Kirk Cameron brings marriage advice to Rome
"Love and marriage ... Love and marriage ...."
That’s the wrong theme song, but the right theme for actor and producer Kirk Cameron, former star of the '80s sitcom “Growing Pains.”
The actor and producer, who now focuses on projects based on Christian values, will visit Rome on Sunday, along with singer/songwriter Warren Barfield, to talk about the importance of marriage as part of a national “Love Worth Fighting For” tour.
“I’m not an expert on marriage, but I understand the challenge of marriage and I understand where to go because marriage, I believe, comes with instructions," Cameron said. "That’s why I go to the word of God. I’ve found so much wisdom there.”
Cameron has been married to his wife, actress Chelsea Noble Cameron, whom he met on the Growing Pains set, for 26 years, “like 260 in Hollywood years,” he quipped. They have six children and visit Cheektowaga every summer where his wife grew up and her parents still live.
Asked for some advice on happy marriages, Cameron talked about his own experience.
“The heart of the problem that most of us have in marriage is — the problem of not a lot of money or communication or social media or nagging in-laws, all those things can be challenging — but the heart of the problem, I’ve found, is the problem of your own heart,” he said.
“I tend to be selfish more than I should be. And my wife would tell you the same thing, that we’re bent toward 'me first.' I have my rights. I have my needs. And when we focus on our rights, that tends, in any relationship, to promote a rebellion. What have you done for me lately?”
And that makes marriage difficult. Instead, Cameron said, he tries to focus on loving and serving his wife.
“That promotes a revival in our relationship that puts life back into my home and into our marriage. But it’s hard to do because when you have two selfish people that are living together, doing life together and you add kids to the mix, that challenge can sometimes feel overwhelming.”
His presentation, he stressed, isn’t just for Christians or just for married couples. It can help anyone, including those who’ve already experienced failed relationships, work toward a strong, healthy and permanent relationship, Cameron said.
Asked about the shift from making movies and documentaries into touring to talk about marriage and family, he said the change isn’t a big one, as he’s still in entertainment.
“I also like to make things that really help people in the areas where they need it most, like their faith and their families. At the end of the day, you come home to the people you love most,” he said.
And Cameron is grateful for the years he spent growing up on "Growing Pains," he said.
“I was just heartbroken when our dad, (actor) Alan Thicke, passed away just recently,” Cameron said. “It gave us a chance to come together and talk about memories and how special that time was.”
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If you go
What: "Love Worth Fighting For" national tour on creating strong marriages
Who: Actor Kirk Cameron and singer/songwriter Warren Barfield
When: 5 p.m. Sunday
Where: Rome Capitol Theatre
Tickets: $27 to $52
More information: www.loveworthfightingfor.com