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Straight From The Horses Mouth

Posted Mar 5 2010 by Jonathan Brink in , , with 16 Comments

A guy I follow offered the following quote from Bill Hybels.  I don’t have the exact source but I have to believe it is true.

“The local church is the hope of the world, and its future rests primarily in the hands of its leaders.” – Bill Hybals

Do you buy that statement?

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About the Author

Jonathan BrinkI am an business development and communications consultant. I am also the senior editor and publisher for Civitas Press. I recently published, Discovering The God Imagination: Reconstructing A Whole, New Christianity. (Civitas, 2011)View all posts by Jonathan Brink →

  • fredshope

    I've always had problems with that statement, even when the church I was in was trying to re-invent itself as a mini Willow Creek. Jesus is the only hope of this world. That hope should be embodied by the Church, but even that is not limited to any particular local assembly.

  • fredshope

    I've always had problems with that statement, even when the church I was in was trying to re-invent itself as a mini Willow Creek. Jesus is the only hope of this world. That hope should be embodied by the Church, but even that is not limited to any particular local assembly.

  • http://jonathanbrink.com Jonathan Brink

    I have a Masters in Org Leadership and it still bristles against me. I just think its very disempowering to the people listening.

  • http://jonathanbrink.com Jonathan Brink

    I have a Masters in Org Leadership and it still bristles against me. I just think its very disempowering to the people listening.

  • sarooney

    Jesus is the hope of the world. If it's the local church, God help us all. ;)

  • sarooney

    Jesus is the hope of the world. If it's the local church, God help us all. ;)

  • brambonius

    did Hybels say that? That's a dangerous statement, and it puts a lot of burden on the shoulders of those poor leaders… We all should incarnate the Kingdom and be the church I guess… And leaders should be the ones coaching us to grow more in discipleship. So that we all together can be the hope of the world and Jesus' feet and hands in this broken creation. But in the end Jesus, the Christ is the hope of the world…

  • brambonius

    did Hybels say that? That's a dangerous statement, and it puts a lot of burden on the shoulders of those poor leaders… We all should incarnate the Kingdom and be the church I guess… And leaders should be the ones coaching us to grow more in discipleship. So that we all together can be the hope of the world and Jesus' feet and hands in this broken creation. But in the end Jesus, the Christ is the hope of the world…

  • http://manofdepravity.com Tyler Braun

    I've heard him say the first half of that quote TONS of times, but never the 2nd half. I would say if it is true, it is probably from a leadership summit conference, which would provide a little better context.

  • http://manofdepravity.com Tyler Braun

    I've heard him say the first half of that quote TONS of times, but never the 2nd half. I would say if it is true, it is probably from a leadership summit conference, which would provide a little better context.

  • http://www.kinnon.tv kinnon

    I wouldn't buy it, but could I rent it for the weekend? :-)

    I will not question Hybels' heart, but I am convinced Bill and the WCA have hastened the decline of the church in the west – overemphasizing leaders rather than the priesthood of all believers.

  • http://www.kinnon.tv kinnon

    I wouldn't buy it, but could I rent it for the weekend? :-)

    I will not question Hybels' heart, but I am convinced Bill and the WCA have hastened the decline of the church in the west – overemphasizing leaders rather than the priesthood of all believers.

  • http://openmindedconversations.blogspot.com/ jshmueller

    No, I don't agree with the way Bill Hybels worded it. But I think it's worthwhile exploring the significance of sound ecclesiology and the role and impact of leaders within the local congregation. So I'd rather word it this way:

    The hope of the world is Jesus. The primary agents to bring Jesus to the world are the members of the body of Christ. And the leaders within the local church are playing a key role in motivating and equipping those members to do just that.

  • http://openmindedconversations.blogspot.com/ jshmueller

    No, I don't agree with the way Bill Hybels worded it. But I think it's worthwhile exploring the significance of sound ecclesiology and the role and impact of leaders within the local congregation. So I'd rather word it this way:

    The hope of the world is Jesus. The primary agents to bring Jesus to the world are the members of the body of Christ. And the leaders within the local church are playing a key role in motivating and equipping those members to do just that.

  • Davidlitwin11

    I believe it is possible, if the church focuses it effort on influencing its members to positive change, both socially (if not more important) and evangelistically. The church is the catalyst for impact through its membership – not through its teaching, and CERTAINLY not through its morality. This is because there is no other domain in which everyone from the major Spheres of influence gather on a week to week basis with (hopefully) the same heart. Should the church mobilize its congregation across all the vocational domains (arts, sciences, education, media, medicine, etc) for Christ-Like cultural transformation, it would become the hope of the world. Not through its words… but through its actions. The polarization of Morality will, and is producing the exact opposite in our culture today.

    I agree, Jesus is the hope of the world, but people see Jesus through the lives and actions of His ambassadors. 

  • Davidlitwin11

    I believe it is possible, if the church focuses it effort on influencing its members to positive change, both socially (if not more important) and evangelistically. The church is the catalyst for impact through its membership – not through its teaching, and CERTAINLY not through its morality. This is because there is no other domain in which everyone from the major Spheres of influence gather on a week to week basis with (hopefully) the same heart. Should the church mobilize its congregation across all the vocational domains (arts, sciences, education, media, medicine, etc) for Christ-Like cultural transformation, it would become the hope of the world. Not through its words… but through its actions. The polarization of Morality will, and is producing the exact opposite in our culture today.

    I agree, Jesus is the hope of the world, but people see Jesus through the lives and actions of His ambassadors. 

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