For background on this topic, see the post I have kept updated through Sept 18, 2018 with all of the developments on this story: List of articles from allegations to resignation of Bill Hybels and its aftermath

 

___________________________

Update: 7:15 pm Note that this article published at 12:07 pm already seems dated since hours after posting the article, the WCCC and WCA both released statements that they are going to do an independent investigation. Still, the details are still be made clear so this may be useful. See also the updates below the original post. 

 

 

______________________________________ 

12:07 pm 

In response to Scot McKnight's article this morning: The Time is Now,

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/jesuscreed/2018/08/06/willow-your-time-is-now

below is a comment I wrote. 

 ______________________________

I agree. Who will step up? Will it be the elders of Willow Creek Community Church? Or will it be the board of the Willow Creek Association (which appears to be rebranding itself as the Global Leadership Network)? It should be both. Who will appoint a commission to look into what can be learned about what Hybels did and how the organization allowed this to happen and present recommendations for the future? Pick the most stellar people of integrity that you can find—people with impeccable reputations, people with no relationship or minimal relationship to WCCC or WCA.

Some people have asked, "But who? What would this look like?" I don't know how many people to pick to head the commission. 1-3? I don't know how many members to have in total. 4-7? I am just brainstorming here. Some people I would nominate: Leith Anderson (National Association of Evangelicals), Andy Crouch (Praxis), Shirley Hoogstra (CCCU), Barbara Mutch (Association for Theological Schools), MaryKate Morse (Portland Seminary), Susan Maros (Academy for Religious Leadership), Jeannine Brown (Bethel Seminary and NIV translation committee), Tom Lin (InterVarsity Press president), Mark Labberton (Fuller Seminary president), Jeff Greenman (Regent College president), Jay Barnes (Bethel University president), Deb Harless (Bethel University provost), Andy Stanley (North Point Community Church), Marshall Shelley (Denver Seminary). I don't know all of these people well but am simply trying to say there are people to turn to. Or, perhaps ask some of these people for recommendations of others to be on the committee—they may have board members or staff or faculty from their organization who would be excellent. 

It has also been mentioned that a survivor of spiritual or sexual abuse would be helpful to have on the commission. Others have mentioned the importance of women being represented. 

This commission would in turn pick people with expertise to carry out the investigation (lawyers, investigators, Human Resources, psychologist, organizational leadership, theologians?).

WCCC or WCA would pay for the investigation. They would give the commission a wide mandate to explore what happened and what should be done in the future. They would give permission for the commission to interview whoever it wants and for all previous employees to be released from any non-disclosure agreements. They would allow the final report to be public and not determine what is in it. Perhaps a more detailed private report would only be released to the victims and the organization at the commission's discretion.

See the Boz Tchividjian article from 2015 that is relevant to independent vs. internal investigations. 
https://religionnews.com/20…

I would think that the commission would return with a report over what it found probably occurred and what cannot be determined definitively. It would have recommendations for best practices regarding reporting incidents of sexual harassment and misconduct. It might more clearly outline who to contact as an advocate outside the organization if a cover up has occurred (whistleblowing, media, appeal, ombudsman). And it might sketch how Matthew 18:15-17 applies to these situations.

It would give guidance on training regarding complimenting people's appearance regarding weight and clothing and fitness, physical touch, time alone, travel, hotel rooms, alcohol, sleeping pills, pornography, back rubs, feet rubs, skinny dipping, exercising together, private plans, private yachts, staying over in someone's home overnight. It would investigate how the board functions with the chief executive for both effectiveness and accountability. It might recommend that Willow Creek Community Church associate with a denomination like Converge or Evangelical Covenant Church for some degree of accountability and connection in the future. It might mandate paying for seminary courses for Willow Creek staff so as not to concentrate all decision-making and authority at the top of the organization and to build up capability over the long-term in its staff. It would likely give recommendations regarding transparency of email and text messages and cameras. These people would know that more rules and regulations are not necessarily always better as there is no way to stop all misbehavior if the perpetrator is determined. It might give a recommendation regarding Bill Hybels's retirement benefits. It might give a recommendation regarding compensating victims. Again, this is just some idea of what a commission might find.

___________________________ 

Update #1: 

Willow Creek to launch independent investigation of allegations against Bill Hybels
Manya Brachear Pashman
Chicago Tribune
August 6, 2018 2:40 pm

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-willow-creek-independent-investigation-20180806-story.html

It is worth noting that some of the initial responses on Twitter have been skeptical. 

