Hold GLN Accountable
GLN used its resources and influence to DARVO Bill Hybels' Victims
August is Clergy Sex Abuse Awareness Month. Last week, on the first day of Global Leadership Summit 2023, I launched this petition to hold Global Leadership Network ("GLN")(formerly Willow Creek Association) accountable for its leadership failures regarding Bill Hybels' sexual abuse of women under his pastoral care, or in his employment, or both. Some believe that GLN has done all it needs to do regarding its founders' sexual violence against women. Here, I argue that GLN's actions have been shallow and performative and little to nothing has changed in its culture.
GLN's actions have been shallow and performative.
Immediately apparent is the naming of David Ashcraft, a Hybels mentee, as president of GLN. However, Ashcraft's appointment is only the tip of the iceberg revealed in this press release.
As reported in the Chicago Tribune, GLN used its influence and resources to reach out to host sites in 2018 when speakers and host sites were dropping the event. "The association sent sales representatives to churches to convince them to remain host sites. One pastor, a longtime host of the summit who did not want to be identified for fear of damaging the church's relationship with the association, said the salesman insisted the women had a vendetta against Hybels and lied.” The August 7, 2018, article exposes two truths about GLN. First, they took the age-old tack of disbelieving women and protecting their leader. Second, there is some level of fear of GLN leadership when a host cannot identify themselves when speaking to a journalist about what messages GLN was passing behind the scenes.
they took the well-worn path of disbelieving women
It is known that GLN has never apologized to the women whose reputation and lives it so callously damaged in order to save the show in 2018. Many survivors of sexual abuse say that worse than the initial sexual violence they experienced was the secondary abuse from the community which should have protected them. GLN re-traumatized Hybels’ victims when it used its network to DARVO them. Although Christian ethics and contemporary secular standards would include going beyond their efforts in harming to repair the damage they have done, GLN has engaged in institutional betrayal and impression management1, effectively declaring “The Show Must Go On!” and that Survivors, their lives, and their families, do not matter.
they said, “The Show Must Go On!”
GLN has a sexual abuse problem that is not fully understood and cannot be solved until fully countenanced. Gil Bilezekian sexually assaulted and committed clergy sex abuse against Anne Lindbergh. Bill Hybels sexually harassed, assaulted and or abused multiple women over decades. Lastly, although I have not named him, GLN has been instrumental in the platforming of my clergy sex abuser. ‘Pastor’ was one of many mentored by Bill Hybels. Unfortunately for me, Hybels’ mentoring of my abuser was not limited to how to build a multi-site church.
Sexual violence is in the very DNA of GLN. The consequences of this sexual violence in the lives of the victims of the men GLN has platformed is the true legacy of GLN.
Perpetuation of sexual violence is the true legacy of GLN.
Please sign and share prolifically. Our work is only beginning.
Mullen, Wade. Impression Management Strategies Used by Evangelical Organizations in the Wake of an Image-Threatening Event. Lancaster Bible College, 2018.