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Illinois Baptist State Newspaper

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Culture

5 victories for Baptist values

August 7, 2025 By Illinois Baptist Staff

Liam Morrison

Washington, D.C.  | Schools are preparing for parents to remove their children from gay-oriented lessons, as the U.S. Supreme Court upheld their right to “opt-out” of the classes. That was one of five rulings by the Court that favored Southern Baptist values. The Court ruled that parents of public-school children in Montgomery County, Md., have […]

Illinois drops to third in ‘freedoms’ survey

August 4, 2025 By Eric Reed

Illinois Capitol

It may not be surprising that Illinois dropped three spots in a new survey of the states and how well they protect religious freedom. What’s probably surprising in Baptist circles is that Illinois was in first place in the first place. A conservative legal organization ranks states’ legal safeguards of religious freedoms based on 47 […]

John MacArthur leaves legacy ‘on a generation of preachers’

July 15, 2025 By Brandon Porter, Baptist Press

John MacArthur

Sun Valley, Calif. | Longtime pastor, author and teacher John F. MacArthur died July 14 after a short battle with pneumonia. MacArthur, 86, pastored Grace Community Church in the Los Angeles area for 56 years. “At the center of Dr. MacArthur’s ministry was an unwavering commitment to declare God’s truth, and Pastor John preached the […]

‘God is here’ amidst the devastation

July 8, 2025 By The Baptist Paper

Report from the banks of the Guadalupe River

Photojournalist Marc Hooks reports on the devastation left behind by the July 4, 2025 flash floods from the banks of the Guadalupe River in Kerrville, Texas for our partners at The Baptist Paper.

Illinois Senate fails to call physician-assisted suicide bill for a vote

June 4, 2025 By Lisa Misner

Illinois capitol interior

Springfield | The Illinois Senate failed to call a bill for a vote before the end of the spring session which would have legalized physician-assisted suicide (PAS) in the state. The legislation was formerly known as the “End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act,” but was added as an amendment to the Sanitary Food Preparation […]

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Featured Columns

Cross found in the rubble.

25 years after 9/11: A lot has changed. And not much.

Eric Reed

By the time you read this, many people will be talking about where they were when the Twin Towers fell 25 years ago. Bells will toll. Long lists of names will be read. We will remember, and never forget. The realization that its anniversary is upon us raises the question— Has anything really changed since […]

Scott Foshie and his father

Paying the ‘Faith Forward’

Scott Foshie

“The LORD is great and is highly praised; his greatness is unsearchable. One generation will declare your works to the next and will proclaim your mighty acts.”– Psalm 145:3-4 In August, Audra and I celebrated 25 years of marriage. After an anniversary dinner and dessert together, we came home and looked through our wedding photos. […]

What makes ministry successful?

Mark Goldman

As a psychologist and researcher, Angela Duckworth was puzzled why some intelligent and talented people persisted while others quit. Most of those she observed were probably far more gifted than I am, but raw talent was not a reliable predictor of success. What she found was one characteristic that repeatedly predicted success above raw talent—grit. […]

More Columns

3 partnerships in development

Illinois Baptist Staff

Springfield | With the inception of Scott Foshie’s leadership, IBSA is developing partnerships with three SBC mission boards, including an IMB partnership that promises to be the first of its kind in the convention. They are expected to bring additional missions engagement for churches in Illinois and opportunities for service outside the state. “Our partnership […]

News

Willy Rice

Prepping for Indianapolis: How to pray for Willy Rice, and more from our exclusive interview

Eric Reed

At the SBC Executive Committee meeting Sept. 20-21, recently elected convention President Willy Rice is expected to present several challenges to the 86-member panel about next steps to secure final approval of the constitutional amendment dubbed by its author Al Mohler the “Truth & Unity Amendment.” Passage by two-thirds majority of messengers meeting at the […]

Youth Encounter expands to 3 locations

Blackwell commits to ‘come alongside’ churches at Lifeway trustee meeting

More News Stories

Mission

World Cup scores for digital witness

Illinois Baptist Staff

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup roared to a close and Spain left holding the trophy, Southern Baptist churches and missionaries around the world prayed for impact that outlasts the hardware. Southern Baptists mission boards joined churches and associations in digital and in-person outreach, as North America hosted the World Cup for the first time […]

IMB trustees appoint new missionaries, elect first woman chair

Metro East church plant hosts multiplication meeting

More Mission Stories

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