CITIZENS FIRST FINANCIAL CORP
S-8, 1997-10-15
SAVINGS INSTITUTION, FEDERALLY CHARTERED
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<PAGE> 1


   As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 15, 1997
                                                 Registration No. 333-
                                                                      ----------
================================================================================
                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549

                                    FORM S-8
              REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                        CITIZENS FIRST FINANCIAL CORP.
 (exact name of registrant as specified in its certificate of incorporation)

DELAWARE                                                         37-1351861
(state or other jurisdiction of                                 (IRS Employer 
incorporation or organization)                               Identification No.)

             
                          2101 NORTH VETERANS PARKWAY
                          BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS 61704
                                (309) 661-8700
              (Address, including zip code, and telephone number,
       including area code, of registrant's principal executive offices)

        CITIZENS FIRST FINANCIAL CORP. 1996 STOCK-BASED INCENTIVE PLAN
                           (Full Title of the Plan)
                     ----------------------------------------

C. WILLIAM LANDEFELD                      COPIES TO:
PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER     LAWRENCE M.F. SPACCASI, ESQUIRE
CITIZENS FIRST FINANCIAL CORP.            MARC P. LEVY, ESQUIRE
2101 NORTH VETERANS PARKWAY               MULDOON, MURPHY & FAUCETTE
BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS 61704               5101 WISCONSIN AVENUE, N.W.
(309) 661-8700                            WASHINGTON, DC  20016
(Name, address, including zip code,       (202) 362-0840
and telephone number, including area
code, of agent for service)


APPROXIMATE  DATE  OF  COMMENCEMENT  OF  PROPOSED  SALE  TO  PUBLIC:  As soon as
practicable after this Registration Statement becomes effective.

If  any of the  securities  being registered on this Form are to be offered on a
    delayed or continuous  basis  pursuant to Rule 415 under  the  Securities
                   Act of 1933, check the following box. / X /

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Title of each                                            Estimated
  Class of                                               Aggregate
Securities to      Amount to be     Proposed Purchase    Offering    Registration
be Registered      Registered(1)     Price Per Share      Price          Fee
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                 <C>                <C>              <C>            <C>   
Common Stock         281,750
$.01 par Value      Shares (2)         $12.31(3)        $3,468,342     $1,051
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock         112,700
$.01 par Value      Shares (4)         $13.79(5)        $1,554,533     $  471 
==================================================================================
</TABLE>

(1) Together  with an  indeterminate  number of  additional shares  which may be
    necessary to adjust the number of shares reserved  for issuance  pursuant to
    the Citizens  First  Financial  Corp. 1996  Stock-Based  Incentive Plan (the
    "Plan") as the result of a stock split, stock dividend or similar adjustment
    of the outstanding Common  Stock of  Citizens First Financial Corp. pursuant
    to 17 C.F.R. ss.230.416(a).
(2) Represents the  total  number of  shares currently reserved or available for
    issuance upon the exercise of stock options pursuant to the Plan.
(3) The exercise price of the options, which equals the average of the  high and
    low prices listed on the American Stock  Exchange  on November 12, 1996, the
    date the options under the Plan were granted.
(4) Represents  the total  number of shares  currently available for issuance as
    stock awards under the Plan.
(5) The weighted  average  price  determined  by the aggregate purchase price of
    $1,554,533  at  which  the 112,700 shares have been purchased for satisfying
    awards under the Plan.

THIS  REGISTRATION  STATEMENT SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE  IMMEDIATELY UPON FILING IN
ACCORDANCE  WITH SECTION 8(A) OF THE  SECURITIES  ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED,  (THE
"SECURITIES ACT") AND 17 C.F.R. SS.230.462.

Number of Pages 17
Exhibit Index begins on Page 10

  
<PAGE> 2



CITIZENS FIRST FINANCIAL CORP.

PART I    INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS

ITEMS 1 & 2. The documents  containing  the  information  for the Citizens First
Financial Corp. (the "Company" or the "Registrant")  1996 Stock-Based  Incentive
Plan (the "Plan") required by Part I of the Registration  Statement will be sent
or given to the  participants in the Plan as specified by Rule  428(b)(1).  Such
document is not filed with the  Securities and Exchange  Commission  (the "SEC")
either as a part of this Registration Statement or as a prospectus or prospectus
supplement pursuant to Rule 424 in reliance on Rule 428.