• Independent? Not at all — because Willow Creek didn’t involve the abused in selecting experts. Not buying it. Anonymous donor? That person is who? Not trusting that one, either.
• Ya, they've said that before. I don't believe that!
• So… what does that say about all the earlier investigations? Flawed? Are there investigators into the earlier investigations? (Serious questions)
• Who will choose this council? Preferably no one in present WCC leadership. “We are working on finalizing this key group of people.” -Heather Larson
• Why should @WillowCreekCC leadership be trusted now? This all (still) seems sketchy.

 One takeaway is it is quite crucial who the people are. 

 _______________________________________

Update #2: 3:30 pm.

Willow Creek Association Announces Independent Investigation
Tom De Vries, President, WCA

Published August 6, 2018 

https://globalleadership.org/news-and-updates/willow-creek-association-announces-independent-investigation/

https://twitter.com/wcagls/status/1026583410171633669

 ___________________________________________

Update 3: 7:00 pm

This article has been updated as of 6:50 pm Central 8/6/2018 with comments from Boz Tchividjian, Scot McKnight, and Nancy Beach. 

Willow Creek to launch independent investigation of allegations against Bill Hybels
Manya Brachear Pashman
Chicago Tribune
August 6, 2018 2:40 pm

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-willow-creek-independent-investigation-20180806-story.html

Boz Tchividjian and McKnight are calling for resignation of leadership and new leadership of the organization from inside or outside. There is also concern about who will be on this new independent investigation, whether it will be able to be credible to victims, and who knows where the "anonymous" money came from to fund it.

Before going public with the composition of their independent investigation, the Willow Creek elders and the WCA should see if the person(s) they appoint to lead this independent council would have the trust of those who were previously harmed: Vonda Dyer, Nancy Beach, Moe Girkins, Julia Williams, Pat Baranowski, Nancy Ortberg, Betty Schmidt, John Wallace, Kara Powell, Leanne Mellado, and Jim Mellado. Ideally, these people who have been hurt would be willing to talk with who is appointed. 

In order to help people who missed this story, here are what I thought were the key articles that came out from the allegations against Bill Hybels on March 22nd to his resignation ("early retirement") from Willow Creek Community Church on April 10, 2018 and then also the aftermath. This post has been updated through March 3, 2020. It was originally posted in April 2018. 

Chronological list:

Initial Chicago Tribune bombshell report (March 22, 2018)

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-willow-creek-pastor-20171220-story,amp.html Initial allegations.

After years of inquiries, Willow Creek pastor denies misconduct allegations

By Manya Brachear Pashman and Jeff Coen
Chicago Tribune
March 23, 2018

Willow Creek Community Church meeting on March 23, 2018 to denounce allegations in the Chicago Tribune story

Video of initial response of Heather Larson, Pam Orr, Steve Carter, and Bill Hybels at Willow Creek to allegations on March 23.  Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojmS_uEhQRo Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwTNCJsbto0

 

Commentary: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/time-reckon-celebrity-power/ Andy Crouch commentary about broad climate of celebrity pastors. March 24, 2018. 

 

Prescient Commentary from 2015 about investigations hired by a board not necessarily being effective and truly independent. https://religionnews.com/2015/10/16/are-abuse-survivors-best-served-when-institutions-investigate-themselves/ Boz Tchividjian article from 2015 that is relevant to independent vs. internal investigations.

March 26, 2018 Bill Hybels responds to the initial allegations in a church meeting at Willow Creek Community Church

March 26 point-by-point defense by Bill Hybels video

By my count, the five allegations explained by Hybels on March 26 include: Nancy Beach (described in Chicago Tribune article above); and Vonda Dyer (described most fully in her statement below); and three anonymous: woman who recanted (oral sex, overnights, 1150 emails, 14 years, suicidal, counseling) described in many of the resources; woman who swam naked with code word moon; recent case of woman who pressed him to bring wine to his room and he has this time email evidence that he rebuffed her. 

April 2, 2018 John Ortberg, former teaching pastor at Willow Creek Community Church, speaks out. 

http://www.johnortberg.com/observations-on-the-chicago-tribune-article-re-willow-creek-leadership/ John Ortberg statement

 

https://jodiwalle.com/ Jodi Walle, John Ortberg's executive assistant at Willow for seven years, writes to say that her experience was the culture at Willow included teasing and joking around between males and females. She has removed the post.  (It was written before April 13, 2018).  

