“Dear father, I pray that you would bless and protect Britney Spears wherever she may be. May you lead her back into a right relationship with you. And help her to remember that you are the friend that sticks closer than a brother, and she needs no other.”
This was my prayer one Sunday morning. I decided to bring my concerns for Britney Spears to the altar after hearing a powerful sermon in my bible study the day before: As the preacher reflected on the tragedy of Anna Nicole Smith’s death, she asked us if we had interceded for her. She asked us that after watching this young woman’s life, the death of her son, the birth of her child and then her untimely death–did we ever once pray for her in the midst of it all?
I was in complete shock and at first a bit disgusted, because I had never considered that an option. Sure I pray for people who I don’t know personally. But a celebrity who I’ll never know? What a foreign concept.
I struggled with the thought all day long that Saturday, and then I stumbled upon my first confirmation that prayer for celebrities is warranted: Mark Seder recently wrote a piece in New York magazine titled “Britney Spears, Outsider Artist” where he said “Will she OD or commit suicide like Monroe? Will she have a Grand Guignol death like the fat-obsessed Anna Nicole Smith?”
These are serious questions that I believe deserve more than the empty rhetoric of celebrity observers. I realized that just asking these questions without action could (in a way) result in the blood of another on my hands. Gone are the days when I could be satisfied with having round table chats about the tragedy of Britney’s life–or any other celebrity’s life–without having a corresponding action. It seems unfair and unproductive to sit in the audience and not do an earthly–or heavenly–thing.
I received my second confirmation later on that evening when a friend told me that she prays for celebrities, and she takes that responsibility seriously. “I prayed hard for Jessica and Nick, I even cried for them,” she said. It was then that I realized that praying for celebrities wasn’t so weird after all. And thus, the ministry of praying for celebrities was activated–starting with Britney.
The first prayer I did for her on that Saturday evening was difficult to get through without much pausing and doubt. But by Sunday morning I was able to get through the prayer straight-faced and serious about the intent with which it was sent. It is my hope that my subsequent prayers will roll off my tongue as easily as do prayers for my own family and friends. Next battle to conquer: Reading celebrity tabloids.
posted March 13, 2007 at 4:45 pm
I think that if you are a true Christian, you should be praying for everyone, especially the people who need it. But getting caught up in all this celebrity hype isn’t good for the church, because that means that even IT is becoming more media-oriented. In searching for something that isn’t delved so deep into what’s happening on TV, I find myself turning from almost every church I walk into. A preacher can’t go an entire service without talking about things like ‘American Idol’ these days. That fact in itself is blasphemous against God, isn’t it? Just the title of the show should set off warning bells. Anywho, praying for celebrities is much needed. But it shouldn’t be a ministry affair. There are much more important things to pray for. Celebrities like Britney Spears choose to live their lives a certain way, and they will have to face the consequences no matter how hard you pray for them.
posted March 13, 2007 at 5:10 pm
I think everyone deserves our prayer…from those we know to people on the other side of the world. I think we tend to forget that celebrities are human beings, and we therefore wait for their downfall and smugly talk about their troubles. The way we treated Anna Nicole Smith was inhumane. There weren’t many who had sympathy for her…as if drug use and celebrity status made it so a mother didn’t deserve sympathy for the love of her child.
posted March 13, 2007 at 5:28 pm
Thank you, Nicole, for sharing this.
posted March 13, 2007 at 7:22 pm
Thank you for opening my eyes to this. You know when I see tragedies and stories of celebrities in the media I just think like man, do they not have the right to privacy? They are human just as much as any other person. And just as much as we need prayer they do as well. Just because a person’s life is lived through the eye of the public does not mean that it should be a form of entertainment but a clearer understanding of what we as Christians should be doing. Thanks Nicole for sharing.
posted March 14, 2007 at 1:59 am
I agree with you Nicole that we should pray for celebrities because they influence so many people in America through their actions that the country as a whole would benefit from their living in a right relationship with God. Britney in particular seems to be searching for a relationship with God and I think that God is putting conviction on her heart. I think that is why she has acted to strangely these past months. She is obviously torn between the earthly world and the spiritual world. I think she deserves our prayers that she make Godly decisions for herself and her children.
posted March 14, 2007 at 5:30 am
I agree. I’m a big Sara Evans fan, and when it came out she and her hubby were breaking up, I prayed for her, and her family. But with big celebs like Britney or Anna Nicole, I’m sadden to say I’m never once prayed for them. I will do that from now on. Thank you for writing about this – Food for thought.
posted March 14, 2007 at 5:38 am
Thanks for this article. I agree with you. Anna Nicole Smith and Britney Spears are tragic figures who need love and caring. We all as human beings, every last one, need that. There is still a chance for Britney. Something has gone wrong for her recently. She is talented and was on top of the world not long ago. Now she is struggling and I hope for her sake she finds her way to peace, love and a good, healthy life for herself and her children. I pray for her and for Anna Nicole and everyone who loves, cares for and is affected by each of them. I pray for the human race. We need it and Britney and Anna are just symptoms of all of our problems on this planet at this time. Peace and love, Shelley
posted March 14, 2007 at 8:58 am
Jesus said, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. If more human beings would remember this and demonstrate it in their/our lives, this world would be filled with more humanity and compassion than the jealousy, envy, idleness, and cruelty that abounds. Who gave anyone the right to point a finger and judge another? Why would anyone choose that option? Where is the glee coming from at the rise and fall of a star, or any human being that has gotten caught up in the human condition? Brittany, like many women throughout history, shorn her locks at the end of tremendous trials, tribulations, and loss. She’s still in trouble and everybody’s just talking about it. God Bless all who would pray for her. God Bless her, for her bravery in showing the truth about her situation, her search for spiritual connection, and her obvious request for help and haven.
