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In my research for the sermon series Gossip, I came accross this from the Religion News Service and Ashly McGlone. Read it and let me know what you think.

A Michigan pastor is urging people to go "Gossip Free" for at least eight days starting on 8-8-08, but said it's never too early to stop listening to or sharing idle chatter at home, work or especially church.

Pastor Kevin Hester of Sanctuary Baptist Church in Coloma, Mich., said "even though gossip is commonly accepted by people and churches, God takes it seriously. It's right next to murder in the Bible."

Hester argues in his pocket-size book, "Gossip Free? The High Cost of Low Talk" that "gossip has caused more wars, broken up more homes, ruined more businesses, split more churches and destroyed more lives than anything else throughout human history."

Hester has distributed between 1,000 and 2,000 white " gossipfree.org" bracelets with his book, and is asking people to abstain from gossip for eight days, starting next month.

"Eight is the number in the Bible for 'new beginnings.' Most familiar is the story of the flood and God starting over with eight people," Hester said.

The campaign is similar to one launched in 2006 by Will Bowen, a pastor in Kansas City, Mo., who launched a "Complaint Free" campaign and eventually got more than 5 million people to join him.

Rebekah Trosper, a Wal-Mart department manager in Benton Harbor, Mich., and a member of Hester's congregation, publicized the campaign at work. More than 75 employees in her store are now wearing gossip-free bracelets.

"Wal-Mart is a big company and is always under a lot if gossip. I've seen a change in the associates. It makes you stop and think," Trosper said. "Gossip affects everyone in the world but you can make a difference if you try."