Tuesday, June 6, 2023
No Result
View All Result
SUBSCRIBE
The Chimney Rock Chronicle
58 °f
Broadway
59 ° Wed
63 ° Thu
61 ° Fri
64 ° Sat
64 ° Sun
  • Home
    • About Us
    • Pickup Locations
  • Columns
    • All
    • Book Notes
    • Eating Well in the Real World
    • Faith
    • Fishing with Mike
    • From the Potting Shed
    • Fulks Run Follies
    • Gobbler Sports
    • Headlines from Plains Museum
    • Hiking With Ray
    • Local Business
    • Local Legends
    • Musings from the Woodpile
    • Personal & Professional Development
    • Randy's Ramblings
    • Reflections from a Fuller Life
    • Sarah's Recipes
    • The Gospel Vault
    • The View From Here
    • The Wandering Wilkins
    Photograph of Wes Dove

    Investing in Change

    The Wandering Wilkins

    The Wandering Wilkins

    The View From Here

    The View From Here

    Randy image

    Randy’s Ramblings

    Hiking with Ray

    Hiking with Ray

    Plants with history

    Plants with history

    Bass Fishing with Mike – December 2021

    Fishing with Mike

    Understanding the Holy Spirit – Part 4

    The Importance of Fellowship

    john coffman in alaska

    Our 11,635 mi camping trip to Arctic

    WLTK Logo

    Gospel Vault

    Spiritual Fitness Is Crucial

    The Proof Is In The Doing

    Photograph of Ronnie Fulk

    Fulks Run Follies

    From the Potting Shed

    From the Potting Shed

    chicken scratch bakery

    Home Baked Goodness!

    Crunch Time

    Crunch Time

    Trending Tags

    • Entertainment & Events
    • History
      • All
      • Bev's Historic Notes
      Plants with history

      Plants with history

      Paul Saunders, Singers Glen’s Hero of WWII

      Paul Saunders, Singers Glen’s Hero of WWII

      Cullers Run School in Hardy County, West Virginia

      Cullers Run School in Hardy County, West Virginia

      The Chimney Rock VFW Celebrates 75 Years of Service

      The Chimney Rock VFW Celebrates 75 Years of Service

      HEADLINES From Plains District Memorial Museum

      Highlights from the Plains District Memorial Museum

      Bad Roads

      Revolutionary War Service

      Mattress Shopping

      Retta’s Column

      HEADLINES From Plains District Memorial Museum

      Headlines from PLAINS DISTRICT MEMORIAL MUSEUM

      The Miller Family of the Genoa Area

      The Miller Family of the Genoa Area

    • Our Sponsors
      • Advertising
    • Home
      • About Us
      • Pickup Locations
    • Columns
      • All
      • Book Notes
      • Eating Well in the Real World
      • Faith
      • Fishing with Mike
      • From the Potting Shed
      • Fulks Run Follies
      • Gobbler Sports
      • Headlines from Plains Museum
      • Hiking With Ray
      • Local Business
      • Local Legends
      • Musings from the Woodpile
      • Personal & Professional Development
      • Randy's Ramblings
      • Reflections from a Fuller Life
      • Sarah's Recipes
      • The Gospel Vault
      • The View From Here
      • The Wandering Wilkins
      Photograph of Wes Dove

      Investing in Change

      The Wandering Wilkins

      The Wandering Wilkins

      The View From Here

      The View From Here

      Randy image

      Randy’s Ramblings

      Hiking with Ray

      Hiking with Ray

      Plants with history

      Plants with history

      Bass Fishing with Mike – December 2021

      Fishing with Mike

      Understanding the Holy Spirit – Part 4

      The Importance of Fellowship

      john coffman in alaska

      Our 11,635 mi camping trip to Arctic

      WLTK Logo

      Gospel Vault

      Spiritual Fitness Is Crucial

      The Proof Is In The Doing

      Photograph of Ronnie Fulk

      Fulks Run Follies

      From the Potting Shed

      From the Potting Shed

      chicken scratch bakery

      Home Baked Goodness!

      Crunch Time

      Crunch Time

      Trending Tags

      • Entertainment & Events
      • History
        • All
        • Bev's Historic Notes
        Plants with history

        Plants with history

        Paul Saunders, Singers Glen’s Hero of WWII

        Paul Saunders, Singers Glen’s Hero of WWII

        Cullers Run School in Hardy County, West Virginia

        Cullers Run School in Hardy County, West Virginia

        The Chimney Rock VFW Celebrates 75 Years of Service

        The Chimney Rock VFW Celebrates 75 Years of Service

        HEADLINES From Plains District Memorial Museum

        Highlights from the Plains District Memorial Museum

        Bad Roads

        Revolutionary War Service

        Mattress Shopping

        Retta’s Column

        HEADLINES From Plains District Memorial Museum

        Headlines from PLAINS DISTRICT MEMORIAL MUSEUM

        The Miller Family of the Genoa Area

        The Miller Family of the Genoa Area

      • Our Sponsors
        • Advertising
      No Result
      View All Result
      The Chimney Rock Chronicle
      Subscribe
      Thank you to our Sponsors! Thank you to our Sponsors! Thank you to our Sponsors!
      Home Columnists

