CHICAGO /Christian Newswire – The First Amendment’s freedom to speak in public has been the most foundational freedom for Americans since the founding of the nation. Many have benefited from this freedom such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., D.L. Moody and, more recently, Curt Teesdale, a Chicago pastor. In 2008, police officers arrested Teesdale […]

When the leadership at the General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA) of the United Methodist Church encountered problems gathering data from its churches, they turned to TrendSend for help. TrendSend is an email and web-based system that gathers key data on organizational performance, generates trend reports and provides a platform for sharing information. With […]

By Chris Lisee (RNS) Maybe religion really is the opiate of the masses – just not the way Karl Marx imagined. A University of Washington study posits that worship services at megachurches can trigger feelings of transcendence and changes in brain chemistry – a spiritual “high” that keeps congregants coming back for more. “We see […]

BREA, CA — The 2012 WFX Conference and Expo in Atlanta asserts an ambitious theme: Preparing churches of all sizes to meet evolving leadership, technology, and facility needs. During the four-day conference (September 18–21), Evangelical Christian Credit Union (ECCU) will help deliver on that theme by presenting two educational sessions, one featuring generosity expert Brian […]

BREA, CA – Today’s  changing world brings increased risks to churches and nonprofits in the areas of finance, tax, legal, and operations. Responding well to change begins with a fuller understanding of these risks. CapinCrouse LLP and Evangelical Christian Credit Union (ECCU) have teamed up to offer a series of financial seminars to help churches […]

By Carol Pipes NASHVILLE, TN – Pastors say the economy continues to have a negative impact on their churches despite stabilized giving, according to a survey by LifeWay Research. The survey of 1,000 Protestant pastors asked respondents “how is the economy impacting your church?” Almost two-thirds (64 percent) responded negatively, with 56 percent indicating somewhat […]

By Adelle M. Banks (RNS) The number of congregations that host worship services at more than one physical location has grown to more than 5,000 in the last decade, according to a new report. Researchers say these “multisite” churches, which may share worshippers across town or many miles apart, are growing at a much larger […]

Despite ongoing political tension in the Middle East, guided tours to major historical and biblical sites in Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Greece and Turkey continue to be popular among Americans, according to U.S.-based tour operator America Israel Travel (AIT). “Due to the Arab Spring, people may think it’s not safe to travel to the region and […]

By Lauren Markoe (RNS) After the movie theater massacre in Aurora, Colo., and a deadly shooting at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wis., Americans are divided on gun control, and within certain religious groups, attitudes are far from ambivalent. But on the question of guns in churches, there is actual consensus: A strong majority […]

By Jon D. Wilke NASHVILLE, TN  — When it comes to discipleship, churchgoers struggle most with sharing Christ with non-Christians according to recent study of church-going American Protestants. The study conducted by LifeWay Research found 80 percent of those who attend church one or more times a month, believe they have a personal responsibility to […]