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Illinois Baptist State Newspaper

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Columns

A stand for life

January 10, 2020 By Lisa Misner

I met Angela Michael outside an abortion clinic in October. It was a new experience for me, but nothing new to the former obstetrical nurse dressed in scrubs with a stethoscope around her neck. Michael and her husband are often outside abortion clinics, urging young women to come to their camper parked nearby and look […]

When dads cry

January 8, 2020 By Eric Reed

In a recent IBSA chapel when Nate Adams told the story his son’s coming home after a season away from God, there were sniffles. When he invited others to share stories of their own children who had returned, there were tears. And as expected, from my back-row seat, I could see our dear friend Pat […]

Planting with Pat

January 3, 2020 By Nate Adams

I didn’t recognize the phone number that appeared in my voicemail notification, but as soon as I began listening to the recorded message, I knew the voice of my old friend Jim. We hadn’t seen him or his wife, Pat, for a few years, though Christmas letters and occasional e-mails kept us in touch. Jim’s […]

Reporter’s Notebook: Legal pot’s a bad deal for Illinois

January 2, 2020 By Lisa Misner

Flag of Illinois on cannabis background

The State of Illinois reported customers spent nearly $3.2 million on legal marijuana at 37 dispensaries on January 1, 2020 – the first day in the state’s history recreational use became legal. More than 77,000 people purchased the drug from dispensaries, which also sell medical cannabis, that are spread throughout the state except for nine […]

Don’t limit God

December 25, 2019 By Mark McCormick

Question: A counselor once encouraged me to build on my strengths, rather than my weaknesses. But isn’t an awareness of my sin part of being a Christian? I want to improve as a husband, father, and a believer. How can I balance building on my strengths while acknowledging my limitations? Answer: Strength is a gift […]

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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 […]

More Columns

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

IMB Photo

IMB missionary dies while serving in the Philippines

IMB.org

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 […]

Young returns to IBSA team

World Cup scores for digital witness

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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