Category: Education

SPOTLIGHT: Pastors on Christian Education

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

This week’s Spotlight episode features a conversation about Christian education between Pastor Caesar LeFlore and Pastor Courtney Lewis of Cornerstone Baptist Church located in Chicago.

Five years ago, pastor Courtney Lewis was involved in starting a school out of his church– Cornerstone Baptist Academy.

“[Chicago public schools] have failed our youth…

People nationwide were exiting public schools to the tune of about a million people over the past ten years.

We had no money, no facilities, and no staff… In the course of three months, we watched the Lord bring in all of those resources to allow us to open our doors.”

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SPOTLIGHT: Christian Education with Voddie Baucham

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

In memory of Dr. Voddie Baucham, this week’s episode of Spotlight features IFI’s interview with Voddie Baucham at the 2023 Black Conservative Summit.

Dr. Baucham was a husband, father, pastor, author, was the dean of the school of divinity at African Christian University in Zambia for 9 years, and he also served as the first president of Founders Seminary in Cape Corral, Florida. He and his bold ministry will be greatly missed by the staff at Illinois Family Institute.… Continue Reading

Shameful “Karma” Post by D300 School Board President

Written by David E. Smith

See update below!

Community Unit School District 300 (D300), based in Algonquin, Illinois, is the sixth-largest district in the state, serving families across Kane, McHenry, Cook, and DeKalb counties. While the school board ought to be focused on academic excellence and serving students, instead, the spotlight has been stolen by Vice President of the Board of Education, Nancy Zettler—whose reckless words have inflamed the community and dishonored her office.

Disgraceful Words

On September 10, 2025, Christian conservative apologist Charlie Kirk was assassinated.… Continue Reading

Why Parents Are Abandoning Public Schools — By The Millions

Written by Dr. Everett Piper

If you’ve ever wondered why America’s public schools receive so much criticism today and why so many hardworking families are making considerable financial sacrifices to enroll their children in private education instead, consider three recent headline stories.

First is the case in Michigan, where a public school teacher with 31 years of seniority decided to quit her job rather than succumb to a test that required her to “rate her level of Whiteness” as a means of improving her teaching skills.… Continue Reading

Devastating Consequences of Abandoning Truth

Written by Dr. Everett Piper

As a university president, I had a front-row seat as I watched hundreds of students descend onto my campus every year. Each fall, I watched with growing discomfort as the increase in self-centeredness became more apparent.

From the athlete who was upset because his coach was too harsh, to the student who failed a test because the professor was “unfair,” to the coed who was incredulous because a faculty member dared to penalize her for skipping class, over and over again, I watched as one generation after another strutted into the classroom with the confidence that they were God’s gift to the ivory tower, regardless of their academic performance (or lack thereof).… Continue Reading

Teaching Schoolchildren What It Means To Be An American

Written by Dr. Everett Piper

Last week, Ryan Walters, the Oklahoma superintendent for public instruction, made national news for announcing that, effective immediately, his state’s teacher candidates (especially from such places as California and New York) will now be required to take and pass an “America First” test before they will be considered for employment in Oklahoma’s public schools. As you can imagine, the teachers unions and establishment elites have lost their ever-loving minds over this.… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: Sharia in American Schools & What You Can Do About It

Written by Jenna Smith

Did you know that Sharia is actively being taught in your child’s public school?

“If you say anything bad about Islam, if you mock Mohamud, if you say anything bad about muslims then you’re a racist, you’re islamaphobic, you’re a bigot.”

Anni Cyrus is a human rights activist and survivor of the Islamic regime in Iran living under Sharia. She was forced into a marriage by her father at the age of 13 & beaten & imprisoned several times before escaping to Turkey.… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: Real Peace Throughout Any Storm

Written by Jenna Smith

In this two for one podcast, you’ll hear remarks from Evangela Pringles, director of Pregnancy Aid Illinois during a 40 Days for Life Celebration, and from pastor Caesar LeFlore during the 2020 Rally for Jesus held on the campus of Cavlary Church in Orland Park. These two leaders touch on why advocating for life is so important, and how you can gain real peace to anchor you throughout any storm in life.… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: Homeschooling is Essential to Disciple Making

Written by Jenna Smith

Recorded live from the 2025 Illinois Christian Homeschool Convention (ICHE), Monte Larrick converses with Abraham Hamilton III. Hamilton is a husband, Bible teacher, a national radio host & TV host, a lawyer & homeschool father who was a keynote speaker for ICHE’s 2025 Conference, themed “This We Believe.”

Hamilton encourages listeners to prioritize homeschooling, because:

“For far too long, people have failed to recognize that mind cultivation is essential to disciple making.

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Baylor Affirms LGBTQ Inclusivity

Written by Dr. Everett Piper

Last week, Baylor University announced that it had received a grant of approximately $700,000 from the Baugh Foundation to promote LGBTQ inclusivity on its campus. Baylor’s motto is “For the Church, For Texas, For the World.” It describes itself as a Christian university and is a proud member of the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities, otherwise known as the CCCU.

What exactly is the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities?… Continue Reading