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Archives For November 30, 1999

What makes a perfect minister’s wife?

Meredith Flynn —  November 13, 2013

Ministers_WivesMINISTERS’ WIVES’ CONFERENCE | Christina Batchelor of Bethel Baptist in Princeton, Ill., celebrates a win for her table during the annual gathering of ministry spouses coinciding with the IBSA Pastors’ Conference. The ladies answered questions to determine which table had the most perfect pastors’ wives: Who wore a dress to church last Sunday? How many of you have ever directed your church’s Vacation Bible School? Who has sung a solo in the past year?

Busting stereotypes and being real proved to be the theme of the morning, as speaker Lynda Locke encouraged women to embrace who God has made them to be, and to celebrate how His grace has made an imprint on their lives. Locke, a pastor’s wife from Jacksonville, Ill., also talked about responding to hard times.

“Instead of acting like the world in fear in the middle of a crisis, I can respond with peace in Christ, knowing that every day in my life is part of His perfect plan for me.”

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IBSA Pastors’ Conference, Day 1: In photos

Meredith Flynn —  November 12, 2013

Day 1 of the conference has come to a close after seven sermons, two leadership panels, and a focused prayer time led by Illinois church planters. Check out these photos from the day, and come back tomorrow for more leadership-focused messages, and coverage of the IBSA Annual Meeting beginning at 1:30 p.m.

Chuck Kelley, president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, said of leading through disaster, "Trouble for the people of God is always a thruway and not a dead end."

Chuck Kelley, president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, said of leading through disaster, “Trouble for the people of God is always a thruway and not a dead end.”

"You don’t just do church up here, you do Christianity up here." Bobby Broyles, a church planting strategist from Oklahoma, thanked Baptists in Illinois for their support and faithfulness.

“You don’t just do church up here, you do Christianity up here.” Bobby Boyles, a church planting strategist from Oklahoma, thanked Baptists in Illinois for their support and faithfulness.

The worship team from Journey Church in Bourbonnais led Pastors' Conference attenders in old and new hymns.

The worship team from Journey Church in Bourbonnais led Pastors’ Conference attenders in old and new hymns.

LifeWay Research's Micah Fries preached on leading in the current cultural context. "For far too long we have been trying to position ourselves as counter to society, but have have not been counter to society by the way we live, but by the strange music we listen to and the odd T-shirts we wear."

LifeWay Research’s Micah Fries preached on leading in the current cultural context. “For far too long we have been trying to position ourselves as counter to society, but have have not been counter to society by the way we live, but by the strange music we listen to and the odd T-shirts we wear.”

"We began to realize we had missed a key component of spiritual formation, we could not realize in an hour or two at the church what God intended to done at home - discipleship." Tennessee pastor Jay Strother focused his message on leading a family.

“We began to realize we had missed a key component of spiritual formation, we could not realize in an hour or two at the church what God intended to done at home – discipleship.” Tennessee pastor Jay Strother focused his message on leading a family.

Eric Mason, Micah Fries, Tim Cotler and Chuck Kelley discussed what Mason called the biggest issue pressing in on our culture - fatherlessness.

Eric Mason, Micah Fries, Tim Cotler and Chuck Kelley discussed what Mason called the biggest issue pressing in on our culture – fatherlessness.

Jerry Cain, president emeritus of Judson University, shared how people made clear God's call on his life, and encouraged his listeners to do the same for other young leaders. "There are people in your church that have been called to leadership and they don’t know it yet. It’s your job to hear that call."

Jerry Cain, president emeritus of Judson University, shared how people made clear God’s call on his life, and encouraged his listeners to do the same for other young leaders. “There are people in your church that have been called to leadership and they don’t know it yet. It’s your job to hear that call.”

Philadelphia pastor Eric Mason preached on biblical leadership. "Jesus says in John 1:51, 'You will see angels ascending and descending…' It's a picture of Jacob's ladder. Jesus was saying he is that ladder. 'If you stick with me, you will see broken things connected that were never connected. Don’t ever think my power cannot connect the unconnectable.'"

