IBSA 2023 Viewbook

Illinois Baptist State Association

Baptisms on the cover: Gospelife Church of Carol Stream, Beloved Community Church at Lake Michigan, and Erven Avenue Church at Streator Baptist Camp.

A vibrant network

The challenges churches face today are significant. Cultural values are shifting outside the church. Generational preferences are shifting within the church. Economic realities bring financial pressure, and technological advances demand adaptation. And then a pandemic blows through. These are not challenges any of us want to face alone. Thankfully, we are not alone.

More than 900 churches in Illinois form a vibrant network known as the Illinois Baptist State Association. Together we are a family, journeying through the joys and challenges of church life. As we work together to experience spiritual health and growth, our churches also unite to spread the gospel and multiply churches into the vast lostness of our state.

We hope this viewbook will inspire you with the purpose of our shared fellowship and renew passion in your heart for our shared mission. It’s not always easy to be a Southern Baptist church in a northern state like Illinois. But we believe our witness is especially needed here. And our work is stronger when we remember we are not alone.

It’s not the beautiful landscapes and iconic skylines of Illinois that make up our mission field. It’s the people— neighbors, friends, and strangers. They live in big cities and small towns, on campuses and at the crossroads. From many people groups and demographics, these are people God loves. The Bible calls them ethnos, translated both as “nations” and “people.” They all should hear the gospel.

People

are our mission field

From prairies to cities

The IBSA story Religious landscape Where churches are needed

Southern Baptist disciples in the north

PIONEERS

IN FARMING AND FAITH

The frontiersmen who crossed the Ohio River into Illinois territory found a land of great natural resources. Pristeen woodlands, prairie sod, plentiful rivers and wildlife, and lodes of coal all prom ised a rich future. They also promised hard work. The trees had to be felled and planed, rootbound soils plowed, waters plumbed, wildlife tamed, and mines exca vated.

Then there were the souls. There were souls to be harvested. There still are.

The explorers setting up camps at St. Louis and Chicago were mostly from Catholic backgrounds. But these rough hunters and traders weren’t founding missions or building schools. That would be left to the families who soon followed.

Baptists were well established by the time Illinois became a state in 1818. The first new believers were baptized near Waterloo in 1794, a decade before Lewis and Clark ventured west of St. Louis. The preacher cut a hole in the ice to immerse them in the Mississippi River.

Coming from Ohio and Kentucky in a trek toward Missouri, these hardy people founded towns, built churches, and estab lished schools, including the region’s first seminary at Rock Springs near Alton. In those pioneer days, just as it is today, some soils were hard and planting gospel seed was an exercise in forbearance. But their persistence was rewarded.

We stand in a long line of pioneers bringing faith to the Midwestern frontier.

Religious landscape

of Illinois residents identify as Southern Baptist say they’re mainline Protestant while 7% identify as Black Protestant claim affiliation with an evangelical church qualify as “nones” with no religious affiliation at all identify as Catholic identify as “Christian” in a variety of denominations and faith affinities, but only one-fourth have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ

OUR MISSION FIELD TODAY

13 million people live in Illinois. The U.S. Census Bureau revised the 2020 count which had said population was on the decline. The census was undercounted by 2%. Cities have seen growth, while small towns and rural areas have borne declines.

If Illinois were a country, it would be larger than 131 of the world’s 210 nations at #79. Our state is the 6th largest in U.S. population, 25th in land mass, and 2nd flattest behind Florida.

1.8 million residents are immigrants. That’s 14% of the population. 1-in-7 were born outside the U.S., and another 1-in-7 have a parent who was born outside the U.S.

IBSA Timeline

1796 1845

The first Baptist church in Illinois met in the pioneer settlement of New Design, across the Mississippi from St. Louis. Their meeting house was log structure set in the swampy land by the river. Families moved into the territory to establish farms, schools, and churches. Two decades later, Illinois achieved statehood in 1818, with 35,000 residents.

Illinois Baptists developed strong missions and discipleship ministries in the post-war years (including operation of Lake Sallateeska Baptist Camp). IBSA had 557 churches, but only 10 in the northern half of the state. Messengers adopted a statewide mission strategy with increased attention to the burgeoning metro areas.

1971

The new IBSA Building was constructed in Spring field for $1.9 million, devel oping a center for ministry equipping and evangelistic outreach. As Illinois grew to 13 million people over the next five decades, IBSA focused on planting churches in every corner of the state, for every demo graphic and ethnic group.

