It was a rough week for conservative evangelicals in the United States. The president of the largest Christian university in the country resigned after a sex scandal. A popular evangelical radio host and author was caught on tape punching an...
Bill Hybels
In Defense of Denominations
Over at Religion News Service, Trish Harrison Warren argues that the sexual misconduct by former Willow Creek Community Church pastor Bill Hybels should force evangelicals to rethink their commitment to denominations. Here is a taste of her piece “Willow Creek’s...
The Willow Creek Mess
A couple of weeks ago I was lecturing about George Whitefield to a group of K-12 history teachers gathered for a summer seminar at Princeton University. I was rambling-on about Whitefield’s celebrity and his ability to attract large crowds. I...
Mark Silk: May 2018 Was a “Humiliating Month”
Over at his blog at Religion News Service, Trinity College professor Mark Silk reminds us what happened this month as it relates to the #MeToo era: The elders of Willow Creek apologized for casting doubt on women’s allegations of sexual misconduct on...
The Number of Allegations Against Willow Creek Pastor Bill Hybels Appears to be Growing
Bob Smietana reports for Christianity Today: So far, at least seven women have accused Hybels of improper conduct and abuse of power. They include the first woman teaching pastor at Willow Creek, a former worship leader, several former staffers, two church...
Bill Hybels Resigns as Pastor of Willow Creek Community Church
Sarah Pulliam Bailey has the story at The Washington Post. A taste: Prominent pastor Bill Hybels announced Tuesday he is stepping down from his Chicago-area megachurch Willow Creek, just weeks after the Chicago Tribune published allegations of misconduct from several women....
Bill Hybels Doubles Down: “The accusations you hear in the Tribune are just flat-out lies”
Last week we commented on a Chicago Tribune story on Bill Hybels, the pastor of the Willow Creek Community Church in Barrington, IL (outside of Chicago). In a congregational meeting last Friday night, Hybels denied all allegations. The Tribune reports: The congregation of northwestern suburban...