"RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Heather Veitch is not your typical evangelical Christian.
The 31-year-old married mother of two visits one strip club a month, paying for lap dances so she can talk to the strippers about God.
The Web site for the ministry she formed with two other women JC's Girls Girls Girls features glamour shots of the three that were taken by a porn film director.
The three attend porn conventions, where they pass out Bibles wrapped in T-shirts that read Holy Hottie.
Veitch's approach is based on experience: In the 1990s, she worked as a stripper and, she says, acted in a handful of soft porn movies. She plays up her sex appeal because adult industry workers relate to that, she said.
"I understand the culture of these girls. They respect that," said Veitch, whose work has received national and international media coverage.
In a posting on the ministry's Web site, Veitch said she was a successful Las Vegas stripper but inwardly feared that her lifestyle was a ticket to hell.
She began attending church, became a Christian, went to beauty school and got married. A year ago, she began reaching out to sex industry workers.
She has an ally in Matt Brown, her pastor at Sandals Church of Riverside. The 1,700-member Southern Baptist congregation is contributing $50,000 to her ministry this year.
"What good would it do to send the 'church lady' to an erotica convention?" Brown said. "She's going to get laughed out of the building."
Veitch said she doesn't keep track of how many strippers they successfully reach. Ultimately, she and Brown hope to offer alternatives, such as college scholarships, to women in the sex industry. But Veitch doesn't think the women should have to quit their jobs before entering a church.
"What we say to that is, 'Do we ask gluttons to stop eating too much before they come to church?' " Veitch said. "Sin is sin."
Her ministry partners include a part-time first grade teacher and a stay-at-home mother.
On the 'Net: http://jcsgirls.com/ "
I guess my first reaction to this was one of shock, which quickly turned to amusement. But not amusement in the sense that I find this woman's new found calling laughable but rather, wow, this is really taking place and why shouldn't it?! When I was in college some of my friends and I had a running joke that we would start a clubbing ministry for those clubgoers in the city of Chicago. (The joke was born due to the fact that the college we attended had a no dancing policy. Yeah, I know, I know...but at least they changed it now...sort of.) So maybe my amusement was also because of my recollection of that joke. But THEN in talking to another friend the other day, she said that at her college they actually HAD a clubbing ministry! I just find it absolutely amazing how the Lord can put us in situations where we can minister for him! Which leads me to my next thoughts...
This woman was a stripper who came to know the Lord and now she's trying to spread the gospel to others in the adult entertainment industry. It shouldn't be a big deal, but I bet there are some Christians who might think what she's doing isn't the greatest idea. But why isn't it? Jesus was a friend to the tax collectors and the prostitutes; they needed to hear his message too. If anyone knows the sub-culture of the adult entertainment industry it would be her. And like her pastor said to send a "church woman" or someone who doesn't know anything about that industry to evangelize maybe not be the best course of action.
And though I wouldn't be the right fit to minister to adult entertainers, I could very much minister to the guys that I play with. At times I have. I invited some of the guys I play with to come to my baptism and also invited them to our church's Christmas concert. I pray for them. There have been limited times when I've been able to share my faith, but I guess the best way to show Christ sometimes is by how we act. So maybe in my actions I can be a witness as well. As exciting as the opportunity is, I'm still a bit daunted. It's not easy knowing how, or the "right" way to witness (if there is such a thing). But I'm still looking for the Lord to use me.
In the end I am in awe of how God uses us. We come from all different backgrounds, have different passions and desires, and live in different worlds. Yet he still knows where he wants us to be; where he feels that we will be the most effective for him. I think that's what I struggle with the most right now. I don't see his plan at all. I want to, I really do, and I pray about it daily but sometimes this answers don't come right away. I mean, I like being here and I'm content with my situation sometimes (well maybe a little less then sometimes) but it's far from where I want to be...But stories like these strengthen my faith because ultimately the story is saying that God can use his followers however he wants, in whatever situation for the glory of his kingdom.
