The Vegas show was great this year to say the least. However it is still a porn show and of course it increasingly gets edgier by the year. It was our privilege to hang out with the great people attend the show and in the industry. Our team was dynamite. It was the largest group of volunteers that we have ever taken to a porn show. We had groups from LA, Houston and Chicago along to help.
The highlights of the show include over a hundred Jesus Loves Porn Stars t-shirts personally handed to girls in the industry. Over 3,500 JLPS Bibles going out and hundreds of conversations about life, Jesus, porn, heaven and hope. It is our prayer that with every t-shirt and every Bible there are conservations and space for God to move in lives. For a behind the scenes look at the the outreach in Vegas check out the pictures, and hear reflections on the Dirty Little Secrets 84 podcast.
Thank you for your support! It has been quite a journey in six years, we are astonished at what God has done and excited for what is to come. All we can do is hold on!
We head to Miami for our next show. It is our second year there. On the way in last year we met some christians who were protesting and yelling about hell and starkly contrasting, on the inside we met some great people. We are looking forward to going back to South Beach and having a group of volunteers from the Florida area along to help us out. Miami here we come!
If you would like to donate to the Porn Show Outreach or would like to learn more head over to this page of the website. Enjoy the reflections from the Vegas team below.
-Brandon
Reflections from Craig
the end of the show for me was the avn award show. jeanette and i go to the award show. kind of like the oscars for porn. 200 bucks a ticket. 6,000 people there and everyone in the biz are in formal wear. so, we go saturday night. not a coincidence but i believe a god thing. we walk right by ron jeremy. he freaks out that we were there introduces us to a few friends, we take pictures together, he talks to jeanette for a while and i talk with his agent. he is truly a friend and i think that goes both ways. so, the award show starts and the opening line of the show, the host says something like F the Christian right and the government for trying to take away our porn. Everyone cheers. later in the show the president of the AVN introduces someone and he mentions christians in a negative way. one other time that night the word christian was used in a negative light. we get in the car at the end of the show and jeanette and i talk for a while. she asked me, “why again did we go to the show?”.
there was no real porn showing at the show, it was pretty depressing seeing these actors and actresses give an acceptance speech for winning a porn award. i have never gone to the show ever but this year i really felt like jeanette and i should attend. i said to jeanette, think of how many conversations ron can’t be a part of now because he knows us. it is sad to see how much hate that this industry has for us, and they would never have thought that a pastor and his wife would be at this show and when ron hears the things he hears about christians, i got to believe he has to say…..well that is not all true, my friend craig and his wife….they aren’t like that.
when i was walking away from ron prior the event, with my program in hand. i also said to him….you really don’t have a chance at debating me now since i have all this information and i held up the program. he turned and tried to grab the program and said give me that….
dont know if that makes sense after i just wrote it but overall the show was great. just a lot of lonely people. heard about a wedding take place between a porn star and a guy, just depressing. handed out 3500 bibles…ran out. the girls who came with us handed out 144 jesus loves porn star shirts to 144 porn stars and were met with smile and excitment. the AVN said come back again next year which always means a lot as well…
Reflections from Rachel Collins
Las Vegas was my fourth porn convention with xxxchurch, and its amazing how God shows me something different every time I go, whether its something about myself or about other people. This convention was the most memorable to me because I came in with relationships that had been built from last year. Part of me was so happy to see people from last year and part of me was so sad that I was seeing people from last year. Especially all the boys in the Gay porn industry, they have such a special place in my heart. They come by our booth for a kind word or maybe just a hug. It breaks my heart to see them running around in little boys underwear and being leered at by creepy older men. But i know that I am there not to judge, or scream, or grab them and shake them, but to instead love them unconditionally.
And that is one thing that has surprised me is just how much I love these men and women in the porn industry. To say Hey I am a 25 year old girl pastor who has walked into this ridiculous place to say someone cares, someone loves you whether you do porn or not. And that God does not love porn but I know that he absolutely loves you. This year one girl really stood out to me. She worked at a local brothel and lived a completely double life. She had a beautiful home with her husband and two kids, yet she would fly out to vegas for one week out of the month and work at a Brothel. She said she went to church every week and even had her kids youth group over all the time.
Yet here she was carrying around this huge secret that she slept with men for money. And what always haunts me is the look in these womens eyes. She broke down to us that this life she was leading was not working out so well. And so we prayed for her and her family, especially as her children were getting older. I wish that I could come in and make it all better for these women and men, with a huge magical wand, but each one has a story and deep pains that we can only see just a glimpse of. So we pray, we give t shirts and bibles and know that God is working and moving in this industry. That these small moments we share with these men and women are so important. That the love we show is way louder than any words.
