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THERE ARE MIXED EMOTIONS AS I WRITE THIS ONE. by Craig Gross
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You’ve heard the saying, “All good things must
and joined our staff full-time two years later.
come to an end.” I just never thought of how
She is our longest employee and has seen it all:
that would apply to me and my work here at
the hundreds of thousands of people we’ve
XXXchurch. I have seen this ministry grow
helped through our website, church services,
beyond my wildest dreams. From our very first
workshops, software, and outreaches. She’s
outreach in 2002 at the largest porn show in
fielded press inquiries, booked events, and has
the nation to the millions of people struggling
answered thousands of emails. She helped
with addiction that have found a safe place of
spearhead the Esther Fund, witnessed the
hope, healing, and recovery.
creation of both X3watch software and X3work-shops.
I have seen this ministry grow beyond my wildest dreams. Throughout the years, our staff has varied. The
She eventually went on to teach and champion
most dedicated people to serve this ministry
over 200 teams around the nation through our
over the last two decades have been those
Strip Church Network. It is because of Michelle’s
who found help here and wanted to, in turn,
years here that I have asked her to put
help others. Michelle first came to XXXchurch.
together this newsletter for you, telling
com in 2002 shortly after we launched. She
the story of XXXchurch both past,
was married to a man who was knee-deep in
present, and future.
pornography and wanted a miracle for their marriage. Michelle became a volunteer in 2004
It’s an incredible story.
Craig
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I HAVE BEEN WITH XXXCHURCH SINCE THE BEGINNING. by Michelle Russell
I’m Michelle. I have been with XXXchurch since the beginning and consider it an honor to work alongside Craig, Jeanette, and our team all of these years. If you had told me all that I would see and do in these years, I probably would not have signed up. Don’t get me wrong, it has been incredible, but I would never have believed that I could do all the things God has enabled me to do in and through this ministry platform.
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I still remember clearly the summer night of
It was a place to encourage one another.
2002 when I typed the words “pornography
But it was also a place where pornography
help for Christians” into the internet browser
producers and adult industry workers could
and up came the words “XXXchurch-the #1
come and join in the discussions. I’ll admit,
Christian porn site.” I thought it was a gimmick.
back in those days I wasn’t as compassionate
But the first thing I saw when I clicked on the site was: “I bet you thought you would find pornography here, but instead you can find help and hope.” I wanted to cry. It was the first time I had seen those words together “pornography, help, and hope.” Keep in mind this
It was the first time I had seen those words together “pornography, help, and hope.”
was long before anyone was talking about “sex-addiction” and certainly NO ONE was talking about
as I am today because I had my own wounds
pornography in the church, let alone Christian
to deal with as it related to pornography. But
marriages. Two years later, I volunteered to
God used my work at XXXchurch to not only
help lead the XXXchurch Prayer Wall, which
heal my heart but to give me a new heart for
allowed anyone to come and share not just
those working in the industry. It was and remains
prayer requests but topics of discussion and
pretty miraculous.
their struggles.
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2002 WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
How crazy was it for two pastors to take their wives to a porn convention to share the gospel? Poor Jeanette, Craig’s wife, got stuck sporting the Rex the Rabbit costume.
Rex was our mascot for the first few years of our outreaches until we could afford to set up a real booth at the shows.
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“JESUS LOVES PORN STARS” BIBLE. We saw the desperate need in these dark
In true Craig Gross fashion, he found a way
places to share the gospel yet we couldn’t find
where everyone else said impossible. Since
any Bible publisher willing to help us create
that day, we have had several variations of the
a “Jesus Loves Porn Stars” Bible. No worries,
cover and have handed out over a half a million
we weren’t looking to change the gospel, God’s
Bibles to industry workers and consumers.
love is perfect. We just wanted those words on the cover. JESUS LOVES PORN STARS.
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EVENTUALLY, WE BOUGHT A T-SHIRT PRESS AND PUT THE FAMOUS JESUS LOVES PORN STARS IMAGE ON A T-SHIRT. WE BEGAN HANDING OUT FREE T-SHIRTS ALONG WITH BIBLES AT EVERY PORN SHOW WE COULD ATTEND.
