If you missed the last post on 10 years of Outreach, you can read it here.
Tara just wrote this write up about our ministry into strip clubs.
Our culture today views strippers as products…sex objects…a one-time gift for man’s physical pleasure. They see an attractive body to stare at, lust after, and get their sexual “fix.” What they don’t realize is that the girl they are paying to see get naked is a human being with a need and desire to feel truly loved. Due to the fact that the majority of girls working in the sex industry have been sexually abused at some point in their life, they’ve never experienced the feeling of being cherished. We often don’t realize how lonely, dejected, and uncared for these girls feel. Their families may shun them for the work they do, or they simply don’t have a family because they grew up with nobody who cared. XXXchurch has a network of ministries called Strip Church, in which women from all over the nation have realized the need to reach out to girls working in strip clubs. Strip Church trains women and churches to start their own ministry where they enter into clubs, meeting girls where they’re at. They bring gift bags filled with items like makeup, jewelry, and a personal note expressing their deep love and care for each girl. Working with Strip Church, it is incredible and humbling to see women be called to this type of outreach, get trained by our team, and then go out full force into these clubs to connect with girls. Some of these women were actually once exotic dancers themselves and have now gained a desire to bring hope to others. The response our ministries have received so far has been unbelievable. First, strip club managers have been so impacted by our work that they have personally invited ministries to come back. Second, girls working at clubs have felt highly encouraged and some have even left the industry. Lastly, countless church members have offered their time, energy, and resources in volunteering. And those are just a few examples! Our ultimate goal with Strip Church is to show these girls what true love is, love that comes through Christ. In addition, we strive to be a support and resource for all girls who wish to leave the industry. We are so excited about the future of this ministry and are expectant to see more women catch the vision of reaching out to girls working in the sex industry!
Tara Klusmann