SPOTLIGHT: Building the Kingdom in Chicago

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

In this episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, David Smith and Pastor Ceasar LeFlore interview Pastor Charles Moodie, who is the head of the Chicago City Life Center. This center is located in the middle of one of Chicago’s darkest neighborhoods– Englewood.

Chicago City Life Center’s mission is to change the city of Chicago, one life at a time. They implement this mission through “offering discipleship and life skills training, spiritual treatment, job training, pre-school, and several programs for children, youth and young adults.”… Continue Reading

Newsom Leads 21 State Pro-Abortion Alliance

Written by Greg Burt

Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) has ramped up his efforts to expand and protect the abortion industry and turn California into an “abortion sanctuary.” He launched billboards in several pro-life states encouraging women to come to California to receive abortions. He has signed a dozen radical abortion bills, including a bill to block other states from enforcing pro-life laws. He also launched a website to help women seeking abortions find clinics to do so. … Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: Protecting Pregnancy Centers

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

In this special episode of Spotlight, Illinois Family features remarks from Ann O’Connor, Vice President of legal affairs for the National Institute for Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA). This lecture, presented at Speakout Illinois 2023, highlights legislation that is targeting pregnancy care centers for the sole purpose of shutting them down. She states the core of what NIFLA is about in her lecture when she says,

While Dobbs did change abortion not to be the law of our land federally, it didn’t change hearts and that’s our job.

Culture of Death vs. Culture of Life

Written by Robert Knight

Thirty-five hundred years ago, God through Moses conveyed the ultimate human choice:

“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways … life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life” (Deuteronomy 30: 15 and 19).

Fifteen centuries later, as foretold by Moses, Isaiah and other prophets, the Messiah came. As the human Incarnation of God, Jesus Christ healed, did miracles and taught.… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: A Conversation With Stephanie Trussell

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

Stephanie Trussell is a mother, grandmother, entrepreneur, board member for the Illinois Family Institute & Good Soil Good Seed Foundation, and former candidate for Illinois Lieutenant Governor. In this special episode of Spotlight, Monte, David and Stephanie revisit the 2022 campaign and the events that led up to it.

They discussed how Illinois Republican voter turnout can be improved. Startlingly, only 45 percent of Republicans turned out to vote. Stephanie implores that conservatives must unite, not tear each other up for small differences in beliefs, and overcome a defeatist attitude when it comes to Illinois elections.… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: 40 Days for Life

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

40 Days for Life is a essential and vital part of the pro-life movement. The constant intercession they make to God on behalf of those contemplating abortion has saved 22,855 lives since 2007, closed 136 abortion centers, and has caused 247 abortion workers to quit. Their silent witness to passersby and the love they show by their presence outside of an abortion clinic can literally be the difference between life and death.… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: They Don’t Want Women to Hear This

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

Earlier this month, Monte Larrick attended the Pro-Life Action League’s protest against Walgreens and CVS pharmacies because they have started to offer the sale of the abortion drug, Mifepriston, also known as RU 486. It works by blocking the activity of progesterone, a substance your body makes to help continue pregnancy.

This “medication” is used in combination with misoprostol to cause a pregnant mother to miscarry her baby as late as 12 weeks along.… Continue Reading

Pushback Against ‘Woke’ Agenda Happening Around The World

Written by Robert Knight

Don’t look now, but the resistance to woke tyranny is rising rapidly, and not just in the United States.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon resigned on Wednesday after eight years in office. A leftist and climate change extremist, she opposed Brexit while leading the fight for Scottish independence from Britain.

During her tenure, according to the Daily Mail, Scottish life expectancy plunged, drug deaths doubled, alcohol deaths increased, schools continued failing, and Scots were worse off economically than when she took office.… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: Assisted Death Coming to Illinois?

Written by Jenna Smith

Nancy Valko is a registered nurse, legal consultant and a spokesperson for the National Association of Pro-Life Nurses. Monte Larrick had the opportunity to speak with her at a Lake County Right To Life forum, where she keynoted and spoke on the dangers of saying nothing when it comes to medically assisted suicide.

“The problem is, if doctors themselves don’t take a position on the most important issue they have–the most important covenant they have with their patients, which is they will not kill them–what else is open?”

SPOTLIGHT: Born to Proclaim The Gospel

Written by Jenna Smith

In this edition of Spotlight, IFI’s Dave Smith and Public School Exit’s Ceasar LeFlore converse with Juan Elias-Riesco, former owner of the famous Nini’s Deli in Chicago (which you can learn about through the documentary Paint the Wall Black) and a blazing torch for the kingdom of Christ.

Elias-Riesco’s testimony of how he became a Christian is anything but boring. Growing up on the streets of Chicago, he quickly became hardened to shoplifting and spiraled into a sinful lifestyle that had him in prison and rejecting God’s design for sexuality.… Continue Reading