JUST JUNK FOOD
I spent seven nights on a bus with the hardest working man in the adult industry. Joining me for the trip was my family made up of my wife Jeanette and my two kids, Nolan (4 years) and Elise (2 years). Prior to the tour and in every city, I was bombarded with questions. Questions like: Are you scared for your kids? What about your wife? Is Ron Jeremy going to make any money of ticket sales? Why should I come to the debate to hear Ron’s side of the story? Do you guys only have one bus? Are you okay promoting a porn star?
And then there was this guy John who emailed. This is what it said:
Jesus said that the person who promotes sin, if I understand the verse right, a guy like Ron, would be better off if he tied a millstone around his neck and flung himself into a lake. Jesus was very stern with the person that stumbles a child of God into sin - like the pornography promoter. Although Ron’s conversion would be a really great miracle of God, I think you might be wasting the small amount of time you have available on him. He’s promoting porn. He’s made his decision and he’s proselytizing others to join him in his beliefs.
I don’t even know what to say. I am not one to doubt many things. I am the first to say yes most days and ask questions later. I continue to be amazed by God. I am everyday in awe of why I get to be part of the things I do. If you knew me well enough, you would agree I am not the best guy for the job, especially this one. Touring the country with a porn star. A friend said to me before I left to make sure I get it done. He sounded as if something I could say to Ron could be the difference in this guy’s life as far as eternity goes.
I smiled but thought for a moment that maybe this tour isn’t about what I say to Ron but it is about what I don’t say. When Ron brings the swingers to the back of the bus and my children are sleeping…I say nothing. When Ron moves into the green room with girls surrounding him…I say nothing. When Ron is nowhere to be found five minutes before show time…I say nothing.
I started asking myself, what did we sign up for? What did I think was going to happen when we step foot on a tour bus with the biggest porn star in the country?
I know what I signed up for. It was not a debate. It was not a tour. It was to be Jesus to Ron. My friend Paul sent me an email during the trip to remind me of that. He said, ”Be Jesus to Ron, dude. You may be the closest thing to Jesus he’s ever seen. Just be Jesus to him, no matter how hard it might sometimes be.”
Craig Gross like Jesus…not a chance! Would Jesus laugh at Ron’s jokes? Would Jesus swear when he got upset? Would Jesus even take part in a porn debate? I can’t answer those questions. I do know Jesus would be on that bus. I do know Jesus would drive the “Porn Taxi” like Stephen the intern did. I do know that Jesus showed up on the porn debate tour not just in conversation. He was there.
I couldn’t believe Ron telling me that the truest form of love is when a couple grows old together and can’t live without the other person. He told us of the love Johnny Cash and June Carter had for each other and how Johnny, who was reasonably healthy, died shortly after his lovely wife. Ron Jeremy was telling us this is the truest form of love. Why? It’s what he wants so badly, yet it’s what he is afraid of most.
That is the truest form of love found on earth but the love that Jesus has for Ron goes beyond Johnny Cash and June Carter. Will Ron ever experience and completely understand that love?
CNN Headline news called while we were in Pittsburgh. They wanted the both of us for a live segment. They booked us in two separate studios in Pittsburgh to do the live feed. Why? Because we were debating porn and we both have different opinions on the matter that we could not be in the same studio together.
The world divides. Jesus unites. The world expects that differences get in the way of friendships. The church is known for being right and everyone else is wrong. We expect them to come to us once, they figure out they were wrong.
Not the case Jesus says…I have come for the sick, for the healthy do not need a doctor. Ron and I laughed after joining back on the tour bus after CNN to watch a replay of the interview.
The real story was not about porn. That is not why I boarded that bus. CNN missed it, but I know that the hundreds of people who saw us each night did not miss it. Friends. Ron Jeremy is my friend. He does what most of this country does except he does it in front of a camera for a living. Will he leave porn? Will he come to know the Lord? What if he doesn’t? What if he already has?
Those questions along with most questions I heard about this tour don’t deserve an answer, for what really matters are neither the questions nor the answers.
Love the Lord your God and love your neighbor as yourself.
Craig
P.S. Oh, the debates. Well in short. I argued against porn while Ron argued for porn. He said it best. Porn is just junk food. And Ron knows that too much junk food will kill you.
www.craiggross.com/justjunkfood.pdf (download article)
I am disappointed in the fellow's e-mail concerning a millstone around the neck.
