op-ed by Brannon S. Howse 

I warned about the worldview of Ted Cruz and his family a few months ago in this article:
http://www.worldviewweekend.com/news/article/exposing-worldview-ted-cruz-and-his-family

As if his own worldview on its own were not troubling to me, I find his association with men like David Barton and Glenn Beck, among others, helps to further reveal the troubling worldview and discernment of Ted Cruz. Here are some articles on David Barton and Glenn Beck:

David Barton and Glenn Beck’s Idea of Revival: 
http://www.worldviewweekend.com/news/article/why-david-barton-100-wrong-tell-glenn-beck-third-great-awakening-has-begun

David Barton and Kenneth Copeland:
http://www.worldviewweekend.com/news/article/david-barton-kenneth-copeland-evil-spirits-make-congress-think-really-goofy

When Evangelical Leaders Give Credibility to Ecumenicalism, Pluralism, and Pagan spirituality Mixed with Christianity
http://www.worldviewweekend.com/news/article/when-evangelical-leaders-give-credibility-ecumenicalism-pluralism-and-pagan

Now Cruz is boasting that he has been endorsed by Mike Bickle of the International House of Prayer. As I have detailed in my book, Religious Trojan Horse, Bickle believes in modern-day prophets and apostles and runs what many conservative, Biblical theologians have called a “theological cult”. 

Pastor and Dr. Robbie Dean spent over 2,000 hours researching Bickle and his theological friends. Dr. Dean writes: [quote]

The most distressing fact is that this event is being run by people from the International House of Prayer (IHOP), which has its roots in a movement called the Kansas City Prophets, which in turn was associated with the Vineyard churches founded by the late John Wimber. In the late 1980’s I conducted more than two thousand hours of research and personal interviews with key leaders in the Vineyard movement as part of independent studies courses in my doctoral studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. In January of 1989 I attended a “Spiritual Warfare Conference” at the home Vineyard church in southern California. I was there when Paul Cain, one of the most extreme, cult-like leaders of this movement and one who himself taught his own brand of heresy, was first introduced to the Vineyard congregation. Cain became very influential in the life of Mike Bickle, who was then pastor of the Kansas City Fellowship. In October of 1990 Dr. Thomas Ice and I interviewed the pastoral leadership of the Kansas City Vineyard, the so-called Kansas City Prophets, a now defunct ministry. Bickle went on to become one of the founders of the International House of Prayer. Our critique of this movement was published in Biblical Perspectives, a bi-monthly newsletter Dr. Ice and I published at that time. The Director and Program Coordinators for “The Response” are Luis and Jill Cataldo, both on the staff of the International House of Prayer. 

 One of the key heresies of the Kansas City prophets, which is also at the core of the thinking of the IHOP movement, is based on a misuse and abuse of a passage in the Hebrew Scriptures, Joel 2:15-16. This passage is at the core of a heresy which calls upon present day Christians to fulfill a passage that has nothing whatsoever to do with modern events. In their view this passage is twisted to be a call for spiritual elites, the so-called “Joel’s Army,” to take over the United States and then to purge it and bring in a Christian kingdom. [end quote]

 Here are some great articles that expose the bizarre and unbiblical worldview of Mike Bickle and his International House of Prayer.

Article One  

Article Two

Article Three

Article Four
 

When Christians compromise the gospel and unite with false teachers in spiritual and political enterprises, regardless of the political outcome, we will have lost because we gave credibility to false teachers and their false gospel. I believe this is Satan's strategy. Satan has moved his false teachers into our camp as a religious Trojan horse and Christian leaders have embraced the Trojan horse of false teachers.

Do you really want the President of the United States associating with or listening to individuals like Mike Bickle, David Barton, and Glenn Beck? Does Cruz agree with the dominion theology of the New Apostolic Reformation or even the seven mountain mandate of dominion theology that has been preached by his own father? 

I care about the true church too much to see a man elected President that would give any credibility to false teachers and their bizarre and heretical theology, regardless of what he could do for the country.

If you are not fully aware of all of which I am writing about, then I would encourage you to get a copy of my 500+ page book Religious Trojan Horse. In this book, I explain the dangerous theology and worldview of many of today’s religious leaders and their desire to use politicians and civil government to accomplish their religious theocracy that is based upon twisted scripture. 

In fact, I believe it is men like Cruz working with false teachers like Mike Bickle, Glenn Beck and David Barton that will lead to The Coming Religious Reich as I detail in my 512 page book by the same name, that was released in December of 2015. 

Ted Cruz may think he is the smartest guy in the room at any given movement, but his worldview and associations reveal he is perhaps the least discerning individual in the room at any given moment.

High taxes, lack of national sovereignty, redistribution of wealth and other such progessive ideas are destructive but nothing is more destructive than false teachers and their false Christ and false gospel. If even Ted Cruz could reverse all progessive ideas, which he cannot, I am not willing to see the mainstreaming of false teachers as the price for victory for Ted Cruz or any politican for that matter. 

Here is the press release released today by the Cruz campaign:
https://www.tedcruz.org/news/cruz-for-president-announces-endorsement-of-mike-bickle/

HOUSTON, Texas – Presidential candidate Ted Cruz today announced the endorsement of Mike Bickle, Founder and Director of the International House of Prayer of Kansas City, an evangelical missions organization based on prayer.

“Our nation is in a great crisis in this hour,” Bickle said. “We need a president who will first be faithful to honor God’s Word. We need a president who will work to defend religious liberty, uphold our Constitution, keep our country safe and our economy sound, and speak truth to the nation. We have been praying for righteous leaders, and Ted Cruz is such a leader. I am enthusiastically endorsing Ted Cruz.”

The International House of Prayer is engaged in many outreaches, justice initiatives, and mission projects. For the last 16 years, their prayer room has continued nonstop in 24/7 prayer led by worship teams. 800 staff members work at the IHOPKC Mission Base in Kansas City, and 800 full-time students and interns attend the International House of Prayer University, which consists of three full-time ministry schools—a Bible school, music school, and media school. About 20,000 people attend “One Thing” annually, IHOPKC’s year-end young adult conference.

“Through prayer, the Lord has changed my life and altered my family’s story,” said Cruz. “I am grateful for Mike’s dedication to call a generation of young people to prayer and spiritual commitment. Heidi and I are grateful to have his prayers and support. With the support of Mike and many other people of faith, we will fight the good fight, finish the course, and keep the faith.”

Bickle is the author of 10 books including Passion for Jesus, Growing in Prayer, The Pleasures of Loving God, and The Rewards of Fasting. His teaching emphasizes making disciples who seek to walk out the two Great Commandments while serving together to see the Great Commission fulfilled and the fame of Jesus’ name fill the earth. Mike pastored for 23 years before starting the IHOPKC Missions Base in 1999, and has been married to Diane for 38 years, with two sons and five grandchildren.