• Contact
  • Return to IBSA
  • Advertise Through Us
  • Subscribe
  • E-Reader

IBSA News

Illinois Baptist State Newspaper

  • Quick Links
    • E-Reader
    • Subscribe
    • Advertise
    • Resource
  • News
    • IBSA
    • SBC
    • Culture
    • Illinois Churches
  • Stories
    • Thriving
    • Church Planting
    • Mission
    • Next Step
  • In Focus
  • Columns
    • Nate Adams
    • Eric Reed
    • Meredith Flynn
    • Table Talk
    • Reporter’s Notebook
    • Encouraging Words

Week of Prayer for the Mission Illinois Offering

September 15, 2023 By Illinois Baptist Staff

MIO 2023 Week of Prayer

Illinois is our mission field. When your church gives to the Mission Illinois Offering, you’re investing in the health of hundreds of fellow Baptist churches in our state, impacting communities we call home. Your MIO giving stays 100% here and supports the health of Illinois churches. Healthy churches are essential in see our over 8 […]

Baptists bless city as Serve Tour comes to Chicagoland

September 12, 2023 By Illinois Baptist Staff

Serve Tour Chicago

God is doing a gospel work here,” said Jorge Rodriguez, pastor and planter of Grace Family Church in Rogers Park. “And having the crews come in just brings more light to what God is doing.” The crews were Southern Baptists from across the region who heard the Chicago version of the Macedonian call—at least for […]

Ex-pastor pleads guilty to single charge

September 11, 2023 By Illinois Baptist Staff

Stock photo

Mt. Vernon | A former pastor in Southern Illinois pled guilty to one charge of child grooming and a second charge was dropped September 11 in Jefferson County Circuit Court. Garrett Biggerstaff was arrested in January on two felony charges. At the time he was working as athletic director for Spring Garden Consolidated Community School […]

MIO 2023: Planter finds ample help with big task

September 1, 2023 By Illinois Baptist Staff

de la O family

“When I entered the pastorate, we planted this church with the idea that we had to do it alone,” Jonathan de la O said. With his wife, Emely, the young planter wanted to reach people like themselves, first and second generation Latinos in Chicago. Nine years ago, the couple walked hand-in-hand past a fence with […]

MIO 2023: Helping churches navigate leadership change

August 28, 2023 By Illinois Baptist Staff

David Grove and Gloria Hogue

Fairview Heights, like every other community, has seen its share of changes over the years. “This part of town where the church is located was probably once a little more vibrant than it is now. So, communities just beyond us continue to grow and expand, and we’re at a bit of a transition point,” David […]

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 89
  • Next Page »

Featured Columns

After another leadership failure, forgive? Yes. Forget? Maybe later.

Eric Reed

My cousin Holly’s house burned down in July. The family and their dog were saved, but they lost everything. Literally everything, except her grandmother’s ancient roasting pan just big enough for a 12-pound turkey and a diamond ring. Everything else in their rural home was gone in under an hour. The irony was that my […]

Nate Adams

Positive purpose

Nate Adams

Without question, more of my time and passion is invested in encouraging churches to give to missions through the Cooperative Program than through any designated offering, including our own state missions offering. I believe that’s as it should be. Yet both the CP and designated offerings have vital, important purposes. My conviction is that the […]

What personal missions commitment looks like

Meredith Flynn

“Your partnership is needed now.” That sentence jumped out as I looked over this year’s Mission Illinois Offering materials. This time of year always reminds me of the things that unite Illinois Baptists: the shared prayer that more people will come to know Jesus; the shared burden for our communities in need of transformation; and […]

More Columns

Newsmakers Interview with Bart Barber, Part 3

Eric Reed

Southern Baptist Convention President Bart Barber is featured in the September issue of the Illinois Baptist. An hour-long interview focused on key issues including women in pastoral ministry and “friendly cooperation.” Editor Eric Reed asked Barber to look ahead to the 2024 SBC in Indianapolis. They discussed the role of social media in our Baptist […]

News

SBC EC votes at September 2023 meeting

Recap of this week’s SBC Exec Comm meeting

The Baptist Paper

While the anticipated next step regarding who will temporarily lead the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee in the interim period changed mid-way through the trustees’ meeting this week, trustee chair Philip Robertson plans to begin a new search right away. Recently retired Kentucky pastor Dan Summerlin provided this statement yesterday afternoon (Sept. 19) after alerting […]

Barber recalls ‘bold’ Southern Baptists, urges cooperation amid trials

Quick look at SBC Exec Comm agenda, Sept. 18-19

More News Stories

Mission

Metro East church plant hosts multiplication meeting

Metro East church plant hosts multiplication meeting

Ben Jones

Pastors and church leaders from around the Metro East area gathered in Collinsville May 17 for the second Multiply Illinois Hub. These quarterly regional events are designed to encourage and equip those interested in church multiplication. Heights Community Church, planted in 2016, hosted the gathering in their newly renovated home. With the St. Louis skyline […]

Sallateeska baptism demonstrates SBC connections

A first-time ministry to migrant workers is very fruitful

More Mission Stories

  • News
  • Mission
  • In Focus
  • Columns

Copyright © 2023 · Website by Megaphone Designs