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Uptown Baptist Church

Uptown Church plans first VBS in 10 years

“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 […]

What do learners need?

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.” […]

A mission team stages a colorful carnival of fun in Brazil.

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 […]

Abuse in the SBC

Former Illinois pastor accused; two relationships occurred in youth ministry in 2002

Illinois Baptist Staff

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

Illinois Baptist Staff

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…

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News Stories

Brian Fuller "Covered" CD

Banding together for Bibles

Illinois Baptist Staff

“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

Illinois Baptist Staff

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 […]

Bart Barber, Robin Hadaway, and Tom Ascol. Taken from panel discussion video. (TBP)

SBC presidential candidates discuss issues during livestreamed forum

Carrie McWhorter

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 […]

Unidentified participants at the 16th annual Walk for Life marching down Market street holding pro life signs and banners.

Possible overturn of Roe draws renewed pro-life commitment in Illinois

Lisa Misner

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

Leah Honnen

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

Jonathan de la O

Ministering to immigrants

Jonathan de la O

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 […]

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Featured Columns

Nate Adams

Hope set high

Nate Adams

Have you ever set out with high hopes, only to find things not working out as you expected? Should that happen even in church and in ministry? Last summer our son Noah and his family moved from the Chicago suburbs where he was a pastor to the front range of the Colorado mountains and a […]

Meredith Flynn

Brighter Day: Small seasons

Meredith Flynn

My family will soon celebrate the end of an era for our youngest daughter. Molly and her classmates will walk across the stage and receive their diplomas, marking the end of preschool and the beginning of their elementary years. Some preschools even dress graduates in miniature caps and gowns. Ours does not, but Molly will […]

Handling history

Nate Adams

A little more than a year ago, a main sewer line backed up into the basement of the IBSA building here in Springfield. Though the primary blockage turned out to be well outside our building, the plumbers also discovered a break in a secondary line. It was directly beneath the section of basement where IBSA’s […]

More Columns

Banding together for Bibles

Illinois Baptist Staff

“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 […]

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