The Best Christmas Pageant Premiere and Mountain Aid Benefit Concert

[Music] good evening and welcome to good news and entertainment I'm Carly Boyette we have a busy show for you tonight a little later you're going to hear about an amazing lineup of Christian music artists that are coming together to offer help to those affected by Hurricane Helen in the mountains the benefit concert is called Mountain Aid and 100% of the proceeds will be going to Samaritan's Purse much more on their organization as well but first tonight I want to take you out to Hollywood California where I have the exciting opportunity to be at the Red Carpet premiere of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever the movie is now in theaters and the review news have been amazing let's hear more from the cast and crew walking the carpet and as you'll see it had a much different vibe than most premieres as it was extremely familyfriendly relaxing and [Music] [Applause] fun Go Tell It on the Mountain over the hill he and everywhere Go Tell It on the Mountain that Jesus Christ is [Music] born one of the main things that made me want to tell this story was when I finished the book I thought I don't know that I can think of a story that is so explicitly Jesus focused and yet is so universally acceptable um it doesn't feel like homework it doesn't feel like it's exclusive um because I think so everyone from Every stripe can see someone in the story that's themselves and so I think there's something about Christmas that's uniquely unifying and so around Christmas time you can turn on the radio and hear Frank Sinatra singing about Jesus there's no other time of year that can get that where you can get away with that so my hope is that this movie can draw people in they can experience this story and then maybe see it in a different way and maybe give it more of a chance for the rest of the year maybe it's not Just A Christmas Story question brag on these kiddos for a minute because really if they couldn't sell it and do their job you wouldn't have your film and that's a lot of pressure to put on these kids and they did it uh yeah I don't tell the kids how much pressure is on them because uh I don't want to I don't want them to lose focus but by the time we were done filming I'm like you made our movie um to find kids who have the humor and the Heart who can focus for that long now they didn't always succeed but neither did Pete Holmes and Judy Greer so you know I I I was a parent to everybody body including our adults but as we were gathering all the auditions the hours and hours and hours my wife is my co-casting director along with the official casting director she watches all those tapes by the time it got narrowed down it was almost as though God was like I'm going to make this decision easy for you there's one person for this role there's one person for this role it was similar to The Chosen it was clear God didn't wasn't going to let me screw it up and they are amazing enjoy the night job well done so much thank you tell me about how much fun this movie was you can't tell me it wasn't fun it's going to break my heart if it wasn't no like I don't know how anyone could say it wasn't fun this was probably one of my best experience in my entire life a it was so fun tell me about one of your favorite memories working on this film one of my favorite memories is when all the herdmans went to stunt training and we got to hit each other with like foam sticks it was really fun talk about the message of this movie and did you learn anything just being a kid and being a part of it I mean it's a big it's a big message for both kids and adults that I think we can all learn from yeah so I find the message of the movie is what kindness can do to a person the true like story of Christmas and family and what I learned learned from it was just how much you have to appreciate the ones you love job well done you did amazing thank you so much talk about uh making this film and what this meant to to you and being a part of this you had a big role at all those kiddos yours is the the big one it meant so much to me to be able to um to uh act with these amazing talented kids and I love them so much and I've just found real family and what will you remember most kind of this um this experience of you know working with Dallas and and all the the cast members and stuff what are you going to take with you you think for the rest of your life really yeah really just a group of amazing supportive people directors and crew and cast and amazing friends and new family so tell me about this movie and making this movie what are going to be some things that you remember that are going to stick with you from here on out oh my God uh the connection to the cast and my crew around me was truly special I mean everyone had great camaraderie on set and we all got to know each other so well we're practically family at this point and there were just so many scenes where we all really connected and we got to understand the meaning of what this movie really is about what is that lesson for you don't judge a book by its cover and I say this because the herdmans are like the scrap of the Town apparently and then when they actually treat them right and give them a chance they prove that they can be good too uh you look