Comments on: Christianity Today Responds to Hybels Interview

By: Dwight

Dwight — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 20:52:17 +0000

To me it obvious that CT doesn’t get it or their motive was made very clear. It’s not about journalism – it about getting people to read and buy magazine. They know that a story about Willow saying what every green-with-envy Pastor wants to hear will sell magazines. I’ve read my last CT.

By: Scott Cheatham

Scott Cheatham — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:05:52 +0000

I don’t believe Shelley’s use of the phrase “repent too” meant that he was implying that Hybels “repented”. It seems that the flow of his response implied that as the story is “in process”, they are reporting the changes as stated and if their facts are wrong, they will “repent too”. It was added by Shelley as an additional act, not as a tit-for-tat.

I love Hybels’ stuff too and am not anti-Willow. I think more to the point of what happened here was that Willow indeed pointed to a need in their structure (which they apparently feel is glaring) and that need was focused on by many reporting agencies as opposed to the larger percentage of their ministry.

Do I think CT is guilty of bad journalism? No, not in the least. As Shelley stated, nobody reads a story to hear that something is staying as is. Reporting that changes are coming from Willow, however minor or major, is newsworthy in the field to which CT reports.

Thanks for posting this Tony.

By: Steven Gibbs

Steven Gibbs — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 21:47:12 +0000

Repent, “too.” That seems to imply that Hybels repented, which is not how I heard the interview. He actually referred to the use of repent as “unfortunate.”

By: Ron Edmondson

Ron Edmondson — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 18:46:47 +0000

Thanks for bringing this article to our attention. Love your blog.