She no longer attended church (for at least a year) and she no longer trusted Jesus. I can assure her that never once was I assaulted, harassed etc. So what does that say about what he thinks of me that he thinks he can help himself to my woman? He is married to Lynne Hybels since 1974. I know this because I have experienced it myself. In my opinion, much of the so-called church, admittedly unbeknownst to most of those involved, has been turned into a mind control, thought reform, get out the Republican vote institution. He could claim she was taking advantage of him (poor man) because she knew that after taking Ambien he might not be possessed of his full faculties for the rest of the night. People will walk away from Jesus Christ because Billy Hybels is not who they thought he was? Hybels was Clintons spiritual advisor. Including the Ortbergs. We sat under their leadership at Willow Creek for several years and were sad when the Ortbergs left to California. I am going to ask a hard question. Well, to show you how prophetic I am, I predicted years ago that most mega churches would be car lots or community centers by now. Sometimes theyre letting you know who theyve really been followingand who they havent been. No one wants to think their pastor is being inappropriate, so your brain just dismisses it. If this very not such a serious matter, their would be some humor in this. Nancy, like Vonda, believed her experience with Bill was an isolated incident. What shes done more than anything is reveal that Willow Creek had/has a culture and work environment that is not guided or governed by wise, common-sense policies or practices for accountabilityespecially when it came to male-female relationships. By your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned Jesus Matthew 12:37. Willow wont even list Mars Hill on Steve Carters website bio. Dee, I was wondering how you got him to do that gig. I have other views about resigning rock star pastors but wont go into it now. In 1974 Lynne married Bill Hybels, a youth pastor. When youre the victim of something creepy, such as abuse, suggestive sexual behavior or private narcissistic rage or whatever ugly thing from a pastor who holds himself up as a paragon of virtue, people often feel embarrassed at having been involved in it, even if they had nothing to do with the wrongful actions. William Hybels (born December 12, 1951) is an American church figure and author. I think so too. 3:6, but you gloss over that because really, at the end of the day, in spite of all your preening about your great knowledge of the Koine Greek (proud, haughty, so like your master, eh? Got any other people of substance who would vouch for you? * This person really taught the Hybels was like Joseph who was thrown into a pit and sold into slavery. . Just listening to Hybels extol the leadership virtues of Heather Lawson (another blonde) was enough to make me wonder, Is anyone else hearing and seeing this? His own wife (Lynne) is very different from the women Hybels mentored. And I never understood why Hybels did not step down when his wife (Lynne) had a HUGE crisis of faith. Was Hybels intimating that The Ambien made me do it? I guess you are not aware of the president for whom Hybels was a spiritual advisor. Further, just Google and do a You Tube search on Willow Creek Church and Bill Hybels. Even our laws in the US lead to punishment o f one chooses to disobey them . Statement removes all doubt, in my opinion, regarding serious sexual sin and leadership issues at Willow Creek Community Church as it comes to Bill Hybels. not for this long. Publishers are pulling back for a reason. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. * Scripture does not discuss it that way. I was in the bath and my roommate answered the phone. You 2 probably believe Jesus was Jewish as well as all the disciples. In some jurisdictions and situations, it may lead to criminal charges for spoliation of evidence or perhaps even tampering of evidence. So, does that mean the alleged improprieties, at least for them, are not #Metoo worthy offenses? It can be such a power deal included in lots of other power moves by the evil ones well regarded in church. Enough has been said about BH for him to be disqualified in my book, and given how Williow Creek model was push on much of christainity, we are all well within the commands of the NT to exhibit judgement and wisdom if want, we can start playing the verse naming game if you wish. That is a typical church response. It just did not need to be a science or a manufactured event. We only hear about the ones dumb enough to slip up and get caught! But thats over the course of 42 years of ministry! He told me to sit down and put my feet up. Still he says, Willow Creek should be able to survive, even if the allegations against Bill Hybels are true. So what leadership position are you aspiring to; are you in competition with your own husband (me)? There are many Gods or gods. The issue with that is that its not like the secular world, in which after perps