September 9, 2019 Illinois Baptist

Illinois roots

Mandrell quotes Jesus, Lincoln at installation

Nashville, Tenn. | Tampico, Ill., native Ben Mandrell was installed as the 10th president of LifeWay Christian Resources and its predecessor, the Baptist Sunday School Board, in a ceremony at the publisher’s headquarters Aug. 26.

Mandrell, most recently founding pastor of Storyline Fellowship Church in Arvada, Col., pointed to the cultural challenges faced by Southern Baptists’ main purveyor of biblical teaching materials.

“Without a doubt, the culture is moving swiftly away from the absolute truths—certainly away from a man who once said, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life,’” Mandrell said. “And this is why we were given our name—LifeWay—because we’ve been called

MANDRELL P. 4

NATE ADAMS

The Illinois Baptist staff

Editor - Eric Reed

Managing Editor - Meredith Flynn

Graphic Designer - Kris Kell

Contributing Editor - Lisa Misner

Administrative Assistant - Leah Honnen

The general telephone number for IBSA is (217) 786-2600. For questions about subscriptions, articles, or upcoming events, contact the Illinois Baptist at (217) 391-3119 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 three weeks by the Illinois Baptist State Association, 3085 Stevenson Drive, Springfield, Illinois 62703-4440. Subscriptions are free to Illinois Baptists. Subscribe online at IBSA.org.

Understanding the world where we live and serve

Church needed here...

Location: Old Irving Park

Focus: Multicultural Chicago neighborhood

Characteristics: After decades of declining population, the end of the 20th century saw growth in Irving Park, including an increase in the Hispanic population from 9% to 43%. Old Irving Park is home to more than 2,500 Serbian families.

Prayer needs: Pray God sends laborers to engage established residents and newcomers from various cultures.

– IBSA Church Planting Team

CONVENTIONAL WISDOM

Snapshots from the world of Illinois Baptists

How it all began

A recent Gallup poll shows less than half of Americans hold to a strictly creationist view of the beginnings of mankind:

Which of the following statements comes closest to your views on the origin and development of human beings?

41 40%

God created man in present form 33% 22% Man developed, with God guiding Man developed, but God had no part

– Gallup, July 2019

the cooperative program

Giving by IBSA churches as of 8/30/19 $3,915,133

Budget Goal: $4,053,846

Received to date in 2018: $3,805,149

2019 Goal: $6.3 Million

NATE ADAMS

Churches with mission

When I think of international missions, I tend to think of missionaries. When I think of North American missions, I think mostly of church planting. But when I think of state missions here in Illinois, my first thought goes to churches. Whether in the New Testament or in our 21st century world today, those three thoughts—missionaries, church planting, and then churches as missionaries—are a snapshot of how the gospel spreads, and how the Great Commission is fulfilled. First there is darkness and lostness, where people have not yet heard the good news about Jesus and the salvation he offers, either in their language or in a way they can understand.

Then bold, dedicated, pioneering missionaries carry the message to those places. In fact, over two thousand years after the first Christian missionaries carried the gospel to their “ends of the earth,” international missionaries are still delivering that message to the more than 11,000 “unreached, unengaged people groups” of our world today.

Once the gospel is delivered and received by some, those new disciples gather into churches for the purposes of worship, fellowship, discipleship, and ministry. New churches are the primary work of North American missions—establishing new congregations where the gospel is taking root.

It’s important to remember, however, that the purposes of the church are not just worship, fellowship, discipleship, and ministry. Churches are also called to the purposes of evangelism in their own communities, and missions from their own community to the ends of the earth. In other words, churches should be missionaries. The pioneering work of the individual missionary and the core group of church planters should be continued by every New Testament church, including the “sending” of new missionaries and church planters.

This is where the work of state missions is so important, and why churches are invited to give generously to the Mission Illinois Offering as well as the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. While the International Mission Board works primarily through individual missionaries, and the North American Mission Board works primarily through church planters, your Illinois Baptist State Association works primarily through churches as missionaries.

Our small IBSA staff couldn’t begin to deliver the gospel effectively to the more than 13 million people of Illinois. In fact it’s a huge, missionary task even for our less than one thousand churches, especially when over 400 of those churches reported no baptisms last year.

That’s why missions in Illinois looks more like church strengthening and revitalization, more like leadership development and training, than sending individual missionaries. When your state missions staff at IBSA trains churches in evangelism or disciple-making strategies, or equips leaders for Vacation Bible School or safe children’s ministry, or facilitates state missions projects or Disaster Relief ministries, or networks pastors or other church leaders for the sake of better leadership practices—we are seeking to send more effective churches into the Illinois mission field.

Because of our overlap with North American missions, IBSA is also actively engaged in church planting, anticipating 20 new churches to be planted in 2019. Of course, that’s a modest beginning toward planting the 200 churches needed in Illinois today.

So as you prepare to give to the Mission Illinois Offering this month, remember that IBSA staff are not the primary missionaries of Illinois. Our churches are. But IBSA’s handful of trainers, event planners, consultants, and church planting catalysts work hard at assisting every willing, missionary church. Your generous gifts through the Mission Illinois Offering support us, and we are grateful. And we are eager to help your church, and mine, become even more missionary.

Nate Adams is executive director of the Illinois Baptist State Association. Respond at IllinoisBaptist@IBSA.org.

Our missionary task requires partnership.

New organization coming

Church revitalization needs prompt restructure of state staff

Annual Meeting to ‘ReFocus’ ministry

The 2019 IBSA Annual Meeting will focus on renewal of church ministry. The three-day event begins with the Pastors’ Conference Nov. 5-6, followed by the Annual Meeting Nov. 6-7. Both conferences will take place at Cornerstone Church in Marion.

Cornerstone pastor Michael Nave will be the featured speaker in a special worship service on Wednesday night, and the Cornerstone worship team will bring the music all three days. IBSA President Adron Robinson will bring his final message as he concludes two years in the post. Robinson is pastor of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Country Club Hills, a suburb of Chicago.

A full list of speakers for the Pastors’ Conference and the Annual Meeting schedule will both be published in a special edition of the Illinois Baptist Sept. 30. Included on the roster are revitalization leader Mark Clifton of the North American Mission Board, Gateway Seminary President Jeff Iorg, and Illinois pastors Michael Kramer, Tim Lewis, and Bryan Price. Pastors can also choose from seven breakout sessions in two time slots. A panel discussion will address avoiding ministry burnout.

Springfield | The IBSA Board will take up staffing adjustments at its Sept. 10 meeting. Executive Director Nate Adams has planned reorganization of the IBSA staff for 2020 in order to fund a new and muchneeded church health and revitalization strategy, with two full-time employees and a supporting ministry budget.

At least 80% of IBSA churches are plateaued or declining, a trend that mirrors the status of Southern Baptist churches nationwide. “IBSA churches are asking for help in making the necessary changes to increase their health and effectiveness, and to reach the people of their communities,” Adams said in a statement Aug. 15. “IBSA feels it can better meet these needs for church health and revitalization if it structures its staff less along the lines of church ministry specializations and more along the lines of transformational processes.”