 

Vonda Dyer posts about her accusation of Bill Hybels in the Chicago Tribune report (April 8, 2018). 

https://vondadyer.weebly.com/blog/archives/04-2018 Vonda Dyer accusation of Bill Hybels

 

Statement from Betty Schmidt, who was previously an elder. (April 10, 2018)

https://veritasbetold.wixsite.com/website

 

Bill Hybels resigns (April 10, 2019)

Resignation or "early retirement" Bill Hybels, Pam Orr, and Heather Larson Statements at https://www.willowcreek.org/en/willow-creek-announcement is now removed  But is available at Wayback Machine.

April 10 resignation video is available

 

Christianity Today overview

https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2018/april/bill-hybels-resigns-willow-creek-misconduct-allegations.html Summary article by Bob Smietana of resignation ("early retirement"). [Note: Why I probably should not have said "resignation" is that Hybels "retired early" and therefore is likely keeping his retirement package].

 

Nancy Beach responds (April 11, 2018)

http://www.nancylbeach.com/blog/2018/4/11/why-we-cant-move-on

 

Nancy Ortberg allegation (the sixth allegation by my count) (April 12, 2018)

https://www.nancylortberg.com/

 

Some publishers stop printing some of Bill Hybels’s books (April 13, 2018)

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-willow-creek-hybels-publishers-20180413-story.html

 

Three new allegations here (# 7, 8, 9): Maureen “Moe” Girkins, Julia Williams, feet rub anonymous woman (April 21, 2018).

https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2018/april/bill-hybels-willow-creek-promises-investigation-allegations.html "Christianity Today talked with six women who have made allegations against Hybels and reviewed emails and documents about the allegations." Bob Smietana (April 21). 

 

http://www.juliawilliams.net/blog (April 23) .

There has been a total of 9 women (according to my count) mentioned so far above. Six have talked with Christianity Today.

 

 

 

Willow Creek elders apologize for casting doubt on women's allegations against founder Hybels (May 10, 2018)

Manya Brachear Pashman
Chicago Tribune
May 10, 2018

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-willow-creek-hybels-conduct-20180509-story.html  

 

An update from the Elders on May 9, 2018

https://www.willowcreek.org/en/elder-update-two  Now removed and not at Wayback Machine

 

Heather Larson and Pam Orr Statement on May 9, 2019 starting at 14:30-20:53 minute mark. Then Steve Carter prayer.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fkg83pAnkE  

 

Vonda Dyer statement May 10, 2018

https://www.facebook.com/vonda.dyer/posts/10156399275247206

https://twitter.com/Chelseaker/status/994710675950891008

  

Nancy Beach MY RESPONSE TO THE “APOLOGY” May 11, 2018

http://www.nancylbeach.com/blog/myresponsetotheapology 

https://twitter.com/NancyLBeach/status/995089167179767808

 

WCA statement about the Global Leadership Summit. May 17, 2018. 

https://twitter.com/wcagls/status/997231537232982016 

 

My (Andy Rowell) response to WCA statement is in this thread: 

• Sadly, what is missing here is deep regret for the part that the WCA Board played in dismissing allegations and failing to provide accountability. Also, they do not say they will seek out the truth regardless of what the church elders do. So, "restoration" talk painful and scary.
• If one reads through the allegations and watches the defense by Bill Hybels and then the subsequent full descriptions of what occurred by the 8-9 women, it is clear (as Hybels admitted) inappropriate, defensive (abuse of power), and unwise things occurred.
• Recall @NancyOrtberg @KPowellFYI @presjonwallace resigned from the WCA Board @wcagls in 2015 because of "the board’s decision not to pursue another inquiry." The rest of the WCA Board needs to express deep regret for their mistake.
• The WCA letter is signed by @trdevries and @DickDeVos (yes, husband of Betsy). I don't see on the WCA website who the other WCA board members are.
• A reminder that the Willow Creek Association is a separate organization from Willow Creek Community Church. The WCA Board have had to deal with controversies in the past with vetting speakers. They're putting on a public event for hundreds of thousands of people.
• Making tough decisions that involve millions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of people so that Christ is represented well is what the WCA Board signed up for.
• I'm concerned because I used to believe in the GLS and Hybels. Our church hosted GLS last year and I attended. And I am a professor of ministry leadership at Bethel Seminary which has advertised at the GLS in the past.
•  https://twitter.com/AndyRowell/status/997250673073905664  

