Dan Lovin, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department senior chaplain, and a team of volunteers minister to the needs of Jefferson County Correctional Center inmates. Over the last two years, the ministry has had 85 professions of faith and 37 baptisms.

Lovin, a member of Camp Ground Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon, discovered when the new Christians received their release from jail, “They tended to fall between the cracks. There was no follow-up,” he said.

It was from this observation the vision for True Freedom Church was born.

“We want to share the vision to reach the unchurched and people who feel like outsiders,” Lovin said. The vision also included others who “fall through the cracks” and feel out of place in a conventional church.

Describing True Freedom Lovin cited the story of Jesus going into Samaria to preach the Gospel. “The Samaritans were outsiders and, in that same spirit, the core group of True Freedom is working to reach outsiders.”

Lovin took his vision to the Illinois Baptist State Association’s Church Planting Team which shared the vision with Broadview Missionary Baptist Church in Broadview, Ill. The Chicago suburban church invited him to visit the church in January during an International Missions Conference to share his vision with the congregation, which now actively supports the new church start.

True Freedom met for the first time on Easter Sunday of this year and meets once a month at the Rolland W. Lewis Community Building in Mt. Vernon.  Its average worship attendance is 25.

Joining Broadview in sponsorship of True Freedom is Mt. Vernon’s Park Avenue Baptist Church. Park Avenue Pastor Chuck Ellis said he became familiar with Lovin’s strategy through his work as a chaplain at the county correctional center.

“One of the things Baptist churches do is working cooperatively and do mission work,” Ellis said. In his three years working with the jail ministry, Ellis said, he has met several people “who don’t feel comfortable in an established church building.”

“In my work with Dan at the jail ministry we had over 50 people get saved. After getting individuals saved, we need to get them active in a church ministry and then they can flourish. After they are released, what do they do then? Some of them have never been in a church,” Ellis said.

However, Ellis stressed True Freedom is not an “ex-inmate” church. “Our philosophy is to reach people where they are. We’re pushing Tree Freedom as a place anybody can go to and feel comfortable in.”

Even in its young life, the church has already touched lives.

“We are seeing people grow spiritually,” Lovin said. “We are working for everybody to achieve true freedom. We want people to know that people love and care for them. Hurting people need caring people.”

“It’s a blessing letting God use my talents,” according to Pam Adams, who plays the keyboard at True Freedom.

Adams has a unique vantage point in working with True Freedom. Her son was once incarcerated. She said the experience has given her “more compassion for the families of the incarcerated. Many of these families feel totally lost and think the world is out to get them.”

Ellis said one of the most impressive things about True Freedom is how it has brought people from different churches together.

“God opens a door,” he said. “When God goes with you, who can be against you?”

Levi Bell, a Broadview deacon, was encouraged by how receptive neighborhood residents were Friday afternoon. “We had people stopping in the streets wanting to see the fliers. We walked by a school about the time it let out and they wanted to know what we were passing out. The reception was amazing. We didn‘t meet any rejection.”

Bell said he feels becoming part of mission work is part of Broadview’s calling. “We need to get out of our comfort zone and go beyond the four walls of the church,“ he said.

Don Baggett, who drove the bus for Broadview, thinks the enthusiastic acceptance of the fliers shows “we are on the right track. We have been expecting spiritual things.” “Ain’t nobody but Jesus,” is Baggett’s trademark phrase. “I’ve heard it said it can be no other person but the Lord. He said, ‘Go.’ God is working. He is not backing off. He is opening doors, it is phenomenal. I’m excited about it. The Spirit of the Lord is on us.”

Bruce Douglas, Broadview associate pastor, said the Pharisees and the Sadducees, the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, did not accept Jesus because he ran “around with all the wrong people. They thought there is no way a holy God would hang out with these unholy people.” Douglas said they thought Jesus would associate with the religious leaders of the community.

Missions work is not something new for the Broadview church. Preston Jordan, Broadview associate pastor, said the goal of his church is to “spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth.”

The work at True Freedom by the primarily African American Broadview Missionary Baptist Church is also helping to improve race relations within the area.

