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Illinois Baptist State Newspaper

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IMB missionary dies while serving in the Philippines

July 28, 2026 By IMB.org

IMB Photo

Esther (Sook Hyung) Kim, a Southern Baptist missionary to Philippines, died July 16 after suffering a heart attack. She was 64. Kim was attending a team meeting when she began to feel ill and went to a local hospital for care. Hospital staff revived her after she collapsed on site, but she did not regain […]

Send Relief, Venezuelan Baptists continue earthquake response

July 14, 2026 By IMB.org

Send Relief Photo

As emergency response continues in Venezuela following June’s earthquakes, Southern Baptists have been faithful in continued prayer and generosity. Last week, International Mission Board President Paul Chitwood joined a team on the ground at the invitation of Elier Romero, general director of the Venezuelan National Baptist Convention (CNBV). Chitwood was joined by Jason Cox, Send […]

IMB year in review: 2025 shows missions is for everyone

December 17, 2025 By IMB.org

Amber Sraka

Sending people to the nations is what we do as Southern Baptists. We go to those who have yet to hear the gospel. This year has been filled with stories of how, together, we address lostness as the world’s greatest problem. Let’s look through some highlights of how God transformed lives through you and your […]

Week of Prayer: IMB and Chilean missionaries cast vision to reach islands

December 3, 2025 By IMB.org

IMB photo

EDITOR’S NOTE: This year’s Week of Prayer for International Missions in the Southern Baptist Convention is Nov. 30-Dec. 7. Each year’s Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions supplements Cooperative Program giving to support Southern Baptists international missionaries’ initiatives in sharing the Gospel. Forty remote islands in southern Chile have little gospel knowledge and access, but Lord […]

George Liele Church Planting, Evangelism, Missions Sunday materials available

January 15, 2025 By IMB.org

First African Baptist Church in Savannah, Georgia

Celebrate African American and Black pioneers whose lives inspire the next generation to continue the work of solving the world’s greatest problem—lostness. The International Mission Board invites all Southern Baptists to recognize Feb. 2 as George Liele Church Planting, Evangelism and Missions Sunday. This special Sunday recognizes the life and work of these pioneers, and […]

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Featured Columns

Mark Emerson

Worth every effort

Mark Emerson

When the news came, I was tired—Day 4 of VBS tired. Tired had been the theme of every drive home with my wife that week. Somewhere along the way I had finally asked the question only the overly weary ask: “How long are we going to keep this up?” Months of planning had become weeks […]

Loophole

Messengers close loophole

Eric Reed

It seemed like no big deal at the time. Messengers quickly voted for a change to the Baptist Faith and Message in 2023, there was no great debate. The motion came up and it kind of slid through—and that’s the problem. In 2026 they voted to prevent that from ever happening again. At the 2026 […]

A Committed Church: 2 Timothy 2:1-4

Maurice Gaiter

In a recent trip to Haiti, I heard a Haitian pastor illustrate to his congregation the need for total commitment to Christ. A man wanted to sell his house for $2,000. Another man wanted to buy it, but because he was poor, he couldn’t afford the full price. After much bargaining, the owner agreed to […]

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Good signs (so far)

Illinois Baptist Staff

Springfield | In church life, some summers are marked by a slump—in giving, attendance or attitude. But not this year, and especially not for IBSA. With the new administration now entering its second quarter, there are notable signs of positive attitudes in the network of churches. Some observations are anecdotal, with stories coming from the […]

News

Mike Young

Young returns to IBSA team

Illinois Baptist Staff

Mike Young has rejoined the state staff after six years as pastor of Illinois churches. He will serve as IBSA Missions Director from his home in Carbondale. Young is the former Streator Camp manager, led revitalization there, and later provided oversight for both Streator and Lake Sallateeska camp facilities. “As a part of Mike’s new […]

World Cup scores for digital witness

Former IBSA Pastors Conference speaker, Send St. Louis church planter, announced as historic AMS appointment

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Mission

“While we have not yet arrived at the destination we envision, I believe we are clearly headed in the right direction,” said IMB President Paul Chitwood to trustees in the May 22 plenary session. IMB Photo

IMB trustees appoint new missionaries, elect first woman chair

Leslie Caldwell

Richmond | International Mission Board trustees approved 65 fully funded missionaries for appointment during their May 21-22 meeting near Richmond, Virginia. The missionaries approved for appointment will be recognized during a Sending Celebration on Tuesday, June 10, at 10:08 a.m. CDT in conjunction with the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Dallas. The event will […]

Metro East church plant hosts multiplication meeting

Sallateeska baptism demonstrates SBC connections

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