Philadelphia pastor Eric Mason preached on biblical leadership. “Jesus says in John 1:51, ‘You will see angels ascending and descending…’ It’s a picture of Jacob’s ladder. Jesus was saying he is that ladder. ‘If you stick with me, you will see broken things connected that were never connected. Don’t ever think my power cannot connect the unconnectable.'”

JourneyWorship's rendition of "Build Your Kingdom Here" featured a stumpf fiddle.

JourneyWorship’s rendition of “Build Your Kingdom Here” featured a stumpf fiddle.

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‘Old’ is the new ‘new’

Meredith Flynn —  November 12, 2013

IBSA PASTORS’ CONFERENCE | The annual gathering for Illinois pastors and leaders kicked off this afternoon in Springfield, and beloved hymns have ruled the day so far, with a twist. JourneyWorship, the team from Journey Church in Bourbonnais, led the crowd in “Down at the Cross,” “I’ll Fly Away” and “Victory in Jesus,” complete with thumping percussion and electric guitars.

Chuck Kelley, president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, brought the conference’s first message on “Leading through Disaster.” His voice breaking several times, Kelley shared how he led the seminary in the days and months following Hurricane Katrina. “In a disaster, you always tell the truth. You don’t act like it’s no big deal. You don’t act like it’s going to be easy,” he said.

“You get in touch with who God is, you get in touch with your mission, and you get to work. And with your heart breaking, and with every day a battle, you simply get after it.”

Follow the Pastors’ Conference and IBSA Annual Meeting here and at Facebook.com/IllinoisBaptist.

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In Pictures: The 2012 IBSA Pastors’ Conference and Annual Meeting

Meredith Flynn —  November 16, 2012

DECATUR, Ill. | The photos below depict just a few highlights of the IBSA Pastors’ Conference and Annual Meeting at Tabernacle Baptist Church. Read the November 26 issue of the Illinois Baptist for more in-depth coverage, and go to Vimeo.com/IBSA to watch videos of Pastors’ Conference and Annual Meeting messages.

Chris Vieth and the choir from Tabernacle Baptist Church lead in worship during the IBSA Pastors’ Conference.

Kenny Qualls, Ronnie Floyd, Wes Feltner and Phil Hunter preached impassioned messages on the theme “Renew” during the Pastors’ Conference.

At IBSA’s Young Leaders Forum, attenders snacked on hot wings while Charles Campbell (right) led a panel discussion featuring experienced leaders (from left) Tim Lewis, Don Sharp and Kenny Qualls.

Women at the Ministers’ Wives’ Conference listen to Penny Weaver, director of New Life Pregnancy Center in Decatur, Ill., as she describes how the center meets the very real needs of new moms.

IBSA’s Rex Alexander talks with Carol Stewart at the Illinois Disaster Relief exhibit.

Shoppers peruse the resources available at the LifeWay bookstore, run by representatives from the LifeWay store in Carterville, Ill.

Childcare volunteer Nancy Russell shares a pretend snack with one-year-old Lucy Kreuter. Illinois Disaster Relief workers provided free childcare during the Pastors’ Conference and Annual Meeting sessions.

Chris Cutsinger, pastor of Center Baptist Church near Marion, Ill., is this year’s IBSA Bivocational Pastor of the Year. He was presented with the award IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams and Bob Carruthers (left), director of missions for Sandy Creek Baptist Association.

Jonathan Peters, president of the Illinois Baptist State Association, preaches his president’s message on “taking the Gospel to the streets.” Peters urged listeners to consider Illinois’ largest metropolitan areas as their mission fields.

Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee President Frank Page told Illinois Baptists they had embraced more than any other state, percentage-wise, the Cooperative Program 1% Challenge.