have done their time, they can make a living in their field of avocation (though in the case of fraud perpetrators and/or crimes with victims, future funds may be diverted to said victims). - he has no idea who well you know Scripture. Is that honest? He is politically liberal, decrying sexism, racism, and the fear of people who are different, and is a vocal critic of Donald Trump. Brad may be a Christian, one stunted by being immersed in an environment that had the form of godliness while denying the power, but he also may be one who wouldnt know Jesus if He walked up and gave him a hug. Because TWW doesnt have a tick the box to be notified of future comments, and because my comments seem to go live straight away, I have often felt unconfident that the TWW team or people I have replied to in a comments thread at TWW have noticed my comments. Many self/proclaimed Christians dont. Terrible, terrible thing. I have long been leery of Hybels (and other mega church pastors) because these guys are basically Christian rock stars and are treated accordingly. For many years, they were THE place when on job hunt. Thats the thing; note the commonality of the golden parachute disembarking in these cases. Its a good time to focus on Jesus, not on any leader, which is misguided faith in the first place. I cannot imagine the pressure that your sister is experiencing. Surrounded by sycophants, who knew better. They were taking Jesus away to be put in trial. Not the courtroom. He has two children with his wife, Lynn whom he married in 1974. I cannot imagine the pain, the hurt. Im not a lawyer, but do a lot of research and writing on spiritual abuse and toxic organizational systems. She also questioned her own judgment in whether he was actually being inappropriate. According to another account, Hybels allegedly engaged in oral sex with his former assistant. And people are actually saying Hybels being a champion of women was under false pretenses, for Sex? Ortberg actually does have a chance to step up and be the bigger man here. Brad, for better or worse, you are an example of the average WCC person to me. This was mishandled. Never being offended. Yes, it should be mentioned. Max, darn! Good Lord! Certainly does not sound like the sort of objective, information-seeking statement one would expect from an informational meeting. I do agree with you, however, that there is enough blame and there has been enough time and somebody should have done something long ago, if that is what you are saying. Not just anyone can do it well. If theyve discontinued publishing/reprinting his works, they did so without any public notice that Im aware of, and wouldve taken them well over a year. There were some very attractive female students. Jesus wins. You see pastor do something and you know its off, but you rationalize it away I mustve misunderstood what was going on. Down the road, you something else, maybe far worse comes up, you think Oh, pastor, hes a little quirky, but he means well. You then experience something genuinely alarming, you think Well, hes an imperfect man, but God uses us all, no ones perfect.. I refuse to answer the question How many people have you led to Christ? That question has no place in our discussions. This is Uncharted Territory for them. Yep and the email deal reminds me of someone else. If we do that, whether it is an elderly shut in praying for her friends and family in solitude or a person such as Peter standing in front of thousands, so long as we do whatever the Lord asks, that is a great work. ), you come across as naive, profoundly ignorant. On the surface, an extended hug may seem harmless, even though deep down it creeps you out a little. The old Soviet government arrested and jailed Christians. Some will walk away all together from their faith journey. Bill Hybels got married to Lynne in 1974. @ okrapod: No one walks away unascathed. The video is on YouTube: Remember all those times we hung out together and nothing happened? She also questioned her own judgment in whether he was actually being inappropriate. In that planning he can do and say things prior to the offence which will give him a get out of jail free card later if his offence gets exposed or the target woman overtly resists his abuse. We still do not know what that really means. This story involved a fourteen-year sexual affair. Its not a numbers game, its not like worldly sales with rainmakers and marketing and big hits. I am one of His people. The Spirit works, sometimes over decades, with friends and acquaintances. Because TWW doesnt have a tick the box to be notified of future comments, and because my comments seem to go live straight away, I have often felt unconfident that the TWW team or people I have replied to in a comments thread at TWW have noticed my comments. Will they not both fall into a pit? Try finding a church now that sings traditional hymns or doesnt use projectors and worship teams. I dont have any memory of doing and saying those things to her that night!. He didnt want to stop and I have some