Illinois Family Institute

Facts, Stats and Biblical Truth with Dr. Brian Ray Dr. Brian Ray is a leading international expert in research on homeschooling and president of the National Home Education Research Institute. You can check out his website at nheri.org. Brian and his wife Betsy have raised 7 daughters and 1 son, all home educated all the way through -- so he has a lot of practical experience and wisdom. Brian’s also been interviewed by major media around the world, taught undergraduate and graduate university courses, and he has taught children of all ages in public school, private school, and homeschool settings. Dr. Ray has a lot of fun challenging norms, and you might even find that he makes statistics and facts pretty fun! He holds a Ph.D. (science education, Oregon State University), a M.S. (zoology, Ohio University), and a B.S. (biology, University of Puget Sound). The supplemental information (Home Schooling Fast Facts) mentioned in the webinar can be found at: https://illinoisfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/facts-2020-03-23-for-online.pdf You can also find Dr. Ray’s one of a kind review of peer-reviewed research at https://www.nheri.org/a-systematic-review-of-the-empirical-research-on-selected-aspects-of-homeschooling-as-a-school-choice/ then click on “PDF and html” Sign up for our Action Alert Email at https://www.votervoice.net/ILFI/register

Our Springfield snollygosters are working tenaciously to provide Christian parents with a plethora of reasons to abandon government schools in Illinois. On Thursday afternoon (May 20th), the Illinois Senate took up and debated another “comprehensive” sex education bill (SB 818) that so-called “progressives” and their evil allies–Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, and Equality Illinois–are using to indoctrinate children starting in kindergarten. This bill to corrupt children with leftist humanistic values is sponsored by Illinois State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) and passed by a partisan vote of 37 to 18 with four members not voting. It is now up for consideration in the Illinois House, where State Representative Camille Lilly (D-Chicago) is the chief sponsor. TAKE ACTION: Please contact your state representative to ask him/her to vote against SB 818. Impressionable students in public schools should not be exposed to body- and soul-destroying messages that promote leftist beliefs about sexuality. The Springfield switchboard phone number is: (217) 782-2000. Sign up for our Action Alert Email at https://www.votervoice.net/ILFI/register

In this short clip, Pastor Calvin Lindstrom of Christian Liberty Academy presents ten of the main differences between government and Christian schools. He does this with careful attention to the line between the state's indoctrination and the good influences that may still be present, if quiet, in public schools, for Christians are everywhere. Nevertheless, he does emphasize the freedom that the Christian schools have to proclaim Christ and His Kingdom and to teach about God's presence in and influence over all things. This "quick hits" list serves as a great reminder of the many advantages that Christian schools hold over public education.

The Illinois Family Institute (IFI) is an independent 501c(3) non-profit ministry dedicated to upholding and re-affirming marriage, family, life and liberty in Illinois. Since 1992, IFI has worked within the state of Illinois to promote and defend Biblical truths to foster an environment where families can thrive and reach their full God-given potential to serve and glorify Him–making the most of the opportunities afforded to each of us by His gift of life and liberty. Our mission: To Boldly Bring a Biblical Perspective to Public Policy Join us: illinoisfamily.org Twitter - @ProFamilyIFI Facebook - facebook.com//IllinoisFamilyInstitute YouTube – ILFamilyInstitute

Alex Newman discusses his legitimate concerns regarding the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Summit that was held at the United Nations recently (September 18-19, 2023) The summit will bring together world leaders, civil society, the private sector, and other stakeholders to review the state of SDG one-world government and implementation.

This video is the question and answer session from IFI's 2020 Worldview Conference in February of the same year. Sign up for our Action Alert Email at https://www.votervoice.net/ILFI/register

Doing the work of the Lord will never be in vain, says Jennifer Burns, founder of Classical Consortium Academy as well as the homeschool enrichment program HEART, in this short video on education. While exiting the public schools is necessary, Burns says, our work cannot stop there. We must find a Christ-centered education for our students that will equip them for the world. Here, she presents some important questions to ask of the education we are giving our children, then describes the features of Classical Consortium and its partnership with the Village Church of Barrington and explains why it may be beneficial for your family.