Reflections from Tammy
I learned that the people in this industry and the people who consume it consist of ALL age groups. There were so many gray-headed senior citizens there. One elderly gentleman told me “it’s too late for me†when I offered him a Bible. That was heartbreaking. Although there were people there who fit the stereotype of the porn star or porn producer, I was struck by the people who, if you saw them in a different venue, (say, at church), would look like everyone else. There were people who were bitter and angry and hated us even though they didn’t know us. It was obvious from several conversations that many had been hurt by the church and carried such pain and bitterness, and that was just so sad. There were precious people who, though they might have disagreed with our beliefs, were very kind. There were many more couples there together than I expected. We talked to some who confessed that their marriages were in trouble and they knew that porn was destroying their marriage. There were singles, straight people, gay people, lonely people and people who thought they had it all together. All races and socio-economic groups were there. In other words, they are just people who desperately need God’s love, just like all of us.
I am so thankful for the privilege of being a part of this team. I pray that God was able to use me to communicate His passionate, pursuing love to people that might not show up to church to find it. I know that I will never be the same, and I’m sure that was part of His plan, as well.
Reflections from Rachel Sanchez
It was my first time at the porn convention and what an experience it was, filled with emotions.
You would think by walking into a place like that going in for a different reason then everyone else, that people would hate that you are there. These people are searching just like the rest of us. Searching for love and a purpose through a horrible addiction.
It was definitely a shock walking into a place with porn everywhere you turn. The truth is, is that I saw things that I had never even imagined could be real. It hits you in a part of your heart that longs for these people to understand that God created them for better things in their life.
My job being at the convention was to walk around talking to porn stars, giving them t-shirts that said “Jesus loves Porn Stars” on it (which they loved!), giving them bibles, and having them sign their picture. My job was to love these girls that God created and give them a hope that no movie or magazine could ever give them. It was an intense job that I never thought i would have. These girls are just like the rest of us, longing to find purpose in life and wanting to be loved. How many times do we talk to God or whoever we talk to when we are alone saying “I just want to feel loved” “My life has no purpose” “I want more”.
So many people have asked, “Rach, why are you going to this convention?”. Before I couldn’t really answer that question because I had no idea what to expect. But being back I know exactly why I was there . The two things that God commands us to do is love Him and love others. Being at the porn convention you really begin to understand what love IS and what love ISN’T. Giving love and hope to a group of people that desperately need it is the most rewarding thing you could ever do. Realizing that all of the people there are just like the rest of us makes me wonder why i dont do it as much where i am comfortable. So being back that is the challenge i have for myself and I challenge everyone else to do the same. Love people with a real love, not the kind of love that you give when its easy, the kind you give willingly when its the most hard.
Reflections from Drenda
Day 1 – This is too tame!
We survived our first day at the porn convention. God placed us in an aisle that is very tame (I have seen worse at Mardi Gras and the Gay Pride Parades in Hollywood), but as you move beyond our aisle, it gets worse. We don’t roam very often — just trips to the bathroom where ministry takes place. Amanda talked to 2 stars in the bathroom, gave them the “Jesus Loves Porn Stars†Bible, told them we loved them and if they needed anything to stop by and let us know.
Craig Gross and XXXchurch have a very good reputation in the industry. Many people stop by to say “hi†or to get an interview with him. We basically stand in our booth and hand out the Bibles. Responses have been varied but positive for the most part. We’ve heard: “It’s too late for me.†We tell them it’s not, but they walk on. Very heart-breaking. “I don’t want this Jesus @#$%.†“Can I have more books for my friends?†And some won’t take a Bible from us, but later return and sneak one from the pile. Too funny.
Wes talked to a producer who said that the public is craving more and weirder stuff because what they have now is too tame. The producers are doing more violent stuff (gang rapes) etc. and it is very brutal on the women.
Day 2 – God shows up at the porn convention.
Greta stopped by. We gave her a Bible. She took it, walked off, came back and asked for the pastor. Craig was doing an interview so she waited for him. I noticed her standing there and asked if she was okay. She shook her head “no†and was holding her head. I asked if she was sick. She shook her head “no†again, grabbed my hand and took me off to the side. She and her husband are in the business. They hire “modelsâ€. Her husband has been too friendly with the models and his assistant. She feels disrespected and wants him to stop acting that way. Tammy and I prayed for her and gave her a “Redeeming Love†book. She thanked us and walked off. A few minutes later she came back, handed the Bible back to Tammy and said she didn’t want it. Tammy told her she could keep it. She said, “My ex-husband is a preacher. I want no part of that. But this (she pointed to the RL book) is awesome!†She had already read a couple of chapters and was reading it as she walked down the aisle. She said she loved the book and thanked us for giving it to her.