doubts that he took it when all this stuff happened. * Scripture does not discuss it that way. Was Hybels intimating that The Ambien made me do it? Read this account posted by Vonda Dyer. At one mega, the pastors alleged other woman was the missions director. For most organizations, hard questions and analytical thinking is NOT desirable, as it will almost always challenges the official orthodoxy and might even unmask hidden agendas. This makes my blood boil. No quid pro quo to substantiate. In the process, one creates division, hatred and war, both within and without the so-called Church. I do. Yet, recent expanded personal testimony and wider media discovery has presented material that strongly suggests an Willow Creek senior pastoral history of improper judgement in relation to proper scriptural leading or proper inner-workings of a church representing the teachings of Jesus Christ. And conveniently you are dismissing the affair. Maybe Im misinterpreting. @ ishy: You forgot naked swimming, shower on the boat, and deleted emails. Hybel's father was an entrepreneur in wholesale produce whose work ethic was the model for his son. Just a followup to my above comment. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+5&version=NIV, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this. Be the one who is loving and kind in the midst of sorrow, showing us that you trust Jesus to bring something beautiful out of this pain. The invitation to the first Family Meeting stated in the first paragraph that this group wanted to damage the church and the senior pastor! But telling someone immediately might be crucial in the future. Or even an outlier, if need be. They also have two children together, whose name we don't know. In response to that question: Was Hybels leading folks to Christ or to Hybels? That is a big part of the problem. Oh dear. Bigger news story is the Humbolt bus crash. Thanks, all! But If you make a big deal about nothing, you are the problem. Kick out the immoral/abusive pastors. So much! Of course, you have move people beyond that into a mature relationship with the Lord and some megas neglect this. Thats only whats been reported. In my opinion this is sufficient proof to logically and reasonably conclude that Bill Hybels is guilty of clergy sexual misconduct and adultery, over an extended period of time. @ Davis and Natasha: The premise of con- templative spirituality is pantheistic (God is all) and panentheistic (God is in all). Wife Bill Hybels married his wife in 1974 when Bill was a youth pastor. Did her husband ask her not to say anything for FEAR of losing his job? 1 Peter 4:8 Unless, of course, its useful as an excuse Many friends of mine wouldnt have been willing to come to church (and eventually come to Christ) without the rock worship band and friendly-to-outsiders sermons. I felt something was amiss with the email story when I first heard about it. We'll talk about that in the week ahead. why is she running alone with a man she supposedly feels uncomfortable around? Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brothers eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? Of course not. Hybels used Yahweh (God) for his own desires and celebrity. WITCHES! Below, what to know about the Bill Hybels scandal. I believe that God is convicting WCCs leadership. But it is the structure, really. Kids will tell you straight up, but I kind of treat them like stray cats and let them come to me! This will sound horrible to some but I never understood the overall hug culture. And to think that Willow Creek notables have been hanging out with him! To fellowship with other believers? Bill Hybels married Lynne Hybels back in 1974. And I promise: NO ONE was ever saved, in all history, because of eloquence. Hybels is spending his time complaining and murmuring against his accusers, rather than taking their contentions to heart, examining himself, repenting and coming clean. The Devil is destroying yet another church. Hybels has been open regarding his professional career but does not share any information about his personal life. FOUR YEARS!! Thats all the ambien defense is too. I believed, everyone believed, that he was one of the good guys, committed to fighting for womens rights, committed to our marriage, and to the women he worked with. Hybels, of Barrington, is married to Willow Creek senior pastor and founder Bill Hybels.Lynne Hybels . Some of how he came across might also be that to some extent, he too has been a victim of at least some lies and misconstrued intentions. But please dont discard their testimony for the reasons you gave. I would have probably rolled my eyes at Vonda on stage in 2003 because I despised the commercial entertainment mega world by then. Is that one of the reasons Student Centers/University Unions include Mall Food Courts and all the amenities of a high-end cruise ship? One thing Im certain of, Bill Hybels would NEVER have hired men like Paul or Peter to be teaching pastors at Willow. Be the one who is loving and kind in the midst of