Founded in 1907, the Illinois Baptist State State Association is an association of messengers from Illinois Southern Baptist churches cooperating to achieve common goals. The purpose of IBSA is to assist in establishing and developing effective churches in their context.

Today, nearly 1,100 churches and missions are affiliated with the IBSA.

IBSA Vision Statement

We see Jesus as our Master, His Great Commission as our mandate, and healthy, multiplying churches as our primary means of making disciples throughout Illinois, our nation and world.

With compassion for spiritually lost people and anticipation of Jesus’ return, we will work cooperatively with local associations and other partners to:

• Strengthen existing churches in fulfilling their biblical purpose;
• Start healthy new churches designed to reach new groups of people;
• Send believers into local, state, national and world mission fields to proclaim the Gospel and serve others in the name of Christ; and
• Stimulate stewardship among churches so that God’s resources flow faithfully and generously through His people to His worldwide redemptive mission.

2009 IBSA goals

The Cooperative Program (CP) was started in 1925 by the Southern Baptist Convention as a system of mission support. It is a financial partnership churches, the IBSA and the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) that supports numerous ministries and mission efforts in Illinois and around the world.

The Illinois Baptist State Association sends 43.75 percent of CP gifts to the SBC, the third largest amount of all state Baptist conventions, and retains 56.25 percent to start and strengthen churches in Illinois.

The Illinois Missions Offering began close to a half-century ago. The main purpose of the offering has been to provide additional resources to start new congregations and to undergird church planters. In recent years, a portion of the offering has been allocated to support ministries to human hurt and need, such as migrant ministries, ministries to patients and staff at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, and ministries to children and youth who participate in activities at the Christian Activity Center in E. St. Louis. Also resourced through the offering have been church starter strategists and collegiate ministers. However, the ultimate purpose of the offering has been evangelism--to provide ministries, personnel, and facilities to reach the spiritually lost in Illinois and to lead them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Churches seeking to affiliate with the Illinois Baptist State Association should e-mail Sandy Barnard for more information and an affiliation form.