Bill Hybels
Encyclopedia
William Hybels is the founding and senior pastor
of Willow Creek Community Church
in South Barrington, Illinois
, one of the most attended churches in North America
, with an average attendance of nearly 24,000 as of 2011. The church has been listed as the most influential church in America for the last several years in a national poll of pastors. He is the founder of the Willow Creek Association
and creator of the Global Leadership Summit. Hybels is also an author of a number of Christian
books, especially on the subject of Christian leadership
.
, near Chicago
, and an honorary Doctorate of Divinity from TIU's Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
.
(then called Trinity College) when Gilbert Bilezikian, a lecturer, challenged the class about an Acts 2-based church. Hybels was captivated with the vision and abandoned his business aspirations for ministry.
In 1971, Bill Hybels, youth pastor at Park Ridge's South Park Church, started a youth group with friend Dave Holmbo called Son City. Modern music, dramatic skits and multimedia were combined with Bible studies in relevant language helped the group grow from 25 to 1,200 in just three years.
After 300 youth waited in line to be led to Christ in a service in May 1974, Hybels and other leaders began dreaming of forming a new church. They surveyed the community to find out why people weren't coming to church. Common answers included: "church is boring", "they're always asking for money", or "I don't like being preached down to." These answers shaped the group's approach to the new church.
On October 12, 1975 the group held their first service in Palatine's Willow Creek Theater. One hundred and twenty-five people attended the service. The rent and other costs were paid for with 1,200 baskets of tomatoes, sold door-to-door by 100 teenagers. Hybels spoke on "New beginnings" Within two years the church had grown to 2,000.
Challenges in 1979 led to a recommissioning of the church's vision to be broader and deeper than before. Hybels apologized for the example of his relentless schedule and overemphasis on grace. "We've set up all our leadership structures and goals to grow a full functioning Acts 2 community, as opposed to just an evangelizing machine that doesn't drive the roots down deep and do all the other things it's supposed to do."
In 1981 the church moved to its current location in South Barrington. By 2000, 15,000 were attending weekly services over six weekend services in a 352000 square feet (32,701.9 m²) building. In 2004, the new Worship Center was opened. With a capacity of more than 7,000, the state-of-the-art auditorium
is one of the largest theaters in the United States
and the church currently averages 24,000 attendees per week, making it the third largest church in America.
Willow Creek Community Church has become well-known as the prototypical megachurch
, with contemporary worship, drama and messages focused toward both Christians and those exploring the Christian faith. Willow Creek's three weekend services were more "seeker sensitive", but have now become less so, since the "Reveal Study" which showed members desiring a deeper dive focussed on scripture and spiritual growth.
Most recently (September 2011), Willow brought an even deeper dive into scripture by promoting Shane Farmer as Discipleship Director, and having him lead the Mid-week experience, meeting on Wednesday evenings.
On July 1, 2010, Hybels introduced President Barack Obama for a speech on immigration reform.
(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 maximize the transformative power of the local church.
While The Global Leadership Summit is certainly 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.)
The Global Leadership Summit 2011 videocast events will take place from late September through January of 2012 and are on track to reach 268 cities within 75 countries. The Summit is translated into 34 languages. Over 165,000 leaders from over 20,000 churches worldwide will experience the 2011 Summit.
Each year this event features experts in the arena of leadership in lecture and interview formats, plus worship and dramas. Past speakers have included Bono
(former Time Magazine Co-Man of the Year
and U2
lead singer), Ken Blanchard
("One Minute Manager"), Marcus Buckingham
("StrengthFinders"), Jim Collins
("Good to Great
" and "Built to Last
"), and Mike Singletary
(NFL Hall of Fame linebacker for the Chicago Bears
). The 2007 event featured live and taped sessions with Colin Powell
, Carly Fiorina
, Floyd Flake, Marcus Buckingham
, John Ortberg
, Michael E. Porter (Harvard), Richard Curtis
(film producer) and Former President
Jimmy Carter
.