There are numerous senior citizens (65+) at this convention. Didn’t expect that. A guy from the booth across from us came over and asked if we are really a church. We explained it’s an internet ministry. He said his church wouldn’t go to a porn convention. I asked him if he told his church he was going to be here. “OH, NO!!!!†He said his priest told him as long as he has the tattoo of Jesus on his arm, he’s okay. Yes, we’ve heard a lot of interesting justifications.
As usual, we had the mixed responses to the “Jesus Loves Porn Stars†Bibles: “Are you sure Jesus loves porn stars?†“What would Jesus’ favorite booth here be?†“What’s this all about?†“I believe in God, but this is my job.†“Y’all are crossing the line. I would never give two cents to an unkempt Jew who was dirty and didn’t know what he was doing.†“Hail Satan!†“I don’t believe in Jesus, but I know He loves everyone.†“I’m Jewish. No, thanks.†“I’m Catholic. No, thanks.†“We’re glad you’re here.â€
We had one guy refuse to take a Bible and gave us the sign of the cross. Guess he confused us with vampires. Another guy crossed his fingers as he refused the Bible. It’s been comical at times. It’s incredible to see ministry happen in a porn convention. His unfailing love pursues us every day of our lives (Ps 23 NLT) — even in to a porn convention.
Day 3: Porned Out
Another interesting day at the convention. Wes and Amanda talked to Vern who is not sure what he believes. He was raised by atheist grandparents and parents, but he isn’t an atheist. He is agnostic, but he’s concerned that if the Bible is right, his parents/grandparents are burning in hell right now. He doesn’t want to burn in hell, but he’s not sure about the Jesus part of God. He heard the Lord’s Prayer every day of his life, and he is searching.
I have mixed emotions as I close. I’m ready to get back home to see my dog, but it feels like I’ve left a part of me in the convention hall. It’s kinda like the song, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco†only it’s: “I Left A Part of My Heart at the Porn Convention.†I will never forget these 4 days. We laughed and cried. We saw despair replaced with hope. But most of all, we saw and felt Jesus at the porn convention.
As the Vegas Convention drew closer, I really wondered if I had made the right decision to attend with our group from Houston and with XXXChurch. I wasn’t sure if a 45 year-old woman from the suburbs of Houston would have anything to say to people attending a porn convention in Las Vegas. I know that Jesus loves them and that He is what their hearts are really looking for, but I wasn’t sure that I could communicate that to this group of people in a relevant way. I was terrified, but not for the reasons most people would think about going into this kind of situation. I was just so scared of being ineffective. But I learned that God’s love is always relevant and always effective. As I talked to person after person, my heart broke for the people trapped in this lifestyle, either in producing it or consuming it. One gentleman really sticks in my memory: He started out joking with me, asking “Does Jesus really love porn stars?†I assured him this was true, and he asked what XXXChurch was about and why we were there. I told him that we were offering hope to those who were dealing with a pornography addiction, and he asked if you could really be addicted to porn and if so, how would you know. I told him that if you can’t go a day without looking at porn, and if porn was replacing relationships in your life, then you are addicted to porn. I’ll never forget how his face suddenly changed and he said, “That’s me.†He became very sober and we talked awhile about how to get help. He promised that he would read the Bible that we gave him, and that he would take a look at the XXXChurch website. He walked away with a different attitude, and I have prayed for him several times since then, that God will complete the work that He began in him.
Reflections from Amanda
Early this morning as we were coming into Houston I was looking out the window and saw the street lights that lit up the subdivisions. Because I had an above view I really saw the path that the street lights lit up. The Lord impressed on me the scripture that said “Don’t hide your light but put it on the lamp stand for all to seeâ€. Because we are going into the dark places our lights are like street lights that are illuminating the path to Jesus. The purpose of my life is to allow God to shine through me so that men can see the path to Jesus as their Savior, Healer, Deliver and Restorer.
As I reflect on my trip to Las Vegas ….seeing the hopelessness and the lost in such large numbers…it has made me want to be a greater light for the Kingdom of God. I am truly moved with compassion for this Dark place….this trip showed me that this sexual arena is a mission field and the harvest is great …
To the women who are married to these men… My heart breaks for the wives that don’t even have a clue to their addiction or if they do they have taken on the responsibility of their husband’s sin by blaming themselves for not being good enough for their husband’s desires.
My prayer is ..God help us to be greater lights for You that men may see you in and through us.. to feel and know that they are Loved and Wanted by the God who is Love, Jesus. That no matter what their story is that Your arms will always be open to them….that You came to save all that are lost….to heal the broken hearted..to set the captives free. That their eyes would be opened and they would choose You …to have life and to live in the light…to be set free!