Illinois Baptist staff

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. –  The Executive Director Search Committee of the Illinois Baptist State Association (IBSA) has begun fielding candidates for its next Executive Director. Committee chairman Jeff Logsdon, pastor of Island City Baptist Church, said they will be seeking resumes from qualified candidates until Sept. 15.

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – A mental health counselor for two counseling services in Metro East St. Louis has been charged with five counts related to sexual exploitation of a minor. Matthew S. Cuppett of Collinsville was charged May 5. One count of grooming and two counts of exploitation of a minor under age 17 are felony charges. Two additional counts of exploitation of a child are misdemeanors. The alleged victim is a 13-year-old, with incidents occurring over a seven-month period ending in February.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – During the Feb. 24-25 meetings of Illionois Baptist State Association (IBSA) Board Committees, IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams shared with board leadership his desire to begin working on a timeline for retirement as executive director. Adams has served IBSA since March 2006.

MCLEANSBORO, Ill. (BP) – A funeral is set for Friday (Nov. 17) in McLeansboro for Randy Stover, a retired contractor who was killed in a one-car crash Nov. 9 in Phoenix, Ariz., that involved a mission team from Ten Mile Church in McLeansboro. Three others were seriously injured and remain hospitalized in Arizona pending more surgeries.

MARION, Ill. (BP) -- The executive pastor of Cornerstone Church in Marion was dismissed after allegations of inappropriate behavior involving church members who were under age 18 at the time. The allegations were brought to the church leadership team late last week. After an investigation by the elders and the engagement of local law enforcement, Tivo McCrary was officially dismissed on Aug. 21.

MONTE. VERNON, Ill. (BP) – Un pastor de McLeansboro, Ill., fue arrestado el 5 de enero por dos cargos de manipulación sexual de menores con fines sexuales. Garrett Biggerstaff fue acusado luego de una investigación de cuatro meses que incluyó la incautación de sus dispositivos electrónicos y la recolección de evidencia en su casa. Un menor primero denunció los reclamos a la policía de Benton.

MT. VERNON, Ill. (BP) – A pastor from McLeansboro, Ill., was arrested Jan. 5 on two counts of grooming minors for sexual purposes. Garrett Biggerstaff was charged after a four-month investigation that included the seizure of his electronic devices and collection of evidence at his home.

Editor’s Note: In support of the sixth strategic action of Vision 2025 adopted by messengers to the 2021 SBC Annual Meeting, Baptist Press will continue to report every instance of sexual abuse related to Southern Baptist churches or leaders of which we are made aware. CARMI, Ill. (BP) – A former staff member of the Baptist Children’s […]

CARLYLE, Ill. (BP) – Two teenage daughters of an Illinois Baptist pastor and the pastor’s sister were killed in a head-on collision with a tractor-trailer near Breckenmeyer in Clinton County on Friday. The girls, 17-year-old Savanna Grace Broughton and 15-year-old Brooke-Lynn Kay Broughton, are the daughters of Scott and Amanda Broughton. He is the pastor of First Baptist Church of Carlyle. Also killed was Pastor Broughton’s sister, Rhonda Evans, of Ackerman, Miss., the Belleville News-Democrat reported.

HANNIBAL, Mo. (BP) – Hannibal LaGrange University (HLGU) held a 10-hour prayer meeting March 10 to intercede for the university’s financial shortfall, which is reportedly between one-half million and $1 million.