The Southern Baptist Convention was formed in Augusta, Georgia. Four IBSA churches still serving today were in existence at the time. With a commitment to missions, the new convention founded two boards to send missionaries to share the gospel and start churches. Today they’re called the North American Mission Board (NAMB) and the International Mission Board (IMB).

1888 1945

Woman’s Missionary Union was founded to support missions. The most famous women in this endeavor are missionary to China, Lottie Moon, and Annie Armstrong, who faithfully urged financial support. Two annual missions offerings are named for them.

1907

226 churches met in Pinckneyville to form the Illinois Baptist State Association, locating its office in nearby DuQuoin until 1930, then in Carbondale. These churches rallied around biblical doctrine and gospel advance.

2022

Illinois Baptists give about $6 million to missions each year through Cooperative Program. The goal is to share the gospel in Illinois and worldwide, building up stronger churches and new churches to win lost people to Christ and transform the prevailing culture.

Lottie Moon

Annie Armstrong

WHO NEEDS A CHURCH?

Just as the state grew from south to north after its founding, so did Illinois Baptist churches.

But Baptist strength remained downstate, even as population swelled in the north. There is presently one IBSA church for every 14,428 Illinois residents.

In the darkest blue counties on this map, 5% or more of residents self-identify as Southern Baptist. But in the lighter blue counties, that number is as low as one-tenth of 1%.

12 of Illinois’ 101 counties have only one IBSA-affiliated church. And in 10 counties, there is no IBSA church.

In order for every person in Illinois to have easy access to a Southern Baptist church, more than 200 churches are needed.

There remain large areas of Illinois with little evangelical witness.

A NET THAT WORKS

The imagery comes from fishing—a giant hand-knitted net that raises from the waters a great haul of fish. The scene is verified by Jesus himself when he tells the disciples, forlorn by their fishing failure, to drop the net on the other side of the boat. Under Jesus’ direction, it’s a net that works.

In our times, the word “network” has been applied to groups of broadcasting stations, first radio, then television. More recently, network describes any col lection of like-minded people or entities that intentionally partner together to accomplish a common purpose. They share goals, strategies, resources, expe rience, and wisdom to make it happen.

Beginning in 2019, IBSA delved deep into its purpose as a network of churches. IBSA clarified its calling and goals. IBSA is now engaging with churches in multiple ways to maximize resources across the network. In doing so, all of us in the network learn to rely on each other.

Today 33 local associations of Baptist churches are valued ministry partners in Illinois. Together we develop leaders, disciple students, grow churches, and lean into gospel advance.

IBSA’S MISSION

IBSA has 839 affiliated churches and 63 church plants and missions.

Deliver network value that inspires each church to thrive in health, growth, and mission.

Post-pandemic realities

Comparing 2020 and 2021 totals from Annual Church Profiles: increase in professions of faith, from 1,668 to 2,184 new believers, although baptisms held steady increase in Vacation Bible School, from 10,354 to 15,735 students increase in giving to Cooperative Program, from $5,443,103 to $5,835,888

The pandemic had its effect on all of us and all our churches. A year of declines forced by closures and precautions was followed by rebounds in several areas.

The numbers are not quite up to pre-pandemic levels, but they’re headed in the right direction—except worship attendance. Church attendance everywhere is down as much as one-fourth two years after Covid arrived.

With renewed evangelistic outreach, many churches are in the rebuilding phase.

IBSA’S VALUES

We value measurable Excellence for churches, delivered in practical Helpfulness to churches, that inspires cooperative Engagement with churches, and leads to Gospel Advance through churches.

is needed in Illinois

A consultant assisting IBSA with strategic planning challenged us with this question: “Why does Illinois need a Southern Baptist ‘brand’ of disciple?”

By Nate Adams IBSA Executive Director

Illinois needs Southern Baptists because—

Our churches deliver the gospel and teach doctrine that we believe most clearly interprets the Bible. The Bap tist Faith and Message is a surpris ingly brief yet powerfully clear state ment that gives trustworthy guidance in the Bible’s most central truths. Those truths still meet the most press ing needs of our world today.

Some people think all Christians believe the same things or interpret the Bible the same way. But Baptists hold to unique and important beliefs about the authority of the Bible and the auton omy, leadership, and ordinances of the local church. For example, we believe differently than some other Christian groups how salvation takes place, and whether it lasts or can be lost.

