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Illinois Baptist State Newspaper

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Illinois Churches

Churches make room for students displaced by pandemic

October 21, 2020 By Meredith Flynn

Across Illinois | Pastor Jason Plumer walks around the tables in his church’s fellowship hall, stopping every few seconds to talk to small groups of students eating an after-school snack of cereal or carrot sticks. His church’s after-school program, Tending the Vine, runs four afternoons a week for kids who need a place go after […]

Churches adapt fall missions plans

October 7, 2020 By Meredith Flynn

Sterling | Emmanuel Baptist Church has played a major role in IBSA’s Children’s Missions Day for the past several years, hosting projects in their community and encouraging kids to get involved. When the spring event was canceled due to COVID-19, children’s ministry leader Ashley Covell got creative. The missionaries could “earn” their Children’s Missions Day […]

New life on campus: Collegiate church celebrates first baptisms

September 9, 2020 By Meredith Flynn

Celebrating baptisms

On the shore of Lake Michigan on a Sunday in June, Jeff Bi compared his life to a car. When he was in the driver’s seat, said Bi, a student at the University of Chicago, the side mirrors were gone and the doors were off the hinges. But giving the wheel to Jesus, he said, […]

Pandemic response: Disaster Relief provides disinfectant, meals, masks, and more

July 14, 2020 By Meredith Flynn

Hannibal, Mo. | As a Southern Baptist university in Missouri prepared to welcome back students this fall, the school got an assist from Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief (IBDR) volunteers, who provided disinfectant, soap, laundry supplies, and 6,000 face masks. “They were extremely grateful and said the disinfectant would be a great help as they prepare […]

Salvaging summer plans: VBS, camps move online

June 16, 2020 By Meredith Flynn

Schaumburg | Lydia Lee’s church isn’t new to Vacation Bible School. Schaumburg Baptist Church has hosted VBS for more than 10 years, said the children’s director. But, like almost every other ministry plan churches made for 2020, this summer’s VBS requires a different strategy. Lee and her team of volunteers moved “Concretes and Cranes” online. […]

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Featured Columns

Scott Foshie

Two ways shared service works

Scott Foshie

This month, thousands of messengers and guests from around the SBC will converge in Orlando for our annual time of celebration, prayer, and family decision making. There will be lively debates, nomination speeches, and votes on multiple issues. However, the part I look forward to the most about our family meetings is the fellowship, worship, […]

Blackabys

Less produces more

Eric Reed

Richard Blackaby challenged the IBSA staff at our annual Spiritual Focus Day. “If glorifying God is the goal of life, how do I increase that each year?” For all of us in ministry, especially those who set goals and count results and live by metrics, that’s a tough question. Can we always do more than […]

SBC ’26: What we’re watching

Illinois Baptist Staff

The question at the Illinois Baptist each spring is “What do you think will come up at the convention?” Some things are obvious, because they’re on the agenda—such as the presidential election. Pastors Josh Powell and Willy Rice are in the ring. There have been no surprise announcements so far, unlike 2024 when we had […]

More Columns

Mohler narrows amendment to preaching, resolution addresses women’s roles

Eric Reed

SBC | Southern Seminary President Albert Mohler narrowed the language in his to proposed amendment to prohibit women “specifically preaching” in a pastoral capacity. His earlier version, planned for introduction at the Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando next week, had said that cooperating SBC churches would “not affirm, appoint, or endorse women serving as pastors […]

News

Kevin Alvarez

New regional consultant named

Illinois Baptist Staff

Springfield | Kevin Alvarez joins the IBSA staff as Central Region Consultant as of June 15. As a regional consultant, Alvarez will travel within his designated region to encourage local churches, provide resources, training, and support, and help churches discover and accomplish their next steps in sharing the Gospel. The Central Region includes Bay Creek, Central, […]

Two promoted in IBSA leadership

‘Blueprint’ for NextGen to reach the nations

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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