A survey of IBSA churches conducted late last year showed desire for increased assistance with evangelism, discipleship, and leadership. Of special interest to respondents in the survey was ministry that reaches the next generation—students, young adults, and families with children. Now a separate report tallied in January confirms their concerns. Illinois churches were down in several key areas, according to the 2016 Annual Church Profiles (ACP).
“For our statewide family of churches,” IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams said, “2016 was a reminder that our Baptist faith and message is increasingly counter-cultural, and that now more than ever we must be creative, winsome, and determined to reach and disciple the people of our Illinois mission field.”
In the “down” column are membership (from 193,972 in 2015 to 184,545 in 2016) and average Sunday morning worship attendance (from 76,344 to 71,022). Sunday school enrollment was down (from 83, 552 to 79,912), but attendance was up by almost 1,000.
But most noteworthy is the change in baptisms reported by Illinois Baptist churches.
In 2016, IBSA churches baptized 3,953 people, down from 4,400 the previous year. On average, churches baptized 4.1 people each. But 352 of IBSA’s 964 churches reported zero baptisms. Churches that did report baptisms averaged 7.2 baptisms per church.
“The IBSA Evangelism Director position was vacant from the second half of 2015 through all of 2016,” Adams noted. After interviewing more than a half dozen candidates for the post, Adams asked Associate Executive Director Pat Pajak to lead evangelism efforts in Illinois. Pajak previously led the Church Strengthening Team (now the Church Resources Team) and later the Church Consulting Team. His passion is sharing Christ with lost people, and already Pajak is bringing that enthusiasm to Illinois churches, asking for—and getting—commitments to share Christ and to lead people to baptism in the churches where he preaches.
In the church needs survey, 76% of respondents wanted assistance with evangelism and 72% wanted help with discipleship; 78% wanted training in leadership. And next-generation ministry was cited as a great need in their churches by 75% of those taking the survey.
“This year, the IBSA staff will prioritize evangelism and discipleship, leadership development, and next generation strategies among churches, even as we continue to facilitate church planting and missions,” Adams said.
In addition to Pajak’s new assignment, Jack Lucas has joined the IBSA Church Resources Team to lead next-generation ministry. He started Feb. 1, coming from roles as pastor of Pleasant Hill Baptist in Mt. Vernon and part-time IBSA zone consultant. Lucas has led VBS training for IBSA churches as a volunteer for many years. In this new role, he will focus on equipping churches to reach students through effective outreach and connection with young adults.
In the church needs survey, 79% of respondents said the greatest need for a new church in their area is among young adults, college-age through 30s.
IBSA’s Church Planting Team helped start 16 new churches in 2016, not as high as the 22 planted in 2015, but ahead of the 7 new congregations started in 2014. One of two church planting catalyst positions vacant last year has been filled. Ken Wilson is serving as catalyst for the central and southern regions of the state. A search continues for a catalyst to join the Chicagoland team.
Missions giving and going
Commitment to missions remains strong among Illinois Baptists, with 20,979 IBSA church members reporting participation in their Acts 1:8 missions fields. That equals 1-in-4 of worship attenders present on an average Sunday morning.
Giving to local churches was up overall: churches reported undesignated receipts of $91.3 million, an increase of almost $3.4 million from the previous year, but still down from the record $100.6 million in 2012.
The Mission Illinois Offering came in at $365,856, down from $403,396 in 2015, but better that the 2014 offering of $364,358.
Giving to missions through the Cooperative Program totaled $6,073,404, down $156,679, or 2.5% from the previous year’s total of $6,230,083. (It should be noted, however, that CP giving through Jan. 27, 2017, was $130,487 higher than at the same time in 2016. The lower 2016 year-end total may have been affected by an ice storm the weekend of December 18, and by the Christmas and New Year’s holidays both falling on Sundays.)
IBSA forwards 43.5% of CP receipts to the national SBC for global missions and training pastors and missionaries. In the church needs survey, 81% of respondents agreed with ratio that keeps 56.5% of CP receipts in Illinois, focused on missions, church planting, and church strengthening in the state.