Category: Faith & Religion

SPOTLIGHT: When the FBI Comes Banging

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

This edition of Illinois Family Spotlight features Mark Houck, a devout Catholic and peaceful pro-life protestor who was falsely accused of violating the FACE Act.

Houck was arrested and handcuffed in front of his wife and children by the Biden Administration’s Department of Justice.

With legal representation from the Thomas More Society and a unanimous jury verdict, Mark Houck was declared to be innocent.

This is a conversation you won’t want to miss.… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: A Pro-Life Update from Attorney Peter Breen

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

In this episode, Spotlight is featuring remarks made by former state representative Peter Breen at the 2024 Speakout Illinois Pro-Life Conference.

Peter Breen is the executive vice-president and is the head of litigation for the Thomas More Society, which is a non-profit, public-interest law firm that champions the causes of life, family, and freedom.

In his speech, Peter Breen remarks on the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision, which overturned Roe v.… Continue Reading

The Resurrection Changes Everything

Written by Dr. Everett Piper

The most recent surveys by George Barna, the Gallup organization and the Pew Trust show that approximately two-thirds of American adults define themselves as Christians. Given this fact, it should be safe to assume that millions of us also still care about what is indisputably the key premise of Christianity: the historical fact of Jesus Christ‘s resurrection.

The resurrection of Christ is not an allegory. It is not political propaganda.… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: A Conversation with Scott Lively

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

In this episode of Spotlight, Monte Larrick interviews Scott Lively, author and founder of Biblical Worldview Resource Center.

Scott Lively emphasizes the importance of pushing against the status quo of the culture. He also has a strong message to send to parents who continue to keep their kids in the public school system:

If you are intentionally keeping your kids in public schools, you know the children are being indoctrinated in secular humanist presuppositions in every field.

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SPOTLIGHT: Putting a Smile on God’s Face

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

In this episode of Spotlight, Pastor Charles Moodie recounts the ministry of City Life Center, located in Englewood, Illinois.

Recently, City Life Center Church opened a pregnancy resource center for the community of Englewood.

The Pregnancy Resource Center is a space for expectant mothers to receive prenatal care and support. The resource center, located in our church office, offers free pregnancy testing, limited ultrasounds, and other maternity resources.

Adjacent to our initiative to support families in the Southside Chicago community, the Pregnancy Resource Center aims to show love to mothers who need it most, providing childcare options for children ages 3 and under as well as basic infant necessities like strollers, diapers, and clothing.

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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