Actor Shares New Life On 'Growing Pains' Reunion Set
by Allie Martin and Jenni Parker
September 13, 2004
(AgapePress) - A former teen television star from a popular family sitcom says an upcoming reunion special recently gave him the opportunity to share his Christian faith with fellow cast members.| | 
Kirk Cameron |
From 1985 to 1992, Kirk Cameron played Mike Seaver on the hit ABC situation comedy, Growing Pains. Cameron became a Christian a couple of years before the show ended its prime-time run, and he distanced himself from his then TV "family."Recently, however, Cameron says he was able to witness to some of his former fellow cast and crew members about his faith in Jesus as shooting progressed on a Growing Pains reunion movie. Moreover, he says, "I was able to even just go up to people I don't even know and get into a genuine conversation with them, swing the subject around to God, and share the gospel with them," he says.
Cameron says he has learned over time to communicate the gospel in such a way that many with whom he shares his faith are deeply affected and "are just riveted to the conversation, wanting to know more, to read their Bible and get right with the Lord." Because of his passion for sharing Christ, he was excited to have a chance to do this with the cast and crew of the upcoming TV feature, Growing Pains II: Home Equity.
Although the young actor became a believer in 1990, he admits that, for a long time, he was fearful when it came to witnessing. He says the prospect of sharing his faith continued to intimidate him, until he became familiar with a ministry known as "The Way of the Master." That ministry, founded by Christian evangelist Ray Comfort, is designed to teach believers how to share their faith using the Ten Commandments as a tool in leading others to Christ.
Cameron believes many Christians are fearful about witnessing because they have not been equipped to do it effectively. "If you arm any soldier with a feather duster and send him out into the heat of modern warfare, the guy is not going to feel very courageous with a feather duster," he says. "But if you give him state-of-the-art weapons and teach him how to use them, those weapons will give him tremendous courage."
The former teen TV star of Growing Pains has become well known for his film roles as an adult -- including the part of Buck in two end-time action thrillers based on the Left Behind book series. Also, Cameron is currently in partnership with Ray Comfort in promoting The Way of the Master and teaching more believers how to share their faith effectively.
