!April!2016! “Our%Mission%for%the%Master…People! !!!!!!!!!Volume!2!No.!2!

FROM%THE%DESK%OF%THE%PASTOR%Submitting,%Not%Joining%

Excerpted!from:!Church!Membership:!How!the!World!Knows!Who!Represents!Jesus!by!Jonathan!Leeman!

!f!Jesus!instituted!the!local!church!with!authority!over!us,! we! don’t! just! join! one! like! we! join! clubs! or!voluntary!associations;!we!submit!to!them!as!we!do!

to! governments.! Christians! don’t! join! churches;! they!submit!to!them.!!Both! church! and! government,! after! all,! represent! the!authority!of!Jesus,!albeit!in!different!ways.!!Even!pastors!and! church! leaders! must! submit! to! the! church! in! this!way.!!They!too,!must!have!their!citizenship!affirmed.!!Now! don’t! misunderstand.! ! From! the! nonSChristian’s!standpoint,! a! local! church! is! a! volunteer! organization.!!No! one! has! to! join.! ! From! the! standpoint! of! the!Christian!life,!it’s!not.!Once!you!choose!Christ,!you!must!choose!his!people!too.!!It’s!a!package!deal.!!Choose!the!Father!and! the!Son!and!you!have! to!choose! the!whole!family!–!which!you!do!through!a!local!church.!!Also,! a! church! exercises! its! ChristSgiven! authority! very!differently! than! the! state! does.! ! “You! know! that! the!rulers! of! the! Gentiles! lord! it! over! them,”! Jesus! said,!“and! their! high! officials! exercise! authority! over! them”!(Matt.! 20:25).! ! Christian! authority,! he! says! in! the! next!phrase,! works! by! giving! our! lives! up! for! the! sake! of!others! as! he! did! for! us! (vv.26S28).! ! Christian! authority!also!works!by!the!tender,!effective,!and!heartSchanging!power!of! the!Word!and!Spirit,!not!by! the!manipulative!powers!of!persuasion!and!coercion.!!Still,! Jesus! means! for! Christians! to! willingly! give!themselves!–!submit!themselves!–!to!a!local!church.!!

WHY%CHURCHES%ARE%A%NATIONAL%AND%%INTERNATIONAL%THREAT%

My!sense!is!that!many!Christians!don’t!understand!what!membership! is! all! about! and! why! it’s! a! big! deal.! ! But!that’s! because!we’ve! been! approaching! the! subject! all!wrong.!

!!I!can,!however!point!to!two!groups!who!understand!the!subject’s! importance! really! well.! ! First,! think! about! all!the! governments! who! have! persecuted! churches! and!their!members.! ! These! governments! have! been!wrong!to!view!churches!as!a!threat!to!their!institutional!power!–! Jesus!did!not! give! churches! the!power!of! the! sword.!!But!such!governments!have!been!dead!right! to!believe!that! church! members! won’t! give! final! allegiance! to!them.!!They!give!it!to!Jesus.!!The! second! group! who! understand! this! topic’s!importance! is! all! the! Christians! who! have! lived! under!persecution.! !These!brothers!and!sisters!have!put! their!lives!at!risk!by!being!baptized!into!a!church.!!Don’t!talk!to!them!about!“voluntary!membership”!as!if!the!church!is!a!bowling! league.! !They!know!the!price!of! their!new!allegiance.! ! “Blessed! are! those! who! are! persecuted!because! of! righteousness,! for! theirs! is! the! kingdom! of!heaven”!(Matt.!5:10).!!Picture,!if!you!will,!a!globe!with!all!nations!of!the!world!mapped! out! on! it.! ! Now! picture! one! little! embassy! of!light.!!It’s!a!gathering!of!Christians,!gathered!together!in!the! name! of! their! King,! Jesus.! ! Then! the! point! of! light!divides!it!into!two,!then!four,!then!eight,!and!so!it!goes.!!A! new! nation! is! growing! set! inside! the! nations.! ! This!new!nation!leaves!the!boundary!lines!on!the!map!where!they!are,!but!it!cannot!be!contained!by!the!map’s!lines.!!The! line!makers!don’t!have!the!authority!to!stop!these!unworldly! citizens.! ! The! points! of! light! cross! all!boundaries,! spreading! everywhere! like! yeast! through!dough,!or! like! stars! appearing!one!by!one!as! the!night!sky!darkens.!!These! are! the! churches! of! Christ! and! their! members.!!The!world!has!never!known!anything!like!them.!!From:!Church!Membership:!How!the!World!Knows!Who!Represents!Jesus!by!Jonathan!Leeman!!!!!!%%

I!

