'The Chosen' star Jonathan Roumie on returning to sacredness of Christmas in culture rife with consumerism
For “The Chosen” star Jonathan Roumie, prayer is the foundation of his spiritual life: his daily rhythm begins and ends with structured prayer, and in between, he engages in an ongoing conversation with God.
“Most of what I do throughout the day is more like a running dialogue with God,” the 50-year-old New York native told The Christian Post.
“I bring my challenges to Him, listen for guidance, and try to feel where the Spirit is leading me.”
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Roumie's approach to prayer has evolved over the years, growing in frequency, intensity and intention, especially since his involvement with “The Chosen,” the actor said. He credited his deepening relationship with God to this consistent practice. “It's about the purity of intention behind the prayers. When you earnestly seek God, He meets you where you are.”
And this Advent season, Roumie is encouraging other believers to reflect and pray deeper as part of the Pray25 Challenge on the Hallow app. 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.
“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.”
The Pray25 Challenge features a diverse group of artists and leaders, including Francis Chan, Lauren Daigle and Gwen Stefani, offering reflections and music to enrich the spiritual experience.
“It's a representation of what the Church on Earth can look like,” Roumie explained. “Despite our differences, we are all looking to the same God who saves us. This challenge shows the possibilities of unity and reminds us how much more we have in common than what divides us.”
“Over the last 2,000 years, so many denominations have emerged. This is a chance to start piecing things back together and focus on Jesus.”
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.”
The challenge also integrates music as a pathway to prayer, featuring artists like Lauren Daigle and Matt Maher. “Music is an incredible road to people's spiritual lives,” Roumie said. “Even if you've never prayed before, music can lead you to a deeper place of connection with God.”
Roumie's reflections on prayer come as he's gearing up for season five of “The Chosen,” subtitled “The Chosen: Last Supper,” releasing in March 2025. He told CP the season is the “best” to date, adding: “People will see a range of emotions and actions from Jesus that they've never seen anywhere else, really, for that matter.
“It’s going to be extremely moving,” he added. “I’m excited for fans to see it.”
For those struggling with prayer, Roumie's advice is simple: start with a conversation.
“Ask God, 'How, how should I pray?' Ask the questions, and He will, inevitably, if your heart is really connected to Him, and you earnestly desire to deepen your prayer life, He will answer you. And He will answer you in the most profound ways, in the most unexpected ways.”
He recounted a viral story of Denzel Washington, who experienced an encounter with God while praying and asking God, “Let me see your face.”
“God is not trying to hide how you can reach Him,” he said. “There are a myriad of avenues to connect Him. Music is a part of that. Music is a huge inroad to people's prayer life and spiritual life. […] Everyone's got one way that speaks to them more than another route. And I think it's just a matter of trying to figure out what that is and starting with the question.”
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: [email protected]