“I live in an all-white community,” said Feliz Contreras a Nashville, Ill. resident. “There are many different colors in the church. I grew up with a lot of prejudice. I grew up on the south side of Chicago and we had nothing to do with African Americans. I felt that way and hated them most of my life. God has pulled and uprooted a lot of that prejudice out of me. Of course, we’re never a done product until God calls us home. I am a work in progress. But, I am better able to serve and be more obedient.”

The research arm of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention conducted one study this spring among a representative sample of 778 Southern Baptist pastors. A second study, in 2007, surveyed 2,500 adults who attend a Protestant church at least once a month, including 260 who attend Southern Baptist churches.

Southern Baptist pastors were asked to indicate their level of agreement with the statement, “I believe in the divine inspiration of Scripture.” Among Southern Baptist pastors, 100 percent strongly agreed with that statement.

To clarify further their beliefs about Scripture, Southern Baptist pastors were asked to agree or disagree with the statement, “I believe in the inerrancy of Scripture.” Among Southern Baptist pastors, 97 percent strongly agreed with that statement, another 2 percent somewhat agreed and 0 percent disagreed.

Ed Stetzer, director of LifeWay Research, noted, “It is clear that the 'inerrancy’ debate is settled among the SBC pastors we surveyed. They all believe in inspiration with a very small percent not also affirming inerrancy. This is a remarkably high number.”

Although Southern Baptists strongly believe in inerrancy, they indicated that the “battle for the Bible” is not over. LifeWay Research asked for the pastors’ level of agreement with the statement, “In the Southern Baptist Convention, the battle for the Bible is over and won.” On this item, opinions differed dramatically from the questions of inspiration and inerrancy. The majority of Southern Baptist pastors disagreed with the statement (21 percent strongly disagreed and 31 percent somewhat disagreed). At the same time, a large minority agreed (9 percent strongly agreed while 33 percent somewhat agreed).

“The numbers remind us that we still have work to do,” said Thom S. Rainer, president of LifeWay Christian Resources. “Yes, we have settled the issue of the authority of Scripture in our confession. That battle is over and done. However, I believe that the battle for the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word is never really done. It is as old as the Garden of Eden and will continue until Jesus comes back. As we can see, Southern Baptists pastors are overwhelmingly inerrantists – but they are also discerning enough to know that we must always be on guard against compromise and error.”

Brad Waggoner, vice president of B&H Publishing Group, in his upcoming book “The Shape of Faith to Come,” reports that only 69 percent of adults who attend an SBC church at least once a month strongly agree that “the Bible is the written Word of God and is totally accurate in all that it teaches.” Eleven percent in the LifeWay Research survey somewhat agreed with the statement, 11 percent neither agreed nor disagreed, 5 percent disagreed somewhat and 3 percent disagreed strongly.

Research for Waggoner’s book also indicated that only 76 percent of adults who attend an SBC church at least once a month strongly agree that “the Bible is the authoritative source of truth and wisdom for daily living.” Twelve percent somewhat agree, 8 percent neither agreed nor disagreed, 2 percent somewhat disagreed and 1 percent strongly disagreed.

Scott McConnell, associate director of LifeWay Research, said this shows that, “While Southern Baptist pastors are united in their view of the inerrancy of Scripture, they must be aware that 1 out of 4 people who attend their churches each month consider the Bible less than totally accurate or authoritative.”

The event is being organized by Steve Hamrick, Worship and Church Music Ministries director, and Pat Pajak, Church Strengthening Team associate executive director.  The two motorcycle enthusiasts are hoping to bring together other Illinois Baptists who share their passion for motorcycles for the statewide event.  They estimate at least 20 Illinois Baptist churches have motorcycle groups and hope to encourage more churches to start groups.

“A biker ministry says to people in the community who are not normally in church, ‘You are welcome here,’” said Pajak who belonged to Tabernacle Baptist Church in Decatur’s motorcycle ministry when he was the church’s pastor.  “Tabernacle put in motorcycle parking spaces to intentionally tell people we wanted motorcyclists to attend.”

Hamrick was also involved in motorcycle ministry at his former church, Heartland Baptist Church in Alton.  The church started a motorcycle Bible Study class which quickly grew to over 30 riders.  Several received Christ and were baptized.

Hamrick said riding a motorcycle gives him additional witnessing opportunities, especially if you have a unique bike.  “It is easy to start conversations with riders about the Lord,” he said.

