The 27-year-old son of Pastor Rick Warren has taken his own life after a lifelong struggle with mental illness. The internationally known Christian leader at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., made the announcement about his son early Saturday morning in an email sent to his staff.

"No words can express the anguished grief we feel right now. Our youngest son, Matthew, age 27, and a lifelong member of Saddleback, died today," wrote Warren.

"Over the past 33 years we've been together through every kind of crisis. Kay and I've been privileged to hold your hands as you faced a crisis or loss, stand with you at gravesides, and prayed for you when ill. Today, we need your prayer for us," began the staff email from him. more >>

A global anti-slavery movement led by Pastor Louie Giglio is preparing for two big events – "End It Sunday" and "Shine a Light on Slavery Day" on Tuesday when Americans throughout the nation will wear the symbolic red "X" symbol.

"Then people have to ask – 'what is this?' At that point, we as a nation can raise our voice in honor of the 27,000,000 slaves. The hope of the movement [is] for everyone to know. Indifference is NOT an option," Masi Willis, project manager of the End It Movement told The Christian Post on Thursday.

Some notable churches are behind the movement and will be participating in "End It Sunday" and "Shine a Light on Slavery Day," including senior pastors Giglio from Passion City Church it Atlanta, Perry Noble of NewSpring Church, Steven Furtick of Elevation Church, Curtis Jones of Bayou City Fellowship, and others. Willis told CP that there has been an "incredible response" to the movement, but they have not yet tracked the numbers involved. more >>

Two of the biggest megachurch pastors in the Seattle area, Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church and Judah Smith of The City Church, are already getting ready for the major 2013 Resurgence Conference in November. They talked about their good friendship in a recent interview.

Smith, who is still promoting his book, Jesus Is: Find a New Way to Be Human, which he discussed in an interview with The Christian Post in March, was recently interviewed by Driscoll.

The Mars Hill leader, who has been invited to preach at The City Church numerous times, said: "I believe it makes Jesus happy that two of the largest churches in our region are genuinely for one another, love one another, encourage one another, and care for one another." more >>

Bishop T.D. Jakes of The Potter's House in Dallas, Texas, has been tapped to host a new talk show scheduled to debut in the fall on BET as part of the network's move toward more faith-based programming.

Describing "T.D. Jakes Presents: Mind, Body & Soul" as "better talk," BET Networks promises that the show, airing on Sundays, will cover a wide range of issues such as health and wellness, finance and relationships.

The talk show is tied to BET Gospel programming that includes shows like "Celebration of Gospel," "Sunday Best" and "Bobby Jones Gospel." The network already airs Jakes' ministry program, "The Potter's Touch," which reaches 67 million households every month through various outlets. 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 >>

Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., has finally decided to launch a daily radio program after three decades in ministry, citing as motivation "three deep convictions" he feels God has "burned" into his heart.

As the megachurch pastor and The Purpose Driven Life author shares in an explanatory video, the reasons for starting the daily radio program primarily are about equipping Christians all over the world to spread the Gospel and drawing attention to issues of religious freedom and moral malaise in the U.S.

"I am deeply concerned about the direction of our nation and the decay of our culture. If we don't have a spiritual awakening in our nation, I fear for the future of our country," Warrens says in the video on the "Daily Hope" Web page. more >>