If there’s two things in this world that can really get people talking – and divided – it’s religion and politics.
I’d say the politics side of things is more mainstream in today’s culture, just because it seems like it’s everywhere you look. On the flip side, religion can often be seen as something that’s exclusive, and one could argue that people shy away from talking and discussing that more than they do politics.
Someone that doesn’t avoid the conversation of faith is Hollywood actor Chris Pratt.
His story from rags to riches is fascinating, and if you’ve never heard it, I’ll give you the short version. Pratt was living out of a van in Hawaii at the age of 19, and was waiting tables at a Bubba Gump Shrimp restaurant. He wasn’t even really trying to get into acting, yet one fateful day, a director came into the restaurant, was waited on by Pratt, and that director later gave Chris his first role in Hollywood.
I think that origin story alone is enough to make you think that a higher power must exist. Why in the world would a director be suddenly entranced by a server at a chain restaurant? And how odd is it that a movie star that’s been the glue of huge blockbuster films like Avengers: Endgame and Jurassic World just so happened to be waiting on that director’s table in Hawaii of all places?
Pratt has been one of the rare faces in Hollywood that hasn’t shied away from speaking about his faith in God. The 45-year-old recently sat down for an interview with Leah Klett and talked about why he continues to shine a light on the Lord, and how he leans on a couple of different scriptures (Proverbs 26:20, Matthew 5:14) to guide his life.
As of right now, Matthew 5:14 is the one that Pratt says holds the upmost importance to him:
“The biggest one I think in this season (of my life) is Matthew 5:14. It really feels like being a light in this world and not putting a bushel basket over a light… a city on a hill cannot be hidden, and I’m being called to be that city on a hill at this moment in my life.
You take a risk, I think, being vocal about anything that’s divisive in the entertainment world. Religion is divisive, and so is politics. I don’t care enough about politics to take a stance one way or the other at the expense of my career. But I do care enough about Jesus to take a stand, even if it costs me everything.”
Later on in the interview, Pratt expressed that raising his four children to see that their father was unashamed of his faith was his number one goal in life. The actor isn’t worried about making money, or pouring himself into another blockbuster franchise (though those things are nice). He insists that all he wants to do – now that he’s a father – is to teach his kids to be “in it, not of it” when it comes to the world.
He went on to say that he stays grounded in his own faith, even with all of the noise and backlash that can come from being open about God in entertainment, by staying in constant prayer and being in the Gospel as much as he can. Pratt was asked if he’s always been on fire for God, and he shared that he’s always known the Lord existed, but he wasn’t always as passionate about his walk with Jesus:
“I’ve always known God was real, without a doubt. I’ve never questioned my faith. But it’s almost like… you know that the sun is real, and you know that it’s there, but some days its foggy. I’ve had a lot of foggy seasons in my life, from a young age all the way through.
The first time I walked up to a church alter 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 the next time I did it, I was in my 30’s.”
As for the most eye opening moment that he’s had in his faith journey, Chris Pratt revealed that he entered into some very intense prayer and conversations with God when his son, Jack, was born premature and battled health issues:
“The biggest, most profound moment where I really negotiated with God and made promises… because before I made promises but I didn’t keep them. When my son was born, we really had a health scare with him because he was born very early and he was only three pounds. He was in the NICU for a month and he had all these issues going on.
I prayed hard to God and I was in a season of transitioning spiritually. At that time, I didn’t quite fully understand the deals I made with God, (saying) ‘I’m sorry God, here I am again. Asking for your grace again.’ And he really saved my son. That was the moment where I was like, now it’s cemented. My heart softened and my faith hardened. That was the moment where I was like, ‘Moving forward, I’m going to give my platform to God.'”
It’s been cool to see the clip below from Fox News get some attention online. It tells a similar story of how Pratt felt like he was really bargaining with God when his son was struggling, and once Jack was able to pull through, the actor felt as though he had no choice but to honor the Lord:
“If you save my son, I will give you everything. I will give you my life. I will give you my platform. I won’t be ashamed to talk to you, talk about you. And he did save my son, and I’ve been trying to make good on that promise.”
"If you save my son, I will give you everything. I will give you my life. I will give you my platform. I won't be ashamed to talk to you, talk about you."
Actor Chris Pratt made a deal with God after his son was born with health issues. Now, he's trying to "make good" on his… pic.twitter.com/aTk1Zg7blu
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 7, 2025
To be honest, it’s refreshing to see a Hollywood actor as big as Chris Pratt be so outspoken about his love for the Lord. It’s a trend that those who also believe in God can get behind, and one that could hopefully catch the eye of those who aren’t so sure. Even athletes like Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud have been talking about their faith more openly more and more in recent years.
That being said, speaking out about God doesn’t come without some pushback from the masses. Chris Pratt talked more about that towards the end of the interview, and how he approaches it. Spoiler alert: it’s by praying for those people that are upset.
You can hear more from Chris Pratt on his faith journey in the interview below that’s well worth your time:
The post Chris Pratt Says He Made A Promise To Be Outspoken About His Faith After God Saved His Son’s Life: “I Won’t Be Ashamed first appeared on Whiskey Riff.