Spotlight

Pastor Leflore and David Smith sit down with one of Chicago’s finest pastors in this episode. Pastor Charles Moodie is head of Chicago City Life Center, right in the middle of the Englewood neighborhood. His church is building a crisis pregnancy center, and you can find out more by going to their website.… Continue Reading

In this episode, we feature remarks from attorney Ann O’Connor with the National Institute for Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA). O’Connor recently presented this lecture at Speakout Illinois’ 2023 pro-life conference, and called attention to legislation that is targeting crisis pregnancy centers with the goal being to shut them down. O’Connor is the Vice President of legal affairs at NIFLA, and is a champion of 1st Amendment rights. You can find more information about NIFLA by clicking here.… Continue Reading

This is the second segment in David Smith’s conversation with Eric Hovind and Helmut Welke. This conversation spans faux fossils, training your children to ask the right questions, and why a young earth perspective is crucial to a Biblical worldview. When asked why the question of young earth/old earth is still being debated in American churches, Eric Hovind captured the problem in one sentence: “Pastors are taking a book that has never been proven wrong and compromising it with a theory that has never been proven right.”… Continue Reading

In this episode of Spotlight, David Smith co-hosts with Self Evident’s Jenna Smith to converse with two spectacular guests about the importance of Scripture and the necessity of knowing Someone Who knows everything. President and Founder of Pensacola-based organization, Creation Today, Eric’s passion to reach people with the life-changing message of the Gospel has driven him to speak in five foreign countries and all fifty states. He lives in Pensacola, Florida with his wife Tanya and three children and remains excited about the tremendous opportunity to lead an apologetics ministry in the war against evolution and humanism.… Continue Reading

This special episode of Spotlight has one of IFI’s favorite people: Stephanie Trussell! Stephanie is a mom, grandmother, entrepreneur, board member for the Illinois Family Institute & Good Soil, Good Seed, and former candidate for Illinois Lieutenant Governor. Monte, David and Stephanie recap the November 8th election, the campaign trail that led up to it, and Stephanie regales mostly humorous anecdotes that occurred to her while traveling the state of Illinois. One of the questions that comes up in this episode is how can Illinois Republican voter turnout improve.… Continue Reading

40 Days for Life is a vital part of the pro-life movement. The intercession they make to God on behalf of those stumbling to the slaughter, the silent witness to passersby, and the love they show by merely standing outside of an abortion clinic can make the difference of a mother in crisis pregnancy choosing life. What with our lawmakers turning Illinois into a sanctuary state for abortion and now taking steps to ban crisis pregnancy centers, prayer warriors are needed now more than ever before.… Continue Reading

“Every Republican who lives in Illinois who really want to see the strength of the party grow need to be at the Black Conservative Summit. . .” ~Bishop Ceasar Leflore Dr. Eric Wallace is the leader of the Freedom Journal Institute and is hosting an event on the weekend of March 25th that you do not want to miss. The Black Conservative Summit is occurring March 24-25 at the Tinley Park Convention Center. The reason it is the Black Conservative Summit is because the conservative movement must reach beyond its base to the African American community if it is ever to regain its former influence.… Continue Reading

Earlier this month, Monte Larrick attended the Pro-Life Action League’s protest against Walgreens and CVS pharmacies contemplating the sale of abortifacients, and talked with Eric Scheidler about this potential product. Eric Scheidler is the executive director of the Pro-Life Action League, and believes this is a move on the part of the corporations to prove they’re woke. “We know that American corporations are becoming more and more woke. . .acting at the behest of the Democratic party and the progressive movement.… Continue Reading

In this episode of Spotlight, David & guest host Jenna converse with IFI partner Tom Burrows. Burrows is the field director of the Good Soil Good Seed Foundation (gsgsfoundation.com), and the three of them list reasons why you should ensure that your children and grandchildren are receiving a Biblical education.… Continue Reading

In this edition of Spotlight, David E. Smith discusses the upcoming bills with IFI’s lobbyist David Curtain. In the second half, Jennifer Korte opines on school board scandals and Biden’s summary of the state of our nation.… Continue Reading