Baptists also have increasingly countercultural beliefs about gender, sexu ality, marriage, and the sanctity of life. Pastors trained in SBC schools and church members being discipled with SBC resources can be confident that they are building their lives on a clear understanding of God’s unchanging Word.

He was making the point that there are many other evangelical groups in our state. While we are grateful for the work of all Christ-centered, biblically faithful churches, we do believe that the churches of our Illinois Baptist network and the missions work we do together bring unique, valuable, and powerful benefits to the mission field of Illinois.

Our churches here are launching pads for sending the gospel everywhere. Each year, thousands of new believers profess faith in Christ through IBSA churches. New church plants often lead the way in the ratio of baptisms to church members. Many of them hear the gospel because our network pro vides training, resources, strategies, or events for intentional evangelism.

Our national SBC mission boards facilitate participation by these churches and their volunteers along side thousands of career missionaries in evangelistic missions and church planting. Just think how slow world wide mission work would be if each church had to attempt this on its own.

Our churches are a unique gift as a people. Our denomination with its cultural roots often translates to wonderful warmth and friendliness in church life—not to mention some pretty good cooking. Many of us grew up learning the Bible and loving mis sions, and that heart for the Lord and for the lost helps turn our churches inside out into our communities. Our churches have grown diverse in their ethnicities, music preferences, geogra phies, and sizes, equipping us to reach many different kinds of people.

We are not perfect by a long stretch. But at our best, our Illinois Baptist churches and the disciples they make are loving and unique gifts from God to some nine million lost people here. n

Our churches are launching pads for sending the gospel everywhere. Each year, thousands of new believers profess faith in Christ through IBSA churches.

An effective process begins where we are and gives us a path to another place—a desired place. Rather than copying the past programs of others, God creates new things. Through the amazing working of his Spirit, he inspires new ministries for the fulfillment of his divine plans through his church.

Process

moves us forward

Your church’s next step Strategies for Health, Growth, and Mission Next Gen challenge Finding a pastor People who can help

NEXT STEP: MAPPING THE JOURNEY

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” an ancient proverb says. To achieve something big, a small action is first required. If the traveler focuses on all the dangers and possible errors ahead, he’ll never step out the door.

This advice translates well to church leadership. The pastor knows things aren’t as they should be and he knows change needs to happen. But what’s the destination? How does he lead people there? What are the right changes to make now? Uncertainty can be paralyz ing. What is needed first is one right step.

This is the principle driving IBSA’s Next Step consulting.

The best way to help churches adapt to the changing needs of the culture is to help pastors lead small changes in the right direction. Each change is something that can be accomplished in a matter of months, not years. This is referred to as the right next step.

The process begins with a listen ing posture from the consultant. Noah Lee, pastor of Tremont Baptist Church, believes that’s important in finding the right step.

The congregation must feel ownership for the change process in order to see it through.

“There were some things that I don’t think we would have seen or been able to work through on our own without an outside perspective,” Lee said. The IBSA team member “never told us what to do. He never directed us. He helped us pro cess things.”

For this pastor and his church, the right next step was creating and imple menting a discipleship strategy to move people from just being interested in the gospel, to salvation and vibrant worship, to growing and using their gifts to serve the church, to taking the gospel into their community.

For some churches, the next step is smaller. A church might identify a seg ment of people who are present in the community but absent from the church. Then they can plan and carry out a stra tegic outreach event focused on building connection with that group.

There are many possible right next steps. IBSA consultants can help pastors and church leaders identify them.

What is your church’s Next Step?

FROM PROGRAM TO PROCESS

Not long ago, most churches offered many of the same basic ministries. Baptists specialized in programs for every age group, and churches did them all the same way. But times have changed. People have changed. And what is required to reach unbelievers with the gospel—and to grow believers into leaders—can be different from one setting to another.

IBSA is reinventing the work of the state association for a new era. The Next Step process starts with an initial conversation to help church leaders determine their best area of focus. Does the church need to take a step in Health or Growth or Mission?

Then the church leaders are paired with a consultant in one of these three areas to help them discover where God wants the church to go. Together they explore problems that might be holding them back. Then they map out a plan that includes their next step toward the new goal.

Consider how experienced IBSA staff might come alongside your church to help in one of these areas.

We all want our churches to thrive. To be alive and growing. For God’s Spirit to be working through us and in our community. But some ministries we used to do don’t have the same impact today. What should we do next?

