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  • November 30, 1999

Archives For November 30, 1999

Meredith Flynn —  September 14, 2014

The Mission Illinois Offering and Week of Prayer, marked this week in churches across the state, focuses on ministry to kids and families. The crucial “4-14 window” is the best opportunity for churches to effectively share the gospel with the next generation. Use this daily devotion guide, and go to http://www.IBSA.org/mio for videos, stories, mission study teaching plans, and ideas for prayer and worship.

oneDay 1: Scott Kelly, Pastor, Campus Minister
A century-old house in Evanston, Ill., is a home base for ministry to students at Northwestern University. Scott and Megan Kelly and their three kids open their home on a regular basis to students who come for parties, prayer meetings, or just dinner. “The students I meet are open to speaking with me about Jesus and what the Bible says, as we meet in the dorm or over Dunkin coffee at the student center,” said Scott, who also pastors Evanston Baptist Church. “But the best conversations I have with students are when they are around my family.” Pray for Pastor Scott as he leads his church and the campus ministry at Northwestern University.

twoDay 2: Tim Sadler, IBSA Evangelism Director
IBSA churches baptized just over 5,000 people last year, but more than 400 of our churches baptized no one. Tim says, “Generous giving through the Mission Illinois Offering allows me to assist churches taking the Gospel to their mission fields. I can provide resources such as Gospel tracts and training to churches who want to reach their communities for Christ. It allows me to do customized training and strategy development for IBSA churches.” Pray for Tim and for renewed evangelism in IBSA’s 1,000 member churches.

threeDay 3: Chet Cantrell, Christian Activity Center Director
Every day after school at the Christian Activity Center, kids in East St. Louis get a healthy snack and help with their homework. They learn Bible stories and songs, play in the gym, and spend time in the computer lab. It’s a world far removed from how this street—known as a center of prostitution—used to operate. “In the early days our mission was to keep our kids alive,” said Chet Cantrell, who directs the CAC, “but our mandate was bigger than that. We want to help them thrive, so they can be what God intends them to be.” Pray for Chet, the ministry team at the Christian Activity Center in East St. Louis, and the hundreds of young lives they touch each year.

fourDay 4: Carmen Halsey, Mission Mobilization Director
There are 13 million people in Illinois, and at least 8 million of them do not know Christ. Carmen sees tremendous opportunity for the Gospel. “Our lives begin to make sense when we realize that they are a platform for God’s word to be demonstrated to others. Illinois Baptist Women are embedded into society all across our state. With our resources, we are developing women to recognize and seize everyday opportunities to share the gospel.” Pray for Carmen and Illinois Baptist Women who are mobilized to share Christ. Pray for spiritual awakening in Illinois.

fiveDay 5: Brad Pittman, Church Planter
Davis Junction in Northwest Illinois was a community of more than 3,000 people, but only one church. Until recently. In this town 15 miles south of Rockford, Brad Pittman and his family are planting Grace Fellowship Church. It’s the third location for a multi-site church that started in Ashton and also meets in Amboy.

Brad was a member of the Ashton location for 13 years before joining the staff with pastors Jeremy Horton and Brian McWethy. “We want to be an Acts 1:8 church that not only plants here locally,” he said, “but we’re going into our state, that we’re going into our nation, we’re also going into our world.” Pray for The Pittman family and all church planters in Illinois. Pray for the 322 places and people groups where new churches are needed.

sixDay 6: Chase Abner, Collegiate Evangelism Strategist
“God changed my life through a college ministry supported by IBSA,” Chase says. His salvation as a young adult at SIU Carbondale urges him forward. “Generous giving by Illinois Baptists helps me to assist churches as they reach out to students on campuses across Illinois. These campuses are home to nearly one million students. Before they leave school, we must share Christ with them.” Pray for Chase and the campus ministries he helps start and facilitate.

