Lauren Daigle, Lecrae, TobyMac And for KING & COUNTRY To Participate In Simulcast To Help Small Churches In Financial Crisis
Christian music artists and leaders are linking up to partake in a special simulcast in an effort to help small churches financially impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The event will feature chart-topping Christian music artists like Lecrae, Lauren Daigle, TobyMac and for KING & COUNTRY.
A recent survey revealed that 42 percent of pastors said giving was “significantly” down while 28 percent noted a slight decrease in giving. Only about 26 percent of pastors said that giving “stayed about the same.”
The goal was to raise $500,000 for churches at risk of closing. Ex-NFL star Benjamin Watson, who is the spokesperson for the event, stressed the need some churches have for immediate funding as “it may take months” for some of them to receive government assistance.
The simulcast aired at TogetherGeneration.com/CHC on May 15. Proceeds from the event will be sent to at-risk churches.
Mississippi Pastor Advances To The Finale Of NBC’s The Voice
A Mississippi pastor advanced to the finals of NBC’s The Voice in May. Pastor Todd Tilghman expressed surprise in a late-night video that he had made it that far.
“I cannot believe this,” said Tilghman, the lead pastor of Cornerstone Church in Meridian, Mississippi, “I’m grateful for every minute of it.”
He joked that he’s “four or five episodes past” his goal.
Tilghman sang the 1991 country song “Love, Me” by Collin Raye with his eight children sitting around him, watching. Tilghman told his Facebook Live audience he couldn’t have advanced to the finals by himself.
“I just sing—and that’s it. The rest is all you…and the goodness of God,” he said. “I am so, so thankful that God has seen fit for this to go the way that it has.”
Tilghman is a member of Team Blake, which means he works with and is coached by country singer Blake Shelton. Although The Voice normally takes place in front of a live audience, the pandemic has forced the singers to perform at remote locations.
For more information, visit www.nbc.com/the-voice.
‘Faith in Jesus’ Is The Secret To Dude Perfect’s Success
A new Dude Perfect documentary that has jumped into YouTube’s top 10 and amassed millions of views also provides a peek into the group’s faith.
Dude Perfect: Backstage Pass is a YouTube Original film that landed on the platform in May and tells the history of the five friends who went viral a decade ago with basketball trick shots and then expanded their base with comedy routines. The movie is a part of Dude Perfect’s channel, which has 51 million subscribers. It gives fans a look at their family life and faith.
The film includes footage of their families gathering around them and praying before they embarked on the first live tour of their career. Dude Perfect consists of Tyler Toney, twins Cory and Coby Cotton, Garrett Hilbert and Cody Jones. The film also shows the men visiting children in the hospital and welcoming Make-A-Wish children on their tour.
“We all love what we do,” Hilbert said. “But we all know that there’s something more than just our own happiness, our own satisfaction, and that’s to give back.”
Coby calls it a “huge opportunity” to bring joy to a child who is battling an illness. Speaking of the group’s fame, he said, “We want to use the opportunity to do something meaningful.”
For more information, visit www.YouTube.com and search ‘Dude Perfect.’
