Orland Park | “God needs some people who are willing to give their amen! to the gospel of Jesus Christ, to the fact that God is working everything out for his own glory in this world,” declared Mark Croston, opening preacher at the IBSA Annual Meeting. He told the crowd they can thrive in God’s power, presence, and protection, drawing on the Thrive ’24 theme for the event that launched Tuesday afternoon.
In a new two-day format, the combined pastors conference with business and worship sessions for the state association is designed to make attendance easier for bivocational pastors and those who live far from the meeting site.
Ashburn Baptist Church in the southwest Chicago suburbs is hosting the event. The church became a cooperating IBSA church two years ago. “We’re better together,” Ashburn pastor Tommy Thompson said as he welcomed messengers and guests. He is also serving as host for the pastors conference portion of the program.
IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams leads a prayer session for pastors along with IBSA management staff.
The first session had a “For the Pastor” focus, picking up the IBSA emphasis announced last year to help pastors with personal renewal and spiritual care. IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams led a prayer session for pastors along with IBSA management staff. “May they remember they are called,” Adams prayed. “May they remember they are not alone.”
On the agenda for Tuesday night and Wednesday are sermons by Brian Croft of Practical Shepherding, IBSA President Bruck Kirk of Alpha Missionary Baptist Church in Bolingbrook, and SBC Executive Committee President and CEO Jeff Iorg.
The 100th anniversary years for Baptist Faith and Message and Cooperative Program in 2025 will be launched. And IBSA’s fellow ministry entities, Baptist Foundation of Illinois (BFI) and Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services (BCHFS) will bring reports.
As messengers arrived, many had with them cartons of supplies for Send Chicago church plants and compassion ministries. The Boxes of Blessing replace the buckets used for the past two years, because they are more easily transported. The day after the meeting is reserved for mission projects and a prayer tour of Chicagoland church plants.
“You will thrive if you stand in God’s protection,” Croston said. “A lot of us are scared—we’re cared of violence, we’re scared of the economy. But God is protecting you in the process,” he said, citing 1 Timothy 4. “If you are out there doing God’s work, God says, ‘I got your back!’
Croston, who serves as Lifeway’s National Director of Black Church Ministries, brought the crowd to its feet shouting “Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross… ‘til every foe is vanquished, and Christ is Lord indeed!
(He said it three times, to growing applause.)
“..and Christ is Lord indeed!”
Watch the livestream of the event at IBSAannualmeeting.org.