In this episode of IFS, Monte Larrick converses with Anthony Catella, a candidate for the St. Charles library board. The two discuss theology, the military, and why t’s important to run for your local office.… Continue Reading

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?”… Continue Reading

In this edition of Spotlight, IFI’s David Smith and Public School Exit’s Ceasar Leflore converse with the one and only Juan Elias-Riesco, former owner of the famous Nini’s Deli (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

Monte Larrick is joined by Shane Hartman, the executive director of the Illinois Church Action on Alcohol and Addiction Problems (ILCAAAP). Springfield has made slaves of so many Illinois citizens, through the legalization of recreational marijuana and betting on anything. ILCAAAP is working to combat the evil coming out of our legislature through educating Illinois youth about the dangers of drugs, gambling and liquor. “The main thing is to let the kids know you care.” Hartman stated when asked what is the most persuasive argument to reach kids in our age of social media.… Continue Reading

In this episode, David Curtain explains his job as IFI’s lobbyist in Springfield, the bills that are threatening to family values, and how we can be active in our state capitol from every part of the state.… Continue Reading

I recently gave a short New Year exhortation at my church and since we captured the audio, I thought we could post it as a special addition for those who may be interested. In this short message (15 minutes), I emphasis Paul’s statement in vs 12-14 in which he confesses: “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. … Continue Reading

This is a throwback episode, where we present a lecture that is still relevant today as it was when it was given–if not more so. Pastor Douglas Wilson of Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho, spoke at IFI’s 2019 worldview conference regarding trans ideology and the Christian. You can watch this talk here. Sanity as Insurrection is the title of the final session of the 2019 Illinois Family Institute Worldview Conference on the “trans” ideology. In this presentation, Pastor Doug Wilson stressed the importance of asking sane questions, ones that strike at the heart of the matter, when we engage in debate with our adversaries because “deliberate and premeditated sanity is a challenge to the powers that be.”… Continue Reading

In this segment of Spotlight, we’re highlighting remarks made at IFI’s Medical Freedom Forum held earlier this year at Jubilee Bible Church. Doctors Mark Zumhagen and Simon Gold pointed out the wrong occurring in their respective fields and answered questions from the audience.… Continue Reading

In this episode, Monte Larrick is at Illinois’ state capital, at the annual Christmas nativity reveal. Delbra Pratt speaks on the importance of the display in this dark corner of Illinois, and what it means.… Continue Reading

Monte Larrick interviews Julie Garafalo, executive director of Waterleaf. Waterleaf is slightly different than your average women’s center in that they provide professional and medical help. An especially important service Waterleaf offers is early pregnancy screenings. That screening includes a medical grade pregnancy test and ultrasound, which helps the patient determine whether she is truly pregnant, and if so, how far along and how healthy the baby is. This gives the mother the facts she needs to make a fully informed decision.… Continue Reading

“. . .fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” ~Genesis 1:28 Rachel Mikottis is a homeschooled wonder of a woman who believes that nature is the best classroom in the world. She joins IFI’s David Smith and Self Evident’s Jenna Smith for a conversation about her forest school: Free Haven. Rachel, in her words, was a free range homeschooler.… Continue Reading

In this edition of Spotlight, we feature a timely message from IFI’s 2022 Worldview Conference. “The Religion of Wokism” is a lecture given by Dr. Everett Piper.  … Continue Reading

In this Episode, we highlight remarks made by Ryan Bomberger, the founder of the Radiance Foundation.… Continue Reading

Monte Larrick interviews Eric Schiedler, executive director of the Pro-Life Action League regarding expanding abortion laws and what pro life activists can do.… Continue Reading

In this edition of Spotlight, we have remarks from IFI’s David Smith at the 2021 Faith, Family and Freedom banquet. We Also have Dr. Lutzer’s Q&A segment from the same event.… Continue Reading

Kathleen Murray was born and raised in Lombard, and that has given her the perspective of the people Kathleen wishes to represent. She has lived and worked all over the US as well as internationally during her time in college. In 2001 she purchased her childhood family home, with the intent to raise her children in the same home and the same city she grew up in. In this episode, Monte Larrick and Murray discuss what is facing Illinois, why she is running and why people should vote red come November 8th.… Continue Reading

