Corey Russell

Corey Russell is an American Charismatic preacher, intercessor, and author. Beginning around 2002, he served at the International House of Prayer Kansas City (IHOPKC) for 18 years, where he was Director of the Forerunner Program at IHOP University (IHOPU) — discipling young preachers and leaders in prayer, intercession, fear-of-the-Lord, and forerunner-ministry framework. He was substantially networked with Mike Bickle (Tier 2; pre-2023 controversies) and the IHOPKC institutional framework throughout that period. Following the late-2023 IHOPKC / Bickle controversies (which substantially restructured the institution), Russell relocated to Houston, where he now leads Bridge Church (Houston) and Burning & Shining Lamp Ministries (CoreyRussell.org). His preaching emphasizes the knowledge of God, intercession, the fear of the Lord, and the forerunner-and-Bridegroom-theology framework. His book catalog includes *Pursuit of the Holy: A Divine Invitation*, *The Glory Within*, *Ancient Paths*, *Prayer*, *Inheritance*, *Teach Us to Pray*, and *Foundations of Intercession* (course notes for the IHOPU forerunner curriculum). He has released multiple prayer audio recordings and continues active itinerant teaching alongside the Houston-based pastoral ministry.

• Identity in Christ vs Identity as Sinner — Affirmed; *Inheritance* and broader catalog operate within identity-in-Christ framework — believer's identity is foundation for fearless intercession-and-forerunner-ministry. Functionally aligned with Bevere/Winship/Bill Johnson ★★★ stream.
• Fear of the Lord Emphasis — Foundational; Russell's framework is among the closest contemporary alignments with Bevere's ★★★ anchor articulation. The fear of the Lord is foundational to discipleship, prayer, and forerunner-ministry preparation for Christ's return. *Pursuit of the Holy* is the load-bearing articulation in IHOPKC-and-charismatic register.
• Cost of Following — Affirmed; sustained 18+ years of IHOPKC ministry under substantial demands assumes the cost; subsequent Houston relocation post-2023 IHOPKC reckoning required real costly-decision. The framework integrates cost-of-following with forerunner-ministry preparation.
• Intercession as Co Laboring — Foundational; sustained intercession is the operational instrument of forerunner-ministry. Russell's framework is more contemplative-and-Bridegroom-stream than NAR-strategic-warfare-stream while operating within the broader intercession movement. *Foundations of Intercession* (IHOPU course notes) is the systematic articulation.
• Cessation — Strong continuationist; the Charismatic-IHOPKC-stream framework. The gifts and offices operative; healing, prophecy, deliverance normative.
• Holiness vs Grace Balance — Holiness is integral to grace; sustained pursuit of God in holiness is the believer's normal calling. *Pursuit of the Holy* articulates the framework. Russell is substantively diagnostic of cheap-grace evangelical reductions while operating within charismatic-stream framework.

• Corey Russell