July 26, 2011
Willow Creek Community Church, the South Barrington, Ill. megachurch pastored by Bill Hybels, has ended its affiliate relationship with Exodus International, the world’s largest ministry supporting ex-homosexuals.
A spokesman for Willow Creek said the termination of the relationship was the result of “a season of reviewing and clarifying” the church’s affiliations and was not intended to be a “social or political statement,” but Exodus president Alan Chambers said in a Christianity Today report that the act was “definitely something that shines a light on a disappointing trend within parts of the Christian community” and suggested that Willow was afraid of the “backlash people will direct their way.”
Willow’s Director of Media Relations Susan DeLay said Willow maintains several ministries for people dealing with same-sex issues, and “all that’s changed is how we’ve gone about inviting them to the church.”
According to The Christian Post, Willow’s partnership with Exodus began in the late 1980s and involved producing “equipping events” to prepare leaders to minister to those with homosexual tendencies. The partnership with Exodus began to dissolve under the radar in 2009 and only became public knowledge a month ago.