 

Elders Update #3 (May 23, 2018)

https://www.willowcreek.org/en/elder-update-three is now removed but available at Wayback Machine 

 

Lane Moyer (Elder Chair) video announcement (May 23)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t-DHgxbyYw

 

Vonda Dyer statement May 24, 2018: THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE

https://vondadyer.weebly.com/blog/the-cart-before-the-horse

 

Betty Schmidt, May 25, 2018

https://veritasbetold.wixsite.com/website/blog/updated-statement-from-betty-schmidt

 

Nancy Ortberg, May 24, 2018, Sequence Matters

https://www.nancylortberg.com/

 

Nancy Beach, May 25, 2018

WHAT "CARING FOR THE WOMEN" WOULD LOOK LIKE
May 25, 2018

http://www.nancylbeach.com/blog/2018/5/25/what-caring-for-the-women-would-look-like

 

As Willow Creek seeks reconciliation, pastor’s accusers seek independent inquiry
Manya Brachear Pashman
Chicago Tribune
May 27, 2018

 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-willow-creek-reconciliation-20180524-story.html

 

Elder Update #4 (June 6, 2018)

https://www.willowcreek.org/en/elder-update-four (now removed) and not available at Wayback Machine.

Video update from Lane Moyer (Elder Chair) on June 6, 2018. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E_Nkz6DMvE

 

Scot McKnight reflection (June 27, 2018)

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/jesuscreed/2018/06/27/about-willow-creek-what-do-i-think/

Comment from Andy Rowell (June 27, 2018)

I agree with Scot's take here. Thanks for this reflection, Scot. I was concerned, then open to the accusations being explained properly, but then more and more similar accusations came out and the explanations began to sound more and more far-fetched, then Hybels resigned ("retired early), and then more accusations came out. It is a sad situation. Hybels was a hero to me.

It is good to have the conflict confrontation procedure of Matthew 18:15-17 in mind but it teaches proportionate escalation. Sometimes a situation needs to be escalated quickly past some levels because of the seriousness of the offense. For example, abuse of a child being reported to the police. A number of people resigned from the Willow Creek Association board a number of years ago when a proper investigation into these matters was not conducted. Scot is also right that when an organization does not properly deal with a situation, it is appropriate to speak publicly (in the press, on the internet, etc.) about the truth so as to warn others and see if there are more accusations.

None of us envy the responsibility that the elders of WCC or the board of WCA were in or are in because of Hybels's behavior. But the priority should be on the WCA and WCC commissioning an independent organization and then giving up control over it. It will seek out the truth of what has purportedly occurred and investigate the counter-evidence and issue a report to the church and the accusers. They also need to report on the failures of the WCC elders and WCA board and their policies and culture (email, private homes, hotel rooms, travel, alcohol, sleeping pills, language about other people's bodies and clothing, appropriate trust, swimming, exercise and fitness, accusations of inappropriate behavior, sidelining of spouses to isolate, and firing people who were raising accusations, denouncement of accusers). Perhaps also there will be words of concern about how the situation was handled by the accusers or recommendations for the future about how accusations should be reported and how they should be handled if they are not believed. This report should be made available to the accusers and to the accused and those who commissioned the report. Victims should be allowed to remain confidential in the report. It will not be long before Bill Hybels will be back as a speaker and author if Mark Driscoll, Ted Haggard, Tullian Tchividjian, and Percy Noble are any guide. The pain of victims and the distrust of Willow Creek Church and the Willow Creek Association will return when Hybels returns to public ministry–likely he will repeat his claim that much has been exaggerated. Those with concerns are understandably not interested in relational reconciliation with Willow until Willow has energetically attempted to understand what has happened and repent of their part.

 

Willow Creek leaders issue public apologies for mishandling allegations

by Manya Brachear Pashman
June 29 and updated through July 2, 2018

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-willow-creek-steve-carter-blog-20180629-story.html

 

Statements from Heather Larson, Steve Carter, and the Willow Creek Elders
June 30, 2018
https://www.willowcreek.org/en/june-30-statement (now removed and not available at Wayback Machine).

