Gwen Stefani urges Christians to pray this Christmas, quotes Scripture: 'God so loved the world'
Singer Gwen Stefani has encouraged Christians to join her for a prayer challenge this Christmas, stressing that the holiday is about the biblical truth that "God so loved the world that He gave us His only Son."
The No Doubt lead singer shared a video message on X revealing she recently partnered with the Catholic prayer app Hallow for the Pray25 Challenge. The initiative, themed "For God So Loved the World," explores the meaning of John 3:16 and seeks to reorient hearts toward the true essence of Christmas.
"This season has always been my favorite time of the year," the 55-year-old singer said. "It's a season that we get to celebrate the birth of our Lord. This year, I'm excited to share that I've partnered with this amazing prayer, meditation and music app called Hallow on their 15-day prayer challenge leading up to Christmas called Advent Pray25. Join me and millions of other Christians around the world, as we celebrate together the truth that God so loved the world that He gave us His only Son."
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In addition to Stefani, Hallow is partnering with "The Chosen" star Jonathan Roumie, Matt Maher, Lauren Daigle, Sarah Kroger and Francis Chan, each offering reflections and music to enrich the spiritual experience.
Stefani was raised Catholic and has often spoken about her faith and upbringing. She has mentioned that her faith plays a vital role in her life and is the foundation of her marriage to Blake Shelton, a practicing Christian.
"She has such a strong faith in God," Shelton said of his wife in 2022. "If Gwen was sitting here right now, she would say God (is first), and then everything else. That's number one in her life, and has been her whole life. She doesn't beat you over the head with it. She would never do that. That's her relationship."
Roumie previously told The Christian Post he wanted to team up with Hallow because he's passionate about helping others pray and return to the heart of Christmas.
"The epitome of what all of us as Christians believe is that God came to Earth in the form of a baby [...] that would grow up to be a man who saved humanity by reconciling us back to God, the Father," Roumie said.
"When you really consider what takes place when we get to Easter, it all starts here at this moment, in this season of Advent, with Christmas," he continued. "It's much more monumental and impactful, and heavier spiritually, than I think most people, especially nowadays, have come become so familiar with."
For Roumie, Advent is a sacred time to prepare for the monumental arrival of Christ — but consumerism, he lamented, has overshadowed the spiritual depth of Christmas.
"We're so used to Christmas being absconded by commercial endeavors and consumerism and all of those aspects of the holiday that have culturally overshadowed the meaning of Christmas and the spirit behind Christmas and what Christmas actually is about," he said.
"It's about the arrival of the Savior of the world, and the humility in which He arrived into the world, in a stable by two Jewish peasants in a backwater town in Israel. That can't be lost on us. I think this challenge really brings people back to the heart of what Christmas is about."
As part of the Pray25 Challenge, Roumie reflects on A Severe Mercy, a story of faith, love and loss intertwined with the mentorship of CS Lewis. Recording these reflections was a deeply emotional experience for Roumie, who said he was moved to tears multiple times. "It's such a beautiful story," he said. "I can't wait for people to experience it."
