Conner Rayburn: According to God
CBN.com He’s quickly becoming one of Hollywood’s brightest stars. He’s part of a star-studded cast on the ABC family sitcom According to Jim. And these days, he’s busy working on a new movie.
At only eight-years-old, Conner Rayburn’s career is flying high. Behind the scenes he’s your average, playful third grader. But when the cameras are rolling, he’s a professional playing the son of macho family man Jim Belushi.
The budding actor from Dickson, Tennessee, has always packed a lot of personality. After only a handful of acting classes, at 4- years-old Conner landed his first commercial and a network TV show. The semi-veteran actor is now working on his third movie called Old Dogs. He co-stars with Hollywood heavyweight’s John Travolta and Robin Williams.
Recently 700 Club producer, Mia Evans sat down with Conner to discuss his faith.
Mia Evans [reporting]: Those are people (Travolta and Evans) you’ve probably, you know, watched on a DVD or at the movies. How does it feel to work with people like that?
Conner Rayburn: It’s cool beause I get to work with them after I watch them.
Mia: So do you feel like a regular kid?
Conner: Sort of.
Mia [reporting]: Sort of? Or do you feel more like a celebrity?
Conner: Celebrity and a regular kid.
Mia: So do people recognize you when...
Conner: Yeah, all the time. Whenever I go to restaurants they’ll say, ‘Hey look, there’s the little boy off According to Jim.’ Tthen they’ll run over and say,' Can we have your autograph?'
Mia [reporting]: And what do you do?
Conner: I say okay.
Mia: So you’re nice about that? You never say, ‘No autographs please?’
Conner: No.
Mia [reporting]: That kind of humble attitude comes from a kid who’s firmly rooted in his faith. What’s under your shirt?
Conner: Well I have a cross under my shirt. And I never take it off, unless I’m going somewhere, and I don’t want it to get dirty or anything -- I’ll put it in my pocket. I’ll put it in my pocket because I don’t want it to get dirty.
Mia: Why is it so important to you?
Conner: Because I love God and this is what I got for loving him. That’s how I learned more about Him.
Mia [reporting]: Awe, that’s beautiful.
What’s even more beautiful – is watching a child who loves God pursue his passion. Conner’s tight-knit family supports his dream. His parents Brian and Gina manage his career – and his big brother, Chris cheers him on.
Mia: Do you ever feel like God talks to you?
Conner: Yeah he talks to me sometimes whenever I pray to Him. Yeah He speaks back to me.
Mia [reporting]: What kind of things does He [God] say?
Conner: He answers my prayer. This is what my heart desires. This is what God is telling me what to do… if this is what my heart desires.