Is

IBSA’s

EACH CHURCH THRIVING...

IBSA’s mission is to deliver net work value that inspires each church to thrive. Thrive how? In spiritual health, in the growth of its leaders and of the church overall, and in its mission to effectively join Jesus in seeking and sav ing the lost.

As a network, we of course set annual goals and metrics to measure our effec tiveness in serving churches. But none are more important than these topline measure statements for each IBSA’s health, growth, and mission strategies:

IN HEALTH

We coach pastors and leaders toward breakthroughs in personal ministry effectiveness.

We guide churches in discoveries that lead to “next level” health.

IN GROWTH

We expand the personal leadership capacities of pastors and leaders.

We equip church leaders with effec tive skills and accessible tools for min istry and growth.

IN MISSION

We catalyze compassion for the lost and commitments to evangelism, mis sions, and church planting.

We provide pathways and partner ships for each church to “turn inside out” into the lostness of its community and world.

If we can deliver value to your church in any way, please reach out to us at 217-786-2600 or info@IBSA.org.

Please remember, because there is a network, you are not alone.

your church surviving, reviving, or thriving?

teams focusing on health, growth, and mission can help answer the question.

When God gives a pastor a new vision, a picture of people coming to Christ and lives being changed, it is contagious to the people.

IBSA is here to walk along with them to help discover where God wants the church to go.

– Scott Foshie, Health Team Leader

Seeing a bright future

American churches are plateaued or declining

IBSA created a new revitalization-focused Health Team with help from national church revitalization strategist Rob Peters

Illinois churches currently engaged in revitalization processes

Trained “Pathfinders” lend their experience to help guide churches toward a new future

About 80% of churches are pla teaued or declining, even in Southern Baptist life. So it comes as no surprise that Next Step conversations often begin with an interest in church revi talization. The Health Team, led by Scott Foshie, helps churches discover breakthroughs that lead to restored hope and life for the church.

Each church experiences different levels of plateau or decline during its life. Ideally, revitalization occurs before a downward trajectory begins. IBSA’s Health Team is there to help whether the need is short term or long term. Prayer resources and spiritual renewal weekends can help churches realign when vision seems to be drift ing or vitality is waning.

When a church needs a longer-term solution, the ReFocus revitalization process is available. Led by an expe rienced and trained IBSA Pathfinder,

the ReFocus process walks the pastor and a team of church leaders through six steps to developing and carrying out a strategic plan for the church.

“Most pastors have never been trained to make accurate assessments, reposition a ministry, answer direc tional questions, lead change, build leaders, or execute a plan,” Foshie said. “So often they have the heart and gifting needed to be a caring shepherd to their people, but they need help to develop into the skilled overseer the church needs to lead them to a new future.”

Beginning with pastoral and con gregational assessments and ending with tools to help the pastor continue the work, ReFocus is heavy on prayer, coaching, and encouragement. The pastor should never feel alone during the hard work of revitalization.

IBSA GROWTH TEAM

Personal growth

With the changing dynamics of cul ture and less uniformity in approaches to church ministry, leadership is more challenging than ever. IBSA’s Growth Team serves churches through two approaches: expanding pastors’ lead ership capacity and equipping leaders through ministry skills training.

“Members of the Growth Team are eager to walk alongside the pastor and his leaders, bringing them tools, resources, and partners to help discern, map, and implement steps that fit their church context,” team leader Fran Tras critti said. “Both our experience and our connections can be a great value in meeting the ministry needs of Illinois Baptist churches.”

Leadership Development Directors including Carmen Halsey and Jack Lucas support church leaders and build teens, men, and women into future leaders.

Through in-person consultations and training events, and online resources for staff and volunteers, church ministers can grow in spiritual and organizational

skills, and crisis leadership.

Isolation can be a common feeling among church leaders. The Growth Team provides occasions for leaders to connect with others like them, to share ideas, and to learn from common experiences in ministry. These times of refreshing strengthen the leader’s net work of prayer and resource partners with peers serving in contexts like theirs.

Leaders are also strengthened as they receive training from others within the network. Men and women across the spectrum of IBSA churches use their gifts and experiences to pour back into people through statewide events such as the Illinois Leadership Summit and Priority Women’s Conference, as well as regional trainings for a variety of minis tries.

