Vegas Show Wrap Up!

The show is over. On the drive home, the porn mobile went head to head with the Girls Gone Wild Bus. Just when we thought we were done with porn, we came across the bus. Here are our thoughts from the show. 75 people signed up to stop looking at porn, 1000 bibles given away, 250 t-shirts given away. Thousands of people ministered to.

Mike
Going to the Adult Expo is always an incredible opportunity. It gives you the chance to throw yourself into an environment you would never choose to be in and to be able to talk to people you would normally never get to talk to. I definitely learned this week that talk is cheap. (I think I knew this before but the show solidified the truth)Though having wonderful conversations with people about their porn filled lives is good, the greatest thing we can do for people is to love and to serve. That is truly the lasting message of this week.

Again, my favorite quote of the porn show was after I had a great conversation with a woman about the XXXchurch ministry she said, “Thank you for not being a**holes.” That sums up how our greatest impact in the world of porn may not be to save the porn industry but to rewrite the negative perceptions that they have of those who claim to follow Christ. Christians can be funny. We can be over the top. We can relate. We can do hair and makeup. And Christianity can be relevant. Jesus can be represented properly and his message of love won’t be drowned out by judgmental or condemning voices.

Next year. Who knows! It could be Wally The Wieners Weenie Roast where we serve free hot dogs, chips, and Coca-Colas inside the show at our booth. If people want to talk about porn then let’s talk. If they just want a free hot dog and drink and know that we care about them. Perfect. Both are great messages.

Craig

Planting Seeds! That is how I would sum up our trip. Conversions and immediate change of life, we did not see but we planted a lot of seeds this week. Three stories that made the show for me.

1. The porn star lunch. About 8 months ago a porn star called me after a friend gave her my book and my number. A few sporadic phone calls and cancelled meetings over the last 8 months is all the contact we have had. The first day of the show she came by the booth asking for me. This meeting was a long time coming. I had prayed it would have come 6 months ago at Erotica LA but she was not ready. Something though drew her to seek us out this time around. We had lunch together on the first day of the show and she shared how she just can’t keep doing this for too much longer. She knows that God has other plans for her and wants to use her in big ways. She even said she wants to be part of our ministry one day. Sin is fun for a season but the season will come to an end. Her season is almost up and I hope and pray that the Lord will use her in a big way some day. It was cool to see that God allowed this to happen. It was a huge lift and encouragement to have patience and know that God is in control. Pray for her…her name is Stephanie.

2. Watching the team of the girls we brought each learn something new about themselves, the lord and other people. For most of the team, this was a brand new experience. Some have a background in the sex industry, some are married, some have never been kissed, but each one of them did an amazing job and God moved. Some are quiet, some are loud, some have a past and some don’t. But it does not matter. All were willing to lay it on the line and God was pleased I am sure. Click here to check out the girls write up!

3. Go into all the world and tell people about me…that is how Jesus wrapped up things here on earth talking to his friend. He then said many miraculous signs will follow when you go. I saw those this week. And the final miraculous sign was when I was tearing down the booth. The crowds were gone, only a few stragglers. One of the stragglers was Joe, and I watched as JR was praying for Joe and Joe was moved. Little did I know who Joe really was. But I just loved the picture of watching Wally go down and Joe taking a bible and allowing one of us to pray for him as the show came to a close.

J.R.

Every porn show is a crazy dichotomy between the joys of salvation and the hopelessness of sin. God moved at the show, He loved, He sheltered and He changed people’s lives forever. No it’s not over dramatizing the truth. It’s simply what happened. For those of you who long to do something like this for the Lord, do it, don’t talk about it for weeks and have meeting after meeting about it, just go and do it! For those of you who will complain about what we have done, please understand you are not why we do what we do.

I will not forget Joe my new friend from Florida whose e-mail prior to the show was filled with anger and doubt. He was the last one to come to our booth on Sunday and is the one person who will keep me praising God for a long time to come. After Joe and I talked about his life, porn and free speech we prayed, I asked God to fill his life with peace and that Christ would become real to Joe. At the end of the prayer Joe raised his head, eyes filled with tears, Joe simply smiled and said “thanks.” He walked away visibly touched by the Holy Sprit. He walked away changed. I walked away speechless. God’s presence at a porn show is unbelievable, yet undeniable.

Here is the e-mail Joe sent to XXXchurch the week prior to the show.

Well, I have to say I guess America wouldn't be America if it weren't for small cults like yours that express their own opinions and beliefs. Hell, your cult is definitely better than let's say...the Branch Davidians. At least you don't kill people; you just stop them from being born in the first place since you obviously do not believe in human reproduction.

Just so you are aware, and to give you something to think about, there is a very large majority of people that would just as assume your entire organization is evil in every sense of the word. The Devil, Satan, Antichrist - so no matter what you think of yourselves - anti-porn - anti-masturbation - the majority of the population will consider your "praying" for them extremely offensive.

It's amazing how organizations are allowed to exist that actually harm the American public, but I guess that's the price we pay for INDEPENDENCE - AND OH, DO I LOVE INDEPENDENCE.  I HOPE I SEE YOU GUYS AT THE AVN EXPO JAN 5-8

Best,
Joe

Joe did find us at the show and God found Joe.

Happy anniversary XXXchurch.com.