The Parable of the Candy Apple- Or What is the Doctrine behind IHOP

Kim, you make some very large assumptions and correlations without really going into the core theology of what IHOP believe. You also repeat misrespresentations that IHOP actually openly address on their website http://www.IHOP.org.

I would recommend that you search out the truth of what these men believe from the source, and not from third party websites that have agendas against these men.

Damien,

Also check this site and read

http://thegreycoats.wordpress.com/2010/01/14/julies-story/#comment-8733

http://thegreycoats.wordpress.com/the-vindication-of-ernie-gruen/

Damien men cannot approach the Almighty God in any shape or fashion and do as they please. We can only approach God in prayer singularly through the blood of Christ shed upon the cross.

Ihop used a method of approaching the Almighty via a model called ‘harp and bowl’ This as you probibly already know is taken from Revelation chapter five. Greviously what this practice of IHOP has done is take the scene of heaven where Christ is declared worthy to open the seven seals and mimic it. ( be it ever so cheesy an attempt!) It is true that the bowls are called the prayers of the saints.
Rev 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

But IHOP instead of praying at their harp and bowl gatherings attempt to sing the ‘ new song’ of the four beasts and the 24 elders. First of all then IHOP have ceased praying but are now singing or trying to sing a song that was never intended for them to sing. Secondly it is impossible for IHOP to sing the song given to the 24 elders and 4 beasts because it is new when it’s given to the heavenly bodies who receive it WHEN CHRIST BEGINS TO OPEN THE SEVEN SEALS.

So my problem immediately with the IHOP harp and bowl type of prayer is that it is not prayer at all but an assumptive role bordering upon blasphemy and a total distractcion from actual genuine prayer that accumulates into the bowls in the passage.

Damien I deemed it pagan music in that they used bongos as the female leaders girated their bodies and almost reached a trance like place. The action was sexually provocitave to the point that I needed to keep my eyes closed. During the bongo drums they called upon the gathering to embrace the spirit of the native cultures of the world which they suggested are actually different streams of God’s Spirit! After the drums the dance and the almost trance ferver, the women involved proceeded to make the most incredible predictions of what God was about to do in the area. All nearly associated with a mighty revival that was coming and a new thing that God was doing and the Church being warned to embrace it or be left on the side lines.

At the time of my attendance I went to the so called gatherings of prayer to pray but after 1 week of this madness, I became convinced that IHOP is not helping but being used to destroy or distract from the actual cause that they espouse, that being prayer.

Now using your argument you can say well that is your experience but not mine and not the majority of peoples experience so you are wrong to judge it. Fair enough but the web is full of stories similar to mine and the web as IWTT demonstrated is full of data collected proving the doctrinal cess pit of a net that IHOP is gathering all sorts of deviant theology and practice.

I did read the rebuttal page that you posted and honestly it’s lame. Reading it at face value I must conclude rather than convincing me of IHOP’s orthodoxy I come away convinced that they are Dominionist and latter Rain ‘lite. ‘

This is until we see the men and women that IHOP directly associate with and then the ‘lite ‘ title is switched to heavy with the added suspicion of deceit stemming from the rebuttals ascertations.

You cant say we dont believe what Bob Jones believes and then have the man come preach at the gatherings and proclaim him a real deal prophetic voice. Its hypocrisy and contrary to biblical commandments.

Rom 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

Damien this is a ‘lite’ response to your questions because I do not suspect that you are genuinely researching IHOP but rather being an advocate for their cause. Therefore I suspect were anyone to write a 400 page thesis it may well fall upon deaf ears.

Saying that you use the Holy Spirit as the guiding line and defer to scripture to discern what is truth is a common claim from all who teach and believe false doctrine. I would suggest that you lean singularly upon the Holy Spirit’s instruction book. The inspired Scripture. Almost all of the false teachers say that the Holy Spirit is the one leading them when they promote heresy.

The heresy and false doctrine was levelled at IHOP so if you’re guilty by association then c’est la vie. I do wish you all the best sincerely and hope that the Lord opens your eyes to IHOP sooner rather than later.