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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Chip,
I'm not sure what your challenge is but let me share just a thought. I know you are a man of God. I have great respect for you. I'm not sure if you have always been exactly what you should have been. Yet, our Lord promises you that He will never leave you. Where have you taken Him? Have you always taken Him to good places? When we enter a place we should not, does Jesus say, "Whoops, I can't go into that place?" and then simply goes ahead and forsakes us until we come back out of there? Have you ever been in a quick time store where they had bad magazines? Have you ever glanced at a magazine cover while standing in a grocery line? Have you ever taken a second look? If so, did Jesus depart from you in that moment or was He right there with you regardless of your extreme evil sinful ways?
Have you ever taken Jesus into a theater? Have you ever been in a theater that shows evil movies? Perhaps you have never been into a "R" rated movie but if you have been in a theater that does show those movies, you have certainly aided them in their sin. We all continue to sin and yet Jesus is right there with us. Why does He stay with us? He does so because we belong to Him. He doesn't want you to sin but knows you do. He won't help you sin but He will help you even though He knows you will just go ahead and sin again.
Chip, what was your challenge? If your challenge was something like show me that Jesus would aid the sinner, my example is "you." My answer is me. I know Jesus sees everything I do and knows everything I think. I constantly tell Him how sorry I am for the thoughts He has had to listen to and the things He has seen me do. Yet, I don't want Him to leave me for one moment. We all need Him in our worst of times. We all need Him at our very weakest moment. If I ever end up in a strip club, I certainly do pray that Jesus will come in there and get me. Maybe you won't come in there to get me but I certainly do pray that Jesus will. He knows I don't want to be there. He knows my heart. My heart is to love Him and to serve Him. He would go to the end of the world to get me. He will never leave me.
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Chip,
I agree with you completely. Jesus came to get me as well. I mentioned before that this would not be a good ministry for me either. Yet, I think these ladies from what I have seen are seeking to serve God. My position is that if we are not willing to go into evil places to seek the lost, then we are done for there is evil all around us. There are not many places of establishment that are not conducting evil. I even know of a few churches full of self-righteous people. Self-righteousness was perhaps the thing Jesus loathed the most. I do not feel I am an ounce better than those girls in those places. I am so glad that Jesus saved me and I pray He saves them as well. I pray He will raise people up to go into those places and get the lost. It may not be me or it may not be you, but may it be someone. That could be my child in there.
Thank you for your reply. You had me worried there for a minute. lol
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Permalink Reply by Tammy on
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Well, it definitely wouldn't be a good ministry for any man unless you was going to Chippendale's
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Bless you, Chip. You were worth all His effort as is Janie and all the rest. We are all blessed.
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Roy, the 2 paragraphs you wrote about us sinning, who is this representing the dancers or the girls ministering? Can I be funny for a second to lighten the mood? You said:If I ever end up in a strip club, I certainly do pray that Jesus will come in there and get me. You better pray also that he doesn't bring your wife along with Him to get you.
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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on
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Greetings All,
I have been studying Scripture on this topic, praying and trying to understand the specific mission of this organization. The later I will not go into, but will address the first two from my perspective. I do not present myself as an authority on this, but as a simple student of Scripture and a child of God.
Should solid Christian women who have been trained to enter such an establishment where they will encounter at time people who will reject them and the presence of the enemy warring against them be accepted by the church. I believe the answer is yes with some understanding.
If they are walking with God they are agents of light. Going into such establishments with the goal to present the gospel and to snatch some of these women out of this industry and from the control of the enemy is a good thing. Is it for everyone? Of course not, but God using the right people can make a difference. Jonah was sent to Nineveh and two angels were sent to Sodom. Both cities were about to be destroyed. One repented and one was not. I use these two examples because the wickedness or problem in these two cities was grievous enough that God was preparing to destroy them, yet He gave them one more chance. Some could argue that the angels were not there to preach, but we know they were going to the center of town and were encroached upon so that Lot pulled them into his house. I believe there was a chance for Sodom, but that chance was lost.
Does such an activity soil the church? It depends. It depends on the actions of the team going in. If they stick to their purpose of showing love and sharing the gospel there is no soiling, but if by their actions they in any way should demonstrate any form, degree or type of condoning the activity that takes place in the facility they would be going too far and causing the church to be negatively affected and viewed.
