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Illinois Baptist State Newspaper

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Mission

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

October 4, 2022 By Mike Ebert

Annie Armstrong Easter Offering hits all-time high

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

September 26, 2022 By Eric Reed

The FBC O’Fallon mission team had a busier schedule than usual, teaching English to Ukranian refugees, utilizing Lifeway’s mission trip Vacation Bible School with children, and offering another English class for Polish workers in the evening.

Donn and Joni Schaefer had organized mission trips to Russia ten times since 2008. They taught English in Siberia as a way to open discussions about the gospel. But when the invasion of Ukraine shut down trips into Russia for Americans, the Schaefers looked for other avenues to use their unique skills. The Illinois couple […]

How SBC missions have been influenced by Annie Armstrong

April 4, 2022 By Sandy Wisdom-Martin

Annie Armstrong

A few years ago, I read the SBC president at the time was considering different gavels for presiding at the SBC Annual Meeting. One of the options under consideration was the Armstrong gavel. I sent him an email with this message: This weekend I did a bit of reading on Annie Armstrong and was inspired […]

On mission again

March 7, 2022 By Nate Adams

Nate Adams

Recently I was invited to speak to a local association of churches on “The Biblical Basis of Missions.” These mostly rural and small-town churches collectively give more than 10% of their undesignated offerings to missions through the Cooperative Program and have done so for many years. So, every day they now support more than 3,600 […]

New partnership targets biblical literacy

September 1, 2021 By Lisa Misner

Simple motions make Bible memory easy. Cross Church, Carlinville Pastor Tim Rhodus leads a WTB training session at First Marion.

Almost 9-in-10 Americans own a Bible, according to a survey by the American Bible Society, but 5-in-10  Americans say they have read “relatively little of the Bible,” according to Lifeway Research. Despite its ready accessibility through print, websites, and multiple free apps for use on cell phones, there is a lot of biblical illiteracy in […]

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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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