Hollywood and celebrity circles can often be places where Christian faith and viewpoints seem unwelcome, but that hasn’t kept Christians out of the limelight. Despite perhaps being in the minority, celebrity Christians are out there and many are not afraid to be vocal about their faith. These 10 are only a few of the many Christians who are using their talents along with expressing their faith. Whether in films, on television shows, or in sports, these individuals are making an impact for Christ.
1. TIM TEBOW
Perhaps the most well-known Christian celebrity, Tim Tebow is never shy about sharing his faith. He often says that honoring God and loving others is more important than any success he may achieve in sports. Tebow started off as a football player, but now plays baseball. He founded the Tim Tebow Foundation which helps children with disabilities receive medical care. He also is involves in Night to Shine, an event that provides a special evening for disabled children and teens.
2. CARRIE UNDERWOOD
Singer Carrie Underwood is well-known for her song “Jesus Take the Wheel.” In an interview with Oprah, Underwood and her husband, Mike Fischer, discussed their faith and how it played such a big role in their relationship from the beginning.
3. BEN ZOBRIST
Ben Zobrist, who won his second World Series title with the Chicago Cubs last baseball season, knows that to be a Christian athlete is a high calling.
“We know that as a Christian athlete, people are watching, and so we want to be the best example we can be and show that we are different – that Christ has changed our lives,” Zobrist said in 2013. “But at the same time, I want people to know that grace is for everyone. We all need grace. We all need Christ.”
Zobrist’s wife, Julianna, is also a Christian celebritiy and uses her musical talent to glorify God.
4. KATHIE LEE GIFFORD
Kathie Lee Gifford is a well known daytime television host. She is best known for her work on the show Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee and is not afraid to share her faith even on screen. When Gifford’s husband Frank passed away in 2015, on the Today Show she talked about how the couple’s faith influenced their lives.
“That’s what I had prayed, that the Lord would take him the way he wanted to go. And so I thank the Lord for that, for his grace to us as a family. And I pray his grace on all of you as well,” Gifford said
5. KIRK CAMERON
Kirk Cameron not only is a Christian actor, he has starred in many Christian films, including the Left Behindseries, Fireproof, and Saving Christmas. He and his wife have six children. Cameron also does work with evangelist Ray Comfort and has a sister, Candace Cameron Bure, who is also a Christian celebrity.
6. CHIP AND JOANNA GAINES
Chip and Joanna Gaines, the stars of the popular HGTV show Fixer Upper, are known not just for their amazing renovation and design skills, but for their faith. The couple recently even was thrown into controversy because they attend a church which ascribes to biblical views on homosexuality. Throughout the uproar, the couple remained gracious. They also just announced they will be starring in a new series.
7. CHRIS PRATT
You can read Pratt’s amazing story of coming to faith here. Although achieving status as an A-list celebrity, Pratt puts ultimate priority on his faith and family. He also recently shared that his faith was increased when his son was born prematurely and he and his wife spent months praying for him.
8. PATRICIA HEATON
Actress Patricia (Patty) Heaton who starred on Everybody Loves Raymond and The Middle, shared in a recent interview how she had to learn to trust the Lord in her acting career. She also shared about her involvement in missions work.
“Being an actor can be an intense, unstable experience. You’ll be the big thing for a while and then the crowd moves on from you and goes on to the next big thing. If that’s your identity, you’re going to be in for a really hard fall. It reminds me that God is the one who opens these doors. It’s not that I don’t work hard. You have to be really good at what you do. You have to show up and do your best, but the rest is up to God,” she said.
9. STACEY DASH
Actress Stacey Dash is vocal about her Christian faith as well as her conservative politics, which have gotten her in trouble in Hollywood. She has said her acting opportunities have been limited due to her beliefs, but she remains confident that God is with her.
“I know that this is what God wants me to do,” she said, adding, “God tried to teach me lesson after lesson after lesson, and it wasn’t until I finally got beat down to the ground that realized that, you know what? I have to let go. I owe it to God to be a woman of faith, a woman that fears the Lord, a woman that loves the Lord and a woman that trusts the Lord.”
10. REBA MCENTIRE
Country singer Reba McEntire knows that all her career success is due to God. “I ask for guidance, I ask the Lord to give me wisdom when I speak, when I think, and I always try to be positive and say nice things and it gives me strength throughout every minute and every day,” she has said.
McEntire also credits God for giving her the strength to get through a tough divorce. “I prayed every day [for God] to help me have the strength to move one foot in front of the other to continue on with what I’m supposed to be doing and why He put me on this Earth in the first place,” she said.