A Shocking “Confession” from Willow Creek Community Church

Townhall ^ | October 31, 2007 | Bob Burney

[Cecily]

If you are older than 40 the name Benjamin Spock is more than familiar. It was Spock that told an entire generation of parents to take it easy, don’t discipline your children and allow them to express themselves. Discipline, he told us, would warp a child’s fragile ego. Millions followed this guru of child development and he remained unchallenged among child rearing professionals. However, before his death Dr. Spock made an amazing discovery: he was wrong. In fact, he said:

We have reared a generation of brats. Parents aren't firm enough with their children for fear of losing their love or incurring their resentment. This is a cruel deprivation that we professionals have imposed on mothers and fathers. Of course, we did it with the best of intentions. We didn't realize until it was too late how our know-it-all attitude was undermining the self assurance of parents.

Oops.

Something just as momentous, in my opinion, just happened in the evangelical community. For most of a generation evangelicals have been romanced by the “seeker sensitive” movement spawned by Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago. The guru of this movement is Bill Hybels. He and others have been telling us for decades to throw out everything we have previously thought and been taught about church growth and replace it with a new paradigm, a new way to do ministry.

[opus86]

Wow. Hopefully Hybels, et al, will correct their course.

[topcat54]

From the article: "Willow Creek has released the results of a multi-year study on the effectiveness of their programs and philosophy of ministry."

It's still a marketing scheme to Hybels and Co.

"That we take out a clean sheet of paper and we rethink all of our old assumptions."

Hopefully they will also take out their Bibles.

[Shelayne]

Hopefully they will also take out their Bibles.

That would be a refreshing change, wouldn't it? **sigh**

[truthandlife]

Thank you for posting this. Our church has gotten hooked onto the Seeker Movement and we are a mega church that have lost a lot of members the past year. My wife and I wanted to leave our church but God put it on our heart to stay. I am praying our pastor starts to get back to the basics and not get be sucked into this trick by the Enemy.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

" Oops. Something just as momentous, in my opinion, just happened in the evangelical community. For most of a generation evangelicals have been romanced by the “seeker sensitive” movement spawned by Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago. The guru of this movement is Bill Hybels. He and others have been telling us for decades to throw out everything we have previously thought and been taught about church growth and replace it with a new paradigm, a new way to do ministry. "

You mean ? just like the erroneous doctrine and cult that has been spread around Christianity for a generation called the " Singleness " doctrine ?

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Churches nowadays go through doctrines, fads, and teachings like Hollywood couples go through marriages.... going every which way the wind blows.
The new thing is the Saddle Back Church teachings.
40 days of purpose.

[Buggman]

I was in full agreement with the article until the closing non-sequitor:

. . . let us pray that God would be pleased to put structures in place at Willow Creek that foster not mere numeric growth, but growth in grace.

If we who believe in the Messiah of Israel want to have a real impact on the world and truly disciple people, we have to start by throwing out our meaningless buzz-phrases.

What does it mean to "grow in grace"? Grace is God's unmerited favor; one cannot do anything to grow "in" it. We can grow in the Spirit, we can grow in our knowledge of the Scriptures, we can grow in our walk with God, grow in our works and fruits--all things that require effort and commitment--but we can no more "grow in grace" than we can grow in our birthday presents. Grow by grace, yes, but that's another matter.

I know we're trying to avoid the language of legalism and salvation by works, but the subject at hand is not how one is saved (correct answer: by God's grace received in faith), but how we should disciple people to follow Yeshua (Jesus) after they have come to faith.

[wmfights]

If you simply want a crowd, the “seeker sensitive” model produces results. If you want solid, sincere, mature followers of Christ, it’s a bust. In a shocking confession, Hybels states:

It takes a lot to admit you're doing something wrong. I pray the changes they make will lead people back into the Scriptures.

[pby]

Wow. Hopefully Hybels, et al, will correct their course.

As stated when this was posted previously, it looks like Willow Creek's answer to their "felt needs" theology (seeker-sensitivity) sin is going to be a more heinous one...the "spiritual practices" (yoga, Eastern religious practices, mantras, contemplative prayer, mysticism, labyrinth, breathing exercises, stillness and etc.) of the emergent church (Brian McLaren and company - homosexuality is not a sin, Christ didn't die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, there is no literal hell, the Gospel, as the Church knows it, is not really the Gospel and the Gospel can't easily be defined, etc.).

Unfortunately, Willow Creek has been teaching and promoting these unbiblical practices, for years, as an avenue for a deeper spirituality and more intimate walk with God.

The population is currently clamoring for more "spiritual" things and Hybels is going to give it to them.

It is the same practice (what do the unsaved want the church to be and then give it to them)... just a different look.

[Between the Lines]

but we can no more "grow in grace" than we can grow in our birthday presents

The book of 2 Peter both starts and ends with growing in grace and knowledge:

Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, (2 Peter 1:2)

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. (2 Peter 3:18)

I have think that it means that it meant that we need to accept that there is nothing that we can do to add to our salvation or continuation or growth. It's realizing that it's all Jesus and none of ourselves. Or as it says in John 3:30, "He must increase, but I must decrease."

[TexanToTheCore]

I used to go to a Willow Creek Association church. It impressed me as a half way house for people on their way to Jesus, but not necessarily a permanent home.

When I arrived in Texas I hooked up with a real hardnosed church and came to Jesus. Actually, Jesus ran me over.

So, the seeker friendly churches may serve a purpose but they may not be a permanent home for those who do come to Jesus.

[pby]

With Brian McLaren's influence at Willow Creek, why do you assume to know what it means?

With McLaren and friends, most every biblical term gets radically re-defined...nothing biblical remains untouched and unchanged.

[pby]

So, the seeker friendly churches may serve a purpose but they may not be a permanent home for those who do come to Jesus.

So...it really ain't a church (by biblical definition and standards).

So, the seeker friendly churches may serve a purpose...

Yep...they may: Entertain the lost world and make them feel good about themselves, while the Gospel gets diluted and lost...and who exactly gets the glory, here?

[Between the Lines]

With Brian McLaren's influence at Willow Creek, why do you assume to know what it means?

Silly me. When you asked the question "What does it mean to 'grow in grace', I thought that you might want to know a reasonable definition for 'grow in grace'.

With McLaren and friends, most every biblical term gets radically redefined...nothing biblical remains untouched and unchanged.

I have no idea what McLaren's definition of "grow in grace" means. But... if you read the last part of the article again using what I believe to be the definition, you will see that it is contiguous with the article and that it is not a non sequitur as you claim. So it is possible that Mr. McLaren and I share the same definition for "grow in grace".

[pby]

Buggman asked you the question. I didn’t.