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43-540: In 2018, the church's entire senior leadership and elder board resigned, admitting to having mishandled abuse allegations against Hybels. Steve Gillen, the longtime pastor of the church's North Shore campus, was named interim senior pastor in August 2018. In January 2020, it was announced that Gillen would step down in March and that the two candidates who were being considered for the role of senior pastor had been "released" from

86-476: A church volunteer. Despite the settlements, the church denied any negligence in the two cases. In September 2018, Willow Creek Community Church and Willow Creek Association announced the formation of what they called an "Independent Advisory Group" to investigate the numerous allegations against their founder. Religion News Service reported in December 2018 that the alleged misconduct and admitted mishandling of

129-583: A defamation lawsuit against the church. In 1992, the Willow Creek Association was founded. The WCA develops training and leadership conferences and resources for its member churches. The Willow Creek Association is often confused with Willow Creek Community Church, or mistaken for a denomination . However, it is a distinctly separate organization which has close affiliations with Willow Creek Community Church. Since 1995, Willow Creek Association has held an annual leadership summit. Speakers at

172-620: A few years earlier), and aspired to start a church that used relevant biblical teaching, music, and drama. On October 12, 1975, the church met for the first time, renting Willow Creek Theater in Palatine , Illinois. Gilbert Bilezikian was Hybels' theological mentor. Bilezikian has been "credited with Willow Creek’s inclusion of women in its highest levels of leadership". In 1977, the church purchased 90 acres (360,000 m) in South Barrington to build its own building. The first service

215-563: A longtime church member alleged he had sexually assaulted her a number of times between 1984 and 1988. Bilezikian denied the accusations and contended that the church had "violated the Bible's teaching on dealing with accusations against fellow Christians". Hybels had previously resigned from Willow Creek in April 2018 following allegations of misconduct. The Elder Board of Willow Creek stated that it had restricted Bilezikian from serving within

258-424: A process to replace the elder board, and announced on January 19, 2019, that a new elder board had been installed. In March 2019, The Washington Post reported that a six-month independent review by four evangelical leaders found the misconduct allegations against Hybels to be credible. The reviewers asserted that were Hybels still pastor at Willow Creek, disciplinary action would be required. In January 2020,

301-616: A prolonged affair with a married woman, though this was retracted by the woman herself. The Tribune wrote that elders of Willow Creek had conducted an internal review of Hybels' behavior which led to no findings of misconduct, leading to the resignations of at least three leaders of the Willow Creek Association’s board over what they believed to be an insufficient inquiry. All accusations have been denied by Hybels. Hybels had planned to retire in October 2018 to focus his energy on

344-540: A prolonged affair with a married woman; however, this allegation was retracted by the woman herself. The Tribune wrote that the elders of Willow Creek had conducted an internal review of Hybels' behavior which led to no findings of misconduct; following this report, at least three leaders of the Willow Creek Association board reportedly resigned their posts because they believed the inquiry to have been insufficient. All accusations have been denied by Hybels. Hybels had planned to retire in October 2018 to focus his energy on

387-409: A recommissioning of the church's vision to be broader and deeper than before. Hybels apologized for the example of his relentless schedule and overemphasis on grace. "We've set up all our leadership structures and goals to grow a full functioning Acts 2 community, as opposed to just an evangelizing machine that doesn't drive the roots down deep and do all the other things it's supposed to do." In 1981,

430-813: A speech on immigration reform. Hybels was not heavily involved in the church's day-to-day operations between mid-2006 and 2008. Gene Appel served as lead pastor of the South Barrington Campus from mid-2006 until Easter 2008. Appel's role allowed Hybels the ability to serve a more direct role in the Willow Creek Association. Hybels started the Global Leadership Summit (hosted by the Global Leadership Network (GLN) (rebranded from Willow Creek Association in 2018 )) in 1995 as an annual training event for leaders to sharpen their skills. The summit telecasts live from