fantastic I'm loving this suit yeah thanks I it's mainly from my mother I got to give her credit for that but I think I like it I think I looks nasty you do mom knows best I love it good job Mama talk about this film and how much fun this was this film was so much fun to make it was the movies comedic behind the scenes was comedic the people are comedic it's like a it's like a combo of comedians I guess what was the hardest part of working on this film do you think was there anything challenging about it um one thing was challenging was I had to not I had to not smile in certain scenes cuz I'm supposed to be like some serious kid I rarely smile unless I'm being devious so when I accidentally smile I feel so guilty I'm like I'm not supposed to smile it's that would be hard for me too so I totally do you have any big bucket list items or dreams that you want to go on and do from here um my biggest bucket list number one is s into a Star Wars movie oo number one I am a Star Wars nerd that's my number one priority all right well maybe we'll see you on a Star Wars Red Carpet One Day Lucas film hire me please I'll do anything I'll die in the prologue just please you're awesome buddy enjoy the night job well done on this film thank you I am so excited and happy to be here it's going to be the best movie ever you have the big famous scene where you yell real loud how many takes did that take um about like four two oh that's not bad no okay uh tell me what else that you love about uh that you think people were going to enjoy when they watch this movie what do you hope they enjoy about um I hope they enjoy like that the um true meaning of Christmas and at the beginning like that we were super mean and at the end um we learned about Jesus and we started going to church and everything was just great it's going to be the Best Christmas Pageant [Music] Ever today we're going to ignore everything except blood now that's a pageant I'd actually like to see now for movie times in your area just go to bed Christmas Pageant ever. movie okay now to that benefit concert I was telling you about called Mountain Aid it's coming up November 14th in Johnson City Tennessee several artists like Steven Curtis Chapman Brandon Heath Point of Grace Jason Crab and so many others are all coming together to help raise money for those still suffering in the appalachin mountains 100% of the funds raised are going to Samaritans purse who have been on the front line since the storm went through one of those groups performing and the ones that are actually had the idea to host this benefit concert is a bluegrass band called chosen Road they have had two albums that landed Billboard's number one spot for Bluegrass albums and several radio singles I had a chance to talk to Jonathan Buckner one of the founding members about why they decided to do this benefit concert but first here's a little bit of their song The Storm still knows his voice the storm Storm still knows his voice the Storm still knows his voice When Faith turns into down and fear says there's no way out the storm knows 15 years y'all have been together yeah it's hard to believe that it's been that long we started in 2009 and when we started 15 years AO we never had any idea that we would still find ourselves doing this 15 years later but we're here yes you are and that song that we just heard I think is a a perfect kind of start if maybe people are just um starting to to hear about you guys now certainly with this uh huge concert this benefit concert that you're helping to host um let's talk about this and and kind of the music and the area the communities that you really that your team that your band has really started from has been hit hard over the last couple of weeks and I know this has just must weighed so heavy on you guys yeah it's hard to believe that it's been over a month now since um going on a month and a half since the storm since the storm's hit the day I live in southern West Virginia and we got some damage we didn't have power for a little over a week in my neighborhood we had hundreds of trees down and there was some structural damage to some homes and some families that were just place but we didn't have anything like our neighbors literally over the mountain from where I'm sitting right now I'm looking at the mountain I can be to Western North Carolina in about two hours um and so the storms hit on Friday on Saturday um I had to leave town because we actually had a show in Nashville while I was on our bus we were heading towards Nashville I started getting text messages um and seeing pictures from Western North Carolina East Tennessee from friends that that were very close with and I knew that it was bad and it was unprecedented everybody did at that time and so I remember we were going down the road and as a band we all felt really guilty because so many of our friends and neighbors they were trying to figure out literally how they were going to survive and we were going to play music and so we just thought to ourselves we were rid down the road and we thought what can we do to help and we thought well we've got a tour bus and we're going to Nashville they weren't affected we thought let's just stop and buy supplies and literally drop it off on our way back home and so then we thought well let's put it