THE SOLID ROCK

PASSING THE TORCH

Submitted by: Sister Johnetta McCray Russ and Rev. James L. Russ

ow can we pass the torch to a generation that does not exist? We are instructed to pray for the generations to come; to prepare

them to continue the battle and prosper in the faith. We ARE one Father’s children. We ARE our brother’s keeper. We are called to be a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a set apart people. Jesus said the world would know us as His children by the way “we loved one another”. We are so much more than what we have become. The following poem captures it well:

Brothers Stop the Killing We all share the strain and bear the pains of frustration: But we can’t change the situation until we look within ourselves for positive solutions; Our minds must change, the focus must change. First, we have to stop killing ourselves; the enemy is not from without, he is within US! We must take a stand against murder and mayhem: the drive by shootings, killing kids in our inner city neighborhoods must stop now! Our forefathers endured more than 300 years of slavery and degradation yet maintained dignity and bravery: We owe it to ourselves to demonstrate the same perseverance and strength. Stop putting the blame on other people: Brothers, we must get angry enough to blame ourselves; then become a credit to our rich heritage. You’re smart, strong, and handsome Men, Stand tall with your heads towards the skies…TIS TIME TO RISE! The future of Christianity lies with the generation that succeeds us. We MUST prepare them to continue the fight, to share the gospel, and to spread the Word to the generation that follows them. Christianity will die with us if we don’t prepare the “succeeding generation” NOW!

NAMES OF GOD

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Elohim – “The Creator” (Genesis 1:1) Jehovah (Yahweh) – “The Lord God” El Shaddai – “God of the Mountains” or “The Almighty God” “Supplier” “The Source” (Genesis 17:1) Adonai – “Lord/Master” (Genesis 18:3) Jehovah-Jireh – “Provider” (Genesis 24:14) Jehovah-Rophe – “Healer/Deliverer” (Exodus 15:2) Jehovah-Nissi – “Victory/My Banner” (Exodus 17:15) Jehovah-Mekaddesh” – “My/Sanctifier” (Leviticus 20:7-8) Jehovah-Tsidkenu – “The Lord is our righteousness” Jeremiah (23:5-6) Jehovah-Shalom – “The Lord is Peace” (Judges 6:24) Jehovah-Rohi – “The Lord is my Shepherd” (Psalm 23:1) Jehovah-Shammah – “The Lord is my Divine Presence” “The Lord is there” (Ezekiel 48:35)

H

HOLY LAND PILGRIMAGE Between March 7 and 17 2016, several members of the Greater New Guide family joined with members of other local congregations on a pilgrimage through Israel. The group was sponsored locally by Reverend Renee Brown and hosted nationally by Dr. Geoffrey Guns of Virginia.

What a blessing it was to walk the terrain that Jesus walked. We can speak like the Palmist (8:4)), “what is mankind that you are mindful of them?” In the picture above, we are beside the Sea of Galilee where much of Jesus’s ministry took place. Jesus recruited many of His disciples from around this area (Matthew 4:18-23). We visited many regions spoken of in the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, where God demonstrated His mighty hand. We saw the mountains of Gerizim and Ebal where the law of God was read. Joshua had half the tribe stand on Mount Gerizim and read the blessing, and the other half to stand on Mount Ebal and read the curses, with the Altar of the priest in the middle of the mountains (Joshua 8:30-34). We know that the Israelites eventually chose the curses and were exiled from the land for a time. It was a solemn reminder of the terrible of effect of sin verses the benefit of obedience.

Mountains of Gerizim and Ebal

Of course, no visit to Israel would be complete without visiting Jerusalem, the birthplace of the Christian church (Acts 2).

The picture above is shown from the Garden of Gethsemane, facing the east gate of the temple. Just above this site is Golgotha (place of the skull), and nearby is the borrowed empty tomb. “He Rose”. (Matthew 27 & 28). We came to walk in Jesus’ footsteps and left with the encouragement to go where He wants us to go. To visit and worship in Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jericho, Jerusalem, Caesarea Philippi, Galilee, and so many other sites within the Promised Land was truly a spiritual and a humbling experience. Each of us said that our personal Bible reading will never be the same. Reverend Brown will be sponsoring another pilgrimage to Israel, with Dr. Guns as host, in March 2018. Greater New Guide crew: John and Cecelia Gilmore, Herman and Linda Guillory and Betty Holmes

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

MAY IS PHYSICAL FITNESS MONTH

Regular physical activity is good for everyone’s health and people of all ages and body types can be physically active. During the month of May, all adults are challenged to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. Regular physical activity increases the chance of living longer. It also reduces the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and some types of cancer. Yet many Americans don’t get the recommended amount of physical activity. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults:

• Aim for 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate aerobics activity each week. Moderate activity includes things like walking fast, dancing, swimming, and raking leaves.