  

Open Letter to Willow Creek Association Board and Tom De Vries

by me (Andy Rowell)

July 3, 2018

http://www.andyrowell.net/andy_rowell/2018/07/public-letter-to-tom-de-vries-and-the-willow-creek-association-board.html

 

Open Letter to Tom De Vries

July 4, 2018

Rob Speight 

https://robsp82.com/2018/07/04/trouble-at-the-gls/

Speight also outlines what other steps he has gone to as a Willow Creek Community Church member to inquire into what the church's board of elders is doing in response to the situation. 

 

Willow Creek's Global Leadership Summit Loses 111 Sites Due to Allegations Made Against Bill Hybels

By Leonardo Blair, Christian Post Reporter

The Christian Post

July 27, 2018

https://www.christianpost.com/news/willow-creeks-global-leadership-summit-loses-111-sites-due-to-allegations-made-against-bill-hybels-226467/

 

The Christian Post reports July 27, 2018 that 111 of 600 sites (so 18.5%) have pulled out of hosting the GLS because of the Hybels situation and the WCA's response.

 

Benjamin Ady has tried to keep track of the sites that have cancelled.

 

July 29, 2018: I was made aware of online 2017 Willow Creek Association Annual Report, which includes the names of the Board. 

http://www.willowcreek.com/support/docs/WCA_Annual_Report_2017.pdf

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Bill Hybels
Dick DeVos
Tom De Vries
D. Mitch Barns
Bob Merritt (Merritt's Eagle Brook Church is not longer hosting the GLS)
Sherri Miller
Terry Moore
Gary Schwammlein
Kimberly D. Simios
Bradford Whitmore

Benjamin Ady has tried to identify who these people are. 

 

Pat Baranowski, 10th allegation, New York Times, Aug 5, 2018

He’s a Superstar Pastor. She Worked for Him and Says He Groped Her Repeatedly.
Bill Hybels built an iconic evangelical church outside Chicago. A former assistant says that in the 1980s, he sexually harassed her.

By Laurie Goodstein
Aug. 5, 2018
New York Times

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/05/us/bill-hybels-willow-creek-pat-baranowski.html

 

Summary of ten allegations as of August 5, 2018. 

By my count, Pat Baranowski is the 10th woman that it is alleged Bill Hybels behaved inappropriately with. This is just what has become public. The articles about all of these allegations are linked to above.  

1. Nancy Beach (described in Chicago Tribune article and on her website)
2. Vonda Dyer (described most fully in her statement on her website)
3. anonymous woman who recanted (oral sex, overnights, 1150 emails, 14 years, suicidal, counseling) described in Chicago Tribune article and explained by Hybels
4. anonymous woman who swam naked with code word moon in Chicago Tribune article and admitted by Hybels
5. anonymous recent case of woman who pressed him to bring wine to his room and he has this time email evidence that he rebuffed her reported from Willow Creek Community Church elders and Hybels explained it. Possibly Keri Ladouceur.
6. Nancy Ortberg (see her website statement)
7. Maureen “Moe” Girkins in Christianity Today article
8. Julia Williams (see her website statement)
9. Feet rub anonymous woman named in Christianity Today article
10. Pat Baranowski in New York Times article.

 

Steve Carter resigns (Aug 5, 2018)

A Diverging Path
by Steve Carter
https://www.steveryancarter.com/blog-1/a-diverging-path
August 5, 2018
https://twitter.com/steveryancarter/status/1026180554755133440

Willow Creek teaching pastor Steve Carter and co-successor to Bill Hybels (along with @HeatherJLarson) just announced his resignation from Willow Creek Community Church effective immediately because of the ongoing poor response by church leaders to the allegations against Hybels.

 

Hybels Heir Quits Willow as New Accusations Arise Before Global Leadership Summit
Teaching pastor Steve Carter resigns after New York Times article; GLS had already lost 111 host sites.
BOB SMIETANA AUGUST 05, 2018 3:20 PM 
https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2018/august/bill-hybels-steve-carter-resigns-willow-creek-gls-summit.html

 

Teaching pastor resigns over Willow Creek’s handling of allegations against Bill Hybels
Manya Brachear Pashman
August 5, 2018 8:20 pm
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-willow-creek-steve-carter-resigns-20180805-story.html

 

Willow Creek, Your Time Is Now
AUGUST 6, 2018 BY SCOT MCKNIGHT 
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/jesuscreed/2018/08/06/willow-your-time-is-now/

 