out on social media and let's um see if anybody wants to donate help us and so we did that and in less than 24 hours we had well over $15,000 and so we went to Sam's Club and we ended up running out of room on our bus to take supplies back a trailer and we were able to stop on our way back and we pulled up to Happy Valley High School in um Carter County Tennessee and there were about 50 high school students and teachers at this high school that they had set up already to be a Distribution Hub and a shelter and they' had been waiting we got there about six o'clock that morning they've been waiting for us to get there since 2:30 because they were out of supplies and um so that just snowballed in and so we've just been doing everything that we can for the past you know over a month now to help our friends talk about the artists that have jumped on board um and it really sounds like it's a OD thing because um to put on some me you haven't you guys haven't had a whole lot of time to put this together you got big names that have jumped on board you said everyone is just so eager to help yeah yeah it's been amazing so the show that we were playing in Nashville right after the storm um we were doing it with Stephen Curtis Chapman and so I had in my mind I thought we're going to do a benefit concert I didn't know where we were going to do it I didn't know how we were going to do it but I knew that we were playing with Stephen and he is also from alachia and from Kentucky he's a Kentucky boy and so we asked that asked that night like hey man you want to do this and he was like yeah get me the details only we didn't have any details and so Stephen so Stephen said yes and so then my first call was to um another fellow West Virginia who his name is Jason lovens Jason lovens band and great guys and I called Jason I said man Stephen said he would do it we want to do it Jason and his band jumped on board and they were able to pull in a ton of help and uh so he was able to help us secure the venue Freedom Hall in Johnson City Tennessee he brought to the table food city is our presenting sponsor and so they have just been and in Food City their their home base is East Tennessee and so that's their people so they were like yeah we're here for our community and uh so then yeah Brandon Heath has jumped on board Darren and Brook Aldridge they're on the grandv opery all the time but they're Western North Carolina natives they're from right there in the area that that been hurt so badly and uh let's see who else Point of Grace um there dear friends and some of my favorite Christian music of artist of all time a guy that I'm really excited about by the name of sha Dietrich a lot of folks know him as Sha of the South he's an author and he's a humorist but an incredible musician and um really excited about him being there it's going to be an amazing night and the it only $20 for those that are in the area and can go um and let's talk about where the I mean 100% of the proceeds right like it's not even I mean it's it's everything is going to what yeah it's amazing how everyone has jumped in 100% of every dime that comes in will go to Samaritans purse um the city of Johnson City owns Freedom Hall they donated the venue um even e tickets the ticketing platform they waved all their ticketing um their production company which a production for an event like this is is is a big cost the production company said hey we got it all covered and so yeah literally everything has been donated it's been one of the most amazing God things to be a part of this and Samaritans Pur to see what they've been able to do in that area and I think a lot of people they want to help and they don't know if they can't bring supplies or if they can't do this you know Samaritans for I mean this is their backyard if you talk about knowing somebody that knows how to get the job done you know they're right there they're in the heart of it anyways they've been there yeah I mean literally like you said their backyard um they've done disaster relief for so long and never dreamed that they would be responding to a hurricane in their home you know the mountains of Western North Carolina but yeah they've been there from day one um anytime that I've been in and out of of that area taking supplies in I've seen Samaritan's Purse and everyone that you talk the the amazing thing about this it's it's tragic there are people that have that who their dreams have been turned to tears but to watch how God has shown himself through all this has been amazing every person that you talk to down there regardless of if they're a Believer if they're a churchgoer they will tell you that the people who have run ran to the fire that Samaritans purse and the local church that is who have been driving all of all of the relief efforts has been the local church and that's exactly what the church is should do what do God kind of shown you and the guys in the band I think over the last couple of weeks um in this season of you know really kind of Heartache um you know what have what have you kind of seen God done and what do you think he's teaching you in this moment really I think that what I would have to say is how big and how great and how awesome he is um to be able to talk to someone and I've talked to people who literally have lost