Christian conservatives will want to watch and share this remarkable interview between Peter J. Leithart and Pastor Derek Buikema. Peter J. Leithart is President of Theopolis Institute and serves as Teacher at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Birmingham and an adjunct Senior Fellow at New St. Andrews College. He is the author of many books, including a two-volume commentary on Revelation (T&T Clark, 2018) and a commentary on 1&2 Chronicles (Brazos, forthcoming). He writes a regular bi-weekly column at FirstThings.com, and has published articles in many periodicals, both popular and academic

Illinois Family Institute was thrilled to welcome Kevin and Sam Sorbo to our annual fall banquet in in October 2022 as they shared their concerns about the secular culture, government education and the need to return to Judeo-Christian values. The Sorbos are a different kind of “power couple” — they are, in our opinion, an amazing Christian husband and wife team who, despite being blacklisted by Hollywood, have been very outspoken about abortion, public school indoctrination, illegal immigration, fatherlessness and a host of other social issues.

This video is part two of the BFM rally in Flossmoor, IL. The speakers for this half included Dr. Eric Wallace, Pastor Latasha Fields, IFI's David E. Smith, IL 38th House District Candidate Max Solomon, Freedom's Journal Institute's Jennifer Wallace, and Rev. Dr. Robert Foster. Sign up for our Action Alert Email at https://www.votervoice.net/ILFI/register

During the January 13th Dan and Amy show on Chicago's WIND, 560AM, Dan Proft highlights the sexualization of our students and the morally corrupt and outright pornographic material being assigned to young impressionable students. This segment is not for young ears! Parents and grandparents, however, are urged to listen to this shocking information and then act to get your children/grandchildren OUT of government schools immediately. For more info, visit: https://illinoisfamily.org/education/pse/

Bryn Spejcher, a 32 year-old woman stabbed her date 108 times in a marijuana induced psychotic episode. Evidently, all it took was two hits of high potency THC in a water bong. According to an article in the LA Times, Bryn also "turned the knife on herself and her dog." The relationship between high potency TCH in today's marijuana and psychiatric disorders is becoming painfully evident. THC intoxication can also induce a temporary psychotic episode in some individuals, especially at high doses. https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/references

This presentation on commercialized marijuana was delivered by Jo McGuire at a public town hall held by Illinois State Representative Marty Moylan on January 4, 2019. Jo McGuire serves on the board of directors for the Drug and Alcohol Testing Industry Association and co-chairs the Marijuana Education Committee. She is also a DATIA Certified Professional Collector and Trainer (CPCT) and a Certified Designated Employee Representative Trainer (CDERT) who consults and trains professionals overseeing Safety Sensitive Employees in the compliance of federal DOT guidelines for drug and alcohol screening programs. Jo assists educators with classroom and assembly-style presentations aimed at youth drug prevention and parent awareness and education. Sign up for our Action Alert Email at https://www.votervoice.net/ILFI/register

On Thursday, April 22nd, the Illinois House passed HB 2789, an authoritarian proposal sponsored by State Representative Michelle Mussman (D-Schaumburg). This bill adds an amendment to an existing law granting sole authority to determine whether, when, and under what conditions public and private schools can return to in-person instruction in the event of a public health crisis to the Department of Public Health. Does HB 2789 include private schools and homeschools? We believe it does. The Catholic Conference of Illinois is lobbying against it. Why? The legislation requires that the Illinois Department of Health "establish requirements by rule for providing in-person instruction at nonpublic schools and public schools..." The phrase "nonpublic schools" is repeated three times in the bill. Our attorneys and policy experts believe that nonpublic encompass all private schools in the state of Illinois -- including home schools. Take ACTION: Send a message to your state senator asking him/her to vote against HB 2789. If we have learned anything during the COVID-19 lockdown, it is that a one size fits all approach doesn't work. We have local school boards and county health officials who are better positioned to respond to health crisis. With a few days left before the Illinois General Assembly adjourns for the summer, your local state senator must hear from you. Please! Let them know clearly, but politely, that we vehemently oppose giving bureaucrats at the Department of Public Health Powers in Springfield MORE authority. This power grab by Springfield is alarming. Listen to this short video alert by young Ms. Kenna:

Should politics and religion be completely separate? Are Leftism and Christianity diametrically opposed? Is Leftism even compatible with Christianity? Listen to Dr. Everett Piper, former president of Oklahoma Wesleyan University, as he tackles these questions and more in his worldview presentation titled: “The Religion of Wokeism.” Whether it’s defending unborn children or protecting our borders, Dr. Piper explains how conservative political views align with Christianity. He talks about how the religion of "wokeism" requires us to, among other things, submit ourselves to others, judge people on how they look instead of how they act, and affirm detestable behavior. Dr. Piper illuminates how incompatible "progressive" and Christian agendas are. Dr. Piper also delves into the causes of this dismal state of affairs, including irresponsible parents, corrupt pastors, and the government school system. Author of books such as Not a Daycare: The Devastating Consequences of Abandoning Truth and his newest book Grow Up: Life Isn’t Safe, But It’s Good, Dr. Piper leaves us with hope for the future. He emphasizes staying grounded in truth because we know God will prevail. During a fascinating Q & A after his speech, Dr. Piper answers several important questions that many Christians have.

Tucker Carlson warns his audience that the Joe Biden administration is promoting a far left-wing transgenderism agenda made up of 'religious extremists' on his program, 'Tucker Carlson Tonight.'

The Reverend Ceasar LeFlore says Christians don't have the option of silence in the face of evil as he accepts Henry Life Life Leadership Award at the 2020 SpeakOut Illinois pro-life action conference. Sign up for our Action Alert Email at https://www.votervoice.net/ILFI/register

Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas; What's the Point? The war on Christmas is waged by progressives who want to reduce our public holidays to secular absurdities. The Christian celebration of the birth of the Son of God has given way to myths, fairy tales and commercialization. But the Truth about Christmas has eternal significance. Kenna Rose explains...

Please join us in praying for Israel as they war against the terrorists of Hamas and Hezbollah. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Many changes have occurred in the past four years, but Dr. Wayne Grudem’s remarks at the 2016 IFI Worldview Conference are as informative and valuable now as they were then. In his presentation, The Moral Advantages of a Free-Market System, Dr. Grudem defines a free-market system, lists the factors that determine the degree of freedom, details sixteen moral advantages of a free-market system, and addresses the flawed objections to free-market economics. The video concludes with a brief Q&A session. Note: According to the 2020 Index of Economic Freedom, the United States’ economic freedom score ranks 17th in the world, a decline from the rank of 11th Dr. Grudem references in this presentation. Dr. Wayne Grudem is Professor of Theology and Biblical Studies at Phoenix Seminary in Arizona. He is the author of twenty-two books and previously was a professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL. Additionally, Dr. Grudem was the General Editor for the ESV Study Bible. Sign up for our Action Alert Email at https://www.votervoice.net/ILFI/register

Illinois, and Chicago specifically, is known for its election corruption. Carol Davis, with the Illinois Conservative Union, has spoken on election integrity issues for years. She weighs in on the most recent presidential election and how we can secure future elections. Visit their website here: http://www.ilpac.org/ Sign up for our Action Alert Email at https://www.votervoice.net/ILFI/register

A multiple dozens of Christians met to Rally for Jesus outside Calvary Church in Orland Park in mid-August. They met to pray, sing, repent, and hear Christian leaders. This video includes most of the speeches and prayers, but not the singing due to technical difficulties. Sign up for our Action Alert Email at https://www.votervoice.net/ILFI/register

In his interview with Derek Buikema of Orland Park Christian Reformed Church, Allan Carlson discusses the current political climate as it relates to American Christianity and the family. Certain policies, for example, though promoted by the Republican party, are detrimental to the family. If replaced or improved, Carlson argues, conservatives could restore the focus on marriage, children, and the family in our country as well as improve the economy. Using examples from Hungary and other countries, Carlson delivers his opinions on reshaping conservative politics to more truly reflect Christianity, as well as his ideas on why Christians ought to be involved in politics at all at this time. Sign up for our Action Alert Email at https://www.votervoice.net/ILFI/register