The folks over at xxxchurch.com have been keeping us up to date on the controversy over a strip club up in Ohio.  Some people started protesting at the strip club, shouting some very uncharitable things to the girls who work there.  I guess the idea behind the protest is to shame the girls into changing their behavior.  Well that’s a novel approach.

Now consider some sad stats from a workshop my wife Leigh attended sponsored by Rush Hour Traffic:

• 80% of strippers were raped/sexually abused as children; and
• 60% of strippers have a significant psychiatric/emotional disorder.

I didn’t know that.  I wonder if the folks protesting in Ohio know that.  Saddens me to think of the shame experienced by these women (on top of a lifetime of shame and abuse).

Jesus told us that he came as a physician to heal the sick (check out Mark 2:17).  So if I follow Jesus and see someone trapped in a sin struggle, maybe I should respond like an ambulance driver and take them to Jesus, rather than as a prosecutor trying to send someone to jail.

Now back to that strip club in Ohio.  Some women at a church in San Diego heard about the protests and decided to take a little mission trip to Ohio.  Instead of heaping shame on these girls working in the strip club, they brought roses and told them about Jesus.  Excellent ambulance driving.

Grace & Peace,

Jim

So for some time now God has laid on my heart the desire to reach more of those within the church who struggle.  For reasons of shame and, quite frankly, poor first-hand experiences when they reach out for help, many professed Christians do not see the church as a safe place to turn when they are in a struggle.  How sad is that? It would be like experiencing the symptoms of a heart attack and not going to the doctor because you are afraid he’ll be mad at you.

This is what G6 is about: restoring those who struggle, helping those who can’t bear their burdens on their own, and encouraging everyone to carry their own load. I’m not claiming any new insight here.  It’s from God’s word (Galatians 6:1-10), so if it bears fruit, then it’s because of his grace.

I’ll try to keep this blog current and focused.  In an age where the choices seem to be intolerance vs. being permissive, I hope to strike a different tone: love.  There are a lot of good folks who are already talking about this.  I’ve just decided to add my voice to their voices.

I hope you’ll join me on the journey.

Grace & Peace

Jim