The Dec/Jan 2010 issue of Fast Company featured an article on Willow Creek and The Global Leadership Summit: How Willow Creek Is Leading Evangelicals by Learning from the Business World
In 2011, speakers included: Bill Hybels (Founder & Sr. Pastor of Willow Creek Community Church), Erwin McManus (Activist; Filmmaker; Cultural Architect of Mosiac), Michelle Rhee (Founder and CEO of StudentsFirst.org), Dr. Henry Cloud (Clinical Psychologist; Bestselling Author), Seth Godin (Bestselling Author; Squidoo Founder; Marketing Blogger), Rev. Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil (Speaker; Thought Leader; Founder & President of Salter McNeil & Assoc.), Len Schlesinger (President of Babson College), Steven Furtick (Lead Pastor of Elevation Church), John Dickson (Sr. Minister, St. Andrews Anglican Church in Sydney, Australia), Cory Booker (Mayor of Newark, NJ), and Mama Maggie Gobran (Founder & CEO, Stephen's Children Ministry; Nobel Peace Prize Nominee).
In 2011, Bill Hybels addressed a speaker change at the Summit.
(Bill Hybels Resource Page)
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of Willow Creek Community Church
Willow Creek Community Church
Willow Creek Community Church is a non-denominational, multi-generational Evangelical Christian megachurch located in the Chicago suburb of South Barrington, Illinois. It was founded on October 12, 1975 by Bill Hybels, who is currently the senior pastor...
in South Barrington, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, one of the most attended churches in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, with an average attendance of nearly 24,000 as of 2011. The church has been listed as the most influential church in America for the last several years in a national poll of pastors. He is the founder of the Willow Creek Association
Willow Creek Association
The Willow Creek Association , a 5013 not-for-profit ministry, is an international, evangelical Christian association of more than 9,000 member churches from 90 denominations and 45 countries.-Mission:...
and creator of the Global Leadership Summit. Hybels is also an author of a number of Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
books, especially on the subject of Christian leadership
Leadership
Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...
.
Education
Hybels has a bachelor's degree in Biblical Studies from Trinity International UniversityTrinity International University
Trinity International University is an evangelical Christian institution of higher education headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois. It comprises an undergraduate college, a graduate school, a theological seminary , and a law school--together with nearly 3,000 students...
, near Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, and an honorary Doctorate of Divinity from TIU's Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School is an evangelical Christian seminary located in Deerfield, Illinois. TEDS is one of the largest seminaries in the world, enrolling more than 1,200 graduate students in professional and academic programs, including more than 150 in its PhD programs...
.
Hybels and Willow Creek Community Church
In the early 1970s, Hybels was studying at Trinity International UniversityTrinity International University
Trinity International University is an evangelical Christian institution of higher education headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois. It comprises an undergraduate college, a graduate school, a theological seminary , and a law school--together with nearly 3,000 students...
(then called Trinity College) when Gilbert Bilezikian, a lecturer, challenged the class about an Acts 2-based church. Hybels was captivated with the vision and abandoned his business aspirations for ministry.
In 1971, Bill Hybels, youth pastor at Park Ridge's South Park Church, started a youth group with friend Dave Holmbo called Son City. Modern music, dramatic skits and multimedia were combined with Bible studies in relevant language helped the group grow from 25 to 1,200 in just three years.
After 300 youth waited in line to be led to Christ in a service in May 1974, Hybels and other leaders began dreaming of forming a new church. They surveyed the community to find out why people weren't coming to church. Common answers included: "church is boring", "they're always asking for money", or "I don't like being preached down to." These answers shaped the group's approach to the new church.
On October 12, 1975 the group held their first service in Palatine's Willow Creek Theater. One hundred and twenty-five people attended the service. The rent and other costs were paid for with 1,200 baskets of tomatoes, sold door-to-door by 100 teenagers. Hybels spoke on "New beginnings" Within two years the church had grown to 2,000.
Challenges in 1979 led to a recommissioning of the church's vision to be broader and deeper than before. Hybels apologized for the example of his relentless schedule and overemphasis on grace. "We've set up all our leadership structures and goals to grow a full functioning Acts 2 community, as opposed to just an evangelizing machine that doesn't drive the roots down deep and do all the other things it's supposed to do."
In 1981 the church moved to its current location in South Barrington. By 2000, 15,000 were attending weekly services over six weekend services in a 352000 square feet (32,701.9 m²) building. In 2004, the new Worship Center was opened. With a capacity of more than 7,000, the state-of-the-art auditorium
Auditorium
An auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances at venues such as theatres. For movie theaters, the number of auditoriums is expressed as the number of screens.- Etymology :...
is one of the largest theaters in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the church currently averages 24,000 attendees per week, making it the third largest church in America.
Willow Creek Community Church has become well-known as the prototypical megachurch
Megachurch
A megachurch is a church having 2,000 or more in average weekend attendance. The Hartford Institute's database lists more than 1,300 such Protestant churches in the United States. According to that data, approximately 50 churches on the list have attendance ranging from 10,000 to 47,000...
