Willow Creek Community Church
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- Church Issues ·
Willow Creek Community Church Announces Closure of Chicago Campus
Willow Creek Community Church has announced it’s closing its Chicago campus because the congregation there can’t support its mortgage. In a video announcement today, Willow…
- Church Issues ·
Pastor Albert Tate on Leave of Absence For ‘Inappropriate’ Texts and Comments
Author and well-known pastor, Albert Tate, has been placed on a leave of absence by his church board for “inappropriate text messages and questionable comments.”…
- Church Issues ·
Mentee of Bill Hybels, David Ashcraft, Named CEO of Global Leadership Network
The Global Leadership Network (GLN), a nonprofit known for its annual summit started by now-disgraced Willow Creek Community Church founder, Bill Hybels, has named Hybels’…
- Ministry Finances & Governance ·
Financials Show Giving Keeps Plunging at Willow Creek Community Church
Newly obtained financials for Willow Creek Community Church show giving has fallen drastically in recent years—even as people filled the offering plates at other megachurches.…
- Ministry Finances & Governance ·
Willow Creek Cuts Staff Amid Steep Drop in Attendance
Willow Creek Community Church is cutting staff—again—amid a steep drop in attendance and giving, the megachurch has announced. In a May 9 video message to…
- Church Issues ·
Amid Giving Push, Willow Creek Invites Alleged Prosperity Preacher Who Offers Tithe Refund
Facing persistently lower giving, Willow Creek Community Church last Sunday invited Pastor Robert Morris, who some allege is a prosperity preacher, to deliver a guest…
- Church Issues ·
Willow Creek Pastor Dave Dummitt Tests Positive for COVID-19 on Heels of Global Leadership Summit
The senior pastor of an influential Chicagoland megachurch has tested positive for COVID-19. Dave Dummitt was supposed to preach this weekend at Willow Creek Community…
- Leadership ·
Global Leadership Summit Features Speaker Whose Claim to Fame Has Seemingly Been Debunked
In a little over a month, the Global Leadership Summit—a two-day conference billed as the “premier leadership event of the year”—will livestream to thousands of…
- Abuse ·
Opinion: ‘Why is Bill Hybels’ Name Rarely Mentioned?’ — My Response
Last week, a YouTube video from Willow Creek Community Church dropped. I clicked on it, wondering why Willow Creek watchers responded to it so viscerally.…
- Church Issues ·
Rob Campbell Becomes Seventh Willow Creek Campus Pastor to Resign
Willow Chicago Pastor Rob Campbell this weekend became the seventh pastor of a Willow Creek Community Church campus to resign his position in the past…
- Sexual Harassment/Abuse ·
Hybels’ Daughter, Shauna Niequist, Apologizes for Silence about Father’s “Actions”
Shauna Niequist, the daughter of Willow Creek founder, Bill Hybels, and a New York Times best-selling author, apologized today on Instagram for her years-long silence…
- Church Issues ·
More than $78.6 Million in PPP Funds Go to Televangelists, Megachurches, & Large Media Ministries
The federal government issued more than $78.6 million in Paycheck Program Protection (PPP) funds to televangelists, megachurches, and large media ministries this year, according to…
- Church Issues ·
Former Willow Creek Campus Pastor Starting New Church Amid Controversy
A popular, former Willow Creek Community Church campus pastor is starting a new church, two months after resigning amid a controversial restructuring plan. Amy Mikal,…
- Church Issues ·
Willow Creek Campus in Uproar Over Sweeping Staff Cuts & Vision to Centralize
A campus of Willow Creek Community Church is in an uproar over massive staff cuts—part of a new vision by new Senior Pastor Dave Dummit…
- Church Issues ·
Willow Creek Hires Former Harvest Pastor Ed Ollie to Replace Popular Pastor at North Shore Campus
Willow Creek Community Church has just announced it has hired former Harvest Bible Chapel Chicago Cathedral Pastor Ed Ollie as the next pastor of Willow…
- COVID ·
Willow Creek & Harvest Bible Chapel Receive Millions in COVID Relief Funds
Willow Creek Community Church and Harvest Bible Chapel—two churches rocked by recent scandals—have received millions in COVID relief funds. According to a list released by…
- Church Issues ·
Willow Creek Co-Founder Accused of Sexual Misconduct Sues Church & Elders for Defamation
Dr. Gilbert Bilezikian, a co-founder of Willow Creek Community Church, has filed a defamation lawsuit against Willow Creek and its elders for statements they made…
- Evangelicalism ·
Wheaton College Rescinds Dr. Bilezikian’s Title of Professor Emeritus After Investigation Of Allegations
Wheaton College today announced that it has rescinded Dr. Gilbert Bilezikian’s title of Professor Emeritus as the result of an investigation that revealed “additional allegations…
- Sexual Harassment/Abuse ·
Alleged Victim of Bill Hybels Tells Story of How Church Tried to Silence Her
A former senior leader at Willow Creek Community Church, and professed victim of Bill Hybels, yesterday shared on Facebook that an elder and attorney from…
- Sexual Harassment/Abuse ·
Willow Creek Co-Founder Breaks Silence, Denies Sex Abuse Allegations
In an email sent to his son with instructions to “forward at will,” Dr. Gilbert Bilezikian, co-founder of Willow Creek Community Church and professor of…
- Church Issues ·
Guest Post: What Happened At Willow Creek?
