Rev. Bill Hybels opens his eyes at dawn, rolls out of bed and lands on his knees. For 10 minutes, he says, he kneels in prayer, thanking God.
That one-on-one time came more easily three decades ago, when Hybels was an evangelist working outside the mainstream, launching an experimental ministry called Willow Creek Community Church.Now Willow Creek is a big part of the mainstream, the South Barrington-based megachurch at the forefront of an international phenomenon counting almost 12,000 congregations.
And Hybels has become a power broker in evangelical Christianity, the CEO of a movement. This year he stepped away from Willow Creek’s day-to-day operations to concentrate on expanding the ministry to the unchurched abroad and to broaden its urban, multicultural reach at home.
“In the early days I was the father, the mother, the uncle, the aunt, the grandmother. I was really the only teacher, the only pastor,” he said. “These days … the church’s dependency on me has gone down just exactly the way we planned it.”
Kendall, this article is very dated indeed. Yes, Bill Hybels still rolls out of bed to hit the floor with his knees, but that may be the only thing still the same at Willow these days. I speak from a “seat in the Auditorium, 11:15 service.”
Hybels has returned to being the Senior Pastor, and to the preaching rotation, at Willow Creek. The three people previously called to cover his place: Gene Appel, Lead Pastor, and Teaching Pastors Mike Breux, and Randy Frazee have all left–Mike to be a Senior Pastor at a church in Rockford, IL, Randy to be Senior Pastor at Max Lucado’s church in TX, and Gene has left to take some time off to reflect on God’s next call on his life. Fortunately Willow has many gifted teachers within the organization and friends without who are filling in when Hybels needs to be away.
Willow is in a time of reflection and change. (One could argue, when are they not…;-) ). Just Google the words “Willow Creek/Reveal” and you will come to a website that details (another) research study done by Willow regarding how Seekers have changed since Willow started doing ministry and how Willow plans to change to meet that need. But if the “proof is in the pudding” then the results coming from this study may be worth tasting. Just as a couple of years ago they began encouraging folks to bring their Bibles to service (and offering a Willow-equivalent of a pew Bible to those without), these days you will find a new emphasis on doctrine and spiritual development in the weekend services. Starting this summer, Willow will offer classes on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings for everyone from the spiritually-seeking to the mature believer.
Hybels’ travels have given him a deeper sensitivity to the plight of the poor around the world and this is reflected in several partnerships with local churches in 3rd. world countries and larger relief organizations.
At home, the fledgling church meeting in downtown Chicago is thriving. The other regionals appear to be doing well. And the relationship between Salem and Willow is still going strong.
The Spanish service has expanded from one to two services on Sunday morning.
Baptisms are now held year round–but the annual event in the pond is still a favorite.
Personal note: There is still much that is strange to us here at Willow. But when we left TEC, having few options for orthodox teaching, and none within a 1/2 hour drive from our home, Willow welcomed us “as we were” with no questions asked. It was strange, but we had no idea just how spiritually empty we were coming out of TEC–in those first days even the weekend services were balm to us.
Does it drive us crazy at times? Absolutely. But I have come to appreciate the heart of the people at Willow and their unashamed desire to reach the lost with the Gospel and encourage them to become fully devoted followers of Christ.
sjengelhardt
Last year we used Willow’s series, “Just Walk Across the Room.” Members still talk about it. Watching Willow’s transitions have been helpful for those of us watching. Yes, this is not longer your unchurched Boomer’s world. Everything has changed yet again in the last decade. The text unChristian helps highlight that!
OTOH, those of us bringing a long standing mainline congregation into this new reality is not easy. There are folks who have yet to notice Boomers didn’t come back to church when they got married. We’re now 1.5 generations beyond that dynamic. So Willow is changing. But from my perspective, they’re still a congregation pointing out what’s changed and what we have to become to develop fully devoted followers of Christ.
Brian