A Shocking “Confession” from Willow Creek Community Church

Straight biblical exposition with a strong follow-through with discipleship and mentoring. Hmmmmmmm.

I think this is a very negative approach to a significant subject. The important question: Are the mainline churches doing any better? I don't think so. Willow Creek has identified and confirmed the problem and will be taking action to correct it. Very few mainline churches are willing to face the same problem. They are doing church. But does this doing church bring people into a closer biblical based relationship with Jesus Christ?

I am shocked that leaders have finally admitted this. I could see this coming for a while. People in seeker sentive type churches don't just not bring their Bibles to church, they really don't read their Bibles as much either. It isn't that they don't believe the Bible. Most, if not all seeker sensitive churches like Willow Creek do believe in the Bible. But the members are mostly being spoon fed Bible verses in topical format. The idea is to make it easy for non-believers to come to church, many who would not bring their Bibles. But for many seeker sensitive churches in America, not bringing one's Bible has almost become a status symbol - that we really don't need to study the Bible. Or we don't want to offend non-Christians by bringing a Bible. This especially impacts young people, because when they see that adults don't want to read the Bible, they certainly don't want to and can find other ways to occupy their time.

I would have given this article a higher rating if it was written without a slightly angry tone. The author must not believe that Hybel's has truly confessed, or he's venting his anger over the faults of the "seeker friendly" movement. Yes, I agree that once someone becomes a believer, he or she should be discipled well. I attend a church that is very intentional in regards to discipleship and it has changed my life. However, can't we all be joyful that Hybels took the courage to have a report made and then admit he made a mistake? Once someone confesses, we should accept it, forgive, and move on for the sake of the Kingdom. Wouldn't you want someone to do that for you?

How can it be "the faith once for all entrusted to the saints" (i.e. 2000 years ago) if it was developed with "experts", polls, focus groups and a moistened finger in the air?

This assumption that we must make church up as we go along shows that evengelicalism has become essentially postmodern. Not a bit postmodern; it's the essence.

Now someone might object that I am confusing doctrine with application. But this preoccupation with pleasing people and reinventing the wheel shows that doctrine has been lost or modified.

Continued from previous post....
Our church is growing, people are being saved. Notice I did not claim that everyone in our church is saved. But I am willing to bet (and I am not a betting man) that there is no church in america where everyone is saved.
If there was such a church, then that church would be a failed church. That would mean that they are not reaching people: "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."

I belong to a church that follows the Willow Creek model. Although they constantly encourage personal and group Bible study and spiritual growth.
When I see a video of Hybills or one of his followers, I often get upset and wonder "what about sin, salvation, growth, hell, etc." Much of the time in these videos are spent attacking other Christians who arent as cool as them. Sounds a lot like the cliques in High School if you ask me (not too mature).
I know a lot of people go to our church because they enjoy it; maybe for entertainment. But I came from a church where people didnt go because there was nothing to enjoy.
Although our church is not perfect, people hear the gospel. That is more than I can say for the other church I went to. Not only do they hear it, but they experience it from the true mature Christians.
Continued in the next post......

Granted that Willow Creek found that their most mature Christians are looking to be fed rather than feeding themselves, but I have yet to see many churches, whether it is seeker-sensitive or a church that teaches the "deep" truths of the bible, produce many people who can feed themselves. I would dare say from my own experience in many churches that only 5-10% of people are really committed to God and are able to feed themselves. Instead, I see a lot of "mature" Christians who think they know the bible so well too unpassionate about evangelism or ministry to the poor. I have found that in most cases, people's knowledge don't correspond to their lives. While a lot of knowledge is good, the problem is that our depravity uses that to puff ourselves up. So, if what I've said is true, the question is, isn't it at least better to that Willow is saving so many people?

Before I even finished the article I thought, "This sounds like exactly the kind of thinking that got them into the theological mess they are in today. They don't need a clean sheet of paper. They need The paper that's already been filled in for them, the Bible."