This in-depth analysis is provided by a special partnership with MinistryWatch.com. In the 1970s and 80s, radio personality Casey Kasem would often punctuate his “American…
- Sexual Harassment/Abuse ·
Wheaton College Coeds Say Bilezikian Sexually Harassed Them; College Accused of Mishandling Reports
In the mid-1980s, Ellen Maxwell (now Ellie Cowan) was a young and trusting student at the evangelical flagship, Wheaton College. So, when her professor, a…
- Church Issues ·
Willow Creek Acting Senior Pastor Steve Gillen to Resign in March
The Elders of Willow Creek Community Church today announced that Acting Senior Pastor Steve Gillen will be stepping down from his position on March 17.…
- Church Issues ·
Willow Creek Honored as “Living Legend” the Co-Founder It Believed Abused Congregant
UPDATE: Someone just alerted me to a video uploaded in 2011 by the Global Leadership Network (formerly the Willow Creek Association) of Dr. Bilezikian giving…
- Church Issues ·
Willow Creek Elders Say They’re “Heartbroken” over “Abuse” of Congregant by Church Co-Founder
The elders at Willow Creek Community Church tonight sent an email to congregants, stating that the church is “heartbroken” over the “abuse” of a congregant…
- Sexual Harassment/Abuse ·
Willow Creek Responds to Abuse Allegations: “We Believe Dr. B Engaged in Inappropriate Behavior”
Willow Creek acting senior pastor, Steve Gillen, today sent an email to all church staff stating that the church believes that its co-founder, Dr. Gilbert…
- Church Issues ·
Longtime Willow Creek Member Accuses Bill Hybel’s Mentor, Dr. Gilbert Bilezikian, of Clergy Sexual Abuse
Today, Ann Lindberg, a longtime member of Willow Creek Community Church, posted the following account on Facebook, accusing Bill Hybel’s mentor, Dr. Gilbert Bilezikian, of…
- Abuse ·
Video: Hybels’ Victim & Her Husband Tell of Trauma & Urge Church to Help Abuse Victims
When Vonda Dyer came forward in 2018 and publicly disclosed how her former pastor, Bill Hybels, had come on to her in a hotel room…
- Church Issues ·
Video: Nancy Beach on Surviving Abuse With Your Faith Intact
“I never had a category in my mind and heart for the capacity of Christians to behave so sinfully,” admitted Nancy Beach, former program director…
- Church Issues ·
Willow Creek Crystal Lake Attenders Angered Over Hybels’ “Golden Parachute” & Elders’ Actions That Led Pastor to Resign
About 120 attenders of Willow Crystal Lake reportedly packed an elder “listening session” after services on Sunday, expressing anger over actions by the elders of…
- Church Issues ·
Second Willow Creek Campus Pastor Resigns
Willow Creek Crystal Lake‘s Lead Pastor Marcus Bieschke today announced he’s resigning his position with the church, saying his “heart and values are not in…
- Church Issues ·
Willow Creek’s Reconciliation Service Brings Closure to Some, But Alleged Victim Says “Hope Evaporated”
Many who attended the elder-led congregational meeting at Willow Creek Community Church last night seemed pleased with what they heard. At the beginning of the…
- Church Issues ·
Willow Creek Wheaton Lead Pastor Resigns, Citing Intense “Drive” That Hurt Staff
The lead pastor of Willow Creek Wheaton, one of Willow Creek Community Church‘s eight campuses in the Chicago area, announced yesterday that he’s resigning due…
- Church Issues ·
Willow Creek Elders Release Statement Supporting the “Women”; Yet One Woman Says Hybels’ Sins Were “Far Worse” Than Anyone’s Said Publicly
The elders at suburban Chicago Willow Creek Community Church today released a “last statement” about the scandal involving church founder Bill Hybels, charging Hybels with “unchecked…
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