, substitutionary atonement, bodily resurrection, the literal second coming of Jesus Christ, and salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

People may take issue with his belief in and practice of prophetic gifts, but nothing in Bickle’s theology per se or in his personal conduct ever suggested to anyone that he was engaging in predatory sexual abuse.

So, disagree with him if you will, push back on his charismatic style of ministry if you must, and disagree with his claims to having experienced several supernatural encounters, but as far as his sexual conduct is concerned, I stand by my statement that in the 35 years that I have known him, no one ever raised a concern. Neither I nor anyone associated with Bickle saw anything “amiss” in his sexual behavior. He successfully hid, lied, and deceived us all. That was the point of my comments.

Once again, Bickle’s sexual sins were egregious, inexcusable, demented, and a disgrace to the gospel that he seemed otherwise to preach. He must never again be allowed to serve in a formal ministerial position of authority.