By gathering leaders to connect with one another and providing them oppor tunities to use their gifts for training others, the Growth Team lives out the conviction that growing leaders will lead to stronger churches.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

100+ 2,000+

churches engaged in Next Step process consultations

leaders from 300+ IBSA churches were trained in 2022

70+

church leaders served as faculty at IBSA trainings, delivering proven “best practices” from their personal ministries

Next Step consulting Equip skills training events and online

Ministry leader cohorts

‘YOUR GUY NEARBY’

IBSA Zone Consultants serve in 10 regions of Illinois as the frontline, assisting associational and church leaders across the state. These ministry vets provide face-to-face access for leaders in need, no matter their address. Trained in Next Step consulting, each also brings his own unique skills and experiences in church ministry to come alongside local leaders for encouragement and insight. Zone consultants can help find solutions when a pastor needs resources or feels stuck.

Priority Women’s Conference

Sexual abuse prevention and child safety training

Illinois Leadership Summit

IS YOUR CHURCH REACHING PEOPLE?

Two things healthy, growing churches have in common are a clear sense of mission and an intentional strategy for evangelizing outside the church walls.

When churches need help clarifying strategies for missions and evangelism, the IBSA Mission Team is ready. The team can bring strategies to take the gospel into hard-to-reach communities through church planting. And they help prep and deploy missions volunteers such as Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief teams wherever they’re called.

“Churches have a high mandate for being missional,” Shannon Ford said. An IMB missionary in eastern Europe for more than two decades, Ford now serves as State Missions Director for Illinois.

Churches don’t fulfill that mandate accidentally. Ford works with churches to intentionally serve as the hands and feet of Christ as well as engage unreached people with the gospel.

A heart for missions that will take someone around the world should begin with a burden for those across the street, said Scott Harris, Mission Team Leader and Director of Evangelism. Beginning with effective prayer strategies, Harris coaches churches with strategies and training to move members to carry the gospel outside the church walls.

IBSA

MISSION TEAM

Providing pathways that catalyze movement

As we pray for lost people, God changes us, gives us passion for each one, and breaks our hearts over their lostness.

– Scott Harris, Mission Team leader

Acts 1:8 missions strategy consulting Multiply IL church planting Send St. Louis and Send Chicago church planting

Language ministries including Hispanic and Asian

Ignite

Into the field

1,300+

people serving in IBSAfacilitated mission opportunities locally and nationally churches in multi-year planting process

new Illinois Baptist churches are started each year churches affiliated with IBSA in the previous two years

PLANTS GROW BELIEVERS

As population patterns, ethnic demo graphics, and cultures change, new churches are needed to reach the nearly 9 million lost people in Illinois with the gospel. IBSA helps plant 10-20 new churches each year, with many of them focusing on increasing Asian and His panic populations in the state.

Led by Church Planting Directors Kevin Jones and Paul Westbrook, IBSA is constantly recruiting sending churches, preparing planters, and sup porting existing church plants. West brook is grateful for the progress made, but says he is praying for more. He wants to see a church planting move ment that involves every IBSA church.

“What if all of us together could catch hold of that vision? Some churches will release pastors to be church planters. Some will be individuals from churches that go to be part of a core team. Some will help with support. Some will help with prayer.

“But there are so many people who need Jesus. What if in the next 10 or 20 years, there could be a movement across this state in Chicago, in Peoria, in St. Louis, in Mount Vernon, in Metrop olis, whatever the community, big or small?” Westbrook said.

“We’ll see some amazing things that God does.”

Evangelism conferences

Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief

THE FUTURE IS NOW

Two-thirds of 18- to 29-year-olds who were active in church as children and teens dropped out once they reached college age, according to a recent Barna Research study. That number has been growing for decades.

A few numbers reveal the loss of faith among young adults. Of Gen Z, 65% reject the exclusivity of the gospel and 74% believe moral right and wrong changes over time.

But there’s good news: Among Gen Z Christians, 74% want their faith to make a difference in the world.

IBSA is committed to helping churches make thriving disciples of their own next generations and reaching students on Illinois’ many college campuses. Through partnerships with local associations, IBSA holds multiple student and kids camps at the Lake Sallateeska and Stre ator camp facilities each summer. Hun dreds of children and teens have fun and grow in their faith, alongside dozens who

make professions of faith in Christ.

Super Summer continues its long his tory of building young leaders for the church. Many who once attended as stu dents are now coming back as leaders a decade later. Their continued investment testifies to the effectiveness of the weeklong teen discipleship and leadership development camp.

