Illinois Family Spotlight

As state legislatures push to expand government control over parenting and education, parents are waking up to a dangerous agenda rooted in indoctrination, financial greed, and the erosion of parental rights. Shannon Adcock, executive director of Awake Illinois, reveals how bills like Senate Bill 3138 threaten to turn schools into hubs for mental health screening, bypassing parental consent, and pushing controversial gender identity policies—without parents even knowing. You’ll learn how existing programs are already infiltrating K-12 classrooms and healthcare settings—raising billions in state and Medicaid dollars while putting vulnerable children at risk.… Continue Reading

In Illinois, the fight over legislation like House Bill 4966 — which aims to expand the Department of Children and Family Services and restrict counseling for youth with gender confusion — is fierce. Why does it matter? Because these laws impact vulnerable kids caught in broken systems. Here’s the thing: Bills like these expose the political tug-of-war over morality, safety, and parental rights. And with the Supreme Court’s recent decisions, the landscape for these debates is shifting even more.… Continue Reading

Pastor Caesar LeFlore and Bishop Arthur Geis reveal how a unified, intentional move of prayer can activate divine power to break darkness and ignite revival across Illinois and beyond. You’ll learn how Project 2026, a bold initiative to mobilize one million intercessors from Passover to Pentecost, aims to recalibrate our spiritual landscape. Get ready to see how our collective prayer can stir the rivers of God’s life-giving power to flood our land with revival.  Bishop Arthur Geis is a renowned Bible teacher, pastor, prayer advocate, and the visionary behind Project 2026—an initiative to unite the church in prayer for spiritual awakening and revival.… Continue Reading

Aynaz “Anni” Cyrus is an Iranian-American investigative author and national security voice focused on the ideological and psychological strategies of Islamism and political Islam in the West. Her work examines how movements, institutions, and state actors deploy religious doctrine, narrative warfare, and moral inversion to influence Western policy, culture, and security. In this episode she talks with Jenna Smith of IFI about the war in her homeland, Iran, the threat of radicalized muslim sleeper cells, and her latest work: “The Architecture of Jihad” which you can purchase now on Amazon!… Continue Reading

Katy Faust is founder of Them Before Us, a foundation with one goal in mind: to protect the right of a child to their mother and father. She joins Dave Smith and Alyssa Sonnenburg on Spotlight for this episode regarding her new campaign, titled Greater Than. This is an episode you do not want to miss. For decades, science shows children do better when raised by their married mom and dad — a safe, low-conflict home that nurtures development and trust.… Continue Reading

“Every baby made in the image of God irritates the devil” This podcast features Elaine Demoulos and Angela from Alliance Family Services discussing their pro-life work, the importance of holistic care, and how community support can make a difference in saving lives. … Continue Reading

In this special edition of IFI, we turn the Spotlight on our longtime host, Monte Larrick. Monte Larrick was Illinois Family Institute’s Media Director for over a decade, informing our constituents on Illinois topics with clear, concise and unique angles. He shares some untold stories of his longtime career covering politics for Moody radio.… Continue Reading

When we have laws in the U.S. that promote a biblical worldview, we vote for them. . . the policies are an overflow of what the Bible says, whether they pass or not – the truth is still the truth. ~ Dr. Greg Gifford Alyssa Sonnenburg and Jenna Smith host today’s episode with a special guest on what should the Christian response be to SB 4832, which would define “transgenderism” as a mental illness under Illinois’ Health Code.… Continue Reading

We don’t want doctors and administrators profiting off of the destruction of a young child. ~ State Senator Andrew Chesney Spotlight host David Smith talks to two Illinois General Assembly members on legislation they have introduced to protect children against being mutilated by hospitals or prevented from receiving mental health treatment. State Representative Bill Hauter, M.D. — the only medical doctor serving in the Illinois General Assembly — has introduced HB 4482 to prohibit gender-transition medical procedures on children.… Continue Reading

Women are currently being told by the law that it is okay to kill their babies. That is unjust. We want to inform peoples’ conscience with a just law. God is very clear: you shall not murder. That applies to all human beings. ~ Pastor Johnson Michael Johnson is pastor of Grace Redeemer Church in Winfield, IL. Caesar LeFlore is pastor of Spirit of Liberty Church of God in Markham, IL.… Continue Reading

