Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Bill Hybels Resigns From Willow Creek Church Amid Misconduct Allegations
Christian Post ^ | 04/11/2018 | Leonardo Blair

Posted on 04/11/2018 8:42:51 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

Maintaining his innocence at a church gathering, Bill Hybels, founder and senior pastor of the multi-campus Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois, announced on Tuesday his decision to retire from his role six months earlier than planned under a swirling cloud of sexual misconduct allegations.

"I have decided to accelerate my planned retirement date from October of this year to tonight. This decision was mine and mine alone, but after much discussion, my decision earned the unanimous support of the Elders and the Executive Team," Hybels said in a statement he read to the church.

"As Lynne (wife) and I have watched this, it has been extremely painful for us to see this controversy continue to be a distraction that is hindering our Elders and church staff, as well as the WCA (Willow Creek Association) staff, from carrying out the work of these fantastic ministries," he explained.

"[I]t has been increasingly clear to us that they (Willow Creek ministries) can't flourish when the valuable time and energy of their leaders are divided. The leaders of both our church and the WCA need the freedom to get on with the task of carrying out the missions God has given them."

In an extensive investigation published by the Chicago Tribune last month, Hybels denied a number of sexual misconduct allegations against him, which include a consensual affair with a married woman, who retracted her claims. The Tribune report also alleged a pattern of behavior against Hybels that includes suggestive comments, extended hugs, an unwanted kiss, and invitations to some of the women to hotel rooms. Investigations commissioned by the church, however, could not substantiate the allegations.

Critics like John Ortberg, senior pastor of the nearly 4,000-member Menlo Church in Menlo Park, California, who previously served at Willow Creek, have insisted that the investigation of the sexual misconduct allegations against Hybels, was "poorly designed" and exposed his accusers to "grave risks."

In his Tuesday announcement, Hybels staunchly maintained his innocence, calling some of the allegations "misleading" and others "entirely false," but said he has been "sobered" by the accusations. He admitted to being sometimes naïve in his relations with others and noted some of his actions were misinterpreted.

"In recent times, I've been accused of many things I simply did not do," he said. In an earlier church meeting, he said accusations of a kiss and a consensual affair were completely false.

Addressing other allegations, he said, "I realize now that in certain settings and circumstances in the past I communicated things that were perceived in ways I did not intend, at times making people feel uncomfortable. I was blind to this dynamic for far too long. For that I'm very sorry."

"I too often placed myself in situations that would have been far wiser to avoid. I was, at times, naive about the dynamics those situations created. I'm sorry for the lack of wisdom on my part. I commit to never putting myself in similar situations in the future."

Among Hybels' accusers is Vonda Dyer, a former Willow Creek ministry worker who alleged that in February 1998 while on a trip to Sweden, Hybels crossed the line.

She said Hybels summoned her to his hotel room, poured her wine and invited her to get comfortable on his couch after telling her he had taken a sleep aid popularly known as Ambien.

Soon after that, things took a sharp turn when he started complimenting her looks and criticizing her husband. He then suggested they lead Willow Creek together. He allegedly then put his hands on her waist, caressed her stomach and kissed her.

"He told me what he thought about how I looked, very specifically, what he thought about my leadership gifts, my strengths," she told the Tribune.

She said she told him to stop and left the room.

Hybels denied ever touching her stomach or kissing her. "It never happened," he maintained earlier to the church, noting that he will call her version of that story a lie until his dying breath.

Hybels had announced last year that he would be stepping down in October 2018. He already named his successors — Heather Larson, who will be lead pastor, and Steve Carter, who will be lead teaching pastor.

Though the elders and church leaders have stood by Hybels, the longtime pastor decided to step down early due to the distraction.

Along with retiring as senior pastor, Hybels said he has also stepped out of his usual teaching and hosting roles at the upcoming Global Leadership Summit.

"This, too, was my decision, but after discussion and prayer it was agreed upon by the WCA Board," he said.

"Going forward, I feel the need to humbly look deep inside myself and determine what God wants to teach me. I intend to continue surrounding myself with wise counselors and trusted friends, and to ask them to speak honestly into my life so that I can learn every single lesson I need to learn from all of this. I have complete peace about this decision and will not rush this process. Your prayers would be much appreciated during this upcoming season of reflection," he added.

Pam Orr, speaking on behalf of Willow Creek's elder board, said: "Although we are deeply saddened, for so many reasons, by the circumstances surrounding the end of Bill's tenure, we accept and see the wisdom in his decision. We thank God that He uses ordinary people to do His good work. And we are grateful that Bill listened to God's call on his life and served the church, and God's Kingdom, for the last 42 years."

Hybels founded Willow Creek in 1975.


TOPICS: Evangelical Christian; Moral Issues; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: billhybels; hybels; misconduct; resignation; willowcreek

1 posted on 04/11/2018 8:42:51 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Church sex scandals are nothing new. My great grandfather was a pastor in the Norwegian Lutheran church here in the US. While attending Augsburg Seminary in Minneapolis, he fathered a child out of wedlock with a young woman who was working near by as a servant. When that bit of news leaked out, it caused a big scandal. That was in 1893.


2 posted on 04/11/2018 8:58:02 AM PDT by euram
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

I am truly saddened by all of this. I don’t know all the facts so I can’t really comment specifically, but I do know that once innocent gestures or comments are now highly offensive and borderline criminal. Seemingly, one can no longer interact with a woman as a female as their sensitivity is off the charts. I believe they are following a fad that encourages this hypersensitivity and “speaking up” because this makes them “powerful” and “brave”. In fact, this populist error is destroying many. There are numerous examples of women destroying co-workers or others over petty, meaningless interactions. And I am not referring to the Harvey Weinstein type of behavior.

