Do you know Willow Creek?

[Revmitchell]

Here is a view that is contrary.

http://www.tbaptist.com/aab/billhybelsway.htm

http://www.truthwatch.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=104

Since Hybels mentor is Robert Schuller

http://www.truthwatch.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=116

Qotes from Schuller:

The Church needs a theology that is man-centred, not God-centred

Jesus bore the cross to sanctify our self esteem

Self-love is the ultimate will of man (Self Esteem: The New Reformation, 1982)

He focuses on the things the major faiths can agree on

Transendental Meditation, Zen Buddhism and yoga are valid methods for harnessing God’s divine laws

"Its time to go to the Pope and say, ‘what do we have to do to come home?’" (1987)

If he came back and found his grandchildren were Muslims it wouldn’t bother him

When the Bible says a people without a vision perish it is talking about the ‘inner eye’ of visualisation (Psychology Today, 1985)

 

[Lagardo]

Originally posted by standingfirminChrist:
I am very uncomfortable in a megachurch. They tend to be less friendly, less personal.

This is very often the case. In fact, the last church I served in wasn't anything near a megachurch, but it did want to be purpose-driven, seeker sensitive, etc, etc I say "want to be" because I don't think it ever came close to the churches it claimed to model. However, it remained very unfriendly.

Willow Creek, on the other hand, was extremely friendly. I had heard somewhere that people there who are small group leaders are asked to introduce themselves to anyone seated near them that they don't know. It seemed true, because I know on the Sunday morning I attended, a small group leader did introduce himself and invite me to his group. I also noticed that I couldn't walk around the place without tons of friendly, helpful people speaking to me. I have since said that it was the friendliest church I've ever seen.

I think its important to note that WIllow Creek does things very deliberatley. Not every aspect of their church is meant to entertain. The weekend services are designed to attract, but they have plenty in place to teach the people that the weekend service attracts.

 

[music4Him]

I donno I think that God has the churches like they are for a reason. There are people who prefer not to be hugged and have their hands shook as soon as they walk into a building, by a guy named Bob the Usher.

I will meet every one who enters our church with a hand shake, church members usually get the combo handshake and hug! For the first visitors I will usually shake thier hand before service starts and welcome them... depending on how the service goes, they might get a hug before we leave.

 

[rbell]

Revmitchell, your post is misleading and disingenuous.

You talk about Hybels, "link" him to Schuller in your post, and spend the rest of the time talking about Schuller's heresies.

This thread is not about Schuller. How about documenting that Hybel's mentor is Schuller (a quote from either would be nice, not some pastor's opinion in Texas).

You may have some valid points of concern with Hybles, but the Schuller thing (insofar as your post is concerned) is a red herring.

 

[xdisciplex]

This stuff from Schuller and friends makes me sick!

 

[myfavoritmartin]

Originally posted by Lagardo:
I have attended a weekend and a weekday service at Willow Creek and I did not notice the gospel being watered down. Actually, in the weekend service, I was suprised at how blunt the message was given what I had always heard about Willow Creek.

Willow Creek certainly does some different things, and they do have some things that I do not particually care for, but I will say this from my personal observation of their worship services: I have never seen a church that was trying that hard to share the gospel.

Before I went there, I had heard everything about them. I expected the casual, "big show" service. I expected a simple message. I expected a big push of evangelism and was ready to be critical of a lack of discipleship. What I saw was a message designed to tell people that Jesus died for their sins. That He loves them and desires for them to surrender their life to Him. I was invited to a "discussion group" meeting for lunch (the nice man who invited me offered to buy me lunch) and looking over their materials, I could tell that this was a follow-up to the message I had just heard.

There were no quick and simple conversions. Rather, if someone felt so lead to respond to the message, there were places on the way out to talk with someone...I noticed these places were full of people talking and praying...praise God!

Their "crowd" may come for the high-quality music, the dynamic teaching, a book club, a built-in food court, coffee houses, etc, etc, etc, but I know from expereince that they do hear about Christ.

I like these comments, I attend Minnesota's largest n/d church which is similar in style(I've been told to WC) and I have found along with the beautiful music and diffrent forms of media I have found Grace to be considerably more scriptural than any liturgical church I have belonged to.