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Encouraging Words

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 […]

Cloyd: Why a doctor’s warning still rings in my heart

May 23, 2022 By Brent Cloyd

Brent Cloyd

My wife, Jeanette, has walked with a slight limp for as long as I have known her. She has had joint issues that required her to exercise caution when moving about. For years, some degree of numbness has been present in her hands and feet. Earlier attempts to identify and correct these matters were not […]

Frozen in motion

February 28, 2022 By Leah Honnen

Leah Honnen

Overwhelm. I think that’s my word so far for 2022. Last year began as a year of weary, needing change. My husband was jobless. We lived in a one-bedroom apartment with our toddler. My work was remote, and our lifestyle was very limited. But this year the changes are hitting me hard. None of these […]

Personal resurrection

April 2, 2021 By Brent Cloyd

Matthew 28 takes us to the first Sunday morning after the crucifixion. Two days prior, the disciples and friends of Jesus had witnessed his brutal execution and saw his body placed in the tomb. Many of them had restructured their lives in order to follow Jesus. They had found pride in being a part of […]

Serving the crucified Christ

March 24, 2021 By Brent Cloyd

Sketch of Garden Tomb in retro style

Filled with hate, ignorant of truth, lacking in faith, and void of righteousness, the Jews had plotted to kill Jesus. Rome took ownership of their plot and made a statement of their authority in the act of crucifixion. In the course of less than 24 hours, Jesus was arrested, accused, lied about, cursed, and beaten. […]

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Featured Columns

Dinosaurs

We need to talk about the dinosaurs

Chris Turner

I just wanted to know when dinosaurs lived. That’s it. That was the most profound biblical mystery swirling in my head when I began seminary. I landed in the survey class of a professor considered one of the Southern Baptist Convention’s foremost Old Testament scholars at the time. Surely, he’d know about dinosaurs. About 15 […]

Ill person

A response to physician-assisted suicide

Jeremy Bell

(Editor’s note: Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is considering signing SB 1950, a bill passed Oct. 31 as House Floor Amendment No. 2 to the Sanitary Food Preparation Act by the state senate, that would allow physicians to help terminally ill patients end their lives. If he does, Illinois will join 11 states and the District […]

A place of genuine thanksgiving: Journaling God’s goodness

Tammie Emerson

(Editor’s note: This column was originally published on November 23, 2022. We liked it so much, we’re sharing it again.) Many years ago, I was in a Bible study where an author discussed the spiritual practice of rehearsing our trust in God’s faithfulness. There haven’t been many learning moments in my life that were as […]

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Foshie elected as next IBSA Executive Director

Eric Reed

Springfield | Dr. Scott Foshie was elected to serve as the 12th Executive Director of the Illinois Baptist State Association by the IBSA Board of Directors meeting in Springfield December 9. Foshie will succeed Nate Adams, who will retire April 1 after 20 years’ service. Foshie will serve as Executive Director Elect until then, allowing […]

News

Church Needs Survey

Annual Church Needs Survey seeks input

Illinois Baptist Staff

The 2025 IBSA Church Needs Survey is now seeking input from pastors, ministry staff, and volunteer leaders from cooperating churches. The short survey, conducted every fall, provides valuable insight into the ministry help and missional opportunities churches value most from their state network. The results, released in late winter alongside statewide Annual Church Profile results, […]

Nine churches welcomed by IBSA

Giving Tuesday

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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