473-486: A tenth reported victim that were not included in any previous investigations or reports. Co-lead pastor Steve Carter resigned the same day. The entire elder board and co-lead pastor Heather Larson resigned on August 8, 2018 following a joint apology for mishandling the investigation. On August 13, 2018, the Chicago Tribune reported the church had paid $ 3.25 million to settle two lawsuits over child sexual abuse by

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516-743: Is a co-founder of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois. In 2020, Willow Creek announced that allegations of sexual abuse had been made against Bilezikian. Bilezikian was born in Paris, France, to parents who were Armenian refugees. He was drafted in the French army where he served as a medic in North Africa during the Algerian liberation conflict. He first came to the United States in 1947. Bilezikian earned his BA from

559-504: Is one of the largest theaters in the United States. In 2017, the church averaged 25,000 attendees per week, making it the eighth largest church in America, according to Outreach 100. In September 2018, Religion News Service reported attendance was down 9% across all campuses, following scandal involving founder Bill Hybels and resignation of the entire senior leadership team. On July 1, 2010, Hybels introduced President Barack Obama for

602-545: The University of Paris , his M.Div. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary , and his Th.D. from Boston University . He also pursued a seven-year post-doctoral program at the Sorbonne in Paris under Professor Oscar Cullmann . Beginning in 1961, Bilezikian served for five years as pastor of Loudonville Community Church outside of Albany, N.Y. . He returned to Paris for seven years, during which time he taught at

645-784: The European Bible Institute and served as Minister of Christian Education at the American Church in Paris. For 20 years, Bilezikian was a professor at Wheaton College . He interrupted his tenure at Wheaton to assume for three years the presidency of Haigazian University in Beirut, Lebanon , and to teach two years at Trinity College in Deerfield, Illinois. In 1992, he became Professor of Biblical Studies Emeritus at Wheaton College. Bilezikian co-founded Willow Creek Community Church with Bill Hybels in 1975 and

688-474: The Willow Creek Association. On April 10, 2018, Hybels announced that he was moving forward his retirement date effective immediately and stated that he did not want to be a distraction to the church's ministry. He also announced he would leave the board of the Willow Creek Association and would no longer lead Willow Creek’s Global Leadership Summit. On April 21, 2018, the Chicago Tribune and Christianity Today reported more misconduct allegations not included in

731-461: The Willow Creek Association. On April 10, 2018, Hybels announced that he was resigning, effective immediately, stating he did not want to be a distraction to the church's ministry. He also announced that he would leave the board of the Willow Creek Association and would no longer lead Willow Creek's Global Leadership Summit. On April 21, 2018, the Chicago Tribune and Christianity Today reported further misconduct allegations which were not part of

774-602: The allegations had led to a $ 3 million budget shortfall for 2018, the elimination of 50 full-time positions, a 9% reduction in attendance across all the church's campuses, and a reduction in attendance of at least 15% at its main South Barrington Campus. A six-month independent review of the allegations against Hybels, conducted by four evangelical leaders engaged for that purpose and completed in February 2019, found Hybels' accusers credible. In January 2020,

817-632: The campus of Willow Creek Community Church, with 118,000 people watching via livestream at host sites across the U.S. in 2018, and hundreds of thousands more later watching via video in countries around the world. The Summit lost more than 100 host sites and tens of thousands of viewers in 2018 following the Hybels' scandal. On March 23, 2018, the Chicago Tribune published an article detailing allegations of sexual misconduct by Hybels spanning decades. The article reported that Hybels had engaged in

860-521: The church announced that Hybels' mentor, Gilbert Bilezikian had also engaged in "inappropriate behavior" after a church member alleged he had sexually assaulted her over a number of years. Books which Hybels has authored or made a contribution to include: Gilbert Bilezikian Gilbert Bilezikian (born June 26, 1927, in Paris , France ) is an American Evangelical Christian writer, professor, and lecturer. Along with Bill Hybels , Bilezikian

903-446: The church announced that co-founder Gilbert Bilezikian had "engaged in inappropriate behavior" after a long time church member alleged he had sexually assaulted her a number of times between 1984 and 1988. Bilezikian denied the accusations and said the church had "violated the Bible's teaching on dealing with accusations against fellow Christians." The Elder Board of Willow Creek stated that it had restricted Bilezikian from serving within