sevenDay 7: John Mattingly, Church Planting Catalyst
24 new churches were started in Illinois last year. And 13 are in progress in the northwestern region. “Our new church plants in northwest Illinois are building relationships that help bridge the gap of misunderstanding of who Southern Baptists are in the North,” John says. “They are also enjoying a harvest of souls that is due to the on-going relationships between planters and our established rural churches. It is a testimony of the power behind steady giving and praying.” Pray for new ministries to reach the 4 million people who live in non-urban settings in Illinois.

eightDay 8: Rex Alexander, Disaster Relief Coordinator
Rex is one of 85 IBSA missionaries, ministry staff, and church planters. This offering makes it possible for all the team to represent Christ wherever and whenever needed. “We provide opportunities for Disaster Relief workers to bring help, healing, and hope to victims of natural disasters in Illinois and North America,” Rex says. “God uses their skills, and the additional training IBSA provides, to help people physically and spiritually as they attempt to rebuild their lives.” Pray for all the IBSA team, including staff and volunteers. Pray that we will reach the $475,000 goal to keep them serving on our Illinois mission field.

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Photo Gallery: IBSA Pastors’ Conference and Annual Meeting

Meredith Flynn —  November 13, 2013

Chuck Kelley concluded the Pastors’ Conference Wednesday with a challenge about leading the next generation, followed by the first day of the IBSA Annual Meeting. The schedule of business and budgets and reports was interspersed with worship led by LifeWay’s Mike Harland and Gospel trio Sons of the Father. Wednesday evening’s worship service highlighted church planting, including a charge by NAMB’s Gary Frost to be bold for the sake of the Gospel.

Carmen Halsey, Tammie Emerson, and Andrea Cruse at the annual Ministers' Wives' Conference.

IBSA’s Carmen Halsey joined Tammie Emerson and Andrea Cruse, both from Living Faith Baptist in Sherman, at the annual Ministers’ Wives’ Conference.

DeAndre Williams from Eternity Baptist in Centralia reads along with Dr. Chuck Kelley during the final message of the IBSA Pastors' Conference.

DeAndre Williams from Eternity Baptist in Centralia reads along with Dr. Chuck Kelley during the final message of the IBSA Pastors’ Conference.

Outgoing Pastors' Conference president Chad Ozee (left) laughs with new president Michael Allen (right) and newly elected treasurer David Sutton.

Outgoing Pastors’ Conference president Chad Ozee (left) laughs with new president Michael Allen (right) and newly elected treasurer David Sutton.

East St. Louis church planter Barnicio Cureton prays during the opening session of the Annual Meeting.

East St. Louis church planter Barnicio Cureton prays during the opening session of the Annual Meeting.

Messengers approve the 2014 IBSA budget.

Messengers conduct the meeting’s first official vote.

Jonathan Peters, finishing his second year as IBSA President, preached on Jonah to end the Tuesday afternoon session.

Jonathan Peters, finishing his second year as IBSA President, preached on Jonah to end the Wednesday afternoon session.

IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams presenting the board's report.

IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams presenting the board’s report.

Les, Chris and Brent Snyder, or Sons of the Father, opened the Wednesday evening session with a worship concert.

Les, Chris and Brent Snyder, or Sons of the Father, opened the Wednesday evening session with a worship concert.

Churches affiliating with IBSA are presented to messengers.

Churches affiliating with IBSA are presented to messengers.

Gene Crume, president of Judson University, shared about a partnership between IBSA and the school that will bring students to the campus this summer for a "Go Week" focused on missions.

Gene Crume, president of Judson University, shared about a partnership between IBSA and the school that will bring Illinois students to the campus this summer for a “Go Week” focused on missions.

IBSA's Van Kicklighter (left) interviewed Alton church planter Steven Helfrich during the worship service focused on Mission Illinois: Churches Together Advancing the Gospel.

IBSA’s Van Kicklighter (left) interviewed Alton church planter Steven Helfrich during the worship service focused on Mission Illinois: Churches Together Advancing the Gospel.

Boldness manifests itself in confidence for a believer in Christ, Gary Frost said. But, "don't confuse confidence with arrogance," added the North American Mission Board's Midwest vice president.