Starting in 2020, IBSA will focus on the processes of church health and revitalization, leadership development and training (still to include ministry specializations such as Sunday School, worship and technology, student ministry, etc.), and church mobilization (i.e. missions, church planting, and evangelism).

IBSA’s investment in its new church revitalization strategy will exceed $300,000 in 2020. In order to pursue this new initiative

with relatively flat income, IBSA will eliminate two current positions, the worship/ technology director position and one of two full-time missions positions. Steve Hamrick was offered a position in the new structure, but he preferred to stay with his interest in worship. Hamrick departed IBSA at the end of August.

Dwayne Doyle concluded his service as director of men’s ministry and missions mobilization in May. His leadership of Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief was assumed by longtime DR volunteer Everett “Butch” Porter.

In unrelated developments, Pat Pajak announced his retirement after 12 years as associate executive director, most recently focusing on evangelism. Pajak will conclude his service with the appropriate celebrations and congratulations at the end of the year. And Van Kicklighter, associate executive director for church planting, moved to long-term disability in April. Those changes, along with two other unfilled vacancies, made possible shifts in the overall structure.

Two new full-time staff members are joining IBSA at this time, along with two part-time zone consultants. They will be introduced following the board meeting. Adams’ full statement on the reorganization is posted at IllinoisBaptist.org.

IBSA member churches will need to vote for messengers to attend the Annual Meeting. Registration information was mailed to churches in August.

Among the items of business to be considered is approval of affiliation of the following churches, whose applications, theology, and practices have been reviewed by the IBSA Credentials Committee.

• Calvary Baptist Church, Granite City

• First Baptist Church, Collinsville

• Grace Baptist Church, Peoria

• Grace Fellowship, Davis Junction

• Greater New Hope Baptist Church, East St. Louis

• Harvest Bible Chapel, Rockford

• Jesus is the Life, Park Forest

• Journey Church, Normal

• Progressive Baptist Church, Chicago

• Revolution Church, Manhattan

• Second Baptist Church, Mt. Vernon

• The Net Community Church, Staunton

Look for the 2019 Annual Meeting Special Preview in the next issue of the Illinois Baptist.

From the front: native son takes charge

Continued from page 1

Patterson denies claims

– HoustonChronicle.com

Former president of Southwestern Seminary Paige Patterson denied allegations of negligence, violation of privacy, and liability in a lawsuit filed by a former student who alleges she was raped by a fellow student who was employed by the seminary. The school, also named as a defendant in the suit, has asked a judge to dismiss it.

Meanwhile, the Houston Chronicle released a new report outlining Patterson’s mentorship of Darrell Gilyard, a rising star in the Southern Baptist Convention in the 1980s and early 90s. Gilyard, who was accused of sexual misconduct and impropriety at multiple churches, was convicted of sex crimes in 2008. The Chronicle published online a link to video (above) of Patterson overseeing Gilyard’s 1991 resignation from Victory Baptist Church near Dallas. In the video, Patterson encourages the congregation not to talk to the press about the allegations against their pastor.

Texas church answers suit

The Village Church says it is not liable for damages suffered by a woman who alleges she was sexually abused in 2012 at a camp sponsored by the Texas church. A $1 million lawsuit claims the church failed to “implement reasonable policies and procedures to detect and prevent” the abuse she suffered, and failed “to adhere to the policies and procedures it had in place at the time” to prevent the alleged abuse.

CHANDLER

Alleged perpetrator Matthew Tonne, who once served as the church’s associate children’s minister, has been out of jail on a $25,000 bond since January, when he was charged with indecent contact with a child. If the charges the plaintiff alleges are proven to have occurred, Pastor Matt Chandler’s church said it is not liable for the intentional criminal acts of its employee, as these acts would be outside of the course and scope of his employment.

Churches launch ‘Caring Well’

Around 750 Southern Baptist churches launched the Caring Well Challenge Sunday, Aug. 25—the next step in a year-long initiative to prevent sexual abuse and care for survivors. The challenge, announced last summer by the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) and the Sexual Abuse Advisory Study appointed by SBC President J.D. Greear, includes training church leaders and enhancing policies and procedures related to abuse.

Churches can still sign up for the challenge at caringwell.com.

– Baptist Press, Houston Chronicle

Get breaking news in The Briefing online, posted every Tuesday at www.ib2news.org.

to shine the light of his word into the world.”

To symbolize this calling, Mandrell presented light bulbs to employees and guests and called on everyone to raise their lights high as an “army of creatives.”

“Jesus said his people have power to fight back the darkness of this world, to align forces in such a way that the gates of hell cannot hold us back,” Mandrell said. “It’s time for us to come together as one to change the landscape of this world.”

Mandrell quoted Abraham Lincoln in his presentation. “The best way to predict your future is to create it,” he said. The quote was noted on her Facebook page by fellow Illinoisan Sandy Wisdom-Martin, executive director of Woman’s Missionary Union, who was in attendance. “Pray for Ben as he leads LifeWay into the future God has for them,” she urged.

In a subsequent meeting with LifeWay trustees, Mandrell said he’s been asking how LifeWay can begin investing in churches

across the country, intentionally reaching new territories and helping churches outside the Bible Belt.

Earl Roberson, acting senior vice president of the resources division, shared that LifeWay’s reach and impact is not waning with the closure of all its brick-and-mortar stores. In July, traffic to LifeWay websites was more than four times larger than the normal monthly traffic to LifeWay Stores.

While the organization was still grieving the loss of stores, Roberson said, they were excited about new opportunities moving forward to expand the reach of LifeWay. In addition to partnerships with Walmart, Books-a-Million, and Christianbook.com, LifeWay has launched an “authorized dealer” program with independent bookstores. To date, 277 stores have signed up for the program, placing LifeWay products in 14 new states and 90 new markets.

– Compiled from Baptist Press with additional reporting by Illinois Baptist staff

Gospel tool aims for global reach

Arabic copies of ‘God’s Courtroom’ on five continents

Sherman | Attorney Bruce Kugler began developing a gospel resource 30 years ago while trying cases before an Illinois judge known for fairness and precision. Compelled to share the gospel using legal terminology—a judge, a trial, the offer of a pardon—Kugler eventually produced “God’s Courtroom” as a video gospel presentation set against the backdrop of central Illinois courtrooms where Abraham Lincoln once argued cases.

The DVD was distributed through Family Video stores and shown on several Christian television stations. Kugler adapted the presentation into a gospel-focused booklet, which has been translated into several languages, including Arabic. Voice of Truth, a ministry to Arab Christian leaders, recently

refined the booklet’s existing Arabic translation, and 25,000 copies have been distributed to be shared on five continents.

“It was amazing to get into all these different countries,” said Kugler, a member of Living Faith Baptist Church in Sherman. He has personally presented the materials on trips to India, Nicaragua, Argentina, China, Taiwan, and the Palestinian territories of the West Bank.

