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Pat’s Playbook

Pat’s Playbook: Shift the focus

October 25, 2019 By Pat Pajak

Question: There’s change coming to our church, and while it doesn’t affect me directly, I find I’m not handling it well. Do you have any spiritual advice? Answer: The key to accepting change is often to put aside our own preferences and focus on the real reason for the change. Churches often make changes to […]

Pat’s Playbook: Christ over all

September 19, 2019 By Pat Pajak

Question: People keep talking about unnecessary ministries and using one I really like as an example. Should I speak up, or are they right? Answer: Some types of ministries come and go. Something that was popular a few years ago may outlive its usefulness or even its effectiveness. Remember that genuine ministry is built on […]

Pat’s Playbook: Our mission field

August 23, 2019 By Meredith Flynn

Question: I hear at least 8 million people in Illinois do not know Jesus. That number is overwhelming to a small church. Are we responsible for the eternal fate of 8 million people? Answer: We are responsible to share the gospel in our Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). […]

Pat’s Playbook: Be safe, always

July 22, 2019 By Pat Pajak

Question: I’m uncomfortable that two of our staff members are related to our deacon chairman. Nepotism is a problem, right? Answer: Today’s churches are doing more and more in-house hiring for various ministry positions. If the person being hired is capable and able to do the job as expected, he or she should be judged […]

Pat’s Playbook: Own your age

May 20, 2019 By Pat Pajak

Question: Our church needs an additional building, but I don’t think there’s adequate financial support for it. What would you do? Answer: If financial constraints are keeping you from moving toward a new building plan, think about whether you could double your space in the same building by adding a second Sunday school and/or worship […]

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Tuesday Briefing

Briefing

Christians look for path forward after Capitol riot

Featured Columns

Praying to satisfy a deeper hunger

Doug Munton

Editor’s note: Pastor Doug Munton posted this column on his website just as the first COVID-19 restrictions were implemented. Now, many months later, it seems an even more vital word as we contemplate life after the pandemic. Personal revival is a challenge in isolation; now our churches—and we ourselves—need a fresh wind of the Spirit […]

‘Sanctity’ beyond the unborn

Eric Reed

Ahead of each January issue, our editorial team asks, “How will we report on ‘sanctity’ this year?” The Sunday before the anniversary of the 1973 decision legalizing abortion in the United States is observed as Sanctity of Human Life on the SBC calendar. This year it falls on January 17. For many Southern Baptists, that […]

Start fresh with family worship

John Yi

Before my wife, Gloria, and I even married, we vowed to establish a rock-solid family tradition of daily devotions together. But after almost 25 years of marriage and building a family, we could count on a single hand the longest streak of consecutive days when every member had come together for family worship or devotions […]

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Are you weary? Run on.

Aubrey Krol

We set up a makeshift pulpit in our dining room. With the camera balanced on cardboard boxes and books, my husband preached while I served as executive producer—a role I gained overnight. Immediately after his sermon, I taught children’s church via video conference from a desk in our bedroom. I also held an open invitation […]

News

Ann Graham Lotz

Anne Graham Lotz to speak at Priority Women’s Conference

Eric Reed

Evangelist and teacher Anne Graham Lotz will be the keynote speaker at Priority, an annual conference of Illinois Baptist Women to be held at the Bank of Springfield Center in Springfield April 23-24. Lotz is the daughter of renown preacher Billy Graham, and the author of 19 books, including “Jesus in Me.” “Anne will help […]

Merritt replaces Stetzer as Resolutions chair

GA pastor joins race for SBC presidency

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Mission

2021 Forecast: Hope for the year ahead

Illinois Baptist Staff

Editor’s note: For the January 1 issue of the Illinois Baptist, pastors and leaders from IBSA shared their thoughts on the challenges and opportunities facing the church in 2021. You’ll see them here every Wednesday this month. Rayden Hollis, pastor, Red Hill Church, Edwardsville A recent “Thanksgiving Song” by musician Ben Rector sums up 2020 […]

Food giveaways launch holiday season for Illinois Disaster Relief

Teens celebrate AWSOM in an unusual year

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