April 19, 2025
Churches across the world, including dozens in Georgia, hosted Night to Shine events earlier this month. Night to Shine, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation, gives churches a chance to welcome guests with special needs to an event designed to show them that they are loved and valued.
The event was created in 2014 as a way to share the love of God with people living with disabilities. According to the foundation, the event “celebrates their worth and value. When someone hears that they are loved and that they have a purpose, it can change everything.”
The foundation reports that in 2025, Night to Shine events were held in 821 churches across the U.S. and in 62 countries around the world, on 6 continents. Since its inception, hundreds of thousands of volunteers have worked to make the events possible.
Each Night to Shine event is unique, but all include several common elements. Among them are a red carpet entrance for guests, hair and makeup stations, limousine rides, gifts and dinner, a chance for guests to show off their talents in karaoke, and a ceremony where each guest is honored as a King or Queen. Special rooms are provided for guests with sensory issues, and a place of rest is offered for parents and caregivers as well.
“It’s incredible to see the joy and hope in the faces of our Kings and Queens as they step onto the red carpet at Night to Shine—that moment when they realize the cheers and applause are for them,” Tim Tebow said in a statement released by the foundation. “For many, it’s the first time they’ve ever felt truly celebrated, especially by someone outside their family. But that’s exactly why Night to Shine exists—to remind them of their inherent worth, that they are God’s beloved royalty, seen and cherished by Him every single day. My hope is that every guest walks away knowing they are a VIP—not just to us, but to the God who created them.”
Jennifer Copley is the associate director of Together at Warren, which is Warren Church’s ministry to God's “differently abled” from preschool to adults. “We provide a place for them to hear about Jesus in a way that is meaningful to them,” Copley said, “and allow parents to come and be a part of the church. Our main goal is for families that want to attend to be able to, and to know that their loved one is being well cared for.”
On Night to Shine, Copley said, the church hosted 190 honored guests. That required contributions from some 650 volunteers from all four campuses as well as the community at large. Copley said students from Augusta University were a special blessing, as guests with more profound needs could be partnered with a buddy receiving medical and therapy training at the school.
Copley says a successful event is the result of a huge, group effort. “Every single part of the church comes together to make it happen. It’s cool to see the body of Christ work together with everyone using their gifts, not only in the church but from the wider community as well.”
Those gifts contribute to being able to make an impact in the lives of the guests, their parents, and caretakers, Copley said, through sharing with them God’s love.
New Providence Baptist Church of Smarr in Forsyth hosted their own, similar event, on the same night. The church started Hallelujah Prom after official Night to Shine events were halted for COVID. The Hallelujah Prom began in 2022 and includes similar activities and attractions for guests. Moore said 125 guests attended this year’s prom.
“It’s an opportunity to minister to the special needs community,” he said. “It’s a pleasure to serve the families in this way. They often don’t participate in events as most churches are not equipped to meet the special needs of their loved ones.”
He added, “The guests were so happy and loving life, and so often we’re the ones finding things to complain about. One quote you hear a lot around our church is ‘I showed up to be a blessing to others, and I left blessed.’”
Bradley Baptist Church in Gray hosted Night to Shine for the seventh year, and pastor Steve Johnson said that 265 volunteers welcomed more than 100 guests that evening. Johnson said it is the generosity of the community that makes the event possible each year. “It’s a community effort, with local churches pulling together,” he said, as some provide transportation, help with set up, and more.
His wife Amy said the church has a close relationship with the local Unified Champion School program teachers and students. Even after graduating from the program, many of the students come back for Night to Shine. “It’s a chance to catch up,” she said.
She also spoke about the community support, calling it “tremendous.” At a fundraiser at the local Dairy Queen before the event, the church was able to raise $25,000 in under two hours.
This year, she said, organizers were able to provide gift cards for caretakers to enjoy a “date night,” knowing that their special needs loved ones were being well cared for.
“We’re honored to be able to do this,” she said, “and God continues to show up and show out. We get a blessing from being able to pour into these families.”
“We’re already looking forward to next year’s event,” she said.