I am even more saddened that Willow Creek has named a woman as their senior pastor. I don’t see how this is scriptural and I cannot understand for the life of me why the church is ever so eager to conform to this world in this regard. The church’s desire to reflect our culture is greatly contributing to this mess and is putting tremendous pressure on Christian families.


3 posted on 04/11/2018 9:06:18 AM PDT by Obadiah (Truth is hate speech to those who hate truth.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: euram

RE: My great grandfather was a pastor in the Norwegian Lutheran church here in the US. While attending Augsburg Seminary in Minneapolis, he fathered a child out of wedlock with a young woman

Nothing like the above happened at Willow Creek. Bill Hybels has not fathered a child out of wedlock, nor has it been shown (yet) that he had sexual relations with any women outside marriage.


4 posted on 04/11/2018 9:10:48 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
He already named his successors — Heather Larson, who will be lead pastor.

Quelle village!

5 posted on 04/11/2018 9:11:53 AM PDT by aspasia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Obadiah; All

yup, at a recent viewing and at funeral services and gathering following it the pastor hugged many of us, some repeatedly, even kissing the cheek or forehead of some. Old, young, male, female. By any who choose in their own thoughts, to take it the wrong way, it could be.


6 posted on 04/11/2018 9:13:20 AM PDT by b4me (God Bless the USA)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: euram
VONDA DYER -- THE ACCUSER.


7 posted on 04/11/2018 9:14:23 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

.
Who is surprised?

Mega-churches are mega-departures from the way of Yeshua as described in the NT writings.

Time to “get back.” The end of ‘the end times’ is at hand, and the gnashing of teeth will be upon us if we are not “watching” as Yeshua said in Rev. 3:3.
.


8 posted on 04/11/2018 9:25:30 AM PDT by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

9 posted on 04/11/2018 9:27:12 AM PDT by dfwgator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

.
Has she hired Gloria All-Red yet?
.


10 posted on 04/11/2018 9:27:24 AM PDT by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

I attended the Global Leadership Summit that Hybels’ church founded.

It still offers some helpful leadership advice, but most of it is not Biblical and it has taken a HUGE shift to social justice causes. It was disappointing.


11 posted on 04/11/2018 9:30:43 AM PDT by woweeitsme
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Have no idea if this guy is guilty or not, but I do know that Mark Taylor, the guy who said the Lord told him Trump was going to become president, several years before the fact, said that God told him He was going to start cleaning house, in churches, and famous big ministries were going to be exposed, and their leadership removed.


12 posted on 04/11/2018 9:47:16 AM PDT by Flaming Conservative ((Pray without ceasing))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Flaming Conservative
I used to be mid-trib to post-tribbish because I believed the tribulation would be the sifting of the churches. And who better needs sifting than the fat and happy, TV-raised modern Western Christian?

I've recently moved to pre-trib because I believe we're seeing some major sifting right now. Interesting times.

13 posted on 04/11/2018 10:47:35 AM PDT by meowmeow (In Loving Memory of Our Dear Viking Kitty (1987-2006))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: woweeitsme

Agreed and the main reason I stopped going to Willo at all. It’s become all social justice all the time. The last Christmas show I attended years ago, made me sick to the point that I walked out and haven’t returned.

Can’t say I ever was fond of Hybels, I miss Ortberg and watch his stuff on line.


14 posted on 04/11/2018 11:28:00 AM PDT by AllAmericanGirl44
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
Those in ministry should be aware and on guard that Satan will attack them in three different ways. The Three "Ms" are:
15 posted on 04/11/2018 12:02:19 PM PDT by boatbums (The Law is a storm which wrecks your hopes of self-salvation, but washes you upon the Rock of Ages.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Obadiah

There are details in the Chicago Tribune articles on the subject. Here’s one:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-willow-creek-pastor-20171220-story.html

As far as women “following a fad,” I’d say many women have felt afraid to speak up about this kind of thing, for a variety of reasons. One being, as you say, the guilt and fear of “destroying” a man’s career.

If any of you have daughters or wives or sisters, it’s likely that they have or will experience some form of harassment at work or in other places.

I experienced it at my very first job at age 15, and also at my last job.


16 posted on 04/11/2018 6:00:44 PM PDT by Abigail Adams
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Didn’t see anything on this posted.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/08/08/willow-creek-board-lead-pastor-to-step-down.html

Willow Creek board, lead pastor to step down
Associated Press

SOUTH BARRINGTON, Ill. – The lead pastor of a Chicago-area evangelical church that is one of the largest in the nation says she is stepping down, and the entire Board of Elders will do so by the end of the year.

In an announcement posted on the Willow Creek Community Church website late Wednesday, Heather Larson said the church needed new leadership in the wake of sexual harassment allegations against church founder Bill Hybels. In a New York Times story, former assistant Pat Baranowski said Hybels repeatedly groped her in the 1980s. Hybels denies the allegation. He resigned in April.

The announcements come as the Willow Creek Association is scheduled to host its 23rd annual Global Leadership Summit. Several speakers have backed out and over 100 churches cancelled plans to broadcast the event.

The church has eight Chicago-area locations.


17 posted on 08/09/2018 8:32:09 AM PDT by Linda Frances (Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Oops. Found it. Was looking for willow creek church not Bill Hybels.


18 posted on 08/09/2018 8:34:39 AM PDT by Linda Frances (Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson