Justin Bieber Leads Prayer Alongside Pastor John Gray at Hurricane Relief Benefit (Video)

Sep 13, 2017 10:06 AM EDT

Pop singer Justin Bieber joined Pastor John Gray in leading a number of celebrities in prayer during a relief telethon for recent hurricanes Harvey and Irma, reminding attendees that God "will guide us through the storm."

On Tuesday night, Bieber took the stage at the Hand in Hand: A Benefit For Hurricane Harvey and Irma Relief telethon to introduce a prayer.

Flanked by Pastor John Gray, Rabbi Ari Lukas, and Jihad Turk, Bieber encouraged viewers to give to the cause before praying. "We don't just want you guys to watch," he said. "We want you to be a part of this and donate whatever you can."

Gray, the associate pastor of Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, then prayed: "God, we the faith community come asking for wisdom, discernment and compassion as we walk alongside those who have lost so much, loved ones, homes, businesses, and hope. Cause us to be the hands and feet of compassion to all who are in need, no matter their background."

He added, "At a time of great division in our nation, may we lay down our differences and pick up our common humanity, the sole purpose of serving our fellow man until hearts are healed and hearts are restored. Though we don't yet understand the purpose of the storm, we know you will guide us through the storm."

"So we close this prayer, not with an amen, but with a praise rooted in eternal hope - hallelujah."

According to reports, the event, attended by a slew of celebrities including Oprah Winfrey, George Clooney and Julia Roberts, has raised more than $44 million for the victims of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

The telethon, which aired across 15 networks and streamed online, included performances from Stevie Wonder, Usher, Blake Shelton, Tori Kelly, and Luis Fonsi. Texas native George Strait, joined by some of his fellow country artists, was the last performance of the night.

Bieber's manager Scooter Braun also urged Americans to come together and help those affected by the hurricanes.

He said: "I think the whole point of what we're trying to say with this telethon is that the devastation of the hurricane means we need to help each other - but it doesn't stop or end there. It's an opportunity for all of us to come together and remember a year of where there's been so much talk of hatred and division, that push comes to shove, we as a people come together. And we have to get back to that idea."

After cancelling the remainder of his "Purpose" tour, Bieber, who re-dedicated his life to Christ and regularly spends time with pastors Carl Lentz, Chad Veach, and Judah Smith, last month penned a letter revealing he's focused on working on his "mind, heart, and soul" to be "sustainable" so he could become a better man.

In a letter directed to fans on Instagram, Bieber wrote: "Learning and growing hasn't always been easy but knowing I'm not alone has kept me going," adding: "I have let my insecurities get the best of me at times, I let my broken relationships dictate the way I acted toward people and the way I treated them. I let bitterness, jealousy and fear run my life."

"What I'm not gonna do is be ashamed of my mistakes," he continued. "I wanna be a man that learns from them and grows from them."

"Me taking this time right now is me saying I want to be sustainable," Bieber added. "I want my career to be sustainable, but I also want my mind, heart and soul to be sustainable."

"This message is just an opportunity for you to know my heart, I'm not expecting anyone to understand, but I do want people to have an opportunity to know where I'm coming from."