The Invaluable Vote

Written by Mark Elfstrand

The 2026 elections will tell us a lot about the future of our nation. It will likely also tell us whether Donald Trump’s agenda has a lick of hope to survive in the next two years. And, as has been the case, whether unborn babies have a prayer, and whether we will continue to gamble our finances away and drive families into greater debt.

Sound positive? No. Sound real? As a good Minnesotan would say, “You betcha.”… Continue Reading

Voting with Purpose: Pastors Speak on Faith and Elections

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

With the election soon approaching, it is more important than ever for Christians to engage the culture with their vote. Unfortunately, statistics show that less than half of Christians participate in elections.

1. Voting is a Stewardship (Matthew 25:14-30).
2. Voting is the Best Way to Love Your Neighbor (Galatians 5:14).
3. Voting Allows Believers to Be Salt and Light (Matthew 5:13-16).
4. Voting Allows Believers to Seek the Welfare of the City God Has Place Them in (Jeremiah 29:7).

Crossed Fingers: We All Got in By Lying

Written by Pastor Calvin Lindstrom

Over a hundred years ago, a newly ordained Presbyterian minister was asked by a classmate how he could tell his examining committee that he believed the Westminster Confession of Faith when he clearly did not. He answered:

“I kept my fingers crossed.”

This incident was the reason why Gary North entitled his massive history of the takeover of the Presbyterian denomination, Crossed Fingers.

Also, about 100 years ago, Princeton professor J.… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: The Path to Secularism

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

In this week’s edition of Illinois Family Spotlight, you will hear from Dr. Mark Zumhagen and the speech he presented at the 2026 Worldview Conference.

Dr. Zumhagen is a husband, father, Christian, a family medicine physician and a holistic health practitioner. His medical practice, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, is dedicated to finding the root causes of illnesses and working with your body to heal naturally.

In his speech, Dr. Zumhagen takes you down a historical and scientific path to learn how our culture got to the place its in.… Continue Reading

A Firm Foundation in Christ

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

This edition of Illinois Family Spotlight features Pastor Caesar LeFlore and his remarks at the 2026 Worldview Conference.

Pastor LeFlore is the Field Director for Public School Exit, an initiative of Illinois Family Institute that exposes what is taking place within public education and encourages parents, grandparents and church leaders to disciple our children in the faith. Ceasar and his team work hard to highlight the many great educational options and opportunities available to us.… Continue Reading

The Lindsay Clancy Case, Toxic Empathy, and A Christian Worldview

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

What is going on with American women? This week’s episode addresses this very question. In the midst of the Lindsay Clancy trial proceedings, social media has a revealed a darkness that is alive and well in our culture.

In this episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, hosts Jenna Smith and Alyssa Sonnenburg are joined by guest Stephanie Stapert to examine the viral Lindsay Clancy case from a firm, biblical perspective. With so many women across the country seeking solidarity with Lindsay Clancy, this conversation addresses the damaging effects of toxic empathy—the dangerous tendency of modern women to align themselves with objectively evil acts under the guise of mental health advocacy.… Continue Reading

Raising Spiritual Champions: Dr. George Barna

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

In this episode of Spotlight, we hear from Dr. George Barna, a renowned researcher at Arizona Christian University and IFI’s 2026 annual worldview conference guest speaker.

In his speech, Barna will talk about the development of a biblical worldview and how a biblical worldview makes a difference in being disciples of Jesus.

“You want to solve abortion, you want to solve immigration, you want to solve crime, you want to solve any other issue facing America today– get the worldview right.

Books for Fueling Your Soul: Interviews With Illinois Authors

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

In this special edition of Illinois Family Spotlight, you will hear from author interviews captured at the 2026 Illinois Christian Home Educators Conference (ICHE), a conference designed to disciple homeschooling families mentally and spiritually.

In the first half, you will hear from Rhonda Robinson, a mother of nine and and grandmother of 39! An award-winning author with over 25 years of writing experience, she currently serves as manager and content producer for the Parenting and Marriage web content at Focus on the Family.… Continue Reading

The Better Boy Scouts & Apologetics Made Simple

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

In this special episode of Spotlight, you will hear from two special speakers. Held at Olivet Nazarene University, the 2026 Illinois Christian Educator’s Conference featured a host of keynote speakers that inspired faithfulness and excellence in the younger generation.

Carl Kerby, one of the event’s keynotes, represented Reasons for Hope, a non-profit apologetics ministry designed to equip Christians with real answers to hard questions.

Kelly Love, another featured keynote speaker, works as the National Sales Director with Trail Life USA, a Christian alternative to the compromised Boy Scouts.… Continue Reading

Judge Denies Tyler Robinson’s Plea to Remove Death Penalty

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

On Monday, July 6, 2026, preliminary hearings started taking place in regard to Charlie Kirk’s assassination case.

Tyler Robinson, the alleged assassin, and his defense team, requested that the death penalty be removed from consideration in his trial. The defense’s request was in response to prosecutor Christopher Ballard’s comment to the media about having “ample evidence” to prove Robinson’s guilt, in what the defense claimed was a violation of a gag order.… Continue Reading