PART II   INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

      The following documents filed or to be filed with the SEC are incorporated
by reference in this Registration Statement:

      (a)    The Form 10-KSB filed by the Registrant (File No. 1-14274) with the
SEC on March 28, 1997, which includes the consolidated balance sheet of Citizens
First  Financial  Corp. and subsidiary as of December 31, 1996 and 1995, and the
related consolidated  statements of income, changes in stockholder's equity, and
cash flows for each of the three years in the period  ended  December  31, 1996,
together  with the  related  notes and the report of Geo.  S.  Olive & Co.  LLC,
independent certified public accountants.  The consolidated statements of income
and cash  flows for the year  ended  December  31,  1994 have been  restated  to
reflect  the  pooling  of  interests  with  Fairbury  Federal  Savings  and Loan
Association  and  subsidiary  as  described  in the  notes  to the  consolidated
financial statements.  Those statements were audited by Clifton Gunderson L.L.C.
(formerly  Clifton,  Gunderson & Co.), whose report has been relied upon by Geo.
S. Olive & Co., LLC and  incorporated  herein in reliance  upon the authority of
said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

      (b)    The  Form 10-QSB  report filed  by  the  Registrant  for the fiscal
quarters  ended March 31, 1997 and  June 30, 1997 (File No. 1-14274), filed with
the SEC on May 15, 1997 and August 14, 1997, respectively.

      (c)    The   description   of   Registrant's  Common  Stock  contained  in
Registrant's Form 8-A  (File No. 1-14274), as filed with the SEC on February 13,
1996 pursuant  to Section 12(b) of  the  Securities  Exchange  Act  of 1934 (the
"Exchange Act") and Rule 12b-15 promulgated thereunder.

      (d)    All  documents  filed by the Registrant  pursuant to  Section 13(a)
and (c),  14 or 15(d) of the  Exchange  Act after the date  hereof  and prior to
the filing  of  a  post-effective  amendment  which  deregisters  all securities
then remaining unsold.

       ANY STATEMENT CONTAINED IN THIS REGISTRATION  STATEMENT, OR IN A DOCUMENT
INCORPORATED OR DEEMED TO BE INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE  HEREIN,  SHALL BE DEEMED
TO BE MODIFIED OR SUPERSEDED FOR PURPOSES OF THIS REGISTRATION  STATEMENT TO THE
EXTENT THAT A STATEMENT  CONTAINED  HEREIN, OR IN ANY OTHER  SUBSEQUENTLY  FILED
DOCUMENT WHICH ALSO IS  INCORPORATED  OR DEEMED TO BE  INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
HEREIN, MODIFIES OR SUPERSEDES SUCH STATEMENT. ANY SUCH STATEMENT SO MODIFIED OR
SUPERSEDED  SHALL  NOT BE  DEEMED,  EXCEPT  AS SO  MODIFIED  OR  SUPERSEDED,  TO
CONSTITUTE A PART OF THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT.

                                       2

<PAGE> 3



ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

      The common  stock to be offered  pursuant to the Plan has been  registered
pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act.  Accordingly,  a description  of the
common stock is not required herein.

ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

      None

      The  consolidated  statements  of  financial  condition  of the  Bank  and
subsidiaries  as of  December  31, 1996 and 1995,  and the related  consolidated
statements of income,  equity  capital,  and cash flows for each of the years in
the three-year  period ended December 31, 1996,  together with the related notes
and the  reports of Geo.  S.  Olive & Co.  LLC,  and  Clifton  Gunderson  L.L.C.
(formerly Clifton,  Gunderson & Co.),  independent certified public accountants,
incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement, have been incorporated
herein in reliance upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting  and
auditing.

      The  validity of the Common Stock  offered  hereby has been passed upon by
Muldoon, Murphy & Faucette, Washington, DC, for the Registrant.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

      Directors and officers of the Registrant are indemnified and held harmless
against liability to the fullest extent  permissible by the general  corporation
law of Delaware as it currently exists or as it may be amended provided any such
amendment  provides broader  indemnification  provisions than currently  exists.
This indemnification applies to the Board of Directors who administer the Plan.

