[1]SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (BP)–Nearly 600 Illinois Baptists gathered in Springfield Nov. 10-11 for the Illinois Baptist State Association annual meeting.
Messengers re-elected statewide officers, adopted budgets for the three IBSA boards, approved five resolutions and 15 new affiliated churches, and conducted other business while focusing on the theme “Churches on Mission.”
Messengers approved 2011 budgets for all three affiliated boards (the mission board, children’s home and state foundation), including a Cooperative Program budget of $6.85 million, unchanged from the 2010 budget. Also unchanged was the 43.25 percent of CP gifts that will be sent to the Southern Baptist Convention for national and international missions and ministries (after SBC-recognized shared expenses). Only three state conventions forward a larger percentage than Illinois Baptists.
All four statewide officers were re-elected by acclamation, including Doug Munton, pastor of First Baptist Church in O’Fallon, as president, and Jonathan Peters, pastor of First Baptist Church in Columbia as vice president. Wilma Booth and Nina Wilson will again serve as secretary and assistant secretary, respectively. Booth is a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Elgin while Wilson is a member of First Baptist Church in Machesney Park.
The “Churches on Mission” theme was highlighted by four testimonies from individuals who had participated in mission trips in the four Acts 1:8 mission fields: “Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts.” Messengers also were challenged to commit to serving next year in one of 100 specific mission destinations. More than 150 mission commitments were made by individuals, couples and churches during the Wednesday evening celebration.
The association’s seven statewide committees provided reports on their work, including the Credentials Committee, which submitted a list of 15 churches recommended for affiliation with the state association. All were approved and recognized during the Wednesday evening session.
[2]The Order of Business Committee recommended Wes Feltner, pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Decatur, bring the 2011 annual sermon, and Joel Newton, pastor of Woodland Baptist Church in Peoria, serve as alternate. The committee also moved that the 2013 IBSA annual meeting be held at the Springfield Hilton Hotel on Nov. 13-14. Both motions were approved.
Messengers also approved 17 relatively minor changes to the association’s constitution and five resolutions. The resolutions expressed appreciation for Illinois and Southern Baptist Disaster Relief workers and for Rick Heironimus, who retired this year as executive director of the Illinois Baptist Foundation. The remaining resolutions encouraged messengers to strengthen cooperation, renew their focus on evangelism and missions, and commit to biblical financial principles.
Andre Dobson, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Alton, brought the annual sermon, focusing on “The Secret Church,” using Ephesians 3:20. Munton preached the president’s message, titled “When Revival Comes,” from 1 Samuel 7.
The Illinois Pastors’ Conference, which preceded the annual meeting, featured three messages each from Keven Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board; Danny Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary; and John Marshall, pastor of Second Baptist Church in Springfield, Mo.
Officers elected for next year’s Pastors’ Conference were Bob Dickerson, pastor of First Baptist Church in Marion, president; Adam Cruse, pastor of First Baptist Church in Mt. Zion, president-elect; and Chad Ozee, Illinois Baptist church planter, treasurer.
The 2011 annual meeting will be Nov. 2-3 at First Baptist Church in O’Fallon.
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Marty King is editor of the Illinois Baptist. This story first appeared on www.ibsa.org and is used by permission.