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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Louisiana brothers bring ‘amazing grace’ to ‘The Amazing Race’

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer GONZALES — Louisiana natives Daniel and Eric Guiffreda have teamed up for the ultimate road trip as one of 11 teams featured on the show “The Amazing Race,” which is airing for the next two months on CBS. The twins are determined to survive the weekly elimination challenges and win the various legs of a race around the world in order to take home the first-place prize of $1 million. Filming for the show began in late September and wrapped up a month later, however, the first episode only aired Jan. 3. The brothers prevailed in the first elimination contest, advancing to round two, which will air Jan. 10, 7 p.m. While the brothers – both firemen in Gonzales – were unable to share with the Baptist Message details about what happened during the filming, they said the experience was among their most memorable together. BROTHERS IN CHRIST Daniel, a member of First Baptist Church, Gonzales, and Eric, a member of Cross Point Baptist Church, Baton Rouge, said that after they served together as Marines in Iraq and started families of their own, they thought their brother-to-brother traveling days were over. Then they received a call Sept. 11, informing them they had been chosen to … [Read more...]

Louisiana Family Forum opens contest for state’s longest married couple

By Louisiana Family Forum 2018 is the year of honor at Louisiana Family Forum. In February, Louisiana Family Forum will honor marriage by celebrating the 2018 Longest Married Couple. We will also recognize the Top-Ten Longest Married couples in Louisiana in the organization’s 2018 Marriage Hall of Fame. To be eligible, couples must be married for at least 70 years. Applications must be submitted to Louisiana Family Forum by Feb. 7 to info@lafamilyforum.org or call the LFF office at 225-344-8533 or 800-606-6470. Information needed in each application is the nominee's contact information, story and a key contact person's email address and phone number. … [Read more...]

House committee passes Johnson’s bill to streamline environmental approvals

By Ainsley Holyfield, Office of U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson The House Natural Resources Committee has passed H.R. 3133 the Streamlining Environmental Approvals Act of 2017, known as the SEA Act). The SEA Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson (LA-04) in June of last year, reduces duplicative government regulations in the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act while maintaining marine mammal protections and setting firm permitting deadlines for coastal initiatives. “Washington bureaucrats should never have the authority to halt coastal initiatives based on their own politically biased agendas," said Johnson, a member of First Baptist Church, Bossier City. "Yet many permit approvals are prolonged, including coastal restoration efforts and critical naval operations, specifically for that reason. The SEA Act takes important steps to implement strict deadlines for agencies while maintaining appropriate permitting standards, allowing projects to move forward only if they meet the highest requirements. I applaud the Natural Resources Committee for recognizing the importance of this commonsense legislation and my colleagues for moving it forward.” Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop released the … [Read more...]

GuideStone announces relocation to new office space in Dallas; current headquarters building sold

By Roy Hayhurst, GuideStone Financial Resources public relations GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention will relocate in late summer 2018 to 115,000 square feet of new leased offices at Pinnacle Tower. The new offices are located at 5005 LBJ Freeway in North Dallas, about 10 miles north of its location in Dallas’ Uptown district. GuideStone has occupied its current home since 1989. GuideStone’s headquarters building has been sold, but will be leased back until the move can be completed in the third quarter of 2018. GuideStone trustees have worked closely with staff as it undertook a study in early 2017 to assess its facilities needs in light of its long-range goals. The move will occur as GuideStone celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2018. It has been based in Dallas since its founding in 1918. “The move is part of our Vision 20/20 and GuideStone 100 long-range strategic plans,” GuideStone President O.S. Hawkins said. “Part of our commitment in our strategic plan is to aggressively manage costs to remain competitive for the benefit of our participants. This relocation is one of many changes, along with technology solutions and headcount reductions, that we’ve made over the last three years to … [Read more...]

New believers brave cool temps to show ‘hearts on fire’ for Christ

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BATON ROUGE – Despite cool fall temperatures, 20 new believers braved the brisk conditions to be part of a special outdoor baptism service Oct. 22 at Istrouma Baptist Church. One by one, each stepped into a brimming horse trough, restated his and her individual faith in Christ, was plunged beneath the water and raised to symbolize being born again in Christ – and was greeted with hugs and cheers from friends and family among the several hundred supporters in attendance. Scheduled as part of its “One Another Sunday,” the baptisms brought together Istrouma Baptist’s Baton Rouge, Prairieville and Hispanic campuses. Indeed, a number of the baptized were among the 105 people who responded to Evangelist Jay Lowder’s message during the morning worship service that day. “It’s like Jay drew the net but the seed had been sown in people’s heart by the love our people show the community throughout the year,” Pastor Jeff Ginn told the Baptist Message. “When push comes to shove, we are called to lead people to Christ, baptize them and make disciples. All of those who are new to Christ tend to bring their friends and that’s what happened here. They came to the baptism service and brought … [Read more...]

Laying aside the earthly. You might want to get ready for this.

By Joe McKeever “For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”  (2 Corinthians 5:1) “We do not want to be unclothed, but to be clothed, in order that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.” ( 2 Corinthians 5:4) My wife gets attached to cars. I do not.  Recently, I gave my 2015 Camry to my oldest granddaughter.  I’ve done that several times before–starting with the ’96 Camry to my son many years back, later the ’05 to a granddaughter, the ’09 to our twin granddaughters, the ’13 Honda C-RV to my son, and now this one.  I’m happy to pass them along, and as one might expect, they enjoy getting them. To me a car is a thing, an instrument we use.  My oldest granddaughter names them.  The ’05 is Sandy and this ’15 is Pearl (names based on their colors).  Like most cowboys in the old west, I don’t name my mounts.  I take good care of them and have them serviced by the dealer on the recommended schedule, and thus have almost no trouble from the car.  But when it’s time to replace it with a newer version, I’m happy to let it go. Think of that as a parable.  We let things go so they can be replaced by something … [Read more...]