Illinois presents significant opportu nity on college campuses, with almost 400,000 students. Living away from home for the first time and confronted with new ideas and freedoms, many experience emotional, spiritual, and moral challenges. Campus ministers pro vide discipleship for believing students and gospel lifelines for lost students struggling with life’s deepest questions. IBSA currently supports six campus min istries. And nearby churches in the IBSA network partner to reach out to students. The future is young. The future is now.

Go Chicago student missions

AWSOM teen girls conference

Youth Encounter evangelism conference

Disciple Now weekends

Super Summer teen leadership week

“The 4” evangelism training

Investing in the Next Generation

students trained to share their faith students discipled in IBSA summer camps teens in Youth Encounter and AWSOM Weekend salvations at IBSA camps campus ministries at Illinois colleges

Calling a new pastor is not easy. A search can be lengthy and the path isn’t always clearly marked. A multi plicity of pastor search websites and automated application software has further complicated the process, but IBSA can help.

Most churches have in their resume pile young pastors of great promise and experienced pastors with proven track records. Some are seminary trained and some are not. Some are from Illinois, many are not. The challenge is identifying the right pastor for the right season in a church’s life cycle. It’s a spiritual endeavor that also requires ministry and leadership acumen.

For Southern Baptist churches, there is the desire to have pastors who are strong in Baptist doctrine and polity, in addition to their com petency in preaching and leadership, and in pastoral ministry.

FIND GOOD CANDIDATES 9.2

Pastor search challenge

10%

In Illinois, we have added chal lenges. Our churches are located some distance from the six Southern Baptist-supported seminaries that produce many of our pastors. And almost half the pastorates here are bivocational.

All this added together means churches may want help. The Pas tor Search section at IBSA.org is one source of information includ ing team training and resumes. And IBSA offers in-person assistance as well.

Building strong Baptist churches in Illinois often begins with calling strong Baptist pastors.

A common mistake that churches make in a pastoral transition is they rush. Teams I surveyed shared the importance of seeking experienced help or regret for not enlisting outside help.

– Associate Executive Director Mark Emerson, who leads pastor search assistance

for IBSA

churches

of IBSA churches are looking for a pastor today years is the average tenure for lead pastors in Illinois

Search Team training

People who can help

Members of the Health, Growth, and Mission Teams are available to help your church leaders develop new processes and ministries to serve your community. Consultants in ten zones are nearby to meet with pastors and associational leaders. Contact these IBSA team members through our website IBSA.org, by phone at 217-786-2600, or by scanning this QR code with your phone:

PASTOR SEARCH HEALTH TEAM GROWTH

TEAM

MISSION TEAM

ZONE CONSULTANTS

(The zone map is on page 20. For zones not listed, contact Fran Trascritti.)

Mark Emerson Associate Executive Director

Carmen Halsey Leadership Development Director

Jack Lucas Leadership Development Director

Fran Trascritti Growth Team Leader

Scott Foshie Health Team Leader

Jorge Melendez Spanish Consultant

John Yi Church Planting Catalyst

Kevin Jones Church Planting Director

Shannon Ford Missions Director

Paul Westbrook Church Planting Director

Scott Harris Mission Team Leader

Bryan Price Zone 1

Jay Simala Zone 2

John Calio Zone 3 Chris Nolin Zone 4

Joe Gardner Zone 5

Cliff Woodman Zone 6

Roger Marshall Zone 7

Ashby Tillery Zone 10

Purpose

sends us to the world

The Great Commission to go into all the world is being carried out by churches and the missionaries they send— including Illinois Baptists who give and send and go. This pastor baptizing a new believer in the Philippines is a profound example of fulfillment of our calling to the uttermost parts of the earth. We are a global people who have the whole world in view. In biblical language, it’s cosmos, the world. And sharing the gospel is our purpose.

Global worldview

Churches on the go Surprising numbers Cooperative commitment

GIVING, SENDING, AND GOING GLOBAL

“I would love for every IBSA pastor and church to consider a personal connec tion to international missions,” said Doug Munton, pastor of First Baptist Church of O’Fallon. “Stay connected to the work of the IMB through the Cooperative Program and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offer ing for International Missions, but there is something powerful and life changing about a mission trip.”

Munton and his church have experi enced that powerful life change, as have so many IBSA churches. The missions com mitment begins at home, often through personal financial support of missions and local outreach to the community. Then it extends statewide through church plant ing, and ultimately becomes global pas sion for the salvation of lost people.

