Springfield | With the inception of Scott Foshie’s leadership, IBSA is developing partnerships with three SBC mission boards, including an IMB partnership that promises to be the first of its kind in the convention. They are expected to bring additional missions engagement for churches in Illinois and opportunities for service outside the state.
“Our partnership discussions with the International Mission Board have been unique,” Foshie said. “The agreement we are developing could become a model for other state conventions.”
IMB sent three regional leaders to attend the IBSA Associational Roundtable in August. They met with leaders from local associations and discussed ways to serve IBSA churches in identifying international people groups within the state. “Our churches have always been engaged with international missions,” Foshie said, “but more and more, the world is at our doorstep. This partnership could increase our understanding of the people groups in Illinois and ways for our churches to expand ministry to them on their own local mission fields.”
A similar agreement with the North American Mission Board could expand church planting in Illinois, increasing NAMB’s missionary work in the state beyond the Send Cities focuses in Chicagoland and metro St. Louis.
In a state-to-state conventions partnership, Foshie’s Tennessee roots open discussions with the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board that could result in mutual missions service. TBMB Executive Director Randy Davis both pastored in the same east Tennessee town, though at different churches in different years. The pair are expected to celebrate finalization of a new missions and ministry strategic partnership. “Tennessee Baptists are excited about coming to Illinois, but they also want our churches to engage with them down there,” he said. “Their churches and associations in Nashville and Memphis have a lot in common with Chicago. We can learn from each other. And we know Illinois Baptists love the Smoky Mountains for vacation, but also believe they would love to serve in Appalachian ministries.”
The Tennessee partnership will be IBSA’s first state convention agreement of its kind, and the first with a large southern state in more than 20 years.
The agreements are being formalized. Details are expected to be announced this fall.