Willow Creek Church is a Christian mega-church with seven locations in the Chicago area, as well as a television ministry.

The church was founded by Bill Hybels and Dave Holmbo, who together led South Park Church's large youth ministry. In October of 1975, the new church leased the Willow Creek Theater in Palatine, Illinois. Led by Hybels, the church's service and programs were initially directed toward youth, employing music, drama, and biblical preaching.

Within a few years, attendance had grown to more than two thousand. In 1977, the church bought ninety acres of undeveloped land in South Barrington and built an auditorium that opened in 1981. Since that time, expansion doubled the size of the auditorium, creating a worship center able to accommodate up to seven thousand people.

Willow Creek has three-weekend services and a midweek service on Wednesdays, with an average attendance of twenty-six thousand, and it now has seven locations, including a Spanish-speaking congregation. Willow Church has a multi-generational membership today, although its programs for youth is not diminished.

Its regional congregations have their own worship teams, student ministries, children's programs, and campus pastoral teams. Its main message is videocast from its South Barrington campus.

Despite its large membership, Willow Creek's model for church development utilizes hundreds of small groups that focus on different needs, including seeker groups, discipleship groups, family groups, age groups, and other common interest groups. Known as sections, these groups are encouraged to sit together during worship services, allowing for closer member relationships, allowing for some of the benefits of a small church within a large congregation.

Evangelism is considered the responsibility of the entire congregation, and not just the paid staff. Its doctrine is largely evangelical Protestant.

Willow Creek holds that the Bible is the sole basis for Christian belief. Scripture originated with God, who revealed it to the chosen authors. Scripture is the final authority, and no other writings are similarly inspired.. Where Scripture is silent, believers should seek guidance from God, for whom he or she is responsible.

There is one God, who exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The central purpose of God's revelation is to call people to fellowship with Him. Mankind was created to be in a relationship with God. However, with Adam and Eve, mankind chose to go its own way, which has resulted in alienation from God.

Salvation is through the grace of God and not through human works.

Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, became fully human through miraculous conception and virgin birth. He lived a sinless life, voluntarily paid the price for the sins of mankind by dying on the cross. After His death, Christ rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, where He sits at the right hand of the Father. One day, He will return to earth to fulfill history and the plan of God.

Believers, in a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, are expected to live a life of holiness and obedience, submitting to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Sent by the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit indwells each believer upon salvation and becomes their source of assurance, strength, and wisdom. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the believer is empowered to live a Christ-like life, bearing fruit for the glory of God.

Upon death, the eternal destiny of a human being is sealed. The dead will be resurrected bodily and judged. Unbelievers will suffer condemnation apart from God, while believers will be rewarded with eternal communion with God.

Willow Creek observes the sacraments of baptism and communion.

The church believes in the baptism of believers. While immersion in water is the preferred mode of baptism, the church may agree to sprinkle based on strong personal preference or on a compelling reason or disability. Infant dedications are performed, but not baptisms.

Communion is for believers only, but a believer is not required to be a member of Willow Creek Church in order to partake.

Through the Willow Creek Association, the church is adopting most of the elements of a denominational identity. Besides its own campuses, there are about eight thousand congregations in the Association, some of which also hold denominational affiliations.

This category is focused on Willow Creek Church, its campuses, associations, or affiliated programs, ministries, organizations, or corporations. Informational sites may also be submitted to this category if the focus is on Willow Creek's ministries.

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