Illinois Baptist
Second time around
SBC influencers in the new administration
A report on nominees to the 15 cabinet posts in the new Trump administration summed up the group as “the most Catholic cabinet ever.” At least eight nominees have Catholic backgrounds, ranging from nominal to devout. But there are other faiths represented too, including Southern Baptists.
As President Trump prepares to take office again, Southern Baptists, three-fourths of which vot-
ed for Trump, may be wondering what influence our conservative evangelical faith will have on key cultural and moral issues, such as pro-life and gender assignments, now that the election is over.
And there’s the question of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and its relationship to the second Trump administration. The previous president of the SBC’s public policy entity, Russell
� Centennial celebrations launched for two Baptist pillars
� SBC’s Jeff Iorg calls for less tribalism, more cooperation
� Pastors encouraged to trust in God’s power, presence
INSIDE: ‘Blessings’ by the boxful, P. 12
Total giving by IBSA churches as of 10/31/24 $4,418,712
2024 Budget Goal to date: $4,983,323
2024 Goal: $6 Million
In one of its frequent Sending Celebrations, IMB sent 49 missionaries to mission fields around the world at a special service held in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The missionaries are supported by 47,000 local SBC churches. In this photo, friends and family gather around Jesse Harris of Ontario, California as he prepares to leave for Spain.
“Your gifts through the Cooperative Program and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering make their work possible,” IMB President Paul Chitwood said as the missionaries were commissioned. “And the beauty of our cooperative model means that every church represented in this sanctuary tonight had a gospel witness this past year in 155 countries around the world!”
The Illinois Baptist staff
Editor - Eric Reed
Graphic Designer - Kris Kell
Contributing Editor - Lisa Misner
Comm. Coordinator - Nic Cook
Graphics Assistant - Makayla Proctor
Team Leader - Ben Jones
The general telephone number for IBSA is (217) 786-2600. For questions about subscriptions, articles, or upcoming events, contact the Illinois Baptist at (217) 391-3127 or IllinoisBaptist@IBSA.org
The Illinois Baptist is seeking news from IBSA churches. E-mail us at IllinoisBaptist@IBSA.org to tell us about special events and new ministry staff.
POSTMASTER: The Illinois Baptist is owned and published every month by the Illinois Baptist State Association, 3085 Stevenson Drive, Springfield, Illinois 62703-4440. Subscriptions are free to Illinois Baptists. Subscribe online at IBSA.org.
NATE ADAMS
Get-up-and-go
Having attended Southern Baptist churches all my life, the Christmas season always brings to my mind the name of Lottie Moon and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Lottie, of course, gave her life as a missionary to China and as a passionate advocate for international missions.
Last year when our family gave to international missions through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, our gift joined dozens of other families in our church to total more than five thousand dollars. Our church’s gifts were then added to those of hundreds of other churches from Illinois to total more than $1.2 million. And by the time our Illinois gifts were combined with those from other states, we as Southern Baptists together gave more than $196 million to support almost 3,600 international missionaries and their 2,700 children.
Because we helped send those missionaries, 879,798 people from more than a thousand different people groups heard the gospel in 2023; 141,206 professed their faith in Christ, and 116,992 were baptized. As our missionaries worked with local leaders, 269,571 were discipled, and 12,618 were trained in church planting. These numbers and more outlining Southern Baptists’ international missions impact can be found at www.imb.org/impact.
This is a great time of year to focus on international missions, and on the support our international missionaries need, since most churches receive their Lottie Moon Christmas Offering in December. But it’s also a great time to remember that those missionaries provide a worldwide network of opportunity for our churches here in Illinois.
At the end of 2023, the number of volunteers going on an international missions trip that were reported by our Illinois churches was still 36% lower than in pre-Covid 2019. With 2025 now on the horizon, it’s time to get up and go!
The phrase get-up-and-go is cited in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as originating around 1906 as a synonym for energy or drive. The example sentence it offers is, “Even after her broken hip healed, Grandma never regained her get-up-and-go.” It refers to enthusiasm and initiative, often in the context of energy that has been lost and then regained. We need to regain our getup-and-go for international missions.
The season for Lottie Moon and lyrical inspiration
Perhaps you’re familiar with the sadly amusing phrase, “My get-up-and-go has gotup-and-went.” Pete Seeger recorded a song with those lyrics in the 1960’s, though the original poem was written 30 years earlier by Homer A. Shively. It’s a fun but true lament about the realities of aging that says in part, “How do I know my youth is all spent? My get-up-and-go has got-up-and-went.” Illinois Baptists, our get-up-and-go for international missions has not got-up-and-went!
Twenty years later, a popular 80’s girl band ironically named the Go-Go’s also recorded a song titled, “Get Up and Go.” Presumably speaking to her boyfriend, the lead singer boldly issues the ultimatum, “If you’re so tired of moving slow, get up and go.”
But it’s in the middle of that unlikely song that I found words eerily appropriate for our international missions calling: “Now’s the time for you to move. Actions shout out loud. So cut the talk and move your feet, ‘cause words get lost in crowds. Quit talking, start walking now. So get up and go.”
The missionaries we support with our Lottie Moon Christmas Offering gifts also provide an amazing, worldwide network of partners for direct missions involvement by our churches. As we pray and give, let’s also get back in action and go. If your church needs help finding an international missions destination that matches your church’s strategy and skills, call or write Shannon Ford in our offices here at IBSA and he will be glad to help. 2025 is almost here. It’s time to get-up-and-go.
Nate Adams is executive director of the Illinois Baptist State Association. Respond at IllinoisBaptist@IBSA.org.
Probation lifted for HLGU
‘Emerging into a new season,’ president says
Hannibal, Mo. | Cheers in a chapel service greeted the announcement that an independent agency that accredits degree-granting institutions in the United States has removed Hannibal-LaGrange University from probation.
An assessment team with the Higher Learning Commission noted the efforts of the Missouri Baptist Convention-affiliated school, HGLU reported. Those steps included “diligent work toward financial health, improved enrollment strategies, and responsible endowment management.”
“HLGU has implemented the difficult corrections to create a more balanced budget, to manage cashflow, to begin repaying endowment borrowing, and to return HLGU enrollment to growth,” the assessment team said in a statement shared by HGLU. “These efforts have resulted in a successful turnaround.”
The school’s board of trustees took steps in March 2022 to address $690,000 in debt and keep the university operational through the end of that year. In its recent statement, HGLU leadership pointed to the “rigorous improvement plan over
the past two years” that focused on budget and building student enrollment.
“This decision by the [Higher Learning Commission] is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our administration, faculty, and staff,” said Robert Matz, president of Hannibal-LaGrange University. “Our entire campus community has been deeply committed to putting HLGU on a stable financial foundation that supports our mission of academic excellence and faith-centered learning. We are grateful to everyone who contributed to this successful turnaround and look forward to a future of growth and opportunity.”
The Commission cited significant improvements in relation to the board and governance and the sufficiency of faculty. While acknowledging improvement in financial management and short-term planning, the Commission urged the university to work on its longterm planning.
HGLU was in crisis mode at the time its previous president resigned, soon afterward announcing the need to make cuts and fundraise to cover $2.2 million dollars in order to reopen for the fall semester in 2012.
Matz announced that probation was lifted in a chapel service.
“There was a loud cheer from everybody," Matz told the Courier-Post. “Folks were really excited, really encouraged, because, this has been a long season in a lot of ways, and to be able to put these things in our rear view mirror and look towards the future, is exciting and encouraging.”
Enrollment was 452 in 2022. Matz said incoming classes have increased by 20% over each of the past two years. “We're really excited to be emerging from this season of challenge and emerging into a new season of health,” Matz said.
Matz took office two years ago. He was an administrator and faculty member at Midwestern Theological Seminary for ten years.