“Many of these people are probably going to use the booklet as a witnessing tool to Muslims,” Kugler said. The evangelist also is filming a 15-hour course on spiritual warfare to be seen on Arabic satellite TV and accessed online. “We’re trying to do projects that will outlast my life,” Kugler said.

Find out more at bkuglerministries.org.

BRIGHT FORECAST – Incoming LifeWay President Ben Mandrell asks LifeWay employees to hold up a lightbulb memento to symbolize their future impact as lights of the world during his installation Aug. 26.

Disaster relief

people are desperate for our help’ after Metro East flooding

Summer storms spur Illinois callouts

Granite City | Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers mobilized in the Metro East region after mid-August rain overwhelmed drainage systems and damaged many homes.

“The people are desperate for our help,” said Sharon Carty, a Disaster Relief volunteer from Emmanuel Baptist Church in Carlinville. Carty was one of the volunteers at a Multi-Agency Response Center (MARC) at Granite City High School. The MARC is designed to allow homeowners to meet with a variety of agencies offering to help.

The ongoing response in Granite City includes flood recovery, feeding, and shower/laundry facilities. Disaster Relief received more than 400 job requests; so far, 13 people have accepted Christ through the ministry.

Illinois Disaster Relief teams also responded in Alexander County and in Grayville, Ill., where an afternoon storm Aug. 18 felled more than 100 large trees. David Smith, pastor of First Baptist Grayville, said the church building didn’t sustain damage, but several church members needed help at their homes. Smith and a small group of volunteers spent Monday assessing the damage and helping homeowners.

“By mid-morning Tuesday, we had completed five homes, but that was just a scratch on the surface of the damage,” Smith said. The pastor eventually connected with Butch Porter, IBSA’s state director of Disaster Relief. Within minutes, Smith said, more help was on the way. Volunteers arrived from FBC Galatia, FBC Harrisburg, and Salem South Baptist Association.

“With the help of over 60 volunteers from Disaster Relief and members and friends of Grayville FBC, we finished over 60 homes,” Smith said. For more information about opportunities to serve and upcoming training sessions, go to IBSA.org/DR.

Ready to respond

Volunteers prepare to help after Hurricane Dorian

After doing devastating damage in the Bahamas Sept. 1 and 2, a weakened Hurricane Dorian continued its slow trek toward the Carolinas, with most forecasting models indicating the eye of the storm would not make landfall. Still, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) teams readied to offer aid to states affected by damaging winds, rain, and storm surge.

“Several SBDR teams from across the nation will headed toward the coastline and will be equipped to respond to any situation Dorian leaves in the aftermath,” said Sam Porter, national director of SBDR with the North American Mission Board. “We will be there to serve survivors in their recovery.”

Illinois was not expected to be in the first wave of responders, but will serve as a backup for a possible third wave, said Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief leaders.

In the Bahamas, Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said the damage is “unprecedented and extensive.” During a press conference, he asked for prayer for people in affected ar eas and for first responders. Baptist Global Response (BGR) will be assisting with relief efforts once the storm passes and damage assessments have been completed.

‘The

RECOVERY CENTER – Sharon Carty (center in top photo) meets with homeowners at a Multi-Agency Response Center in Granite City, where torrential rains left many homes damaged. In Grayville (far right), Disaster Relief teams help clean up after damaging winds knocked down large trees in the southeastern Illinois community. At right: Volunteer Bobby Peak carves a cross out of a downed tree to give to a homeowner in Grayville.

TRACKING THE STORM – Hurricane Dorian inched closer to the U.S. after causing massive damage in the Bahamas (above). At least seven people were killed as the storm lingered over the islands. “After the assessments we will know what kind of help we need,” said Jeff Palmer of Baptist Global Response. “It might involve medical help, food, water, shelter—you can imagine what the needs might be based on a storm like this.”

– Baptist Press, Associated Press

– bahamaslocal.com

Freedom of conscience stirs debate

Graham responds to Swift’s Equality Act plea

As the Supreme Court prepares to consider cases involving civil rights and sexual orientation, lawmakers have before them a measure that proponents say will protect LGBTQ people from discrimination. But many Christians say the Equality Act would trespass on the freedoms of people who adhere to a biblical view of marriage and sexuality.

In May, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Equality Act, which would add “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to the list of classes protected under federal law. The measure hasn’t been approved by the Republicanmajority Senate, and President Donald Trump has expressed his opposition to it.

The debate recently took center stage at the MTV Video Music Awards, where Taylor Swift’s LGBTQ-themed “You Need to Calm Down” won video of the year. “You voting for this video means that you want a world where we’re all treated equally under the law, regardless of who we love, regardless of how we identify,” Swift told viewers, also urging them to sign her online petition in support of the Equality Act.

Franklin Graham responded to Swift’s speech via Facebook post, calling the superstar out for “using her platform to try to push the socialist left’s so-called Equality Act.”

“This bill is the most crushing threat to religious liberty in our nation’s history,” said the president of Samaritan’s Purse and son of late evangelist Billy Graham. He referred to some of the law’s possible results, including males who identify as females being allowed to use public restrooms for women, and biologically male athletes being allowed to identify and compete as females. But the bill would do a lot more damage than that, Graham continued.

“It’s about trying to force those of us who don’t agree to accept and approve the LGBTQ lifestyle, and I’m not going to accept that.” The evangelist answered Swift’s plug for supporters with one of his own.

“This is far too serious for Christians to sit by and do nothing—I encourage everyone to contact their representatives in the Senate, asking them to vote AGAINST this dangerous measure which has already passed the House.”

High court to hear discrimination claims

In October, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the cases of three employees who claim they were fired because of sexual orientation or gender identity. The Southern Baptist Ethics

and Religious Liberty Commission has signed on to friend-of-the-court briefs that urge the high court to rule that the classification “sex” in Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act does not include “sexual orientation” or “gender identity.”

Though “sex” was long interpreted to refer only to whether a person is biologically male or female, the Justice Department under President Obama determined it also encompassed people who identify as gay or transgender. President Trump’s Justice Department has returned to the previous interpretation.

With the cases, the high court has an opportunity to clarify a contentious sphere of law that sometimes involves the conscience rights of business owners, especially Christians, in conflict with the claims of their employees.

“The ACLU and others are bending the words of Title VII to mean what Congress did not write,” ERLC President Russell Moore told Baptist Press. “This reckless misreading seeks to punish any who would dare disagree with the most radical aspects of the Sexual Revolution.

“My prayer is that the arguments this fall bring clarity to the public debate and that the justices would restore a natural reading of the English language to the application of these laws.”

– Compiled from Christian Post, Baptist Press

November 5-6

SWIFT

GRAHAM

IN FOCUS

Stitchin’ time

Quilters on a mission to support Illinois families

BY MEREDITH FLYNN

Marshall | “Each one of us has got some adopted grandchildren.” In a Sunday school classroom at Marshall Missionary Baptist Church, Alberta Siverly explains why she and her sisters meet here every week. Along with their friend Karen Wallace, the sisters are assembled to work on quilts for an annual auction held by Illinois’ Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services (BCHFS).