The two men hope to encourage churches to take another look at motorcycle riders and break through stereotypes and fear.  “Pat and I have been in churches in our motorcycle gear together,” said Hamrick.  “We’ve gotten looks like, ‘Are you going to murder us?’”

They encourage Illinois Baptists to reach out to bikers like an elderly woman did in another church they visited.  Pajak recalled how they were greeted by the woman who shook their hands and told them how glad she was they had come to church.

Pajak said the event will be an awareness launch to see how many riders and churches are interested in participating in outreach projects.  If enough interest is expressed, churches could come together and form their own state group.

The Saturday event will begin at 10:30 a.m. with a rally in the Baptist Building parking lot at 3085 Stevenson Drive in Springfield. Participants will then ride to Living Faith Baptist Church in Sherman, 12 miles north of the Baptist Building, for food, fellowship and bike games until 3:30 p.m.

For more information call Pajak at (217) 391-3129 or Hamrick at (217) 391-3132. Reservations are not required, but are appreciated.

An Illinois Baptist kitchen team was on standby to assist in the event of major disruptions at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul.

All Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief Teams were on alert for Hurricane Hanna and remain on alert for Hurricane Ike.

Two chainsaw and mud-out teams from Sullivan Southern Baptist Church and Westfield Baptist Association, along with a team of chaplains and a shower unit, have been in the Rock Island area assisting senior citizens and lower income families after summer floods and a recent windstorm.  New Hope Baptist Church in Coal Valley is providing lodging to the teams.

But honestly my weight wasn’t my biggest concern.  The following July our family plans included a vacation week in Colorado.  My oldest son Caleb, now in college, has become an avid mountain climber, and after scaling five different 14,000-foot peaks last year and dragging me up four of them with him, he was ready to “bag” some more.  This year his 14-year-old brother Ethan was anxious to come along.

Back at the bathroom scale, I found myself wondering if I would be able to keep up with my young bucks on the mountain.  Their mother wouldn’t want them to go alone, but how would I be contributing to their safety if they had to carry me down on a stretcher?  If I was going to climb with my boys, I decided, I needed to grow stronger.  I needed to get fit for the journey.  I needed to change.

So I swallowed hard and asked for a birthday present that frankly didn’t sound like much fun – an elliptical exercise machine that would help me develop the muscles, and the lung capacity, and the heart, that it takes to climb tall mountains.

Shopping for the elliptical was kind of fun.  I went to different stores and tried out different models, and enjoyed the attention of athletic sales people who looked more like I planned to look.  It was even fun to have the machine delivered a few days after my birthday.  I dusted it, lubricated it, even read part of the manual.  Then from mid-March to about mid-June, it stood idle in our basement, mocking me every time I walked by it.

Growing stronger is never easy.  It’s true for our flabby bodies, and it’s true for flabby churches as well.  It’s one thing to look in the mirror and be discontent.  It’s quite another to take the steps required to change your condition, and then to continue making the sacrifices necessary for sustained health and strength.

This November the theme for our IBSA Annual Meeting is “Churches of Strength.”  Dr. Thom Rainer, President of LifeWay Christian Resources and a former pastor and seminary vice-president will be our keynote speaker.  This Hope, the popular a cappella singing group that led us in our 100th anniversary celebration last year will lead us again in worship.  And in between we will hear testimonies from various “churches of strength” right here in Illinois – churches that have made positive changes to become healthier and grow stronger.

Between now and that Annual Meeting, I’ll be sharing what I’m learning about growing stronger from my own reluctant body.  And here’s the first observation.  Growing stronger and healthier requires a noble motivation.

For me it wasn’t enough to just look critically at myself or even to be evaluated by my bathroom scale.  I did that for a long time without changing.  But just before Father’s Day, I realized that mountain climbing was only about six weeks away and that I wasn’t going to be able to hang in there with my sons if I didn’t start conditioning my heart, expanding my lungs, and strengthening my legs.  I started walking on that elliptical machine Father’s Day weekend and didn’t miss a day until we left for Colorado.  It wasn’t for the vanity of how I would look in the mirror or what others might say about me.  Ultimately it was because I didn’t want to be separated from those I had chosen to love.