So, giving becomes sending becomes going.

“My first international mission trip was to Poland just before I came to FBC O’Fal lon,” said Munton, who has pastored there for almost three decades now. “In fact, it was there that God confirmed for me that I was to come to FBCO. That trip was life changing for me as I saw God’s work in the world in a larger way than ever before. It also caused me to desire to see my local church become deeply involved in mis sions around the world. We have had long term partnerships in Uganda, Cuba, and another country.”

A team from O’Fallon recently jour neyed to Poland to minister to refugees from Ukraine. They taught English-lan guage classes to Polish and Ukrainian adults and taught children using Lifeway’s Vacation Bible School materials especially

for the mission field. It was all designed to open doors, minds, and hearts to the gospel.

As part of helping churches develop their Acts 1:8 mission strategy, IBSA trains leaders in connecting with communities and people groups, and helps churches plan mission trips both in North America and abroad. IBSA connects congregations here with planters and missionaries.

When missions has a face, it becomes real. Missions becomes relationship.

Donn and Joni Schaefer had led ten trips to Russia, sharing Christ and making friends in Siberia, before war closed that door. Then they turned their attention to Ukrainians in Poland. “The Schaefers have been very involved in international mis sions in other places and they led the way in our trip to Poland,” Munton said. And in every place, they have connected with

“The IMB missionaries that we worked with in this recent trip to Poland have fam ily in our church,” Munton said. “When it became impossible for us to go back to a particular country, we got connected with these missionaries and God opened doors for us to go. Willingness met need and opportunity.”

Along with IBSA, churches and local associations in Illinois have relationships with Bangladesh, the Dominican Republic, Columbia, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and many more nations.

“Churches could send their pastor or a team on a trip as well as supporting our career missionaries through prayer and finances,” Munton said. “It can change how they see evangelism and discipleship both globally and locally.”

missionaries in the field.

Churches take their mission commitment to the world.

DELIVERING COMPASSION

For many people in the U.S., Southern Baptists wear yellow shirts. The global missions commitment that ultimately leads beyond our borders may first start at the Illinois River, or East St. Louis, or Mayfield, Kentucky, or on the Gulf Coast after a hurricane.

“The ‘yellow shirts’ are coming,” a national news anchor said from a wind-battered region. He spent several minutes telling viewers about the valu able work of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief. Those yellow shirts are a welcome sign after natural disaster. They may well be our denomination’s best public face.

Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief has 950 trained volunteers who serve with flood recovery, chainsaw crews, feeding programs with mobile kitchens, shower and laundry units, and childcare. And at every location, trained IBDR chaplains offer spiritual care to hurting souls, and quite often, a personal introduction to Christ. Disaster leads to salvation.

“The owner of the little white house was saved today,” DR chaplain Jan Krag ness reported after one flood recovery callout in Illinois. While teams hauled soggy sheet rock and carpets from the woman’s home, the chaplain sat on the front porch with her, sharing God’s love even in crisis. That’s her goal in every callout.

For so many Illinois Baptists, service through Disaster Relief has become a practical and personal response to the command to “Go…”

church planters and missionaries serve with NAMB in North America

18,000

students train to be pastors and missionaries at 6 SBC seminaries

20,000+

Illinois Baptists engaged in mission work annually prior to the pandemic

2,218 military and hospital chaplains endorsed by NAMB

3,720 baptisms by SBC congregations in North America

154,701

SBC Missions by the Numbers

The sun never sets on Southern Baptist missions. With SBC missionaries on every inhabited continent, baptizing, teaching, and making disciples extends to the ends of the earth, just as Jesus said.

A $20 Billion Commitment

Since it was created in 1925, the SBC’s Cooperative Program has generated $20 billion for missions and ministries.

The unified system of missions support counts on the power of multiplication. Almost 50,000 SBC churches can do so much more together than individual churches can do alone.

Every church of every size contributes meaningfully at its own level, choosing to send a percentage of their undesignated offerings to IBSA. Then IBSA sends a portion to the national SBC. Together we support: Global Missions Church Planting Leader Development Ministry Preparation Religious Liberty

At one time, the average CP gift from churches was 10% or more of undesig nated offerings. Many churches, real izing the importance of their global missions support give above that even today. The average church’s CP offer ing in Illinois is 6.1% today, which is still a bit above the average across the denomination. IBSA uses 56.5% for equipping churches and planting new churches in Illinois, while 43.5% sup ports North American and interna tional missions.