NAMB explores new ministry center
Chicago | An imposing brown brick building at 1356 N. Rockwell Street may be changing hands, but will continue as a center for ministry to the northside neighborhood. The North American Mission Board (NAMB) has expressed interest in purchasing the three-story building, more than 100 years old, that has served as home to Chicagoland Baptists for just over a decade.
Before that it was used as a church building, and was deeded to the local association when the church closed. Originally, the facility was a neighborhood school.
In its new incarnation, the building will become a ministry center for NAMB’s Send Relief work in Chicago. The local association will continue to have an office in the building.
Messengers to the Chicagoland Baptists annual meeting (formerly called Chicago Metro Baptist Association, or CMBA) approved a resolution supporting the sale of the building, and received NAMB’s letter of intent during their fall meeting Nov. 12. The purchase price is $1,000,000, with half to be paid on closing and the remainder paid in annual installments for the following ten years. Included in the agreement is a “ministry cooperation agreement” between NAMB and the local association.
Soon after CMBA acquired the facility, the pipes froze and burst during a frigid Christmas break, causing considerable damage. With the insurance settlement, the building was renovated. It has been home to several church plants and many visiting mission teams.
If the sale goes through, proceeds will be used by the local association to further its work with Chicagoland churches.
MATZ
the briefing from the front: Culture Watch
Assisted suicide bill pending
Nine Illinois state senators have signed on as co-sponsors of an assisted suicide bill (SB 3499). First introduced in February, the bill establishes qualifications and guidelines for terminally ill patients to end their lives. The latest senator joined the list Nov. 11. After several procedural moves, the bill now rests with the assignments committee. The General Assembly has a lame duck session scheduled for Jan 2-7, 2025.
Judge calls action ‘nonsensical’
A federal judge will likely allow a lawsuit by a church against the city that halted a Baptist church’s food ministry program on the Arizona-Mexico border. The city of San Luis, Arizona claims Gethsemane Baptist Church’s distribution of “commercial amounts” of food and the use of a semi-truck to bring the food from a warehouse to the church parking lot violates the residential zoning ordinance. The church claims that the enforcement of the zoning ordinance violates the Religious Land Use Act.
Really wicked
Mattel issued a public apology after it accidentally printed the address for an adult website on toy packaging. The incident involved special edition dolls produced for the movie Wicked. The company aimed to include the movie’s website on the packaging, but the address was misprinted and now leads consumers to a website inappropriate for children, the statement explained. The company said it took immediate action to fix the error.
—LegiScan. Monitor, Courthouse News, World magazine
Continued from page 1
Moore, clashed with the first Trump White House, particularly on treatment of immigrants. That also put him at odds with much of the rank-and-file SBC membership, who will likely be looking or a more supportive stance from the Brent Leatherwood-led ERLC.
Leatherwood wrote to the Trump transition team Nov. 11 with a specific list of concerns the ERLC would like to see addressed in the Administration’s first 100 days: restricting access and funding for abortion providers and the abortion pill, reversing President Biden’s guidance to federal agencies on antidiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people, and reversing other federal rules under Biden protecting LGBTQ rights.
In the meantime, confirmation hearings for 44 top appointments will be coming, including 15 cabinet members. On the list are three Southern Baptists, who are also pastors.
Doug Collins, Veterans Administration
A former pastor from Georgia has been tapped to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Collins served as pastor of Chicopee Baptist Church for eleven years, and was elected to the state legislature and then to Congress in 2012. He stepped down in 2020 to run for Senate, but lost.
Collins is active in the Air Force Reserves. He is a NAMB-endorsed chaplain, serving first as a Navy chaplain before joining the Air Force. He was deployed to Iraq in 2008-2009.
The announcement of his nomination said Collins “will be a great advocate for our active duty service members, veterans, and military families to ensure they have the support they need.”
Scott Turner, Housing and Urban Development
Turner has served as an associate pastor at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, but before that he served in the first Trump administration as executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, “helping to lead an unprecedented effort that transformed our country's most distressed communities,” according to the Trump team’s announcement.
With HUD Secretary Ben Carson, Turner oversaw 16 federal agencies which implemented more than 200 policy actions, amounting to $50 Billion in private investment in opportunity zones.
Turner was previously a defensive back for the Washington Redskins and the San Diego Chargers during seven seasons in the NFL. He served in the Texas House of Representatives from 2013 to 2017.
Mike Huckabee, Ambassador to Israel
Although not a cabinet post, this diplomatic nomination will be significant given the war in Gaza and relations with Israel. Former Baptist pastor and governor of Arkansas, Huckabee was a candidate for president in 2008 and 2016. He later became a television political commentator.
“Mike has been a great public servant, governor, and leader in faith for many years. He loves Israel, and the people of Israel, and likewise, the people of Israel love him. Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East!” President elect Trump said in an announcement.
Huckabee is an outspoken supporter of Israel, especially in its ongoing conflict with Hamas in the wake of Hamas’ attacks in October 2023, which he called “not just criminal, but evil.”
He has endorsed the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews and has led several Christian tours of the Holy Land.
While not Southern Baptist, Russell Vought, nominated to lead the Office of Management and Budget, attended Wheaton College. Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security, identifies as an evangelical Christian. And Marco Rubio, future Secretary of State, attended a Southern Baptist Church as a child, although he is now Catholic.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is a Southern Baptist from Louisiana, who succeeded Kevin McCarthy, a Southern Baptist from California. It will be up to members of the House to decide if Johnson keeps his leadership post in the chamber.
Eric Reed, with info from Baptist Press, Christian Post, RNS, and the Tennessean
THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENS—The Cabinet Room is adjacent to the Oval Office and the President’s Secretary’s Office. It was built in the 1902 addition, The West Wing. The mahogany table was a gift from President Richard Nixon in 1970. The President usually sits at the center of the table in a chair slightly taller than the others, with the Vice President directly across the table.
Suddenly, a family of six
Illinois church planters’ adoption surprises
When Jacob and Makenzie Goble settled in their seats at NAMB’s Send Luncheon during the Southern Baptist Convention’s Annual Meeting this past June, they had surprise coming.
“When they started talking about foster care and adoption in-depth, I thought, ‘This is so exciting!’” Jacob said.
Months before, the Gobles had finalized the adoption of their son and daughter, Dallas and McKenzie, and were in the process of adopting a third child—a boy named Luka—all while planting their first church, Rooted Community Church, in Lebanon, Illinois.
“Then they asked families in the process of adopting to stand up, and we’re like, ‘What’s about to happen?’” Jacob continued. “Having a room full of your brothers and sisters from across the country pray for you and then receiving a financial gift to help fund your childrens’ adoption—it was all totally unexpected.”
But that wasn’t the last of the surprises for Jacob and Makenzie. Just a week after being blessed with a financial gift from a generous donor at the Send Luncheon to aid in the adoption of their third child, they received a text notifying them that Luka’s biological mom had given birth again.
Jacob and Makenzie returned home with Luka’s younger brother, Josiah, days later.
Speaking from his kitchen table during an interview this October, Jacob said, “I tell everyone that Josiah is an absolute miracle. He was born in a dangerous situation in a home and was exposed to drugs while in the womb.”
“But he’s a healthy little guy,” said Makenzie, holding four-month-old Josiah in her arms. “And he’s plumping up.” She smiles and plants a kiss on one of Josiah’s smiling cheeks.
The Gobles’ heart for adoption existed from
the beginning of their church planting journey. Shortly after moving to Lebanon to plant Rooted Community Church two years ago, they finished the licensing process to become adoptive parents but assumed they were in for a long wait.
However, in an unexpected turn of events, Jacob and Makenzie welcomed a sibling group into their home in a matter of months—and just one week before the start of their church plant’s preview services.
