Illinois Baptist
Is your church one of the ‘vital few’? Nate Adams P. 2
In Memoriam Baptists grieve church shooting Gaines ministers to Texas town
IB Online all the time IllinoisBaptist.org News journal of the Illinois Baptist State Association
NOVEMBER 27, 2017 Nonprofit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID Peoria, Illinois Permit No. 325
Vol. 111 No. 16
O, Pioneers
Team coverage from the IBSA Annual Meeting FOUR CHALLENGES Churches challenged to be spiritual pioneers in four ways TIME FOR A CHECK UP Pastors Conference asks, “How healthy are you?”
PRAYER FOR TEXAS Illinois Baptists pray for Texas, share their suffering BUSINESS Robinson elected president, BFI & BCHFS report solid years P. 5-13
Sutherland Springs, Texas | The sanctuary in the small-town Baptist church was painted white from floor to ceiling. White chairs marked the places where 26 worshipers sat, each with a rose and the name of the victim. There was a pink rose for an unborn baby killed there. But there was none of the carnage of the largest church shooting in U.S. history. A week after the Nov. 5 shooting, the pristine sanctuary was opened as a memorial. Recordings of some victims reading Scripture and praying played on speakers. Earlier in the day, members of First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs gathered for worship in a tent on a nearby baseball field. The pastor of the church, Frank Pomeroy, had stood in front of news cameras after the killings and said his church’s tragedy will exalt Christ. “Christ is the one who’s going to be lifted up,” said Pomeroy, who was out of Continued on P. 3 ALSO: Light shining in darkness, P. 4