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News

SBC Crossover: Churches lead gospel outreach on Illinois side of the river

July 23, 2016 By Illinois Baptist Staff

Three months ago, Josef Latham was a self-described agnostic struggling with difficulties he didn’t know how to handle. He asked a friend what he should do, and she advised him to pray, believing God would hear him. Her advice eventually led him to First Baptist Church, Mascoutah, where he accepted Christ and was baptized on Easter. Josef shared his testimony at a community worship service hosted by the church as part of Crossover Read…

Racism addressed with firm action

July 23, 2016 By Lisa Misner

The Southern Baptist Convention rejected use of an iconic Southern emblem, the Confederate battle flag still commonly seen in the South, because it is for many representative of slavery and ongoing racism against African Americans. The resolution states: “We call our brothers and sisters in Christ to discontinue the display of the Confederate battle flag as a sign of solidarity of the whole Body of Christ, including our African-American brothers and sisters.” Read…

High Stakes, Higher Calling by Meredith Flynn

July 23, 2016 By Meredith Flynn

The stakes are high, Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd declared to Southern Baptists gathered in St. Louis. And perhaps they’ve never been higher. Christians are being martyred around the world. Refugees are fleeing for their lives. There are still thousands of people groups unreached with the gospel, but limited funds required the SBC this year to reduce its missions force by more than 1,000. Read…

‘We’re losing our country’

July 22, 2016 By Morgan Jackson

“The only hope for the United States of America is the Almighty God,” evangelist Franklin Graham told a crowd estimated at 6,000 in front of the Illinois State Capitol. “I have no hope in the Democratic Party, and I have no hope in the Republican Party,” Graham said, in a speech urging increased Christian involvement in the election process. He endorsed no candidate, but called on Christians to pray and vote. Read…

More churches, fewer baptisms

July 22, 2016 By Carol Pipes

The Southern Baptist Convention added more churches in 2015, due mostly to church planting efforts. Churches also experienced an increase in total giving. However, according to the Annual Church Profile report compiled by LifeWay Christian Resources in cooperation with state conventions, other key measures declined, including membership, average worship attendance, baptisms, and missions giving. Read…

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Featured Columns

Meredith Flynn

Spectators or participants?

Meredith Flynn

My church is in a season of refocusing on prayer. Every Sunday before the sermon, we break into small groups and pray together. One of the goals of this emphasis, our pastor has said, is to move from being spectators of prayer to participants in it. Last season, the football team I have followed and […]

Nate Adams

Good new days

Nate Adams

We all have “good old days” in our lives. They may be the days when we felt most successful or appreciated, or when things were done the way we agreed with or liked, or when those we respected were in charge. Most of us have good old days in our churches too. Days when our […]

How we can speak to men in the abortion conversation

Justin Mullins

As a pastor, father and follower of Christ, I have often found myself with a heavy heart when I think and pray about abortion. I’m saddened. I’m sickened. I’m burdened for the life of preborn children who are precious in the sight of God. And I have a deep conviction that there’s more that I […]

More Columns

Study shows Hispanic churches are young, vibrant, and growing

Lifeway Research

A new survey of Hispanic churches shows their attenders are younger and more evangelistic than at other Protestant churches—and there are more of them in worship on any given Sunday. Together with two dozen other religious organizations, Lifeway Research polled 692 pastors of churches that are at least 50% Hispanic for the largest survey of […]

News

Hunt sues SBC, EC and Guidepost

Brandon Porter, Baptist Press

Longtime pastor and former SBC President Johnny Hunt has filed suit against the SBC, the SBC Executive Committee (EC) and Guidepost Solutions. The suit seeks unspecified damages related to allegations of defamation and the invasion of privacy based on accusations made against Hunt in the 2022 Guidepost report stemming from an investigation into the alleged […]

SBC aids largest people displacement in history

Stetzer leaves Wheaton to lead Biola’s theology school

More News Stories

Mission

Sallateeska baptism demonstrates SBC connections

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

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

More Mission Stories

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