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News journal of the Illinois Baptist State Association
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My "Call of Duty"
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NOVEMBER 1, 2026 Vol. 120 No. 11
Ron Gray P. 13
mission Ripe fields
Mark Goldman P. 14
Sandy Wisdom-Martin P. 11
Winsome
P. 9
SCOTT FOSHIE
Our battle 3 lessons from Luke P. 3
SBC ’27 IN INDY
Booking fast Hotels are filling up P. 4
3 LOCATIONS
Committing to groups ‘unreached,’ but close by P. 7
Many decisions Youth Encounter gets serious P. 5
PLUS: It's Lottie Moon season P. 10
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SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE
Combating assisted suicide New Illinois law prompts ERLC guide
Washington, D.C. | A new Illinois law allowing medical personnel to provide terminally ill people the means to end their lives has drawn sharp response from Southern Baptists’ Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC). With the support of the Illinois Baptist State Association (IBSA), the ERLC is publishing a new resource to help churches confront assisted suicide. “It could be easy to think that what happens in the statehouse is disconnected from everyday life if legislation doesn’t directly touch my situation,” said IBSA Administrative Director for Communications Ben Jones. “But pastors are called to step into the difficult situations where culture and legislation say one thing, but the Bible speaks P. 4
Holy huddles P. 16
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WORD SEARCH: Wise Words
Christian coach goes viral
Video of University of Southern Mississippi head football coach Blake Anderson wearing a “Christ is King” T-shirt at a school event went viral. “You never know what kind of response you’re going to get. It’s been 99% positive… which is what I expected. I wasn’t completely aware of just where it would go.” Anderson frequently posts about faith on his X account.
Doctors urge medicine for missions
121 reps from 15 countries met in Paraguay in September to discuss medical treatment as doors for the gospel in Latin America. Dr. Tom Hicks of IMB was excited by the interest “doctors and nurses showed and the potential for future global missionary partners.” IMB plans other regional partnerships.
Baby euthanized in Netherlands
acuity acumen brains bright clarity discretion foresight
insight judgment perceptive perspicacity practical prudent reasonable
sagacity sapience sensible sharp smarts understanding wisdom
The Illinois Baptist staff Editor - Eric Reed Graphics & Production Manager - Nic Cook News & Information Manager - Kayla Houchin Team Leader - Ben Jones
Doctors induced a life-ending coma in a two-year-old under recent assisted suicide rules. “The situation unfolding in the Netherlands is abhorrent, but it isn’t surprising,” said Liana Graham of The Heritage Foundation. “As soon as the state legitimates the killing of grandma, it is only a matter of time before it authorizes it for other groups deemed ‘unfit’ for life.” The child had multiple illnesses resulting from epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and sepsis.
1 believer killed every 86 minutes
In the first eight months of 2026, 4,216 Christians were killed in Nigeria. Most were Christian farmers. Monitoring group Equipping the Persecuted says religion is often underreported, misrepresenting the deaths as part of a larger wave of violence.
500 million have little Bible access
Half a billion Christians live where Scripture is restricted, with more than 125 million unable to access it in any format. Bible Access Initiative, based in Crete, Illinois, said the worst offenders are Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, North Korea, Eritrea, Mauritania, Turkmenistan, Libya, Sudan, and Iran.
The general telephone number for IBSA is (217) 786-2600. For questions about subscriptions, articles, or upcoming events, contact the Illinois Baptist at (217) 391-3115 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.
Pray for Asia-Pacific Rim
2.3 billion people in 16 countries total nearly 30% of the world’s total population, but only 4.2% are followers of Jesus. IMB reports 46,470 men, women, and children die every day without Christ. ─Christian Post, Baptist Press, IMB
November 01, 2026
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SCOTT FOSHIE
It’s all about the gospel am not ashamed of “F ortheIgospel, because it is
the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.” – Romans 1:16 When we read Luke’s account of the church’s birth and expansion in Acts, God gives us principles that we can live by, as we strive to share Jesus in the 21st Century. Before we glean the principles for today, let’s think about three facets of Luke’s account. (1) Luke records scenes of God’s supernatural power and gospel advancement. We observe disciples gazing skyward in wonder as Jesus ascends into heaven. The Holy Spirit descends on God’s people, and Peter leads over 3,000 to Christ at Pentecost. Philip leads an Ethiopian eunuch to Christ after he encounters the life-transforming truth found in God’s Word. These are all examples of a church empowered by God and advancing the gospel with confidence in him. (2) Luke records intense spiritual warfare. Judas betrayed Jesus. Ananias and Sapphira misled people about their generosity. Spiritually dead religious leaders tried to stop the gospel from spreading, even if it meant murdering Christians. Paul spent much of his ministry either in prison or on journeys in the captivity of the Romans.
ONE DAY– The Send Network ‘One Day’ event, held at Ashburn Baptist Church in suburban Chicago, brought teams from the North American Mission Board (NAMB) and IBSA together will church planters and those interested in planting in Chicagoland, and local church pastors and leaders. Scott Foshie was among the representatives for IBSA in the partnership gathering.
(3) Luke records intense struggle, but the gospel prevails. There are tremendous ups and downs as we look at the church’s early years. However, as Luke’s account ends, we see Paul, captive to Caesar and in Rome, “proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance” (Acts 28:31). These three facets help us understand the new vision that God has given Illinois Baptists. Rather than manage continued decline, we are called to “glorify God by impacting lostness with the light of the gospel together.” In a culture that is experiencing rapid change and uncertainty, God wants us to remember
that we are equipped with the same resources and power he provided to the first-century church. I believe God wants to awe Illinois Baptists with his power as he uses us for gospel advancement. We already have nearly 900 churches with over 60,000 in worship on any given Sunday. That’s a lot more than the early church started with. We’re in a state with nearly 8 million souls to be reached, so let’s remember our potential! Like at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit wants to fill us and empower us to be God’s ambassadors to our neighbors, co-workers, families, and friends (2 Cor. 5:20). He wants us to have a growing family of churches that is seeing people come to Christ every day (Acts 2:47)
We should expect spiritual warfare as we advance the gospel. As God revives Illinois Baptists and launches us into a new season of missional fruit, we should expect hell’s fire alarm to sound. Satan loves lukewarm churches and hates it when God’s people get on the advance. As we launch out with renewed faith and boldness, I am cognizant that our churches will encounter challenges and even spiritual attacks. When these come, we need to remember that adversity is an opportunity to reach even more people to Jesus through our loving example. We need to ensure we build an effective support system for pastors and churches to care for each other as we navigate cultural headwinds and continue sharing Jesus, even when it’s hard. Your IBSA team, your local associations, and your national partners are committed to supporting you with pastoral posture and relational depth. Even though the struggle will be intense, the gospel will prevail through Illinois Baptists if we join God in his work. Nothing Satan or the world can throw at us can keep the gospel from prevailing through us. Like Paul, may it be said of Illinois Baptists that when Jesus returns, he finds us not managing decline, but proclaiming the gospel “with all boldness and without hindrance.” Contact Scott Foshie at IllinoisBaptist@IBSA.org.
Total giving by IBSA churches as of 9/30/26
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT Scott Foshie highlighted baptisms at Immanuel Baptist Church in Benton in a recent edition of his weekly Friday with Foshie video series.
“I called shotgun”
You can find that video and subscribe on Youtube at: www.youtube.com/@IllinoisBaptist
$3,904,526
2026 Budget Goal to date: $4,478,761
2026 Goal: $6 Million
Your church can give by using this QR code to digitally submit or mail your CP missions offering.