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That first porn show outreach in 2002 landed
“Go into all the world and share the Gospel.”
us in practically every newspaper and news
Being bold and going against mainstream
media outlet. The same question was asked by
Christianity afforded us thousands upon
media, porn stars, and porn users, “Why do you
thousands of opportunities for conversations
come to these shows?" Our response has always
with people who might not otherwise hear
been consistent. We are people who believe
and know the love God has for them just
that Jesus meant what He said in Mark 16:15,
as they are, where they are.
It was not long after the first years of outreach that the idea of software to help hold people accountable with their online activities came to fruition in the form of X3watch, the first free accountability software for men, women, students and families. It’s incredible to know that over ONE MILLION people have downloaded X3watch.
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THE ESTHER FUND 04 WAS FOUNDED
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When God says go, you go. We had no idea
Christmas gifts for their children. We created a
what we would do if someone we shared the
mentoring program that involved Bible studies,
gospel with wanted to leave their work in the
workshops and various activities to help these
sex industry. God’s word says some people
women find their purpose. The funny thing that
plant seeds, and others do the watering. Sadly,
most people don’t know is there never was an
just like what we saw with the church at the
actual “fund” because for years no one would
beginning of XXXchurch, no one wanted to touch this topic of “sex.” Especially if it involved someone working in that industry. So, to help the women we met, we started the Esther Fund. This fund was made available to those working in the sex industry who wanted to exit but had no idea how to pay their rent, let alone create a resume that would
Through the Esther fund, we were able to help many women with various immediate needs ...
help them to find new employment. Through
regularly give to such a thing. So, every time
the Esther fund, we were able to help many
a need came up, we would fundraise to meet
women with various immediate needs from
that need through what we called the “Esther
utility bills, car insurance, medical and dental
Fund.” Where there have been needs, we have
treatment, counseling services, and even
always found a way to meet them.
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THE LAUNCH OF NATIONAL 2005 PORN SUNDAY
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It was time to break all the rules and start talking about sex and the epidemic of pornography in church. We launched the first National Porn Sunday, where we invited churches around the nation to host this event. We provided all the teaching materials, statistics, and even a 30 foot blow up elephant that depicted “an elephant in the pew.� This event became a hot press item which catapulted this conversation around the world. In later years we would host different variations of National Porn Sunday
This event became a hot press item which catapulted this conversation around the world.
and even NFL players got on board.
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PORN & PANCAKES LAUNCHED AND SPOOFED 2006 BY SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE
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The first Porn & Pastries event for ladies was held in New York City shortly there after and didn’t surprise us in the least that this event made it around the nation as well. From there came the opportunity to be featured in Porn Debates where Craig earned the title of the Porn Pastor as he defended the sanctity of marriage debating against one of the most well known porn stars From the popularity of National Porn Sunday
Ron Jeremy. XXXchurch also began offering
came the spin-off of more church events. Porn
college and youth events around the nation.
& Pancakes, the first church men’s breakfast talking about the realities of men in the church struggling with porn, was grabbing the attention of many. Even Saturday Night Live made a spoof on Weekend Update. Churches around the world were hosting this event which left women asking, “What is for us?”
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THE LAUNCH OF 08 STRIP CHURCH
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While XXXchurch was reaching the sex industry through porn conventions, there was still part of the industry that had yet to connect with our ministry. Strip Church was launched on the Las Vegas Strip and soon after we created a teaching model to be implemented by other ministries around the nation to go to strip clubs in their cities and share the love of God with workers and patrons. We also designed a Jesus Loves Strippers Bible cover to take to clubs around the nation. Today the Strip Church Network is operating in 133 cities in the USA and also reaching Canada, Mexico, and the UK. We offer strip club outreach training and ministry resources for all network members.
... share the love of God with workers and patrons. X X XC H U RC H .COM
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THE FIRST ONLINE WORKSHOP 2009 FOR RECOVERY
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While traveling the nation doing ministry, founder Craig Gross has met and built some great connections. One being a connection that lead him to acquire the first online resource for sexual addiction. We spent a year developing the first edition of the X3pure 30-day
Over 10,000
online recovery workshop for men and women battling pornography
people have gone through our online programs and have
and sex addictions.
shared incredible testimonies of impact.
From that came the production of several resources for parents, couples, and students.
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SMALL GROUPS ONLINE 2012 IS LAUNCHED
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While we know that personal relationships are
struggles as themselves to journey with. Having
critical for life-giving growth, what we found,
that critical relationship with others allows
was even with accountability relationships
people to feel understood and relatable, which
present, the people seeking us for help still
fosters an environment to be challenged and
needed others who experienced the same
championed in those areas.
