S.R.Claridge writes Mystery and Romantic Suspense novels. Her work has been said to have the energy of Dan Brown, the mystery of Mary Higgins Clark and the humor of Janet Evanovich. Claridge novels will take you to the edge of your seat, keep you guessing until the very end and ultimately warm your heart. It is on the pages of every S.R.Claridge novel that Mystery and Sensual Suspense collide.

For more information on bookings, interviews and upcoming releases, please visit the author website and Facebook fan page.

Friday, November 16, 2012

Bickle Lies in Letter to Other Leaders

Below is a letter the International House of Prayer founder, Mike Bickle, sent to other IHOP locations and leaders.  It was then forwarded to associated groups by Gary Wiens, IHOPNW.


Dear Friends of the International House of Prayer,

Mike Bickle, Director of IHOP-Kansas City, sent out this note today, and it's important for all to see. Thanks and blessings,

Gary Wiens, IHOPNW


Mike Bickle's letter begins here:
Friends,
This is a tragic and bizarre situation that is all over the media in KC. We have received sad and sobering news today from the Jackson County Sheriff's Office regarding the death of Bethany Deaton, who was originally believed to have committed suicide on Oct 30. A tight knit religious group of about 15 young people moved to IHOPU from Texas with the specific goal of infiltrating us and even taking over IHOPU. They were a close knit group for several years before moving to KC together (under a cloak of secrecy to try to get involved in IHOP and get into positions of influence etc.) Authorities notified us yesterday that an IHOPU student, who knew Bethany since their college days and is a member of a Texas-based religious group who has recently come to IHOPU, has been charged with her murder. We are passionate that this group's secrecy and religious practices are exposed.

There is an ongoing investigation and we ask you to join us in praying for Bethany's family and all those involved in this tragic situation. We all want to join the IHOPU faculty and student body as they grieve together with the family of Bethany Deaton and all who are involved.

Note also: The guy who confessed to murder told this to the police. He said they cursed the IHOPU leadership and sought to take it over. They were together for several years before all moving together to KC. They have very perverse sexual practices and believe their leader is a chief apostle, etc.

Please pray for us.
Mike Bickle
End of letter.

It never ceases to amaze me how cult groups, such as the International House of Prayer, play the victim.  Bickle states that this group from Texas came to IHOPU with the express purpose of infiltrating them and even taking over.  This is ludicrous.  And, let it be noted that Tyler Deaton was a Division leader in IHOP, not in IHOPU. 

It is time to call a spade, a spade.  It is time to look at the tree that is bearing the bad fruit and cut it down.

There are inside sources at IHOP-KC and they will continue to leak truth to the media and to those who stand against this cult group.  Bickle and others in leadership will undoubtedly continue to scramble, change their stories and lie; but eventually those lies will run dry.

Bethany's family, and the families of every person involved in IHOP and its many branches, deserve to know the truth. 


 

Caught in Lies


The Kansas City Star newspaper released a story today, detailing more about Tyler Deaton’s role in his wife’s murder and his role at the International House of Prayer (IHOP).  It is yet more evidence that the leadership of IHOP is lying.  I have posted the article below, or you can go to the KC Star website by clicking here.

 

Tyler Deaton’s role at the International House of Prayer becomes clearer

By DONALD BRADLEY

The Kansas City Star
By DONALD BRADLEY The Kansas City Star

Updated: 2012-11-16T16:21:
A clearer picture began to emerge Thursday about Tyler Deaton’s role at the International House of Prayer.

Deaton’s wife, Bethany Ann Deaton, was found dead in a parked van Oct. 30 at Longview Lake. Authorities initially believed she killed herself, but a week ago a man told police that he had killed her at the order of Tyler Deaton, who has been described as the charismatic leader of a religious sect.

The man who confessed to the killing, Micah Moore, a member of Deaton’s group, has been charged with first-degree murder. Deaton has not been charged. Prosecutors have acknowledged that he is under investigation.

Deaton’s group came from Texas to be part of the International House of Prayer, based in south Kansas City.

On Monday, Allen Hood, the president of the International House of Prayer, said in a statement that Deaton led his group independently and operated under a “veil of secrecy,” though members attended a school operated by IHOP. The statement also made reference to the group’s “disturbing religious practices.”

But a handout and website posting shows that as of Nov. 4 — five days after Bethany Deaton’s death — Tyler Deaton was a “division coordinator” on the administrative team of International House of Prayer friendship groups. The position is unpaid, according to another person who holds the same position and attended three recent meetings with Deaton.

According to IHOP’s website, friendship groups are small groups that meet weekly. There are more than 80 friendship groups. Deaton was listed as one of six division coordinators.

When asked Thursday morning to clarify Deaton’s relationship with the organization, spokesman Nick Syrett told The Star that another statement would be released later in the day. In the afternoon, he said the organization would not have the statement ready until Friday.

The posting that listed Deaton has disappeared from the website.

Moore, 23, a member of Deaton’s group, lived with the couple in a Grandview house along with other members of the group.

He appeared Tuesday in Jackson County Circuit Court. He told detectives that Deaton told him to kill his wife because “he knew he had it in him.”

