Christmas is often a season when churches are at their busiest. Sanctuaries fill with familiar carols, families gather for candlelight services, and congregations find meaningful ways to serve their neighbors. But behind the celebrations, some small-town churches are facing challenges that have little to do with decorating for the holidays and everything to do with keeping their ministries going.
For Bill Abbott, president and CEO of Great American Media, those challenges have become the inspiration behind something much bigger than a Christmas movie.
More than 1,000 churches have responded to the company's 'Great American Christmas Small-Town Churches initiative,' sharing stories about their congregations, the communities they serve and the difficulties they face.
The response surprised even Abbott, a veteran television executive who has spent decades reaching audiences through entertainment.
"We cannot believe the response that we've gotten to this initiative," Abbott told K-LOVE's Crystal Thornton during a recent conversation.
But the overwhelming response also revealed something troubling.
"The negative side is there are a lot of churches that are really in need," he explained.
For Abbott, the nominations revealed two realities unfolding side by side: congregations struggling with the financial demands of operating a church and people whose commitment to their faith and communities remains strong.
"And then secondly, it really shows the passion that's still there in these small communities, but sometimes the wherewithal isn't."
Their stories offer a reminder that the strength of a congregation isn't always reflected in the resources it has available.
Listen to as Bill Abbott shares how faith has shaped his career, the heart behind Great American Christmas, and why helping struggling small-town churches has become part of his company's mission.
Bringing Hope Beyond the Television Screen
Great American Media launched the nationwide initiative September 17, inviting people to nominate small-town churches making a difference through faith and service. Participants were asked to describe how their churches serve their communities and how additional support could help extend that work.
Abbott says the response exceeded expectations, even surpassing the enthusiasm surrounding one of the company's Christmas movie promotions.
But unlike a traditional television campaign, this effort isn't simply about attracting viewers. It's about recognizing congregations that continue serving their communities, often with limited resources.
"We want to give back as a big part of our mission and really enhance the culture as much as we can, not only in entertainment, but taking what we do and bringing it to small towns and churches," Abbott shared.
Nominations closed October 15, and Great American Media says it is reviewing submissions as it explores ways to celebrate and support selected congregations this Christmas. The initiative's official rules provide for one or more churches to receive charitable contributions, although the final number of recipients and the nature of their assistance have not been publicly confirmed.
For generations, churches have provided more than Sunday worship services. In many small communities, they are places where friendships grow, families find encouragement, volunteers offer their time and neighbors find support during difficult seasons.
Abbott sees an opportunity to strengthen those efforts by connecting the company's national reach with the needs of local congregations.
And while the initiative has already generated considerable interest, its greatest impact may ultimately be measured not by the number of nominations, but by what happens next in the communities represented.
A Career Guided by Faith
Abbott's commitment to faith and family did not begin with the creation of Great American Media.
When we asked where he had most clearly seen God's hand throughout his life and career, Abbott reflected on the relationships and unexpected opportunities that helped shape his journey.
"Oh, there's so many times," he replied.
He spoke about the people who mentored him early in his career and the experiences that prepared him for leadership.
Looking back, Abbott believes God was guiding him through those relationships, placing the right people in his path at pivotal moments.
His departure from Hallmark in 2020 became another defining chapter.
At a time of considerable uncertainty and cultural change, Abbott saw an opportunity to build a media company that openly embraced faith, family and country.
The biblical story of Esther became especially meaningful to that mission.
In Esther 4:14, Mordecai challenges Esther to consider whether she has been placed in a position of influence "for such a time as this."
Abbott sees a connection between that Scripture and the opportunity before him.
He believes Great American Media came together at a time when families were looking for entertainment that reflected their values and offered an encouraging alternative.
"I think that it's been the mark of God is all over my life and my career," he said.
That sense of purpose, Abbott believes, carries a responsibility. The influence of a media company should extend beyond the programming it produces to the people and communities it has the opportunity to serve.
When Christmas Stories Touch Real Lives
Five years into Great American Media's journey, the company is marking the 2026 Christmas season with 18 original holiday movies featuring stories of love, forgiveness, family and second chances.
Abbott says the goal is to offer audiences something deeper than traditional holiday entertainment.
One example is A Second Chance Christmas, starring Candace Cameron Bure and Jonathan Scarfe.
The film follows divorced parents Anna and James Campbell, who arrive separately at a family cabin in Townsend, Tennessee, ahead of a Christmas gathering with their adult children.
An unexpected ice storm changes everything. Roads close, the power goes out and cell service disappears, leaving the former couple stranded together.
With nowhere to go and few distractions, they begin confronting the misunderstandings that contributed to the end of their marriage and reconsidering what their future might hold.
According to Abbott, viewers are responding in ways that go well beyond enjoying a Christmas movie.
He described receiving messages from people who recognized their own marital struggles and life experiences in the characters. Some shared that the story had encouraged them during particularly difficult seasons.
Those responses illustrate what Abbott hopes to accomplish through entertainment that addresses real-life challenges while leaving room for faith, forgiveness and reconciliation.
His company's faith-based programming also allows characters to express their beliefs openly.
"We actually mention Jesus in our content and we're not afraid to have a prayer before dinner and we're not afraid to see people go into church on Sunday," Abbott said.
For Abbott, those moments reflect an intentional approach to storytelling, one that treats faith as a natural part of everyday life rather than something reserved for special occasions.
And in much the same way that a story about forgiveness might encourage someone struggling with a broken relationship, he hopes the company's outreach to small-town churches will bring attention to communities facing challenges of their own.
Finding Hope When Christmas Is Difficult
While Christmas is celebrated as a season of joy, it can also be one of the most challenging times of the year.
For someone grieving the loss of a loved one, facing financial uncertainty or feeling disconnected from family, the holidays can magnify circumstances that are already painful.
Thornton asked Abbott what he would say to someone struggling to find hope this Christmas.
His answer was rooted in the faith that has guided his own life.
"I think that faith and having that overall ability to have people to rely on and the Lord to rely on and to be able to draw from passages in the Bible ... is something that is life-saving and life-changing," he shared.
Abbott believes turning to God, finding encouragement in Scripture and leaning on the wisdom of others can provide strength when circumstances seem overwhelming.
"And once you embrace that, I think that a lot of your earthly problems look a lot smaller, and that would be my prayer for everyone out there and encouragement."
His response brings together the different dimensions of his work: the stories his company produces, the faith guiding his leadership and the congregations quietly serving people through some of life's most difficult moments.
The Christmas Stories That Don't Need a Screen
Five years into Great American Media's journey, Abbott says he is proud that the company has remained committed to its values.
He credits its leadership, creative teams and the people who have supported its growth.
But the response to the small-town churches initiative has revealed a need that extends far beyond the entertainment industry.
More than 1,000 nominations have brought the struggles of small-town churches into the spotlight. What remains to be seen is how those stories will translate into meaningful assistance.
Behind those submissions are congregations working to keep their ministries going, volunteers serving their neighbors and communities where even modest resources can make a meaningful difference.
For Abbott, the opportunity is about more than entertaining families during the Christmas season. It's about recognizing the faith, sacrifice and service taking place in communities across America.
And perhaps that's where some of the most meaningful Christmas stories are found.
Not on a television screen, but in churches where people continue showing up for their neighbors, even when the resources to do so are running thin.