Eric "Doc" Benson is hoping America won't let him go without food for 40 days, but he is willing to do it if necessary to raise funds to complete a movie highlighting the struggle many small and mid-sized churches are having with change in America today.

The former pastor, now working as a filmmaker, has pledged to fast for 40 days or less, whichever comes first, until he raises $12,200 through a crowd-funding campaign on Indiegogo.com to finish the movie project about a church's struggle to deal with change in its congregation. The $12,200 will be used to cover post-production expenses that Benson is unable to meet alone. Once finished, the movie will be shown at some festivals and movie theaters.

"I poured every hour, every dollar I could spare into making this movie happen," Benson explained in a release on Monday. "My wife, Annette, my boys, and I have emptied out our savings and invested our time and talents, because we feel God wants this film to be a blessing to people. Now, the only thing I have left to give is...myself," he said. more >>

With his resignation nearing, Pope Benedict XVI will soon be given the new title of "Pope Emeritus" and adhere to a newly created set of specific rules outlining the details of his retirement.

The last time a pope resigned from the position of the Bishop of Rome was in the 15th century with Pope Gregory XII. Given the scarcity of previous examples, officials at the Vatican have laid out what the soon-to-be former pontiff will do, where he will live, and even what he will wear.

Benedict XVI will be dubbed "pope emeritus" to reflect his former position. However, he will still be referred to as "His Holiness," a common term used for the pope. more >>

Indiana's largest megachurch, and America's 15th biggest congregation, the Family Christian Center, is now facing a new foreclosure case for a bank debt of more than $600,000.

Citing information from documents filed in Lake Superior Court last Tuesday, an nwitimes report said the First National Bank of Illinois filed the mortgage foreclosure case against the church, senior pastor Steve Munsey, the Internal Revenue Service and Sutton Place Condominiums. The church owed the bank $604,447.02, as of Jan. 4, according to the court records seen by nwitimes.

The Christian Post searched for the court documents on the county website, but the dockets were no longer available. more >>

LOS ANGELES – More than 400 guests attended an Academy Awards show viewing party co-hosted by a collaboration of more than a half-dozen different Christian-based ministries at Bel Air Presbyterian Church on Sunday evening. All the ministries are focused on helping believers make an impact through their work in the entertainment industry – especially in the tough arena of Hollywood.

"God tells us that when two or more are gathered in His name then He is there," Karen Covell, founder of the Hollywood Prayer Network, told The Christian Post. HPN was one of the ministries helping with the event that featured a live broadcast of the Oscars shown on several big screens inside the church, food, prizes, and short discussions about faith in the industry during the commercials.

"Our goal as Christian professionals in Hollywood is to use our gifts and talents in the secular entertainment industry, along with ministering to the creative community, both by loving and sharing our faith with our co-workers who don't yet know Jesus and to build up, encourage and pray for our Christian friends and associates," Covell explained. "That won't happen unless we gather together, break bread together, build unity and have fun together." more >>

The Roman Catholic Church is dealing with new controversy following the resignation of Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the most senior Catholic cleric in Britain and leader of the Scottish Catholic Church, who allegedly engaged in inappropriate behavior with other priests.

In his resignation letter, O'Brien revealed that he had presented Pope Benedict XVI with his resignation a number of months ago, and recently received news that the pontiff decided that O'Brien's service would come to an end on Monday.

"I have valued the opportunity of serving the people of Scotland and overseas in various ways since becoming a priest," O'Brien, 74, who had been Scotland's top cleric since 1985, said in his letter. more >>

As a single and divorced man, it took Pastor Duke Taber eight years and more than 185 rejection letters before finding a congregation that would consider him as leader of their church. Even after three years as the lead pastor of a small church in Pine Haven, Wyo., Taber said he still gets his "feathers ruffled" when someone attaches a stigma about singles.

"Honestly, I got a little frosted at a comment made by my friends concerning their pastoral search and the fact they wouldn't consider a single pastor," said Taber, who writes the popular blog, "Small Town Preacher – Big Time God."

It was during dinner with his friends who are in pastoral ministry and looking to retire when the discussion turned to their search for a replacement. "In the context of that conversation the statement was made, 'we would not consider someone who was not married,'" he explained. more >>