Mt. Vernon | In every room of a newly renovated building, tour guide Paula Joy stops to tell visitors the meaning behind the art on the wall. Each creation has a scriptural foundation. As Joy reads the passages, her voice breaks. “I cry in every room,” she said, laughing while she wipes away tears. The […]
Deciding factors that drive Christians to the polls
Heading into the 2020 election, the role of religious belief among the electorate is making previously predictable voter blocs less predictable, especially as issues concerning the COVID-19 pandemic, race, civil unrest, and the Supreme Court have erupted. Still, both parties and their presidential candidates are counting on the faith-based voters they have traditionally garnered, with […]
New life on campus: Collegiate church celebrates first baptisms
On the shore of Lake Michigan on a Sunday in June, Jeff Bi compared his life to a car. When he was in the driver’s seat, said Bi, a student at the University of Chicago, the side mirrors were gone and the doors were off the hinges. But giving the wheel to Jesus, he said, […]
News Stories
IBSA, Southwestern Seminary partner for women’s training
Southwestern Seminary has launched a new Women’s Leadership Institute to offer a variety of certificate programs for women serving in any ministry, leadership, or life context—and Illinois Baptists are partnering with the program. “All believers, including women, should be lifelong learners and lifelong teachers,” said Terri Stovall, dean of women and professor of women’s ministries. […]
SCOTUS confirmation could focus on faith
President Donald Trump’s announcement Sept. 27 that he will nominate Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court brought into sharper focus a reason that evangelicals supported the Republican in his first campaign—a president’s influence on the federal courts. After a slow start, the Trump administration’s nominations to federal benches picked up speed. The […]
Registration now open for IBSA Annual Meeting
The Illinois Baptist State Association is encouraging messengers to the Nov. 4 IBSA Annual Meeting to register by Oct. 16, so planners can make arrangements for social distancing and other COVID-19 prevention measures. A letter was sent to churches in early September with instructions for registering online or by mail. Questions about registration may be […]
Illinois teams fuel storm response
DeRidder, La. | Sharon and Glen Carty got to Louisiana on Labor Day. When they left two weeks later, they were hauling a generator that helped served nearly 80,000 meals to residents affected by Hurricane Laura. The generator, shared by several states and housed in Illinois, powered a mobile kitchen unit in DeRidder, La. It […]
Encouraging Words
Leadership disrupted
Read: Daniel 1:1-21 These days feel unprecedented, but they’re not new to God or his people. There’s comfort in that. Knowing God has taken his people to and through disruptive days before provides us with reassurance that he will do the same for you and me now. Pastors, ministry leaders, and parents: how do you […]
Who’s in your boat?
Jesus had spent all day teaching the crowds through parables. In what probably was a more tiring task in a more private setting, he explained those parables to his disciples. At the end of the day, he was tired and needed a break from the crowds. So at his insistence, they got into a boat […]