This cooperative missions funding was created after the “$75 Million Cam paign” following World War I. The SBC was financially distressed and mission aries’ work on the field was in jeopardy. The “society method” where individual

missionaries came home often to visit churches and ask for money simply wasn’t working. Through the Cooper ative Program, a steady flow of funds meant mission work would continue without threat or interruption. Mis sionaries could stay on their fields lon ger, sharing the gospel, baptizing new believers, and starting new churches.

Across a century, CP has proven effective through unified, regular, and systematic giving, worthy of enthusi astic participation by SBC churches. CP is worthy of the ongoing education required to keep new believers and new Baptists informed on what their CP offerings accomplish worldwide. And it continues today.

Partners

turn work into teamwork

As young teams demonstrated at IBSA’s Super Summer, launch ing effective ministry in Illinois is the result of partnership. The biblical word is koinonia, the unique fellowship of Christians working together to advance God’s kingdom on earth. From local communities to international missions, IBSA brings partnership opportuni ties to multiply the ministry of Illinois Baptist churches.

Illinois ministries

Global partners

Theological education Financial guidance

RENEW

A rippling lake surrounded by acres of lush woodlands. An open prairie with a babbling river and hiking trails. These are inviting spaces for churches. In addition to the multiple weeks of summer camps IBSA hosts, our two Baptist camps are ideal for church retreats, discipleship weekends, and personal renewal. Each camp has lodging, dining, and meeting facilities, and recreation for all seasons.

LakeSallateeskBaptistCamp.orgStreatorBaptistCamp.org

Birthed a century ago as Illinois endured another pandemic, Baptist Children’s Home first ministered to children without families to care for them. The Carmi facility soon grew to a place of affection in the hearts of Illinois Baptist churches. And across the decades, the ministry has grown to include residential care for teens, services that bring families back together, and Pathways Counseling with 14 locations.

And today, as opportunity for ministry to save unborn children grows, BCHFS offers the Angel’s Cove residential facility for young women facing unplanned pregnancies. Faith Adoption is for those wanting to make an adoption plan for their baby. Most recently we opened GraceHaven Pregnancy Resource Clinic in Mt. Vernon.

We invite you and your church to join Baptist Children’s Home & Family Services as partners for children and families in Illinois.

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For all of you who continue when the rest of the world says stop...

We know the work you do is rewarding and challenging. You’re not alone. Your work matters. Tha n k yo u for faithfully ser ving!

As always, we are here to help you move the mission forward.

Pastors THANK YOU,

Local church ministry in an increasingly post-Christian culture is often challenging, confusing, and tiresome. That’s why Midwestern Seminary wants to recognize you this year. Whether you’re a lead pastor, associate pastor, lay leader, or a staff member at your church, Midwestern Seminary thanks you for your commitment and faithfulness to the local church.

At MBTS, we believe what Jesus purchased is precious, that’s why we’ve made it our purpose. We exist for the church ; that includes you and the church you lead.

We want to encourage and edify you through a variety of free resources and giveaways.

At

Earl Cannedy joined his wife in Heaven in February 2021. This year, the Cannedys will give their largest gift ever to North American and International Missions.

BFI can help maximize the impact of the resources God has entrusted to you. Call or visit our website to learn how you can best provide for your needs, the needs of your children and for Kingdom causes.

Baptist Foundation of Illinois 217-391-3116

BaptistFoundationIL.org

Moving forward

With so many challenges in our recent past, the time is now for us all to move forward.

We move forward by discerning God’s call to us in this new season. We move forward as each church determines its best next step in reaching its community. We move forward as a network of churches desiring to permeate our state with the transforming gospel of Jesus Christ. We move forward as God’s people sent to represent our Savior in the world.

There’s a vast number still to be saved, so we move forward.

The churches of Illinois created the IBSA network over a century ago, when it became clear in our founders’ time that strength was multiplied by working together. Is it not even more so in our time?

As it says in these pages, people are our shared mission field, and the Great Commis sion of Jesus is our shared purpose in the world. So, as a network we are committed to offering both partnership and processes that can move your church forward toward greater health, growth, and mission.

We believe churches can best face today’s most significant challenges by networking in a loving, learning community that shares both common beliefs and best practices. We pledge to be that network for you.