Daily Lens

CANDACE CAMERON BURE SAYS SHE REFUSES TO HIDE HER CHRISTIAN FAITH

Actress Candace Cameron Bure says she has no plans to stop speaking publicly about Jesus Christ, even though she once felt pressure to keep her faith quieter.

Bure said:

“If I didn’t talk about my faith, I wouldn’t be authentic to me and who I am.”

She explained that Christianity has been a major part of her life since childhood, but that people she worked with had at times encouraged her to downplay it.

That pressure made her afraid to speak openly.

Over time, Bure says she learned not to let fear control her.

While preparing for Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, she memorized Scripture to remind herself of this truth:

📖 “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” — 2 Timothy 1:7

Now 50, Bure says she does not want fear to dictate her life or silence her faith.

For her, talking about Jesus is not simply part of a public image.

It is part of being honest about who she is.

For Christians, her message is a reminder that faith is not something we should be ashamed to acknowledge.

If Jesus is truly at the center of your life, speaking about Him should not feel like hiding part of yourself. ✝️🙏

SPRINGBOKS AND ALL BLACKS COME TOGETHER IN PRAYER AFTER HARD-FOUGHT MATCH

A beautiful moment followed the final whistle as players from South Africa’s Springboks and New Zealand’s All Blacks gathered together in prayer after their hard-fought match in Baltimore.

They had just spent the game battling one another on the field, but afterward, the rivalry was set aside.

Players from both teams bowed their heads together and prayed.

For Christians, moments like this are powerful because they show that faith can be bigger than competition.

One team wins.

One team loses.

But Jesus Christ remains Lord either way.

📖 “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” — 1 Corinthians 10:31

There is something special about seeing elite athletes humble themselves, put the game aside and acknowledge God together.

Win or lose, Jesus gets all the glory. ❤️✝️🏉

FORMER MUSLIM SAYS ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST CHANGED HIS LIFE: “I LEFT EVERYTHING BEHIND AND CHOSE TO FOLLOW HIM”

A man who says he had converted to Islam is now sharing a powerful testimony about returning to faith in Jesus Christ after what he describes as a personal encounter with Him.

Looking back on his past, he said:

“I thought I knew who Jesus was… until the day I encountered Him for myself.”

He says there was a time when he walked away from Christianity and embraced Islam, believing he had found a different path.

But according to his testimony, that changed when he says Jesus met him personally.

“When I encountered Him, everything changed.”

He said the experience was so powerful that he knew he could not return to the life he had been living.

“I left everything behind and chose to follow Him.”

The man says he does not share his story to glorify his past, but to tell others that Jesus Christ still reaches people where they are.

His message is simple:

“He found me. He changed me. And I will spend the rest of my life following Him.”

For Christians, testimonies like this are a reminder that no person is too far away, no background is too complicated and no past is beyond the reach of the Gospel.

📖 “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” — 2 Corinthians 5:17

The Christian message is not that people save themselves.

It is that Jesus Christ changes lives.

Jesus is King. 👑✝️

BROCK PURDY SAYS HIS IDENTITY IS IN JESUS CHRIST, NOT FOOTBALL

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy continues to make it clear that football may be his profession, but it is not the foundation of his identity.

That foundation, he says, is Jesus Christ.

In a recent interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Purdy spoke about how his Christian faith shapes the way he approaches leadership, accountability, marriage and life in the NFL.

Rather than feeling pressure to turn every interview into a sermon, Purdy said he wants the people closest to him to see his faith through the way he actually lives.

One question he says he continually asks himself is:

“How can I honor God with what He’s given me?”

That perspective has shaped the way Purdy views his talent, his platform and the responsibility that comes with being quarterback of one of the NFL’s most recognizable teams.

For Purdy, sharing Christ is not only about what he says publicly.

It is also about how his teammates, coaches, wife and family see him live every day.

That is a powerful reminder for Christians everywhere.

Your workplace can be a mission field.

You do not need a pulpit to represent Jesus.

You can point people toward Christ through the way you lead, serve, forgive, work and treat others.

Purdy’s story is also a reminder that following Jesus does not mean pretending to be perfect.

It means continually surrendering your gifts, weaknesses and opportunities to God and asking how they can be used for His glory.

📖 “You will be my witnesses.” — Acts 1:8

Football is temporary.

Fame is temporary.

The platform is temporary.

But the opportunity to point people toward Jesus can have eternal impact.

Brock Purdy’s message is simple: use what God has given you to honor Him. ✝️🏈🙏

CHRISTIAN MUSIC IS GAINING MOMENTUM AS YOUNGER LISTENERS TURN TO FAITH-CENTERED SONGS

Christian and gospel music are seeing notable growth even as streaming for many new releases across the broader music industry has slowed, according to Luminate’s 2025 Midyear Report.

A major reason appears to be younger, streaming-first listeners who are bringing faith-based music into their everyday playlists — not only during church or worship services, but alongside pop, hip-hop and other mainstream genres.

Artists such as Forrest Frank, Brandon Lake and Elevation Worship have helped push Christian music further into the cultural mainstream.

In a major milestone, two Christian songs reached the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, something that had not happened in more than a decade.

The trend suggests something bigger than a temporary spike.

Younger listeners appear increasingly comfortable making faith part of their daily lives, including what they stream, share and sing.