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from the front: new erlc resource Continued from page 1 differently, because that’s where their people are. The signing into law of SB 1950, the Medical Aid in Dying Bill, is a perfect example.” Gov. JB Pritzker signed the bill into law in December 2025, making Illinois the first Midwest state to legalize physician-assisted suicide. It became effective in September, but three lawsuits were filed to block it. One, still in effect temporarily, prevents enforcement in Catholicoperated medical facilities. In all, 12 states and the District of Columbia have passed similar legislation. In a joint letter to Southern Baptists, ERLC President Evan Lenow and IBSA Executive Director Scott Foshie stated, “…we're made in the image of God. And because of that, we have personhood that extends from the moment of fertilization all the way to the point of death.” Rather than accept the new law, which they called “antithetical to the Bible,” “our churches can be ready to extend compassion and care to those wrestling with end-of-life issues.” ERLC is publishing a special resource for churches to use in teaching on the subject, and opposing legislation in states where it may be introduced. “Consider all the possible situations a pastor or church might encounter if a church member or family member is wrestling with a terminal illness or despair,” Jones said. "Government approval might
seem like tacit encouragement to end his or her own life.” Oregon was the first state to pass assisted-suicide legislation for terminally ill people. In 2024, there were 607 recipients of the medication, and 376 deaths. The number has risen from 42 in 2003. In Canada, the one-year high was 15,343 deaths in 2023, totaling 4.7 % of all deaths in the country that year, according to the state government policy group CSG Midwest. “The ERLC is working to equip your church to stand against the spread of legalized euthanasia, MAiD, and physician-assisted suicide,” Lenow and Foshie wrote. “These issues comprise the new affront to the dignity and sanctity of every life. Now is the time for our churches to prepare to navigate this issue. Together, we can serve our churches, stand for truth, and shape our culture on this important issue.” Lenow will be a platform guest at the IBSA Annual Meeting November 3-4. Under his leadership, the ERLC is increasing its focus on equipping SBC churches to handle vital cultural issues. ERLC also places ultrasound machines in pregnancy resource centers and lobbies in Washington for pro-life issues. The new resources will be available soon. ─Eric Reed
Hotel rooms sell quickly
SBC staff booking more for Indy Convention Nashville, Tenn. | Southern Baptists snapped up more than 15,500 room nights in the first hour reservations were open for Indianapolis hotels during the June 2027 convention. Executive Committee staff are negotiating for more room nights for the event. The convention in neighboring Indiana is expected to be well attended, due in part to a second vote on the proposed amendment to the SBC constitution limiting the pastorate to men. An amendment similar to the “Mohler Amendment” failed on a second vote in Indianapolis in 2025. The 2027 SBC annual meeting was relocated from Salt Lake City to Indianapolis in 2025, but by the time messengers approved the move, some hotel space was already committed to two other conventions meeting at the same time as the SBC. “The key is hotel inventory,” said Jonathan Howe, SBC EC vice president for convention administration. “We do everything we can to get the largest blocks at the largest hotels. This year, there was no JW Marri-
Who believes in answered prayer? The supernatural is surveyed in new poll Chicago | Fewer than half of U.S. adults say they’ve experienced answered prayers, divine healing, or demonic attack, the American Bible Society (ABS) said in its latest State of the Bible release. More than half doubt such things exist. But a majority of Christians attest to the supernatural phenomena, with 90% of practicing Christians saying they’ve experienced answered prayer, 69% claiming divine healing, and 58% saying they’ve suffered demonic attack. “Most of our neighbors sense that our lives are more than a material existence. They have a sense of the supernatural and are seeking answers to their questions in diverse ways, whether that means engaging in mainstream religious practices or diverging from them,” said John Plake, State of the Bible editor-in-chief. “The Bible helps us understand how the natural world and the supernatural world are connected, and it’s our responsibility to help our fellow Americans open the Bible and experience a life-changing encounter with God,” Plake said. Overall, 171 million Americans (62% of U.S.
adults) believe in the supernatural, many of whom have no religious affiliation. Most believe in God, heaven and angels, and Satan, hell, and demons. But far fewer believe in the biblical miracles, the virgin birth, or the resurrection of Jesus. Regarding the resurrection, a definitive element of Christianity, a combined 10% of Evangelical Protestants say it “definitely did not,” “probably did not” or “might not have happened,” researchers found. But that’s far less than the 39% of Mainline Protestants, 26% of Black Protestants, and 32% of Catholics who expressed disbelief or doubt of the resurrection. Evangelical Christians and Black Protestants registered the highest percentages who have experienced answered prayer, 76% and 65% respectively; with 58% of both groups citing divine healing and 51% of both asserting spiritual attack. The survey was conducted in January by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago. ─Baptist Press
ott block available to us. Last time, we had 500 rooms there. The Indianapolis Westin block is around 300 rooms, when last time it was 500. The Hyatt availability was reduced to 165 rooms.” More rooms will be added both in hotels already in the queue as well as new locations, he added. The annual meeting’s growth has made additional space a priority. Early planning includes approximately 800 rooms at two hotels and 600 more at a third for St. Louis in 2028. Indianapolis routinely ranks among the top cities for hosting a conference. The close proximity of hotels, Howe noted, has made shuttles unnecessary for next June. “Even with smaller room blocks available for attendees, it’s still going to be a great experience no matter where you stay in the city. None of the hotels are further away than a 10-minute walk from the convention center.” ─reported by Baptist Press
November 01, 2026
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Growing faith, attendance at Youth Encounter
Annual event revived in three locations as emerging generation desires depth “There is a spiritual revival within Gen Z,” said Scottie McDowell, speaker at one of Youth Encounter’s three locations. “As a church, we need to do a better job of equipping young people, having conversations, and getting people excited to come to church.” If you want proof that the emerging generation is getting serious about its faith, consider the popularity of the breakout sessions at IBSA’s South Youth Encounter location. The event took place in three places across the state October 11, in south, central, and north regions. Students from First Baptist Church of West Frankfort attended for the first time. Youth Pastor Mark Cunningham thought the break-
outs were the most fruitful for his students. There were two time slots where students could choose from 11 sessions some including “Know your Bible, bro,” “What if I struggle with doubts,” “Is God calling me?” and “How the resurrection gives you a confident faith.” “We took 15-16 kids,” Cunningham said. “I wish we could have taken more. Hopefully next year our kids will tell their friends and more will come. I think it’s something they’ll look forward to.” In the last decade Youth Encounter has seen the number of participants decline, but with expansion in 2026, it appears God is not finished with the 30-year-old student ministry event. After last year’s cancellation that followed a change of date off the traditional Columbus Day weekend and low registration numbers, organizers hoped for 500 students. They nearly doubled that goal with 906 students attending, the largest attendance past Covid. IBSA Discipleship Director Michael Awbrey credits the increased attendance to handing the reigns to
