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Illinois Baptist State Newspaper

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During pandemic, IBSA stays connected through online gatherings

March 19, 2020 By Meredith Flynn

Luke Henry webinar

The first webinar in IBSA’s Church Helps series dropped March 19 to help church leaders navigate the Coronavirus pandemic. Church Helps is also the name of the webpage created to share resources and encouragement as churches seek to do the work of ministry in a uncertain times. The webinars will livestream at IBSA.org/church-helps on Tuesdays […]

Church destroyed in fire

August 7, 2018 By Meredith Flynn

For the second time in two weeks, an historic Southern Baptist church building in Marion County was damaged by fire. On July 15, the sanctuary of Zion Hill Baptist Church in Centralia was destroyed in a fire caused by a lightning strike. Read…

Thanks, Dorothy

July 26, 2018 By Meredith Flynn

Had you seen her surrounded by friends and well-wishers at a ladies’ tea in Dallas, it would have been hard to imagine Dorothy Patterson had just lived through a very difficult few months. The former first lady of Southwestern Seminary’s presence there is telling about her legacy in Southern Baptist life. For those watching over […]

Task force report clarifies Baptist position on evangelism

July 5, 2018 By Meredith Flynn

Taking the gospel to the world is a critical task—one that will require Baptists to work together, reported a task force appointed by outgoing SBC President Steve Gaines. The group, named by Gaines at last year’s annual meeting, presented their report in Dallas, where it was adopted by messengers. Before the vote, the task force […]

Laying the groundwork

June 6, 2018 By Meredith Flynn

It was on a mission trip to Haiti that Sara Harriss saw and heard things that would change her family forever. Harriss, then a high schooler, went to Haiti with an IBSA student mission team two years after a massive earthquake devastated the country. The team stayed at an orphanage in Port-au-Prince. The plight of […]

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Featured Columns

Scott Foshie

Two ways shared service works

Scott Foshie

This month, thousands of messengers and guests from around the SBC will converge in Orlando for our annual time of celebration, prayer, and family decision making. There will be lively debates, nomination speeches, and votes on multiple issues. However, the part I look forward to the most about our family meetings is the fellowship, worship, […]

Blackabys

Less produces more

Eric Reed

Richard Blackaby challenged the IBSA staff at our annual Spiritual Focus Day. “If glorifying God is the goal of life, how do I increase that each year?” For all of us in ministry, especially those who set goals and count results and live by metrics, that’s a tough question. Can we always do more than […]

SBC ’26: What we’re watching

Illinois Baptist Staff

The question at the Illinois Baptist each spring is “What do you think will come up at the convention?” Some things are obvious, because they’re on the agenda—such as the presidential election. Pastors Josh Powell and Willy Rice are in the ring. There have been no surprise announcements so far, unlike 2024 when we had […]

More Columns

SBC: Three takeaways from Orlando

Eric Reed

Orlando | What could have been a divisive annual meeting proved to be unified in three ways: Messengers voted by large margins on big issues. They approved two measures bringing new attention to gospel ministry for disabled people. Rejecting a slew of efforts to study secondary issues, the convention kept missions and missionaries at the […]

News

Nominees

Nominees sought for IBSA Boards & Committees

Illinois Baptist Staff

The Illinois Baptist State Association is seeking recommendations to fill positions on its boards and committees. To submit a name, complete the Nominating Form found at IBSA.org/about/organization or click here to go directly to the form. IBSA’s Nominating Committee recommends people to serve on the Association’s three boards: IBSA, the Baptist Foundation of Illinois (BFI), and Baptist Children’s Home and […]

SBC: Illinoisans join Crossover outreach

Mohler narrows amendment to preaching, resolution addresses women’s roles

More News Stories

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

More Mission Stories

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