everything they've lost everything and they don't know how they're going to rebuild yet um insurance companies aren't handing them a check to rebuild um but to to talk to people who have lost everything but through it all have a peace and have hope and be able to stand um the only source that that kind of strength can come through is almighty God and so it's in that moment I mean you stop and you think I mean like I said in in my yard just around our house here there were probably 20 trees laying on the ground and only by the grace of God one of those didn't take our house out and I've told everyone only by the grace of God that storm didn't cross the mountain here where I am and do to us what it did to our neighbors there and so I stopped and think to myself man I don't know if I could do what they're doing I don't know if I could stand there and be hopeful I don't know if I could stand there and and have the peace that they have but I think it's one of those things you never know until you're in the moment and I believe that the only source that strength like that can come from is God again the concert is November 14th and tickets are only $20 for more info just go to the chosen Road music.com now as I mentioned Samaritan's Purse is the organization receiving the funds from this benefit concert they have been doing remarkable work in getting help to those who need it most the stories you hear from both the people who have received help and the volunteers themselves have been so powerful in fact that in part is why there is a podcast called on the ground with Samaritans purse so you can hear these Amazing Stories take a look on the ground with Samaritan's Purse is a podcast that takes you to the front lines and behind the scenes of our work around the world I'm your host Christy Graham and every episode is different but the goal is always the same giving you a front row seat to how God is using Samaritan's Purse to help people in jesus' name the way we express the love of Jesus Christ and the passion that he had is that we go out there and we serve others in this ministry the vehicle in which we share God's love is Ever Changing from providing critical medical supplies a warm meal to a hurting family or shelter after a storm but the message is steadfast sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with a broken world yes sir we love you in this podcast we'll take you to war torn countries the epicenter of outbreaks and the places hardest hit after earthquakes hurricanes tornadoes and other disasters our podcast gives real and raw testimonies from our teams on the ground it shows you the heart of our staff and our volunteers and most importantly the people that we help God says love your neighbor as yourself we are to love them and bring them hope it's another way in which you can be part of our ministry and you never know where we'll be headed next listen to on the ground with Samaritan's Purse wherever you get your podcasts you won't want to miss hearing about how God is changing hearts and transforming lives through the work of Samaritan's Purse man you guys have been doing so much really around the world for years now so I know the name Samaritan's Purse is not going to be new to anybody but I'm so thankful there's a podcast that I just found out about as well because the stories that we hear online that we hear I mean that have really have gone viral I think over the last couple of weeks just specifically in North Carolina have been so powerful um man I just thank you let's start there with all the work that you're doing well thank you Carly and thank you for spotlighting our our work and yeah the podcast we love telling stories of what God is doing around the world and so we take you to the to the front lines and behind the scenes to hear and see what God is doing um because he is working how is God showing up how are you seeing that well it's been interesting Carly because I mean the storm as you know it hit you it hit all Georgia you know the southeast was rocked and so the the footprint is big but it did hit near our International headquarters in Boon North Carolina which typically we go away to respond to disasters it doesn't come to our backyard and and same with Asheville The Cove the Billy Graham um Evangelistic Training Center is there so it's home and it's personal to a lot of our staff and so it's been really hard but it's been really beautiful uh to show our community what we do because they know of us but they don't actually get to see and know what we do so to be able to serve in some of our teachers homes and you know people in our community um has been both hard and humbling but beautiful and I think and even for my kids you know that send their dad around the world they get get to see what really happens in a disaster how he processes how he responds and so it's been personal and I think it it makes it a little harder for people to get objective you know they're a little more intertwined with the pain and the suffering but again uh Jesus models that really well on how he wept when his friend died and you know tragedy strikes us personally sometimes and sometimes it's a distance so we've mod and watched what he did and how he responded here on Earth um and how to respond which is what we always do we respond in Jesus name