The IBSA Pastors Conference and Annual Meeting is the premiere gathering of the Illinois Baptist network of churches. This year’s meeting is held at Metro Community Church in Edwardsville, just 30 minutes northeast of St. Louis. The Pastors Conference is built on 1 Peter 1:8, with the theme “Unspeakable Joy.” The gathering will uplift the spirits of pastors by pointing them to the joy found in Christ, and features preaching by nationally known speakers like Fred Luter, Chip Luter, and Cam Triggs, as well as IBSA Network pastors from across the state.
The 2022 Annual Meeting both conducts the business of the association, as well as puts God’s work through thriving churches on display. Now in the second year of a multi-year “Thrive” theme, this year’s meeting is titled, “Thrive 22: Each church a missionary” and encourages churches to fulfill their identities as God’s plan to reach their communities with Christ. Preaching features Paul Westbrook, IBSA Director of Church Planting and founding pastor of Metro Community Church, and Heath Tibbetts, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church, Machesney Park, Illinois. Worship is led by Travis Bowman and the Metro Church worship team.