David Smith and Self Evident’s Jenna Smith converse with police chief David Sheppard, who is running to represent the 36th district of Illinois.… Continue Reading

Thomas Devore, candidate for Illinois Attorney General, spoke recently at the Crete Township Republican meeting on the dangers of the SAFE-T Act. During his presentation, he delivered a damning legal analysis of the Democrat’s SAFE-T Act (HB 3653) , which will fully go into effect on January 1, 2023. Most Democrats voted YES and every single Republican voted NO. Devore warns that the ‘no-cash bail’ provision in the SAFE-T Act opens up Illinois courts to civil rights violations.… Continue Reading

Today meet Scott Greene, Representative candidate for District 86. He’s mustered the strength to challenge Democratic incumbent Larry Walsh and bring some trucker sense to the Capital. Knowing that faith, family, and freedom are on the line, he will try his best to represent his district. Greene wants to empower everyone by removing liberal policies that threaten life and livelihood. Cheap energy, strong infrastructure, security, and the importance of the family are of highest concern. Walsh, on the other hand, has openly supported government overreach, mandatory sex-ed in kindergarten, and wretched economic policies that do not benefit or represent the people.… Continue Reading

In this episode, Pastor Ceasar Leflore (field director of Public School Exit) and David Smith interview Frederick Walls, candidate for the 34th district of Illinois.… Continue Reading

This episode we have guests Ricki Giersch and Catherine Walker of 40 Days for life, along with a special guest from the WaterLeaf Women’s Center.… Continue Reading

Monte Larrick asks Illinois Conservative Union champion Jan Shaw how to ensure that your vote counts on November 8th.… Continue Reading

David Smith and Monte Larrick sit down with state Senate candidate Diane Harris. Harris is running for the 43rd district and you can find her at dianeharrisforstatesenate.com.… Continue Reading

“Disturb us, Lord, when With the abundance of things we possess We have lost our thirst For the waters of life; Having fallen in love with life, We have ceased to dream of eternity And in our efforts to build a new earth, We have allowed our vision Of the new Heaven to dim.” ~excerpt of a prayer from Sir Francis Drake Dr. Erwin Lutzer is Pastor Emeritus of the Moody Church in Chicago and was Illinois Family Institute’s keynote speaker at our 2021 annual banquet.… Continue Reading

In this episode we interview Patricia Bonk, Republican Candidate for 30th House District. Patricia Bonk uses her unique experience as an ER nurse and firefighter to address important issues like public safety, abortion, property taxes, school reform, child protection, voting integrity, and SB 1169. Giving voters an option for reform, Patricia Bonk is challenging returning Democrat Will Davis. Hear how Davis supported several harmful bills and ignored voters; and is now being held accountable by Patricia Bonk!… Continue Reading

Thanks for making Illinois Family Spotlight part of your day. Government school students are exposed to x-rated sex ed, hate America history, and godless, leftist ideology. And to top it off, a lot of these taxpayer funded schools are graduating kids who lack math, science and reading skills–even in high income districts. IFI believes there is a better way to educate our kids, and that’s why we’ve launched Rescuing our Children: a government school exit action plan.… Continue Reading

Written by Lynn Bowman Tabb “Information is power” and the Medical Freedom vs. Medical Tyranny Forum hosted by Illinois Family Institute was clearly an evening of empowerment! Attended by an estimated 500 people–young and old alike–the audience, rapt with attention, benefitted from the insights of Dr. Simone Gold*, MD,FD, founder of America’s Frontline Doctors (AFLDS). In her presentation on May 17, 2022, Dr. Gold provided energy-packed insight around this idea penned by Thomas Jefferson to Charles Yancey, ironically on January 6, 1816: “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.”… Continue Reading

Way back in June, the Illinois Christian Home Educators Conference occurred, and when Monte Larrick attends, you know the folks worth interviewing will be interviewed. This episode features one of said interviews. As an HSLDA staff attorney, Dan Beasely assists individual homeschooling families and advocates for homeschool freedom in 13 states. He regularly corresponds with school officials, college admissions staff, legislators, and government agencies regarding the legality and effectiveness of homeschooling and represents families who face legal challenges to their right to homeschool.… Continue Reading

