Actor Chris Pratt openly shared about his relationship with Jesus and declared he would stand boldly for Jesus even if it costs him everything.
Many of us struggle to talk about our faith openly, especially in settings where it might not be welcomed. We worry about judgment or rejection. That’s why it’s so refreshing to see someone like Chris Pratt speak freely about his relationship with God.
The 45-year-old actor, known for his roles in “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Jurassic World,” opened up in a recent interview with The Christian Post about his spiritual journey.
“I care enough about Jesus to take a stand, even if it costs me. It could cost me everything, but I don’t care. It’s worth it to me because this is what I’m called to do, it’s where my heart is,” Pratt said.
As a father of four, Pratt wants his children to grow up seeing his example. He hopes they understand “that their dad was unashamed of his faith in Jesus, and with a profound understanding of the power of prayer, and the grace and the love and the joy that can come from a relationship with Jesus.”
Pratt knows his outspoken faith makes him stand out in Hollywood. “You don’t hear that a lot from people in entertainment, but it’s who I am. I’m not going to hide behind it. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.”
His faith journey wasn’t always smooth. Pratt shared, “The first time I walked up to the church altar and got on my knees and cried, I was a child. The next time I did it, I was still a child, I was 19. And then the next time I did it, I was in my 30s.”
He admits making promises to God that he broke. “I said, ‘God, save me in this moment, and I’ll give you my life.’ And then He did, and I was unburdened from the weight of my shame, my guilt and my sin.”
“And then months later, maybe a year later, two years later, I’m off doing the same stuff that got me down the wrong path in the first place. The sinful, broken nature of humans was living in my heart.”
Everything changed for Pratt in 2012 when his son Jack was born seven weeks early. Jack weighed only 3 pounds, 10 ounces at birth and spent a month in the neonatal intensive care unit.
“He had all of these issues going on,” Pratt recalled. “I prayed hard to God. I was in a season of transition spiritually at that time, and didn’t quite fully understand. I made a deal with God again: ‘I’m sorry, God, here I am again, asking for your grace again.’
“And He really saved my son, and that was the moment [my faith] was cemented. My heart softened, and my faith hardened. That was the moment that I was like, ‘Moving forward, I’m going to give my platform to God.'”
Since then, Pratt has become more vocal about his beliefs, though he admits he “hasn’t always been perfect.” He sees a clear purpose for his celebrity status. “I want to affirm the people who are believers in Christ. I want them to hear me and say, ‘Wow, that’s cool. He’s willing to say it. I’m going to stand up at work today and say it.’
“But I also want to reach out to the people who have no idea who God is. I want to be a light to people who’ve never seen light. I want to be a light to people who have seen light but turned away from it or been afraid of it.”
Pratt worries about the culture his children face, especially with technology. “I want to teach my kids to be in the world, not of it,” he shared. “We’re in a strange time. We have an entire generation being raised to be incredibly anxious. Higher rates of self harm, more isolation, depression, it’s alarming. Phones aren’t going anywhere, so it’s important to put some good stuff on them.”
His faith brings criticism from both non-believers and Christians who question his choices. Pratt turns to Scripture for guidance, specifically Proverbs 26:20: “For lack of wood, the fire will go out. Where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.“
He avoids online arguments. “I’ve never had someone walk up to me and say, ‘Hey, Chris, I want to have a conversation about your belief that offends me,'” he says.
“It’s all just noise online. It’s easy to post something, even though it’s a fart in the wind, it just disappears from these people’s phones. It’s etched in digital stone. But we have to be really careful with our words.”
“It says in the Gospel that the tongue is like the most dangerous weapon, and just because you’re putting it in your phone doesn’t mean you’re not speaking it.”
Rather than fight critics, Pratt prays for them. “When I hear words or see words, when there’s blowback — and I’m sure there’s going to be blowback from this — I am just going to rely on God.”
“I was called by God to do it, and if people don’t understand me, I’m going to pray for them, and then I’m going to go back and hang out with my kids and play tag.”
Despite Hollywood challenges, Pratt stays focused: “God softens some of their hearts, He hardens some of their hearts. It’s my job to be a light and to focus on what’s important to me right now, and what’s important to me is talking about Jesus.”
Like Pratt, we can be bold about what we believe, no matter where we work or who we’re with. Let’s take courage from his example and speak openly about our faith when given the chance. After all, as Jesus said, a city on a hill cannot be hidden.
