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 the shared mission to engage with how God is working in our state.
My partnership is needed now. So is yours. We’re accustomed to hearing about needs around our country and around the world, but the stories happening closer to home are sometimes easier to overlook. That’s why I’m grateful every year for the Mission Illinois Offering. It’s a critical reminder that our Illinois mission field is full of vibrant stories and servant-hearted leaders. It’s a call to action.
What would it look like for me, a regular member of an IBSA-member church, to partner with people like me across our state to really engage our shared mission field? Here are a few ideas to consider:
Pray every day. During the week of September 17-24, dedicate a few minutes every day to pray for Illinois missions. If it’s helpful, choose a time with significance—2:17 or 6:18, for example, or the area code where you live. Pray on your own, with your family, or with prayer partners over the phone. At the end of the week, consider praying intentionally for Illinois missions throughout the year. Go to missionillinois.org/prayer-guide for specific ways to pray.
Make connections. The needs in our towns are different, but many of the big themes are universal: changing communities, the need for strong leadership, neighbors with deep physical and spiritual needs. As you watch this year’s missions stories, think about your own neighbors, your church, your town or city. What commonalities do you see between your community and the ones on screen?
On paper, a church ministering to refugees in Chicagoland may seem worlds away from yours. But there are people with the same kind of needs right where you are. When we connect the dots, engaging our shared mission field becomes a more accessible endeavor year-round.
Invite the next generation. Look no further than a Vacation Bible School offering for missions to see how quickly kids get on board. Like us, the next generation is motivated by compelling stories of how God is working. Consider how your church might use existing children’s ministry to introduce Illinois missions. Devote one morning of Sunday school to learning about one of the missionaries featured this year. Show the video; invite kids to pray.
Putting a name and a face to a big concept like “missions” is invaluable for all of us, especially kids.
Plan a trip. As you watch and pray through this year’s missions stories, consider how you and your church might partner directly with other churches and leaders in Illinois. Even the most seasoned among us are stopped in their tracks when they witness gospel-fueled ministry that is actually changing a community. Where could a family or a team go to partner with another church in reaching their neighbors? Start planning now.
Our Illinois mission field is something we share all year, every year. Let this week be a jumping off point for a new level of engagement.
Meredith Flynn is a member of Delta Church in Springfield, a pastor’s kid, former GA and Acteen, and wife and mother of two young girls who are learning what missions is all about.