local leaders. Instead of IBSA planning Youth Encounter, leaders in the three regions planned the events they believed their students wanted. “We saw a lot of good word of mouth and new churches involved this year,” Awbrey said. “It was really exciting to see.” The three gatherings were held the same date and time; but each featured different speakers, worship, and schedules; some differences included the addition of breakout sessions at the First Baptist Church Herrin location. Cross Church Carlinville offered inflatables and games, and Cornerstone Ministries in Woodland provided activities and additional time for students with their own church group. The south and central locations drew 390 and 447 attenders respectively. Youth leaders were excited to see the spaces full of students and energy. “YE has seemed to lose momentum for a handful plus of years, and when it got cancelled last year, I assumed it would be done,” said Chris Merritt, pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church who attended the central event. “It was obvious that you had put a great deal of thought, time, and effort into putting this event back into a positive direction.” The north location looked a little different. With 69 students participating, the focus was an intimate connection with other churches in attendance. This was the church’s first time to host an IBSA event. “It was a great day of fellowship, fun, and most importantly, sharing Jesus with students,” said Michelle Laird, Island City Baptist Church’s Director of Next Gen Ministries. “We
are grateful for the opportunity to serve together and look forward to seeing how God continues to work in the lives of these students.” McDowell said events like these are great for students. While pizza, games, and fun are great, Gen Z wants more than that, he said. They’re looking for important answers to life. “Young people want to know what they believe,” said McDowell, grandson of apologist and author Josh McDowell. “They need to know why they believe it. They also need to know why does the Bible that was written 2,000 years ago apply to my life today? And even above that, the most important thing is, How do I
experience that truth? “The most important aspect of life is truth. You can’t ignore truth. If you go to the doctor's office, you expect your doctor to tell you the truth. You go to school, you expect your professor to tell you the truth. And so as pastors, we need to continue to do a good job of telling truth, but not just saying it, but actually living it out and showing the students how they can experience that truth.” Awbrey said there were 36 professions of faith, 35 desired to take the next step in faith through baptism, and 81 expressed they felt a calling toward mission or ministry. ─Kayla Houchin
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Revitalization: Big results in a small place This church embraces its community—and visa versa. Akin | It might have been easy to consider Tim Heathcoat and Akin Missionary Baptist Church down and out. But God had big plans for the two by bringing them together. Heathcoat was disabled for eight years. He endured three failed back surgeries and his walking deteriorated from using a cane and a power wheelchair, then being bedridden. “All I could do was draw near to God,” Heathcoat said. In March 2014 he got extremely sick and doctors told his family to prepare for the worst. After feeling nothing in his legs for three years, one morning he felt his wife, Sally, leaning over him to give him his medicine. “I was so excited, I was trying to pull myself up in the bed because I hadn’t felt anything besides excruciating pain in years,” Heathcoat explained. “It was still a long road ahead. I had to learn to walk again. One of my doctors still shakes his head every time I walk in, says I’m a walking miracle.” Using what he learned studying Scripture over those years, the restored Heathcoat began filling local pulpits and teaching Sunday school. “I gained so much knowledge in those eight years, but I knew I wasn’t called to be a pastor,” he thought. “I had too many other things to do. God wouldn’t do that to me.” Akin Missionary was one of the churches where Heathcoat would fill in. At that time the church was averaging 12-15 people on Sunday mornings after being without a pastor for more than a year.
RENEWAL– A lakeside baptism service becomes a community event for Akin Missionary Baptist Church. Pastor Tim Heathcoat has witnessed a rebirth of the congregtation and new birth among more than a dozen people in the Franklin County settlement.
In December 2024 the church asked Heathcoat if he would become their pastor. “Those eight years had prepared me to be a pastor,” said Heathcoat. “I spent all that time trying to understand who God was, why there is suffering, what is the purpose behind all this. God still does miracles and prepares people years before he calls them.” Shifting the focus Church members told Heathcoat they hoped he could increase their numbers, but that wasn’t his focus. “My first concern is that every person in these pews has a relationship with Jesus Christ,” he said. Under their new pastor’s leadership, the church quickly realized there was a need to serve local kids. “A couple teachers said we needed to serve food for the summer. And the kids need something in town, because there’s nothing here,” Heathcoat said. Akin is a small, unincorporated township in southern Illinois. According to the 2024 Census, there are less than 800 people in the community or 324 families. “It’s a small community and a poor community,” he said. “We
decided to provide for these kids, or they wouldn’t be able to eat during the summer.” Now, the church offers a Saturday ministry called Kingdom Kids. They serve lunch, have a craft, and share a Bible story. “The kids came and loved what we were doing,” the pastor said. “It’s important that the kids feel welcome—feel a part of the church—and aren’t an afterthought.” In fact, Heathcoat won’t start the worship service until each child gets a handshake or hug. They also have a personal conversation with their pastor. “The kids are excited to come, and parents appreciate they don’t have to drag their children to church,” he said. Heathcoat’s model is Jesus when he was 12 and returned to the temple in Jerusalem after the Passover to talk with the rabbis. “He went where he was comfortable and welcomed,” he explained. “We want every child, when they see our church, to know that’s where they’ll be fed, loved, and hear about Jesus.
Unexpected growth The church is seeing their mission statement—“Glorify God and grow his kingdom”—happen in mighty ways. “God is working powerfully in this little community,” the enthusiastic pastor said. “We’re prayer warriors over our church. Every time we have an event here, we pray that God is going to work in powerful ways, and we’ve been seeing it happen.” The once-tiny church is bursting at the seams. Heathcoat said the building holds 80 people and there have been a few times the building was full. “The community is really embracing the church,” he said. “We’ve been asking how do we use these rooms?” referring to classrooms adjacent to the sanctuary. “Do we knock down walls?” The congregation held Church at the Lake in August, an outdoor worship service followed by baptisms. Last year the church saw three baptisms; this year there were 15 so far. Those baptized ranged from kids to a man over 90 who said he needed to rededicate his life to God. The church saw its largest service ever, welcoming 109, but God isn’t done yet. “We already have three more people that want to be baptized,” he said. Heathcoat said he preached the Great Commission when he first came to Akin. “I told the church, ‘Invite people. If you like what’s happening here, if you feel like you’re growing closer to God, then invite others.’ “If church members have a deep relationship with God, then the biproduct is they’ll share that with others,” he said, with a smile in his voice. “That’s what’s happening here.” ─Kayla Houchin
November 01, 2026
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MISSION
Loving people This pastor has a ‘hot heart’ for an unreached group. There are others nearby we all can adopt. BY ERIC REED Mt. Carmel, Illinois | Steve and Deanna Freels are taking a leap of faith—one that puts them closer to the people of Bosnia. The Freels are moving their family to Bowling Green, Kentucky. Why Bowling Green? It’s one of three Midwest hubs where Bosnian refugees have settled in the U.S., along with St. Louis and Chicago. And Bosnians are a mostly unreached people group, in need of a clear presentation of the gospel. “I got under conviction that I wasn’t leading the church to reach the nations at our back door,” Freels said. He was serving a church in Kansas City at the time. “I came with that hot heart to Mt. Carmel,” he said, when he was called to First Baptist Church in the far south Illinois town 12 years ago. “I told the church I wanted us to reach one unreached people group. We prayed for six months, and I started calling around.” In contact with Darren Casper, then Director of Missions for the St. Louis Association, he learned about the Bosnian people living there—70,000 of them. And less than one-tenth of one percent professes faith in Jesus. That would be fewer than 70 believers in St. Louis. Maybe. “I didn’t know they were here because of the war in their country 30 years ago. They’re frontier people, but overlooked because they’ve been here so long,” Freels P. 8
Healing journey Steve Freels and family take public transportation during a mission trip to Bosnia, where they connected with the few believers and shared the gospel with others. In a nation still divided after the 1992-1995 war, 2.2 million people were displaced and 101,000 were killed. Bosnian Muslims were 80% of civilian deaths. The rest were Serbs and Croats, mostly soldiers.