If the church remains silent, you do not have a polity, a people, a citizentry that is informed by the word of God. . .the church must speak the truth in love, not with arrogance, going back to the gospel of Christ saying there is a God in heaven who will forgive you, who will gladly reconcile you to Himself. In this episode of Spotlight, David Smith talks with two Illinois pastors about SB 3572, a bill that will abolish abortion in the Land of Lincoln.… Continue Reading

State Senator Neil Anderson (R-Aledo) has informed us that he will be introducing legislation in Springfield to abolish abortion in Illinois. Not limit it, not cap it, abolish it. In this episode, David E. Smith hosts Alyssa Sonnenburg and Jenna Smith to discuss the reality of abortion in the state of Illinois and how likely it will be to push through a bill to criminalize abortion in a Democrat super-majority General Assembly. Not only did the Land of Lincoln kill the most amount of babies in 2024, but medical practitioners whose medical license have been revoked in other states can become abortionists in IL, the death of a woman does not to be reported to a coroner if it occurs during an abortion procedure, minors can undergo invasive abortion surgery without the knowledge or consent of their parents, and much worse.… Continue Reading

Riley Gaines Barker is a 12x all-American collegiate swimmer, praised by President Trump for leading the fight for fairness, safetey & the protection of women in women’s sports. Riley’s life was drastically changed when the NCAA a biological male to compete against her and was allowed to dress and undress in her locker rooms. Riley refused to stay quiet about it, and remained firm throughout the hate, vitriol and consequences. Now she is a celebrated hero for protecting girls and fighting for the right to have womens’ sports remain only for women.… Continue Reading

Dr. Erwin Lutzer, pastor emeritus of the Moody Church in Chicago, took questions from the audience at an IFI Forum in 2019, and his answers still hold value for Christians troubled by the state of the culture over 6 years later. Get Dr. Lutzer’s book “The Church in Babylon” here!    … Continue Reading

This is a two-for-one episode! In the first segment, we hear from JennyBeth Martin from the Only Citzens Vote Coalition on why only Americans should participate in American elections. In the second segment, we hear from Larry Elder on the importance of the film Uncle Tom II… Continue Reading

Remarks from Dr. Frank Turek is the episode for today’s Spotlight. Dr. Turek is the author of “I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist” and is host of the podcast of the same title. He is president of CrossExamined, an apologetics ministry, and he spoke at IFI’s 2017 worldview conference on why Christians need to be involved in politics. To attend IFI’s upcoming worldview conference, register by clicking here!… Continue Reading

In this episode, we are highlighting a presentation given at IFI’s 2025 annual Worldview Conference, which was held at Belmont Bible Church in Downers Grove. Scott Phelps, head of the Abstinence and Marriage Partnership organization, shares the Success Sequence program with the audience in the first half of the program, and in the second, demonstrates how the sex education programs in government schools codify the sexual revolution to the detriment of America.   Attend IFI’s 2026 Worldview Conference by registering here!… Continue Reading

The school systems aren’t failing, they are performing exactly as they were designed to perform and they were never intended to produce not only Christian children [with] Biblical worldviews, but they also aren’t there to teach them how to be logical or how to be learners. The Rev. Caesar LeFlore wears many hats. He is the pastor of the Spirit of Liberty Church of God in Markham, serves on the boards of Illinois Family Institute (IFI) and the Good Soil, Good Seed Scholarship Foundation, and he is the state director of IFI’s Public School Exit project.… Continue Reading

It is so important that when you hear that people can’t come back out of this lifestyle that you actually see a witness that says you can. And if you come to a relationship with Jesus Christ, you will find Christ and you will be redeemed and you will be restored ~ Walt Heyer This episode features remarks given by Walt Heyer at IFI’s 2019 worldview conference. Walt Heyer is a one time coporate executive who underwent gender reassignment surgery at the age of 42, and lived the next 8 years of his life living as a woman.… Continue Reading

The Spotlight is shone on David Smith in this episode, the executive director for Illinois Family Institute. IFI’s annual Faith, Family & Freedom banquet just took place on November 7, 2025, and in his address to 700 attendees, Smith outlined how IFI is helping Christians fight spiritual battles in the lions den of Illinois.    … Continue Reading