Chicago Megachurch Founder Steps Down After Sexual Misconduct Claims

The founder of one of the country's most influential megachurches has stepped down after he was accused of a string of sexual abuses with women in his congregation which spanned decades. Reverend Bill Hybels founded the Willow Creek Community Church in 1975—it now hosts 25,000 worshippers every weekend. Hybels served as a spiritual adviser to President Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky scandal. The reverend denied allegations of sexual misconduct reported by the Chicago Tribune last month. He was cleared after a church investigation, but decided to bid a tearful farewell to his congregation. "It has been extremely painful for Lynne [his wife] and I to see this controversy continue to be a distraction.” Hybels said. “I too often placed myself in situations that would have been far wiser to avoid... I was naive about the dynamics those situations created… I commit to never putting myself into similar situations again.”