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946-483: The church moved to its current location in South Barrington. By 2000, six services were being held each weekend for 15,000 attendees in a 352,000-square-foot (32,700 m ) building. Starting in 1998 Hybels acted as a spiritual advisor to then-President Bill Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky scandal. In 2004, a new Worship Center was opened. With a capacity of more than 7,000, the state-of-the-art auditorium

989-535: The church when allegations were brought against him in 2010; in 2015, however, he was honored as a "living legend" of the church. In January 2020, the Elder Response Team asserted that Bilezikian had been restricted from serving in the church, but added that he had continued to teach and serve in various capacities because "the restriction was not adequately communicated". In February 2020, his title as Wheaton College Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies

1032-406: The church when allegations were brought against him in 2010; in 2015, however, he was honored as a "living legend" of the church. In January 2020, the Elder Response Team asserted that Bilezikian had been restricted from serving in the church, but added that he had continued to teach and serve in various capacities because "the restriction was not adequately communicated". In May 2020, Bilezikian filed

1075-435: The church; he had previously planned to retire in October of that year. Hybels, who denied the allegations, received a standing ovation from the church upon making this announcement. In August 2018, Steve Gillen—the longtime pastor of the church's North Shore campus—was chosen as interim senior pastor. In January 2020, it was announced that Gillen would step down in March and that the two candidates who were being considered for

1118-564: The founding and former senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois , one of the most attended churches in North America, with an average attendance of nearly 24,000 as of late 2018. He is the founder of the Willow Creek Association and creator of the Global Leadership Summit. Hybels is also an author of a number of Christian books, especially on the subject of Christian leadership. Hybels

1161-457: The group grew from 25 to 1,200 in just three years. After 300 youth waited in line for a service in May 1974, Hybels and other leaders began dreaming of forming a new church. They surveyed the community to find out why people weren't coming to church. Common answers were reported to be: "church is boring", "they're always asking for money", or "I don't like being preached down to." These answers shaped

1204-421: The group's approach to the new church. On October 12, 1975, the group held its first service at Willow Creek Theater in Palatine, Illinois . One hundred and twenty-five people attended the service. The rent and other costs were paid for with 1,200 baskets of tomatoes, sold door-to-door by 100 teenagers. Hybels spoke on "New Beginnings". Within two years, the church had grown to 2,000. Challenges in 1979 led to

1247-427: The initial investigation. Church elders received reports of other unwanted sexual comments and advances by Hybels that not been previously investigated by the elder board. The elders indicated they would seek wise counsel and work with experts to investigate the allegations, developing a collaborative process. On August 5, 2018, The New York Times reported extensively documented allegations of sexual misconduct against

1290-674: The initial investigation. In response, the Willow Creek elders stated their intent to examine reports regarding "allegations that have not been previously investigated by the Elder Board". The elders said they would seek wise counsel and work with experts, developing a collaborative process. Despite its initial denial and defense of Hybels, the Willow Creek Board of Elders released a statement on May 9, 2018, as part of their second investigation into allegations against him;

1333-469: The integrity of the rest of the staff". He shared this with the elders, who decided to keep it secret from the entire church, and allowed Dave to stay in ministry provided he sought professional counselling and submitted to accountability and monitoring from the elders. In September 1979, the elders confronted Dave with his "ongoing pattern of behaviour and his apparently unrepentant spirit". Co-founder Dave Holmbo then resigned from his position. This resignation

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1376-413: The other allegations against Hybels, but crucially had contemporaneous evidence of her allegations from people that she confided in at the time. Hybels denied the allegations. On August 7, 2018, Steve Carter, one of the two lead pastors who would have taken over leadership at Willow Creek and who had publicly defended Hybels on two prior occasions, tendered his resignation, citing the untenable position he