For Christians, that matters because worship music is no longer staying inside church walls.

It is reaching phones, playlists, gyms, cars and social media feeds.

📖 “Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.” — Psalm 96:1

In a culture constantly searching for identity, meaning and hope, faith-driven music is finding a new audience.

Christian music is not fading. It is reaching a generation that is hungry for something deeper. ✝️🎶

MEL GIBSON SAYS MAKING THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST FELT LIKE WITNESSING THE CRUCIFIXION

Mel Gibson says bringing the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ to the screen was far more than just another film project.

Reflecting on the making of The Passion of the Christ, Gibson said the experience felt almost like witnessing the crucifixion firsthand.

The film became one of the most talked-about Christian movies ever made, portraying the final hours of Jesus’ life with a level of intensity that shocked audiences and moved many believers deeply.

For Gibson, the project was not simply about creating a successful movie.

It was about confronting the sacrifice of Christ in a way that felt immediate, painful and deeply personal.

Years later, The Passion of the Christ continues to have an impact because the story at its center is bigger than Hollywood.

It is the story Christians believe changed history.

📖 “He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities.” — Isaiah 53:5

The cross was not entertainment.

It was suffering.

It was sacrifice.

And for Christians, it was the place where Jesus Christ gave His life for the sins of the world.

That is why the story still matters. ✝️

“CHRIST IS KING” BILLBOARDS ARE COMING TO BROADWAY IN NEW YORK CITY

A Christian billboard campaign declaring “Christ is King” is preparing to bring its message to Broadway in New York City.

LifeSiteNews says its campaign has already placed billboards across 10 U.S. states — California, Florida, Texas, Indiana, Nebraska, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and New Jersey — and has been seen by millions of people. The organization is now raising support to bring the message to New York City, including Broadway near Times Square.

The purpose of the campaign is simple:

To publicly proclaim the kingship of Jesus Christ.

In one of the busiest and most influential cities in the world, where millions of residents and visitors pass through each year, the message would stand boldly above the streets:

CHRIST IS KING.

For Christians, that declaration is not a slogan.

It is a confession of faith.

📖 “On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” — Revelation 19:16

Broadway is known for entertainment, fame and culture.

But this campaign wants people passing through New York to be confronted with a message that points beyond all of it:

Jesus Christ is King. ✝️👑

“SHAZAM” STAR ZACHARY LEVI OPENS UP ABOUT DEPRESSION, ANXIETY AND FINDING HIS WORTH IN CHRIST

Actor Zachary Levi has spoken openly about a period of depression and anxiety so severe that he reached a point where he no longer wanted to keep living.

Levi said that during his darkest season, even his lifelong faith was shaken.

“I was literally screaming and crying out to God,” he recalled, describing how overwhelmed he became and how deeply he questioned whether God was there at all.

With support from his family, Levi entered three weeks of intensive therapy, which he later described as both “life-changing” and “life-saving.”

He has said that healing involved more than one thing. Professional therapy mattered. Supportive relationships mattered. And so did learning to stop measuring his value by success, fame or what other people thought of him.

For Levi, a major part of that process was rediscovering his identity in Christ.

His testimony is a reminder that even people who appear successful on the outside can be struggling deeply on the inside.

And now, Levi wants others going through similar battles to hear this message:

“Do not ever, ever, ever believe that you are alone in this.”

For Christians, his story is a powerful reminder that seeking help is not a failure of faith. God can work through prayer, family, community and professional care.

📖 “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” — Psalm 34:18

Fame cannot determine your worth.

Success cannot heal every wound.

And a dark season does not mean your story is over.

Your life has value, and your identity is bigger than your pain. ✝️🙏

THE CHURCH WAS UNDERWATER FOR A MONTH. THEY GOT MARRIED ANYWAY.

Leian Lieza Galang waded through hip-deep floodwater in her wedding gown to marry Gilbert Chico at Saint John the Baptist Church in the Philippines, after monsoon floods left the building partially submerged for nearly a month. The parish urged them to postpone. They said no. "Nothing could stop their union," the wedding photographer said.

Would you have pushed through the wedding, or waited it out? 🙏

A SPIRITUAL AWAKENING IS STIRRING AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE IN SECULAR SWEDEN

For decades, Sweden has been known as one of Europe’s most secular societies. But signs are emerging that a growing number of young Swedes are becoming curious about Jesus, the Bible and Christian faith.

CBN News recently highlighted what church leaders there are describing as a renewed spiritual hunger among Sweden’s youth. The report points to packed Christian gatherings, baptisms, growing confirmation classes and young people openly carrying Bibles and talking about Jesus.

One striking example came from Sweden’s youth trend research. In late 2024, Swedish public broadcaster SVT reported that Jesus was being predicted as a major “influencer” among young people for 2025, based on survey data from more than 17,000 Swedes ages 15–24. The same reporting noted growing interest in religion among younger generations.

CBN also reported that the Jesus Conference in Sweden grew to more than 3,000 attendees by its third year, while Christian leaders say some confirmation programs fill almost immediately after registration opens.

There is one important clarification about the widely shared 34% figure: Swedish reporting says Gen Z participates in churches, mosques or other religious communities at a rate 34% higher than Baby Boomers; that is different from saying 34% of all Swedish youth attend church.