and it's to serve people spiritually uh through a physical need so we hear of benefit concerts like this where you guys are getting the the the proceeds from this what does that money do what is the need right now and again if for some reason someone can't go to this concert or can't you know contribute in that way there's there's other ways to do that but what is the need where is that money going to most right now do you think on the ground yeah and we're so thankful for these benefit concerts uh we've had NASCAR put you know our our logo on their cars and it's just bringing awareness and I think one we need prayer uh but but the money you know we are doing we have water systems set up in swanana NOA we have medical um we're sending you know we're still and initially we did with helicopters to people that were locked and we couldn't access we were sending them generators and uh Fuel and even medication and things and now we can get to them by road but that they are going to need that for the long you know for a while we're working in homes um so there's lots of different ways I we say there's lots of vehicles and ways that we help physically help people um but we also need volunteers so you said if people can't make it to the concert go on to our website smear first.org we have seven locations six for Helen and one for Milton actually there's three in Florida so people that are um local for you we need volunteers um so we we have yeah the resources and we have trucks and equipment and but we the Harvest is plentiful but the workers are few you know we say it all the time we we need more and more volunteers and people to help serve because we have work orders coming in you know thousands and we will stay until those are finished uh but in order to get them done quickly especially the ones with water damage that need that taken out for mold ition we got to get to it soon so I would say you know the money is going to to those types of of jobs that are but the people are what's making it possible yeah as we wrap up here invite people to listen to the podcast and you know there's just something that makes it so personal and you can really understand it when you hear people's stories right like that's why I love storytelling and why I love movies and podcasts and when you can really hear indiv idual things that are happening I think so too and that's why I love the Bible has so many stories um in fact I was just sharing Joseph with my kids this morning you know the Old Testament has so many stories of human you know people that ups and downs and highs and lows and the way the Lord met them um and I agree like you I love hearing people's stories and so the podcast I think you know my husband Edward and my father-in-law Franklin you know they are on TV telling what we're doing a but I like to get to the heart you know and tell the stories of like introduce you to the people that maybe they don't have time to when they're on Fox or you know something with a shorter smaller segment and we also have videos that are beautiful and as you mentioned um people have been they've been going viral and people have been seeing the work and so videos are wonderful um but stories I think help personalize it and humanize it you know to say like even one of the homes I was in Richard you know his home his basement was flooded his wife had lung cancer and so he was worried about the mold you know affecting her lungs and so every home we go into has a storm and a story already and then the storm you know the just exasperates or brings out things and so a lot of times like he really just talked with us the whole day a lot of us couldn't get you know we one of us was talking to him at all times he just wanted that Ministry of presence and so I think people in their pain they like to share stories so that's why I encourage people who think I can't um muck out a house or I can't fix a roof with a tarp well you can talk to somebody and sometimes that's all that these homeowners need you know they are trying to process this tragedy especially when everyone in their community's been affected they may not have somebody to talk to because everyone else is trying to fix their home so stories I'm finding are a really great way to heal and to and to learn and to encourage you know to show you you're not alone you know cuz I think Satan wants to isolate us and think you're the only one dealing with that but when you share and carry one another's burdens as Galatians 6 says you know you then can point people to the hope of the Gospel so so the podcast is a great way to hear stories and we cover I mean every week you never know where you're going to go you know sometimes we are um responding to a crisis that's in the news sometimes it is one of our clef lip trips you know in South Sudan and so it's an exciting way to find out there's so many different like I said vehicles that this ministry is bringing to bring the hope of the Gospel around the world and so the podcast just gives you um stories and behind the scenes of what God is doing if you want to find out how you can get involved in help just go to samaritanspurse.org I want to thank you so much for tuning in tonight I'm kly Boyette and I look forward to seeing you next week right here on your Christian television network [Music]