, with contemporary worship, drama and messages focused toward both Christians and those exploring the Christian faith. Willow Creek's three weekend services were more "seeker sensitive", but have now become less so, since the "Reveal Study" which showed members desiring a deeper dive focussed on scripture and spiritual growth.
Most recently (September 2011), Willow brought an even deeper dive into scripture by promoting Shane Farmer as Discipleship Director, and having him lead the Mid-week experience, meeting on Wednesday evenings.
On July 1, 2010, Hybels introduced President Barack Obama for a speech on immigration reform.
Hybels and the Willow Creek Association
In 1992 Hybels launched the Willow Creek AssociationWillow Creek Association
The Willow Creek Association , a 5013 not-for-profit ministry, is an international, evangelical Christian association of more than 9,000 member churches from 90 denominations and 45 countries.-Mission:...
(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 maximize the transformative power of the local church.
While The Global Leadership Summit is certainly 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
Amway
Amway is a direct selling company and manufacturer that uses network marketing to sell a variety of products, primarily in the health, beauty, and home care markets. Amway was founded in 1959 by Jay Van Andel and Richard DeVos...
co-founder) and carried out a 90-minute interview with President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
in which he questioned the President on many key issues. When Karen Hughes
Karen Hughes
Karen Parfitt Hughes is the Global Vice Chair of Burson-Marsteller. She served as the Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs in the U.S. Department of State with the rank of ambassador. She resides in Austin, Texas.-Early life:Born in Paris, France, she is the daughter...
(former advisor to President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
) 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.)
Willow Creek leadership and Hybels' role
While Hybels serves as senior pastor at Willow, he was not heavily involved in day-to-day operations between mid-2006 to 2008. Gene Appel served as lead pastor of the South Barrington Campus from mid-2006 until Easter 2008. Appel's role allowed Hybels the ability to serve a more direct role in the Willow Creek Association, but Hybels has since resumed the direct role of leading the church. Hybels frequently travels abroad, teaching church leaders how to manage and direct their congregations in more effective ways. He maintains a regular teaching schedule at Willow Creek. Hybels believes that "the local church is the hope of the world," and that is evident in his work around the globe.The Global Leadership Summit
Hybels started the Global Leadership Summit (hosted by the Willow Creek Association) in 1995 as an annual training event for church, ministry and other leaders to sharpen their skills. The Global Leadership Summit exists to transform Christian leaders around the world with an injection of vision, skill development, and inspiration for the sake of the local Church. The Summit telecasts LIVE from the campus of Willow Creek Community Church near Chicago reaching more than 185 premier host sites across the United States. In the months following, the Summit moves into more than 200 cities in 70+ countries across the globe, via videocast. Summit 2010 attracted 122,000 leaders.The Global Leadership Summit 2011 videocast events will take place from late September through January of 2012 and are on track to reach 268 cities within 75 countries. The Summit is translated into 34 languages. Over 165,000 leaders from over 20,000 churches worldwide will experience the 2011 Summit.
Each year this event features experts in the arena of leadership in lecture and interview formats, plus worship and dramas. Past speakers have included Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
(former Time Magazine Co-Man of the Year
Man of the Year
A Man of the Year award usually refers to a person nominated as the most influential or meritous in a business, organisation, a specific form of human endeavour, or amongst humanity at large...
and U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
lead singer), Ken Blanchard
Ken Blanchard
Kenneth Hartley Blanchard is an American author and management expert. His book The One Minute Manager has sold over 13 million copies and has been translated into 37 languages...
("One Minute Manager"), Marcus Buckingham
Marcus Buckingham
Marcus Buckingham is a British-American New York Times bestselling author, researcher, motivational speaker and business consultant best known for promoting what he calls "Strengths." Basing most of his writing on extensive survey data from interviews with workers in countries around the world, he...
("StrengthFinders"), Jim Collins
James C. Collins
James C. "Jim" Collins, III is an American business consultant, author, and lecturer on the subject of company sustainability and growth. Jim Collins frequently contributes to Harvard Business Review, Business Week, Fortune and other magazines, journals, etc...
("Good to Great
Good to Great
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't is a 2001 management book by James C. Collins that aims to describe how companies transition from being average companies to great companies and how companies can fail to make the transition...
" and "Built to Last
Built to Last
Built to Last is the thirteenth and final studio album by the Grateful Dead. It was recorded between February 1 and October 20, 1989 and originally released on October 31, 1989....