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said. “Well assimilated, but still unreached.” What Freels called “a hot heart” for unreached people became a love for Bosnians specifically. And with him, FBC Mt. Carmel too. “I went on a mission trip to Bosnia and fell in love with the people, their food, their culture.” Since then, about 30 church members have joined him on nine trips to the Eastern European country. The church has supported a fellow Baptist church in Sarajevo. Illinois Baptists have taught English at a school next door to a mosque. Mosques figure highly into the story of these mostly Muslim people. There are about 100 Bosnian mosques in the U.S., Freels estimates. Freels has befriended an imam in the U.S. and taken Mt. Carmel church members to visit the Muslim leader’s family in Bosnia three times. The imam’s parents served dinner to the Baptists. Bosnians have said, “people in my country are trying to get out of my country. Why would you go there?” For the love of Jesus—and the Bosnians. Freels said, “I shared the 3 Circles evangelism plan with my imam friend Peter.* He said, ‘we believe the same, except we say Jesus is a prophet and you say he is the Son of God.’ I told him that’s the main thing,” Freels said in his native Tennessee drawl. His witnessing efforts continue. Now the southern Illinois pastor is starting a fulltime ministry to Bosnians in the U.S. and in their homeland. “We want them to come to know Jesus here, then they can share their faith there,” he said. Freels is raising support for a North American Mission Board-endorsed role as an Evangelism Catalyst. People and churches can give to his ministry through a NAMB giving portal. Freels is building a network of pastors and churches who want to reach this unreached group, in their towns
UUPGs in Illinois
There are 21 people groups in our state unreached with the gospel. Most of them live in metro Chicago. Here are largest groups, according to UPG North America.
● 60,000
● 23,327
● 57,031
● 20,612
● 53,444
● 15,122
● 50,852
● 15,000
Bosnians, Chicago-Northside Indo-Pak Muslims, Skokie Gujarati, Georgetown Indian Hindi, West Ridge
Telugu, Schaumburg Palestinian Arabs, Bridgeview Tamil, Naperville Kyrgyz, Des Plaines
and globally. He will operate from Bowling Green, where there are 11,000 Bosnians. In July, he was in Des Moines, Iowa, where eight people met at a Bosnian restaurant. They visited a Bosnian imam, like Freels’ friend Peter, and talked for two-anda-half hours about their faith. One of them called Freels afterward and said, “Hey, Steve, this is changing my life. I have a Bosnian co-worker, but I didn’t know any unreached people groups. I didn’t know anyone trying to reach these people in our city.” Now he does. The team is visiting Bosnianowned businesses each week. “We’re planning a mission trip in April,” Freels said. “I want to see teams like this raised up all over the U.S.,” he said, describing a map he has with dots all over the nation. “I want to see the first Bosnian church started in America.” A broader view There are 60,000 Bosnians in Chicago, scattered on the Northside. Mostly secular Muslims, they are part of a larger religious demographic called “unreached, unengaged people groups.” Missiologists define unreached and unengaged as meaning fewer than 2% of the people have a meaningful exposure to the gospel. In Illinois, there are 21 such unreached people groups, although some demographers say by being in the U.S. they may have gospel access. But people like Freels would say the gospel has not penetrated the culture.
In the world, there are 3,072 UUPGs, according to the International Mission Board, comprising 290 million people. Many do not have Scripture in their language. All do not have a viable gospel witness. And like the approximately 360,000 Bosnians in the U.S., the gospel may be around them through media or churches near their enclaves, but there’s no Christian talking with them personally in their language to explain salvation through faith in Jesus. In 2025, Freels teamed up with IBSA Missions Team Leader Shannon Ford and Send Network Church Planting Catalyst John Yi for a “Chicago Strategy Lab.” They brought together 25 leaders from 12 ministries. It was the first session “to draw people together to collaborate and get some momentum to see Bosnians reached.” In a recent meeting at IBSA, John Yi highlighted the number of Kyrgyz people who have relocated to Chicago. They are from Kyrgyzstan, a landlocked
nation nestled next to China in Central Asia, officially called the Kyrgyz Republic. At number eight on a list of 21 unreached people groups in Chicagoland, the 15,000 Kyrgyz people live in Des Plaines, in a city permeated by the gospel, but without their own gospel witness. Yi and the Send Network partnership are tar-
geting the planting of a church among the Krygyz. “Wouldn’t it be amazing to have the first church for this people group planted in Illinois,” Yi said. A strategy for reaching unreached people can begin in the U.S., with pastors and planters such as Freels and Yi, and churches in Illinois that will commit to reach specific peoples and nationalities right here in Illinois. “From here, the gospel can go around the world,” Ford said. “That saying ‘the world has come to our doorstep’ is true, but from here we can send the gospel back to their home countries.” New believers become missionaries to their families back home, going places where U.S. missionaries may struggle to be heard. “I’d love for every church in Illinois to adopt an unreached people group and take a deep dive, like we did with our church,” the departing Mt. Carmel pastor said. “Can you imagine the impact that would have?” And the impact on the local congregation is immeasurable. “When you come home from a mission trip, you look at things differently. You’re thinking about people cross-culturally. Even though we’re in a rural area, we’ve got a college next door and some ethnic diversity. We’re getting ready to baptize two girls from the college volleyball team who are from different countries,” Freels said. “I think it’s opened our eyes to the opportunities around us.” And it’s given a small-town Illinois church a “hot heart” for the world. * The name has been changed.
November 01, 2026
IBSA.org
Ministry to migrant workers expands
Pumpkin harvesting in Illinois brings more gospel opportunity Mt. Vernon | Two fields are being worked in southern Illinois at this time of year—pumpkin fields and the spiritual fields of migrant workers’ hearts. Food to Field Migrant Ministry started with a dream and about 80 men working on Leon Adams’ farm. Today the ministry reaches 250 workers in three locations during the two weeks the migrants are in Illinois pumpkin fields. Five years ago, a group from downstate pitched the idea to a Latino pastor 300 miles north of feeding migrant workers who come to harvest pumpkins while he preached and led worship in Spanish. It was teenager Hunter DeJournett’s vision. He worked on the farm owned by Adams, and wanted to learn Spanish to share the gospel with the men working beside him. Pastor Jonathan de la O of Starting Point Church in Chicago’s Belmont-Cragin neighborhood agreed to help, recruited a team, and Adams welcome new ministry to his Pinckneyville farm. The first year, volunteers served “American” food like hotdogs, sandwiches, and spaghetti. A few Latino pastors and volunteers spoke with the workers during breaks and in the evening. “That first year they were asking, ‘What do these guys want with us?’ They ended up warming up to us,” explained Ten Mile Baptist Church member Jared Pryor. Ten Mile, Logan Street Baptist Church, and Immanuel Baptist Church supplied the food and servers. “Over the years there’s hesitation with the new guys. They always ask, ‘Why are these gringos doing this for us?’ The Chicago pastors explained, ‘Because of their love of Christ they’re doing this for you.’ Because we’ve had a lot of returners [among the migrant workers] in the last five years, they’ll explain it to the new guys now.” Over the years the ministry has been refined. They serve authentic Hispanic food, hold worship and preaching at night, and with repeat visits, building lasting relationships with workers. “We see those Chicago pastors start praying for them and sharing the gospel,” Adams said. “There is hunger, there is need. The recurring thing they say is ‘We prayed we would have the chance to come to America to get money, it was also to learn about God because God is in America.’” Pastors have to explain that God isn’t just in
LA ADORACIÓN – Munoz introduced music to the ministry the second year. Some musicians are part of the team while other times, local churches perform.