• Do muscle-strengthening activities – like lifting weights or using exercise bands – at least 2 days a week.

Physical activity is for everyone. No matter what shape you are in, you can find activities that work for you. Together we can rise to the challenge and get more physical activity during the month of MAY! Source: www.healthfinder.gov Check with your health care professional before starting any exercise program.

Good Nutrition – A Part of Physical Fitness

GNGBC at The American Heart Walk

The Health Care Ministry accepted the challenge and participated in the American Heart Walk that was held on April 9, at LSU’s Old Front Nine. The event brought many communities together to raise funds and celebrate progress in the fight against this country’s number one and number five killers – heart disease and stroke. The day was filled with energy, excitement, and hope.

The Health Care Ministry would like to thank everyone who participated as the donors for their generous donations.

The Great I Am My timing is perfect; so have faith in me. Live by what I tell you; not by what you see. There is nothing too great or too grand for me. Remember, I AM the CREATOR, your FATHER, The ALMIGHTY. I spoke into existence all that you see. I created the sun, the moon and all of nature’s intricacies. By MY authority, Moses parted the Red Sea. I healed the sick and made the blind man see. So, today you lose faith and fail to trust in ME. You doubt MY love and question THEE. I promised to love you, always and forever; To abandon nor forsake you never. All of MY promises I keep and hold true, But I do ask a few of you. Follow MY words and have faith in ME. Fear not, but believe and trust in THEE. Take MY hand and hold on tight. I promise to guide you through your darkest nights. Remember my child, I created you too. So have faith in ME and all that I AM able to do. Rhonda Sylvain Pursley

FOR YOUR INFORMATION !

GRADUATE!RECOGNITION

!The! Graduate! Recognition! Program' is' scheduled'for'June'19,'following'the'Worship'Service.''All'high'school,'college,'and'vocational'technical'graduates'are' asked' to' sign'up' so' that' you'may'be'properly'recognized'at'the'time.'!The' J.H.! Freeman! Scholarship! packet' and' the'Graduate! Profile! Forms' are' both' located' on' the'media' racks,' as' well' as' in' the' church' office.''Remember,'a'profile'sheet'must'be'completed'for'each'graduate.'

!DEADLINES:'May'20,'2016'' ''J.H.'Freeman'Scholarship''''June'5,'2016' ' 'Graduate'Pro'file'Forms'!

West Baton Rouge Parish Leadership School April 25-27

New Sunrise Baptist Church 966 Maryland Avenue

Port Allen, LA Doctrine of the Holy Spirit

Leadership Education in the Local Church

National Baptist Congress of Christian Education

Pastors and Ministers Division 111th Annual Session, June 20-24

Tampa, Florida

Fourth District Congress of Christian Education

June 6-10 Scotlandville High School

The Clothes Closet

The Greater New Guide Clothes Closet is open on the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Wednesday of each month. Volunteers are needed. We are also in need of men’s clothing. For information call the Clothes Closet at 359-6931 or Ann Williams at 356-6931.

BOYS TO MEN CONFERENCE

The East Baton Rouge division of the Fourth District Baptist Association will again host the “Boys to Men Conference”. The conference will be held at Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church on Scenic Highway, beginning Friday, June 10, 2016 at 2:00 pm and ending Saturday, June 11, 2016 at 10:00 am. This two day event offers young men ages 10 to 20, the opportunity to meet boys from all over the state of Louisiana. They will: engage in activities that foster new relationships, take part in learning session, and compete in bible bowls. The activities will culminate with a banquet on the final evening. Registration is $60(including meals) per attendee and the deadline for registering is April 30, 2016. GNG Men’s Ministry will chaperone for young men from our congregation .Please see Brother Darrell Moses for registration forms and additional information.

Bible Trivia

1. How!many!books!are!in!the!Bible?!(Old!Testament!and!New!Testament)!

!2. What!was!the!name!of!the!Shepherd!

boy!who!became!the!second!king!of!Israel?!

!3. How!many!brothers!did!Joseph!

have?!!

4. Who!were!the!parents!of!Cain!and!Abel?!!

5. Noah!sent!out!2!different!kinds!of!birds!from!the!Ark.!!What!were!they?!!

6. After!the!flood,!what!sign!did!God!give!that!He!would!not!destroy!the!earth!with!a!flood!again?!!

7. Who!did!Boaz!marry?!!

8. Abraham!traveled!with!his!nephew.!!What!was!his!nephew’s!name?!!

9. What!was!the!name!of!Joseph’s!baby!brother?!!

10. Who!found!the!baby!Moses!in!the!river?!GNGBC MEMBER RECOGNIZED

Alexis Pickney, a 2015 J.H. Freeman Scholarship recipient, was recognized for scholarship achievement at Alabama State University by making the Dean’s List. Alexis is a freshman and a member of the Alabama State Lady Hornet’s Track Team. At the 2016 SWAC Indoor Track and Field Championship, she was crowned SWAC champion in the women’s pole vault event. Her victory helped the Alabama State Lady Hornet’s Track Team win their 18th consecutive SWAC Indoor Championship Title.

