An evangelical megachurch founder who advised Bill Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky scandal has abruptly resigned in the wake of sexual harassment allegations.

The Rev. Bill Hybels, 66, stepped down on Tuesday night as leader of Willow Creek Community Church in the Chicago suburb of South Barrington, one of the largest churches in the US with over 26,000 regular attendees.

The resignation, six moths ahead of Hybels' planned retirement in October, follows published reports of church investigations into the pastor's alleged sexual misconduct. Those investigations cleared Hybels of wrongdoing and he spoke out to deny the claims.

The alleged behavior included suggestive comments, extended hugs, an unwanted kiss and invitations to hotel rooms, according to the Chicago Tribune report. It also included an allegation of a prolonged consensual affair with a married woman who later said her claim about the affair was not true.

'As Lynne and I have watched this, it has been extremely painful for us to see this controversy continue to be a distraction that is hindering our Elders and church staff,' Hybels said in a statement announcing his retirement, referring to his wife of 43 years.

Willow Creek Community Church Senior Pastor Bill Hybels announces his resignation on Tuesday night in South Barrington, Illinois

Hybels, sixth from left, and other church leaders pray before the congregation on Tuesday in a 'Family Meeting' where Hybels resigned amid a cloud of misconduct allegations

Hybels leaves the stage after announcing his early retirement effective immediately

The church, seen in a file photo, is one of the largest in the US with over 26,000 weekly attendees. The community has been rocked by published reports of harassment claims

'While some of the stories that have been told about me are misleading and others are entirely false, and while investigations have found no evidence of misconduct, I have been sobered by these accusations,' Hybels said.

The pastor also apologized for reacting to the allegations with anger, and for any past interactions that may have unintentionally offended others.

'I too often placed myself in situations that would have been far wiser to avoid. I was, at times, naive about the dynamics those situations created. I'm sorry for the lack of wisdom on my part,' he said.

The resignation came days after two women spoke out, saying that the church's representation of its investigation to the public was misleading.

Vonda Dyer, a former leader within the church, on Sunday expanded on her claims in the Tribune report by writing a lengthy personal blog post.

In a hotel room in Sweden in 1998, Hybels 'put his hands on my waist, moved one hand to caress my stomach and kissed me on the lips,' before she stopped him and left, Dyer claims.

Hybels founded the church in 1975. He has previously spoken out to deny the allegations and did so again despite his abrupt resignation on Tuesday night

Betty Schmidt, an elder at Willow Creek for over 30 years, also issued a statement saying that her testimony supporting Dyer's claims had been misconstrued by Willow Creek leaders in public statements.

'It has been very disturbing to hear my words from the meeting with the WC elders become twisted, added to and extrapolated from,' Schmidt wrote.

Hybels founded Willow Creek in 1975, first meeting in a rented theater in Palatine, Illinois.

The church grew over the years to one of the largest in the US, and Hybels became a spiritual advisor to presidents, including Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

Hybels (left) is seen praying with then-President Bill Clinton in a picture taken June, 6 1995 at the White House. He would go on to serve as Clinton's spiritual advisor through impeachment

Congregants in the church for Tuesday evening's 'Family Meeting' seemed stunned at Hybels' announcement.

One of them, Jim Tofilon told the Tribune that he believes Hybels was a victim of the #MeToo bandwagon.

'It's very destructive,' said Tofilon, who has attended the church since 1991. 'It worked. It destroyed an old man's life. Nothing good came out of it. I hope people making the accusations feel satisfied.'

Heather Larson, the church's executive pastor, will take over as chief executive of the megachurch while Steve Carter will become the lead teaching pastor, effective immediately.