America. After several years, the dinner conversation in church fellowship halls has become discipleship time. “I got up, like it's time for me to start preaching,” Tony Munoz, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Latina in Effingham, said. “I spotted the table next to me, everybody had a Bible open. One of my guys was just talking Scripture, reading with them. I looked at the other table, they were doing the same thing. I mean, there was no table without the Bible open and our people engaged. “This was not planned, but I thought, I don’t need to preach,” Munoz said. The gospel was being shared personally and individually. “So, we just closed with worship. It was beautiful.” Adams is glad to see the shift to discipleship in the ministry he helped launch and hosts each year. “This year we found men that were saying, ‘I’m good on the salvation, I did that a couple years ago. Can you teach me more about this Book you gave me? I need discipleship,’” Adams explained. However, you can’t disciple a man in a week. Some of the Illinois Hispanic pastors have built relationships with the migrant workers. Now they are working on ways to disciple long distance. Possible steps include developing a mission trip to Mexico so there can be ongoing discipleship, connecting the workers to churches in their home countries, and determining where Spanish-language churches need to be planted. ─Kayla Houchin
Start praying
Unreached people need your intercession Your church can adopt an Unreached, Unengaged People Group. An UUPG is a distinct group of people where there is no gospel witness among them, and they are not considered engaged until there are workers on the ground focused on establishing self-sustaining churches. The process is relatively simple. Become aware of UUPGs. Peoplegroups. org provides interactive maps and research data to show people groups around the globe who need engaging; including some in Illinois. The amount of information available on the website is amazing. Start praying. Your church may have a geographic area of mission focus you are lifting up in prayer. Adding a UUPG in that region could expand your focus and may lead to stretching your engagement. If your church is not already praying for a mission field, you could focus on a UUPG as an individual or small group. IMB’s resource Loving the Lost provides prayer guides, slides for use in worship, and tips for leaders on leading an ongoing UUPG prayer ministry. See more at imb.org/lovingthe-lost. One example of a church doing this well is Woodland Baptist Church in Peoria. They took the challenge to pray for an unreached people group by incorporating this practice into Sunday worship service. A UUPG prayer request is added to the pre-service slides each Sunday, providing a sneak peek of that week’s focus. During worship the slide appears, and a member of the church comes forward to provide additional information about the people group and to lead the congregation in prayer. Different people take turns leading the prayer in the service. Not only does it raise awareness, but it lets many people get involved in leading and participating in FORD prayer. Illinois Baptists’ giving through the Cooperative Program and the special offerings like the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions provide finances for engaging UUPGs. But there isn’t a missionary anywhere who desires to engage the world’s greatest problem of lostness without the faithful prayer of brothers and sisters. If you begin praying for a people group, IMB asks you to contact them by email at prayer@imb.org. This lets them know your church is participating in the Great Commission through intercessory prayer. Imagine the encouragement this will bring to a team entering a new harvest field. ─Shannon Ford is IBSA Missions Team Director.
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Illinois Baptist
Gospel changes everything in Kenya A few years ago, Kenya experienced a severe drought. The rainy season failed, crops didn’t grow well, and cattle couldn’t survive. The country faced a devastating hunger crisis. Today, many Kenyans are still rebuilding their lives amid prolonged hardship. That’s why Clay and Lydia Steelman, International Mission Board missionaries who live in Nairobi with their two daughters, started a project to provide goats. “One of the greatest things about goats is they can live through just about anything,” explained Clay, the associate area director for Send Relief in East Africa. “And while it is awesome that these goats give people milk, food, and a way to make additional money, what they really give is hope.” A hope that there will be food on the table. A hope they can pay to educate their children, and a hope that tomorrow will be okay. “In the same way,” he continued, “Jesus gives us hope not just for tomorrow but forever.” Through the generosity of Southern Baptists, struggling families are given one male and two female goats. The Steelmans have seen goats change families’ lives. But it’s not just goats. Their work encompasses numerous projects addressing physical and spiritual needs across Kenya. Lydia, a family medicine doctor by trade, explained how compassion ministries open doors for the gospel. “We want to feed the hungry, help the poor and give hope to those who need it, just like Jesus did,” Lydia said. Working closely with other IMB missionaries, the Steelmans organize things like water deliveries and feeding programs and provide trainings for refugee work and trauma healing.
ON THE FIELD AGAIN – IMB missionaries Clay and Lydia Steelman are featured in the Week of Prayer daily devotions for Nov. 29-Dec. 6. They ask for prayer as they return to Kenya following a furlough at home in the U.S. They also ask for prayer that God will send U.S. partners with experience in counseling and emergency management to assist after natural disasters have traumatized Kenyans. (IMB photo)
Lottie Moon Offering & Week of Prayer for International Missions
Lydia related the story of one colleague, also a doctor, who began visiting the sick and elderly in his community. In one village, the doctor was met with stiff resistance until the village chief needed care. The chief, a Muslim, was deeply moved by the care the missionaries provided for him. Soon, he became a follower of Christ and welcomed them into his village to share the gospel freely. Clay recognized a desperate need for mental healthcare workers after a flood that killed several hundred people. He described one father who recounted the harrowing moments he lost his son. “Being able to have someone trained to deal with grief to interact with him, instead of him just holding on to it and not having an appropriate way to process, was so powerful,” Clay said. It inspired a chaplaincy program to help people process trauma after disasters. They have also begun mental health training for teachers. Ultimately, the Steelmans pray the people of Kenya find hope in Jesus as they experience compassion through the body of Christ.
Begins November 29.
─from Week of Prayer resources at IMB.org
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November 01, 2026
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Favorite daughter
Ahead of her next chapter, Sandy Wisdom-Martin recalls her journey
She dreamed of being a roller derby queen. She joined the Army National Guard to pay for college. She proved even more adept in the circuitous world of denominational missions service—all for advancement of the gospel. At the IBSA Annual Meeting in November, Illinois Baptists will honor Sandy Wisdom-Martin for a lifetime of service, culminating in her retirement after 10 years as Executive Director-Treasurer of Woman’s Missionary Union. Her journey to the top leadership of the SBC’s missions auxiliary began in a small Southern Illinois coal mining town. We might have called this article “Coal miner’s daughter,” because her stories of missions
Q: What did young Sandy Wisdom imag-
ine she would do in life? A: I guess that depends upon how far back you want me to go. In my home there is a beat-up metal case I treasure. It represents one of my cherished memories as a child. When Mom brought the case out of the attic and put it on the stairs, I knew we were in for a treat. That case held my mother’s roller skates. When I was a child, I used to watch roller derby with my father. I always dreamed of being a roller derby queen. I recently started developing some balance issues and thought roller skating might help improve my stability. So, I bought a pair of skates and headed to the roller rink. Turns out, it’s not like riding a bicycle, at least not for me. The roller rink offered free lessons on Saturday mornings. The first Saturday morning, it was about five children under the age of eight and me learning to skate. A tumble to the ground now hurts
commitment often begin with her father’s pledge to support missions through their small church, and the years he spent crafting and selling "a miner dollar" display for his fellow miners. But the journey only began in Illinois, and at Lake Sallateska, and under the tutelage of Illinois WMU’s Evelyn Tully who created Acteens, a missions program for adolescent girls. Sandy was one of those. With her husband, Frank, and daughter, Hannah, service led to state conventions in Illinois, Arkansas, and Texas, before heading to National WMU in Birmingham. We asked Illinois’ favorite daughter to share some memories of the journey and insight for those who will follow her.
much more than when we were children
Q: How did Illinois shape your love for
missions? A: The seed of missions was planted in my heart at my local church. Serving at Lake Sallateeska became a defining moment in my journey of faith and missions. You cannot continually challenge young people to hear God’s voice, follow his call, and live on mission without feeling the weight of that invitation in your own life. I knew the answer was “yes,” I just did not know how that call would take shape. Along with camp, Illinois WMU gave me leadership opportunities with teams to Chicago and East St. Louis. I joined the Illinois Army National Guard to be able attend college. At basic training, I requested an academic catalog. Laying in my bunk late at night I would read descriptions of degrees. When I learned about social work, it matched the opportunities WMU gave me in the inner city. I knew without a doubt that would be my program of study as I continued to say “yes.”
