“It’s been at least ten years since we held VBS,” said Mark Jones, Associate Pastor of Uptown Baptist Church in Chicago. That’s all going to change this July when the church takes their next step toward reengaging children and young families. When pastor Nick Kim came to Uptown in February 2021, he quickly realized something […]
Effective teachers ask: What do learners need?
“Jack, I want to do something else,” a new kindergarten teacher told me. “I’m ready to quit.” “But you’ve only been teaching three weeks,” I replied, “and you were so gung-ho. What happened?” “I don’t know, but the kids are off doing their own thing most of the time,” she said. “It’s just not working.” […]
Former IMB missionaries encourage churches to go global again
You might say mission trips are suffering from “long Covid,” that extended version of the illness that takes months or longer for some of its victims to overcome. Most aspects of church life are getting back to “normal” two years after the pandemic shut down worship services and youth ministries and small groups, but missions […]
News Stories
Banding together for Bibles
“Everyone agreed—it was worth the time and effort to make Bibles available to anyone who needed or wanted one,” Pastor Brian Fuller said. Fuller spent much of the 1980’s and 90’s as a Contemporary Christian music (CCM) artist. Now as pastor of First Baptist Church of Woodlawn, Fuller recently picked up a mic again for […]
Green arrested on grooming charge
Keith D. Green, a substitute teacher from Ashmore, was arrested May 17 by Mattoon Police on a charge of grooming. Green briefly served as pastor at two Illinois churches more than four years ago. Mattoon Community School District #2 notified police of the allegation that Green had contacted a female under age 17 using an […]
SBC presidential candidates discuss issues during livestreamed forum
The three announced candidates for president of the Southern Baptist Convention shared their views on current issues facing the denomination in a forum held May 4 in Texas. Tom Ascol, Bart Barber and Robin Hadaway have declared their intention to be nominated to lead the SBC after current SBC President Ed Litton announced in early […]
Possible overturn of Roe draws renewed pro-life commitment in Illinois
The May 2 leak of a draft U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson that would overturn Roe v. Wade continues to reverberate across the country. In Illinois, a state where abortion has been codified into law, elected officials have reacted strongly even though abortion’s legality would remain the status quo. But pro-life leaders […]
Encouraging Words
Frozen in motion
Overwhelm. I think that’s my word so far for 2022. Last year began as a year of weary, needing change. My husband was jobless. We lived in a one-bedroom apartment with our toddler. My work was remote, and our lifestyle was very limited. But this year the changes are hitting me hard. None of these […]
Personal resurrection
Matthew 28 takes us to the first Sunday morning after the crucifixion. Two days prior, the disciples and friends of Jesus had witnessed his brutal execution and saw his body placed in the tomb. Many of them had restructured their lives in order to follow Jesus. They had found pride in being a part of […]
Leaders
Ministering to immigrants
Jared Pryer of Ten Mile Baptist Church once expressed to me a burden that God laid on his heart. He explained the overwhelming need of ministering to hundreds of migrant workers who would travel to Southern Illinois and work for three months, before heading back to their home countries. They would come, work, and go […]