      In accordance  with the General  Corporation  Law of the State of Delaware
(being  Chapter 1 of Title 8 of the  Delaware  Code),  Articles 10 and 11 of the
Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation provide as follows:

TENTH:

A. Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to
or is  otherwise  involved in any action,  suit or  proceeding,  whether  civil,
criminal,  administrative  or  investigative  (hereinafter a  "proceeding"),  by
reason  of the fact that he or she is or was a  Director  or an  Officer  of the
Corporation  or is or  was  serving  at the  request  of  the  Corporation  as a
Director, Officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership,
joint venture,  trust or other enterprise,  including service with respect to an
employee benefit plan (hereinafter an  "indemnitee"),  whether the basis of such
proceeding  is alleged  action in an official  capacity as a Director,  Officer,
employee or agent or in any other capacity while serving as a Director, Officer,
employee or agent,  shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to
the fullest extent  authorized by the Delaware  General  Corporation Law, as the
same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment,
only to the  extent  that such  amendment  permits  the  Corporation  to provide
broader  indemnification  rights  than such law  permitted  the  Corporation  to
provide  prior to such  amendment),  against  all  expense,  liability  and loss
(including  attorneys' fees,  judgments,  fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties
and  amounts  paid  in  settlement)  reasonably  incurred  or  suffered  by such
indemnitee in connection therewith;  provided, however, that, except as provided
in  Section  C  hereof  with  respect  to   proceedings  to  enforce  rights  to
indemnification, the Corporation shall indemnify any such indemnitee in

                                      3

<PAGE> 4



connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such indemnitee only
if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board of Directors of
the Corporation.

B. The right to  indemnification  conferred in Section A of this  Article  TENTH
shall include the right to be paid by the Corporation  the expenses  incurred in
defending any such proceeding in advance of its final  disposition  (hereinafter
an "advancement of expenses");  provided, however, that, if the Delaware General
Corporation Law requires,  an advancement of expenses  incurred by an indemnitee
in his or her capacity as a Director or Officer  (and not in any other  capacity
in which  service  was or is  rendered by such  indemnitee,  including,  without
limitation,  services  to an  employee  benefit  plan)  shall be made  only upon
delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking (hereinafter an "undertaking"), by
or on behalf of such  indemnitee,  to repay all  amounts so advanced if it shall
ultimately  be  determined  by final  judicial  decision  from which there is no
further  right  to  appeal  (hereinafter  a  "final   adjudication")  that  such
indemnitee  is not  entitled  to be  indemnified  for such  expenses  under this
Section or otherwise.  The rights to  indemnification  and to the advancement of
expenses  conferred in Sections A and B of this Article  TENTH shall be contract
rights and such rights shall continue as to an indemnitee who has ceased to be a
Director,  Officer,  employee  or agent and shall  inure to the  benefit  of the
indemnitee's heirs, executors and administrators.

C. If a claim under  Section A or B of this Article TENTH is not paid in full by
the Corporation within sixty days after a written claim has been received by the
Corporation,  except in the case of a claim for an advancement  of expenses,  in
which case the applicable period shall be twenty days, the indemnitee may at any
time thereafter  bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount
of the claim.  If  successful in whole or in part in any such suit, or in a suit
brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the
terms of an  undertaking,  the indemnitee  shall be entitled to be paid also the
expenses of  prosecuting or defending such suit. In: (i) any suit brought by the
indemnitee to enforce a right to  indemnification  hereunder  (but not in a suit
brought by the  indemnitee to enforce a right to an  advancement of expenses) it
shall be a defense that;  and (ii) in any suit by the  Corporation to recover an
advancement of expenses  pursuant to the terms of an undertaking the Corporation
shall be entitled to recover such expenses upon a final  adjudication  that, the
indemnitee has not met any applicable  standard for indemnification set forth in
the Delaware  General  Corporation  Law.  Neither the failure of the Corporation
(including  its  Board  of  Directors,   independent   legal  counsel,   or  its
stockholders)  to have made a  determination  prior to the  commencement of such
suit that  indemnification  of the  indemnitee  is  proper in the  circumstances
because the indemnitee  has met the applicable  standard of conduct set forth in
the  Delaware  General  Corporation  Law,  nor an  actual  determination  by the
Corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its
stockholders)  that the  indemnitee  has not met  such  applicable  standard  of
conduct,  shall  create  a  presumption  that  the  indemnitee  has  not met the
applicable  standard  of conduct  or, in the case of such a suit  brought by the
indemnitee,  be a defense to such suit. In any suit brought by the indemnitee to
enforce a right to indemnification  or to an advancement of expenses  hereunder,
or by the  Corporation  to recover an  advancement  of expenses  pursuant to the
terms of an  undertaking,  the  burden of  proving  that the  indemnitee  is not
entitled to be  indemnified,  or to such  advancement  of  expenses,  under this
Article TENTH or otherwise shall be on the Corporation.

