Updates

Dave told the Elders last fall that he felt his time as the senior pastor was coming to a close and that he wanted to work with them on a transition that continues to build momentum in our church.

Dave shares more about his decision in the video above, and we support him as he discerns what’s next for this season of his life. Dave has served well for five years, and we are grateful for how he has led through a critical season, brought stability, and helped unify our church.

We understand that leadership transitions often raise questions, and it’s natural to wonder if there’s more behind the decision. In this case, Dave has faithfully served as a senior pastor for many years, and after five years at Willow, he discerned that this was the right time to step into a new season.  There is no scandal, moral failure, or forced resignation, just a leader faithfully seeking God’s direction for what’s next.

You can learn more about the process in the video above. The Elder Board led the process with assistance from an outside hiring firm to ensure appropriate benchmarking and a thorough review.  The Elder Board was committed to a prayerful, comprehensive, and rigorous process that took five months and included:

• A review of Shawn’s current Willow engagement and teaching
• A multi-level assessment conducted by an outside hiring firm
• Multiple interviews with all members of the Elder Board about Shawn’s story, qualifications; alignment and commitment to Willow’s beliefs, mission, and values; and ability to fulfill the job description with excellence
• A family Interview
• A theological assessment with two theologians
• A psychological assessment

After follow-up interviews and review, the Elders fasted before voting. Our governance model requires a unanimous vote for the Senior Pastor to be affirmed, and all nine members of the Elder Board were unanimous in their decision.

Being the senior pastor at Willow Creek is a unique role that requires a multi-faceted skillset. We believe in the power of teams and don’t expect a single individual to do everything; however, for this role, we were looking for someone who had:

• A strong love for Jesus and His church
• A minimum of a Masters in Theology from an accredited institution
• Alignment with and the ability to promote Willow’s DNA
• A love and theological understanding of God’s Word with the ability to communicate its truth effectively
• Demonstrated character in living a Christ-like life
• Experience and giftedness in leading a church of our size
• A heart for evangelism and discipleship

Shawn was the only internal candidate the Elders initiated a process with. They consulted with experts in the pastoral recruiting field to calibrate Shawn against other potential external candidates. At that point, the Elders determined to move forward with Shawn as an internal candidate before moving to an external search.

Shawn became the South Barrington Campus Pastor in 2020, aligned with Willow’s vision and direction, and is excited to build on the foundation and continue to gain momentum! Dave, Shawn, and Willow’s leadership have been dreaming about the 50th anniversary and beyond and look forward to sharing more later this year.

Dave is staying on staff and will continue teaching on the weekends through July 31.

Dave is looking forward to a time of rest and discernment. He has always had a heart for entrepreneurship, whether that be in church planting or the business world. He is excited to explore some of those other passion areas and is prayerfully considering what God may have for him next.

While Shawn will continue to teach from South Barrington on the weekends, we are looking to hire a South Barrington Campus Pastor to help lead the staff and pastor the congregation. We hope to find someone as soon as possible!

When Dave departs, Shawn will increase his teaching responsibilities and teach more frequently. The remaining weekends will be filled with Megan Marshman, guest teachers, and other members of the Willow staff.

We will share more about ways to thank and honor Dave this summer!

We encourage and invite you to be praying for Dave, Shawn, their families, and our staff. We are beginning an intentional 21 Days of Prayer on March 30 to align our prayer focuses as we head into Easter. Simply download the Willow app and turn your notifications on to receive those prayer prompts. You can also download the prayer guide here here.

More specifically, you can pray for:

• Dave, Rachel, and their family:
  • That they would see the impact they’ve made at Willow and feel our gratitude.
  • God’s blessing and guidance as they step into a new chapter.
  • A smooth leadership transition and handoff.
  • Strength and emotional well-being during the change.
• Shawn, Lindsay, and their family:
  • For continued confirmation and encouragement as Shawn assumes a new role.
  • Strength, wisdom, and rest as they lead.
• The Willow staff and congregation:
  • For unity and peace within the church during the transition.
  • For faith and trust in God’s plan for the church’s future.
  • For protection from division, gossip, and negativity.
• For Willow’s future:
  • For continued growth, health, and impact in our community.
  • For a fresh movement of God throughout this Easter season and into the future.