All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
Strip Club
Rachelle Starrn was raised in a Christian home & had never been inside a strip club in her life. But she felt this calling from God to reach out to women in the sex industry. She knew that God had given her a passion for those women to know how much He loves them & how precious they were in His eyes. Whatever doubts, she knew God was calling her to take action. He didn't want her to just to feel compassion for them but to do something about it.
In 2008, she started Scarlet Hope, a ministry that reaches out to women involved in the sex industry. They take big, southern-comfort-style dinners to strip clubs. Their prayer is that they're not just feeding their stomachs but they're feeding a deeper spiritual hunger. In some clubs, they fix hair & make-up so they can get some one-on-one time with the girls. It gives them the opportunity to pray with women in the middle of the strip club.
She states that many hearts have been changed & lives touched & many turned to Christ for forgiveness & new beginnings. She says she has seen Jesus show up many times in the back of a strip club dressing room. Many dancers opened up to them, sharing their struggles, asking for prayers, & some have even accepted their invitations to church.
What are your thoughts on this testimony? When I read it I must admit doubts flooded me. I know Jesus goes to the sinners but He didn't put their make-up on before prostituting themselves. Am I wrong with my feelings? No one knows the mind of God but do you really believe God would have them take such drastic steps to reach others?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by RoyW on
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Some more food for thought, LT. Suppose you had a child that had gone in the wrong direction and was involved in some kind of evil sin. Would you go into an establishment where your child was to get them out of there? I personally would not hesitate a second to go into a place like that to get one of my children. I don't think our Lord would hesitate either. I believe there are holy angels all over these places as some of those they are assigned to have ended up in some pretty bad places. I do not think we can judge this young lady. I think we should giver her some space. I think Jesus would go into the most evil place in this world to get one of His kids. Jesus hates sin and what it does to His people. I hate sin as well. I hate the sin in me.
It is true that not all sins are the same but sin is still sin. Some sins appear to be more harmful to us than others but the simplest of all sins is as evil as any sin. We will never reach the place we are not totally needful of our Savior. God does warn us to stay away from sexual sin as some of those can be so incredibly harmful to us. Sexual diseases are God's warning to stay away. However, I personally don't believe that I am any better than anyone else simply because I have refrained from those kinds of sexual sins.
Jesus would go into a strip club to get one of His kids. This is just food for thought.
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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on
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Roy,
For the record I have not spoken for or against this ministry. I have posed questions and two videos to get us to think through whether this is acceptable or not. People are passionate on both sides of this topic. We need to see what Scripture says and not work from emotion or any other premise.
Regarding my child. No I would not and I will explain later today because I have been close to this with one of my children.
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Yes, I know you have not. I had never heard of the ministry before I read these comments. The only exposure I have had are the two videos you posted. They touched my heart. Based on what I have seen and heard, I believe they are really trying to serve our Lord. There might be something that is revealed that would change my mind but so far, I haven't seen anything to say they are bad. My main point is to whether or not Jesus would go into an evil place to get one of His kids. I am convinced that He would. His coming into this evil world proves to me that He would. I personally believe that some of the things going on in some business places are far worse than what goes on in a strip club. Yet, we all support them in some way or another. We can't get away from evil. It is everywhere. I don't go into porn shops but believe I have been in some far worse places.
I think we are too focused on strip clubs. I think we have been in places that support some pretty evil practices that are going on in our presence. Some people are boycotting Home Depot because of their evil practices. Yet, where I now live they are just about the only resource for certain things. That is not a very good comparison but there are some very good ones that probably would be offensive to some. For instance, some of our homes have Direct TV that we know supports some pretty wicked stuff. Yet we continue to support them. I have not yet subscribed to any TV things out here in Wyoming but there are no stations here closer than Denver and I only can get one of them. What do I do? Do I go ahead and subscribe to Direct TV or just forget TV all together. Maybe you have never watched any unholy program on TV but I can guarantee you that you are talking to some people that have. To escape unholy programming on TV you just have to get rid of it. I don't think there is any way anymore to not view unholy things on that evil box. Will Jesus leave my house if I get Direct TV?
If Jesus doesn't save us, we are all lost. We all sin. I don't think Jesus leaves us when we do. I believe Jesus is right there with me at all times. I don't believe He will leave me if I go somewhere I shouldn't. If He does, I am in big trouble. Fortunately, He will go with me even if I fail. He won't leave me there but will work me over until I get out of there.
Fortunately, I have never had to go into a place to get one of my children out of there. I am greatly blessed. Yet, I know I don't deserve the blessings. I cannot begin to explain why I have been so blessed. I feel I should be thrown out, the door shut to never be allowed in again. Yet, I have no question that the door is always open. It will never shut. We are all blessed beyond measure. We do not deserve any of it. If Jesus had not come and gotten us, we would still be mired in all that wicked sin. He did come and get us. He did save us. We are blessed. He will never leave us.