“It was a whirlwind, but we were completely sustained by the Lord’s grace and the village of people that were rallying around us and the new church launch,” Makenzie said. “What’s been really sweet is that Rooted has been a part of Dallas and McKenzie’s lives since the beginning.”
Many from the Gobles’ “village” were sent out of Red Hill Church in Edwardsville, where one of the church’s values is to “send the best.” This closeknit church family came together again when, less than a year later, the Gobles welcomed a third child into their home—Luka—with only four hours to prepare.
“We were traveling and four hours away from home, but our church family bought us a bassinet and put it together and bought us diapers, formula, clothes—everything we needed—and it was all at our house waiting on us when we got home, and Luka arrived 30 minutes later,” Makenzie recalled.
A picture of the gospel
Rooted Community Church is known in their neighborhood for caring for the fatherless in more ways than one. From the first days of the plant, the church was moved to reach an impoverished and forgotten area of their community.
“There’s a teacher on our core team who works at the school here. Kids would tell him, ‘Nobody loves us. Nobody wants us.’ So, we committed to staying in this area of town,” Jacob said.
Not long ago, God opened the doors for Rooted to purchase an abandoned sanctuary in the area, communicating to their neighbors that Rooted Community Church is there to stay.
“There’s no analogy more tangible for the gospel than adoption,” Makenzie said. “We’re brought into God’s family when we don’t deserve it or have those rights.”
Now, as a family of six, with four children under seven years old, Jacob and Makenzie live out that analogy every day, and they are grateful for the support network around them.
from North American Mission Board
Historian Dillow remembered
Orland Park | Baptist pastor and historian Myron Dillow was honored posthumously at the IBSA Annual Meeting in November. He was the author of a definitive work on Illinois Baptist history, Harvesttime on the Prairie: 1796-1996 It recounted in detail the first 200 years of Baptist presence and missions in Illinois.
“On a few occasions, Myron would call me and tell me about the article that he was working on, about some aspect of Illinois Baptist history or Baptist history of some kind,” Executive Director Nate Adams said. “I don't know if you can imagine what it took to do a credible work on Baptist history that we can all now have as a reference like this to understand our roots.”
Dillow was chair of the IBSA Historical Committee when he was commissioned to write the work on the growth of Baptists in Illinois, starting with the first meeting house at New Design in 1796. It took five years to produce the 639-page volume.
Dillow was 93 at the time of his death Oct.30 in Ozark, Missouri. He was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Marjorie. He is survived by his son and daughter and their families. Dillow held a ThD in theology and a PhD in history. He pastored churches in Arkansas and Illinois, and he retired after 25 years as pastor of University Baptist Church in Carbondale.
Harvesttime on the Prairie became the quintessential reference for Baptist work in Illinois. And it is an interesting read, with the stories of the pioneers who busted sod for farming and tilled hard ground for planting gospel seeds. “We have reaped the fruit of their labors,” Dillow wrote.
“We have a rich heritage: our hope is that we will build on the things that have made us who we are and extend Jesus’ work today and tomorrow until he comes.”
Keeping missions afloat
WMU’s popsicle-stick houseboat highlights Amazon ministry Birmingham, Al. | It wasn’t exactly an ark, but it surely was a sight. A houseboat built of craft sticks floating on Lay Lake near Birmingham, Alabama. The craft was a project highlighting the work of Don and Maria Friesen, IMB missionaries who serve in the eastern Amazon region of South America. They
have lived more than a decade on a floating house in order to reach an Indigenous tribe along the rivers.
And WMU executive director Sandy Wisdom-Martin who captained the effort said it demonstrated the value of cooperation, just like the Cooperative Program.
The boat launch was the culmination of a year-long effort as WMU engaged Southern Baptist churches in making craft stick units as a way to learn about the Cooperative Program, a plan through which cooperating Southern Baptist churches give a percentage of their undesignated receipts in support of their respective state convention and SouthernBaptist missions and ministries.
“As we prepare to celebrate 100 years of Southern Baptists working together through the Cooperative Program, these craft stick units pieced together to create this houseboat is a representation of the value of each of us doing our part and to ‘see’ how much more we can accomplish when we all work together,” Wisdom-Martin said.
Two WMU members from Illinois were among the build team. Volunteer Amy Neibel of First Baptist Church of Carmi said, “It’s amazing to see how God has brought all these people together—all ages, various groups, even members of a WorldCrafts artisan group — to help make this.”
Children in SBC churches across
the nation glued together sets of craft sticks and decorated them, then shipped them—all 34,199 sets of them—to Birmingham.
In three days, the volunteers designed and built the frame and pieced together the craft stick units to make panels measuring 13.5” high by 26” wide. In addition to the entire house structure, creativity flowed as volunteers used the craft stick units to create additional décor items and a picket fence.
After the brief regatta, pieces of the houseboat, such as the cross on
AWSOM gives girls opportunity to grow
Decatur | At least 230 girls in grades 5-12 attended AWSOM either in person at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Decatur or at four simulcast locations Nov. 1-2. Through the event they were given the opportunity to participate in worship, build community, learn from women leaders, and connected with other students trying to live out their Christian faith in the real world.
This year’s event focused on authenticity, “realizing that Jesus sees all of us and we need to see more and more of him,” according to Carmen Halsey-Menghini, IBSA Leadership Development Director. “Too often we put filters on him, shortchanging who he actually is and what he wants to do in our lives.”
General sessions at the overnight retreat covered topics including Jesus as King not just Savior, Community-Accountability, and Living out our Faith.
Breakout sessions focused on spiritual disciplines. During one breakout activity, the girls made paper chains writing and laying “down the things they were struggling with,” said Halsey-Menghini. The chain had more than 100 links and included struggles with parents and friends, anger, addictions, and pornography.
She said the leader’s track was one of the event’s highlights. Women aged 65 and older
were brought up to speed with current cultural trends and engaged with the current generation, Gen Z. “When we can understand our audience, we can be more strategic with our interventions, Halsey-Menghini said. “We make it too hard sometimes.”
AWSOM is Amazing Women Serving Our Maker and is IBSA’s premiere event for girls. Next year’s event is Nov. 7-8 at a location still to be determined.
the back wall and some representative craft stick units, were removed and transported to the national WMU office.
“This one activity included all of these missional characteristics as those involved demonstrated how when we each do our part—when God’s people work together for His glory—much more can be accomplished for the kingdom,” Wisdom-Martin said. “And he provides and blesses in ways we can’t even think or imagine.”
from WMU
BOAT BUILDERS—Volunteers Niece Edwards and Amy Neibel (l-r) of First Baptist Church of Carmi cut trusses to frame the front and back roofline.
MISSION
THRIVE ’24
Celebrating the roots that make us strong
ILLINOIS BAPTIST TEAM REPORT
Think of it as a pep rally before the big game. Both the Cooperative Program and the Baptist Faith and Message will mark their 100th anniversaries in 2025. A grand celebration for these two pillars of Southern Baptist missiology and theology is planned for the SBC Annual Meeting in Dallas in June, but in Illinois, the party started early.
With a new streamlined format to encourage participation, the worship, business, and preaching sessions were combined, rather than staging the Pastors Conference separate from the IBSA Annual Meeting. Gathering at Ashburn Baptist Church in the southwest Chicago suburb of Orland Park, 351 elected messengers and 76 guests prayed, praised, and handled the business of the state association. And they heard from preachers.
Cooperation among SBC churches is in danger, warned Jeff Iorg, President and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee. He decried growing tribalism in the convention. “Is cooperation still the best way for thousands of autonomous churches to work toward the common goal of sharing the gospel with the entire world?” Iorg asked. “My answer…is a resounding yes!” (See sidebar p. 8 for more.)
IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams introduced the 2025 focus on the centennial celebrations by telling the story of his grandmother, who contributed sacrificially to the $75 million campaign, a precursor to the Cooperative Program aimed at getting the denomination out of debt after World War 1.
