One of the largest churches in America and probably one of the largest of all time, Willow Creek (Chicago area) Church was featured in Christianity Today (9/13/00). The article states, "Every weekend 17,000-plus people attend six services (two exclusively designed for GenXers) programmed with cutting-edge music, drama and teaching to reach the unchurched. The services' `wow' factor is aided by 50 vocalists, a 75-voice choir, 7 rhythm bands, a 65-piece orchestra, 41 actors, a video production department and an arts center with 200 students that serves as a farm club for future talent."
Hybels is the founding pastor of Willow Creek that celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary this year. He signed the statement entitled "Men, Women and Biblical Equality" and promotes ordination of women. He has spoken a number of times for arch-heretic Robert Schuller. He was one of the preachers closest to President Clinton during the Lewinsky scandal ....
Willow Creek is at the epicenter of today's carnal church-growth movement that embraces everything worldly to attract the unsaved to their services. This is evident in Dr. Gregory Jackson's account of his visit to Willow Creek. Here is some of what he wrote:
Picture a large, attractive shopping mall in the suburbs. That is what Willow Creek looks like. There is no cross or religious symbol on the outside of the building or inside. The "worship" area is an auditorium with theater seats, no altar, no organ and no cross. My wife and I entered to the sound of rock music from a 20-piece group on stage. We passed by color TV monitors with the lists of activities on the screen ....
The event began with a play, skillfully acted but rather tedious .... The congregation was invited to sing once during the service [weak] .... Hybels gave the announcements and introduced a very professional slide show of all the ministries at Willow Creek Church ...aimed at getting volunteers .... Hybels gave a "message"...about the "Message on the Mount" (text: Matthew 5:20). He had a great text, but he had little to say about it.
The article in Christian News (11/6/00) from which this was gleaned notes that in the twenties Aimee Semple McPherson packed in thousands with Vegas-like productions only to have her ministry collapse in scandal. Every true shepherd wants to reach all the lost he can. The Good Shepherd who gave His life for His sheep left us a manual (as well as the message) on how to do it the books of Acts. If we will follow that inspired pattern, He will use us to build His church. Resort to the carnal methods of Willow Creek, and what will be built will be wood, hay and stubble-all to perish in the fires of judgment (I Cor. 3:10-14).
THE GIST From The Sword of the Lord