Q: What is your fondest
ALWAYS TELLING THE STORY – On mission trip for WMU’s Pure Water, Pure Love project clinic in Peru, Sandy plays patty cake with a young girl. At a WMU event, she holds up a lunch bucket her father carried into the Illinois coal mines. Everywhere, she uses stories to connect people with the gospel.
memory of your home church? A: I don’t even have to think about this question. For me, the baptisms were meaningful and memorable. When I was nine years old, I walked forward to make a profession of faith. My father was the song leader at church. We did not call them worship leader or minister of music. Whoever could sing the loudest (and hit most of the
Illinois’ very own Sandy Wisdom-Martin leaves a legacy of effective service, and a whole denomination of grateful admirers.
notes) became the song leader. My father stopped singing during the invitation and got down to my level. I saw tears rolling down his cheek. He
used both Evelyn’s leadership and those camps to shape my calling, strengthen my commitment to missions, and prepare me for leadership
I got the nicest compliment from a leader in Georgia: “You’ve never strayed away from your roots.”
asked, “Are you sure?” I was. It was the tradition of our church to go to the lake the very next Sunday when someone made a profession of faith. After church, hymnals were packed in vehicles. The deacons laid cardboard in the lakebed so we would not sink in the mud. This was in October. It was freezing rain. My pastor was also a scuba diver. He loaned me a dive top for some warmth and we walked into the water in the midst of the wintry mix. Every baptism concluded with singing “On Jordan’s Stormy Banks I Stand” and “Shall We Gather at the River.”
I could not yet imagine. Involvement at camps under Evelyn’s leadership enabled me to hear and respond to God’s call on my life. Her legacy is my inheritance.
Q: Please tell us about being one of
Q: You have never seemed to be far from
“Evelyn Tully’s girls.” A: Evelyn Tully has had an indelible influence on my life and my understanding of missions leadership. She was a prominent missions leader I greatly admired. I saw someone who was faithful, passionate, courageous in vision, and always pointing others towards God’s purposes. Woven into that influence is the significance of Lake Sallateeska and Streator Baptist Camps. Looking back, I realize how profoundly God
Illinois, speaking often about its role in your development. How has that identity had impact on your missions connection with people in other places? A: This year our nation celebrated its 250th birthday. I was 12 years old when the U.S. commemorated its Bicentennial. That year I learned I lived near the exact middle of the US population. The center was five miles from Mascoutah, Illinois. As many people lived north of me as lived south. As many people lived east of
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Illinois Baptist
TULLY AND HER GIRLS – Starting when they were kids at Lake Sallateeska, WMU Director Evelyn Tully equipped young women to serve in missions. Tully (left, in green) met up with Sandy and Gay Williams at a recent SBC Annual Meeting. Gay and her husband, John, lead Disaster Relief for Hawaii and the Pacific region, while Sandy ultimately led National WMU. (Below, right): Sandy with her daughter, Hannah, and husband, Frank Martin.
me as west. Living in the heart of the country gave me a front row seat to many faces, stories, ministries, and perspectives. Being in the middle also taught me something about staying rooted. You can travel far, meet all kinds of people, experience new places, and embrace new ministry ideas without forgetting where you came from. A few weeks ago, I got the nicest compliment. A leader in Georgia said, “You’ve never strayed away from your roots.” Illinois Baptists gave me roots that were strong enough to reach outward.
Q: Do you recall a circumstance where you thought,
“Lord, I’m not sure what you can do in this situation.” A: My family was on a mission trip in Peru with other Illinois Baptists. One day we had to travel high into the mountains to a very remote village. We were traveling to a school. Upon our arrival, the children of the school greeted us with welcome signs. We also noticed a long line of villagers waiting to see the doctor and nurse. There were only eight chairs in the entire school. They allowed us to use them to set up a medical clinic. The adults who were waiting to see the medical staff stood all day waiting in line. Our commitment was to see all the children of the school first. If there was time, we would see the adults of the village. Because the journey was treacherous, the missionary told us we must leave the school before dark. He set a time that would not be negotiated. An hour before departure, there was still a long line of adults. Our team prayed. We did not want
MANY PLATFORMS– Sandy delivered the WMU report to messengers at 10 SBC Annual Meetings, including this one in 2022 (below). With WMU volunteers from Texas and Illinois, she constructed a houseboat from craft sticks sent by children’s missions groups in 2024 to demonstrate effective cooperation (center). It floated. (Far right) Sandy invited SBC entity leaders to participate in friendly competition with their RA racers at Annual Meetings. Sandy won.
to get into vehicles and leave people who had been standing for eight hours in the hopes of seeing a doctor. My dear friend refers to this as “the day time stood still.” Miraculously we were able to see every one of the patients, meet their needs, share God’s Word with them, and pray with them.
Q: What do you hope you are leaving in place for the next
leader of WMU? A: I hope to be leaving in place a greater passion for evangelism and discipleship. I often say, “We’re failing at the one thing that Jesus told us to do. That is to make disciples.” I think, for the most part, WMU members grow in their practice of learning about, praying for, supporting, and doing missions. I think we do everything pretty well except telling others about Jesus. Our responsibility is to share the gospel with other people and give them an opportunity to confess Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Our verbal witness matters.
Q: How can we help churches recapture a passion for
missions education, especially for young people? A: I think there is some misunderstanding about missions education. I always ask, “would your church benefit if church members were learning about God’s work in the world through our Southern Baptist missionaries? If church members were praying fervently and giving more generously? If they were doing missions and telling others about Jesus?” Of course they would. WMU can help. We make disciples of Jesus who live on mission. That’s what we do. That’s all we do. We are about
equipping every member of a local Southern Baptist church to take their part in God’s plan. What unites us as Southern Baptists is a passion to take the gospel to the nations. WMU strives to keep the Great Commission front and center of everything we do as the people of God. When preschoolers, children, and students are taught from a young age, they develop missional disciplines they carry their entire life.
Q: Looking ahead, what encourages you? A: I saw a social media post by SBC Executive
Committee member Dani Bryson who is an assistant district attorney in Tennessee. Dani wrote: To every Mission Friends teacher: To every GA and Acteens leader: To every camp counselor: To every Sunday School and Discipleship teacher: To every VBS worker: To every woman who was willing to mentor, to pray, to go, and to give so little girls could learn more about Jesus: Little girls grow up. The thought of missions leaders pouring themselves into others gives me great encouragement.