“I'm trying to cheerlead again that what we believe about the Bible matters, and how we P. 8
Cooperation
“We’re better together,” said Tommy Thompson, pastor of the host church, Ashburn Baptist. The church became a cooperating IBSA church two years ago. They made messengers from across the state welcome in Chicagoland. After the two-day meeting, some attenders stayed over for a prayer tour and mission project.
From the pulpit
Cooperation ‘under attack’
Orland Park | Jeff Iorg returned to Illinois as a familiar teacher and friend, but this time he spoke in his new role as top staff member of the Southern Baptist Convention.
“[The] spirit cooperation is under attack these days, both from external critics and internal detractors,” the new President and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee told messengers. “Our cultural tendencies for tribalism and sectarianism, rooted in the sins of selfishness and self-promotion, are flooding over us.”
His cautionary assessment followed a lengthy summary of the blessings the denomination has meant in his own life, from a teenager in an unsaved family, to president of a seminary, and now charged with plotting a steadier course for what was called, until recently, a listing ship.
Continued from page 7
make disciples matter, and what missionaries we send to the field matters, and what pastors that we train in our seminaries believe matters,” he said. “Likewise, “the Baptist Faith and Message has this wonderful place, and it deserves a rejuvenation of interest in our churches.”
Messengers were given copies of the booklet, which Adams pointed out was remarkably small, considering its importance.
“Southern Baptists are a compassionate, devoted, sacrificial people who obey the Great Commission in the spirit of the Great Commandment. We are on mission to share the gospel with every person in the world and show the love of God in every context…. Amazingly, we do all this collectively, voluntarily, without coercion or mandate, cooperating because we really believe we can do more together than we can do by ourselves,” Iorg said.
Even so, our history of compromise is endangered.
“Some Christian leaders are more concerned about getting credit, having their way, being recognized on social media, or enforcing their particular positions than on cooperating for the greater good,” he preached to an attentive audience. “They complain about compromise and demand unity on specific issues to gain their loyalty. Rather than standing against this secular mindset, too many of us are embracing it and reshaping what it even means to be a Southern Baptist.”
He was invited to the IBSA Annual Meeting as the precursor to the 100th anniversary of both the Cooperative Program (CP) and the Baptist Faith and Message (BFM). One has lagged as churches’ percentage giving to missions has steadily declined in recent decades, and the other has been argued in relation to controversial issues, especially qualifications for ministry.
Iorg expressed abiding support for both institutions at their centennial. He hailed CP as the most effective missions sending organization in history. And he praised the statement of faith as succinctly outlining Baptist beliefs, yet giving churches room to hold different views on non-essential issues.
“Is cooperation still a viable expectation or is it a relic of a bygone era?” Iorg asked. “Is cooperation still the best way for thousands of autonomous churches to work toward the common goal of sharing the gospel with the entire world? My answer to both these questions is a resounding yes.”
In summary, “We cooperate because it works.”
Issues and actions
Iorg’s cautions came on the same day IBSA messengers expressed support for the current denominational positions on women in ministry, in particular the maleonly senior pastor interpretation of Scripture. They also called for churches and pastors to strengthen marriages with teaching and counseling.
Those actions were among six resolutions approved by messengers. (See the full list p. 9.)
Messengers approved revisions to the IBSA constitution to clarify the difference between IBSA the corporation—which is the umbrella organization that includes the Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services (BCHFS) and Baptist Foundation of Illinois (BFI)—and IBSA the association of churches engaged in Illinois mission work.
Executive directors report
The executive directors of IBSA's three operating entities presented their annual reports. (See p. 10 for reports on BCHFS and BFI.)
Adams shared about the continued increase in church baptisms, encouraging pastors through the “For the Pastor” initiative, and helping churches to thrive. The emphasis was announced last year to help pastors with personal renewal and spiritual care. 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.”
In his report, Adams told messengers that 10 new churches have been planted in 2024, with the possibility of more by year’s end. He noted churches saw an increase of 30% in baptisms in 2023 following a 41% increase in 2022. “After a focused effort by IBSA's evangelism director, Scott Harris, the number of IBSA churches baptizing zero or one last year was reduced from 629 to 427,” said Adams. “That represents a 32% decrease in the number of churches that didn't see baptisms in their church last year.”
Messengers approved an IBSA budget for 2025 of $6 million, with the ratio remaining steady at 56.5% for Illinois missions and 43.5% forwarded to the national SBC for international and North American missions, theological education, and the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission’s work in the public square.
There are currently 210 countries in the world and “the population of our Illinois mission field is
larger than 131 of those 210 countries,” said Adams. “We truly need each church to be missionary if we are to impact the lostness of our state and your community.” He told messengers the IBSA staff is ready to come alongside them and assist them in their efforts.
“We believe that each church can thrive when it's healthy,” Adams said, when it grows its leaders, and when it turns inside out on mission into its lost community and world.”
New officers elected
Messengers elected new IBSA officers to serve for a one-year term beginning at the conclusion of the IBSA Annual Meeting. Officers are allowed to serve two consecutive one-year terms.
Doug Munton was elected to serve as IBSA President. Munton is pastor of O’Fallon FBC. Carlton Binkley, who just accepted the pastorate at Dorrisville Baptist Church in Harrisburg, was the outgoing president. He replaced Michael Nave who resigned Oct. 24 to accept a new position.
Jeff Logsdon, pastor of Island City Baptist Church in Wilmington, was elected Vice President.
Matt Philbrick, the current IBSA Assistant Recording Secretary, was elected IBSA Recording Secretary. Philbrick is associate pastor with youth pastor responsibilities at First Baptist Church in Ramsey. Charlene Moe, a member of Chatham Baptist Church, was the outgoing Recording Secretary.
Nate Mason, lead pastor of First Baptist Church of Effingham, was elected assistant recording secretary.
More preaching
In addition to the keynote by Iorg and the annual sermon by IBSA Board Chair Bruce Kirk, two guest preachers addressed the needs of pastors.
Brian Croft, executive director of Practical Shepherding and former pastor of Auburndale Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky., shared his experience about ministering in hard places. His ministry defines hard places in two categories—resource poverty and spiritual poverty. He described both as “unique in their own ways.”
Speaking from 1 Corinthians 16, Croft shared, “The key to thriving in a hard place, you stay, and you stand. You stay, and you stand. Isn't that really what he's [the Apostle Paul] saying at the very end of verse nine?” (“…Because a wide door for effective ministry has opened for me—yet many oppose me.”)
Mark Croston set the stage with a similar theme—thriving requires endurance and courage.
“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,” he declared. Croston told the pastors they can thrive in God’s power, presence, and protection, drawing on the Thrive theme.
“You will thrive if you stand in God’s protection,” Croston said. “A lot of us are scared—we’re scared 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!”
The next IBSA Annual Meeting will be held November 4-5 at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield.
ADAMS CROSTON
CROFT
Resolutions
Pastor role, stronger marriage addressed
Messengers took up the role of pastors and stronger marriages in a presentation from the Resolutions and Christian Life Committee at the IBSA Annual Meeting. Recent discussions on the office of pastor and the role of women in the church have caused argument extending even to the floor of the June 2024 Southern Baptist Convention. However, Illinois Baptists passed the Resolution on the Office of Pastor/Elder/Overseer with only a brief discussion taking place regarding the office of deacon which included no harsh words or amendments to the resolution.
The resolution recognized the autonomy of churches while affirming the role of pastor is “to be male, recognizing this as rooted in the order of creation and the fall” as indicated in 1 Timothy 2:1214 while also affirming the ministry of women in the church. The full text of the resolution appears online at IllinoisBaptist.org.