While this is true, I believe that we are to go to those who are helping people sin. The fact is...people need Jesus!
Craig and the whole XXX staff are being used by God to rescue people from a horrible addiction. We need to PRAISE God for letting them INFLUENCE one of our countries biggest celebrities. I hope people will change their perspective...how can we say they are "wasting" their time. It would be different if Ron was very adamant about NOT wanting to do this.
Strike while the iron is hot, baby!
Keep being a witness for Christ to Ron.
Oh, yeah..while many criticize xxx for their outside the box methods, please keep in mind...NO one was more outside the box than Jesus.
Peace and Love!
David
Louisv
I am in agreement with you regarding Ron.
Jude1:22
22Be merciful to those who doubt; 23snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
That's how I see Ron Jeremy. Yes, what Ron is doing is sin but if we were to win him over through God's strength, his conversion glorifies God more than any other. And yes, I agree with you that we are to love our neighbour as ourselves.
Because I was once a sinner like Ron Jeremy, I may not have done what he did but in God's eyes, we are both equally guilty of God's eternal punishment, I cannot put myself in a position to judge Ron Jeremy. And if God has forgiven all my sins because Jesus Christ died for me, I also forgive Ron Jeremy of his sins because if I do not forgive him , my Heavenly Father does not forgive me also.
By our love for each other, we show the world that we are His disciples.
Hi Craig, interesting that we can be connected throught the internet although we don't even know each other and even though we believe in the same Christ.
May the Lord bless you and your family.
Shalom.
18for through Him we both have (BF)our access in (BG)one Spirit to (BH)the Father.
19So then you are no longer (BI)strangers and aliens, but you are (BJ)fellow citizens with the saints, and are of (BK)God's household,
20having been (BL)built on (BM)the foundation of (BN)the apostles and prophets, (BO)Christ Jesus Himself being the (BP)corner stone,
21(BQ)in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into (BR)a holy temple in the Lord,
22in whom you also are being (BS)built together into a (BT)dwelling of God in the Spirit.
Ephesians 2
Hearing how you and all at XXX church are working to show a true portrayal of Christ to the world really excites me. Keep up the great work and don't let the nay sayers get you down. You guys rock!!
Warm regards from Australia
Tarun
Jesus did this his whole life.
The Truth sets us free.
Myself & my bro were invovled in nightclub ministies in which many churches wouldn't support something were drugs & alcohol are a pillar of the culture.
Build a church & they'll come maybe that maybe the case.
But without David Wilkerson they maybe no Nicky Cruz.
My church preaches the message yes thats right the message not the amplified or king james the message.
Are we hevans no we see the bible in its gritty truth.
Jonah was sent to Nineveh a city full of people into hedanism & depravety.
God doesn't sit on the fence now should we.
In a world where knowing jesus is built on his grace.
Most christian we encounter don't even know this word.
Godbless you guys, your on the frontline, there are many in england praying for ya.
HATE THE SIN NOT THE SINNER LOVE RON JEREMY CAUSE HE IS THE ONE JESUS LOVES JUST LIKE U & I
I hope that you all understood this analogy. Not that any of you are dumb I just want to be clear. No one can escape death, and every one has sinned. So as people rescued from the truck, or death and sin, we must be willing to risk how people view us in order to save them. I know that Christians are often viewed has hypocritical and judgemental, but Christ was very clear about sin. He hated it, and He told people when they were sinning. That's how much He loved them. And we are called to be His immitators.
You're right on with Ron. The Bible verse about a millstone pertains to child abuse, not porn. The Bible tells us to disassociate from professing Christians who do bad stuff, but specifically commands us to stay engaged with unbelievers who do the same sins.
“I have written to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people-- not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.” 1 Corinthians 5:9, 10, NIV.
You're right on. I appreciate you guys.
Bill at www.maxgrace.com
Sorry for this third post.I read your post the third time and saw that you said you aren't the best guy in this world to do this job. I thank God that at least you were willing to do it. When Jesus chose his tweleve disciples, they weren't the best people to do His job and yet they were chosen. They were chosen inspite of their sins and weaknesses. When Moses was chosen, God chose to use him when he was eighty, not what we imagine it to be. When God chose Jesus to die for our sins, no one believed him to be our saviour and yet he did it for us all.When Paul was sent to do what God called him to do, no one believed him because he persecuted God's people and executed them before.
