Category: Marriage, Family & Culture

SPOTLIGHT: Dave’s Banquet Exhortation

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

The first segment of this episode of Spotlight features remarks made by IFI’s Executive Director David Smith at the annual banquet. The second segment features a Q & A time with Eric Metaxas. You will love how he answers some pressing questions from notable Illinois pastors.

Though our present situation in Illinois celebrates radical abortion policies, an “untenable” immigration crisis, foolish gender confusion and sex-education in our government schools, Dave has encouraging words for his audience:

“Be encouraged.

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SPOTLIGHT: A Conversation With Eric Metaxas

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

This episode of Spotlight features a conversation between Monte Larrick and Eric Metaxas on how Christians should live in present-day America.

Eric Metaxas is a broadcaster and a New York Times Bestselling author of prominent books with his recent being “Letter to the American Church.”

In this book, Metaxas calls on the American church to wake up and be the church. This is an interview you won’t want to miss.… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: The American Spiritual Conflict

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

This week’s episode of the Illinois Family Spotlight podcast features a message from Reverend Stephen Broden that he gave at the Foundations of Faith and Family conference.

Stephen Broden is the senior pastor of Fair Park Bible Fellowship in Texas and is the chairman of the Gone Too Far movement.

In his message, Pastor Broden speaks on the spiritual conflict that is in America and how to heal a nation in decline.… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: The Success Sequence

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

This Spotlight episode features Scott Phelps, executive director of Abstinence and Marriage Partnership, and his speech on The Success Sequence– the three steps to a successful life.

The first step to a successful life is to complete a high school level of education. The second step is to get a stable job.

Finally, the biggest indication for a successful life is to keep sex and children in the context of marriage alone.… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: Fighting For Life In Your Community

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

16 years ago, Planned Parenthood opened an abortion facility in Aurora, Illinois. On the anniversary of this opening, pro-life activists held a prayer vigil outside of the building featuring Pastor Randy Schoof of Warehouse Church and Eric Scheidler, Executive Director of Pro-Life Action League.

In his speech, Pastor Schoof encouraged those in attendance to continue to pray for the end of abortion, to plead for God’s mercy, and to continue the work of sidewalk counseling outside of abortion sites.… Continue Reading

The Wages of Moral Confusion: When Lawlessness Replaces Ordered Liberty

Written by Robert Knight

My son and I attended one of the Washington Nationals’ last home games and were walking back to his vehicle when we saw a strange sight.

It was a guy pushing a grocery cart full of goods down the sidewalk toward us at top speed, accompanied by a young woman who was laughing. Two clerks from a CVS store came around the corner and began screaming, “Stop them!”

Just then, a police car sped by in hot pursuit with lights flashing.… Continue Reading

Remembering the Victims of Communism

Written by David E. Smith

What was the most evil regime of the 20th century? Many people instantly picture a crazed Adolf Hitler and his Third Reich rounding up millions of Jewish men, women and children in an attempt to systematically exterminate them. An estimated six million were murdered across German-occupied Europe. That’s truly evil. Yet, if we’re looking at death tallies, consider the human toll inflicted under Communism:

  • Sixty million dead in the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin.
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The Audacity of Fear: Obama Gives Young People Horrible Life Advice

Written by Peter Heck

It was always one of the most frustrating aspects of Barack Obama‘s rise to power. While the famous keynote speech he delivered at the 2004 Democratic National Convention catapulted him to fame, the rhetoric he used there was a startling departure from his previously established reputation as an instigator and agitator.

Obama cut his teeth in the dirty arena of corrupt Chicago politics, having learned the duplicitous art of “community organizing” from some of the most notorious theorists (Saul Alinsky), and even criminal mentors (Bill Ayers).… Continue Reading

Battling Cultural Marxists: Courageous Conservatives Needed

Written by Robert Knight

The growing divide in the United States isn’t merely political. It runs far deeper than that. It’s a struggle between those intent on using government and corporate power to turn America into a Marxist version of Sodom and Gomorrah and those resisting this radical transformation.

Political pundits and Republican moderates who dismiss the culture war as a sideshow are missing it. A wave is building. People are awakening to the immense damage that the left is doing on all fronts and are pushing back.… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: Engaging Your Church & Community with Scott Klusendorf

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

In this episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, we are featuring the second part of Scott Klusendorf’s speech at the 2023 Worldview Conference.

Scott Klusendorf is the founder and president of the Life Training Institute, which is an organization that is dedicated to equipping pro-life advocates to effectively defend Life in the public square. He is the author of The Case for Life: Equipping Christians to Engage the Culture.

In this portion, Klusendorf tackles the topic of how one’s church can effectively engage the culture with pro-life apologetics.… Continue Reading