While the Resolution on the Commitment to Strong and Successful Marriages encouraged and celebrated strong marriages within the church, it also urged pastors and leaders to take this commitment seriously when counseling and advising couples in marriage.
There was some discussion from the floor regarding the resolution. Messengers voted to amend it to add verse 21 to Ephesians 5 in the third “Resolved.” Verse 21 refers to mutual submission.
The Resolution on Unity in the Church, Community, and Home following the 2024 Election sought to bring unity, hope, and cooperation among Illinois and other believers following the turbulent election season. The resolution noted that as believers our hope should be based on Christ, not on political parties or people.
Both the Cooperative Program and the Baptist Faith & Message will celebrate their 100th Anniversaries in 2025. Messengers approved resolutions to recognize the significant contributions of both to Southern Baptist life.
The Resolution on the Centennial Anniversary of the SBC Cooperative Program gave recognition to how the “Cooperative Program has provided a comprehensive funding mechanism for like-minded Baptist churches to support missions in all the world, all the time, at the same time;”
It highlighted how, over the last 100 years, the
“biblical principle of cooperation” embodied by CP has made a “greater impact for our collaborative efforts.”
The Resolution on Continued Affirmation and Celebration of the Baptist Faith & Message as its Centennial Anniversary Approaches hailed the document for “enabl(ing) autonomous churches to partner together and advance the gospel locally, regionally, nationally, and globally in order to fulfill the Great Commission…”
In voting to approve the Resolution on Appreciation to Ashburn Baptist Church messengers “express(ed) our deepest appreciation and commit(ment) to pray for God’s continued blessing on this church as they seek to serve their community and the Lord, as he transforms lives through the power of the gospel.”
Read them all at IBSAAnnualMeeting.org.
IN THE BAG—Every attender received a goodie bag, stuffed with the Book of Reports, the new 2025 Viewbook, information about “For the Pastor” soul care opportunities, and, for messengers, ballots.
Annual Sermon
Preach to our realities
“We’ve got to get back (to our calling),” Bruce Kirk said in the Annual Sermon. “They used to talk about that ‘old time religion’ when people just trusted in God. They didn’t trust in anything outside. And now we’re trusting in everything.”
Kirk, pastor of Alpha Missionary Baptist Church in Bolingbrook and IBSA Board Chair, called on messengers to face into the harsh realities of our current culture with fresh commitment to the preaching the gospel.
The preacher spoke about families affected by abortion, the stigma associated with it in churches, and the need for forgiveness. “We talk about abortion a lot. There are women in this room no doubt who have had an abortion. Some of our daughters have had abortions. Some of our wives have had abortions,” he said. A 2015 Lifeway Research study reflected this reality. It found 43% of women were attending a Christian church once a month or more at the time they had an abortions.
He then reminded messengers, “But you know what? If they’ve asked Jesus to forgive them of their sins, guess what? If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Kirk then addressed families in churches with LGBTQ children and grandchildren.
“There are some grandmas and some grandpas in here that have some gay grandchildren,” he shared. “And they love them. And they should love them.”
“They are not to agree with their sin,” he implored. “That’s not what I’m saying you all.”
However, he chastised Christians for putting so “much hate on these different groups. What about the men who are raping children, cheating on their wives?” He called on those gathered to do more towards prevention and criminal prosecution of abuse and not to excuse marital infidelity.
Following the recent elections and divided political climate, Kirk said it’s imperative for Christians to realize, “It is for us to reach each individual in America… with the gospel of Jesus Christ. He’s not saving any nation…. He’s calling individuals to come to Christ…. He’s calling individuals to be saved.”
Kirk noted in Acts 1:6 the disciples asked Jesus if he would restore the kingdom to Israel. But in verse 8 Jesus told them they were to be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth.
Ultimately as believers, he said, “There should be no discussion about why Jesus came. We should all know and all be prepared and ready to go share the gospel.”
‣ WATCH this sermon at IBSAAnnualMeeting. org
KIRK
Baptist Foundation of Illinois
Strategic shifts include scholarship increases
In his report to messengers at the IBSA Annual Meeting, Baptist Foundation of Illinois (BFI) Executive Director Doug Morrow announced three “strategic shifts” in the entity’s direction including one that will have a major impact on students.
The first is the outsourcing of operations to “allow deep integration with our accounting software,” said Morrow. “This should provide a greater measure of excellence in timely and accurate reporting as well as help with annual audit preparation.”
The second is movement toward faith-driven investing. “The primary principle behind faith-driven investing is the obvious truth that capital investment impacts culture,” Morrow said. “There are many ways to generate a financial return, but since this truly is our father's world, both the how and the why of a return matters.”
One example he gave would be the difference between investing in a program that provides mortgages for middle income Americans and one that is involved in LGBTQ promotion.
The third focuses on one of its most public, and perhaps most popular, initiatives—BFI scholarships. In response to studies which show many young people walk away from their faith while attending college, beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year, the Foundation announced major changes to its scholarship program “to encourage Christian faithfulness in the students we support,” said Morrow. This includes large increases in scholarship award amounts.
Associate degree level scholarships will increase from $1,000 to $2,000 annually. While those at the bachelor’s degree level will go from $2,000 annually to $5,000. The maximum scholarship for seminary students, currently set at $2,625 annually, will go to $7,500 per year. “Those of you who partner with the Lord through BFI are being used to make this possible,” declared Morrow. “Please know that we are grateful. Grateful to the Lord for
using us.”
BFI awarded 42 scholarships in April, 18 for seminary students and 24 for undergraduates. The total amount of scholarship support for 2024-2025 is $86,200. In the past 10 years, BFI has awarded 392 scholarships to Illinois Baptist students totaling $817,575.
As part of the report, DeWanna Oliver (pictured below), a BFI trustee and member of Crystal Lake First Baptist Church, offered a testimony. "It’s so important to me that we give undergraduate scholarships to students helping them go to college. We are helping them to become men and women who are going lead not only in Illinois but, we believe, around the world.”
“I’m grateful that Illinois Baptists are committed to making scholarships an investment toward the future,” she said. “That’s my future. That’s your future. That’s our hope.”
James Shannon, pastor, People’s Community Church of Glen Ellyn, provided a testimonial about the mortgage loan his church received from BFI. When completing the loan application at a local bank in 2013, he gave his source of income as “my faith and my Father, Jesus Christ.” For his guarantee, Shannon said, “I have one because my Father shall supply all my needs according to his riches and his glory. I put a note down there and I said, ‘Also, my Father owns cattle on a thousand hills.’”
“Now, of course, at that bank, I did not get that mortgage,” Shannon said, smiling.
He shared how the church did get the $830,000 loan through BFI and have already paid half of it down. They’ve also been able to use some of the equity for a new parking lot, two new air conditioners, and carpet for the fellowship hall.
In other business, messengers approved the 2025 BFI operating budget of $477,107. BFI 2025 Board Officers are Pam White, Chair, The Ridge Church, Carbondale; Brent Cloyd, Vice Chair, Northside Baptist Church, Fairfield; and Kyle Edmiston, Secretary, Delta Church, Springfield. Lisa Misner
New look for a lasting mission
In his report to IBSA Annual Meeting messengers, Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services Executive Director Kevin Carrothers introduced a new logo and mission statement while expounding on the ways the agency continues to build on its legacy.
Carrothers noted when he accepted his position in January 2023, BCHFS was “significantly” understaffed. As of November 2024, it is fully staffed. “That means we have house parents in all of our facilities, in all of our cottages, in our maternity center,” said Carrothers. “We have counselors, and we have administrative staff, we have administrative assistance and all those things. We're excited about that, full development staff, and so we can fully focus on the mission and not continually be looking for staff.”
Carrothers said the BCHFS Board of Trustees recently honored the faithful legacies of former Executive Directors Leon Talley (19691994) and Doug Devore (19952016, interim 2022) by bestowing the title of Emeritus on them. “That is a faithful legacy that they've brought,” Carrothers said. “We're so grateful for them and just want you to celebrate with them.”