Nate Adams invites Illinois Baptists to choose to partner, choose two cities (Chicago and St. Louis), and choose two people to pray for during Wednesday evening’s Mission Illinois celebration and commitment service.

Don Sharp (left) of Faith Tabernacle Church in Chicago and Tim Lewis of Bethel Baptist, Troy, entreated meeting attenders to engage in ministry in their cities, Chicago and metro St. Louis.

Meeting attenders hold their hands out in the directions of Chicago and St. Louis, praying over each region that God would continue to send leaders and draw people to Himself.

Tim Sadler (right) interviews Mindy Burwell and her husband Mark during the Mission Illinois celebration. Mindy received Christ after her pastor’s wife, Vickie Hayes, began praying for her through the Choose2 evangelism emphasis.

Illinois Baptists commit to ‘Choose2’ and pray for two lost friends or family members.

The choir from Broadview Missionary Baptist Church leads in worship before their pastor, Marvin Parker, preaches the annual sermon.

Marvin Parker closes the 2012 IBSA Annual Meeting with a plea for Illinois Baptists to reach out to their families, friends, and neighbors with the Gospel.

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If you [lose heart], be a basketball, not a football.

A football is built to be unpredictable. Not a basketball. It can bounce. It is predictable.

Don’t stay down long. Bounce.

Phill Hunter, pastor of West County Community Church, Glencoe, Mo.

Heard at the IBSA Pastors’ Conference

Posted on November 14, 2012 In IBSA Pastors' Conference and Annual Meeting , ,
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Some people read about God, sing about God, talk about God. But how radically different it is to know we have the privilege of living every moment of our lives in the presence of God?

Kenny Qualls, pastor of FBC, Arnold, Mo.

Heard at the IBSA Pastors’ Conference

Posted on November 13, 2012 In IBSA Pastors' Conference and Annual Meeting , , , ,
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The value of being unoffended

Meredith Flynn —  November 13, 2012

DECATUR, Ill. | When we get offended and stay offended, we’re dangerously close to allowing unforgiveness to take root, said Ronnie Floyd during the IBSA Pastors’ Conference at Tabernacle Baptist Church.

We have high expectations of people, Floyd said. “When our expectations are not met, we take offense and we stumble, and [it] becomes the foundation for unforgiveness in your life.”

Floyd, pastor of Cross Church in Arkansas, encouraged pastors to let go of the things that offend them now and have offended them in the past, whether it was other people, life’s circumstances, or God’s activity. He spoke from Luke 7, where Jesus said, “And anyone who is not offended because of Me is blessed.”

“Ministry can be mean, ministry can be tough…When we are in even the best of conditions, offense occurs. We stumble. At times, you have to deal with stuff relating to unforgiveness. And just like a bad tooth, you’ve got to get it out of your mouth.”

But there’s good news, too, Floyd said. “God wants to use everything in your life for good. Everything in your ministry for your good.

“Some of your stories today are messy and curvy. I’ve got good news. God wants to use you.”

 

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2012 IBSA Pastors’ Conference begins

Meredith Flynn —  November 13, 2012

DECATUR, Ill. | Pastor Wes Feltner of Tabernacle Baptist Church kicked off the annual IBSA Pastors’ Conference with a message from Genesis 50.

“Do you believe in the reality that your life and circumstances of your ministry [are] absolutely working toward a divine purpose that maybe you can’t see right now,” Felter asked the audience of pastors and their families. Teaching on the life of Joseph, who was betrayed by his own family, sold into slavery, and wrongly accused and imprisoned, Feltner exhorted his listeners to remember that ministry brings a mix of blessing and bitterness.

“Church life is a carousel of victory and defeat. That’s Joseph’s life, that is his ministry and I daresay many of us can relate to that.”

But Joseph’s example says we can stay faithful despite the worst persecution and frustration, Feltner said. Here’s what Joseph knew that you and I must know if we’re going to remain sane in this thing called ministry: God always works it for good.”

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