"), and Mike Singletary
Mike Singletary
Michael "Mike" Singletary is an American football coach and former professional football player. He is currently the linebacker coach and assistant head coach for the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL....
(NFL Hall of Fame linebacker for the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
). The 2007 event featured live and taped sessions with Colin Powell
Colin Powell
Colin Luther Powell is an American statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army. He was the 65th United States Secretary of State, serving under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African American to serve in that position. During his military...
, Carly Fiorina
Carly Fiorina
Carly Fiorina is an American business executive and a former Republican candidate for the United States Senate representing California. Fiorina served as chief executive officer of Hewlett-Packard from 1999 to 2005 and previously was an executive at AT&T and its equipment and technology spinoff,...
, Floyd Flake, Marcus Buckingham
Marcus Buckingham
Marcus Buckingham is a British-American New York Times bestselling author, researcher, motivational speaker and business consultant best known for promoting what he calls "Strengths." Basing most of his writing on extensive survey data from interviews with workers in countries around the world, he...
, John Ortberg
John Ortberg
John Ortberg, Jr. is an evangelical Christian author, speaker, and senior pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in Menlo Park, California, an evangelical church with more than 4,000 members...
, Michael E. Porter (Harvard), Richard Curtis
Richard Curtis
Richard Whalley Anthony Curtis, CBE is a New Zealand-born British screenwriter, music producer, actor and film director, known primarily for romantic comedy films such as Four Weddings and a Funeral, Bridget Jones's Diary, Notting Hill, Love Actually and The Girl in the Café, as well as the hit...
(film producer) and Former President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
.
The Dec/Jan 2010 issue of Fast Company featured an article on Willow Creek and The Global Leadership Summit: How Willow Creek Is Leading Evangelicals by Learning from the Business World
In 2011, speakers included: Bill Hybels (Founder & Sr. Pastor of Willow Creek Community Church), Erwin McManus (Activist; Filmmaker; Cultural Architect of Mosiac), Michelle Rhee (Founder and CEO of StudentsFirst.org), Dr. Henry Cloud (Clinical Psychologist; Bestselling Author), Seth Godin (Bestselling Author; Squidoo Founder; Marketing Blogger), Rev. Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil (Speaker; Thought Leader; Founder & President of Salter McNeil & Assoc.), Len Schlesinger (President of Babson College), Steven Furtick (Lead Pastor of Elevation Church), John Dickson (Sr. Minister, St. Andrews Anglican Church in Sydney, Australia), Cory Booker (Mayor of Newark, NJ), and Mama Maggie Gobran (Founder & CEO, Stephen's Children Ministry; Nobel Peace Prize Nominee).
In 2011, Bill Hybels addressed a speaker change at the Summit.
Family
Hybels married his wife Lynne in May 1974, and has two adult children (Shauna and Todd) and two grandchildren. Lynne Hybels has been involved in Willow Creek's ministry partnerships in Latin America and currently serves as an advocate for those affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa. She is the author of Nice Girls Don't Change the World.Publications
Books which he has authored or made a contribution to include:(Bill Hybels Resource Page)
- Authenticity: Being Honest with God and Others (and Kevin Harney) (Zondervan, 2005) - ISBN 9780310265887
- Axiom: Powerful Leadership Proverbs (Zondervan, 2008) - ISBN 9780310272366
- Becoming a Contagious Christian (and Mark Mittelberg) (Zondervan, 1996) - ISBN 9780310210085
- Character: Reclaiming Six Endangered Qualities (and Kevin Harney) (Zondervan, 2005) - ISBN 9780310266020
- Commitment: Developing Deeper Devotion to Christ (and Kevin Harney) (Zondervan, 2005) - ISBN 0310265959
- Community: Building Relationships Within God's Family (and Kevin Harney) (Zondervan, 2005) - ISBN 0310265916
