The teaching ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley, pastor of First Baptist Church of Atlanta, has launched a "Missing Persons Project" campaign to encourage local faith communities to "recognize and receive [their] forgotten members," those who might be considered social outcasts or even marginalized by their churches.

"Today, the Body of Christ is missing many of its members. Too often we're guilty of assigning greater value to one part than the others," says Stanley in an introductory video on In Touch Ministries' website.

In Touch Ministries, founded in 1972 as "The Chapel Hour," has been releasing a series of special reports in an effort to encourage local churches to "welcome all people with open arms of love," according to Stanley, who referenced at the start of the video James 1:27. The Bible verse describes "pure and faultless" religion as looking after "orphans and widows in their distress" and keeping oneself "from being polluted by the world." more >>

Pastor Joel Osteen of Lakewood Church tells Esquire magazine in its newest issue how he overcame extreme nervousness and finally found the confidence to speak before thousands. The evangelical Christian leader of America's largest church also reveals the biggest mistake he has made as a preacher, which he says happened early in his career.

Talking with Rachel Richardson for the Esquire essay on public speaking, or "How to Own the Room," the megachurch pastor said that before taking over full-time for his father in the pulpit, he used to be a nervous wreck just making church announcements.

"I was so nervous and I so dreaded doing it, I had to hold on to the podium because I felt like my hands would shake," Osteen told Richardson. "My first thought was 'Why are all these people staring at me?'" more >>

Mars Hill pastor Mark Driscoll in a sermon Sunday discussed what a biblical marriage should look like and what it should not look like, including comparing a wife's nagging to the torture of hearing a dripping faucet.

"And some women – you're a nag. You're disrespectful. You're quarrelsome. Being married to you is like a life sentence, and the guy's just scratching on his wall every day, 'One more day. Just one more day,'" said Driscoll, eliciting laughter from those in attendance at the Seattle-based megachurch. "Proverbs talks about certain women – they're like a dripping faucet. You ever tried to sleep with a dripping faucet? Plunk, plunk, plunk, plunk, plunk. It's what we use to torture people who are prisoners of war."

Driscoll, the preaching and vision pastor of Mars Hill, made the comments in the second half of a sermon titled "I Am Loved" as a part of the church's sermon series about the Book of Ephesians called "Who Do You Think You Are?" Driscoll based his sermon on the text found in Ephesians 5:22-33, which says wives should "submit" to their husbands and husbands should love their wives "as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her." more >>

A North Carolina megachurch known for its fast-growing congregation has received approval for further expansion of its facilities to an old theater.

Elevation Church, one of the state's largest churches, got a zoning approval on Monday evening by the Cornelius Board of Commissioners to the old Palace Theater, located in an area called Lake Norman.

Tonia Bendickson, director of outreach and communications for Elevation, told The Christian Post that the congregation was "thrilled" at the approval. more >>

Pastor Rick Warren cancelled plans to be a part of a live webcast interview discussing the subject of grief after his son's suicide with LifeWay Research President Ed Stetzer during a major church planting conference in Orlando on Tuesday.

Warren made the cancellation announcement via Twitter: "#Exponential13 Sorry I'm unable to have my heart-to-heart with you pastors I love today but the media heard so I pulled out."

Warren, who has not made a public appearance since his son's death on April 5, was scheduled to be interviewed by Stetzer on his webshow, "The Exchange," hosted at the Exponential 2013 conference on Tuesday, The Christian Post learned from LifeWay Research Monday. more >>

In anticipation of its transfer to a Catholic sanctuary in June, Crystal Cathedral Ministries recently held a moving sale.

Once led by the Rev. Robert H. Schuller, CCM sold off books, office supplies, music, knick-knacks, inspirational gifts, and other collectibles Saturday, from the morning until early afternoon.

According to an ad posted in the Orange County Register, the sale was held at the Family Life Center on the third floor of the Cathedral, with transactions being done with cash only. more >>