Boldness manifests itself in confidence for a believer in Christ, Gary Frost said. But, “don’t confuse confidence with arrogance,” added the North American Mission Board’s Midwest vice president.

Meeting attenders committed to pray for church planters, partner with them in their work, or explore planting opportunities themselves.

Meeting attenders committed to pray for church planters, partner with them in their work, or explore planting opportunities themselves.

After the session, messengers visited with Illinois church planters at a dessert reception. (Pie was served in the lobby, but attenders had to visit a church planter in order to get a fork.)

After the session, messengers visited with Illinois church planters at a dessert reception. (Pie was served in the lobby, but attenders had to visit a church planter in order to get a fork.)

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What churches do together

Meredith Flynn —  September 5, 2013

MIO_blogCOMMENTARY | Nate Adams

Editor’s note: This column is the third in a three-part series, interpreting IBSA’s 2013 state mission offering theme statement: Mission Illinois – Churches Together, Advancing the Gospel. Read Part 1 and Part 2 here.

When Beth and I were first married, she was a third grade teacher and I was director of marketing at a Christian magazine publisher. It was always easy for me to explain to others what my wife did for a living; everyone knows what a teacher does. But when people asked Beth what I did, exactly, at Christianity Today, she usually simplified my role quite a bit by saying “You know those annoying little cards that fall out of magazines when you open them? He makes those.”

Now to me, what I did for a living seemed much more important and complicated than that. But I had to admit that, in 20 words or less, Beth gave the average person a pretty clear picture of my job. It was to get subscribers to our magazines.

In fact, my task of creating those “blow-in cards” was very similar to the challenge Beth faced in quickly telling people what I did. In just a couple of square inches, we had to tell prospective subscribers why they should spend $20 or more on a magazine subscription. By the time you printed a picture of the magazine and gave the subscriber space to write their name and address, you only had a sentence or two to describe what the magazine could do for them. It’s not always easy to deliver an important or powerful message in just a few words.

As we looked for just a few words to describe what “Mission Illinois” is and why we should all support the Mission Illinois Offering, we chose the words “Churches Together, Advancing the Gospel.” In two previous columns I wrote about the significance of the words “churches” and “together.” Some churches tend to mind their own business and do their own thing. But Mission Illinois describes churches that believe the same core, biblical doctrines, and that choose to work together for both the fellowship and the effectiveness that cooperation brings. And the noble cause that our cooperation serves is the advancement of the Gospel, both here in Illinois and around the world.

There are lots of good phrases that could follow “Churches Together…” and that would be true heart cries of Illinois Baptists. With equal enthusiasm we could say, “Believing the Bible” or “Seeking the Kingdom” or “Making Disciples of Jesus” or “Growing Stronger and Multiplying.”

But in the phrase “Advancing the Gospel” we have identified, at least for now, the few words that best summarize why we as churches choose, even in our autonomy, to sacrificially work together. We want to see the good news of the Gospel delivered lovingly and effectively to every person in our home mission field of Illinois. We want to see Bible-believing, disciple-making congregations established in every community of our state. And we want devoted Christians from those churches to go boldly into all their Acts 1:8 mission fields. The “ripple effect” image of our third Mission Illinois icon symbolizes the advance of the Gospel from local churches, throughout Illinois, to the ends of the earth.

When we place “Mission Illinois” in front of that phrase, we declare who we are as an association of churches, and what we intend to do together. It is our five-word “blow-in card” to one another, and to the world. We are not independent churches; we are interdependent churches. We are not doing the Great Commission alone; we are doing it together. And even if we do a lot more than can be quickly communicated in a few words, we will seek to do these few words above all others.

We will advance the Gospel.

Nate Adams is executive director of the Illinois Baptist State Association.

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Everything grows together

Meredith Flynn —  August 22, 2013

pull quote_ADAMS_NEWCOMMENTARY | Nate Adams

Editor’s note: This column is the second in a three-part series, interpreting IBSA’s 2013 state mission offering theme statement: Mission Illinois – Churches Together, Advancing the Gospel. Read Nate’s first column here.