- Courageous Faith Through the Year (and Keri Wyatt Kent) (InterVarsity Press, 2004) - ISBN 9780830832941
- Courageous Leadership (Zondervan, 2002) - ISBN 9780310248231
- Descending Into Greatness (Zondervan, 1994) - ISBN 9780310544715
- Engraved on Your Heart: Living the Ten Commandments Day by Day (Cook Communications, 2000) - ISBN 0781433967
- Essential Christianity: Practical Steps for Spiritual Growth (and Kevin Harney) (Zondervan, 2005) - ISBN 9780310266044
- Finding God in the Storms of Life (Inter-varsity Press, 2002) - ISBN 9780830865468
- Fit to be Tied: Making Marriage Last a Lifetime (and Lynne Hybels) (Zondervan, 1993) - ISBN 9780310533719
- Fruit of the Spirit: Living the Supernatural Life (and Kevin Harney) (Zondervan, 2005) - ISBN 9780310265962
- Getting a Grip: Finding Balance in Your Daily Life (and Kevin Harney) (Zondervan, 2005) - ISBN 9780310266051
- Holy Discontent: Fueling the Fire That Ignites Personal Vision (Zondervan, 2007) - ISBN 9780310272281
- Honest to God? Becoming an Authentic Christian (Zondervan, 1992) - ISBN 9780310521815
- How to Hear God (InterVarsity Press, 1999) - ISBN 0830865594)
- James: Live Wisely (Zondervan, 1999) - ISBN 9780310227670
- Jesus: Seeing Him More Clearly (and Kevin Harney) (Zondervan, 2005) - ISBN 9780310265979
- Just Walk Across the Room: Simple Steps Pointing People to Faith (Zondervan, 2006) - ISBN 9780310266693
- Lessons on Love: Building Deeper Relationships (and Kevin Harney) Zondervan, 2005) - ISBN 0310265932
- Living in God's Power: Finding God's Strength for Life's Challenges (and Kevin Harney) (Zondervan, 2005) ISBN 0310266068
- Love in Action: Experiencing the Joy of Serving (and Kevin Harney) (Zondervan, 2005) - ISBN 9780310266075
- Making Life Work: Putting God's Wisdom Into Action (Inter-varsity Press, 1998) - ISBN 9780830817887
- Marriage: Building Real Intimacy (and Kevin Harney) (Zondervan, 2005) - ISBN 0310265894
- Meeting God: Psalms for the Highs and Lows of Life (and Kevin Harney) (Zondervan, 2005) - ISBN 9780310265993
- New Identity: Discovering Who You Are in Christ (and Kevin Harney) (Zondervan, 2005) - ISBN 0310265940
- Parenting: How to Raise Spiritually Healthy Kids (and Kevin Harney) (Zondervan, 2005) - ISBN 9780310265900
- 1 Peter: Stand Strong (Zondervan, 1999) - ISBN 9780310227731
- Philippians: Run the Race. (Zondervan, 1999) - ISBN 9780310233145
- Prayer: Opening Your Heart to God (and Kevin Harney) (Zondervan, 2005) - ISBN 9780310266006
- Reaching Out: Sharing God's Love Naturally (and Kevin Harney) (Zondervan, 2005) - ISBN 0310265924
- Rediscovering Church: The Story and Vision of Willow Creek Community Church (and Lynne Hybels) (Zondervan, 1997) - ISBN 9780310219279
- Revelation: Experience God's Power (Zondervan, 2001) - ISBN 0310228824)
- Romans: Find Freedom (Zondervan, 1999) - ISBN 9780310227656
- Sermon on the Mount 1: Connect with God (Zondervan, 2001) - ISBN 0310228832)
- Sermon on the Mount 2: Connect with Others (Zondervan, 2001) - ISBN 0310228840)
- Significance: Understanding God's Purpose for Your Life (and Kevin Harney) (Zondervan, 2005) - ISBN 0310266033
- The Pastor's Guide to Personal Spiritual Formation (and Reginald Johnson, Neil B. Wiseman) (Beacon Hill Press, 2004) - ISBN 083412209X)
- The Power of a Whisper: Hearing God, Having the Guts to Respond (Zondervan, 2010) - ISBN 9780310320746
- The Real Deal: Discover the Rewards of Authentic Relationships (and Kevin Harney) (Zondervan, 2005) - ISBN 0310266017
- The Real You (Zondervan, 1996) - ISBN 9780310206828
- The Volunteer Revolution (Zondervan, 2004) - ISBN 9780310252382
- Too Busy Not to Pray (InterVarsity Press, 1994) - ISBN 9780830820047
- Transformation: Letting God Change You from the Inside Out (and Kevin Harney) (Zondervan, 2005) - ISBN 9780310265986
- Transparency (Zondervan, 1997) - ISBN 9780310217152
- When Leadership and Discipleship Collide (Zondervan, 2007) ISBN 9780310283065
- Who You Are When No One's Looking (InterVarsity Press, 1995) - ISBN 9780830820030
Literature
- Rainer Schacke: Learning from Willow Creek? Cuvillier, Göttingen 2009, ISBN 978-3-86955-104-3