What Is Really Going On At Willow Creek?

Guest Bios Show Transcript We’ve seen the headlines and read some news stories, but what’s really going on at Willow Creek Community Church? And why did a campus pastor just resign, saying his “heart and values” didn’t align with Willow’s current direction?  This week on The Roys Report, two people with decades of experience at the church join me. They’ll report what transpired at a “Core” meeting last Sunday where Willow Creek Crystal Lake Pastor Marcus Bieschke resigned. They also have stories suggesting that the abuse by former pastor Bill Hybels is indicative of a much bigger problem. And one has a revealing story about being threatened with legal action by the church.  This Weeks Guests Theresa Zinkil Theresa has a long history with Willow Creek, attending since she was a teenager, working for the WCA, and serving at Willow Crystal Lake. Theresa is a wife and mother to 3 boys, she’s not afraid to speak her mind & tell the truth no matter the cost, she is an advocate for the underdog.  Dr. James Bedell I have been a Christian counselor for over 40 years. I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in the state of Illinois. I see mostly Christians and counsel from the perspective that God should be at the center of our lives and is a resource for coping with life’s struggles. I have been attending Willow Creek Community Church for over 30 years, and have been involved with teaching in the marriage ministry, the divorce recovery ministry, the men’s ministry, and in the Faithful and True ministry. I have been a small group leader and a coach in the men’s ministry. Show Transcript Note: This transcript has been edited slightly for continuity. Segment 1: ANNOUNCER:  In the midst of all of today’s noise and confusion, we need a voice that cuts through the chaos to bring wisdom and clarity. Welcome to The Roys Report with Julie Roys—an hour-long show exploring critical issues related to faith and culture from a uniquely Christian perspective. Now, here is your host, Julie Roys. JULIE ROYS:  About 18 months ago, Willow Creek Community Church was rocked by allegations of sexual misconduct by Senior Pastor Bill Hybels. Hybels resigned. The elder board was replaced. An investigation found that the women’s allegations against Hybels were credible, but the turmoil still continues. Welcome to The Roys Report, brought to you in part by Judson University. I’m Julie Roys. And today we’re going to go behind the headlines to explore what’s really going on at Willow Creek. If you follow the news, you know that last week Marcus Bieschke, lead pastor at Willow Creek Crystal Lake, one of Willow Creek’s eight Chicago area campuses, resigned. But when he resigned, he wrote a very telling letter to his congregation. Bieschke wrote and I quote—“Over the past 20 months, it’s become increasingly clear to me that my heart and values are not in full alignment with Willow’s current direction. I cannot pastor and lead to the best of my ability without being fully aligned in these fundamental areas. I’ve longed for and encouraged Willow to pursue a different path toward healing, but due to a difference of opinion on what that path should be, I believe I must depart.” Now many pastors leave their congregations over a difference of opinion. Even the Apostle Paul and his faithful partner in ministry, Barnabas, at one point, disagreed so strongly that they separated for a time. But what makes this separation so significant is that Bieschke represents a sizable group at Willow Creek—a group that is dissatisfied with Willow’s path to healing. And among them are the women who were victims of Bill Hybels. In July, Willow Creek held what was billed as a reconciliation service. Yet, it wasn’t clear who was reconciling with whom. None of the victims were invited to participate—women who initially had been discredited by the church. And none of the specific sins by Bill Hybels were named. Though, the elders had earlier released a statement saying t