Today’s work isn’t focused on quilts for this year’s auction—the 20 bed-sized blankets the small group creates every year are finished, ready for pick-up and transport to BCHFS’s Carmi campus. Alberta says they like to work ahead. The sewing they do these Wednesday mornings at the church and on their own time at home is for next year’s quilts, and for

the baby blankets and prayer shawls they create when they hear of a need.

Their grandchildren and great-grandchildren, adopted or not, are the subject of much conversation around the table as the sisters and Wallace share stories and back-toschool photos. Dona Sanders, the youngest sister, has a granddaughter who was adopted through the Children’s Home as an infant. She’s now a junior in high school.

The Marshall quilts have raised tens of thousands of dollars for BCHFS since 2005, when the group created their first one for the auction held during the agency’s annual fall festival. Now in its twentieth year, the festival is BCHFS’s single-largest fundraiser, said Executive Director Denny Hydrick.

Woven together

Dona Sanders, Alberta Siverly, and Shirley Shumaker examine a quilt they created at Marshall Southern Baptist Church in southeast Illinois. The real-life sisters are part of a quilting family that has ministered through the church since 1994. Every year, the Loving Hands quilters create 20 works of art for an auction sponsored by Illinois’ Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services.

This year’s fall festival is Sept. 21 in Carmi.

The Marshall quilters and other partners across the state enable the ministry of BCHFS, Hydrick said. The agency, which celebrated its centennial anniversary last year, receives no state or federal funding and is supported by donor individuals and churches.

“Each church probably has its own story,” Hydrick said, “but from my perspective, partnerships are so intertwined with the ministry, you just can’t exist without them.”

All in the family

Organizers estimate this year’s auction will have between 60 and 80 quilts, with at least a quarter of those created by Loving Hands, the ministry that started 25 years ago out of Marshall’s “old lady class,” as Siverly calls it.

“Wait a minute, don’t put that in there,” Wallace says. “Just put ‘mature class.’”

“This is the last class you go to before you get promoted,” says Shirley Shumaker, another sister. Promoted, as in heaven. As they work, the quilters speak often of Carolyn Siverly, Alberta’s sister-in-law who passed away in May. And Martha Garner, their oldest sister, who will turn 90 in October. After a recent fall, she’s currently in a nursing facility.

Draped over a chair next to their work table is the last quilt Carolyn worked on. “I had to finish it for her,” Alberta says. The sisters say Carolyn was born with a talent for colors and fabrics. “She could throw in an odd block that you wouldn’t think would even belong in that quilt, but it looked right,” Wallace said. She’s the group’s newest recruit, but she lived down the street from the sisters when they were young.

As Wallace sews and the sisters look over patterns and swatches, they teach a crash course in quilting. The quilt patterned with interlocking circles is “Double Wedding.” Another with little girls in profile is “Holly Hobby,” also known as “Sunbonnet Sue.”

Sunshine on the front porch.

Blocks, batting, backing.

“We love to talk quilts,” Siverly says. “My husband, before he passed away, he said, ‘Alberta, you’re going to turn into a quilt.’”

The sisters and Wallace hold several different conversations across the table, often finishing each other’s sentences. “Eat, sleep, and drink quilts,” one says. Across the room: “And then repeat.”

Loving Hands started when a woman at the Marshall church wanted to be more involved in missions. She

had a garage built at her home so the group could meet there; they rotated from one member’s home to another before eventually moving their weekly meeting to the church. They gather Wednesday mornings to get ideas and to plan future projects, but the majority of the sewing they do at home.

Pastor Paul Cooper steps into the classroom to greet the quilters, recalling a lunch he shared with the group early in his tenure as pastor. He had driven them to Carmi to drop off their auction quilts and suggested a Mexican restaurant on the way back. Not accustomed to the cuisine, every one of the quilters ordered the same entrée—a chicken chimichanga.

“We got him young,” Siverly says affectionately of their pastor. “We trained him the way we wanted him to go, with God’s help.”

“He’s doing really well too,” adds another quilter.

The Loving Hands ladies talk about the need to recruit new blood for the group. A fellow church member built them a large quilt stand positioned just outside the sanctuary. They swap out the featured quilt every few weeks—the one currently on display has a woodland theme, with animals hidden throughout.

As they stand in the foyer examining the quilt, the Loving Hands greet the few people here on Wednesday morning with hugs and conversation. Some are actual family, others just feel like they are.

“Everybody down here’s related to everybody else.”

HANDS-ON – Karen Wallace (left) sews on a Loving Hands project in Marshall, while Susan Shilling (second from left in photo above) teaches young women at First Baptist Church in Grayville.

“ ” Partnerships are so intertwined with the ministry, you just can’t exist without them.

–

Denny

Hydrick,

Baptist

Children’s Home and Family Services

FOND MEMORIES – Sisters Dona Sanders, Alberta Siverly, and Ruby Paulsen look at photos of quilts their group has made.

Cultural crossroads

Two hours south of Marshall, Susan Shilling works on a quilt with a group of brand-new sewers. Shilling, who has helped lead the quilt auction for BCHFS for 10 years or more, is teaching the ins and outs of quilting to junior highers at her church, First Baptist in Grayville.

“They’re real beginners,” Shilling said. “Two of the girls had never touched a sewing machine.” She plans to do the actual quilting for their creation, but she’s been careful to let them sew together the pieces of the quilt top. “If they have a boo-boo, they have to pick it out themselves and fix it. I want to be able to say the girls made the quilt.”

Shilling marvels at what the Marshall group accomplishes each year. “I just can’t imagine how they get all those quilts made.” When she drove to Marshall to pick up this year’s quilts, she saw the file cabinet in the Sunday school classroom, already full of projects for next year’s auction.

The quilts sold this year will benefit the four main ministries of BCHFS: residential care at the Children’s Home in Carmi; care for new and expecting mothers at Angels’ Cove Maternity Center in Mt. Vernon; adoption services; and counseling offered at Pathways centers around the state.

In addition to those initiatives, Hydrick says BCHFS is also pursuing a new avenue of ministry: a crisis pregnancy clinic. The new opportunity is in response to Illinois’ new abortion laws, which repealed several long-

standing restrictions on the practice. The clinic would provide pregnancy testing and ultrasounds, as well as counseling for women as they make decisions.

“In our one hundred years of history, the ministry has always adapted to meet more contemporary needs,” Hydrick says. It’s been 100 years since the first sibling group of four came to live at the Carmi campus. A century of ministry has been made pos sible by the benevolence of donors and giving churches, he says.

In Marshall, the Loving Hands quilters are consider ing a future trip to Illinois Amish country to look at material and get ideas for upcoming projects. Young est sister Dona will likely drive, because she has a van. They’ll continue to meet on Wednesdays, working on quilts for people in need, now and in the future.

“Eat, sleep, and drink quilts.”

“And then repeat.”

Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services

2019 Fall Festival

September 21, 2019 • 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

BCHFS Residential Care, Carmi Campus 949 County Rd., 1300 N., Carmi

Featuring live entertainment, games, complimentary lunch, campus tours, and quilt and silent auctions.

Quilt auction begins at 12:30 p.m.

