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Life advocates prepare for new challenges in post-Roe Illinois

January 4, 2023 By Meredith Flynn

Wonderfully made

“Pregnant? We will help!” The blue and white billboard for First Step Women’s Center towers over a major thoroughfare in Springfield, designed to reach women in the state’s capital who are facing an unplanned pregnancy. The ad is also for out-of-staters who may be seeking an abortion in Illinois, home to the most permissive abortion […]

The force is with us

December 13, 2022 By Meredith Flynn

Meredith Flynn

Our family’s recent Covid quarantine finally provided my husband an opportunity to introduce our daughters to Star Wars. Over several days, they dug into the space saga until we were all well-steeped in the story of good versus evil. A few days later, we were rushing around the house scrambling to leave for a much-needed […]

Ministers’ wives told ‘lean in and let go’

November 2, 2022 By Meredith Flynn

IBSA Ministers’ Wives luncheon

Jacki King opened her message on resilience by defining what it isn’t. “When we think resilience, we don’t need to be thinking we’re just going to barrel through, pull up our bootstraps, and make it through,” King told IBSA ministers’ wives meeting at Metro Community Church. “Instead, it really is leaning in, letting go, and […]

My audience with the Queen

September 8, 2022 By Meredith Flynn

My audience with the Queen

“Would you like to meet her?” The guard at Westminster Abbey approached our group of bedraggled college students waiting for a glimpse of Queen Elizabeth. I imagine our eloquent answer was something like, “Um…OK!” before we ran down the sidewalk to grab a bouquet of yellow daffodils from a train station. (Yellow flowers are her […]

My weepy witness

September 8, 2022 By Meredith Flynn

I was horrified at the tears filling my eyes. It was the last day of Vacation Bible School at Chatham Baptist Church and I had stopped on our way out to thank my daughter’s teacher. But what I’d intended as a breezy thank-you turned awkward as I was hit with the full weight of my […]

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Featured Columns

Online fraud

Six steps to protect your church from online fraud

Jeff Deasy

Several SBC churches and entities have been hit with online fraud nearing $1 million each. Their dramatic losses serve as warnings to all our churches. The Florida Baptist Convention lost more than $700,000 in a transfer involving a fraudulent email that was intended for the North American Mission (NAMB). A similar scam involved an email […]

"My unlikely Ebenezer"

My unlikely Ebenezer

Amy Richards

My husband’s cheerful voice on the other end of the line said, “I found a cool piece of wood.” I answered with an indifferent “OK,” but he continued, untouched by my disinterest. I listened, but my mind circled with questions. What in the world am I going to do with junk wood he found in […]

SBC: Striking a healthy balance

Nate Adams

A pastor once told me that he didn’t feel he should serve on one of our statewide committees because he wasn’t in complete agreement with the SBC’s Baptist Faith and Message statement. He cited Article VII on “Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.” He said he felt it described what is commonly referred to as “closed […]

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Former Central Association DOM Tom Miller dies at 92

Illinois Baptist Staff

Thomas E. “Tom” Miller died June 3. He was 92 years of age, and was preceded in death by his wife, Pauline, in November 2022. Miller served as Director of Mission for the Central Baptist Association from 1979 to 1994. He pastored several churches in the Decatur area, including Hammond Missionary Baptist Church, Macon First […]

News

Nick Volkening, campus ministry at U of I (left) and Jonah Christiansen, Salt Network campus ministry at Illinois State participate in an exercise together.

Leaders target college evangelism in confab

Lisa Misner

College ministry leaders met to make evangelism a chief goal of their work on Illinois campuses. Baptist collegiate leaders and their families gathered at a retreat center near Starved Rock State Park over the Memorial Day Weekend for what they hope will become an annual event fostering ministry collaboration. Church Planting Director Kevin Jones, who […]

Wellman nod fails, Robinson respects decision

Church Renewal Journeys revitalize churches

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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

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