Study: Attending Religious Services Sharply Cuts Risk of Death
from Science Daily
A study published by researchers at Yeshiva University and its medical school, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, strongly suggests that regular attendance at religious services reduces the risk of death by approximately 20 percent. The findings were based on data drawn from participants who spanned numerous religious denominations. More

IRS Announces 2009 Standard Mileage Rates
from the Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service today issued the 2009 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes. More

Video: Churches Aiding Charities in Tough Economy
from WBIR-TV
Many families are cutting back on their giving this holiday season and that's having an effect on organizations throughout East Tennessee. But the dollars rolled in for charities Sunday at the Harvest of Blessings at All Saints Catholic Church. "It's a chance where groups that want to sell something to benefit their causes can get together at one event...and it's a chance for people to do Christmas shopping and benefit a lot of good causes," said Mike Martin with All Saints Catholic Church. More

Church Start Uses Technology to Reach Texas Community
from the Associated Baptist Press
Patrick Moses has a long commute from his home in Mansfield, Texas, to his job with the Department of Homeland Security in Washington. But that hasn’t stopped the former Cooperative Baptist Fellowship leadership scholar from starting and growing Antioch Baptist Church in Mansfield, a suburban community Moses described as “upwardly mobile and extremely progressive.” Throw in a local barbershop and it’s a combination tailor-made for a church whose evangelistic approach focuses on using modern technology to communicate the good news. More

Six Essential Commitments for Leadership
from The Christian Post
Leaders are always defined by self-imposed standards. I’m not talking about standards set by other people, but standards they set for themselves. Great leaders always expect more from themselves than they do from their followers. They put forth more effort as well. That’s leadership. If you were to look through the New Testament for the phrase “make every effort,” you’d find it six times. They represent six important vows we need to make as leaders. The author of this article believes these six vows will lead to an effective and productive ministry. More

Bedside Manner
from the Leadership Journal
Even for experienced ministers, the hospital presents a unique challenge. The tough questions come faster and harder. We often feel insecure and out of our element. Nevertheless, there are a few fundamentals that can help you move past those moments of awkward anxiety and perceive opportunities for God to use you profoundly. More

Children Should be Your Church’s No. 1 Priority
from Ministry Today
Children's ministry is the Rodney Dangerfield of church life: It just doesn't get any respect. The surveys conducted by the Barna Group among senior pastors consistently reveal that only one out of every five considers their church's ministry to children to be one of its most important efforts. That does not mean that children are not deemed to be important or that the congregations ignore kids. But the primary focus of most churches—as evidenced by the programs, budgeting and staffing—is taking care of adults. More

Video: Tennessee Church Offers Money-back Guarantee
from WMC-TV
The economic crisis is taking a toll on offering plates at Heartsong Church in Cordova. "Our offering since, since September seventh, has been down twenty percent," Pastor Steve Stone said. In an attempt to encourage more donations into the offering plate, Stone offered members a money back guarantee if they gave 10 percent of their income for three months straight. More

Minnesota Clergy Asks Schools to Not Schedule Games on Wednesday Nights
from the Winston-Salem Journal
Clergy in the St. Cloud, Minn., area are asking coaches and school-activity directors to maintain the longtime tradition of keeping Wednesday nights free for church. That's the night traditionally reserved for confirmation, youth-group and other religious programs. But some clergy say that sports and other activities have recently been causing a conflict. More

Church Turnaround Begins with Fearless Christian Leadership
from Church Central
So, the painful truth is out: any successful turnaround begins with you, whether you’re a pastor or layperson. Your church must see the resurrected life of Christ in you. Christ in you is the hope of the church. That is where resurrection begins. You can’t resurrect the church, but Christ in you can. More

A New Idea in Church Construction
from Preaching.com
It is not a new concept in construction, just a new idea for churches. The idea is construction management. The University of Alabama uses construction management on all its projects. Currently one of Alabama’s largest construction firms is retained by the university to review every nonathletic building program. The result has been savings in millions of dollars, according to university officials. The question is being asked if churches can benefit from the concept of construction management. More

2008 Year-end Tax Tips
from Guidestone
This is a year to pay careful attention to tax preparation. Congress passed several acts to stimulate the economy, provide disaster relief and modify or extend certain tax provisions. Tax advantages generally fall into three categories — reductions, deductions and credits; here are just a few. More