      How To Live Longer And Be Happier

      George Bowers by George Bowers
      December 30, 2022
      in Columnists, Faith, George Bowers, Lifestyle
      Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

      What if someone offered you an opportunity to extend your lifetime, enhance your marriage, and help you find more meaning and purpose in life? A rigorous study by Tyler VanderWeele at Harvard University can help us find what this sounds-to-good-to-be-true solution is.

      VanderWeele found that regular participation in a religious community was a major contributor to human flourishing. Studies over many years found that attending religious services at least weekly is associated with 25-35 percent reduced mortality over 10-15 years. One study even found that regular attendance over a lifetime yielded an average of 7 additional years of life.

      Church attendance was also found to yield 20-30% reduction in depression and 3-6 times lower suicide rates. In addition, participation in a local religious body was found to reduce divorce by 30-50% which not only impacts spouses, but their children, parents, schools, and communities. Participants also reported greater satisfaction within their marriages.

      Not surprisingly, those who attended services regularly were found to be more generous in their charitable giving and more likely to volunteer. They were more inclined to be engaged in their local communities and found greater meaning and purpose in life.

      Researchers also examined those who had their own private religious practices but did not attend services and found that while this also yielded positive results, meeting together with others was essential in producing the benefits cited above.

      Who knew? God did. Which is why He inspired the writer of Hebrews years ago to advise us not to neglect the assembling of ourselves together. God does know what He’s talking about and His Word is again proven to be for our good. God has promised to bless those who seek Him and we ignore His commands to our detriment.

      Many believers have long known that Christianity is beneficial not only in the next life, but in this one also. Rigorous research has verified this yet again. Another article in the January/February 2020 issue of Christianity Today cited a study of ten Christian congregations in Philadelphia that found each of them contributed $140,000 worth of social services to their community each year.
      A larger study of 90 churches examined all the ways that they contributed to their local economies and found benefits ranging from 1.2 to 2.5 million dollars per congregation. If governments had to pick up that tab, it would mean higher taxes and likely less efficiency.

      The CT article went on to state that while many nonprofits do good work, no other organizations do as much for their local communities as churches. Suicide prevention, grief ministry, addiction suppression, homeless prevention, preschools, and food pantries are just a few ways churches are reaching out and meeting needs not just of their own members, but of the larger area. And this doesn’t include Christian missions in the third world that are feeding children, providing clean water, and delivering education.

      Even avowed atheist Richard Dawkins has some appreciation for the church. Why would this famous evolutionary biologist be saddened by the decline of the Christian Church in Europe? Because he knows of the positive impact it has on reducing crime and maintaining a civilized society. Even though he argues against God’s existence, he admits that acting on such a belief benefits both he and others. He said, “Ending religion is a bad idea. People may feel free to do bad things because they feel God is no longer watching them.”

      Even those who don’t believe in God can’t argue with the benefits His people receive and provide to their communities. If you made a resolution to attend church in 2023, follow through for the glory of God, your neighbor’s good, and your own benefit. Blessings, George

      George Bowers

      George Bowers

      George Bowers is the Senior Pastor of Antioch Church of the Brethren in Woodstock, VA. He spent 17 years teaching Agricultural Education and enjoys writing poetry while hunting. He can be reached through www.georgebowersministries.com or at gabowers@shentel.net.

      Next Post
      Sarah’s Recipes

      Sarah’s Recipes

      Popular Articles

      • Eldon Layman: Retired Educator and Book Creator

        Eldon Layman: Retired Educator and Book Creator

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0
      • Morel Hunting Season Is Here!

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0
      • STUDIO 259

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0
      • Hottinger Family

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0
      • The Lantz Family

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0
      • Making Memories Without Spending Lots of Money

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0
      • Handy with Randy

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0
      • Home Baked Goodness!

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0
      • Fulks Run Follies

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0
      • Valley Avon Business Center, LLC

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0
      • About Us
      • Advertising
      • Contact
      • Pick Up Locations

      © 2023 The Chimney Rock Chronicle - Website & E-Commerce by Bare Web Design, Broadway Va.

      No Result
      View All Result
      • Home
      • Columns
      • History
      • Sports
        • Thank you to our Sponsors!
        • Advertising

      © 2023 The Chimney Rock Chronicle - Website & E-Commerce by Bare Web Design, Broadway Va.