The show was great. We will have more updates this week as they come in. Keep Checking back. Next stop Los Angeles.
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I am about a week out from my trip with Fireproof Ministries/ XXX Church to Miami Exxxotica. I must say I am still pumped and spiritually charged! First the staff of XXX are amazing. The love and passion of Jesus they express shows in the faces of the guys and girls in the porn industry.
Now on to my personal experience. I never imagined that you could carry on spiritual discussions in the middle of a porn show. There was one guy I met named Kevin. He told me he works for a big name porn company as a DJ/driver. While we were talking he said that he didn’t like his job, his wife hated his job and he had to admit to an affair a few months ago. I told him that I would be praying for him and he did something I wasn’t expecting……he bowed his head. So right there between a swingers booth, sex toys and Ron Jeremy signing autographs I prayed with Kevin. Long story short, the next day he brought his wife to the show just to talk with me. I talked with Stephanie his wife and prayed with her. I am still in shock that God used me in this way. He used me in so many ways over the weekend.
My plans are to attend another missions trip with Fireproof and I would recommend the experience to anyone. But not everyone can handle working the porn show and would suggest that you choose a non-porn show to work in Vegas. I’m sure you will get the same uplifting results as I did.
Steve.
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I am really thankful and blessed that I had the opportunity to do a missions trip that involved building relationships with people. To be honest, I was anxious before going to Miami. I didn’t know what to expect at an adult entertainment convention or how we would be received by people. I played a few worst case scenarios in my mind: people getting defensive, asking us why were were there. I was afraid I wouldn’t know how to respond. Of course, none of this happened, and on the flipside people were pretty respectful towards us.
I felt God gave me encounters where I was His hands and feet. I spoke with a few women in the industry. One woman, a single mom of four kids, thanked Jesus Loves Porn Stars/XXXChurch for being at the convention. I felt a sense of hope when she said this to us. Not all Christians are angry screaming picketers, so it was awesome that she was able to see a merciful and loving God who meets her where she is.
Alicia
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While I was rereading the Purpose Driven Life, God convicted me to get off my butt and get out into the “world”. A quote from that book stuck with me and it said “Nothing else you do will ever matter as much as helping people establish an eternal relationship with God.” I decided I needed to get out of my comfort zone and share the gospel with others. The convention in Miami was my second opportunity to volunteer for XXX church. I’m a firm believer in taking the word of God to people and meeting them where they’re at. I’m guessing that most of the people that attend porn conventions don’t attend church. I think it’s important that Christians go and shed the light of God in dark places. It was a privilege to share the true love of Christ with people.
God has given me a heart for the women in the porn industry. They all seem to have an empty sad look in their eyes. They put on a brave front, but you can tell that some of the women are really hurting. It was easy for me to identify with the women, being a woman myself. I found I had a hard time relating to the men. I think I initially saw them as predators. They walk around with their cameras and leer at the women and pose for suggestive photos with them. It was easy for me not to like them. My opinion about these men has changed. Now I see how they have been preyed upon by the porn industry. They have been sold a pack of lies. They’re never going to be happy in a relationship with a normal sex life. Some of the men are so young that they don’t know that real sex is never going to be like porn ever! They’re being robbed by porn and they have no idea how it’s going to affect them in the future.
Working at the convention can be exhausting, but mostly I find it to be exhilarating when I get to share with people how much Jesus loves them. XXXchurch I would love to help again anytime!
Leslie Hawkins
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I arrived in Miami excited and nervous, but I knew without a doubt it was something I wanted to do. I had spent way too many years insulated in a comfortable Christian environment, and I had been longing to experience God’s power.
I must admit when I walked into the convention center on the first day of the show, it was complete sensory overload. It’s such a commercialized environment, and there’s so many exhibitors competing for attention unabashedly trying to sell their “product.” It’s so sad to see people who have been deceived into thinking that they are worth no more than an inanimate object. How will they ever know that they are God’s masterpiece unless someone makes it a point to tell them?
And I believe that is the most important thing I took from the experience. The xxx church team stands strong in the face of opposition. They won’t give up on people who are often deemed as too hardened. This is the type of boldness that I want in my life every day. My experience in Miami was a reminder that there is absolutely no one beyond God’s reach.
Susan
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The beaches were beautiful! OK, so that isn’t why I went… I have teamed up with this ministry cause I believe in the mission – ‘taking the Gospel to the darkest places’.
Truth be told, it is fun to share your faith with people who A) are asking you about it & B) who really don’t have a relationship with God.
At times it is difficult because you really wonder if you are wasting your time on people who take the free Bible from you so that they can just quickly move on towards getting the free porn. But there are other times when you see people read the first part of the Bible as they are walking away and the ‘shock’ of what they are reading and experiencing literally cause them to pause. It is also a fun & interesting experience to meet up with other Christians who are coming from all over the united states to join together in charing God’s grace with people in need. These ministry opportunities will continue to challenge me and stretch me in ways that only God ca. The unique encounters also press me on to think more deeply about what God where & how God would have us “GO” next.
Ryan
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It is that time again. Time for South Beach Miami. We love this show. So many great people. Great weather and an amazing guy J. who puts on the show. We have some great plans for the show. We plan to have a 20 by 10 booth when you first walk into the show. We have a ton of the new Bibles to pass out. We will be having a special area to do makeup for some of the different performers at the show. This is also the first official trip that we have set up through the SERVE site. We have a team of volunteers coming in from all over the U.S.
If you have not checked that out. Go now. Go check out SERVE on the web and find a show that you think you would like to be a part of.
Fireproof Ministries is the parent organization to XXXchurch and Strip
Church. Between these two ministries there are a number of
opportunities to serve at trade shows across the world and specifically
in Las Vegas. Each outreach requires a number of volunteers that come
from all over the country to help us out. You can register and do just
about anything on the site. If you have any questions email [email protected]. See you soon!