1419-527: The role of senior pastor had been "released" from the search process. In April 2020, the Elder Board of Willow Creek named Dave Dummitt as the new Senior Pastor. As of February 2020, the church averaged 18,000 attendees each weekend at seven locations. According to a church census released in 2023, it claimed a weekly attendance of 7,740 people. On March 23, 2018, the Chicago Tribune published an article detailing allegations of sexual misconduct by former Senior Pastor Bill Hybels spanning decades, including

1462-595: The search process. Dave Dummitt became senior pastor in June 2020. According to the ECFA, the church's income was nearly $ 60 million in 2018, $ 53.2 million in 2019, and $ 42 million in 2020. Willow Creek Community Church started when Bill Hybels and Dave Holmbo were inspired by the success of the South Park Church's youth ministry, Son City, of which they were both leaders (Holmbo had invited Hybels to work with him

1505-480: The statement indicated that the Board "[does] not believe the stories were all lies or that all the [accusers] were colluding against him." On August 5, 2018, The New York Times published allegations from a former employee of Hybels, who alleges that he repeatedly sexually harassed and assaulted her in the 1980s, including fondling her breasts and obtaining oral sex. The complainant only came forward after hearing of

1548-401: The summit have included President Bill Clinton . The scandal involving Bill Hybels led to a 36% reduction in revenue for the Willow Creek Association between 2017 and 2018. 42°05′29″N 88°08′03″W  /  42.0915°N 88.1343°W  / 42.0915; -88.1343 Bill Hybels William Hybels (born December 12, 1951) is an American church figure and author. He is

1591-404: Was Hybels' mentor. In 2000, Hybels said, "There would be no Willow Creek without Gilbert Bilezikian." Bilezikian has been "credited with Willow Creek’s inclusion of women in its highest levels of leadership". He also helped to found Christians for Biblical Equality in 1988. In January 2020, Willow Creek Community Church announced that Bilezikian had "engaged in inappropriate behavior" after

1634-489: Was an entrepreneur in wholesale produce whose work ethic was the model for his son. In a 2006 interview with the Chicago Tribune , he pointed to an experience at a Wisconsin summer camp as a teenager that crystallized his understanding and personal embrace of Christian belief. Hybels holds a bachelor's degree in Biblical Studies from Trinity International University , near Chicago . In the early 1970s, Hybels

1677-422: Was held in the new building in February 1981. Since then, the building has been doubled in size and the property expanded to 155 acres (0.63 km). In 2004, it inaugurated a new 7,200-seat auditorium on the same campus. In September 1978, Bill Hybels learned that Willow Creek's co-founder Dave Holmbo "had been involved in a pattern of behaviour that threatened the stability of the staff member's personal life and

1720-431: Was in given the church's inadequate attention to the matter once Hybels' history of misconduct became known. The following day, on the eve of the Global Leadership Summit, Heather Larson, the other lead pastor, also resigned, and the members of the elder board all stated they would step down by the end of the year. Steve Gillen, lead pastor of Willow Creek's North Shore campus, assumed interim leadership. The church undertook

1763-478: Was presented to the church as due to "differing philosophies of ministry". This cover-up led to an uproar, and over the next 6 months, multiple board members and nearly half the staff left. Insiders came to call this time "The Train Wreck". In 2015, the weekly attendance was 25,000 people. On April 10, 2018, following allegations of sexual abuse, Bill Hybels announced his immediate early retirement as senior pastor of

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1806-579: Was slated to retire from his position at Willow Creek in October 2018; however, he resigned in April 2018 after allegations of sexual misconduct were made against him. Although Hybels has denied all allegations, an independent review found the allegations to be credible. Hybels was born and raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan . He is Dutch-American and grew up participating in the Christian Reformed Church in North America . Hybels's father

1849-586: Was studying at Trinity International University (then called Trinity College) when Gilbert Bilezikian , a lecturer, challenged the class about an Acts 2-based church. Hybels was captivated with the vision and abandoned his business aspirations for ministry. In 1971, Hybels—then serving as youth pastor at South Park Church in Park Ridge, Illinois —started a youth group with friend Dave Holmbo called 'Son City'. Modern music, dramatic skits and multimedia were combined with Bible studies in relevant language, and

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