30 Quotes From Willow Creek Community Church Senior Pastor Bill Hybels Immediate Retirement

Tonight, Willow Creek Community Church’s founding and senior pastor of 42 years Bill Hybels announced his retirement effective immediately.  The following are 30 Quotes From Willow Creek Community Church Senior Pastor Bill Hybels Retirement announcement:

1. Our deepest passion has been to build an Acts 2 church.
2. Beyond our walls God birthed the Global Leadership Summit to where it now develops leaders in 130 countries.  Only God.
3. I have been grieved by how the controversy surrounding me has impacted these thriving ministries (WCCC and GLS).
4. While most of you in this congregation have listened carefully to and accepted the findings of this external investigation commissioned by the elders, some in the wider Christian community continued to be confused and conflicted.
5. It has been extremely painful for us (Lynn and I) to see this controversy be a distraction that is hindering elders and church staff as well as the WCA staff and WCA board.
6. Lynn and I love these ministries and we want them to flourish more than anything in our lives.
7. It has been increasingly clear to to us they can’t flourish to their full potential.
8. I have decided to accelerate my planned retirement date from October of this year to tonight.
9. The decision was mine and mine alone after a lot of prayer.
10. The decision reserved the unanimous support of the elders and the executive team.
11. I have decided to step down from my normal hosting and teaching roles at the upcoming Global Leadership Summit. This too was my decision and mine alone, prayfully made.
12. I feel the need to look deep inside myself and determine what God wants to teach me through all of this.
13. I have complete peace about this decision and I’m not going to rush this process.
14. I’ve been accused of many things I simply did not do.
15. My initial response to some of these recent accusations was anger.
16. I sincerely wish my now that initial response would be one of listening and humble reflection.
17. In certain settings and circumstances in the past I communicated things that were perceived in ways I did not intend at time that made people uncomfortable.
18. I was blind to this dynamic for far too long and for that I am very sorry as well.
19. I too often placed myself in situations that would have been far wiser to avoid.
20. I commit to never putting myself in similar situations again.
21. Anytime allegations like these are made should be received with humility and gravity.
22. I have taken these allegations very seriously as have our church elders.
23. While investigations found no evidence of misconduct, I have been sobered by these accusations.
24. By God’s grace the future is very bright for both our church and the Global Summit.
25. My respect for them (elders) knows no bounds.
26. No one will be cheering on the 2018 Summit more than I will be.
27. After a season of reflection, I attend to join you in the congregation here at Willow.  Willow will always be my church home.
28. Our family will be forever grateful for how you loved and supported us.
29. The local church is the hope of the world.
30. I am as confident today about this church and the Summit as I have ever been.

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