Bill Hybels

William Carlton Hybels (born December 12, 1951) is the founding pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois, which he led from its 1975 launch until his resignation in April 2018. Under his leadership Willow Creek became one of the largest and most-imitated churches in North America, and the Willow Creek Association (now the Global Leadership Network) trained hundreds of thousands of pastors worldwide in the seeker-sensitive model.

Hybels resigned amid sexual misconduct allegations from multiple women that an independent review later found credible. The Willow Creek board acknowledged in 2018 that prior denials had been wrong and apologized. His pre-resignation books on leadership, evangelism, and church growth remain in wide circulation but are now read in light of subsequent revelations about his pastoral conduct.