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Permalink Reply by Amanda on
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Roy,
I have dish network. Also, I felt conviction when I went to see the new Superman movie. Buying the ticket was engaging in sin. Also, I mentioned what I did for an AIDS patient. I don't know if you know what AIDS does to a person's digestive system, but that man's only means of receiving nutrition and hydration was by IV and anything we did for him to provide comfort and care was actually enabling him to live a little longer and be comfortable and hopefully pain free but also living meant he was able go on sinning and his companion stayed by his side through to the very end. I have enabled people to sin.
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Amanda,
As you know, Dish is no better than Direct. I am not condemning you or anyone. We are all very, very weak. What I am saying if we are not willing to go into a place of evil to witness for our Lord, where can we go? Home Depot supports homosexual practices. Am I not allowed to go into there and purchase something? I guess we will all have to restrict our witnessing to Hobby Lobby and Chick Fil-A. There are not many more that are not promoting evil. I don't think witnessing in a strip club is for everyone but hopefully it is for someone. Hopefully, God can give someone the grace to go in there and get His kids.
To me, capitalism has a lot of evil in it. Yet, it is so much better than socialism. What do I do? Do I stop supporting capitalism because it is evil? You cannot escape evil if you live in this world. You can't go anywhere, do anything, eat out in most places, etc., etc. Strip clubs are so bad, it tends to make us feel we are a little better. We are not. We all still need a Savior. We need Him very, very badly. We need Him desperately living in America in the year 2013.
I think it is evil to send a child to a naturalistic school that absolutely rejects God. Do I judge you because you do? Do I think I am better than you since I did not? You know the answer to that before I reply. I think you are a light in a very dark world. I actually think you are better than I. There you go. I am convinced we need Jesus and I pray someone will go into those clubs and get His children.
That's my take.
At this point, I am getting redundant. If I am wrong, may my Lord forgive me and get me on the right path.
I think the proof that Jesus would go into a place like that to get one that belongs to Him is that He came into a very, very wicked place to get me. I am very glad that He did.
Blessings.
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Permalink Reply by ribbon on
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Roy, I think its cool Jesus came to get you from a wicked place. Which ministry was it that came in there?
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Janie,
I don't know if you are being sarcastic or really wanting to know. It was Jesus Himself that came to get me. For Him to do that He had to leave that glorious place of perfect holiness to come into this very evil world. Not only did He come, He became like us. He suffered every temptation known to man yet was without sin. The wicked place He entered was this world. It was His plan. He planned to come get me before He ever created this universe. He knew what He would have to do if He made me but He did it anyway.
I am humbled by this Person that gave His all for me. That person in that strip club - that was me. It was you. There is not one among us that is not as wicked as any of those girls. It makes me sad that some would judge them and judge those that are attempting to help them. I pray for their success. I pray they will not be overcome with temptation as I know how easy that could happen. I pray for their safety. I pray they will lead many to His precious arms. In Jesus name.
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Roy , I just read and then reread my question to you. I fail to see it as "sarcastic". If and when I decide to be sarcastic ,you will know ,you wont wonder if am being. I have in no way been or even thought to be sarcastic to anyone here. I am wanting to LEARN . When I first came to this site , I was very backwards and had huge chip on my shoulder. I could be as blunt as the next person, I didn't care what any body thought. I was going through a very hard time I did an engine search on something biblical. The site All about God . com came up. I seen a link to here. I came here and met Carla LT and a few others who helped me tremendously come out of having that chip. I think when I look back, I changed a lot. I normally type with my post that I am not good with words so people would know I suck at explain my thoughts. I do admit that I sometimes try to throw out a little sarcastic humor. But only because Im wanting to fun. The David V is about the only one who gets me in this way can take it and dish it back out in humor. When I asked you the question I meant it. I like hearing peoples testimonies. But Roy , I really am going to back off from the forums for a while now because I don't want anyone thinking me to be sarcastic.
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Permalink Reply by Tammy on
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I didn't see it as sarcasm at all. She seemed interested. PS - That wasn't me in the strip club. Never been in one. I was the drunk throwing up on the streets - yes, that's sarcasm. hehe
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Janie, didn't I ask if you were being sarcastic? I totally accept that you say you were not being sarcastic. I would look for that comment and remove if you want me to.
Blessings.
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Roy, I don't see anyone judging the girls whatsoever. We never said we wouldn't reach out to any of them whatsoever. We just don't feel the Lord would lead anyone to go inside & aide & abet them with their sin. Personally, I have no problem in waiting outside to share Jesus with them once they leave. I'm not sure how that's judging but everyone has their own interpretations I suppose. On this one, our interpretations are bi-polar opposite. It's not judging. We just choose to share Christ in a different manner other then helping them sin.
Janie, don't back off because someone has misread you girl. I see your desire to learn & your humility. Actually, I've never seen you joke unless you're laughing at mine or Char's sarcasm. Don't back off. Keep plowing that field forward without looking back. The prize is so worth finishing this race. Don't ever allow any of us to slow that down. We're all here to learn and at times we may read others wrong. Please don't hesitate to post anything.
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Tammy,
I don't remember where I said you or anyone was judging them concerning their salvation. What you are judging is whether or not they should go into a strip club to witness to these girls. I am calling for latitude rather than an absolute position as to whether they should do so. Do you believe these ladies that are in this ministry saved?
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