Treachery at Willow Creek

Updated October 17, 2000

Treachery at Willow Creek

By Flip Benham

"A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land: The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. 'Peace, peace,' they say, when there is no peace." Jeremiah 5:30-31, 6:14.

Bill Hybels, pastor of the fastest growing evangelical church in America, allowed himself and over 4,000 pastors attending his Leadership Summit 2000 to be used by the President of the United States of America to whitewash his (Bill Clinton's) sin. God has strong words for prophets like Mr. Hybels.

"Because they lead my people astray, saying, 'Peace,' when there is no peace. I will tear down the wall you have covered with whitewash and will level it to the ground. I will spend my wrath against the wall and against those who covered it with whitewash." Ezekiel 13:10, 14, 15.

For more than an hour Mr. Hybels questioned President Clinton about his faith, his conversion, his failure, and subsequent recovery from some "mistakes." The 4,000 pastors, and thousands more who were viewing the interview on closed circuit TV, gave Mr. Clinton a standing ovation when the interview was over. Never once did Mr. Clinton mention his sin - only some "mistakes." Never once was he asked about other "mistakes" admitted to in court but never confessed or repented of. Never once was he confronted concerning his unflagging support for the killing of millions of children in their mother's wombs. Never once was he questioned about his adamant support for the radical homosexual agenda. No, he was simply affirmed in his "Christian walk" and reminded that he was a great president. What a travesty!

The Law of God that was given to lead people to repentance and to Christ (Galatians 3:24) was forsaken by Mr. Hybels as too harsh and judgmental. It was replaced by a gentler, kinder Gospel that speaks only sweet words of forgiveness for those who have sinned and plan on continuing to do so. Mr. Clinton brilliantly played Mr. Hybels and evangelical church leaders like a drum to receive his religious whitewash. In so doing the spring has been muddied for many (Pr 25:26). Can one promote child-killing and homosexuality and still be in a right relationship with God?

Thousands of pastors and leaders were quickly and unwittingly seduced during this interview. Thousands more who heard the interview on tape or saw it on video were left believing that Mr. Clinton was a true brother in Christ working toward the same ends as they. Mr. Clinton left the interview feeling that all things were right between him and God. And why not? The prophets of God declared it so!

Pastor Hybels and all the pastors at the Willow Creek Leadership Summit pronounced peace upon Mr. Clinton and his "Christian walk" when there was no peace. In so doing they now share in his guilt: "Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt." Leviticus 19:17.

History, A Forgotten Lesson

On January 25, 1934, Adolf Hitler summoned hundreds of pastors and leaders of the churches in Germany to a personal conference in Berlin. He was concerned about a possible split among the pastors concerning his policy over the German church. He chided and cajoled them, reminding all that the economy in Germany was in great recovery and that he needed their unified support. He told them, "You confine yourself to the church. I will take care of the German people." In his inimitable way, Hitler mesmerized the prophets of God's Word and paved the way for the silence of our Lord's Church during the Nazi holocaust. The pastors bowed to Hitler and, in bowing to his broken cross (the swastika), they turned their backs on the cross of Christ.

Martin Niemoller, rose in opposition to Hitler during this meeting. His statement is profound and needed in this day. "We are not concerned with the churches in Germany, Jesus Christ will take care of them Himself. We are concerned with the heart and soul of our nation." With that courageous statement in the face of a tyrant, one would have expected a standing ovation from the men of God. Instead, Niemoller was ushered out of the meeting and soundly rebuked by several pastors for rocking the boat and ruining all of the good relations being built between the church and Hitler. It was the men of God who silenced the very voice of God! Sound familiar?

The same spirit that inhabited the shell of Adolf Hitler now inhabits the shell of the President of the United States of America. He is totally unaware of it. The prophets of God haven't loved him enough to tell him the truth. The spirit that mesmerized church leaders in Hitler's day is now mesmerizing church leaders in our day. The blanket forgiveness and approval of this President at the Willow Creek Leadership Summit is a physical manifestation of the bewitching. It has made the men of God cowards in a day that calls for great hearts.

God, give us men like Martin Niemoller. Give us men who fear nothing but you. Give us men who stand firm upon your Word when the subtle compromises of a liar tempt us to waiver. Give us men who can distinguish between right and wrong, holy and unholy, black and white. Give us men who will not allow the world to force them into accepting a strange shade of grace and call it forgiveness. God help us to love our neighbor (our President), not by accepting his sin to appear kind and inclusive, but by confronting it and allowing the blood of Jesus to truly cleanse.

The Betrayal of the President

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." John 15:12

The one-on-one dialogue between President Clinton and Bill Hybels this past August at Willow Creek's Leadership Summit was a dialogue in betrayal. The President has betrayed us and we, the Church of Jesus Christ, have betrayed him. That's right! You and I have played a part in the betrayal of the President of the United States of America.

God is using this American tragedy as a sign and a portent to us and to the whole world that we do not love as Jesus does. We have moved from biblical love into the moral anarchy of tolerating every sinful behavior by forgiving everybody of everything without confession or repentance. Rev. Billy Graham was in such a hurry to forgive Mr. Clinton concerning his tryst with Monica Lewinsky that he pronounced forgiveness before a sin was ever confessed. Rev. Phillip Wogaman (Mr. Clinton's pastor) and Rev. Bill Hybels kindly condoned Mr. Clinton's every dalliance by reminding him that Jesus loved him and forgave his every "mistake." This is not biblical love. The Bible calls it hate!

"The kisses of an enemy may be profuse, but faithful are the wounds of a friend." (Prov. 27:6). Rather than kissing this President and betraying him as Mr. Hybels did at the leadership summit, we need to become his friends and love him as Jesus does. Most of us are hesitant to do this, however, because what Jesus did in loving others seems so unloving. He loved enough to confront and wound. Even his disciples were confronted with the shallowness of their own belief. Jesus is a radical surgeon going to the very root of the problem - sin. His instrument is the Law of God.

Romans 8:1 is a wonderful verse: "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…" The little word "now" is revealing. It implies that condemnation had to come first, before one could find forgiveness in Christ. Someone had to love us enough to confront us with the hopelessness of our sinful predicament that we might repent, reach out, and ask Jesus to save us. The instrument God uses to confront us with our sin is His Law. God's Law is the teacher that leads us to Christ. The Law is merciless and true in its judgment. It has never misdiagnosed anyone. We are left naked and condemned when it has done its awful work. It leaves no hope for us apart from the one solution God has provided - His Son!

Today, we as a church want to hide from or bend God's Law to suit our own purposes. It seems so harsh and certainly is not seeker friendly. It doesn't appear loving at all. We don't want to be condemned and we don't want anybody else to be condemned either. So we tolerate everything and love no one. We must learn again what it means to love others as Jesus loved us. Otherwise, we may be betraying more than our President. 2 Chronicles 19:2 "…should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this, the wrath of the Lord is upon you."