Craig Groeschel

Craig Groeschel is the founding and senior pastor of Oklahoma based megachurch Life.Church. He is also the champion of Willow Creek Community Church's Global Leadership Summit.

Mr. Groeschel interviewed Bill Hybels at a Catalyst one day conference at Willow Creek Community Church in November 2011. During that interview, Mr. Groeschel said to Mr. Hybels "One of the things that I'm so grateful for is what I do is easier because of what you did. You took so many bullets for the rest of us, with your years and years of wisdom." A bit later he said to Mr. Hybels "One of the things I think we all value and appreciate about you ... is you you've had 36 years of ministry with integrity, no scandals, no financial accusations, no moral missteps in the highest leadership." A bit later Mr. Groeschel said to Mr. Hybels "Bill--I would love--some people the closer you get the them, the more you don't hold them as in high esteem as you do from a distance. You're the opposite. The closer you get, the more you see what you'd hope you see. And not everybody will see this, but like I brought a little problem at home with the church right now and over dinner Bill stopped and prayed a long prayer for us, ... I honour that."

References

Coleman, K. & Lomenick, B. (2012). Bill Hybels and Craig Groeschel: Episode 183 [podcast]. Catalyst Podcast. https://www.meek.ly/leadership/catalyst-podcast/bill-hybels-and-craig-groeschel-episode-183

Global Leadership Network (2019, May 30). Craig Groeschel announced as champion of the global leadership summit. https://globalleadership.org/news-and-updates/craig-groeschel-announced-as-champion-of-the-global-leadership-summit/

Life Church (n.d.) Craig Groeschel. https://open.life.church/speakers/craig-groeschel