LEGACY OF CARE – Since its beginning in 1918, Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services has expanded its original residential care ministry to include maternity care, adoption services, and professional counseling. At the 2018 Fall Festival, Danny and Dana Hampton (pictured above with Hydrick) purchased a quilt celebrating the organization’s 100th anniversary. The Hamptons donated the quilt, created by Edna Henson of First Baptist Church, Golconda, back to BCHFS and it hangs in the agency’s board room.

BFI awards scholarships

Congratulations to the 37 students who received college and seminary scholarships for the 2019-20 academic year through the Baptist Foundation of Illinois! For more information about the scholarship program, visit baptistfoundationil.org.

Madilyn Berry | Connexion, Mt. Vernon Southern Illinois University-Edwardsvillle

Josiah Blan | Families of Faith, Channahon Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Rachel Bradley | First Baptist Church, Steeleville Southern Illinois University-Edwardsvillle

Richard Buck | Vale Church, Bloomington University of Oxford, Faculty of Theology & Religion

Ryan Casey | Immanuel Baptist Church, Benton Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Bill Coffey | Rochester First Baptist Church University of Illinois-Springfield

Rachel Durham | First Baptist Church, Eldorado Union University

Kacey Elam | Bethel Baptist Church, Vandalia Union University

Phylicia Ervin | Second Baptist Church, Wheaton University of Alabama-Birmingham

Tyler Gallion | First Baptist Church, Petersburg Southwest Baptist University

Leandro Gomez Der Kevorkian | Armitage Baptist Church, Chicago • Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Allison Grace | Second Baptist Church, Marion Murray State University

Noah Hanson | Logan Street Baptist Church, Mt. Vernon University of Central Missouri

Haleigh Harpole | Logan Street Baptist Church, Mt. Vernon Rend Lake College

Ben Hugghins | First Baptist Church, Bethalto Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Donald Johnson | Destiny Baptist Church, Rock Island Beeson Divinity School, Samford University

Trevor Johnston | First Baptist Church, Valier Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Annie Keirn | Metro Community Church, Edwardsville Butler University

Andrew Lawrence | Fellowship Baptist Church, Vienna Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Samantha Mann | First Baptist Church, Bethalto Southwest Baptist University

Andrew Masters | Bethel Baptist Church, Troy Southwest Baptist University

Matthew Mills | Church of the Beloved, Chicago Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Andrew Nippert | Third Baptist Church, Marion Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Bryan Price | Love Fellowship Baptist Church, Chicago Dallas Baptist University

Matthew Raigosa | Church of the Beloved, Chicago

Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Theodore Siu | Immanuel Baptist Church, Chicago

Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Janek Squibb | Chatham Baptist Church

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

Faith Stallard | Freedom Baptist Church, Noble Illinois College

Holly Stallard | Freedom Baptist Church, Noble University of Illinois

Karen Swineford | Vale Church, Bloomington Lincoln Christian University

Steve Tan | Urban Voice Community Church, Chicago

Moody Theological Seminary

Jonathan Timm | Plesant Grove Baptist Church, Iuka Kaskaskia College

Shelby Titsworth | Highland Avenue Baptist Church, Robinson • Union University

Bethany Toler | First Baptist Church, Harrisburg Southeastern Illinois College

Hayley Whittington | First Baptist Church, Valier Boyce College

Andrew Wielgus | Unity Baptist Church, Granite City Lewis and Clark Community College

Chad Williams | Rochester First Baptist Church Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

people

Welcome

Alex Melton is senior pastor of Heartland Baptist Church in Alton. A Florida native, he is a graduate of the University of Central Florida and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Prior to coming to Illinois, Melton served six years as pastor of youth and college at First Baptist Church, Cookeville, Tenn. He and his wife, Kelli, have three children.

Denver Ayres is lead pastor of Logan Street Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon. Ayres felt the call to full-time ministry while serving in the U.S. Air Force. A graduate of Trinity Baptist Bible College in Jacksonville, Fla., he has served churches in Indiana, North Carolina, West Virginia, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Florida. He and his wife, Ginny, have three daughters.

Celebrations

Evening Star Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago honored Pastor Vesta Dixon for 40 years of pastoral leadership with two Sundays of preaching and fellowship in August.

Over the years, Dixon has led the church to engage their community with the gospel; recent examples include Evening Star’s annual backto-school evangelistic crusade, and free parenting classes offered at the church.

Jack Hall was honored in August for 50 years of pastoral service at First Baptist Church, Shawneetown. The pastor wrote in his weekly blog that church members limited his access to parts of the building in preparation for the celebration. “Millie and I want to thank our church family and other friends from the community for the wonderful demonstration of love that was displayed,” Hall wrote. “We’re so glad we are a part of the family of God in Shawneetown!”

FAITH, FAMILY & FREEDOM FALL BANQUET

Rev. Graham has devoted his life to meeting the needs of people around the world and proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The eldest son of Billy and Ruth Bell Graham, he serves as President and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

MISSION

MOBILE MISSIONARIES

Illinois Campers on Mission were at Gospel Grace Church in Woodstock in June, working to prepare the church building for its future launch date. “They’re like a finely tuned machine,” said Pastor Nate Praytor, “just working and doing their thing.”

Partnerships breathe new life into northern Illinois community

Woodstock | The year after Redemption City Church closed its doors, a new church is preparing to use its building as a hub for outreach and ministry in this community 60 miles northwest of Chicago.

Gospel Grace, a church plant headed by Nate Praytor, has spent the summer meeting neighbors and gathering in two Bible study groups: one for the church’s core group of leaders, and one for people with little to no church experience. They also held a carnival for kids at a nearby apartment complex.

The little church is growing, said Praytor, whose family moved to Woodstock from northern California earlier this year.

“God has been so gracious,” he said. Praytor recounted the response he got after deciding to postpone evening Bible study to prepare for outreach the next day. “We’ve had people ask, ‘Can’t we just do a little Bible study?’”

In June, Illinois Campers on Mission spent several days in Woodstock helping Praytor and the new church renovate their building

in preparation for the church’s official launch date, which is still to be determined. The campers, who volunteer multiple weeks every year, completed several projects in Woodstock. They stayed in their campers in the church parking lot and fought rain every day, Dick and Karen Mowers reported in the group’s newsletter. “Amazingly though, we had a good time and even better fellowship. We were blessed by the hearts of the people there with a vision for the church.”

Investing in the future

The original Woodstock church is part of the Baptist Foundation of Illinois’ Church Legacy Program, meaning that its remaining assets were entrusted to BFI to support several missions causes. One of those is Embassy Church, a 5-year-old church in nearby Palatine. Embassy pastor Phill Howell put out the call for a church planter needed in Woodstock, and Praytor responded.

‘God has been gracious’

Continued from page 11

He had served in pastoral ministry for several years, but felt pulled toward church planting—specifically, church planting in Woodstock.

“One of the major reasons we felt the Lord was calling us to church planting is that we knew we’d need a major focus on outreach and evangelism— making disciples and making Christ known.” He and his wife, Amanda, had sensed that for years, Praytor said. The couple and their three daughters have been in Woodstock since March.

