LAKE FOREST, Calif. – Saddleback Church members took their first step towards healing after learning the previous day from Pastor Rick Warren that his son had committed suicide: they wept together.

Already scheduled to preach the weekend services before the tragedy occurred, Associate Senior Pastor Tom Holladay, who is Warren's brother-in-law and often considered his right-hand man, told those attending church services Sunday morning that he had been asked to talk about a book that the lead pastor had been reading.

"[Warren] said 'there's this little book I've been reading and I would like you to talk to the church about this book – the points that are in this book – and the name of the book is How to Survive the Worst Day of Your Life'," Holladay explained to an overflow crowd of more than 3,500 and to those watching online. more >>

A major social conservative organization is calling upon the Federal Communications Commission to not loosen its standards for graphic content on television and radio.

The American Family Association, a Tupelo, Miss.-based pro-family group, announced Thursday that Americans should petition the FCC "to uphold high television, radio decency standards."

"In addition to the overarching negative impacts of indecency in media on children, a more immediate issue exists: radio 'shock jocks' that thrive on shocking even the most hardened of sensibilities will have even greater latitude to express even more profanity without the worry of FCC censure," states AFA. more >>

Producers of "The American Bible Challenge" TV game show have teamed up with the popular Bible App by YouVersion to provide polling data, study and reference for teams for the show's second season.

Hosted by comedian Jeff Foxworthy, the GSN entertainment company show features three teams being tested for their Bible knowledge and winning money for their favorite charities. Joining the show for the second season as musical co-host is nine-time Grammy winner Kirk Franklin who leads the show's gospel choir.

YouVersion draws upon its vast community to provide the polling data for a new show challenge focused on Bible interpretation. In this segment, contestants are asked to correctly estimate how people responded to questions about Bible passages or what they would do in similar situations. As well, when the teams prepare for their intense final round, they'll rely on the Bible App for study and reference. The Bible App offers over 400 versions of the Bible in more than 200 languages. more >>

Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias recently discussed the ramifications of social media on society and implied that the Internet phenomenon was like the Tower of Babel from the Bible.

He began his discussion of social media that is posted in a video at ChurchLeaders.com by answering the question, "Isn't Facebook bad?"

"I think that's a great question and I frankly think it is an enormously vital phenomenon," Zacharias said. "Most of us, particularly my generation, do not fully understand it because many in my vintage will not often use it to its full extent. I don't even understand the ramifications of it sometimes, but I will tell you what, we've watched recent movements in continents and sub-continents, watched demagogues overthrown, watched systems changed, [and] watched revolutions begin." more >>

The Gospel music divisions of Motown and EMI record companies are merging together, The Christian Post learned in an exclusive interview with Pastor Touré Roberts of One Church International in Los Angeles. Although an official announcement was still pending at press time, Robert's church plans to host a concert event featuring artists from both labels Tuesday evening.

"It's awesome to get two big entertainment companies in music who are taking their Gospel divisions and bringing them together," Roberts told CP. "First of all, that's huge. It communicates that just from a corporate perspective the desire for Gospel music and the sense of profitability from labels. There's going to be a lot of resource, backing up music that we all believe in – it's God centered.

"I think it's an exciting time for music and people, and in particular, Gospel artists," he said. more >>

Churches across the United States, many now more technologically equipped than ever before, are set to make their Easter services and celebrations this weekend collectively perhaps the most watched Christian event in history.

As churches of all sizes ramp up their webcast and livestream capabilities, no longer is television and radio the top component to spreading the Gospel message of Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, and reaching those beyond the church walls.

"To pull this off we had to install satellite and Internet equipment at each of our churches, as well as broadcasting equipment at downtown Seattle," Mars Hill Church Communications Director Justin Dean told The Christian Post. The church, led by the media savvy Pastor Mark Driscoll, will be broadcasting online all six of the Easter services led by Driscoll from their downtown Seattle church. more >>