Throughout September, and during the September 15-22 week of prayer in particular, churches across our state are joining together to focus on our Illinois mission field, where at least 8.2 million people don’t yet have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. In addition to praying, most churches participate in the “Mission Illinois Offering,” all of which goes to work right here in our state to push back lostness, and to assist missionaries and churches in disciple-making evangelism and church planting.

The theme statement we’ve chosen to describe Mission Illinois is “Churches Together, Advancing the Gospel.”

The second word of that theme – together – speaks of the multiplied strength, impact, and growth that happen when churches embrace cooperative missions. The power of what churches can do together far exceeds the power of what any church can do individually.

Individually, an Illinois church might work for years to help establish one new congregation somewhere else in the state. But last year, Illinois “churches together” started 28 new congregations.

Individually, an Illinois church might be too far away from a college campus to have a meaningful ministry, even to its own students there. But Illinois “churches together” provide Baptist collegiate ministries on dozens of college campuses.

Individually, an Illinois church might be able to equip a handful of its members to go on an annual mission trip or two. But Illinois “churches together” sent more than 27,000 missions volunteers last year, a 34% increase over the previous year.

Individually, an Illinois church might baptize five or ten new believers, or even a hundred if it were one of our larger churches. But Illinois “churches together” welcomed more than 5,000 new believers into the Kingdom of God last year.

Those kinds of results go beyond mere cumulative totals. They are the synergistic result of us believing together, praying together, giving together, and working together as a Baptist family of churches here in Illinois. But let me cite another noteworthy example, or rather examples, of what “together” means.

Individually, an Illinois church might be flooded, or lose its pastor, or be divided in conflict, or be confronted with a lawsuit. That church might simply not know how to respond to a crisis or traumatic event, or it might need help improving its Sunday School, or evaluating its facilities, or hosting its first Vacation Bible School in years.

Illinois “churches together” provide one another with our statewide staff and resources so that each church is only a phone call, e-mail, or visit away from getting whatever kind of assistance each one needs to remain strong, or in some cases, to survive.

One of the many catchy tunes embedded in my memory from childhood days of watching “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” is the song, “Everything Grows Together.”  Mr. Rogers taught us that: “Your toes grow as your feet grow as your legs grow as your fingers grow as your hands grow as your arms grow as your ears grow as your nose grows as the rest of you grows, because you’re all one piece.”

How does everything grow, even in the ministry of our churches? Together. Why?  Because we’re all one piece. We know the joys and benefits of interdependence. As you consider your gift to the Mission Illinois Offering this year, I hope it will be in part because you see the amazing value of what can only be done by churches together.

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

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Mission Illinois: Taking it personally

Meredith Flynn —  November 1, 2012

COMMENTARY | Nate Adams

Recently my college alma mater asked me to write an endorsement letter to include in a mailing they’re sending to churches. I said yes because I believe in the school; it had a transformational and lasting effect on my life, and I’m confident it can do the same for students today. I was willing to take the mission of my college personally.

So I wrote about the Christian worldview, lasting friendships and leadership opportunities I found there. I wrote about meeting my wife there. And because I now serve as a trustee of the university, and two of our sons now attend there, I was also able to write personally from current experience about what a special, transforming place it is for students today.

Of course my letter wouldn’t have been complete without a personal invitation to action as well. So I asked the churches to display the college’s poster, and to call the phone number or explore the college’s website. And I invited them to e-mail or call me personally with any questions, assuring them that I simply wanted them to experience the same blessing I had.

As I finished my letter, I realized that I had just done for my alma mater what I too rarely do for my Lord and Savior. I too rarely am willing to take His mission personally.

Why do I not more often choose to enthusiastically but briefly communicate the wonderful way He has transformed my life? Why don’t I have on the tip of my tongue the compelling reasons someone should say yes to Jesus today? Why don’t I more urgently invite those who are far from God to take action now, and receive the same blessing I’ve enjoyed since welcoming Him into my life? Here in the darkness and lostness of Illinois, why don’t I take His mission more personally?

