IRVINE, Calif. – More than 4,000 Christians interested in becoming better leaders packed out the Catalyst West conference held at Mariner's Church in Orange County beginning last Wednesday and ending Friday.

"We were praying that for every leader here this would be a bench mark for them or a marker on the road of leadership for them," Catalyst President Brad Lomenick told The Christian Post backstage at the event. He said that he hopes leaders would be able to look back at the conference and say that it was a significant turning point in their lives.

"We pray that with a fearless sense and an aggressive belief that it is going to happen for leaders individually," Lomenick said. "I feel like that it is happening [at Catalyst West]. The unity, the fun, and the energy are here. It's always here [at Catalyst conferences], but we feel like we dialed it up a bit." more >>

An expert with a pro-family group that serves as a watchdog for graphic content in entertainment media does not believe the recently announced changes to the MPAA's ratings system offer anything new.

Dan Isett, director of public policy for the Parents Television Council, told The Christian Post that while the decision was a "step in the right direction" it did not go far enough.

"Certainly anytime there is more information for parents it's a good thing. There's nothing to criticize about that," said Isett. more >>

The Federal Communications Commission has received over 56,000 comments in opposition to their proposal to loosen their standards regarding graphic content on television and radio.

According to the American Family Association, the large number of comments given to the FCC took place over the span of only one week.

"It is apparent that Americans have an extremely high interest in what is allowed over the airwaves and what their children and grandchildren are watching and listening to on television and radio," the group said. more >>

Christian psychologist and author Dr. John Townsend, an expert on Christ-centered recovery for mental and emotional health issues, will be speaking at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., for all five worship services this weekend, just a little more than a week since the death of Pastor Rick Warren's son, Matthew.

Townsend told The Christian Post in an exclusive interview on Friday that he had already been asked to speak at Saddleback prior to the tragedy in order to talk about an upcoming feature-length movie that includes the church's Celebrate Recovery program as part of the film's story. He said he now plans to include some of his thoughts about what the Warren family is going through.

Matthew Warren's death was ruled a suicide by a self-inflicted gunshot wound occurring on Friday, April 5. He was 27-years-old. more >>

Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council, recently spoke on his radio show about President Barack Obama's approval of proposed background checks on commercial gun purchases, saying that he worries background checks could produce a "watch list" that would prevent evangelicals and Catholics from purchasing firearms.

In the Wednesday airing of his "Washington Watch" broadcast, Perkins affirmed that although his conservative nonprofit organization is more concerned with family policy, he also believes that "it's a family issue to be able to protect your family."

"I can't imagine living in a house without a gun," Perkins said. more >>

CARY, N.C. – The global media organization Trans World Radio (TWR) said that within less than two years they will be able to deliver Christian content to nearly 60 percent of the people in the world in their own language. The ministry plans to do this by integrating its broadcast capabilities through radio, Internet, and smart phone technology.

"If you can imagine a Web portal with hundreds of ministries coming to one location to have their Christian content (audio, text, or video) available," Ralf Stores, U.S. Director of Media Development and Services, told The Christian Post recently. "Not only the content of hundreds of ministries, but have that content available in every one of the major languages of the world."

Stores said that TWR is currently the largest media ministry in the world when it comes to radio. Through their broadcast stations and outlets placed in strategic parts of the world, the 60-year-old ministry's primary method of delivering Christian programming is through AM, medium and short wave radio stations. more >>