Hybels and The Willow Creek Association
In 1992 Hybels launched the Willow Creek Association (WCA) to link like-minded, action-oriented churches with each other and with strategic vision, training, and resources. Hybels is currently chairman of the board for the WCA. "When God transforms the life of just one leader, that leader can transform a church. When one church is transformed, you can transform a community. And when enough churches are thriving, you can affect a region, a country, and eventually the entire world with the positive, life-changing power of Jesus Christ and the redeeming and restoring work of his people." - Bill Hybels
The WCA, led by Jim Mellado, believes the effectiveness of a local church is largely dependent upon the sold-out, Christ-centered devotion of its leadership core. Whether staff or volunteers, the whole church benefits when leaders develop themselves spiritually and personally. The WCA exists to help churches thrive.
While The Global Leadership Summit is Willow Creek Association's anchor event each year, it's just one of the many developmental tools and resources available to church leaders through the WCA.
WCA serves Christ-following leaders fueled by a holy discontent for their church's effectiveness in impacting lives. As an aggregator of leaders, ideas, and innovations—and by investing in new research and resources—WCA is committed to give church leaders access to best-practice strategies for effective discipleship at every stage of the faith journey.
Hybels has largely avoided association with specific political parties or movements, although in June, 2010 he introduced President Obama's address on immigration reform, and his wife, Lynne Hybels, blogs for God's Politics on Sojourners website. He did receive some criticism when at a leadership conference hosted by the WCA in 2000, he interviewed Rich DeVos (Amway co-founder) and carried out a 90-minute interview with President Bill Clinton in which he questioned the President on many key issues. When Karen Hughes (former advisor to President George W. Bush) in the following year spoke at the Summit, Hybels said to the attendees jokingly afterwards, "There, we are even." (Referring to bringing a counterbalance to Clinton's visit.)
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