sorrow, showing us that you trust Jesus to bring something beautiful out of this pain. I do, however, see how the dastardly could try and use the physical emotional responses to size up or groom a potential victim. He did so for a reason and it is time to wake up and smell the coffee. My Comment was Deleted toward a fellow parishioner or perhaps esteemed clergyman?). Marquet changed the Leader-Follower traditional naval paradigm to Leader-Allocate Control, resulting in success for all. Dont work for Megas, folks. People you work with? Nancy Ortberg remains affiliated as a board member and husband John Ortberg a prolific speaker, author and leader continues to return to be a guest speaker at Willow Creek for several years after they left Willow Creek? I have been doing some background checking into this. Unfortunately, this particular scandal not only impacts specific Willow Creek pastors or employees it impacts the body of Christ and the thousands of people seeking to know Jesus. Not one. I found Jodie Walle comments very interesting, and did help me to understand the culture. I want to make sure I understand you. As it says in the bible, Who are we to judge? And yes I tend to paint with a broad brush because the structures and systems involved demand it. We are not gullible fools. And People are saved to church. Then I started questioning that after quite a few! Wherever my story takes me, however dark and difficult the theme, there is always some hope and redemption, not because readers like happy endings, but because I am an optimist at heart. I was contemplating a megachurch model the other day where teaching pastors had term limits or rotating speakers. Association of Related Churches Tsk.) come out of the woodwork. Maybe they even went to the Wailing Wall and performed that satanic ritual and maybe were forever changed and lost. I tried to say disciplining. People not in the mega inner circle world dont understand it. . And some people here are calling your guru to account for apparently not being obedient at all, for being a fraud, a hypocrite. Should Christians be carrying around tally sheets-How many did I lead to Christ this week? I dont understand the purpose!!!!! I do wonder what the men exchanging holy kisses in bible times did for their brains. William Edward (Bill) LaBarre of Marietta passed away at his home at 1:52 AM Saturday, February 25, 2023 surrounded by his family. Leave the tabulations to the guy with the higher pay grade. A former minister of mine would give the teenage girl side hugs, which put his hand in a place it shouldnt have been. Not my thing. You know, Bill Hybels for two decades or more promoted himself as the one with a system that would revolutionize the church and make it relevant. His third publisher, Zondervan, has not yet responded to inquiries. Brad, for better or worse, you are an example of the average WCC person to me. Nothing more. Maybe its part of why why didnt your husband DO *something* (what? Was Hybels intimating that The Ambien made me do it?. The founding couple died, and the board got rid of those naughty kids and grandkids. This will sound horrible to some but I never understood the overall hug culture. How many times do you think it needs to be posted? Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.4" x 8.0" Age Range: 18 years and up Paul Aurandt Jr. Best Study Bible! Nothing can really tear down the church, as I think it was Law Prof that said, but people can get pretty mad when their fantasy of church and the people that promote that fantasy are shown to be very imperfect. Instead, these women were displayed like his leadership trophies. @ JB: I think its more common than any of us think. He is loving and gracious and is you biggest fan! teaching other churches how to impliment the Williow Creek model. I was speaking more generally, I dont hug men at work! . No one. Bill Hybels is human and who are we to judge? Such a horror of more revictimization. Religious, but spiritually destitute. This is ALL so disappointing and disheartening. Because you put so much trust and admire a leader like Hybels, your first instinct is to dismiss anything off about them. Actually, hugging creates a release of oxytocin (also known as the cuddle hormone) in the human body, which can artificially create a sense of trust and closeness. He is 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. It is clear to me that God did not want this hidden any longer. truthseeker wrote: The Gospels that I read portray a Jesus that constainly questioned the established and told parables about what is moral that makes you walk away and think. But I can certainly tell when a guy does it to cop a feel. I think I said in another thread, there are hugs and there are hugs and we can generally tell the difference. Yesterday evening I was milling through the books at Goodwill. (My roommate confirmed with the Tribune) When I got to the room, Bill had wine opened and waiting. . I actually thought it was funny. Why? 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