Category: Faith & Religion

SPOTLIGHT: Assisted Suicide And Illinois

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

In this episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, we are featuring a speech given by Alex Schadenberg which was given at the 2023 Speakout Illinois conference.

Alex Schadenberg is the Executive Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition based in Canada.

Illinois recently introduced HB3499 (currently SB3499) which “Authorizes a qualified patient with a terminal disease to request that a physician prescribe aid-in-dying medication that will allow the patient to end the patient’s life in a peaceful manner.”Continue Reading

A Christian Response To The 2024 Election

Written by Annascott Cross

If you’ve driven anywhere in the last week or so, turned on a tv or radio, or gone to the mailbox, then you are probably well aware that the 2024 election season has officially begun. Campaign signs are on every street corner, political ads are airing on tv, debates are being held, and campaign mailers are hitting mailboxes. Over the last decade, politics have felt increasingly tense, so how should we navigate the election season as Christians?… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: Marriage & Gen Z

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

This episode of Spotlight features a conversation between IFI’s David Smith, IFI board member Richard Hartian, and Scott Phelps.

Scott Phelps is the executive director of A&M Partnership (Abstinence and Marriage Partnership). A&M Partnership was founded in 2004, and exists to ensure that every teenager in the country has the opportunity to hear a clearly reasoned, positive presentation on the benefits of abstinence until marriage and instruction on preparing for a healthy, future marriage.… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: Christ & The Human Mind

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

This episode of Illinois Family Spotlight features Dr. Karl Benzio, a Christian Psychiatrist who serves with the AACC (American Association of Christian Counselors). He is s the co-founder of Honey Lake Clinic, a board certified Christian mental health treatment facility located in Greenville, Florida.

In this interview, Dr. Benzio focuses on how God designed the mind to work and how we can properly steward our mind in our decision-making process.

This is an amazing interview you don’t want to miss.… Continue Reading

Christians Need To Stop Playing Defense And Go On Offense

Written by Dr. Everett Piper

In 2013, author John S. Dickerson wrote about the troubling condition of the American church in his book “The Great Evangelical Recession: 6 Factors That Will Crash the American Church and How to Prepare.”

Mr. Dickerson‘s key premise was that Christian orthodoxy in the United States is in rapid decline. The evidence he presented to support what, at first glance, seems to be a terminal diagnosis is multifaceted.

According to Mr.… Continue Reading

An Inquiry into Reparations: Who will pay Whom?

Written by Edward R. Straka, MA

At first blush, one may think that “reparations” are entirely something that has arisen with the context of 21st century American politics, but this is incorrect. The legal concept has been around for quite some time going back centuries here in America and even further in other countries.

Yet to simplify our current discussion, we will focus on the American examples of it, and future demands for it. Equally, we will define it to get our terms correct:

Reparations:

A repairing or keeping in repair

B reparations plural REPAIRS

2 a the act of making amends, offering expiation, or giving satisfaction for a wrong or injury

bsomething done or given as amends or satisfaction[i]

Historically, the first example of “reparations” in America was in the year 1773 and involved a kidnapping case of one man (white) and another man (molatto).… Continue Reading

Democrats Fund Crusade Targeting Churches

Written by Dr. Everett Piper

If you don’t know what the after party is, you should, because it could determine who wins the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate and the presidency this year.

Indeed, this movement is so insidious and potentially so powerful that it could determine the direction of the United States for decades to come. If you care about issues such as border security, confiscatory taxes, sex trafficking, how we educate our children, religious liberty, the right to bear arms, private property, energy independence, women’s right to have their own athletic competitions, drag queens grooming first graders in our public schools, and whether or not you can buy a gas stove, you should care about the after party.… Continue Reading

Are Conservative Christians Too Political?

Written by Dr. Everett Piper

This past week, as we watched the unfolding stories of illegal immigrants beating police in New York, chaos on our southern border, and the Middle East teetering on the edge of World War III, one of the most insidious bits of news that might have escaped your attention is called “the after party.”

What is this “after party,” you ask? It’s a curriculum funded by Democratic billionaires that “evangelicals” such as David French and Russell Moore are promoting in churches across the country.… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: Encouragement from Joe Schiedler

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

This episode of Spotlight features the legacy of Joe Schiedler, who passed away at the age of 93.

Joe Schiedler leaves a 50 year legacy of peaceful, pro-life activism that took him around the nation and the world. Schiedler and his wife, Anne, co-founded the Chicago based Pro-Life Action League, and he authored Closed: 99 Ways to Stop Abortion and Racketeer for Life.

Back in 2017, IFI hosted a Pro-Life Forum where Joe Schiedler reflected on his work and his calling in the pro-life movement.… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: Christians, Politics & A Springfield Update

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

This episode of Spotlight the IFI Forum for pastors & leaders, hosted by the Spirit of Liberty Church of God in Markham, IL.

In the first segment of this episode, IFI’s Executive Director, David Smith, explains why Christians should be active in politics, public policies, and the 40 Days for Life campaigns that operate outside of abortion facilities. In his speech, David Smith emphasizes the first three words of the Constitution: “We the people…”

We have lots of opportunities as American citizens.

Continue Reading