Of course each of us must answer that question before the Lord. But this endorsement letter for my college made me realize something else, something rather simple. I gave my testimony, and outlined the good news that’s available to others, and invited them to act – because someone asked me to.

Someone said it was important, and then formed a simple plan in which I could participate, and then asked me to do my part. Maybe there is something to learn there about our mission in Illinois.

Calling one another out of complacency and into evangelism is one of the most important things we do as an association of churches. You wouldn’t think it is necessary, any more than you would think it is necessary to ask a grateful alumnus to say a good word about his college. But often it doesn’t happen until someone asks.

This year at the IBSA Annual Meeting, we will be asking. The first priority in Mission Illinois, the “point of the plow” if you will, is renewed commitment to passionate evangelism. First and foremost, Mission Illinois must be contagious Christians from healthy churches served by effective leaders running boldly into the lostness of Illinois with the good news of Jesus Christ.

We need to say to one another that sharing Christ is important, and to form simple, reproducible plans in which church members can participate, and then to simply ask one another to do our part. So much more than the college I attended, the Gospel has had a transformational and lasting effect on my life. I’m confident it can do the same for those who are now far from God. Mission Illinois can be so much more than a theme, if we will take it personally.

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Mission Illinois: More than a meeting theme

Meredith Flynn —  October 18, 2012

COMMENTARY | Nate Adams

When hundreds of churches convene next month for the IBSA Annual Meeting in Decatur, we will assemble under the theme “Mission Illinois.” For me, however, it’s more than a meeting theme. In the days ahead, I hope the mantra of Mission Illinois will begin to represent a fresh new vision of why we as churches choose to cooperate, and how we measure our effectiveness as a state association.

For several years now, we as the churches and leaders of IBSA have focused our energies on four key priorities: strengthening churches, starting churches, sending Christians into their Acts 1:8 mission fields, and stimulating stewardship among churches so we can do our part with other Southern Baptists to fund the larger missions efforts of the SBC.

Our goals within those key priorities have been aggressive, and we haven’t always attained them. But for the most part we are training more leaders with fewer staff, starting a steady number of new churches with lower national funding, and directly assisting more churches in their evangelism and missions efforts in spite of higher travel costs and a challenging economy.

But we as an association of churches still long to see increases in indicators such as baptisms, worship and Bible study participation, and the net number of IBSA churches – all of which have remained relatively flat over the past few years. We don’t care about numbers for numbers’ sake, but because they are indicators of missional advance, church health, and Kingdom expansion. We want to see lostness decrease and the accessibility of Bible-believing churches increase.

So I’ve been asking myself, and would invite you to ask with me, what might need to change? How might we adjust our efforts in this mission we call Illinois?

I don’t claim to have it figured out yet, or that I can do it alone. More often than not, I feel like our blind dog Willy that I described in the last issue. In fact, our mission here in Illinois is partly what I had in mind when I wrote, “There are times when it seems that I just can’t see things, or can’t see where things are going, with the clarity or certainty I would like. Things in my family, my work, my church, things in Baptist life, things in our nation, things on the world scene – all seem to be less predictable, less comfortable than in the past.”

That certainly is an environment where faith and dependence on God for vision are desperately needed, as Willy’s situation illustrates. And so I have not been hasty to propose a new mission statement or declare a new direction. I’m praying and thinking, listening and observing, drafting and revising, waiting and praying. And I invite you to join me, and to e-mail, write or call with your thoughts or ideas.

In the next couple of issues, I’m going to share a little more of what I think “Mission Illinois” might mean as a vision for our future as IBSA churches. On one hand, it’s hard for me to imagine that strengthening churches and starting churches and sending Christians on mission, and stimulating faithful stewardship among churches will not still be primary priorities. On the other hand, I can’t help but believe that God wants to do more through our cooperation than we are currently experiencing.

So please join me in prayer and creative thinking as we approach this year’s IBSA Annual Meeting. For us as Illinois Baptists, Mission Illinois must be more than an annual meeting theme. It must become a rallying cry for reinvigorated, purposeful cooperation that actually impacts the lostness of our Illinois mission field.

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