Megachurch

Two megachurch pastors from the Dallas, Texas-area, who both witnessed segregation between whites and blacks in the U.S. decades ago, took a closer look at the racial divide still existing today inside the Church during a pastors' conference Webcast from Harvest Studios in Aurora, Ill., on Wednesday.

While taking part in the Elephant Room Round 2 – a gathering of seven prominent church leaders in the Christian community – Pastors T.D. Jakes of the Potter's House and Jack Graham from Prestonwood Baptist Church agreed that racial hatred still exists both inside and outside the Church.

Although both are based in the Dallas area with thousands of members attending, the Potter's House congregation consists of nearly 100 percent African-Americans and other minorities, while Prestonwood Baptist is nearly all Caucasians. more >>

The Oprah Winfrey Network confirmed Tuesday that as part of her new primetime series, "Oprah's Next Chapter," Winfrey will interview Bishop T.D. Jakes, founder and senior pastor of The Potter's House in Dallas, Texas.

"The series, which features Oprah as she steps outside of the studio for riveting, enlightening and in-depth conversations with newsmakers, celebrities, thought leaders and real-life families, will expand to air part two of her in-depth interviews starting Monday, January 30," the network announced.

Winfrey will be visiting Jakes at his 30,000-member church, but the network did not reveal when the visit will be made nor when the recording of her visit with the megachurch pastor would air. Jakes, also an author and filmmaker, broadcasts his sermons on "The Potter's Touch," which airs on a variety of Christian broadcasting networks, including Trinity Broadcasting Network and Black Entertainment Television. more >>

[UPDATE] 1/24/12 3:50 p.m.

[This updated version contains comments from Elevation Church]

What's more important? Reaching the lost or growing the reached? Over the past two weeks, the ongoing debate between discipleship and evangelism took center stage during one megachurch's Code Orange Revival. more >>

Mark Driscoll, pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church in Seattle, Wash., has hit back at critics who claim his new book penned with his wife, Real Marriage: The Truth About Sex, Friendship, and Life Together, goes too far, or doesn't go far enough, in its discussion of marriage and sex. 

"You try to write a book on marriage and sex with your wife and next thing you know there are a lot of ants crashing your picnic," he wrote Tuesday in a post for CNN's Belief blog.

In Real Marriage: The Truth About Sex, Friendship, and Life Together Driscoll and his wife, Grace, describe their marriage in a "brutally honest" way, exposing their relationship struggles and sharing "the lessons we learned along the way." They also talk frankly about sex. more >>

LAKE FOREST, Calif. – Pastor Rick Warren launched his "40 Days in the Word" biblical literacy campaign over the weekend by preaching that the Bible is not only historically and prophetically accurate, but scientifically trustworthy as well.

The best-selling author of The Purpose Driven Life, who is also well-known for authoring small group studies that are often conducted at other churches, told his Saddleback Church congregation in Lake Forest, Calif., and a worldwide Web audience that the Bible can be trusted because of seven main points he outlined.

"Before we get into '40 Days' we've got to start with one question, and it's this, 'How do I know I can trust the Bible?' That's a legitimate question because if this is not the word of God let's go home. I can think of a lot of other things to do besides reading a book that's just another book by a bunch of men," said Warren during the weekend worship services. more >>

A popular political and economic analyst and African-American culture critic has stirred controversy with a column bashing Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church over his multiple sexual misconduct allegations, calling the Atlanta, Ga., minister a "bold-faced liar."

Dr. Boyce Watkins, a published author and Scholar in Residence in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Syracuse University, bashed the Georgia minister, known for multiple controversies including alleged sexual misconduct with male church members. The critic expressed admiration that the young men who accused Long have been speaking out, "in spite of the consequences for doing so," which he expressed in a column in his online publication, Your Black World.

"They've been ridiculed and attacked by Eddie Long supporters, dealt with the stigma of being involved in a homosexual relationship, been publicly chastised by their attorney and lost hundreds of thousands (some say millions) of dollars by telling their secrets to the world," Watkins wrote. more >>