It started as a weekday worship service to their community, then it exploded as migrants arrived in Chicago. “We’re riding the wave,” Pastor Nick Kim said of the swell of new residents who turned out for a Wednesday morning service. Kim referred to the surfing language used by famed pastor and church planter Henry Blackaby […]
Baptists reach the world as it comes to our cities and our front porches
The call to reach all nations, people, languages, and tribes with the gospel has always united Southern Baptists. Today that call includes reaching other nations that come to North American soil. With a renewed commitment to assist churches in connecting with internationals close by, the International Mission Board, North American Mission Board, Send Relief, and […]
Prayer tour highlights people groups
Chicagoland Baptists traveled to five ministry locations for the annual “Prayer Bus Tour” in February. We asked that the Lord would “make us a blessing” as we prayed with and for pastors, churches, and their communities. (Watch the Facebook Reel to see photos from the Prayer Bus Tour.) 1. At the Orland Park campus of […]
Southern Baptists unite to serve diaspora peoples in U.S.
The call to reach all nations, people, languages and tribes with the gospel has always united Southern Baptists. Today that call includes reaching other nations that come to North American soil. With a renewed commitment to assist churches in connecting with internationals close by, the International Mission Board, North American Mission Board, Send Relief and […]
Iorg nomination is a game-changer
Nashville, Tenn. | If Southern Baptists believed in the “Hail Mary” pass—that long bomb to the endzone that, if caught, just might save the game—this would be ours. Jeff Iorg will be nominated to head the beleaguered SBC Executive Committee after two and one-half years without a permanent President and CEO. The surprise announcement came […]
CP: Teach the children well
As the Cooperative Program turns 100 in 2025, now is a good time to consider our plans for passing the baton. The generations that grew up with unified, systematic missions giving are aging and passing from the scene. The people coming into positions of leadership in many churches may not know as much about CP […]
SBC abuse reform efforts energized by latest announcement
Nashville, Tenn. | The incorporation papers for Abuse Response Commission — a new 501(C)(3) organization — are prepped and ready to be submitted in South Carolina. With ARC comes a permanent home for abuse reform in the SBC, according to members of the Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force participating in a Feb. 20 news conference […]
SBC EC handles variety of business items, recommends disaffiliations
Nashville, Tenn. | On its final day of meetings, members of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) Executive Committee (EC) approved a recommended $190,250,000 Cooperative Program allocation budget for the upcoming 2024–25 fiscal year. The proposed budget is down $5 million from the current 2023–24 budget year. Budget recommendations will go to messengers for approval at […]
Abuse in the SBC
With SATF recommendations approved, the hard part begins
“The recommendations before you are not from Guidepost, they are from the task force,” Bruce Frank, chairman of the Sexual Abuse Task Force told messengers as they prepared to vote on a set of history-making recommendations at the SBC Annual Meeting June 14-15 in Anaheim, Calif. The task force was assigned and authorized by action […]
IBSA President on abuse response: From difficulties to determination
A 288-page report on any subject is daunting, but as a Southern Baptist, pastor, and president of IBSA, I felt a responsibility to keep the report open all last week and slowly read through it. I made notes and wrote down personal thoughts, and as I reviewed them afterwards, I was surprised to discover a […]
Former Illinois pastor accused; two relationships occurred in youth ministry in 2002
Former Illinois pastor Wes Feltner is accused by two women of abusive relationships, one of them sexual, when he was their youth minister in Indiana 17 years ago. The charges came to light as Feltner is lead candidate for the pastorate of First Baptist Church of Clarksville, Tennessee. The story was reported by the Clarksville […]
Longtime Chicago pastor resigns; sexual abuse prior to ministry among reasons
Charles Lyons resigned as pastor of Armitage Baptist Church in Chicago following what church leaders called a “corrective leave of absence” that began in October 2018. Read…
Resources
- Protect your children, protect your church https://www.ibsa.org/3327-2/
- Caring Well https://caringwell.com/
News Stories
Growing immigrant populations
With 1.8 million residents born outside the United States—that’s 14% of its population—Illinois has more chances than most states to reach the peoples of the world starting right here. Going to the ends of the earth has never been easier, as the people from the ends of the earth are coming here. Consider this example […]
Two more in race for SBC president
Two more candidates appear likely to be nominated for SBC President at the 2024 Annual Meeting in Indianapolis. It’s now a four-man race. Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary professor David Allen pastored in Texas for two decades before joining the Memphis-based independent school. He outlined a three-point platform: focus on evangelism, support for passage of the […]
Remembering June Whitlow
June Whitlow, former senior associate executive director of national Woman’s Missionary Union, died Feb. 20. She was 86. Born in Arkansas and raised in Illinois, she was a member of every WMU age-level missions discipleship group in her local church. Her father was a Baptist minister, and her mother actively served in local, associational, and […]
DOJ concludes Executive Committee investigation; ‘no further action’
Nashville, Tenn. | The U.S. Department of Justice has concluded its investigation of the SBC Executive Committee, Southern Baptist leaders learned Feb. 29. In a statement today, Jonathan Howe, interim SBC EC president/CEO, said the DOJ has told the EC’s legal counsel there is “no further action to be taken.” Email requests for comment from […]