Lee Strobel, who was a teaching pastor at Willow Creek, writes: 
@LeeStrobel
August 6, 2018
My heart breaks for Pat Baranowski and all victims of Bill Hybels at Willow Creek. I never saw any hint of misconduct when I was there. Still, I know these women and they are Godly and credible. I believe them and weep for them. Scot McKnight is right:
https://twitter.com/LeeStrobel/status/1026549077926797314

 

Brainstorming about next steps for Willow Creek Community Church and Willow Creek Association
August 06, 2018
by Andy Rowell
http://www.andyrowell.net/andy_rowell/2018/08/brainstorming-about-next-steps-for-willow-creek-community-church-and-willow-creek-association.html

 

Willow Creek to launch independent investigation of allegations against Bill Hybels (Aug 6, 2018)

Manya Brachear Pashman
Chicago Tribune
August 6, 2018 2:40 pm

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-willow-creek-independent-investigation-20180806-story.html

 

Willow Creek Association Announces Independent Investigation
Tom De Vries, President, WCA

Published August 6, 2018

https://globalleadership.org/news-and-updates/willow-creek-association-announces-independent-investigation/

https://twitter.com/wcagls/status/1026583410171633669

 

Heather Larson and Elders announce their resignations (August 8, 2018)

Keri Ladouceur (possibly the 5th accuser speaks out) (Aug 10, 14, 2018)

Report on how Willow Elder Response Team would silence members with threats and how Willow Creek would silence staff with non-disclosure agreements (Sept 6-15, 2018)

September 16: FAQs

September 18: Willow Creek Independent Review

Willow Creek Names Independent Advisory Group (Sept 18, 2018)

Independent Advisory Group Report (Feb 28, 2019)

Willow Creek Governance Review 2014-2018 by James C. Galvin (May 4, 2019)

2020 updates including allegations of misconduct by Gilbert Bilezikian and concerns about Willow Creek Community Church being slow to respond to AIG and Governance recommendations

January 25, 2020
Longtime Willow Creek Member Accuses Bill Hybel’s Mentor, Dr. Gilbert Bilezikian, of Clergy Sexual Abuse
By Julie Roys

January 27, 2020
Willow Creek Responds to Abuse Allegations: “We Believe Dr. B Engaged in Inappropriate Behavior”
By Julie Roys

January 28, 2020
Willow Creek Elders Say They’re “Heartbroken” over “Abuse” of Congregant by Church Co-Founder
By Julie Roys

January 30, 2020
Willow Creek Honored as “Living Legend” the Co-Founder It Believed Abused Congregant
By Julie Roys

January 30, 2020
Willow Creek Acting Senior Pastor Steve Gillen to Resign in March
By Julie Roys

February 4, 2020
Wheaton College Coeds Say Bilezikian Sexually Harassed Them; College Accused of Mishandling Reports
By Julie Roys

CBE International and Gilbert Bilezikian
By Mimi Haddad
February 11, 2020

February 28, 2020
Wheaton College Rescinds Dr. Bilezikian’s Title of Professor Emeritus After Investigation Of Allegations
By Julie Roys

February 28, 2020
Alleged Victim of Bill Hybels Tells Story of How Church Tried to Silence Her
By Julie Roys

________________________________________________________________

I would welcome people listing additional articles that are relevant in the comments. 

___________________________________

There is a similar compilation of articles and commentary by Julie Anne of all the events at:

Resource Bibliography on Willow Creek Church Situation and Bill Hybels’ Reported Misconduct

https://spiritualsoundingboard.com/2018/04/12/resource-bibliography-on-willow-creek-church-situation-and-bill-hybels-reported-misconduct/ 

and 

Resource Bibliography on Willow Creek Church Situation – Part 2

July 1, 2018

Julie Anne

https://spiritualsoundingboard.com/2018/07/01/resource-bibliography-on-willow-creek-church-situation-part-2/

____________________________________ 

I should say that I, along with everyone I know, is sad about all of this. I am however a ministry leadership professor. This blog is called Church Leadership Conversations. My fellow seminary professors, seminary students, and pastor friends are all keenly interested in this story because of how much we have learned from Willow Creek Community Church and Bill Hybels.

_____________________

Note about url: I had this post repeated three times on this blog because I accidentally kept changing the url of the post when I updated the date so I have an April (2018/4) and May (2018/5) post that link to this post: June (2018/6). Links to all three are at various places on the internet. But this (June post) is the main one now.