• Contact
  • Return to IBSA
  • Advertise Through Us
  • Subscribe
  • E-Reader

IBSA News

Illinois Baptist State Newspaper

  • Quick Links
    • E-Reader
    • Subscribe
    • Advertise
    • Resource
  • News
    • IBSA
    • SBC
    • Culture
    • Illinois Churches
  • Stories
    • Thriving
    • Church Planting
    • Mission
    • Next Step
  • In Focus
  • Columns
    • Nate Adams
    • Eric Reed
    • Meredith Flynn
    • Table Talk
    • Reporter’s Notebook
    • Encouraging Words

How can we think long-term?

April 8, 2020 By Carmen Halsey

The COVID-19 pandemic has me thinking about Lydia from the Book of Acts, the woman who was so changed by Christ that she influenced her whole household to know him too. Her love for God was contagious to those around her. In this unprecedented time, we have the same opportunity. How can we be people of influence in our communities that are looking for answers, for peace, and for hope?

You’ve probably heard the question: “If our church closed its doors today, would the community really miss us?” That’s our opportunity. How can we, as the church, bring value to our community right now? Here are some questions to consider:

1. Who are the people in your church right now? Who are the shut-ins? Who is on the margins? Who are the compromised? What is their baseline? On a normal day, how do they get their groceries? How do they get their medicine? On a normal day, who’s interacting with them? It’s not normal now, so how can you step in and be the church to those people? How do you love them well?

2. Apply the same idea to your neighbors. How can you contact them so you know them and they know you? How do you make yourself available right now, but keep a relationship with them in the future? How do you love them as Christ loved others?

3. Identify the hospitals, nursing homes, retirement centers, and assisted living homes in your zip code. Who are the highest-ranking officials in those places? What are their needs? How can you help? Your community needs to know who you are and what you’re about. They need people to depend on right now, and to know they can call on you when they need help again in the future.

How are we truly investing in the future? How can we love our communities so that Christ is made known? How do we thrive instead of survive? We must step out, leaders. Let’s aspire to be courageous, risk-taking Lydias for Christ today and in the future.

Carmen Halsey is an IBSA director of leadership development.

Share This Story

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

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

  • News
  • Mission
  • In Focus
  • Columns

Copyright © 2023 · Website by Megaphone Designs