Lynne Hybels - Rediscovering Church: The Story and Vision of Willow Creek Community Church

Books by Bill Hybels

Leadership Axioms

Holy Discontent

Just Walk Across the Room

The Volunteer Revolution

Courageous Leadership

Honest to God?

Fit to Be Tied (with Lynne Hybels)

Descending into Greatness (with Rob Wilkins)

Becoming a Contagious Christian (with Mark Mittleberg and Lee Strobel)

The New Community Series

(with Kevin and Sherry Harney)

Colossians

James

1 Peter

Philippians

Romans

The Sermon on the Mount 1

The Sermon on the Mount 2

The Interactions Small Group Series

(with Kevin and Sherry Harney)

Authenticity

Character

Commitment

Essential Christianity

Fruit of the Spirit

Getting a Grip

Jesus

Lessons on Love

Living in Gods Power

Love in Action

Marriage

Meeting God

New Identity

Parenting

Prayer

Reaching Out

The Real Deal

Significance

Transformation

ZONDERVAN

Rediscovering Church

Copyright 1995 by Bill Hybels

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

ePub Edition March 2016: ISBN 978-0-310-53062-6

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Hybels, Lynne.

Rediscovering church : the story and vision of Willow Creak Community Church / Lynne and Bill Hybels.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN: 978-0-310-21927-2 (softcover)

1. Willow Creak Community Church (South Barrington, Ill.) 2. South Barrington (Ill.) Church history. 3. Hybels, Bill. 4. Church growth Case studies. 5. Big churches Case studies. I. Hybels, Bill. II. Title.

BX9999.S65H83 1995

280 dc00 95-18577

Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.Zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Edited by John Sloan and Robin Schmitt

Cover design: Laura Mason

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 /DHV/ 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Contents

by Bill Hybels

W e never intended to write a detailed history of Willow Creek. Our goal rather, was to tell enough of the story to convey certain values we have held and lessons we have learned during our years in ministry. Even given that limited scope, however, the history of Willow Creek that follows is incomplete. Missing are the names and stories of the many people who have lived out those values and learned those lessons with us. We began this project intending to include these personal stories of heroic devotion to God, to the church, and to hard work. But once we began dropping names, we didnt know where to stop. Daily we faced a growing list of people who just had to be included. There were...

High school students in Park Ridge, Illinois, whose abandonment to the untamed winds of the Spirit gave birth to a miracle.

Students and leaders in Palatine, Illinois, whose vision and extraordinary sacrifice gave birth to a church.

Unpaid staff and lay leaders who started everything from a childrens ministry to a bookstore simply because they saw a need and felt compelled to meet it.

Early module directors who were driven by love to draw people together and translate church into something warm and personal.

Board membersbona fide adults!who had no logical reason to sign on with a bunch of kids, but did it anyway, and with grace in their hearts have stood by us all the way.

Elders who came on the scene amid crisis and who throughout the years have exhibited wisdom and have faithfully carried more than their share of the heavy side of ministry.

Management team members whose blend of professional competence and spiritual depth has enabled them to provide God-honoring staff leadership on a daily basis.

Staff members whose contributions to Willow Creek have prompted us to say time and time again, I cant believe God led that person to us. We are so blessed.

Invaluable volunteers who do everything from directing traffic to serving food to cleaning bathrooms.

Financial donors who invest significant percentages of their income in what seems at times like a high-risk Kingdom venture.

Musicians, actors, and production people who spend more time in late-night rehearsals than most people would imagine and add so much heart to our programs.

Small-group leaders who are, both in theory and in practice, the backbone of Willow Creek.

Despite our original intention, as this book goes to press, few of these people have been mentioned by name. Some names have been provided to avoid confusion. Certain people have been named because of their unique contributions at critical points in the churchs development. A few additional names have been included in order to pull the story out of the abstract and tether it to the concrete reality of individual persons. But for the most part, the heroes of Willow Creek have remained unnamed simply because there have been so many of them; their stories could have filled many books! We have not forgotten them, however, and it is to them that we dedicate this book, with deep and lingering gratitude and respect.

We offer special thanks to our friend Lee Strobel, who did major manuscript work on the second half of this book, and to John Sloan at Zondervan for being the perfect editor for usagain.

H es gone. The paramedic speaks slowly and softly as if to ease the truth into Karens mind. But the truth strikes like a missile and explodes in shock and loneliness. She feels jerked from reality, thrust into a twilight zone of pain. Then the gentle touch of Anns hand draws her back. Jeffs firm embrace surrounds her with strength. Jennys whispered word reminds her she is not alone. The tears that fall from Davids eyes help her find her own.

For over two years Tim and Karen had poured time, energy, and love into each member of the small group they led. Now the love circles back and soothes the raw edges of grief.

This is church.

Twenty-nine years old and worth a million. Headed straight toward the top. Then the rich young ruler meets Jesus. Lay it on the line, the Savior says. Put your money where your mouth is.

Its December. Building-fund time. The rich young ruler stares at the stage in the overcrowded, rundown theater that the young congregation calls home. He shifts in the dirty seat and smashes another kernel of popcorn under his heel.

Lay it on the line, the Savior says. The rich young ruler tucks his hand into the pocket of his corduroy coat and gently fingers the tiny paper that defines his success. When the offering plate is passed, he carefully slides a check that shatters his net worth beneath the mound of crumpled bills.