Moore told detectives that he and other men in the group had sexually assaulted Bethany Deaton and that the men in the group had also engaged in sex with Tyler Deaton, according to court documents.

 
 

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Formal Statement on House of Lies


I have received numerous email and/or comments via social media outlets, asking if my latest novel, House of Lies, is “true.”  These questions are being prompted in light of the murder of Bethany Deaton and her attachment to the International House of Prayer (IHOP) movement in Kansas City.

At this time I am not able to answer each email privately, but will make a formal statement here:

Despite the fact that there are similarities in the circumstances surrounding Bethany’s death and its link to the International House of Prayer movement, my novel, House of Lies, is a written work of fiction.  Any likeness to persons (living or dead), or events (past, present or future) is coincidental.

I am following the story as it unfolds and offering my deepest sympathy to Bethany’s family and friends.   I believe the present focus should remain on seeking justice for them.   ~

 

KC Star Speaks TRUTH

A dark side to International House of Prayer’s allure

Updated: 2012-11-15T13:53:03Z
 
Certainly there are more dangerous places for a young person to get lost.


IHOP, south Kansas City’s evangelical missionary movement, was created 13 years ago by a man who grew up in the Center School District. It’s one man’s version of religion made big. 


The suspicious have long leveled the charge of “cult” against IHOP (International House of Prayer). That will likely increase in light of recent news coverage.


A young woman with ties to IHOP was found murdered at Longview Lake. A young man with ties to IHOP is charged with suffocating her.


IHOP, it should be emphasized, isn’t accused of anything criminal in the murder. Only those eventually charged will bear that burden. 


But the praying elephant in the room is that this religious movement is the perfect cover for the sort of wickedness outlined in court records describing Bethany Ann Deaton’s murder. 


Deaton, 27, came to Kansas City from Texas, drawn to do an internship with IHOP. She lived in a house full of people, including her husband, also drawn by IHOP.


IHOP has bought scores of area homes to provide quarters for similar young devotees. This ministry is a siren call to young adults with a taste for wanderlust, a need to feel a part of something, determined to differentiate themselves from their parents, their high schools, their hometowns. 


Founder Mike Bickle has a constant supply of converts. The business plan: Attract enthusiastic young people and evangelize them to believe the end times are near, that they are needed to go forth and make ready. 


It’s why the former Terrace Lake Shopping Center is filled 24/7 with out-of-state license plates. They come for round-the-clock prayer. 


There’s a muted energy in the expansive prayer room. And a lot of pacing as young people roam around the lines of chairs. It’s for the visual. The prayer is webcast. It’s led from a stage full of musicians and readers chanting repetitive phrasings of faith.


 The young people aren’t out boozing it up or drugging, which can lead to bad outcomes.  But many also aren’t in college, living near family, preparing for a career. IHOP runs a “university” that isn’t. Not by accreditation. 


Bickle’s been candid in interviews about hearing God speak to him, and believing he’s been to heaven twice. 


For the curious, IHOP will hold its annual “onething” gathering Dec. 28-31 at the Kansas City Convention Center. More than 25,000 people are expected. 


IHOP does not deserve the barbs likely to come its way as details of the murder unravel. But the organization can’t completely divorce itself from the fact that it lured characters involved with a horrific murder to Kansas City. 


Drawing young people with grand ambitions, after all, is the mission.
 
To reach Mary Sanchez, call 816-234-4752 or send email to msanchez@kcstar.com.


Posted on Wed, Nov. 14, 2012 11:38 PM

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/11/14/3917848/mary-sanchez-a-dark-side-to-missions.html#storylink=cpy

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

INJUSTICE


Everyone has hot buttons.  They are those things in life that you just cannot tolerate.  They are the things that send you instantly over the edge.  My biggest hot button:  Injustice


This weekend a news story broke about a young woman in Grandview, Missouri named Bethany Deaton.  She was 27 years old and she was murdered.  I posted the story on this blog yesterday, so if you haven’t read it you can either Google her name or scroll down and read the story.

New evidence has revealed that Bethany's husband, Tyler Deaton, was the man who ordered Micah Moore to kill her, stating “he knew he had it in him to do it.”

Why did they kill her?  Because she had information they didn't want shared.  Because she knew too much.  Because they had to keep her from talking, from revealing the truth about what was happening behind closed doors.

Bethany, her husband Tyler, Micah Moore and the other men involved were all members of IHOP (International House of Prayer) in Kansas City.  Sure, they may have held separate prayer meetings at their home, but the practices they were using were taught and learned at IHOP.  They are not the only ones practicing these methods.  Their story made the news because it ended in death, but countless others are still suffering.
 
Allen Hood of IHOP claims they were not “active” members and tries to paint the picture that they were members several years ago and were currently operating separately from IHOP. This is false information.  Tyler Deaton's group was a "friendship group" from IHOP.  He was listed as a Friendship Group Leader on the IHOP hand-out.  And, noteable to mention is the fact that IHOP removed this information from their website today, undoubtedly realizing it did not support the false statement made by Allen Hood.

