Stefanie Schartel

Gavin O'Connor, director of the acclaimed Olympic hockey movie Miracle, returns to tell a story unveiling the Christian principles of healing and forgiveness in his second sports-related film, Warrior.

O'Connor takes viewers into the world of mixed martial arts and portrays the notion of fighting in both a physical and spiritual manner. Christian leaders who viewed early screenings of the film have seen a family overcome the devastation of alcoholism on screen and have walked away with powerful testaments.

"I just saw Warrior and it was epic," says Shawn Bolz, senior pastor of Expression 58 Church in Los Angeles. "Even though MMA fighting provides the backdrop, the true battle is the fight for forgiveness and the movie is a strong testament to the power of the family in that fight. I thoroughly recommend this movie; it is one of the best I have ever seen."

Hobby Lobby is no longer known for its retail of arts and crafts alone. The $3 billion a year company now has its name connected to Saddleback Church led by Pastor Rick Warren. Oklahoma-based Hobby Lobby has donated a 170-acre ranch in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., to the megachurch.

“Rick Warren, his staff and the church's congregation have contributed to the Lord's work on this property and we couldn't be more excited to donate this property to them,” said David Green, Hobby Lobby founder and CEO.

An alliance of global Christians, churches and faith-based poverty-fighting organizations are uniting to eradicate global poverty. The Christ-centered global initiative known as 58: was founded on Isaiah 58 where God calls on the church to to end global poverty.

Ten organizations have collectively worked through the 58: initiative to simplify the steps necessary to achieve what some may see as an impossible feat. But for Dr. Scott Todd, senior advisor at Compassion International and one of the architects of 58:, doesn't question the possibility itself. Instead he says, “The question is, 'How fast?'” At 58: partners are convinced it can happen within the next two decades. In fact, they have set 2035 as the end date.

Statistics prove the percentage of people living in extreme poverty continues to decline. In 24 years alone, the percentage of those living in extreme poverty has dropped from 52 percent to 26 percent. Child mortality rates and the rates of disease infection has declined as well. And now those behind 58: ask, “What will it take to finish the job?”

After a year of discussion and surrendering their ideas to the Lord, Bible League International (BLI) and World Bible Translation Center (WBTC) announced on Friday their plans to merge in an effort to deepen their impact and ministry around the world.

“We began to understand that if any of us in the Christian ministry world are going to be successful it will not be on our own. It has to be through partnership,” President and CEO of Bible League International Robert Frank told Charisma News.

The decision to merge came as a result of a unanimous vote by both organizations' boards.

Historically BLI has provided training materials and has worked through networks of churches and other community organizations around the world in 63 countries to get the Word of God in the hands of people in order to bring them into fellowship with Christ and His church. For more than 30 years, WBTC has provided accurate translations of God's Word into various languages of the world.