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People Who Walk With God

Always Get to Their Destination

INTERCESSORY PRAYER LIST Mary Bell

Quincy Brumfield, Jr. Emma Coston Dennis Henderson Juanita Gilmore Jimmie Gaines Edward Knighten Tim Watkins Bennice Winding

Bible!Study!Theme!for!2016!

“Building!on!a!Solid!Foundation”!“Watch'your'life'and'doctrine'closely,'persevere'in'them,'because'if'you'do,'you'will'save'both'yourself'and'your'hearers”.'

I!Timothy!4:16!MEMORY!VERSES!April'Therefore' go' and' make' disciples' of' all' nations,'baptizing' them' in' the' name' of' the' Father' and' of'the'Son'and'of'the'Holy'Spirit.''Matthew!28:19!!May!And'pray'in'the'Spirit'on'all'occasions'with'all'kinds'of'prayers'and'requests.''With'this'in'mind,'be'alert'and' always' keep' on' praying' for' all' the' saints.'Ephesians!6:18!!July!But' you' will' receive' power' when' the' Holy' Spirit'comes' on' you;' and' you' will' be' my' witnesses' in'Jerusalem,'and'in'all'Judea'and'Samaria,'and'to'the'ends'of'the'earth.''Acts!1:8'

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We’re Inv i t ed Grea t e r Moun t Gideon Bap t i s t

Chur ch Chur ch Anniv e r sa ry

Sunday , May 15, 2016 3:00 p .m.

Pastor Webster has been asked to bring the message. The Greater New Guide Choir has been asked to provide music.

! Greater New Guide Baptist Church

3445 Fairfields Avenue Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802

Reverend Isaiah J. Webster, Pastor 225-356-4410

gng@gngbc1914.brcoxmail.com

PLEASE VISIT OUR NEWLY REDESIGNED WEBSITE AT: www.gngbc.net Check back often for updates and new information.

Weekly Schedule

Sunday Church School (all ages) 8:30 AM Praise and Worship 9:45 AM Sunday Worship Service 10:00 AM

Communion 2nd Sunday Children’s Church 10:00 AM

1st,2nd, and 4th, Sundays

Wednesday Bible Class and Prayer 6:00-7:30PM

(all ages) Thursday Bible Class (adults) 10:30 AM

Trivia!Answers!

!1. 66!(39)!(27)! ! 6.!Rainbow!2. David! ! ! 7.!Ruth!3. 11! ! ! 8.!Lot!4. Adam!and!Eve!! 9.!Benjamin!5. Raven!and!Dove! 10.!Pharoah’s!daughter!

**********!The!next!quarterly!issue!of!The!Guide!is!scheduled!for!publication!in!June.! !If!you!would!like!to!have!an!article!included!in!that!issue,!please!place!it!in!The!Guide!mailbox!in!the!church!office!or!e!mail!it!to!gng@gngbc1914.brcoxmail.net!All! submissions! are! subject! to! editing! and! final!approval!by!the!Pastor.!!

Corrections from the January, 2016 Guide Courtesy Guild: Dena Nabers, Chair Audio-Visual CD Ministry: Velecial Rodman, Chair

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IN

US

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Date of

Event

Nam

e of Event

Start Tim

e E

nd Tim

e Location of E

vent

5/27/16 Y

M G

ame N

ight/Rap Session

5:00 pm

9:00 pm

Activity C

enter

5/28/16 Y

M Service Project

9:00 am

3:00 pm

Multi-Purpose R

oom

Before D

eparture

7/22 – 7/23/16 B

ack To School L

ock In 7/22/16 through 7/23/16

Start 7/22/16 @

6:00 pm

End

7/23/16 @

9:00 am

Act. C

enter, Multi-

Purpose, Chapel, C

lass R

ooms

9/17/16 Y

outh Leaders in W

orship T

raining Refreshm

ents 11:30

am

1:30 pm

Sanctuary

10/15/16 Y

M V

isit Sick & Shut In/Service

Project 11:30 am

5:00 pm

M

ulti-Purpose Room

B

efore Departure

12/17/16 Y

M C

aroling at the Nursing

Hom

es 11:30 am

5:00 pm

M

ulti-Purpose Room

B

efore Departure