The second session of the IBSA Annual Meeting turned the spotlight on missions. “Let’s do something big together,” Mission Director Paul Westbrook told the crowd at Metro Community Church, his former church. Westbrook joined the IBSA church planting team in early 2022 after 31 years as planter and pastor of the Edwardsville church. He had been scheduled to bring the Annual Meeting sermon two years ago.
“I didn’t plant a church for the limelight,” he said. “I did it because I became increasingly convinced that people need Jesus.”
Before the home crowd, Westbrook used a large cardboard box to make his point. “I stepped out of the box I was stuck in, and I stepped into faith.” He related the journey that included a small start for the church planted by Oklahoma transplants, and sojourns of more than a decade meeting in four public schools as the church grew. He urged pastors and church leaders to join the work to “Multiply Illinois” by supporting church plants to reach the state’s nearly nine million lost people.
“Maybe you got stuck in a box, and you haven’t stepped out in faith. Hebrews says without faith, it is impossible to please God. Not hard, but impossible.”
He pointed to several statistics showing the limited witness engaged by most Christians. Barna Research showed 74% of Christians have 10 or fewer spiritual conversations of any kind in a year. At the conclusion of the sermon, Westbrook destroyed the box and stood on top of the pieces as he prayed for a multiplying movement of church planting and evangelism in Illinois.
Missions partners brought international and North American missions before the assembly. Former Benton pastor Sammy Simmons, now with the North American Mission Board, announced the “Send Relief Serve Tour” in Chicagoland next August. Volunteers from Illinois will engage a variety of missions projects in Chicago to open doors for witness. “No act of love is insignificant when King Jesus is involved in it,” Simmons said. Information is posted at ServeTour.org.
International Mission Board missionaries to Brazil, Rick and Jill Thompson, shared experiences from field. Rick is from Illinois. He welcomed fellow Illinoisans to venture to the mission field, whether local or international. Jill encouraged the people to start simple:
- Get a passport.
- Make sure you are praying that someone from your church will go on an overseas mission trip.
- Pray for international missionaries, connect with missionaries, hold zoom meetings with missionaries in small groups so missions becomes personal.
- Pray for the lost.
IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams introduced the 13 churches that affiliated with the state association earlier in the day. Later he brought three church planters to the stage to share their stories.
Jacob Goble, planting pastor of Rooted Community Church in Lebanon described a town divided by state highway 4, with “have’s” on one side and “have not’s” on the other. Lebanon is home to McKendree College with 2,000 students from 43 states and 43 countries. “We believe the world is going to changed through Rooted Community Church,” Goble said.
Jose Nunez is pastoring Iglesia Buen Samaritano of Aurora. Through an interpreter, he explained the church started through 12-step programs for addiction and is ministering to first- and second-generation Latinos. “The support we have received from the Illinois Baptists and through your prayers allowed us to be with you. We thank you and we want to continue.”
Daniel Nemmers started Salt Church on the Illinois State University campus in Normal this fall. “We had our fourth kid two weeks before we planted the church. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. (laughter) We’ve seen 8 people saved and 2 people baptized. And I got to lead my neighbor to Christ.
“There’s a lot of financial security in Normal, but nominal Christianity: If you are in college, know Jesus,” Nemmers said. “And if you’re in the community, know Jesus.”
The Annual Meeting concludes Thursday.