MISSION

“It was such a joy to partner with Chicagoland Baptists and IBSA,” said Sammy Simmons, National Project Director for Send Relief, a ministry of the North American Mission Board (NAMB). Formerly pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Benton, Simmons returned to Illinois in August to join the event he helped coordinate in his new capacity.

A total of 973 volunteer participants from 11 states and 67 SBC churches partnered with church planters and pastors in the city and suburbs for two days of hard work. The plan was to open doors for the gospel. It worked.

Teams from the churches worked on 47 projects, from feeding homeless people to block parties, to renovation for church plant facilities. NAMB reported 1,030 gospel conversations, with 4,108 people served; 2,703 meals were distributed, and Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief (IBDR) packed 1,477 lunches for the volunteers. At the construction sites, 154 hours of work were completed.

Most important, the teams reported 62 salvations—and lots of good will.

“I love the fact that churches across Chicago formed relationships and made commitments to serve again, and people from Southern Illinois are making commitments to return,” said Simmons, pictured above with his wife, Michelle. “I believe leaning into compassion ministry creates many open doors for having gospel conversations.

“I pray for a day when God moves and there are no longer nine million lost people in Illinois.”