I guess we can't understand why God would use the most unlikely people to do His work but our thoughts aren't higher than His thoughts, so all we can do is to trust. But I hope you won't feel that God abandoned you because whatever He called you to do, He also provides the grace to endure the trials that come along you way.
In fact, because Mike obeyed God and you followed suit, many of us here can have a voice to speak out instead of porn throwing its mud at us while we are sunk and while the enemy has his hayday drowning us into oblivion in this space. Ever heard of people dying in front of their computer for overplaying games?
If I would understand the passage that the fellow mentioned in his email. The text in Matt 8 does not apply to those who are not of the faith. Put in context the disciples asked, "Who get's the highest rank in God's kingdom?" That implies that A BELIEVER who causes a little one to sin would be better if they were thrown over, millstone and all. (wonder if this is where the mob got there idea for cement shoes??) - i regress - All to say the guy took the passage out of context to make a very weak point.
Yes, Craig, yes - be Jesus to Jeremy and to all that He puts in your path.
Been following your ministry ever since you spoke @ Westwinds for our Porn Weekend (thank you "A Current Affair")
Shalom
Kuddos to Craig and the team.
I pray for you, I am constantly thanking God for you. Because of your willingness to lead, I have been rescued.
You are spot on friend. And I long for the day when I can take a stand with you. I only have 3 years left on this enlistment, and Lord willing, I will join the fight!
Craig, Bless the people who curse you.
I know it's killer, because I found myself in a tough spot a few years back.
I had people tell me I was a follower of Satan, that I was evil, that I was a terrible person.
Why? Because of the truth. Truth does divide!
Sadly, I listened to them, and got out of the ministry.
Keep on keeping on! People are people.
Jesus is Savior!
Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18
Nothing beats the first and second greatest commandments!!!
Christians(believers) are sinners saved by grace, God's grace!
Unbelievers are sinners who haven't realized God's grace in their lives, but hopefully they will at some point in their lives!
Ron is seeing more and more of the grace of God as Craig continues to be a faithful witness of the Lord and His grace to Ron.
We are all in the same boat, Christians are no better than anyone else. Jesus wants His followers to show grace to unbelievers, just as Jesus shows grace to all people! God's grace is so abundant to cover over all our sins!
Craig is continuing to show the Gospel of Grace to Ron just by being around him. I think Ron likes Jesus; he just doesn't want to admit it yet. :)
Hope that God uses you are the Serpent that devours the other two serpents who Pharoah displayed his supernatural powers to Moses.
It's hard to reason with someone who's already burning in the flames of passion. Ron is carrying the torch of flames that needs Jesus to extinguish. The porn debate works only when Ron is of sound mind, not when he is engulfed in sexual passions. What is the strategy next to reason with Ron about the atrocities of pornography?
craig
You'll hear it all in public soon enough. And EVERYONE will get the chance to decide for themselves who's telling the truth. XXXChurch or God's Church.
Revelation 11:3-13
I thought XXXChurch was part of God's Church.
...but also hated by people in God's church, who obviously don't really look into the ministry and it's background before writing e-mails. (ie: when will people realize that there is no 'church', as in a building and a bunch of people in it and stuff, it's a website that helps people get over addiction and love people in an industry that have previously been shunned by those who are supposed to be living out an example the ultimate love, and it happens to have a great name?)
yeah.
Jesus said that the person who promotes sin, if I understand the verse right, a guy like Ron, would be better off if he tied a millstone around his neck and flung himself into a lake.
Sorry to tell you, but you MISunderstand this passage. The people who Jesus was referring to were religious hypocrites, people who teach kids one thing but live hypocritically. Children can always see through such falseness. That's why they're are so many kids who, after they grow up, will never visit a Catholic church, or an evangelical church, or pentacostal church, or a...etc. Many of these kids are missionary kids or pastors' kids, They've seen the hypocrisy of the elders, the pastors, the bible study leaders. Good luck talking to these people about God. They already have a millstone tied around their neck.
Amen and Amen (*)
