Apprising Ministries continues our coverage begin in IHOP University Student Confesses To Murder Of Former IHOP Intern To Cover Sexual Assaults and followed up in IHOPU Murder Suspect Micah Moore Claims Victim’s Husband Tyler Deaton Put Him Up To It.

Yesterday Donald Bradley reported that Tyler Deaton’s role at the International House of Prayer becomes clearer:

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. (source)

Now today Bradley informs us that Tyler Deaton’s name on list of leaders was an error, IHOP says:

The International House of Prayer took greater steps today to distance itself from Tyler Deaton, whose wife was murdered allegedly by a member of a small religious sect headed by Deaton.

Most members of the group, including Deaton and his wife, attended IHOP, an “end times”-focused evangelical mission base. IHOP has drawn thousands of young people from all over the world to Kansas City and the organization’s so-called university and 24/7 prayer center.

Ever since Bethany Deaton’s murder, IHOP has insisted that Tyler Deaton’s group operated independently and “under a veil of secrecy.”

But a Nov. 4 handout and website posting shows that as of that date — five days after Bethany Deaton’s death — Tyler Deaton was a “division coordinator” on the administrative team of International House of Prayer friendship groups.

In a statement released today, IHOP said that Deaton’s name appeared in error — that a volunteer had mistakenly added his name to a list. The statement added that IHOP leadership didn’t even know Deaton and went on to denounce him:

“Knowing what we know now, we deeply regret our failure to discern the nature of Deaton’s alleged secretive, perverse, cultic practices. We further regret his admission to IHOPU four years ago and all connection he had with our organization.”

The statement insisted that Deaton was never part of the organization’s group structure. But another person whose name appeared on the list of division coordinators told The Star on Thursday that she attended three recent meetings at which Deaton participated.

Deaton is described as the “spiritual leader” of an independent Bible study group he led from a Texas college to Kansas City. In June, someone at IHOP raised concerns with the small groups director about Deaton’s manipulative behavior, according to today’s IHOP statement.

“The director met with Deaton and mistakenly concluded that these concerns had been resolved. This we deeply regret,” the statement said.

On Oct. 30, Bethany Ann Deaton was found dead in a parked van 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, allegedly because of fear she would tell her therapist about sexual assaults on her by members of the group. (source)

Hmm, rather convenient, “a volunteer had mistakenly added his name to a list.”

Further reading

• IHOP TO PARTNER WITH ROMAN CATHOLICS FOR UPCOMING ONETHING CONFERENCE
• IHOP ENTERS DOMINION/CHRISTIAN RIGHT POLITICS
• TRANSFIGURATION AT IHOP