D. The rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses conferred in
this  Article  TENTH shall not be  exclusive of any other right which any person
may have or hereafter acquire under any statute,  the Corporation's  Certificate
of  Incorporation,  Bylaws,  agreement,  vote of stockholders  or  Disinterested
Directors or otherwise.


                                      4

<PAGE> 5



E. The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and
any Director,  Officer,  employee or agent of the  Corporation  or subsidiary or
Affiliate or another  corporation,  partnership,  joint venture,  trust or other
enterprise  against  any  expense,   liability  or  loss,  whether  or  not  the
Corporation  would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense,
liability or loss under the Delaware General Corporation Law.

F. The Corporation may, to the extent  authorized from time to time by the Board
of Directors, grant rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses
to any  employee  or agent  of the  Corporation  to the  fullest  extent  of the
provisions  of this  Article  TENTH  with  respect  to the  indemnification  and
advancement of expenses of Directors and Officers of the Corporation.

ELEVENTH:
- --------

A Director of this Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation
or its  stockholders  for  monetary  damages for breach of  fiduciary  duty as a
Director,  except for liability:  (i) for any breach of the  Director's  duty of
loyalty to the Corporation or its  stockholders;  (ii) for acts or omissions not
in good faith or which involve intentional  misconduct or a knowing violation of
law; (iii) under Section 174 of the Delaware  General  Corporation  Law; or (iv)
for any  transaction  from  which the  Director  derived  an  improper  personal
benefit.  If the  Delaware  General  Corporation  Law is  amended  to  authorize
corporate  action  further  eliminating  or limiting the  personal  liability of
Directors,  then  the  liability  of a  Director  of the  Corporation  shall  be
eliminated or limited to the fullest  extent  permitted by the Delaware  General
Corporation Law, as so amended.

Any repeal or modification of the foregoing paragraph by the stockholders of the
Corporation  shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a Director of
the Corporation existing at the time of such repeal or modification.

      The  Registrant  is also  permitted to maintain  directors'  and officers'
liability  insurance  covering  its  directors  and  officers and has obtained a
directors' and officers'  liability and corporation  reimbursement  policy which
(subject to certain limits and  deductibles)  (i) insures officers and directors
of the Registrant  against loss arising from certain claims made against them by
reason  of  their  being  such  directors  or  officers,  and (ii)  insures  the
Registrant  against  loss  which  it  may be  required  or  permitted  to pay as
indemnification due its directors or officers for certain claims.

      Insofar as  indemnification  for liabilities  arising under the Securities
Act of 1933 (the  "Securities  Act") may be permitted to directors,  officers or
persons controlling the Registrant, the Registrant has been informed that in the
opinion of the Commission that such  indemnification is against public policy as
expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

ITEM 7.   EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

      Not applicable.



                                      5

<PAGE> 6



ITEM 8.   LIST OF EXHIBITS.

      The following  exhibits are filed with or  incorporated  by reference into
this  Registration  Statement on Form S-8  (numbering  corresponds  generally to
Exhibit Table in Item 601 of Regulation S-B):

      4        Stock Certificate of Citizens First Financial Corp.1

      5        Opinion of Muldoon, Murphy & Faucette,  Washington, DC, as to the
               legality of the Common Stock registered hereby.

