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Illinois Churches

The church in action: Volunteers provide much-needed masks

April 9, 2020 By Meredith Flynn

The first call came from a nurse in Decatur who said she and her coworkers desperately needed hand-sewn protective masks. Volunteers quickly mobilized at Tabernacle Baptist Church, making enough masks to fill the request, and many more. Since late March, the group of sewers—including some novices—has produced more than 400 fabric masks. Project organizer Brenda […]

Churches worship from home amid pandemic

March 22, 2020 By Meredith Flynn

Across Illinois, churches gathered for a different kind of worship March 22. Hours after a statewide stay-at-home order went into effect, church members attended Sunday services in their living rooms. Many pastors preached from home, or via pre-recorded sermons posted online. Chance and Ginger Newingham worshiped with three of their children and their live-in grandma, […]

Ministry during Coronavirus: An abundance of opportunity

March 17, 2020 By Nate Adams

Don’t shake hands with others. Wash your own hands, frequently and for at least 20 seconds. Practice social distancing. Stay away from most people, but especially people who seem sick. Avoid large public gatherings. Don’t travel. In fact, stay home if you can. Oh, and please don’t touch your face. That last instruction is especially […]

Churches celebrate baptism and new life, as Annual Church Profiles testify to continuing challenges

March 5, 2020 By Meredith Flynn

One weekend every month, leaders at Vale Church move a mobile baptistry into the lobby of the church’s Bloomington building. “Baptism weekend,” held the fourth weekend of most months, is a time of church-wide celebration, said adult ministries pastor Nolan Recker. “Personal is powerful,” Recker said, and the church’s baptism weekends highlight personal stories of […]

Rural resurgence: Millennials are leaving the city

February 26, 2020 By Eric Reed

Millennials are leaving the cities and finding “home” in small towns and rural areas. That’s the latest trend reported by recent research. The young adults, born from 1981 to 1996, are no longer finding urban centers and metro areas attractive. Why? They’re looking for community and opportunity. 30,000 Millennials left metro areas in 2018, the […]

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Featured Columns

A prayer of thanks

A prayer of thanks

Meredith Flynn

(Editor’s note: For decades, Chicago Tribune columnist Joan Beck memorialized each year with a poetic column of thanksgiving. The verses below are our attempt to follow her example and remember the blessings of 2023.) As we gather together to count the Lord’s blessings, 403 years after the first Thanksgiving Day, we wonder at the beauty […]

Nate Adams

IBSA Annual Meeting: Don’t come alone!

Nate Adams

I hope many hundreds of Illinois Baptists are planning to load up the car or church van and drive over to Marion for the IBSA Annual Meeting next month. If that describes you, or you’re at least considering the possibility, let me urge you to do something that could make the trip especially worthwhile: Don’t […]

Mastering a new rhythm

Meredith Flynn

At our 6-year-old’s first drum lesson, her teacher asked how long she’d wanted to play percussion. “I was born wanting to,” Molly replied, as I mentally scribbled down the story we’ll tell when she wins her first Grammy. Drums are fun to play but also frustrating, her teacher warned her. Finding the rhythm can be […]

More Columns

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering & Week of Prayer December 3-10, 2023

IMB.org

This year’s Week of Prayer  and Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions will be observed Dec. 3-10. In this season, Southern Baptists are encouraged to consider the power of “Impacting Lostness Together.” The goal for the 2023-2024 offering is $200 million. Last year’s offering totaled $194,314,716 (as of Sept. 28), surpassing the $190 million […]

News

Kevin Carrothers

BCHFS: Redemption and transformation

Lisa Misner

“Matthew 9:36, that’s a verse that’s become very important to me.” So said Kevin Carrothers, Executive Director of Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services (BCHFS), as he delivered his report to messengers at the IBSA Annual Meeting in reference to his first months in the role. Reciting the verse, its relevance became clear, “When he […]

BFI: Can you see eternity from here?

Rosalynn Carter, former first lady, dies at 96

More News Stories

Mission

Metro East church plant hosts multiplication meeting

Metro East church plant hosts multiplication meeting

Ben Jones

Pastors and church leaders from around the Metro East area gathered in Collinsville May 17 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 skyline […]

Sallateeska baptism demonstrates SBC connections

A first-time ministry to migrant workers is very fruitful

More Mission Stories

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