By Timothy E. Head, GuideStone Financial Resources communications DALLAS — GuideStone’s theme for 2015 was the “Year of Efficiency,” whereby GuideStone sought out new efficiencies in people, processes and policies. Scores of efficiencies were identified and implemented throughout the organization, including streamlining employee training and onboarding, renegotiating energy contracts and bulk mailing services, and lowered medical group sizes to help assist more churches. Coming out of that effort GuideStone has announced a realignment of certain job responsibilities and the promotion of three new executive officers from within the ranks of the organization. The restructuring dovetails with GuideStone’s update to its long-range plan, GuideStone 100, to carry the ministry to its centennial in 2018, and beyond to 2020. Many positions were combined or redeployed and a small number were eliminated. Eligible personnel were offered an early voluntary retirement package, while many other employees were reassigned to open positions. A total of nine people who were unable to be accommodated in open positions were offered severance packages. “These steps we have taken will enable us to further enhance our ministry as we prepare to … [Read more...]

This article is used by permission from the Christian Examiner. By Gregory Tomlin, Christian Examiner RIO DE JANEIRO (Christian Examiner) – In the run up to the Rio Olympics, first-time Olympian Maya DiRado told a journalist she believed God didn't really care whether or not she won in the competition. "I don't think God really cares about my swimming very much," DiRado said in June. "This is not my end purpose, to make the Olympic team. My God is powerful and in control, but I don't think he cares whether I win. It's interesting theology you can get into when it's a God of victory in your sport." To read the rest of the article, click here. … [Read more...]

By Tim Ellsworth, Baptist Press RIO DE JANEIRO (BP) - Micah Christenson spent the past year playing professional volleyball in Italy. Sound like fun? He thought so, too, until he got there. He couldn't speak the language and was living alone for the first time in a foreign country. He didn't have any friends on the team. And then he got sick the first week. To read the rest of the article, click here. … [Read more...]

By Staff, Christian Examiner RIO DE JANEIRO (Christian Examiner) – Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life had a profound impact on Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps, ESPN has reported. After the 2012 Olympiad, when Phelps decided he was retiring from swimming, he reportedly sank deep into depression and started drinking heavily. However, not knowing what to do in life was not his only problem. To read the rest of the article, click here. … [Read more...]

Used by permission from Christian Examiner By Michael Foust, Christian Examiner RIO DE JANEIRO (Christian Examiner) – American Simone Manuel became the first African-American woman to medal in an individual swimming event Thursday night, and then immediately gave "glory to God" during an emotional interview. Manuel won the women's 100-meter freestyle, tying Canada's Penny Oleksiak for the gold medal with a time of 52.70 seconds – a new Olympic record. It was a comeback victory for Manuel, who appeared out of the gold medal hunt halfway through the race but passed several swimmers during the final 50 meters. To read the rest of the article, click here. … [Read more...]

By Tim Ellsworth, Baptist Press RIO DE JANEIRO (BP) - Vincent Hancock was so fed up with skeet shooting in 2011 that he almost quit. Despite winning gold in skeet shooting in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Hancock had lost his love for the sport. After a horrible World Cup competition in Slovenia - his worst finish ever - he called his wife Rebekah to tell her he wanted to quit. "No, don't do that," Rebekah told him. "Just get home. Let's talk about it. Let's pray about it." To read the rest of the story, click here. … [Read more...]

The following article is used by permission from the Christian Examiner. By Michael Foust, Christian Examiner RIO DE JANEIRO (Christian Examiner) – Simone Biles, Aly Raisman and the rest of the "Final Five" are this year's American gymnastics Olympics stars, but eight years ago in Beijing, it was Shawn Johnson. Johnson went into the 2008 Olympics as the favorite in the women's individual all-around, floor exercise and balance beam. Her teammates were quite good, too, and many considered the USA the favorite to beat the hometown Chinese for the team gold. To read the rest of the article, click here. … [Read more...]

The following article is used by permission from the Christian Examiner. By Gregory Tomlin, Christian Examiner RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Christian Examiner) – U.S. Track & Field athlete Allyson Felix will compete in several races next week in the Rio Olympics and, while she hopes to win the gold, she's more interested in winning the crown of life. Felix told the L.A. Times last week that her Christian faith is the reason she runs, and she said she knows the ability she has to virtually fly around the track was given to her by God. To read the rest of the article, click here. … [Read more...]

By Tim Ellsworth, Baptist Press RIO DE JANEIRO (BP) - In Sarah Scherer's competitions, the slightest movement -- even an errant breath -- can be the difference between winning and losing. It's understandable that such circumstances can cause times of nervousness and tension during a shooting competition. That's why the Olympic shooter a few months ago decided to start reciting the Lord's Prayer to herself when the pressure is on. "I realized I do that in life," Scherer told Baptist Press. "I might as well do that when I'm competing. Being able to say a prayer that's a structured prayer is very comforting." The 2016 Olympics are a return visit for Scherer, who competed in the women's 10-meter air rifle competition in London in 2012. This time, in addition to that event, she's also representing Team USA in the 50-meter rifle three position, in which competitors shoot at a target from kneeling, prone and standing positions. When she's competing, Scherer has to summon every ounce of focus and concentration she can to be successful. And she has a time limit. That's where the Lord's Prayer comes in -- something she knows by heart and can recite quickly without losing mental focus. "The words are still just as … [Read more...]

By Tim Ellsworth, Baptist Press RIO DE JANEIRO (BP) - Mackenzie Brown showed enough promise as an archer that she moved to the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., as a teenager. That proved to be a difficult experience that required a lot of extra maturity, and Brown relied on the Lord to help her through those times. "That was kind of a culture shock for me," Brown, now 21, told Baptist Press. "It definitely put me through a couple of rough patches where my faith wasn't as strong, but I always came back. God always found me and pulled me out every time. I thank Him every day for it." Brown, the fourth-ranked archer in the world, was upset in the round of 16 on Monday (Aug. 8) by San Ye Htwe of Myanmar, ending her hopes for a medal and bringing her first Olympic competition to a close. Despite the disappointing outcome, Brown's Olympic journey was done with the support of her family and her family's home church, Flint Baptist Church in Flint, Texas. Brown's mother Stacey is the Vacation Bible School director at the church. Her father Chuck and sister Rilie are also members there. Though Brown attends church in California where she lives, she also manages to stay connected to the Flint … [Read more...]