      23.1     Consent of Muldoon,  Murphy & Faucette  (contained in the opinion
               included as Exhibit 5).
      23.2     Consent of Geo. S. Olive & Co. LLC.
      23.3     Consent of Clifton Gunderson L.L.C.

      24       Power of Attorney is located on the signature pages.

- --------------------------
1 Incorporated herein by reference from the Exhibit of the same number contained
  in the Registration Statement on Form SB-2 (SEC No. 33-556), as amended, filed
  with the SEC on January 24, 1996 and declared effective on March 11, 1996.

ITEM 9.   UNDERTAKINGS

     (a)   The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

           (1)   To  file,  during  any  period  in which  it  offers  or sells
                 securities,  a post-effective  amendment to this  Registration
                 Statement to:

                 (i)   Include  any Prospectus required  by Section 10(a)(3) of
                       the Securities Act;

                 (ii)  Reflect  in  the  Prospectus  any facts or events arising
                       after the  effective  date of  the Registration Statement
                       (or  the  most  recent  post-effective amendment thereof)
                       which,  individually  or  in  the  aggregate, represent a
                       fundamental change in the information in the Registration
                       Statement.  Notwithstanding  the foregoing, any  increase
                       or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total
                       dollar value of securities offered would not  exceed that
                       which was registered) and  any  deviation from the low or
                       high   end of the estimated maximum offering range may be
                       reflected  in  the  form  of  prospectus  filed  with the
                       Commission pursuant  to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate,
                       the changes  in volume and price represent no more than a
                       20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price
                       set forth  in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table
                       in the effective Registration Statement; and

                 (iii) Include  any  material  information  with  respect to the
                       plan of  distribution  not  previously  disclosed in  the
                       Registration  Statement or any  material  change to  such
                       information in  the Registration Statement;

                                      6

<PAGE> 7



            Provided,  however,  that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not
            apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective
            amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed
            by the registrant  pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
            Exchange Act of 1934 that are  incorporated  by reference  into this
            Registration Statement.

            (2)   That,  for the  purpose  of  determining  liability  under the
                  Securities  Act, each such  post-effective  amendment shall be
                  deemed  to be a new  Registration  Statement  relating  to the
                  securities offered therein, and the offering of the securities
                  at that  time  shall be  deemed  to be the  initial  bona fide
                  offering thereof.

            (3)   To  remove  from  registration  by means  of a  post-effective
                  amendment any of the securities  registered that remain unsold
                  at the termination of the Offering.

      (b)   The undersigned  hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining
            any  liability   under  the  Securities  Act,  each  filing  of  the
            Registrant's  or the Plan's annual report  pursuant to Section 13(a)
            or 15(d) of the  Exchange Act that is  incorporated  by reference in
            the Registration  Statement shall be deemed to be a new Registration
            Statement  relating  to the  securities  offered  therein,  and  the
            offering of such  securities  at that time shall be deemed to be the
            initial bona fide offering thereof.

      Insofar as  indemnification  for liabilities  arising under the Securities
Act of 1933 may be permitted to trustees,  officers and  controlling  persons of
the  Registrant  pursuant  to  the  foregoing  provisions,   or  otherwise,  the
Registrant  has been advised that in the opinion of the  Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act
and is, therefore,  unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such  liabilities  (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a trustee,  officer or controlling  person of the Registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
trustee,  officer or controlling  person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been  settled by  controlling  precedent,  submit to a court of  appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such  indemnification  by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of
such issue.



                                      7

<PAGE> 8



CONFORMED
                                  SIGNATURES

            Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities Act,  Citizens First
Financial  Corp.  certifies  that it has  reasonable  grounds to believe that it
meets all of the  requirements  for filing on Form S-8 and has duly  caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,  thereunto
duly authorized,  in the City of Bloomington,  State of Illinois, on October 15,
1997.

                                  CITIZENS FIRST FINANCIAL CORP.