Here is the IHOP hand-out from only nine days ago. Tyler Deaton’s name was listed on the Administrative Team at IHOP.  I didn't black out any names and contact information because this was publically available on their site.

Handout from IHOP Church (Forerunner Christain Fellowship) 9 days ago.
FCF Handout 11042012
by IHOPKC Friendship Groups
Friendship Groups Administrative Team
November 4, 2012
Jon Boegl Department Director (928) 255-3576 jonboegl@ihopkc.org  
Michelle Chamberlain Admin. Coordinator (260) 610-4937 michellechamberlain@ihopkc.org
Caleb Chamberlain Creative Media/Social Networking (260) 610-2533
calebchamberlain@ihopkc.org
Division Coordinators:
Get Connected Find out more: IHOPKC Friendship Groups “Above all, LOVE each other deeply...” 1 Peter 4:8
 
 
Funny how a person “not actively involved” would be listed as being on the Administrative Team.  Ironic, how a designated leader of a friendship group arranged by IHOP is all of a sudden said to be completely separate from them.  Something smells rotten and that's because it is... rotten to the core.

In addition to this, Tyler Deaton has a personal website.  As of last night, it has been sealed and opened to “members only.”  However, I was fortunate enough to receive a downloaded copy of it before it was shut down and on the first page in the ABOUT ME section, Tyler writes:
 
“I am student in Kansas City, MO at
the International House of Prayer,
in the second year of a 6-year
preparation to overseas missions.”
 
Why would a non-active member of an organization claim to be in his second year of a six-year program?  I’d say only an ACTIVE member would use this description.
 
IHOP is trying to distance themselves from Bethany’s death, just like they've done with every IHOP-related death, through more lies.  This isn’t the first time and sadly, it won’t be the last.  Remember the death of Jeremiah Candler four years ago?   How many people will have to die before the lies stop?

My prayers go out to Bethany's family in this most painful hour of loss and betrayal. 
 
Let this blog be a call for justice.  IHOP has been built upon a foundation of threats and lies, and it is no different today.   Don’t let Bethany’s death be in vain.  Let it at least expose the truth...the truth about a dangerous organization...a truth that can protect others from the same fate.   
 
Don’t let IHOP get away with murder….literally.  It is a terrible injustice to her and to her family.
 

 

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

So sick. So sad. So cult.

Many Questions Remain in Murder of Grandview Woman
Posted on: 6:18 pm, November 12, 2012, by and , updated on: 08:19pm, November 12, 2012

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Police say that they have a confession, but still a lot of unanswered questions in the murder of Bethany Deaton of Grandview.

According to authorities, Deaton was found dead inside a van on October 30th at Longview Lake. Court documents say that a note was found with Deaton’s body that read, “My name is Bethany Deaton. I chose this evil thing. I did it because I wouldn’t be a real person and what is the point of living if it is too late for that? I wish I had chosen differently a long time ago. I knew it all and refused to listen. Maybe Jesus will still save me.”

Investigators say that pills were also found near Deaton’s body, but Deaton’s admitted killer, 23-year-old Micah Moore, it was all a cover-up to keep the 27-year-old woman quiet. In a statement to Jackson County Sheriff’s deputies, Moore said that he and Deaton were part of a “religious community” – led by Deaton’s husband, Tyler Deaton – in which the members had sex with each other.

According to court documents, witnesses told authorities that Tyler Deaton was viewed as a “Spiritual Leader” who had control over the members of the household. A witness also said that three days after Bethany Deaton’s body was found, Tyler Deaton told him that he had a dream in which he killed his wife by suffocating her.

Tyler Deaton has not been charged with any crimes in connection to his wife’s death.

In the statement, Moore told detectives Bethany Deaton was being drugged and sexually assaulted by him and several other men at a home in Grandview. Moore said they became afraid that Bethany Deaton would tell her therapist about the abuse, so Moore was told by someone whose name was blacked out in the probable cause statement to kill her.

Court documents indicate that Bethany Deaton was given the drug Seroquel – a prescription anti-psychotic drug – during the sexual assaults, and it was given to her in a water bottle on the day of her her murder.

On Friday, authorities searched Moore’s south Kansas City apartment for evidence.

“When I saw his picture in the paper, I was like, ‘Yeah, I’ve seen that guy somewhere before.’ And like I said, he just lives across the street,” said Darren Martin, neighbor.

Tyler and Bethany Deaton, along with Micah Moore, were members of the International House of Prayer, or IHOP.

 

Monday, November 12, 2012

An Attitude of Gratitude


On this Veteran’s Day I want to thank everyone who has served and is serving to protect our Nation and our Freedom.  May God bless America and you.  May He also bless your families, who serve along with you in their sacrifice.   It is not small.  Some of have given their lives and mere words cannot express the gratitude I feel.  Even when our economy is in turmoil, I am proud to be an American.  Even in times of upheaval, I am proud to be an American.  I am proud to stand behind our troops, waving stars and stripes, and profess my gratitude that we are One Nation, Under God, Indivisible, With Liberty and Justice For All.
 
 

Thank you, God, for every blessing and every freedom; and thank you, Veterans, for defending and protecting the blessings and freedoms we have been given.  ~