Diligence, persistence and relationships are keys to obtaining U.S. government money for faith-based initiatives, experts say.

Churches learn it’s better to first cast the vision and test it before wading into a fund-raising campaign with unrealistic expectations.

If your church sustained losses from a fire or other disaster, would you be able to rebuild and replace everything or would you lose facilities and/or resources because your insurance is inadequate? Would your worship and important ministries suffer?

Materialism is one of the Church’s biggest foes, according to ministry leaders at the Christian Stewardship Association’s annual conference. Until local congregations make stewardship ministry and education a priority, they say, giving will continue to drop and ministries’ outreach will suffer.

If you’re a minister, there’s a taxing situation that needs your attention. It goes by three little letters: IRS. No need to panic. Instead, you might be happy to learn that this government agency rolled out important changes for 2002 that should help clergy keep more of their hard-earned money.