The state of Illinois has received 5.4 million from the Department of Health and Human Services that will assist and expand access to “family planning” services. Our Illinois legislature and Planned Parenthood join gov. Pritzker in hailing this advance in “beneficial” programs for our state. To respond, Monte Larrick asks Scott Phelps to weigh in on the matter, as well as other topics. Scott Phelps is the executive director of A&M Partnership, and works closely with IFA to bring common sense morality back to our schools.… Continue Reading

Welcome to our annual episode with Illinois Christian Home Educator’s executive director, Kirk Smith! Recorded during their yearly convention at Olivet Nazarene College, Monte Larrick asks Kirk about the core of home education, the vision for folks beginning this journey, and the role of the church throughout cultural and country turmoil. learn more about homeschooling and about Kirk Smith at iche.org  … Continue Reading

Leah McGhee Brooks has begun a micro school. And Monte and David interview her. To learn more about how to become involved, visit testamentoflove.org… Continue Reading

“Through prayer, we take responsible action. We repent and do things different.” Monte Larrick asks Pastor Dan Haas what is prayer, the significance of it, and what Christians need to do in order to draw closer to God. Pastor Haas is the founder of A Future and A Hope Foundation. A Future and A Hope Foundation was formed to bring change into hopeless situations. The mission of the Foundation is to empower the Church in urban communities to develop local solutions to the issues of violence reduction, assisting people with employment barriers to find and retain employment and poverty.… Continue Reading

In this episode of Spotlight, Self Evident’s Jenna Smith interviews Will and Meeke Addison. This power couple hosts a a daily radio/podcast program focused on Marriage, Family and the Church titled “Airing the Addisons” on American Family Radio. Will and Meeke were keynote speakers at this year’s Illinois Christian Home Educators conference, where they spoke on the vital importance of discipling your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and the opportunities homeschooling provides: “We see [homeschooling] as an opportunity to pour in our children and make them culture proof.”… Continue Reading

Monte Larrick interviews Eric Scheidler, President of the Pro-Life Action League about the overturning of Roe v Wade.… Continue Reading

“We need to stop being fearful of what the government can do to us, because at that point when we’re fearful of the government, that’s tyranny. The government needs to be fearful of the people…in the respect that we’re in control.” Phil Nagel is running for the 40th district of Illinois Senate. An Air Force veteran, Nagel is running for his children, and to educate parents on how to take back the reins of we the people in Illinois.… Continue Reading

In this episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, David Smith and Monte Larrick meet with Pastor Phil Wood, who is running for the 8th Congressional District. Phil Wood believes he has heard the hearts of the people and recognizes the great and widespread pain among them, especially from the upcoming generation. “Much of what is happening,” according to Phil, “is due to poor choices summarily handed down from leadership in Washington.” Phil wants to be part of the needed wave of change.… Continue Reading

In this episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, Monte Larrick and David Smith interview Scott Kaspar, who is running for Congress in the 6th district. Kapsar addresses why he’s running, the foolishness of gun control, redisticting, spending and much more. Find out more about Scott Kaspar here, and find… Continue Reading

Imagine this scene: an adult family member is watching your child while you run a quick errand. Upon returning home, you discover your house is on fire. Smoke is billowing, flames are dancing on the roof, and the face of your helpless child is pressed to the window of his second-floor bedroom. What do you do? I imagine most of us would unhesitatingly rush in to rescue our child. Rev. Ceasar LeFlore says this is the fate of public school students throughout our state and nation.… Continue Reading

Felicity Joy Solomon is not your run of the mill conservative. She sits down with IFI’s David Smith and Monte Larrick to discuss why she is running for Illinois Senate, and why you should support her. Find out more about her here.… Continue Reading

Ryan Bomberger has a rather unique perspective of the innate nature of Purpose. His biological mother was raped yet courageously gave him a chance to live and the beautiful gift of adoption. He was adopted at 6 weeks of age and grew up in a loving, multi-“racial” Christian family of 15. Bomberger and his wife are the founders of the Radiance Foundation. He recently spoke at the Pro-Life Pro-Family Coalition Conference in Orland Park, and this episode of Spotlight features his remarks regarding his story, pregnancy care centers, and much more.… Continue Reading