14 Celebs Who Believe in the Power of Prayer

Faith is generally considered a highly personal and private matter, especially in today’s increasingly secular world, but some celebrities are refreshingly open about their religious practices. Perhaps the pressures and temptations of being a famous personality make the guidance of a higher power all the more essential. The following stars depend on some form of prayer to get through the day. Praying helps center them and provides them with the moments of peace and clarity they need to combat the chaos that sometime accompanies their lives in the spotlight.

1. Mark Wahlberg

Mark Wahlberg grew up on the tough streets of Boston but managed to make it from rags to riches. According to the star, he prays every single day to be a good servant to God as well as a good husband and father. The devout Catholic plays a lot of different roles on the screen, but in his real life, being a good guy is what’s most important.

2. Candace Cameron Bure

The former Full House child star Candace Cameron Bure is all grown up and never shy about sharing her faith or her belief in the power of prayer. In fact, Bure has defended people’s right to pray even on the show The View, which she now co-hosts. Bure is a strong advocate of prayer in schools and has forcefully and quite persuasively stated that freedom of religion means that people can voluntarily pray anywhere they like.

3. Richard Gere

The Chicago actor is one of the most outspoken religious stars who has embraced Buddhism. He was raised a Methodist, but became interested in Eastern philosophy in college and a trip to Nepal in the 1970s. Gere is now a personal friend of the Dali Lama and has become an advocate for Tibetan independence. His particular form of prayer is in the form of mindful meditation more than the worship of a deity.

4. Denzel Washington

The son of a Pentecostal preacher and gospel singer, Denzel Washington is a proud attendee of church each Sunday. Regarded as one of Hollywood’s most devout Christian believers, Washington is a member of the West Angeles Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles. He has reported that at one time he even thought about becoming a preacher. For Washington, prayer is a part of every day and his faith is a cornerstone of his life.

5. Pauley Perrette

The church-going NCIS actress was recently attacked by a homeless man and literally thought she was going to die at his hands. She said of the incident, “I prayed as hard as I’ve ever prayed for anything ever in my life,” and after showing him a little compassion, he let her go. She attended a service at the Hollywood United Methodist Church a few days after the attack and found great solace through the camaraderie and support of her fellow parishioners.

6. Debby Ryan

The lives of child stars have proved to be chaotic, but actress Debby Ryan, star of the hit Disney Network show Jessie has remained grounded in part because of her Christian faith and reliance on prayer. Although Ryan dislikes discussing her political views, she has been forthcoming about her relationship with God, which she views as personal and not defined by organized religion rules.

7. Kate Capshaw

When actress Kate Capshaw married director Steven Spielberg, she converted to Judaism. Spielberg has stated that she is one of the factors that brought him closer to his faith. Capshaw has embraced the religion and has raised their large family in the Jewish faith. Capshaw’s child by her first marriage (Grey’s Anatomy star Jessica Capshaw) however, has remained a Christian.

8. Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber has spoken in the past about his deep commitment to his Christian beliefs and the power of prayer. In fact, one of his early hits was a song called “Pray”. You can always count on him to thank God and Christ in his awards speeches. He has said he is not religious but that Jesus is his salvation.

9. Ashton Kutcher

Ashton Kutcher got turned on to Kabbalah, a mystical form of Judaism, when he was married to Demi Moore. He has spent time in Kabbalah centers in Israel and has said that the experience impacted him “not only on a spiritual level, but also on an artistic and creative level.” 5000 year old Kabbalah teaches universal principles and tools (like meditation and prayer) that can apply to all faiths and religions. Now Kutcher has got his new wife, Mila Kunis, into it, too. The couple even had their daughter, Wyatt Isabelle, blessed at a Kabbalah service in LA. Kunis herself was raised Jewish.

10. Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson, who wrote and directed The Passion of the Christ is famous for his uber-commitment to the Catholic Church (not to mention some outlandish antisemitic remarks). He’s even publicly stated that his former wife, the mother of six of his children, was barred from heaven for being Pentecostal. While Gibson hasn’t lived according to the strictest of Christian tenets his whole life, he has, at times, been one of the most generous and charitable stars in Hollywood.

11. Beyonce

Beyonce believes in the power of prayer and she’s even posted her prayers publicly. She recently prayed for God’s help over the relationships in her life. While the beautiful singer and actress asks God for guidance, she affirms her spiritual connection, which many of her fans view as inspirational.

12. Angela Bassett

Actress Angela Bassett attends the same church as Denzel Washington. They frequently run into one another at West Angeles Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles. A woman of great faith, Bassett believes in the power of prayer but does her best to leave it all in God’s hands.

13. Matthew McConaughey

Matthew McConaughey is another one of the A-list actors who espouses a very strong faith. He attends church and believes whole-heartedly in the power of prayer. Even in a time when people criticize marriage and the traditional family as being “outdated,” McConaughey has defended the sanctity of these traditions, which were never meant to be trendy or chic anyway. He attends church with his family whenever they are home.

14. Tim Tebow

The renowned quarterback is almost more famous for his on-field praying as he is for his football playing. At one point in his early athletic career, he took to writing biblical messages in black under his eyes. His practice of kneeling on the football field with head bowed in prayer before each game is widely known as “Tebowism.” The devout Christian is proud of his faith, and he has been outspoken about his commitment to abstinence before marriage.