Thus, if they can reach some, not be affected personally and not cross a line to where they in any way condone or support the activity that takes place there I believe we would have to stand with them and pray for them in this mission to rescue the lost.
Now, what about Tammy's specific question? I think that where doing make-up and hair was taking place in advance of their performance where the make-up and hairdo would be part of the display they would be crossing the line. If they did this for these girls away from the facility it would be OK, but not when it will be a part of their performance. Regarding food we will assume that it is given purely as an act of love and for the girls nourishment.
Where does this leave us? There are some who will disapprove of this type of ministry. If that is your view I would encourage you to follow your conviction and do not pray or support it. If you have no issue with this type of ministry and believe it has kingdom value you should seek to support a ministry of that type if your conviction is to get behind it in prayer and resources.
These are my views after spending a decent amount of time looking into this subject seeking to find in Scripture whether this type of ministry is good or unacceptable. It is easy to find Scripture to bend to a preconceived idea, but when we look at Scripture attempting to not see it through our preconceived views I believe the weight of Scripture supports the reaching of the lost without condoning sin.
I also repeat that my comments have nothing to do with Scarlet Hope. I know too little about them to endorse or reject.
Lord Bless,
LT
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Permalink Reply by Amanda on
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This is a good word.
It would take a very strong Christian IMO and I couldn't enter a strip club. Saint Paul said, "No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." 1 Cor 9:27. I think they mean well, but as Saint Paul also said, "If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved--even though only as one escaping through the flames." 1 Cor 3:14-15.
Before I thought I could with good conscience help this ministry in the other parts but not entering the club. The book of Hosea was influencing me, too, where God asks him to marry such a woman. But now I couldn't even help in the 12 bed facility which is strictly for the women who have accepted the Savior and are beginning to learn to honor Him as their Lord. It seems tainted. I will be one barely escaping through the flames. I already know that much. I have trusted Jesus as my Savior and I love Him and I know He loves me. He loves these women and I have based my opinions on the ministry from emotion. I want there to be a genuine chance for everyone to be saved.
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Yes, LT, I agree. Jesus loves us all. I think the words you have spoken are very similar to what Paul has said to us.
Sin is a terrible thing. It does great damage to our world and to all of us. We are given instruction to not sin. Jesus told us to not sin. That is my goal. We should in no way encourage sin due to God's great mercy and grace.
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Permalink Reply by ribbon on
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Roy before step back. I just finished reading your reply to me. In your responces you use words like judge, looking down, better than, self righteous ...... Whats with that? Is that a bit of subtle sarcasm on your part? Like the ones who not agree with you are this way? No one is judging these women. No one. Not one person here who don't agree with you is self righteous in the things they say here. Now I am done.
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To everybody using the words "self righteous". I don't know if this is meant for the ones disagreeing with your views or not but I am finding it to be very offensive. I do not and have never looked down or felt I was self righteous above anyone. When I started posting my views here . A while back I noticed I had told at least 2 people that the bible talks about the renewing of the mind. Later I thought... well, what about you Janie? So, I have been trying to do just that. Putting myself behind me and learn to put the Lord before me. <-----difficult. Anyway... that's why I try to think of scriptures like the one I mentioned,, to abstain from all evil. Not to abstain from the women. I would never think that nor would I try to discourage it. What if Tammys wish happened about the club building burning down and the owner decided to retire and not rebuild? Would the women be then unreachable. And as for LTs videos he posted. I viewed them.... and to me , the women gave the glory more to the ministry than they did to the Lord. The ministry wanting to reach out is a beautiful thing... I wish Gods people had tried to reach out to me way back when... but I still believe if the Holy Spirit wasn't drawing me , it wouldnt have done any good. And Roy your testimony.... of saying Jesus walked into where you were and got you..... that's cool but in my mind Jesus isn't walking the streets now... I believed it was His spirit that drawled you. I believe the spirit van go directly in your heart without entering a building.... if that makes any sence. Im learning so if you reply back please be patient. One more question..... If the bible says to abstain from all appearance of sin..... what does that mean? Also I want to say this about going into a sinful club.... to me ... as I said before the ladys should stand out side but I think since there is the so called gentlemen entering also. I think the Christian men should go wuth the ministry also. Whoa this is long. sorry...
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