CHICAGO (RNS) — Heather Larson stood before the congregation in August at Willow Creek Community Church’s main campus in Chicago’s northwest suburbs, as the church gathered for a weeknight “family meeting.”
She recalled a similar meeting, less than a year earlier, when she had stood on the same stage to announce very different plans: Founding pastor Bill Hybels would be retiring, and Larson would take over as lead pastor. Her colleague, Steve Carter, would become the lead teaching pastor. Hybels would coach them through the transition.
“Things have really changed,” she said.
Plans for Willow Creek’s future unraveled in March when several women publicly accused Hybels of sexual harassment and misconduct. Though he denied the accusations, Hybels retired early in April after more than 40 years as pastor.
Less than 40 days later, his successors stepped down as well, along with the church’s entire elder board. All admitted they had mishandled the allegations against Hybels, initially backing their former pastor and calling the women’s claims lies.
At that family meeting in August, Larson said it was time for a fresh start.
“This is really important. Trust has been broken by leadership, and it doesn’t return quickly,” she told the congregation. “There is urgency to move us in a better direction.”
Steve Gillen, who had pastored one of the church’s smaller campuses, was named interim lead pastor. And last week, the church and the Willow Creek Association named four outside leaders to oversee an investigation into the…
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