posted March 15, 2007 at 10:04 pm
Hi Family, I will pray for jassie,for freedom of bondage from her addiction,anything that’s keeping her from being free, in her relationship to herself and to the source of her life who is Jesus our Lord and savior. LOVE FOREVER, Verland
posted March 20, 2007 at 2:27 am
I agree that churches should not be media oriented. However, I do not think believeers can reject or ignore what the media portrays. And, I do not think that position prohibits believers from praying for media figures; including infamous people, nameless people, groups/nations of people, future generations of people, etc. I’ve heard it said that Christians should read the paper in addition to the Bible. At first, I did not acceopt that idea, until I thought, how could God lead me to give to missions, pray for leaders with whom I am unfamiliar, or exercise God given discernment in “worldly affairs?” Doing any of these things would be difficult without the media. So, if the stars are your thing, go for it. That is, pray for ‘em. But we should not reject the media simply because it is often used a tool to advance worldly endeavors.
posted November 3, 2008 at 3:15 pm
i pray for crista flanagan, whose one of the cast members on mad tv. for some reason i feel such a burden for her, and i’d appreciate anyone else who says a prayer for her to find the lord.
posted July 30, 2009 at 10:15 pm
I think it’s awesome that you’re praying for Britney Spears, she really is a great singer, but some of her music is negative, I think. It seems like she’s gone through so much with her children, her divorce, and how she’s become “big” again, and I really hope God will open her eyes. I’m also praying for some celebrities too. Eminem, yeah it might sound crazy considering his whole image, but he calls himself a Christian and I think he should start acting like one. I believe he’s going to give up rapping and though it would be a stop to all the negative rhymes and such, it’s also the stop of his dream. He influences so many people, young people to be exact, but if he just changed his ways to the Lord, then he would influence people in a good way. So I just pray he’ll go back to God. I’m also praying for a band that some people might now know, but they’re getting big and that’s Tokio Hotel. The twins in the band don’t believe in God, though one of them, the leadsinger, does believe in spirituality. In an interview they said they’d want to live forever, and they don’t even know that they can because they don’t know Christ. They’re influencing alot of people from Germany to Spain to Tokyo to in the US. They have some good music, I haven’t heard any cussing in any of the song lyrics, but though the music I’ve listened to by them has usually been positive, it seems as though the band itself is negative or has negative views on things and I hope they’ll find Christ because they’re rocking… but just not for God. So just pray for the lot because you never know, tomorrow might be too late. Yeah, it might be crazy to be praying for people I don’t even know and have only heard of from magazines, television or the radio, but millions are affected by them, just like millions were affected by Michael Jackson
. God bless!
posted October 6, 2009 at 8:52 am
I think we need to keep praying for Britney. It’s good that she seems to have come out of that really bad period, but I still feel to keep praying for her. A lot of her recent music is very sexual in its content, and I really believe that God has better for her than this!
posted October 27, 2010 at 7:17 pm
I am in definite agreement with praying for celebrities. After all, are they not people as well? I’ve prayed for Miley Cyrus time and time again, which all started when she posed for Vanity Fair. Although some say she is becoming a bad influence, which I understand such individuals’ viewpoints, there is “still hope for every man”, as Casting Crowns puts it. I find it satisfying that i am not alone when it comes to bringing a star’s problems to Jesus. I’ve even prayed for some stars’ sexuality (I believe homosexuality is shameful in God’s eyes since the Apostle Paul says so in Corinthians). Keep all those in Hollywood and anywhere else in the world in your prayers, as I will.
posted April 13, 2011 at 5:33 pm
I have been praying for Tokio Hotel as well. I believe most of their fans have been behaving in such a bizarre manner in these past couple of years that it’s finally reached a point where the guys can’t go anywhere without security, they hardly talk to each other anymore and they’re just scared something’s going to happen. the lead singer, Bill Kaulitz has said he has to check the door at least ten times each night. Back in 2009, there were a couple of incidents, one involving a bar fight where the drummer Gustav Schafer got hit over the head with two beer bottles and the other involving the guitarist at a gas station where he confronted a stalker after she and the gang she was in had followed Tokio Hotel for six months and attacked the twins’ mother. And this fame also affects the twins’ chances at finding love, while Bill would rather wait for “the one” to come along, his brother, the guitarist of the band Tom Kaulitz believes that will never happen for him so he results to having one night stands. They had said in an interview that they had thought about splitting up but never talked about it. Anyway, I’m really worried for the band’s safety, so this is why I pray for them. I just hope God protects Tokio Hotel and keeps any events such as those that happened in 2009 from happening so that this band can go back to being happy.
posted July 26, 2011 at 9:39 pm
I haven’t always thought to pray for celebrities…and in general I don’t think to. But there is one celebrity I always pray for because, after reading all his interviews and watching them…I find he’s so much like me. When he isn’t on stage, he’s shy like me. He’s not super famous. A lot of people in his own country haven’t even heard about him. He’s a mini-celebrity that I stumbled on by chance at a German Cafe/gift store. He was on the back of a cassette and I just had to buy it. I kept thinking about him ever so often. I’d look for him online. I could never find anything much. Then, 12 years later, I see he has a facebook page and a website. I became his “fan” to get access to more information. Now, I’m studying German again so I can talk to him. It was like love at first sight, I think. But not a perfect love. A few months ago, I finally met him. He was even better than I imagined, intelligent, and sweet. But, I don’t know about his spiritual status…and so I pray for him. I pray for his career too. And I pray for God to bless our relationship…in whatever shape God has planned for it to be. living on two continents and speaking two languages makes it hard to even form a friendship; we need God, i pray for understanding. and for patience. and looking back, maybe if I would have cared so much for previous relationships, they wouldn’t have ended.