When a church sets up a fund through BFI’s Church Legacy Program, the Foundation works with church planting resources, including IBSA, to get a new church going in the old location. Gospel Grace is the beneficiary not only of resources given by Embassy Church through Redemption City, but also from a fund set up by Glenfield Baptist Church in Glen Ellyn, which disbanded in 2013 but continues to support church planting in Chicagoland. Plus, generous gifts from donors, said BFI Executive Director Doug Morrow.

Morrow calls it a “confluence of generosity,” noting several sources have given toward the Gospel Grace project, including Campers on Mission.

“It would be impossible for any secular strategy to get this done,” Morrow said. “There is the miraculous all over this thing.”

From lost coast to hard soil

Praytor acknowledged the multiple partners working together to bring Gospel Grace to Woodstock. Howell and Embassy Church provide coaching and ministry oversight, and Praytor and many of his core leaders are currently members of that congregation. BFI paid off the mortgage for the building and parsonage, and serves as manager of the property. And the North American Mission Board’s Send network has also contributed to support the new church.

Praytor’s family moved from an isolated region of California known as “lost coast.” They thought northern Illinois would be similar, and it is, in some ways. There aren’t a lot of churches, and even fewer evangelical ones, Praytor said. But there is still some “residual church” in the culture, he noted.

“So, you can ask people about church, and most people my age, or older, or even a little younger, seem to have some church experience,” the church planter said.

“It’s actually been a blessing for us, because it makes it a lot easier to jump into gospel conversations.”

Woodstock has a population of 25,000, with another 5,000-10,000 in the surrounding areas. The small handful of evangelical churches in the region may represent around 250 people, Praytor said. A thriving Buddhist temple meets in what used to be a church just off the town square. Woodstock seems to be “hard soil,” Praytor said, which is why his church is so excited about the outreach traction they’ve gotten.

“We’re just sitting back watching what God’s doing and reacting to it,” he said. “There’s nothing unique or special about us at all. God has just been gracious to us.”

– Meredith Flynn

LABOR OF LOVE – Nate Praytor and his family (above) are planting Gospel Grace in the building previously occupied by Redemption City Church in Woodstock. In June, Campers on Mission completed numerous renovation projects in the building, and also made stuffed bears and dolls to share the plan of salvation.

BFI hits high mark

The Baptist Foundation of Illinois currently has 60 church loans under management—a new record, said BFI Executive Director Doug Morrow. The loans, used to purchase, build, or renovate church buildings, are established with money invested by IBSA churches and church members.

Investors buy bonds issued through BFI, and the church receives a low-cost loan. Then, the interest flows back to Baptist investors.

BFI’s loan program is different than a bank’s, Morrow said, because the resources come from and go back to kingdom places. “If God has allowed you to manage this sanctified money within the church, would you not want it to go back to kingdom causes, rather than supporting the bottom line at a local bank?

“We’re convinced that the sharing of God’s money is the highest, best use of money by Baptist investors.”

For more information about BFI’s church loans program, contact the Foundation at (217) 391-3116

MORROW

RESOURCE

Fresh fuel for tired engines

What volunteers really want is attention to their souls

The current literature on ministry with volunteers emphasizes frequent expres sions of gratitude with thank-you notes, recognition from the pulpit, and an annual banquet. After all, everyone wants to be appreciated, right?

But addressing the question of “care and feeding” of volunteers, Dan Kimball points in a different direction—soul care. He tells this story:

“The local church is like a train. As the train travels quickly down the tracks, it is advancing the vision and mission of the church. People inside the train shoveling coal into the engine are serving in the church.

“From a window, two leaders call out to others to join the exciting mission. New people rise to the leaders’ challenge and hop aboard to serve Jesus. The church leaders continue casting their vision and inviting new people to join the mission. However, because the leaders are busy themselves, [they don’t see] the people who boarded the train to serve grow tired. Some may even fall into the fire fueling the engine and burn out.

“But the mission is still there. The train continues, and the leaders don’t even notice the weariness around them.”

Kimball’s story shows a need greater than appreciation—soul care.

It’s not a term Baptists use often, because in some circles, soul care gets kind of mysterioso But in this case, we’re not describing the inward focus that results in chants and grunts and navel gazing. Outwardly focused, soul care is paying attention to the needs of others at a personal level. It’s pastoral. It’s the shepherd knowing the sheep deeply and well, by name and by need.

And for the flock—or in this case, the ministry team members—soul care is being noticed and tended.

The Learning curve

The Practice of the Presence of God

by Brother Lawrence

This very short book by a 17th century monk has been transformational to my personal prayer life.

The engineers in Kimball’s example are so busy drawing new workers to the task of stoking the engine that they miss the exhaustion of those who responded to the task earlier. Paying attention to the current workforce as well as issuing the call to future team members is a troublesome but necessary two-edged task. A leader is likely to be more gifted at one aspect than the other—drawing or tending—but both must be done. And this is one reason why team sizes should be limited. Shepherds need time with the flock.

For many people, soul care is being given opportunity to be our best selves. And church life is where that can happen. Many people are not fulfilled in their work-a-day occupations. And everyone needs to do something that makes use of their best gifts, something that matters for eternity. When leaders have made that offer available, we have fed the soul at the deepest level.

Soul care is experiencing the love of Jesus by loving others. The love of Christ is that thing we find returned when we give it away. And everyone needs that. Effective soul care from effective leaders fuels effective—and joyful—ministry.

– Eric Reed

This article is adapted from the Fall issue of Resource magazine, which is available at Resource.IBSA.org

Subscriptions are free to IBSA church leaders. Write to Communications@ IBSA.org

Dirt Matters

by Jim Powell

Using the parable of the soils as an analogy to depict different church cultures, the author explains how culture can either aid or hinder a church’s kingdom impact.

Pat’s Playbook

Christ over all

Q

People keep talking about unnecessary ministries and using one I really like as an example. Should I speak up, or are they right?

A

Some types of ministries come and go. Something that was popular a few years ago may outlive its usefulness or even its effectiveness. Remember that genuine ministry is built on partnership, not ownership. Do you have a compelling reason why a particular ministry is necessary? Is it impacting your community for Christ, or is it simply something you enjoy? Read Colossians 1:18 and determine if Christ is preeminent in the ministry.

Play it again

QIs it too much to ask to sing a hymn once in a while? Assurance is still blessed, after all.

APersonally, I love many of the old hymns of the faith. In them, we often learn (and internalize) the key truths of Christianity. But I also enjoy many of the contemporary praise choruses, and I’m aware that younger Christians are more attracted to newer praise and worship styles. Share your concern with your church’s worship leaders and ask if a familiar hymn can be included in the musical selections from time to time. You might be pleasantly surprised at the response.

Pat Pajak is IBSA’s associate executive director for evangelism. Send questions for Pat to IllinoisBaptist@ IBSA.org.

The Briefing Podcast by

Al Mohler

My go-to podcast in the morning: 25 minutes of concise and precise unpacking of the culture around us.

