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Illinois Baptist State Newspaper

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In Focus

Prayer begets evangelism; New task force to explore baptisms decline, ERLC complaints fail to materialize at Annual Meeting

July 11, 2017 By Eric Reed

After another year of baptism declines and a decade of shrinking SBC church membership, SBC President Steve Gaines announced plans for a year-long study on evangelism in the denomination. Read…

Communicating with the next generation

June 29, 2017 By Kayla Rinker

Gen-Z, those born between 1995 and the present, has its own language and way of communicating. How can we connect? Read…

Feeding the family ;‘Generational discipleship’ sets the table for a new approach to family ministry.

June 23, 2017 By Kayla Rinker

“Ministers need to de-emphasize themselves as the spiritual leader and be intentional about how they can set mom and dad up for wins,” author, Ron Hunter said Read…

Teen walks for freedom: 300-mile journey spotlights human trafficking

June 13, 2017 By Lisa Misner

Lindsey Yoder is walking from her home in Arthur to Nashville, Tennessee to draw attention to the problem of human trafficking.

Rural Illinois | “Sometimes putting one foot in front of another is a lot harder than it sounds.” That’s especially true for 14-year-old Lindsey Yoder who is walking 15 miles a day along the dusty back roads of Illinois—from her home in Arthur to Nashville, Tennessee—in a quest to raise awareness about human trafficking. She […]

South to Southwest: A desert vacation kindles this family’s call to Arizona

June 5, 2017 By Baptist Press

“I never considered planting a church,” Josh Jennings said. Yet, from 2011 to 2013, God began to impress upon the Jennings’ hearts that he was calling them to Arizona, sometimes in unusual ways. Read…

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Featured Columns

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 […]

Paul Cooper

What’s greater than independence? Hebrews 10:19-25

Paul Cooper

We got news from my sister in New Mexico, and my brother, Dave, immediately called me. He wanted to see her, but the 20-hour drive was too hard to do alone. It would be easier with his brother. We could share the load. Even so, we would spend more than half our time on the […]

Our nation’s half-celebration at 250

Eric Reed

During these red, white, and blue months, YouTube keeps sending me a video clip. It’s King George’s solo from the musical “Hamilton.” Amid endless rapping and stamping of boots and swishing of tailcoats by Founding Fathers, a lone figure walks slowly to center stage, decked in satin knee breeches, ermine cape, and a crown. And […]

More Columns

What rural churches can do

Karen Willoughby

Sicily, Italy | “The goal is to get the gospel out,” said Steve Brown, a missionary in Europe serving as a team leader through the International Mission Board (IMB) for 22 years, the last five based in Palermo, Sicily. He recently came up with a new strategy for doing so, specifically designed to appeal to […]

News

Photo courtesy of Michael Byrd

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

Scott Barkley

Ferguson, Mo. | Michael T. Byrd, Sr.’s background in ministry began as a 19-year-old preacher before moving into the pastorate and associational work, all in his native St. Louis. It’s that experience he’s eager to put into practice as the new executive director of the St. Louis Metro Baptist Association. He told Baptist Press that […]

Mindy Cobb’s endless summer

New Illinois laws raise concerns for Baptists

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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