Our Mission

We are here to help people take next steps to:

Love God. Love people. Change the world.

Love God

Matthew 22:37-38 – “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.”

Love people.

Matthew 22:39 – “And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Change the world.

Matthew 28:19–20 – “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

Our Vision

Willow Creek is a multi-generational, multi-ethnic multiplying movement of Christ followers passionate about worshiping Jesus, growing in faith, sharing our lives & faith with others, reaching people who don’t have a relationship with God, and blessing our communities and world through our transformed lives & radical generosity.

Our God-sized vision can only be accomplished by prayerfully seeking God, partnering where He is already at work, learning, and innovating as we develop leaders, launch campuses, and plant churches throughout Chicagoland and the world.

As a church, we are all about...

Following Jesus—complete dependence on Him
(John 12:26, Mark 8:34, Galatians 5:25)
  • We rely on the Holy Spirit and seek God’s direction in all we do
  • We engage in spiritual disciplines daily
  • We pray regularly
  • We reflect Christ in our interactions with one another
Loving People—everyone matters to God
(Luke 5:30-32, Luke 15)
  • We help people find and follow Jesus
  • We are known by what we are for, not what we are against
  • We care for the hurting and broken
  • We serve others even when it’s not convenient
Taking Next Steps—becoming, not arriving
(Colossians 2:6-7, 2 Peter 1:5-8, James 1:22-25)
  • We believe everyone has a next step
  • We take responsibility for our own growth and development
  • We are always in a posture of learning
  • We practice empathy, patience, and grace for each other’s journeys
Growing Younger—elevating the next generation
(Psalm 145:4, Deuteronomy 6:6-9, 1 Timothy 4:12)
  • We believe no one is too young to lead, and no one is too old to learn
  • We celebrate our investment in kids and students
  • We are always seeking apprentices and looking to replace ourselves
  • We program to serve a multi-generational congregation
Being Authentic—bringing all of who we are
(I Sam 16:7, Romans 8:1-2, Eph 2:10)
  • We seek to continuously grow in self-awareness
  • We don’t expect perfection — we welcome questions and doubts
  • We value people over product
  • We offer God our best, most creative work – and leave the results to Him

Next Steps

Welcome to Willow

Welcome to Willow is for anyone who wants to learn more about who we are as a church family and how to get connected. If you are new to Willow, or maybe you have been attending for a while but are not connected in community, you don’t want to miss this two-week experience. You’ll get to meet our pastors, hear first hand about how God is working in and through our church, and discover how God might be inviting you to take a next step in your spiritual journey.

Learn More Here!

Baptism and Communion

Willow Creek observes two biblical sacraments rooted in the actions and teachings of Jesus Christ: Baptism and Communion. These sacraments represent both the individual, inward commitment to a personal relationship with Jesus and the corporate, outward sign of being connected to a local community of Christ followers—the local church.

Learn more about BaptismLearn more about Communion

Core Beliefs

Willow Creek’s core beliefs describe our theological positions on key aspects of faith. Centered in Christ and His message, ours is a biblical theology rather than a theology that is speculative, subjective, or merely rooted in tradition. These beliefs are derived directly from Scripture (both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible).

 

View our Core Beliefs