Editor's Note: The new "Faith & Work" series will profile Christians who are influencing the culture in their professions. The series will examine how Christians can apply the Gospel into their lives and develop a Gospel-centered worldview to positively influence the common good and better serve their profession and industry.

Holly Hoffman, a finalist who finished fourth in CBS's reality television show, "Survivor Nicaragua," just released a new book, Your Winner Within, Own your Power, Your Attitude and Your Life, to help others "survive in the real world."

"What I learned from being on the reality show, I have been able to apply to the real world of survival," she says. From her experience on the show, she learned what really mattered to her – her faith, her family and friends, and finding an inner strength she didn't know she had. "Life is not always fair," she says. "My faith makes me realize that there is always a reason [for a life experience] and if God brought you to it, He will get you through it." more >>

Television show producer and media consultant Phil Cooke recently shared that he once partnered with evangelist Joel Osteen as producers of Christian TV programming, including helping with Osteen's own broadcasts that now reach 10 million U.S. households each week.

Cooke and Osteen became close friends as well as colleagues when they worked on Pastor John Osteen's (Joel's father) prime-time TV specials. Osteen was recently interviewed by Cooke about the practical lessons he learned behind the camera that have contributed to his enormous influence in front of the camera. The interview can be read at MinistryToday. 

The Christian Post interviewed Cooke, who is the CEO of Cooke Pictures in Hollywood, via email about Osteen and today's TV production for evangelists. more >>

A nonpartisan organization that advocates for well-enforced decency standards for entertainment media is holding a week for awareness of possible changes in television and radio decency standards.

The Parents Television Council has announced that this week is "#NoIndecencyFCC Week," which is part of their effort to convince the Federal Communications Commission to keep their current decency standards.

Tim Winter, president of the Parents Television Council, told The Christian Post that "#NoIndecencyFCC Week" is based on the belief that the FCC's proposal on changing its decency standards is "extremely troublesome." more >>

Tracey Edmonds launched a YouTube faith-based channel with a lineup of Christian programming on Easter Sunday, and recently revealed that she has no qualms with competition from the rising genre of reality television.

Edmonds, the 46-year-old film executive who launched AlrightTV on YouTube last month, spoke with Sister 2 Sister magazine's May 2013 issue about her line of programming competing with the popularity of reality TV shows.

"I'm in a whole different lane. My programming is uplifting and funny and entertaining," Edmonds told Sister 2 Sister. "I don't even have to worry about reality shows. If that's what you're looking for, you know where to find that. If you want to laugh, feel good, be uplifted and feel positive about life, then you tune in to AlrightTV." more >>

"The Bible" is one of the most popular miniseries of all time, and it is now being made into a 3-hour movie by producer Mark Burnett. The show is being reconstructed into a new movie that will hopefully be released in the fall of 2013.

"We're cutting a movie version right now, a three-hour version of Jesus and [we have] many, many offers from theaters globally," Burnett told The Hollywood Reporter. The popular series could be released as early as the fall of 2013, which would play off of the high ratings and sales of the DVD.

Burnett also did not rule out the possibility of a second series that expands upon more stories found in the Bible. more >>

Olivia Osteen, niece of famed pastor Joel Osteen, has joined forces with Disney star Jake Short to bring national awareness to children suffering from hunger in the U.S. through the Blessings in a Backpack campaign.

The two young advocates have recently been featured in a public service announcement (PSA) to promote the nonprofit organization, which works to fight hunger in elementary schools nationwide by supplying children on the federal Free and Reduced Price Meal Program "with a backpack of food to take home for 38 weekends during the school year," according to the nonprofit's website.

Short, who is the star of Disney Channel's comedy A.N.T. Farm, and Osteen, an aspiring actress who serves as a young Christian role model, implore viewers to contribute to Blesssings in a Backpack in their recent PSA announcement, which was produced by Sound Tree Entertainment's Gregory James Blount. more >>