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News

Teams move into Maui after wildfires

September 5, 2023 By Baptist Press

Maui after wildfires

Maui, Hawaii | As wildfires raged out of control in Lahaina, local churches on the Hawaiian island of Maui that were outside the burn area immediately began grappling how they would respond. “We’re not going back to normal,” Pastor Jay Haynes of Kahului Baptist Church said. “There’s not really ‘going back to normal.’ There’s no […]

ARITF begins vetting process for Ministry Check website

September 1, 2023 By Scott Barkley

ARITF update

Nashville, Tenn. | Names and background information for potential inclusion at sbcabuseprevention.com are currently being processed prior to publication, said a statement by the group tasked with its implementation. The Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force (ARITF) held an in-person meeting on Aug. 28 in Dallas, Chairman Joshua Wester confirmed with Baptist Press. It was the group’s first gathering […]

Summer camp brings in harvest at Auburn church

August 29, 2023 By Lisa Misner

Week 3 IBSA Summer Camp June 19-23 group photo

Auburn | For Pastor David Van Bebber this summer was all about investing in the lives of young people in his community and then watching as God prepared the harvest. His church sent 22 students to summer camp in late June, and by mid-August saw nine students accept Christ and baptized six of them. Van […]

EC conducting internal investigation related to Willie McLaurin

August 29, 2023 By Brandon Porter, Baptist Press

SBC Executive Committee

Nashville, Tenn. | The SBC Executive Committee has begun an investigation into the circumstances leading to the resignation of Willie McLaurin. McLaurin resigned on Aug. 17 after confessing to falsifying his education background. He was serving as the interim president and CEO and was thought to be the leading candidate for the permanent role. He had served the […]

Church staffer dismissed during criminal investigation

August 23, 2023 By Illinois Baptist Staff

Marion | The executive pastor of Cornerstone Church in Marion was dismissed after allegations of inappropriate behavior involving church members who were under age 18 at the time. The allegations were brought to the church leadership team late last week. After investigation by the elders and their engagement with local law enforcement, Tivo McCrary was […]

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Featured Columns

After another leadership failure, forgive? Yes. Forget? Maybe later.

Eric Reed

My cousin Holly’s house burned down in July. The family and their dog were saved, but they lost everything. Literally everything, except her grandmother’s ancient roasting pan just big enough for a 12-pound turkey and a diamond ring. Everything else in their rural home was gone in under an hour. The irony was that my […]

Nate Adams

Positive purpose

Nate Adams

Without question, more of my time and passion is invested in encouraging churches to give to missions through the Cooperative Program than through any designated offering, including our own state missions offering. I believe that’s as it should be. Yet both the CP and designated offerings have vital, important purposes. My conviction is that the […]

What personal missions commitment looks like

Meredith Flynn

“Your partnership is needed now.” That sentence jumped out as I looked over this year’s Mission Illinois Offering materials. This time of year always reminds me of the things that unite Illinois Baptists: the shared prayer that more people will come to know Jesus; the shared burden for our communities in need of transformation; and […]

More Columns

Newsmakers Interview with Bart Barber, Part 3

Eric Reed

Southern Baptist Convention President Bart Barber is featured in the September issue of the Illinois Baptist. An hour-long interview focused on key issues including women in pastoral ministry and “friendly cooperation.” Editor Eric Reed asked Barber to look ahead to the 2024 SBC in Indianapolis. They discussed the role of social media in our Baptist […]

News

SBC EC votes at September 2023 meeting

Recap of this week’s SBC Exec Comm meeting

The Baptist Paper

While the anticipated next step regarding who will temporarily lead the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee in the interim period changed mid-way through the trustees’ meeting this week, trustee chair Philip Robertson plans to begin a new search right away. Recently retired Kentucky pastor Dan Summerlin provided this statement yesterday afternoon (Sept. 19) after alerting […]

Barber recalls ‘bold’ Southern Baptists, urges cooperation amid trials

Quick look at SBC Exec Comm agenda, Sept. 18-19

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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