PAT PAJAK

– Jonathan Davis, pastor, Delta Church, Springfield

– Kevin Carrothers, director of missions, Salem South Baptist Association

– Heath Tibbetts, pastor, First Baptist Church, Machesney Park

Foundations matter

Read: Matthew 7:24-27

From all outward appearances, David Burkhalter’s Brentwood home appeared to be on solid ground. It passed a certified home inspection and everything seemed okay. But a few months after closing on the property his plumber discovered a two-foot sinkhole deep in his crawlspace.

Geologists later confirmed that Burkhalter’s home stood atop not a twofoot sinkhole, but a two-acre sinkhole.

It didn’t take long for the damage to appear at Burkhalter’s home. Concrete piers had begun to sink into the ground, cracks began to appear and grow across the walls, and then finally the house itself started sinking.

In a recent prayer meeting with pastors and prayer leaders from Chicago and its suburbs, we were directed to read Matthew 7:7 to launch our prayer time. “Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” Before the prayer leader had finished speaking, the Holy Spirit dropped the chorus of this old Francis Crosby hymn in my heart.

Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord, To the cross where Thou hast died; Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord, To Thy precious, bleeding side.

Prayers from a finite being are surrendered to the Infinite One, the Ancient of Days, the Great I AM.

2. I am not responsible for the answers to prayer. That’s the LORD’s job. My job is to pray, to lift up the needs and issues of others and this world to a Sovereign God. I am not responsible for answering the prayer, and that takes a lot of pressure off my shoulders.

ADRON ROBINSON

So many people have built their lives on sinking foundations: the foundation of wealth, the foundation of health, the foundation of fame, and the foundation of pleasure.

In the beginning, these may look like sure foundations. But when the trials and the storms of life begin to test these foundations, they crumble under the pressure.

Foundations matter, because foundations determine the size, shape, and stability of a structure. In our text, Jesus sums up the Sermon on the Mount by saying there are two types of people in this world, those who practice his words and those who don’t. Those who practice God’s word build their lives on an eternal foundation, but those who don’t build their lives on a temporary foundation.

Hearing the word of God is not enough; we must be doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving ourselves (James 1:22). We don’t study just to know; we study to grow. Disciples of Jesus Christ build their lives on the solid foundation of God’s word.

Prayer Prompt: Lord, your word is the foundation for our souls. Help us to build our lives, our families, and our ministries on your word, so that we may withstand the storms of life and glorify your name. Amen.

Adron Robinson pastors Hillcrest Baptist Church in Country Club Hills and is president of IBSA.

As those in the room sang with me, that chorus became the opening lines of my prayer, and as I prayed, the Lord revealed that the action of prayer fulfills dual purposes. Spending time in his presence is not only a blessing for those for whom we pray; it also builds and strengthens our relationship with the Lord. Praying draws us nearer to the Lord; he speaks to us through our contemplation of his Word, and through the sweetness of communion with him.

Several passages of Scripture in both the Old and New Testaments speak of “drawing near to God.” Psalms 73:7 says, “But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all your works.” James 4:7a says, “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.”

I have found that as I pray for others, the Lord does a work in me—comforting, correcting, enlightening, and perfecting. While we pray, asking God to help someone with “a speck in their eye,” he kindly points out “the beam” in our own, and the wise pray-er will stop, repent, receive forgiveness, and continue in the original focus of their prayer time. Prayer is full of “teachable moments.” As we stretch out on God’s word, he increases our faith and builds up our trust in him. Specifically, God has taught me to remember and practice these things as I pray:

1. When I “draw near” to him, God places me in alignment with his plans for my life and the lives of others. Through his holy word, the perfect prayer guide, he helps me look at the situation from his perspective. He gives me the “mind of Christ” on the matter. Things that I felt were impossible are simple from his perspective.

We know from Jeremiah that God has a purpose and a plan, and he responds to our prayers in accordance with his purpose, his plan, and his will. We should not confuse our effort and energy with the outcome of our prayers. The only exception is, as Andrew Murray called it, “the sin of prayerlessness,” where we don’t bother to pray at all, and therefore see no result.

3. Trust and obey. A toddler’s first steps are a little ungainly until practice gives him confidence in his ability to walk across the room. Similarly, as we consistently practice the discipline of prayer, our experiences increase our understanding of and faith in God. Pray-ers learn to trust and obey him more.

There are times when we will offer up a short and sincere prayer and leave it at his feet. Other times, the Lord will have you spend some time praying about an issue. And there may be a time when you are led to turn down your plate and fast a meal or two, spending that time in prayer instead. All of these prayer efforts should be “God-breathed,” meaning the Holy Spirit prompts you in the appropriate avenue to take. It’s not formulaic; the Lord will guide you to the perfect path for the situation.

When I draw near to God in prayer, he aligns me with his plans and reminds me of his sovereignty over all things. As he guides my prayer life, I learn to trust and obey him more. As I draw near to him, he draws near to me.

Cheryl Dorsey is prayer coordinator for Chicago Metro Baptist Association. Her husband, Rick, is pastor of Beacon Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago Heights.

“Mission...I said, Mission Illinois.”

Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer

As I pray for others, God does a work in me.

dave says

Why do I need a will if I’m young?

QWhy do I need a will if I’m still young and haven’t acquired a lot of wealth?

AIn a case like yours, you don’t need a complicated will. But you do need an inexpensive, basic will. The larger and more complicated your estate is, the more you’d spend on estate planning and a will in order to ensure everything is properly addressed—and to keep the government’s hands off everything.

Let’s say you’re in your earlyto mid-twenties and single. You have a car and a bank account, and that’s it. In this kind of scenario, it’s going to be easy to work through your estate. But it’s going to take your parents—or whoever’s left—a whole lot longer to get those few simple transactions taken care of if you don’t have a will in place.

The other thing you’ll always want to have in your will package is a healthcare power of attorney directive. This includes things like who’s going to make medical decisions for you if you’re unable to make decisions for yourself. As a part of this, you’d want to fill out the paperwork on whether to disconnect life support systems in the event of a coma. These things aren’t fun to think about, but doing it will take a huge burden off the people you love. And all this becomes even more important if you have children, because the state will step in and decide what happens to them if you don’t.

Having these things laid out ahead of time, and sharing them with your family and close friends, is a very thoughtful and mature thing to do for those who would be left behind in the event of your death. They’re already going to be distraught and grieving, and you don’t want to make it worse by leaving them with a lot of important, difficult decisions to make.

Keep the house

QMy wife and I are on Baby Step 2, and the only debt we have is $90,000 in student loans. We bring home about $90,000 a year. In addition to this, we have almost $60,000 in equity in our home. We also have a toddler, plus another baby on the way. Do you think we should sell the house, and rent for a few years, while using the money from the sale of the house to pay down our student loan debt?

ANo, I wouldn’t sell your home in this situation. You’re going to be out of debt in a couple of years or so, anyway. You’ll just have to lean into it, and make sure you’re living on a strict, written budget. I’m talking about no vacations, and no eating out. You shouldn’t see the inside of a restaurant unless you’re working there. And the new kid’s crib may have to come from a garage sale, but so what? Mine did, too. Want to know something else? I survived without having a rich kid’s nursery, and so did my kids.