He shared the agency’s newly adopted mission statement: “We strengthen families across Illinois by sharing hope in Christ.” Carrothers explained, “We wanted to state that clearly and significantly for Illinois Baptists, for our churches, for our donors, so that you know that we are about the gospel, and we want to see lives changed. But we want to do it across Illinois.”
BCHFS also adopted a fresh,
new logo in blue a change from the previous red.
He stated that BCHFS carries out its mission through its five ministries: 1) Angels’ Cove Maternity Center, 2) Baptist Children’s Home, 3) Faith Adoptions, 4) GraceHaven Pregnancy Resource Clinic, and 5) Pathways Counseling Center.
And, BCHFS has four priorities. They are: 1) talking about defending the life of the unborn, 2) protecting the vulnerable, 3) healing the wounded, and 4) restoring the broken.
Out of the 102 counties in Illinois, Carrothers noted in the last year, BCHFS served families in 55 of them. “That's over half the state,” he said pointing to a map projected on the screen. “You'll notice that there's counties in northeastern Illinois, up in this neck of the woods [Chicagoland], and there's a lot in central Illinois and Southern Illinois. …But I want you to know our staff, especially our adoption staff, travels all over the state from north to south, as you can see, and east to west.”
Carrothers cited how Pathways counselors strive to serve people around the state “either in our various satellite offices” or through “Telehealth.”
“We are not just a Carmi or a Southern Illinois agency,” he said. Stating that Jesus met people where they were—broken, traumatized, and hurt (Matt. 9:36)—Carrothers said, “In many ways, that describes those who have come to us, and they're looking for somebody to listen to them. So, we meet them where they are, not how we want them to be or what we expect them to be, but where they are.”
In other business, messengers approved the 2025 BCHFS operating budget of $3,956,500, an increase of $19,500 over the previous year. BCHFS 2025 Board Officers are Eric Bramlet, Chair, Mt. Carmel First Baptist Church; Ron Daniels, Vice Chair, Belle Rive Baptist Church; and Cheryl Dorsey, Secretary, Beacon Hill Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago Heights.
Lisa Misner
Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services
Two Chicagoland pastors honored for faithful service
Sharp marks 60 years in one pulpit
Venerable Chicago pastor Don Sharp was honored for serving 60 years at the church he founded in 1964 at the IBSA Annual Meeting. Sharp has served as mentor and guide for generations of young African American pastors in the city. He also has a long history as groundbreaker and advocate with IBSA and Southern Baptists.
Sharp received a standing ovation as he ascended the platform to receive a plaque from IBSA Execu-
tive Director Nate Adams. He was joined by 10 pastors he has mentored.
“I had no idea the journey I’d be taking down through the years,” Sharp said, describing briefly the early years as his church joined the Chicago Metropolitan Baptist Association and the SBC. Sharp became a familiar figure, serving on the board and as president twice, and speaking in churches across the state during the Civil Rights era and after.
Sharp credited his wife, Lurlie, for serving with him across six decades.
Stevenson named Bivo Pastor of the Year
Almost seven years into his ministry in Chicagoland, Sean Stevenson was honored as bivocational pastor of the year. Stevenson and his wife, Lydia, were IMB missionaries to Poland before they returned to the states. The couple targeted Chicago for church planting because of the Polish-speaking population. What they got is church that has become multilingual as Hispanic residents moved into the area.
Elmwood Park Community Church has a vibrant food bank
ministry among its outreach. Many who attend their worship services, where sermons are translated into multiple languages in real by online programs, first came to through the food distribution.
Stevenson also works as a chaplain for Corporate Chaplains of America. “What started out as a search for a job to make ends meet has actually made me a better pastor,” Stevenson said. “I have the great joy of pastoring the church where we have been six and half years, but also interact with 800 people at eight or nine companies.”
FAMILY REUNION—Whether it’s held in Chicago, Springfield, or Marion, the annual gathering of Illinois Baptists feels like a family reunion. The exhibit hall is always a popular visiting spot.
Messengers bring blessings for Chicagoland
For the third year in a row, Illinois Baptists added “blessings” to their checklists as they packed for the Annual Meeting. Throughout the course of the two-day gathering, church messengers delivered 117 large Blessing Boxes filled with goods including school supplies, personal hygiene products, winter socks, hats, and gloves, along with dozens of boxes of diapers and baby wipes.
Shannon Ford, IBSA Mission Director and project organizer said, “The effort to promote, collect, and distribute these blessings reflects the beauty of Cooperation. In the coming weeks many people will be blessed as our Chicago area partners distribute the items to those in need.”
The boxes and shopping lists were made available at local Baptist association meetings in
September and October, to be filled and returned at the November 12-13 IBSA Annual Meeting in Orland Park. Ford worked with the Chicagoland Baptist Association and Send Relief Chicago Ministry Center to identify needed items that local church and ministry partners could use throughout the winter.
Jason Stucky, with the Send Relief Chicago Ministry Center, said that area partner ministries and churches will use the supplies to be the hands and feet of Christ while sharing the gospel with people who couldn’t afford to purchase them.
“We're really excited about what Illinois Baptists have done to put a shot in the arm of the churches and the ministries in Chicago,” Stuckey said.
Thursday morning following the Annual Meet-
Prayer tour opens hearts for neighborhoods
“I’ve been here for 25 years in Illinois, and I’d never been to Chicago,” said Ken Sharp. “But I will be going back.”
On a chilly, overcast Thursday following the IBSA Annual Meeting, two groups of messengers spent the morning on prayer tours within Chicago, organized by Kevin Jones, IBSA’s Director of Church Planting. The tours were designed to help Illinois Baptists experience some of the city’s unique neighborhoods, connect with church planters, and learn about the state’s largest mission field.
Each group visited three neighborhoods. At each stop, they took to the streets where they were joined by a current church planter in that locale. The planter then taught them about the neighborhood, its history, and the dynamics of reaching its people with the gospel.
Members of the groups had the opportunity to ask questions, then they joined in guided prayer for community members, the church planters, and the future churches reaching each location.
Sharp, Care Minister at First Baptist in Marion, took part in a tour exploring the West Town and Near West Side neighborhoods.
Another group spent the morning in areas near Chicago’s South Side. At their stop in the Bronzeville neighborhood, they were led by Samuel Copeland and Darnell Lewis, who are planting Garden City Church, one of 11 new churches who were formally welcomed into cooperation with IBSA at this year’s Annual Meeting.
Standing in a small park on the corner of South King Drive and East 47th Street, Copeland shared about the community’s rich history of African American Baptist churches, and shared their vision for Garden City Church, which plays off a nearly forgotten Latin motto of the city, “Urbs in Horto” (city in a garden).
“We want to journey with people to learn their story and then engage them with the story of Scripture,” Copeland said, “that God’s inviting us into relationship with them and to make our home with them in his garden city, that he’s redeeming and
ing, more than 20 volunteers and IBSA staff met at Ashburn Baptist Church to sort the items and repack boxes. By that afternoon, the first materials were already providing a blessing and opening doors to share the gospel.
At Chicagoland Baptists’ Rockwell Ministry Center, two migrants helped unload Blessing Boxes from a truck. When they saw the large boxes of diapers, one asked about them. He had a friend whose family needed diapers for their toddler that day. The men left that afternoon prayed for (by pastor Paul Copper, below), with new winter hats atop their heads, and a large box of size 5 Pampers to deliver to a family in need.
renewing, making all things new.”
During the prayer stop, the planters were also encouraged by tour participants Will and Susan Bynum, of Rochester First. The Bynums spent time as church planters in Iowa, and were able to answer questions from Copeland and Lewis about maintaining spiritual and marital health during the rigors of birthing a new church.
