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Illinois Baptist State Newspaper

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Mission

IMB trustees appoint new missionaries, elect first woman chair

May 25, 2025 By Leslie Caldwell

“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

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

May 19, 2023 By Ben Jones

Metro East church plant hosts multiplication meeting

Pastors and church leaders from around the Metro East area gathered in Collinsville May 17, 2023 for the second Multiply Illinois Hub. These quarterly regional events are designed to encourage and equip those interested in church multiplication. Heights Community Church, planted in 2016, hosted the gathering in their newly renovated home. With the St. Louis […]

Sallateeska baptism demonstrates SBC connections

November 30, 2022 By Baptist Press

(Ed. Note—In our July issue, we reported that Illinois’s very own Sandy Wisdom-Martin told the story of her brother’s recent baptism during her WMU presentation at the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Anaheim. We thought we you would appreciate this longer account that shows God’s fingerprints through multiple SBC connections. It’s too good to miss.) […]

A first-time ministry to migrant workers is very fruitful

November 16, 2022 By Ben Jones

Harvest of souls

One of the migrant workers lingered for a few minutes after the meal. Juan Carlos wanted to talk with a pastor. “My hometown was attacked,” he said, holding out a cell phone. “My parents escaped,” the young man said in Spanish, “but my wife and children are trapped there, and my brothers are missing.” The […]

FIRST-PERSON: A once-feared tribe now spreads the Gospel

October 25, 2022 By Jen Hagen

Bugkalot tribal members celebrate with a traditional dance at a recent gathering of churches. The Bugkalot tribe, once feared as violent hunters, are sending their own missionaries to other unreached tribes in the Philippines. IMB Photo

Only a few decades ago, the Bugkalot people were one of the fiercest tribes in the Philippines, known for beheading their enemies. No outsider who contacted the tribe survived, and the people around them lived terrified of them. Then, in the 1950s, the Gospel slowly took root in the tribe after some of the leaders […]

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Featured Columns

Warning: Deadly serious, but fun

Deadly serious, but fun

Lisa Misner

Last year, Illinois ranked 17th on Wallet Hub’s list of best states to live in based on 51 key indicators. Health and safety were among those factors, of which Illinois ranked 30th. But we’re a fun state. Illinois’ family fun rank was listed at 2nd. Still, there was a catch. A fun state to live […]

Stock image

Trey’s new family

Valarie Veteto

“I’m not religious.” She spoke the words as soon as I pulled a chair beside her hospital bed. “That’s okay,” I replied, unsure if anyone had ever been so direct. I whispered an arrow prayer to the Lord for wisdom: Please help me say the right thing, Lord—Your words, not mine. She reclined in the […]

The real Christmas angels

Melissa Spoelstra

An angel accented the top of our family’s Christmas tree each year when I was growing up. This regal figure featured a golden gown, wings and a halo. Angels have become a common part of Christmas décor, but they are rarely portrayed accurately according to Scripture. Angels are not winged cherubs playing harps and sitting […]

More Columns

Streator names new camp manager

Illinois Baptist Staff

Anthony Heathcoat has been named as the next Manager at Streator Baptist Camp. Heathcoat will move north to Streator from southern Illinois after serving as Assistant Professor at SIU Carbondale in the School of Automotive Technology and leading the Men’s Ministry at First Baptist Church of Sesser. “We are excited about Anthony getting started at […]

News

Carole Doom and team

Carole’s short retirement

Lisa Misner

Springfield | After serving IBSA nearly 27 years, Administrative Coordinator Carole Doom retired on January 2, 2026. However, she won’t be missed for long. Doom will return in mid-January to serve with the Operations Team in a part-time role, three-days a week, as a ministry coordinator. During her tenure with IBSA, she’s been part of […]

Reaching ‘Across State Lines’ could save lives

Farewells in Rehoboth, Louisville

More News Stories

Mission

Annie Armstrong Easter Offering hits all-time high

Annie Armstrong Easter Offering hits all-time high as Southern Baptists give record $68.9 million

Mike Ebert

Southern Baptists gave a record $68.9 million to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering (AAEO) in 2022, breaking the giving record for a second year in a row. Giving to the offering has exceeded records in five of the last six years. “This is incredible news for our missionaries,” said North American Mission Board (NAMB) president […]

Missions commitment links Ukrainian refugees with Illinois church

How SBC missions have been influenced by Annie Armstrong

More Mission Stories

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