Stories tagged with: illinois baptist state association

• Illinois churches 'ReFocus' for revitalized ministry

  by Illinois Baptist Staff, posted Wednesday, November 13, 2019 (one month ago)

  

  Submitted photo

  MARION, Ill. (BP) -- Across the country, the numbers are sobering. At least 80 percent of American churches are plateaued or declining, and many leaders are struggling to know what steps to take to revitalize flagging ministries.

  "We need a new wave of church revitalization to sweep across America," Rob Peters said at the Illinois Baptist State Association's Annual Meeting Nov. 7 in Marion. At the 113th annual gathering of Illinois Baptists, messengers adopted resolutions, elected new officers, and approved a 2020 budget. Read More

• High winds damage Illinois Baptist building's roof

  by Lisa Misner, posted Friday, March 15, 2019 (9 months ago)

  

  Photo courtesy of Pat Trees

  SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (BP) –- No one was hurt, but the roof of the Illinois Baptist State Association building in Springfield was in poor condition after high winds blew part of it off on Thursday (March 14).

  A gust of wind blew a section of the building's roof into its north parking area around 4:20 p.m. The part that blew off was the rubber membrane of the roof along with the underlying Styrofoam that serves as part of the drainage system. High winds continued to blow smaller pieces into the parking lot over the next few hours. Read More

• History visits annual meeting of Ill. Baptists

  by Illinois Baptist staff, posted Tuesday, November 20, 2018 (one year ago)

  

  IBSA photo

  MARYVILLE, Ill. (BP) -- The pioneering spirit of more than 200 churches was on display during the Illinois Baptist State Association's (IBSA) annual meeting Nov. 7-8.

  This year's meeting was held at First Baptist Church in Maryville. IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams helped lead a Wednesday evening service dedicated to the steps churches must take in order to reach Illinois' mission field with the Gospel.

  The vast spiritual need in Illinois, where at least 8 million people do not know Christ, was communicated most poignantly by the words of the state's most famous ... Read More

• 350-plus baptized in 'One GRAND Sunday' in Illinois

  by Illinois Baptist Staff, posted Thursday, April 19, 2018 (one year ago)

  

  Submitted photo

  STAUNTON, Ill. (BP) -- Volunteers carried a livestock feeding trough April 8 into the high school gymnasium where NET Community Church meets each Sunday.

  The trough had a lofty purpose as 11 people were baptized during morning worship, each wearing T-shirts with the words "going public."

  "Their life stories were all very different, but their life conversion was the same," said Derrick Taylor, pastor of NET Community. "It was so exciting to witness each one 'going public' with their new lives in Christ, thus declaring 'I'm not ashamed of the Lord Jesus Christ!'" Read More

• FIRST-PERSON: Why Chicago?

  by Dennis Conner, posted Friday, December 01, 2017 (2 years ago)

  No matter where you live, Dennis Conner notes, metropolitan areas like Chicago are located between you and "the end of the earth" in the Great Commission. Read More

• Illinois churches prepare for new ministry frontiers

  by Meredith Flynn, Lisa Misner Sergent & Eric Reed, posted Tuesday, November 21, 2017 (2 years ago)

  

  Illinois Baptist photo

  DECATUR, Ill. (BP) -- The urgent need to get the Gospel to more people was a driving theme of the 111th annual meeting of the Illinois Baptist State Association, with churches challenged to make four "Pioneering Spirit" commitments in the areas of church planting, evangelism, giving and leadership development.

  The Pioneering Spirit theme also coincides with Illinois' 200th anniversary to be celebrated in 2018. In keeping with the state's bicentennial, IBSA is asking 200 or more churches to make each of the four commitments. Read More

• Ill. Baptists urged to cross cultural divides

  by Illinois Baptist staff, posted Friday, November 18, 2016 (3 years ago)

  

  BROADVIEW, Ill. (BP) -- Messengers to the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Illinois Baptist State Association voted to increase the state's Cooperative Program giving to national causes, met missionaries coming off the international field who have joined the state staff, and welcomed 10 new churches to the association.

  The meeting, held Nov. 2-3 at Broadview Missionary Baptist Church in a western suburb of Chicago, also challenged Illinois Baptists and their churches to embrace the call to take the Gospel across cultures. Read More

• 'Most chaotic three minutes of the year'

  by Meredith Flynn/Illinois Baptist, posted Thursday, December 03, 2015 (4 years ago)

  Meredith Flynn, managing editor of the Illinois Baptist, shares thoughts on "the most chaotic three minutes of the year," or what many refer to as the annual photo taken when Illinois Baptist State Association messengers gather each fall. Read More

• Illinois Baptists hold 'Concert of Prayer'

  by Eric Reed & Meredith Flynn, posted Friday, November 14, 2014 (5 years ago)

  SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (BP) -- It was all about prayer. Messengers to the 108th annual meeting of the Illinois Baptist State Association Nov. 5-6 at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield pled for spiritual awakening and revival, highlighted in a Concert of Prayer based on Isaiah 6. Read More