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from www.miamiherald.com – This year’s Exxxotica expo at the Miami Beach Convention Center brought out the regulars. There were married couples, partners and friends looking to explore themes that on any other Saturday would normally seem taboo.
Vendors sold the latest adult DVDs and toys while adult film stars signed autographs for their adoring fans.
And then there was Ryan Russell, who was there to sell a different kind of love.
For at least a decade, Russell and other members of XXXchurch.com have participated in adult industry expos around the world, preaching about the dangers of pornography addiction. Members of the evangelical Christian organization stood in front of signs that stated “Jesus Loves Porn Stars” and encouraged conference participants to hop in a video booth and talk about their experience with pornography.
Some may be surprised to find Christians at an adult film industry convention, but for Russell, who is the international outreach director of XXXchurch.com, the outing was normal.
(In another case of strange neighbors, Miami Beach Senior High held its prom in another section of the same convention center Saturday night.)
“Most Christians would not even have a conversation with you about sex,” Russell said. “But we believe God loves everyone in this convention just as much as he loves us.”
With little judgment and a lot of grace and humor, church members talk to people about the difficulties of pornography addiction.
“Jesus didn’t come to the world to condemn, but to save people through his love,” said Tommy Parke, a pastor at Christ Fellowship Miami, XXXchurch’s Miami-based partner.
Some Exxxotica expo-goers giggled at the sign. Some agreed to take a sticker or a Bible. Others just walked on by. But according to Russell, the church’s expo booth has helped many to confess to hardships, such as spending thousands of dollars on pornography sites or struggling with the embarrassment of keeping their addiction from spouses or loved ones.
And the presence of the organization is welcomed at the conventions. The church’s founder, Craig Gross, has a working relationship with adult film star Ron Jeremy. They tour the country debating the positives and negatives of the adult industry.
“We can be adults and disagree and still be friends,” Russell said. “At the end of the day, there are things we agree on, like that porn should not be sold to minors and that couples should be open with each other about watching porn.”
The organization has begun to reach out to adult-film stars who are having difficulty leaving the industry. The church provides financial assistance and job counseling for those trying to make a transition.
“I’ve been out of the industry for 15 years, but I would have liked something like this when I was leaving,” said Vicky Whitington, a former adult film star who volunteers with the church.
“A lot of women are afraid to leave and the church helps make that transition.”