While only lasting a few hours, the tour made a big impact on the church planters and participants, alike. “I saw Chicago in a way that I never thought I would see it,” Sharp shared. “Thank you for providing [this opportunity]. Because it’s changed this old boy’s heart.”
Ben Jones
IN FOCUS
Peace. Really?
God’s promise to a chaotic world is still true today
BY ERIC REED
enry was despondent. His country was divided. His countrymen were at odds. Angry arguments had led to all-out war. And his son had joined the Army.
“In despair I bowed my head,” he wrote, describing the depth of his anguish. “There is no peace on earth,” I said, “For hate is strong, and mocks the song Of peace on earth, goodwill to men.”
Perhaps it wasn’t unusual at the time for a man to express himself in verse, but with a son in battle and his wife recently deceased, it seems an odd time to opine on peace. But that’s what Henry did.
“It was as if an earthquake rent The hearthstones of a continent,” he wrote of the breadth of the national suffering. It wasn’t supposed to be this way, not in his America. This great angry gash “made forlorn the households born Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
So much for the forefathers’ intended peace.
Longfellow’s poem, written at Christmas in 1863, became an anthem for people who desperately needed an understanding of their wartime devastation. Was it to be to be attributed to human failure or was it the judgment of God? The people took sides, brother against brother, and a nation at war with itself, in the middle of moral downfall, wondered, Where is this peace we were promised—our constitutional commitment and our biblical hope?
An uneasy peace Peace, by definition, demands reconciliation. A truce only promises a cessation of aggression, but that may not necessarily produce long-lasting, attitude-transforming, life-preserving peace. The advice of pop psychologists to avoid contentious subjects with family at holiday gatherings, or to avoid the news of war or politics if it makes the blood pressure rise, fails a lasting truce. It only postpones the argument.
The Promised One
In Gaza last year, a Palestinian Christian church made a nativity in the rubble. Even in wartime, the coming of Jesus is celebrated as our hope for peace. This essay was written in 2016, a year of terrorist attacks, school shootings, and political divide. Today the conflicts remain the same. Only the names have changed.
heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said; "For hate is strong, And mocks the song Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The Wrong shall fail, The Right prevail, With peace on earth, good-will to men."
GRUDGE MATCH—In the middle of a war, the Christmas truce of 1914 brought enemies together. They sang Silent Night and O Come, All Ye Faithful. And played soccer. In this photo, Scotland meets Germany. No one knows who won.
—from The Oldie.co.uk
The fabled Christmas truce of 1914 is such an example.
Pope Benedict XV recommended in early December of that year that fighting be stopped to observe Christmas. Though the Great War was only five months old, French and German soldiers on both sides laid down their weapons and at many locations, it is told, entered the no-man’s land between their battle lines calling “Merry Christmas!”
“First the Germans would sing one of their carols and then we would sing one of ours,” British rifleman William Graham later wrote, “until when we started up ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful,’ the Germans immediately joined in singing the same hymn to the Latin words ‘Adeste Fideles.’ And I thought, well, this is really a most extraordinary thing—two nations both singing the same carol in the middle of a war.”
Enemy soldiers swapped packets of cigarettes and plum puddings, played soccer together in at least one location, and generally enjoyed a day of peace. In all, up to 100,000 troops, about two-thirds of the battle forces, participated in this “short peace in a terrible war” as summarized in a Time magazine account. Some troops used the day to retrieve the bodies of their fallen comrades and give them a proper burial.
The next day, the shooting resumed.
If we may borrow Longfellow’s words, “The world revolved from night to day…” and in the stanza that precedes the poet’s headlong plunge into desolation, there was no voice, no chime, no chant sublime, only the tinny rat-a-tat of gunfire—in cities across France a century ago.
So much for a cease fire.
Come, Lord Jesus
the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire” (Isaiah 9:4-5).
All this talk of peace comes with this honest admission: The Prince of Peace enters a world in chaos and brings his own chaos with him. The emergence of the Kingdom of God at the natal moment is not peaceful. Birth is not peaceful. It is bloody—and loud and painful. Birth brings its own chaos.
And the One born does not sleep in heavenly peace for long. “The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes…” and the Anonymous carol writer assures us “no crying he makes.”
Dream on, Anonymous.
The world Jesus entered as a baby experienced a false peace. It was enforced by dictatorship and military oppression. It was threatened by zealots, terror cells, and constant fear of revolt by the masses. And yet, the era was called Peace.
The Peace of Rome. The Pax Romana lasted for about 200 years, but it came at a high price. The Caesars were cruel and nervous men, as were their henchmen, the regional governors such as the paranoid Herods. Herod the Great would do anything to keep peace with Rome, and thereby keep his throne, even if it meant slaughtering a town’s entire population of boy babies.
The prophets predicted the coming of a young king who would specialize in peace, “…one who is to be ruler in Israel…..
And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.
And he shall be their peace” (Micah 5:2, 4-5a).
But the people who read the prophets understood how this peaceful monarchy would (of necessity) follow turmoil. Isaiah, who gave the reassuring pronouncement that a Prince of Peace would be born, said honestly that saving the world is bloody business.
“For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder,
That Baby cried in his first minute of existence outside his mother’s womb. His birth announcement was a plaintive wail, and nothing has been the same since. Kingdom burst into existence and crashed into conflict with this sin-stained world. It should not surprise us that we still long for peace, we still wait for peace, even after the Prince of Peace was born. His transforming work is not yet done.
“Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth,” Jesus warned his followers in Matthew 21:34. “I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” And in John 14:27, his definition of peace apparently differs from our expectations: “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful.”
His holiness collides with our sin—and by God’s grace overcomes it at Calvary. His peace confronts our warring—and the victory must first be won in our hearts.
The Prince of Peace himself is confirmation of God’s promise that peace will come to the earth. At his second coming, he will usher in peace forevermore. Until then, his peace will reign in believing hearts, even if peace seems remote in an unpeaceful world.
We are reminded like Longfellow, who “thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom Had rolled along Th’ unbroken song Of peace on earth, good will to men!”
Eric Reed is media editor for IBSA news.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1863
GROWING
MEET THE TEAM
Alexis Dumire Mission Team Ministry Assistant
Home: Born in Springfield, but I call Williamsville home
Education: Graduated with a degree in Intercultural Studies from Lincoln Christian University
Previous experience: I worked on the Business Team and the Missions Team previously at IBSA, church secretary for the past year, and I served on three missions teams to Bulgaria, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico.
I met Jesus: I was saved at 14 on a youth mission trip to Chicago. I always knew about God, I just needed someone to show me how to know God as my personal savior!
Fave verse: “Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time” (Ecc. 3:11).
Fave Bible person: Peter. He’s so real and relatable.
Hobby: Learning! I find myself researching, taking courses, and enjoying learning as much as possible about whatever I happen to be interested in at any point in time.
Snack food: Milky Way candy bar
Fair food: Funnel cake
Movie: August Rush
Dog or cat: I think I’d prefer a low maintenance dog over a cat.
TWhy God sent me
to Greenland
And why we should keep praying for lost loved ones
he Bible paints a vivid picture of God pursuing the lost with his great love, no matter the distance they stray.
A few weeks ago, I travelled to Greenland to enjoy the beauty of Creation while knowing that God had someone whom I needed to share the gospel with.
Traveling to Greenland is not easy. Difficult flights and uncertain weather conditions prompted delays, but the plane eventually arrived, and I joined a small group of adventurous ladies from around the world. We were then placed under the care of a 30ish year-old female guide.
Hiking across the tundra and along beautiful fjords allowed plenty of time for uninterrupted one-on-one conversations. Would you believe that our guide had been raised in a very strict legalistic Christian home, and as a teen, rebelled and started running as far as she could away from the God of rules and laws? In college, she studied physics and adopted the theory of evolution as proof that all religion is wrong, throwing her full passion into researching our supposed ageless earth that’s appeared by chance.