November 01, 2026
TABLE TALK
Better blueprint Sunday school has always played an integral part of church life. For years, a healthy Sunday school program was the evangelistic arm for most growing churches. In fact, it was not uncommon for churches to run more people in their Sunday school ministries than in their Sunday morning worship services. Unfortunately, over time, Sunday school and small group ministries have not maintained the same health, focus, or growth trajectory. If we look at Sunday school attendance of IBSA churches over the last 20 years, we see a steady numerical decline. Attendance has dropped by 41%. Just imagine what this means. On any given week, IBSA churches are seeing 22,000 fewer people in Sunday school or small groups. While these numbers paint a stark picture, do not give up. We serve a great God who is capable of and desires to bring renewal and revival. In Acts 2, God outlines a healthy blueprint for our Sunday school classes and small groups. “Devoted to the apostles’ teaching:” Our Sunday school classes must elevate the word of God. Not just discipling our members to read Scripture, but helping them to accurately read, study, and apply God’s teaching to our everyday lives. Sunday school should not strictly be an academic exercise. It should be an opportunity to encounter the truth of God resulting in life change and personal growth “Devoted to the fellowship, breaking of bread, and the prayers:” Sunday school classes provide opportunities for people to bear one another's burdens, share life together, provide for each other’s needs, and deeply pray for each other. This type of ministry based upon building Biblical relationships provides a community of support and genuine care people need. Dedicated to the gospel: “And the Lord added to their numbers…” The Lord is the One who brings growth in our churches, not us. But we have the opportunity to join him in the mission he has placed before us. Healthy Sunday schools seek to encounter new people for the sake of the gospel. Personal relationships can be developed to intentionally reach beyond the walls of the church for the sake of God’s Kingdom. We believe God wants to see our Sunday school and small group ministries around Illinois experience renewal and revival. With this goal in mind, we want to partner with you to help train churches using the Sunday school Blueprint from Acts 2 to help Sunday School and small group programs experience a new season of health and growth. Contact the discipleship team at IBSA. ─Josh Bledsoe leads the IBSA Discipleship Team.
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INSIGHT
In season and out
Why I keep these three regular meetings (Editor’s note: Ron Gray planted The Connection Church in his basement in 2006. Now, 20 years later, he is still pastoring the congregation in the Calumet Heights neighborhood. In a collection of essays on longevity in the city published by Chicagoland Baptists, Gray wrote, “Chicagoans know well the blustery and frigid winter winds known as ‘The Hawk.’ This bone-chilling experience occurs during our often long, dark winter days and nights.” That’s a good picture of ministry, he said. “A certain toughness is required not only to survive, but also to thrive long-term.” Gray also pointed to the warmth and beauty of “the best summer city in America.” Ministry has those days too. “If you can survive the demanding and exacting days, there is unspeakable joy on the other side.” Recognizing seasons and rhythms is vital to endurance in ministry. In his essay, Gray described three regular meetings that he says contribute to his longevity.) An old preacher once told me, “develop a healthy hobby, or you will develop an unhealthy one.” We need hobbies. Hobbies are something you do for enjoyment, that is, for you. Stress and tension can and will build up if you don’t have an outlet. Far too many preachers haven’t developed healthy hobbies and have burned out or fallen into
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. ─Psalm 67:4 (ESV) moral failure. I work out at the YMCA for my physical fitness. I’m consistent—one day a week I give it my all! Also, I do what may seem trivial—I play “Call of Duty” on Saturdays at 6 a.m. with two longtime friends. We all live in different cities. We are all busy men with families and responsibilities, but we make time. It is less about playing the video game and more about the fellowship. We have rich conversations in between the jokes. Whatever your rhythm, the most important thing is to have one. We can’t do everything, all the time. A weekly rhythm is like a guideline for prayer: keep it simple, keep it honest, and keep it up. You won’t last long if you don’t have habits that help you last long. In addition to my weekly virtual meeting, I attend two in-person meetings with pastors each month. Every pastor should surround himself
with other pastors. This is the secret sauce to longevity in ministry. For over 16 years, I have participated in the African American Pastors Fellowship, which takes place at my pastor’s church every first Saturday of the month. It is led by Pastor Donald Sharp of Faith Tabernacle. The men that I have met there have become my band of brothers. We can’t do ministry alone. We need to be around other people who know the pressures and disappointments we face. We need to have a place where we are welcomed and don’t have to be “the pastor,” but just a fellow servant. We need a space where we don’t have to worry that someone is looking down on we. Instead, there is someone who is there to uplift us and pray for us. We meet together for shared encouragement and sacred fellowship. The other monthly meeting I attend is called a “67 Meeting.” It’s based on Psalm 67 and is all about accountability. It is a smaller group, just two other pastors. We meet at one of our churches on a rotating basis. One pastor per month is in what we call “the hot seat.” He is asked five questions: (1) How are you doing spiritually? (2) How are you doing emotionally? (3) How are you doing intellectually? (4) How are you doing in terms of purity? (5) How are you doing financially? We hear different perspectives on the issues we face, and we have given permission to be challenged in various areas of our lives. Not everyone should know your business, but someone should. And we all need to be held accountable. I have long looked forward to and depend on these meetings. There is strength in numbers. Knowing I am not alone and that I am not crazy is more valuable than words can express. Too many in ministry are isolated and alone. Ministry is too heavy a burden to bear alone. So, find your group, because surrounding yourself with it is the secret sauce to longevity. After all this time, I can say, I am even more excited about the future. I am a church dropout that God called back in, and he has been good.
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Illinois voices
Illinois Baptist
We were there But who will remember?
EVENTS November 12-14 Streator Men’s Bible Study Experience
What: A 3-day men’s Bible study led by Dr. Michael Taylor on sections of Col. and Philem., “The Power of The Gospel.” Where: Streator Baptist Camp When: Thursday 1:30 p.m.- Saturday noon Cost: $100 per person (includes meals and lodging) Info: IBSA.org/events
November 13-14 Forged Overnight
In 1976, Illinois Baptist editor Robert Hastings published a history of the first 70 years of the Illinois Baptist State Association. He did it, however, in an unusual way. Instead of using a parade of dates, minutes, resolutions, and organizational details, he wanted to tell the story through the people who lived it. He interviewed 18 Illinois Baptists, conducting two to four interviews with each person. Then he wrote their stories as though they were speaking to you, the reader, face to face. Just consider the title: We Were There. There is something about being there that cannot be captured by communication alone. It is the difference between learning about something and experiencing it. History sounds different when you hear the stories firsthand why one Marion pastor answered the door holding a pistol during the Prohibition of the 1920s, or when a woman says she was baptized once to please the Lord and once to please the Baptists. You find out that the battles we fight today are not that different from the ones they fought a hundred years ago. You would not, however, know any of that by reading today’s Annual Church Profiles. Presence allows us to notice what words cannot communicate. Sitting across the table from someone teaches you things that never make it into a transcript. You notice the pause before the answer, the laugh that doesn’t make it into print, or the tears that don’t get mentioned. That's why Hastings interviewed people instead of merely reading reports. Some things can only be understood by being with another person. For instance, you may know that the IBSA was formed on January 31, 1907 in Pinckneyville. What you don’t know is the trouble the messengers took to get there. The weather was bad, the roads weren’t paved, and someone had the unenviable job of serving a lunch to hundreds of messengers without the convenience of paper plates. The dish washing probably lasted longer than the meeting! You also wouldn’t know that the delegates who left that day were so inspired that they sang “How Firm a Foundation” on the train ride home, and asked J.D. Hooker of McLeansboro to preach a sermon on the spot, which he did, based on 1 Kings 19:4. Perhaps this is why, 50 years after its publication, We Were There still compels readers. We live in an age in which almost everything is recorded except the one thing Hastings was after: the people themselves. “You try to discover that elusive thing called a man’s personality,”
Hastings wrote, “not merely the outer facts such as when he was born, who he married, and what offices he filled—but the inner man, the soul that hides behind the facts.” Hastings simply sat down with each person and listened. “I made the copy read as if the person were actually talking, using his figures of speech and unique way of saying things.” He did this deliberately. “If, as a reader, you feel the person is actually talking to you, then the book has succeeded.” It certainly worked for me. As I began reading the book, I felt the presence of the person speaking. I found myself telling the stories to other people as though I had witnessed them. That’s when the realization hit me. I wasn’t there. Yet I felt as if I were because Robert Hastings took the time to sit with them, listen, watch, and feel what they felt. Paul understood both the power of communication and its limits. Had he not written his letters, our New Testament would be considerably shorter and our theology considerably weaker. Yet, even after writing, praying, and sending Timothy, Paul still longed to see the Thessalonians face to face. He says, “We pray most earnestly...that we may see you face to face.” Communication was never meant to replace physical presence. And this may be the danger of our increasingly virtual lives. Christianity has always emphasized being together. We baptize people, gather around tables, lay hands on the hurting, and worship shoulder to shoulder. Of course, there is a place for text messages, Zoom meetings, and Facebook. But these cannot replace the value of embodied presence. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Maybe that's why a 50-year-old book about Illinois Baptists has something to say to us in an age of smartphones and video calls. He sat down with people. And because he did, we can still hear them. Perhaps the question for us is whether, 50 years from now, anyone will be able to say the same about us. Mark Goldman is senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Herrin.