What is the noble motivation that leads a church to grow stronger?  I think it has to be a desire to stay close to God, and that inevitably leads you to follow His heart and get close to people who don’t know Jesus yet.  The vanity of a larger congregation or a nicer facility or crowd-drawing programs will be short-lived at best.  True churches of strength take the necessary steps and sacrifices because they want to keep pace with their Lord on His mission of pursuing lost people, even when it’s an uphill climb.

Ok, so the acting was slightly less than what we are used to from a Hollywood picture, and the script was a bit campy in places. But, after 15 minutes of “reviewing” the movie while I watched it, I settled into a great love story where the “bad guy” wins.

Caleb Holt, played by Kirk Cameron, is a firefighter captain who never leaves a partner behind in a fire, but regularly walks away from his partner at home, Catherine, played by newcomer Erin Bethea. The story focuses on how Caleb transforms from an “I quit” husband to an “I’ll do anything” husband by taking on a love dare presented to him by his father, played by longtime pastor John Holt. The Love Dare is a 40 day project in which Caleb is challenged each day to show a simple act of love to his spouse in order to win back her heart, long lost after years of neglect.

I was moved by the honesty in the script. I was moved by how natural the leads seemed as a couple. I was moved by how clearly the Gospel was presented.

Yes, this movie makes no apologies about Jesus’ role in a marriage, but it’s done in such a way that you don’t see it coming. Watching Caleb’s character move from disconnected husband to godly lover will hopefully challenge more husbands to step into their roles and win back the hearts of their wives. Although Catherine had to deal with her own demons, the movie’s clear message is that if marriage is going to work under the leadership of Christ, husbands must step under the Lordship of Christ.

“Fireproof” will offer churches a unique opportunity this month to underscore the importance of a biblical view of marriage.  Leaders of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, Focus on the Family and FamilyLife are urging their constituents to see the film.

One website, FireproofMyMarriage. com, offers a host of resources for churches, couples and singles.

Christian, you will be doing the Kingdom a huge disservice if you do not plan on taking a disconnected friend to see this movie on opening weekend September 26.  Don’t wait until the second weekend.

The producers of the film, who are members of a Southern Baptist church in Georgia, say the opening weekend determines how it spreads.  “Facing the Giants” started with 400 theaters but ended up in over 1,000, primarily because of what happened the first weekend.  The key was pastors standing up in their pulpits and saying, “We gripe about Hollywood. Here’s something positive. It’s a film we can go to and support.”

Allow this movie to challenge you and move your lost friends closer to a life-changing relationship with Christ.

Grant Medford serves as IBSA director of student and family ministries and can be reached at GrantMedford@IBSA.org or by calling (217) 391-3135.

“For many years Illinois WMU carried the mission offering load, setting goals for State Missions, writing its programs and distributing materials. In 1918, the offering paid the salaries of the Corresponding Secretary of Woman’s Auxiliary, a Field Worker for two months, some Sunday School and BYPU workers, evangelists and missionaries in the state” (“Facets of a Diamond,” pgs. 60-61).

In 1947, the responsibility for promotion and distribution of the state offering shifted to IBSA departments and then to the IBSA board. WMU continued to inform and urge mission support for reaching Illinois for Christ.

Based on the adage “an informed people are a giving people,” prayer breakfasts began in 1974 held at different locations around the state. WMU Director, Helen Sinclair, coordinated these events featuring speakers giving first hand information on state missions. By 1981, more than 1,100 attended the ten breakfasts and state mission offerings saw a significant increase (“Facets of a Diamond,” pgs. 60-61).

Although they no longer develop the Illinois Missions Offering materials, Illinois WMU continues to promote and support state missions by observing the Season of Prayer this September 7-14. Women have been encouraged to intentionally pray for the work of Illinois Baptists and to prayer walk 100 sites in their own associations.  Some are urging members of the churches to save 100 nickels, dimes, quarters or bills for the Illinois Missions Offering.

During this centennial year of Illinois WMU, women are committed to pray for the nearly 100 missionaries serving in Illinois and that we will reach the goal of $390,000 in order to win the lost in our state for Christ.

Becky Arnett is chairperson of the Illinois Woman’s Missionary Union Centennial Committee.