Willow Creek's Not-So-Fully-Devoted-Followers

6/1/2013

"Having put so many of their eggs into the program-driven church basket, you can understand their shock when the research revealed that "Increasing levels of participation in these sets of activities does NOT predict whether someone's becoming more of a disciple of Christ. It does NOT predict whether they love God more or they love people more."

Speaking at the Leadership Summit, Hybels summarized the findings this way:

Some of the stuff that we have put millions of dollars into thinking it would really help our people grow and develop spiritually, when the data actually came back, it wasn't helping people that much. Other things that we didn't put that much money into and didn't put much staff against is stuff our people are crying out for."

This excerpt is from an article the Council has been discussing. Perhaps no other church has applied "best practices" more extensively than Willow. I contend that Hybels was deconstructing church before all the cool kids were doing it. Like them or not, Willow Creek offers much to learn from and Hybel's public confession that they have been "wrong" is pretty stunning.

Full article: http://www.outofur.com/archives/2007/10/willow_creek_re.html

5 Comments

Hazel link

6/1/2013 01:11:06 pm

Getting Bible teaching from the pulpit is where it begins. Inspiration to lead us to better study the scriptures and act on the teaching.

Bob Pazmino

6/2/2013 10:27:21 pm

The focus on scripture and its exposition along with the living traditions of the Christian faith is what sustains spiritual life through weekly worship.

Heather Palmer

6/3/2013 03:48:17 am

Helping members develop their own spiritual practices is key - Bible reading and study, prayer of various kinds but especially listening to God and how to seek the Holy Spirit's comfort when faced with life's challenges. We have to find a way to make this continuing teaching and shared practice a consistent and readily available part of our church community life.

Melissa Heim

6/3/2013 06:31:07 am

Every morning at my school we say a prayer, which contains these words:
"O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life."

Melissa Heim

6/3/2013 06:44:49 am

Another thought:
In the Willow Creek Report, the researchers noted this:
"In other words, spiritual growth doesn't happen best by becoming dependent on elaborate church programs but through the age old spiritual practices of prayer, bible reading, and relationships."
Much can be learned by gathering a group of people, building relationships, and reading the Bible together, exploring theological questions, praying together, sharing the confusions and fears in living, enjoying the amazing beauties and mysteries of flowers, birds' nests, the magic of three sung notes of music, the changing seasons, or colors....there is a plenitude of possibilities!

Willow Creek's Not-So-Fully-Devoted-Followers

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