Denzel Washington Opens Up about His Faith Journey in Powerful Talk with CU Football Team
On Mar. 13, acclaimed actor Denzel Washington spoke to Coach Deion Sanders’ football team at the University of Colorado Boulder via a video conference call about his faith in God. Washington, who has won two Academy Awards, three Golden Globes, a Tony Award, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom 2025, told the players to depend on God alone for their fulfillment. The actor explained that happiness that comes from the world rather than from God will ultimately leave them disappointed and with little more than a fleeting sense of pleasure.
Washington explained to the students that they must have faith that is rooted in God’s word, not in getting what they want or having a smooth, easy path. The actor read a passage from a book called, ‘Words of Jesus for Men,’ which explained that, for some, their faith leaves them when they don’t receive the things that they desire, like success or money. True faith, he explained, is not about comfort or ease but about staying true to God despite the circumstances.
“We are in the world, but don’t be of it,” Washington stated. “Don’t rely on it for your happiness. Rely on the Almighty. Do not rely on this world for your happiness. ‘Cuz [they’ll] tell you Tuesday that they love you and Wednesday that they hate you.”
During the talk, Washington explained that God pursued him throughout his life despite, at times, being far from the Lord. “God found me long before I knew I found Him,” Washington told the players. “That’s why they call it grace. The devil had me by the ankles. He said, ‘I [can] get him, I [can] get him. God said, no, he’s one of mine.”
The actor told the story of using heroin at a young age, dealing drugs, and being very close to violence. “The only reason I’m not talking to you from the penitentiary is by the grace of God,” Washington said. “I shot dope when I was 13 years old, I sold dope, sold reefer, sold heroin, sold cocaine. I was shooting dope at 13 years old, but it wasn’t God’s plan for me.”
Washington explained the ups and downs of his journey to faith, from rejecting God to accepting Him.
“I rejected God, I hated God, I loved God, I appreciated God, I’ve had no patience with God, [but] God has had nothing but patience with me. That’s why they call it grace.”
Washington’s father was a preacher, and he was exposed to the church at a young age. However, it wasn’t until the 1980s that the actor accepted Christ, and 10 days prior to turning 70 years old, he was baptized.
On Dec. 21, 2024, Washington was baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and also became an ordained minister.
After his baptism, Washington said that, “if [God] can do this for [him], there’s nothing He can’t do for you. The sky literally is the limit.”
Washington’s bravery in speaking out about his Christian faith at a time in our culture when doing so could have cost him a great deal is commendable.
In Nov. 2024, Washington wrote a personal essay for Esquire magazine where he addressed being Christian in Hollywood.
“When you see me, you see the best I could do with what I’ve been given by my Lord and Savior,” Washington wrote. “I’m unafraid. I don’t care what anyone thinks. See, talking about the fear part of it—you can’t talk like that and win Oscars. You can’t talk like that and party. You can’t say that in this town. [But] I’m free now. It’s not talked about in this town…It’s not fashionable. It’s not sexy. But that doesn’t mean people in Hollywood don’t believe.”
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Vicky has written news articles on topics including human trafficking, Supreme Court rulings, politics, Christian persecution, the economy, social issues, and much more. She loves to learn and earned her bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Creative Writing from DePaul University. When she’s not tackling the current news cycle or interviewing someone for a story, you can probably find her writing poetry, taking pictures, or spending time with her husband. Vicky loves music, concerts, and all things Paris. You can find more of Vicky’s articles, scholarly papers, and even some of her poetic reflections at https://vlarias7.journoportfolio.com/
Originally published March 18, 2025.
