Territorial Bloggings
A Cogent Mélange of Lutheran & Pop-Culture Punditry
Willow Creek repents?
Per this blog & this article at Christianity Today, Bill Hybels over at Willow Creek states “We made a mistake.”
Wow.
I’ve long thought the theology of pop-American Evangelicalism (as defined by the “seeker sensitive” mantra of Church-Growthers like Bill Hybels’ Willow Creek & Rick Warren’s Saddleback churches) to be deficient, dangerous, and outright wrong. Thus, it’s interesting to read the article at CT & some of the comments at the other blog linked to above, wherein Hybels forthrightly admits that they’ve made some mistakes wrt their programmatic emphases. To wit:
“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.”
“We made a mistake. What we should have done when people crossed the line of faith and become Christians, we should have started telling people and teaching people that they have to take responsibility to become ‘self feeders.’ We should have gotten people, taught people, how to read their bible between service, how to do the spiritual practices much more aggressively on their own.”
Read that second paragraph again. Legalistic/Law-driven “participation” & emphasis on programs didn’t work. Catechesis, teaching, & training in the Word is what should’ve been done.
Amen.
Church ought not to be primarily a social club. It’s where we get fed through Word & Sacrament. That’s how we get equipped to exercise our various God-given vocations, through which God ensures that His children are cared for. Socialization is important, for we most certainly do need to support & “build each other up” (1 Thess 5:11) in the body of Christ. It’s just that it is not the end in and of itself, and neither will it suffice as the sole/primary means for helping folks grow in their walk with God.
That some are being led to this realization is, as the saying goes, a good thing.
-ghp
5 Comments so far ...
The better thing is that they were willing to see the need for change when led by knowledge and God’s plans. They are able to admit their ways needed to change. Seems like some very humble and committed followers to me.
Pride comes before the fall.
Mark
Comment on October 22, 2007 07:56 amPoints well taken, Mark. Humility & openness to correction based on God’s Word are blessings.
Comment on October 24, 2007 11:23 amI’m not sure the humility here is a spiritual humility. It sounds like the revelation is purely pragmatic. Policy A didn’t work; we have research that shows Policy B would work; so let’s try Policy B.
What Willow Creek really needs is to recognize that unbelievers have to be told they’re sinners (like Christians), and that once people become Christians, they need to continue to hear the message of Christ’s life and death for their forgiveness. Making Willow Creek members “self-feeders” is well and good, but if they’re self-feeding on a message that turns Gospel into Law, it’s not going to change much.
The best hope is that Willow Creek directs people to the Word (and not to the latest Zondervan self-improvement book). In the Word, those people will continue to be strengthened by the Gospel. And it’s the Gospel–not a series of 7-step processes–that drives people to more mature Christian lives.
Comment on October 25, 2007 08:34 amOne of the things that strikes me from the plethora of stuff on the web, is how many people seem ready to leap on anything that validates their views about others they disagree with. Some of the responses to Willow Creek’s study is but one example. I hope in disagreeing with such an approach, I can do so agreeably and with grace!!
Comment on January 8, 2008 07:50 amI am not associated with Willow Creek and whilst I head up the leadership team of a church that seeks to be welcoming to seekers, we are not a Willow Creek style place. The point I am getting to?
The leaders at Willow Creek are fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. I say hurray that they are willing to admit things need to be reviewed. It is between them and the Lord, if this is true humility or not; I am not convinced that it is our place to judge on that one???
There is so much on the web decrying this ministry and that ministry. I really wonder if much of what is written honours the Lord. Of course not everything that purports to be of the Lord is of Him. And no church congregation or grouping is perfect. But I wonder how many people associated with this particular website or others commenting on the Reveal Study, have seen 1000s of people come to Christ? Oh yeah, Willow Creek has but may be that doesn’t count!!!? Humility all round is needed!
The reaction of the Christian community to Willow Creeks hard work is quite appalling…why is this seen as a negative thing?
http://www.thejourneymanproject.org/blogs/index.php?blog=1&title=the-willow-creek-rumor-of-repentance&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1
Comment on January 31, 2008 02:50 pm