There’s a price to be paid anytime you decide to get serious about gaining control of your money and cleaning up a financial mess you’ve made. You’re going to have to work like maniacs and have no lives for a while. That might even mean picking up a part-time job at night or on weekends. You’ve got a tough couple of years ahead of you, but I think it’s worth the tradeoff. Keep your house.

CLASSIFIED AD

Illinois Family Institute is looking to hire a winsome and articulate Christian from central Illinois to lobby at the Capitol in Springfield for prolife/pro-family values. Interested candidates should e-mail a cover letter and resume to s.david@illinoisfamily.org.

Grief that won’t let go the counselor

My mother-in-law died a year ago, and my wife is still really struggling with her absence. We know she’s in heaven, but my wife depended on her mom to be a sounding board and encouragement in ways I can’t replicate. How should a Christian deal with grief that just won’t seem to fade?

Q A

One problem with grief is that there are no clearly defined timeframes for recovery. It sounds like your wife and her mother had a wonderfully blessed relationship. Your wife probably feels as if her mother took a part of her with her when she left.

We’re all told the first year is the hardest, and I agree that each holiday, birthday, and season change apart from our loved one feels cruel and unrelenting. Sometimes, the second year isn’t much better; at best, it just isn’t much worse. As we stumble from darkness to light there is an uncomfortable period in between, when we experience hope and hopelessness together. These two disparate emotions cause considerable emotional friction.

Imagine hope and hopelessness as two giant turning mechanical cog wheels. When the two

neTworking

cogs move too closely together, the intersecting collision sparks anxiety. However exhausting and confusing this grey ambivalent period is, it is an important and necessary part of the healing process. The light will come. There is enormous comfort and joy knowing your mother-in-law is in the presence of Jesus right now, right this very minute. Vital to recovery is collecting these sporadic glimmers of God’s light, minute by minute; gather each precious memory, gratefully holding tight to his promises.

I imagine you have your own complicated grief. You have lost a treasured mother-in-law and your wife as you once knew her. With God’s help, your wife will return to you, but she must return to herself first. Too often we put grief on a scale and compare one person’s grief to another’s. This is a mistake. You both are grieving; I encourage you to discuss your grief with each other without worrying that she is grieving more.

Mark McCormick is director of clinic operations for Illinois Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services. Send questions for Mark to IllinoisBaptist@IBSA.org.

Find more information on ministry positions at IBSA.org/connect Send NetworkiNg items to IllinoisBaptist@IBSA.org

Ridgway First Baptist Church is seeking an ordained full-time or bivocational pastor with a seminary or college background. Qualified applicants should send a resume to ridgwayfirstbaptistchurch@gmail.com or RFBC, Attn: Pastor Search Committee, P.O. Box 436, Ridgway, IL 62979.

Chatham Baptist Church seeks a part-time administrative assistant Send resumes to Pastor Milton Bost at milton@crcomputer.com, or mail to 1500 East Walnut, Chatham, IL 62629 by Sept. 30, 2019. For a complete job description, visit chathambaptist.org.

Wayne City Baptist Church is seeking a full- or part-time senior pastor. Send resumes to waynecitybaptistjobs@ gmail.com, or mail to Wayne City Baptist Church, P.O. Box 158, Wayne City, IL 62895.

Argenta Baptist Church is seeking a bivocational pastor to lead our enthusiastic congregation in central Illinois. We prefer a blended style of worship. A beautiful, spacious parsonage near the church would be immediately available. Please send resumes to Argenta Baptist Search Committee, Attn: Mark A. Roberts, P.O. Box 90, Argenta, IL 62501.

Royalton Baptist Church is seeking a director of youth ministries to provide a well-balanced program for youth that will seek to win the lost to Christ, help Christians mature in Christ, and discover the gifts and abilities with which God has blessed them. Submit resume with cover letter to rbcyouthsearch@gmail.com.

DAVE RAMSEY

Financial advisor Dave Ramsey is a prolific author and radio host.

McCORMICK

Learn about resources that can help you develop an effective discipleship process for women in your church. Participants will receive multiple resources for their libraries, leadership support, and be introduced to a network of leaders across Illinois.

EVENTS

September 10 & 24, October 15

Training Night

What: Choose from 10 breakout sessions on men’s and women’s ministry, worship, students, children, safety, social media, and more.

Where: Sept. 10: People’s Baptist, Rock Island; Sept. 24: FBC Machesney Park; Oct. 15: Second Baptist, Marion Register: IBSA.org/TrainingNight

September 16-17

Essentials in Women’s Discipleship

What: Training hosted by Illinois Baptist Women for new local church women’s ministry leaders

Where: IBSA Building, Springfield Register: IBSA.org/WomensEvents

September 19-20

Crisis Intervention & Stress Management Training

What: Training for chaplains working in crisis situations

Where: IBSA Building, Springfield

Info: DebbieMuller@IBSA.org

September 20-21, September 27-28

Illinois Changers

What: Hands-on projects for students in grades 6-12

Where: Sept. 20-21: Streator Baptist Camp; Sept. 27-28: Lake Sallateeska Register: IBSA.org/Students

October 4-5

Missions Expo

What: Learn about upcoming mission trips and opportunities

Where: IBSA Building, Springfield Register: IBSA.org/Expo

October 13, November 10

Bring your mission teams and church leaders to this event focused on helping your church develop a missions strategy. Cost is $10 per person, and includes lunch and resources.

Youth Encounter

What: IBSA’s annual youth evangelism conference, now in three locations

Where: Oct. 13: Tabernacle, Decatur, and Marion Civic Center; Nov. 10: FBC O’Fallon Register: IBSA.org/YE2019

October 18-19

Disaster Relief Training

What: Training weekend for new and experienced volunteers and chaplains

Where: Lake Sallateeska Baptist Camp

THE NEW REALITY

Mixed feelings

Churchgoers say they can go it alone, but they also need others

65%

75%

A LifeWay Research survey uncovered contradictory info about modern churchgoers and biblical community: say they can walk with God without other believers, but an even larger number say they need other believers to help them grow in their faith.

The findings are at odds with each other, says Southwestern Seminary’s Kenneth Priest, and the issue is a lack of discipleship—one that the church should seek to repair.

“The ‘needing, yet not needing’ responses demonstrate an internal turmoil of individuals desiring community, but not seeing the church as the place to have those needs met.”

Priest said “spiritual apathy” in the pews is due in part to a lack of pastors who are equipped to help their members apply God’s word to their lives, resulting in confusion or a belief that the church can’t meet their spiritual needs.

More likely to say they need other believers:

Southerners

Younger churchgoers

Evangelical Protestants

More likely to say they can walk with God without other believers:

Women

African Americans

Priest said some Christians are missing out on something essential to their growth as a disciple of Jesus.

“Solo Christianity is an inward desire to seek after spiritual matters without the realization biblical community is what will fulfill the desire they are seeking.”

– LifeWay Research