                                 By: /s/ C. William Landefeld
                                          ------------------------
                                          C. William Landefeld
                                          President and Chief Executive Officer


      Pursuant  to  the  requirements  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  this
Registration  Statement  has  been  signed  by  the  following  persons  in  the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

      KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENT,  that each person whose  signature  appears
below (other than Mr.  Landefeld)  constitutes and appoints C. William Landefeld
and  Mr.  Landefeld   appoints  Richard  F.  Becker,  as  the  true  and  lawful
attorney-in-fact  and agent with full power of substitution and  resubstitution,
for him and in his name,  place and stead, in any and all capacities to sign any
or all amendments to the Form S-8 Registration Statement,  and to file the same,
with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the
U.S.  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission,  respectively,  granting  unto said
attorney-in-fact  and agent full power and  authority to do and perform each and
every act and things  requisite and necessary to be done as fully to all intents
and purposes as he might or could do in person,  hereby ratifying and confirming
all that said  attorney-in-fact and agent or his substitute or substitutes,  may
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.


    Name                    Title                                 Date
    ----                    -----                                 ----

/s/                         Chairman of the Board                        , 1997
- ------------------------                                       ----------
Donald L. Wainscott


/s/ C. William Landefeld    President, Chief Executive         October 15, 1997
- ------------------------    Officer and Director               
C. William Landefeld                             


/s/ Richard F. Becker       Senior Vice President and          October 15, 1997
- ------------------------    Secretary                        
Richard F. Becker


                                      8

<PAGE> 9



/s/ Dallas G. Smiley        Senior Vice President, Treasurer   October 15, 1997
- ------------------------    and Chief Financial Officer       
Dallas G. Smiley  


/s/ Bryce A. Sides          Director                           October 15, 1997
- ------------------------                                       
Bryce A. Sides


/s/ Lyle J. Honegger        Director                           October 15, 1997
- ------------------------                                       
Lyle J. Honegger         


/s/ Lowell M. Thompson      Director                           October 15, 1997
- ------------------------
Lowell M. Thompson                                             

                                      9


<PAGE> 10



                                             EXHIBIT INDEX
                                             -------------

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                                             Sequentially
                                                                                               Numbered
                                                                                                 Page
 Exhibit No.     Description            Method of Filing                                       Location
- ------------     ------------------     -------------------------------------                ------------

   <S>           <C>                    <C>                                                       <C>           
      4          Stock Certificate of   Incorporated herein by reference from the Exhibits        --
                 Citizens First         of the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form
                 Financial Corp.        SB-2 filed with the SEC on January 24, 1996 and
                                        declared effective on March 11.

      5          Opinion of Muldoon,    Filed herewith.                                           12
                 Murphy & Faucette

    23.1         Consent of Muldoon,    Contained in Exhibit 5 hereof.                            12
                 Murphy & Faucette

    23.2         Consent of Geo. S.     Filed herewith.                                           15
                 Olive & Co. LLC

    23.3         Consent of Clifton     Filed herewith.                                           17
                 Gunderson L.L.C.

     24          Power of Attorney      Located on the signature page.                             8

</TABLE>








                                      10



<PAGE> 1




      EXHIBIT 5.0   OPINION OF MULDOON, MURPHY & FAUCETTE RE: LEGALITY




<PAGE> 2









                                October 15, 1997



Board of Directors
Citizens First Financial Corp.
2101 North Veterans Parkway
Bloomington, Illinois 61704

      Re:   Citizens First Financial Corp. 1996 Stock-Based Incentive Plan

Gentlemen:

      We have been requested by Citizens First  Financial  Corp. (the "Company")
to  issue  a legal  opinion  in  connection  with  the  registration  under  the
Securities  Act of 1933 on Form S-8 of 394,450  shares of the  Company's  Common
Stock,  $.01 par value (the  "Shares"),  that may be issued  under the  Citizens
First Financial Corp. 1996 Stock-Based Incentive Plan (the "Plan").

      We have made such  legal and  factual  examinations  and  inquiries  as we
deemed advisable for the purpose of rendering this opinion.  In our examination,
we have  assumed and have not verified (i) the  genuineness  of all  signatures,
(ii) the authenticity of all documents  submitted to us as originals,  (iii) the
conformity  with the  originals of all documents  supplied to us as copies,  and
(iv) the accuracy and completeness of all corporate records and documents and of
all certificates and statements of fact, in each case given or made available to
us by the Company or its subsidiary, Citizens Savings Bank, F.S.B.

