Illinois Baptist
Defending the holiness of Scripture Table Talk with Josh Steely P. 13
Welcome to Judea
SPECIAL SECTION: Prayer Guide and feature stories inside
Mission Illinois Offering & Week of Prayer
Why our participation in state missions is vital
September 12–19
4-page pull-out includes devotions and missions promotion plan
missionillinois.org
Party for Jesus P. 7
NEWS
Parents march P. 4
If charity begins at home, so does missions. Jesus’ instructions in Acts 1:8, simply put, mean start where you are and move outward from there. The ever-widening circles he described are Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. Many missions-minded people interpret these four spheres geographically, starting where the particular believer reading the text lives. If the believer’s home is at the center as Jerusalem was for the disciples, and the whole earth is the ultimate assignment for us as it was for them, how then do we interpret Judea and Samaria? Southern Baptists have strong commitment to international missions, so that area of largest responsibility is clearly covered in our churches’ support of 3,610 International Missions Board (IMB) missionaries. And Samaria may be interpreted as missions on our continent through the North American Mission Board (NAMB), especially 3,057 church planters across the U.S. and Canada (missionary units, including church planting couples who count as one unit).
Nonprofit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID Peoria, Illinois Permit No. 325
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Successful return P. 8
IN THE NEWS
Oversight named For SBC Executive Committee investigation P. 3
Abortion resolution Will new statement slow limitations?
mission News journal of the Illinois Baptist State Association
AUGUST 1, 2021 Vol. 115 No. 8
IllinoisBaptist.org
IB
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Reporter’s Notebook What if Jesus attended the convention? P. 6