Christian Foundation Hosts Virtual Christmas Concert, Raises $1M to Send Gospel to the Unreached

A Christian organization dedicated to mobilizing people and resources to reach those who have never heard the Gospel raised over $1 million through its annual Christmas concert, which was performed virtually for the first time.

Light the World Christmas Concert

On Dec. 13, The BLESS Foundation hosted it’s annual Light the World Christmas event to support five other Christian organizations that help share the Gospel with more than three billion people who have yet to hear about Jesus.

The annual concert is usually held in Austin, Texas, but was performed exclusively online — a decision that allowed the ministry to reach a wider audience than ever before.

The event featured a live interview with former NFL quarterback and Christian philanthropist Tim Tebow. Musical guests included  the African Children’s Choir, Shane & Shane, and Drew Womack, Mission Network News reported.

Overcoming ‘Inward-Focused’ Mentality

Tom Watkins with Trans World Radio, one of the five beneficiaries of the Light the World event, said the concert helped Christians see the need for the Gospel around the world.

He added that the American Church can become so “inward-focused” that they unintentionally disregard the plight of those outside themselves.

“I think inherently, we’re all becoming more inward-focused — not that we really want to be, but I think people are drawing in. Our circle of people that we’re involved with is less. We’re more concerned about safety,” Watkins explained.

“I think there’s a danger there — particularly maybe this Christmas of all Christmases — that we could tend to be a little too inward-focused [and] lose our focus on our responsibility for reaching the nations,” he added.

Trans World Radio develops digital and broadcast programs in several languages to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with unreached and unengaged people groups around the globe.

Beneficiaries of Light the World

In addition to TWR, there were four other beneficiaries of the $1 million raised: 

• Young Life: Responsible for introducing young people to Jesus across Africa while “transforming hearts, lives, families, and communities in the process.”
• Justice Ventures International: Committed to bringing “freedom, justice, and restoration to those suffering from human trafficking and other extreme injustice.”
• Christar: Dedicated to serving “least-reached” people groups around the world, including those who are deaf.
• Ethno360: Devoted to sending missionaries from local churches to unreached people groups around the world.

According to The BLESS Foundation’s website, the ministry is raising funds in support of five vital categories: “ending the orphan crisis, fighting human trafficking, mobilizing cross-cultural workers, advancing the Gospel, and supplying life-sustaining resources globally.”