      Based on the  foregoing and limited in all respects to Delaware law, it is
our opinion that the Shares  reserved under  the Plan have been duly  authorized
and upon payment for and  issuance of the Shares in the manner  described in the
Plan, will be legally issued, fully paid and nonassessable.


      The following  provisions of the Certificate of  Incorporation  may not be
given effect by a court applying Delaware law, but in our opinion the failure to
give  effect to such  provisions  will not affect the duly  authorized,  validly
issued, fully paid and nonassessable status of the Common Stock:



<PAGE> 3



Board of Directors
October 15, 1997
Page 2



      (a)  Subsections  C.3 and C.6 of Article  FOURTH and  Section D of Article
EIGHTH, which grant the Board the authority to construe and apply the provisions
of  those  Articles,  subsection  C.4 of  Article  FOURTH,  to the  extent  that
subsection  obligates  any person to provide to the Board the  information  such
subsection  authorizes the Board to demand,  and the provision of subsection C.7
of Article  EIGHTH  authorizing  the Board to determine the Fair Market Value of
property  offered or paid for the Company's stock by an Interested  Stockholder,
in each case to the extent,  if any, that a court applying  Delaware law were to
impose equitable limitations upon such authority; and

      (b) Article NINTH of the Certificate of  Incorporation,  which  authorizes
the Board to  consider  the  effect  of any  offer to  acquire  the  Company  on
constituencies other than stockholders in evaluating any such offer.

      We hereby  consent  to the  filing of this  opinion  as an  exhibit to the
Company's  Registration  Statement on Form S-8, and we consent to the use of the
name of our firm under the heading "Interests of Named Experts and Counsel."


                                          Sincerely,


                                          /s/ MULDOON, MURPHY & FAUCETTE




<PAGE> 1







      EXHIBIT 23.2      CONSENT OF GEO. S. OLIVE & CO.  LLC





<PAGE> 2



GEO. S. OLIVE & CO. LLC


              CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS





We have issued our report dated January 24, 1997,  accompanying the consolidated
financial statements of Citizens Savings Bank, F.S.B. and Subsidiaries appearing
in the Form 10-KSB Report filed by the Company with the  Securities and Exchange
Commission  on March  28,  1997,  which is  incorporated  by  reference  in this
Registration  Statement.  We consent to the  incorporation  by reference in this
Registration Statement of the aforementioned report.



/s/ Geo. S. Olive & Co. LLC


Decatur, Illinois
October 14, 1997












A member of
Moores Rowland
International
An Association of independent
accounting firms throughout the world.


 240 NORTH CHURCH STREET, P.O. BOX 2534, DECATUR, ILLINOIS 62522 (217) 429-2411
   FAX: (217) 429-6109 TRADE CENTER SOUTH, 100 TRADE CENTER DRIVE, SUITE 403,
          CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS 61820 (217) 355-0866 FAX: (217) 355-9849
                 OFFICES LOCATED IN INDIANA, ILLINOIS AND OHIO


<PAGE> 1









      EXHIBIT 23.3      CONSENT OF CLIFTON GUNDERSON L.L.C.



<PAGE> 2




CLIFTON                                           301 SW Adams, Suite 900
GUNDERSON L.L.C.                                  P.O. Box 1835
Certified Public Accountants & Consultants        Peoria, Illinois 61656-1835
                                                  (309) 671-4500
                                                  (309) 671-4508 Fax
                                                  www.cliftoncpa.com



              CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS





We have issued our report dated January 27, 1995,  except as to Note 13 which is
as of February 25, 1995,  accompanying the consolidated  financial statements of
Citizens  Savings Bank,  F.S.B.  and  Subsidiaries  appearing in the Form 10-KSB
Report filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March
28, 1997, which is incorporated by reference in this Registration  Statement. We
consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration  Statement of the
aforementioned report.



/s/ Clifton, Gunderson & Co.


Peoria, Illinois
October 7, 1997




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