By “coincidence,” I studied quite a bit of science in college and have taught advanced level physics, chemistry, and biology classes, so I could intelligently say, “Let’s talk about that. Have you considered that all this beauty around us might be the design of a loving Creator who cares about His Creation and cares about
you?”
After college, she chose to get her boat captain’s license to make money driving boats around the northern Arctic. It’s a tough job for a young woman because the field is strongly male dominated.
Would you believe, by “coincidence,” that I’m also a boat captain having driven a ship all around the Arctic with the Coast Guard in Alaska?
So, while we hiked along the glaciers, I could genuinely say, “Let’s talk about the challenges when storms are raging, and the boat is icing up so that you think you might die. I know I was following God’s plan for my life. Do you know God’s special plan for yours?”
he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home…”
My new friend had been desperately running from God, leaving sweltering Texas to go to the farthest northern extreme she could find, landing in one of the most rugged, isolated, and remote places on earth. Yet our loving Shepherd never stopped pursuing her to the extent that he
She was also working on an extensive geological research project as postgraduate study and had encountered serious roadblocks. Would you believe, by “coincidence,” I’ve done graduate and post-graduate work in several fields? So, we could talk in detail about those struggles and how God answers prayer.
In Luke 15: 3-6 Jesus tells a parable, “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until
“We
sent a female Arctic boat captain with a background in science and enough degrees to be credible just to communicate His love for her; to let her know that he sees her as precious in His sight.
That picture of Jesus leaving the ninety-nine to go after the one lost sheep remained crystal clear as I watched her countenance change while she considered the Truth of the gospel.
Don’t stop praying! This young woman has a praying Momma which led to me being picked up and sent a few thousand miles around the world.
God is constantly pursuing the people on your prayer list. He may make a way for you to have a gospel conversation with them yourself, or he may send someone else. Perhaps you may have the privilege of being the answer to someone else’s prayer for their loved one. God is the great Shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to pursue the lost one out of his great love. Don’t stop praying!
Coast Guard veteran Jennifer Smith serves as leader of missions team for Lincoln Avenue Baptist Church in Jacksonville. She is also a chaplain for Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief and frequently serves on callouts with IBDR and other relief agencies.
Watching our Christmas words BRIGHTER DAY
When my sister and I were in elementary school, she was given a solo in our church’s Christmas program. Each verse was sung from the perspective of an animal present for the birth of Jesus—the wonder of the nativity story extended even to the non-human creatures who were there.
I, being a few years older and much funnier, made up my own, slightly irreverent version of her verse. In the weeks leading up to the concert, I sang it with such gusto and consistency that when she took the stage that evening and opened her mouth to sing, my words came out instead of the actual lyrics.
She recovered quickly and finished her verse, and then had the gall to take the high road and not blame me for the slip-up. But the lesson was clear: our Christmas words matter. How we tell the Bethlehem story makes a difference.
A trusted friend recently mentioned the tension between the magic and mystery of Christmas, especially for parents. Does the true meaning of the holiday dim with every mall Santa visit or overpriced holiday light display? Can we celebrate the season with our children and help them reverently remember Immanuel, God with us?
The answer may be in the Christmas words we use. Words like Immanuel and incarnation. Or the titles for Jesus listed in Isaiah 9:6, linking the baby born in Bethlehem to his true identity as God of the universe. “For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”
Every year, our daughters play a game where they hide the pieces of the nativity scene in the Christmas tree, find them, and reassemble them on top of the piano. This provides hours of entertainment. This year, they played with multiple nativities in a game I heard them call “Also Jesus.” The babies were reunited, like the twins in the movie “Parent Trap,” after not knowing each other existed.
I will admit that Chris and I shared a laugh before quickly correcting that game. There is no Also Jesus, we were able to remind our girls. Just One. Because the Christmas words we use matter. Whether you’re 7 or 40 or 80. How we learn, and tell, and retell the story makes a difference in the hearts of our children, and in our own.
Meredith Day Flynn is a wife and mother of two living in Springfield. She writes on the intersection of faith, family, and current culture.
EVENTS
December 1-8
Lottie Moon
Christmas Offering
Where: Your church
What: Southern Baptists collect an annual international mission offering to honor the late missionary to China, Lottie Moon. 100% of your gifts enable gospel transformation around the world.
Info: LottieMoon.com
January 21
Youth Leader Lunch
Where: IBSA Building, Springfield When: Noon
What: Ready to strategically invest in the lives of students? Join Bill Allison, Jonathan Meyer, and Michael Awbrey as they discuss strategy for impacting the Next Generation.
Cost: Free
Contact: MichaelAwbrey@IBSA.org
January 21-22
Illinois Leadership Summit
Where: IBSA Building, Springfield
When: 1 p.m. Tuesday-Noon Wednesday
What: An opportunity for you to connect with other leaders, share experiences, and hear from leaders who specialize in preparing churches for the future. Featured speakers include Daniel Yang, Kelly Kannwischers, Paul Cooper, and Tyler Sterchi.
Cost: Free Info: IBSA.org/illinois-leadership-summit/ Contact: TammyButler@IBSA.org
February 2-3
Pursing God Together Marriage Retreat
Where: Wyndham Springfield City Centre
What: Ministry can take its toll on relationships. Our Pursuing God Together pastor and wife retreats focus on replenishing couples spiritually, maritally, and missionally, as they pursue their calling here in Illinois as a team. The retreats provide encouragement, replenishment, and a renewed sense of passion in the pursuit of God’s purpose for pastors and their wives around the state.
Cost: Free
Info: https://il.sbcworkspace.com/pub/event/register/55237606 Contact: TammyButler@IBSA.org
February 28-March 1
D-Now Weekend
Where: Lake Sallateeska Baptist Camp, rural Pickneyville
When: Friday 5 p.m.-Saturday 5 p.m.
What: A Done-For-You Disciple Now Weekend! The theme and curriculum, “Gravitate,” comes from our friends at LeaderTreks and is provided by IBSA!
Cost: $40, plus $10 for optional T-shirt
Info: IBSA.org
Contact: TammyButler@IBSA.org
March 20-21
Revive Gathering with Richard Blackaby, Mark Clifton, and Team
Where: IBSA and NAMB are offering this free two-day conference for pastors and lay leaders, led by Richard Blackaby and Mark Clifton.
Cost: Free
Info: IBSA.org/revive25
Contact: ScottFoshie@IBSA.org
see the IBSA calendar for more events. www.ibsa.org/calendar/
WELCOME
Carlton Binkley has been called as senior pastor of Dorrisville Baptist Church in Harrisburg. He most recently served as interim pastor at Riverton First Baptist Church. And he has just completed two years as IBSA vice president. Binkley and his wife, Jenny, have four children.
Andy Peterson joined Western Oaks Baptist Church in Springfield as Family Minister in October, with responsibility for discipling children, students, and their families. He graduated from Cedarville University with a Bachelors of Biblical Studies and a Master of Divinity. After graduation, Peterson spent two years teaching at Uganda Baptist Seminary as an IMB missionary. He is married to Mikayla.
NeTworkiNg
Send NetworkiNg items to IllinoisBaptist@IBSA.org
Tallula Baptist Church, a small but loving congregation seeks a bi-vocational pastor. Please send resumes or recommendations to Search Committee, Tallula Baptist Church, 308 N. Ewing, Tallula IL 62688.
Summerville Missionary Baptist Church is seeking a pastor. The church is located at 1114 Fairfield Road in Mt. Vernon. Applicants should contact Ed Merriman at 618-315-9633 or Edmerriman9999@gmail.com.
Search more church openings at IBSA.org/pastor-search or scan this code.
MEREDITH FLYNN