Iconic actor and retired wrestler Mr. T spoke out earlier this month about biblical boldness, proclaiming he’s “never let fame” stop him from being openly faithful.
The Hollywood legend revealed he was invited to preach at his church on Oct. 9 and called the opportunity a “great honor and awesome responsibility.” And he said he doesn’t take the chance to sermonize lightly.
“God willing, I’ll plan to do my very best!” he tweeted two weeks ago. “I am so humbled by this opportunity.” Still, Mr. T didn’t stop there. Known for openly speaking about his Christian faith, the actor delivered significant acknowledgment of his decision to be frankly Bible-minded.
“I know that my mother would be very proud because I never let fame nor success stop me from being a bold Christian!” he added. Mr. T. sought to encourage others in subsequent messages, writing he knows God “never called anybody to be perfect” and that the Lord understands people’s faults. He added, “He died while we were yet in sin!”
And for those struggling with past decisions and sins, he also offered additional encouragement. Rather than focus on the past, Mr. T encouraged people to seek forgiveness in Christ, to find comfort in the Gospel, and to look forward to the future.
“While some are busy bringing up my past, I’ll be busy looking to my future, thanking God for His grace and His mercy. Because ‘If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature,’” Mr. T wrote. “I may be wrong, but I think Jesus said, ‘Let he that is among you, that is without sin, cast the first stone.’”
Faithwire previously reported that Mr. T is no stranger to faith-inspiring messages. In 2021, he spoke about the need to confront two different cultural ailments: COVID-19 and humans’ hatred for one another. “The admonition ‘love your enemies’ is one of the greatest statements Jesus ever made,” he tweeted at the time. “Love in this passage is love that originate[s] from God himself.”
Mr. T, born Laurence Tureaud in Chicago on May 21, 1952, legally changed his name to Mr. T in 1970. He said he wanted to be respected, having seen Black men called boy when he was growing up.
While reading a “National Geographic” magazine in the late 1970s, Mr. T first noticed the unusual hairstyle for which he is now famous on a Mandinka warrior. He decided that adopting the style would be a powerful statement about his African ancestry. It has become part of his signature look, along with his gold chains, rings, and bracelets.
Mr. T’s latest tweets are encouraging, but it’s Mr. T’s reliance on God and his efforts not to allow fame to eclipse his relationship with Christ that really resonate. It’s a powerful testament to authentic faith and an example to those struggling to cling to truth in contemporary culture. It can be easy to give up God once you reach a certain level of fame, but Mr. T chooses to stick to God instead.