What: Ignite young men (grades 6-12) and leaders to become the man God is calling them to be. Where: Lake Sallateeska Camp When: Friday 6 p.m. – Saturday 2 p.m. Cost: $35 Info: IBSA.org/events
November 13-14 AWSOM Overnight
What: The premiere event for girls in grades 5-12 helps them grow as disciples of Jesus and see the big picture of God’s church and kingdom. Where: Tabernacle Baptist Church, Decatur When: Friday 6 p.m. – Saturday 3 p.m. Cost: $35 Info: IBSA.org/events Contact: TammyButler@IBSA.org
November 29-December 6 Lottie Moon Offering
What: Named for Southern Baptists’ missionary to China, this offering supports the SBC’s International Mission Board, with 100% of gifts going to work on global mission fields. Where: Your Church Info: IMB.org/generosity/lottie-moonchristmas-offering Contact: IMB.org/contact-us
January 26-28
Midwest Leadership Summit
What: Dynamic insight from leaders and pastors from 12 state convention who are making SBC ministry work in the Midwest. Who: By invitation from Associational Mission Strategists. Where: Crowne Plaza, Springfield Info: https://mwadvance.org/
Networking Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Buncombe seeks a bi-vocational pastor. This is a missionminded multi-generational church reaching out in the community and surrounding areas to spread the Word and the love of Jesus. Please send resume to Mt. Zion MBC, 5 Mt. Zion Lane, Buncombe, IL 62912 First Southern Baptist Church of Norris City seeks a bi-vocational pastor to minister to God's people and aid in the growth of the church. Contact us at ekbryant63@yahoo.com or call (618) 383-2731. Immanuel Baptist Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa seeks a full-time pastor who is discipleship minded, strong biblically, and a people person to lead a multi-ethnic church of 75-90. Church has history of pastorates of 10+ years. Send resumes to pastorsearch@immanuelcr.org
November 01, 2026
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Serving together
Illinois couple finds calling with Disaster Relief Carlinville | “I encourage everybody not to think they can’t do something, because God equips those who are called,” said Kim Mooney, an Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief (IBDR) chaplain. She and her husband, Mike, have served with IBDR across the country. “People often think they can’t do anything in disaster relief because they’re not capable,” Mooney said. “But God gives them the capabilities if there’s a desire in their heart.” The Mooneys were among 93 Illinois Baptists who attended IBDR training at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Carlinville in late September. The couple, members of Bethel Baptist Church in Troy, has served as Disaster Relief volunteers for 16 years. Mike, who serves as a blue cap, called the opportunity to serve with Disaster Relief a “privilege” and “one of the treasures of my life.” Their first deployment was to New York after Hurricane Sandy. “We joined a mass feeding team set up in a Home Depot parking lot during Thanksgiving week,” Mike said. “We served Thanksgiving dinner, along with many other meals, to a whole bunch of hurting people, and I was hooked.”
“It was wonderful,” he said. “It was very cold and bitter, but it was very warm inside where the people were. It was a great experience.” Kim encourages people to get involved even if they think the work is beyond their capabilities. “If you don’t feel qualified, talk to somebody,” she said. “They will walk you through it; they’ll describe what it is…. If you cook at home, you could probably cook here. Or if you do laundry at home, you can probably do laundry in disaster relief. There is
something for everyone, even when they don’t think there is.” Nearly 500 Illinois Baptists are trained in disaster relief ministries, but only 40 are trained in the region north of the Metro Peoria area. “We all might be in a disaster someday,” Kim said. “It might be in our own neighborhood that we have to help. But disaster relief goes wherever the call is made, and all of us should be called to chaplaincy—not just because of the training or the title.
“God wants us to pray, and he wants us to have a relationship with him and spread that throughout the world,” she said. “We’re all called to that.” To become a trained volunteer or renew your badge, visit IBSA.org/dr. Learn more about IBDR at IBSA.org. Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief is part of the Southern Baptist Convention’s disaster relief ministry, the third-largest relief agency in the United States. ─Lisa Misner
Fair makes connections
Marion | Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) of Williamson Baptist Association held their third annual Ministry Fair in September. “It started as something new and different as a way to connect our churches and people in the churches with ministries in the area,” said Tammy Samples, WMU leadership team member. “We wanted them to see how God is working and how they can get connected.” Nearly 30 local ministries were represented at Cornerstone Church. “It was great for them because they were able to connect and cooperate
with one another,” Samples said. “The week after, I saw on Facebook several ministries were saying they were connected and were going to work together,” Samples said. “That’s when we realized, it’s supposed to look like this.” Samples and her team originally had a different strategy for the fair, but “God said no to our previous plan, we are flexing and going where God said.” Planning for next year is under way. “We’re looking at reconnecting with all the ministries and getting more feedback from them,” Samples said.
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Illinois Baptist
Mission ILLINOIS Gridiron: Outreach scores!
Berw yn: One great year
New college ministry crosses the goal line on these campuses. At Western Illinois University in Macomb, University Baptist Church hosted 100 students with a devotional time. At McKendree University in Lebanon,154 football players are attending chapel. The Fellowship Church Pastor, Belafae Johnson, brought the word to more than 200 students at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes event. And one student asked to be baptized.
Anchor Church Berwyn celebrated it's first anniversary and the launch of its new Spanish-language service with multiple baptisms, both adults and youth. The church is connecting with its neighborhood with monthly food distributions. They posted, “What a joy to see God keep writing his story here in Berwyn. To him be all the glory!”
It was incredible to see our church family grab a coffee, connect with one another, and make a difference.
A student from Cornerstone Savoy is leading a Bible study for the Marching Illini band at the University of Illinois, which has over 400 members. Joe Whetzel (right) stands with his pastor, Daniel Good.
Look for the band in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Nov. 26. Make a joyful noise.
Staunton: Café Month-lé The lobby became a coffee shop at Net Community Church. They started Pouring Into Missions Café. Worship attenders paid $5 for a cold brew latte prior to the service with profits going towards missions. Look for it to be on the menu monthly.