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Small Groups Online has grown to
OVER 60 TRAINED FA C I L I TAT O R S who lead more than 300 men and women weekly with their gender-specific groups. These people are finding life-giving support and meaningful change in their lives.
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ONE OF THE BIGGEST NAMES IN PORN 2012 LEAVES THE INDUSTRY
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We met Brittni at a porn show in Miami in 2010.
her life. It was through sharing God’s love
She was working full-time making pornographic
at a porn show that something incredible
films since 2005, and it was at these adult
happened. Rachel planted a seed in Brittni.
conventions she would self-promote and meet
A grain of hope. A seed of promise. A seed
her “fans.” Rachel, the leader of our outreach
of friendship. A seed of truth that Jesus Loves
team, fell in love with Brittni the moment she
Porn Stars.
met her. She befriended Brittni and made sure she knew that Jesus loved her and that He had plans for
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It was through sharing God’s love at a porn show that something incredible happened.
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In 2012 Brittni left the sex industry— she couldn’t wait to contact Rachel and share why she quit and what happened. As Brittni opened the pages of a Bible that adorned the “Jesus Loves Porn Stars” cover—she began to see the pages come alive and she began to hunger for this Jesus who said he loved her, called her beautiful, and chosen. Brittni began attending church at every chance. She read her Bible
She began to see the pages come alive and she began to hunger for this Jesus who said he loved her.
for hours on end, doing all it took to know God, which included no dating for one year. God took this woman from the depths of porn and made her a trophy of His grace and blessed her every step of the way. Four years later Brittni had a fairytale wedding as she married a pastor she met not long after she left porn in the dust. XXXchurch team members were invited and celebrated what God had done.
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XXXCHURCH PARTNERS 2016 WITH LIFE.CHURCH It seemed only fitting to create a partnership
and made them available for free download,
with Life.Church, after all, it was Craig
including handouts, so that every church
Groeschel who first invited us to speak at his
worldwide could host their own Porn Sunday,
church when we first launched XXXchurch.
marriage, parents, and men’s breakfast events.
Life.Church is one of the largest churches
Over 3,000 churches have downloaded those
in the country, and they offer the Holy Bible
sermons to share with their congregation.
App in mobile stores as well as an abundance
Our marriage devotion on the Holy Bible App
of free resources online. We produced quality
has been completed over 250,000 times.
teachings from all of our church events
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A season of change
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As of today, I, Michelle, have worked alongside
Craig is slowing down. In a good way.
XXXchurch founder, Craig Gross for 15 of the
He is slowing down from the high-paced
17 years that XXXchurch has been in existence.
way he has worked for two decades, and
As he said earlier, I've seen it all: the good, the
he is digging in deep with God, family, and
bad, and the incredible. Over the last several
personal relationships. The revelations he has
years, I have seen significant changes in Craig.
received and has shared through the podcast
Craig has always been a man of integrity,
made me think, "Wow. Something is happening
generosity, and a go-getter who gets things
here, and I'm not sure where all this is headed,
done relatively quickly. But he hasn't always
but it's going to be great." What I did not know
been the easiest to work alongside. When you
was that in 2013, when Craig went through
work in such a fast paced environment with a
a series of health scares, the Lord told him
lot of pressure and expectations regarding
it was time to move on from XXXchurch.
projects across the board, it can be quite turbulent at times, and ministry is no exception. I have started to see a man who is more patient, more compassionate, who no longer micromanages every project he has assigned. Then, this year he started a podcast called "Craig Brain," and while many may have thought this was just another
"Wow. Something is happening here, and I'm not sure where all this is headed, but it's going to be great."
media outlet for Craig—I saw something happening there within the podcast that
How it took Mr. Quickstart six years to
made the changes I have seen make sense.
figure out what that meant is unbeknownst to me, but here we are.
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19 2019
XXXCHURCH RETIREMENT CRAIG GROSS
A note from Craig I have been thinking a lot about what's next for me. If I'm honest, I have been thinking about it since 2013. On an episode (#19 of Craig Brain, a podcast I launched in 2019) I share a letter that I wrote explaining why I am stepping out of my role at XXXchurch. It has to do with me hearing from the Lord in 2013 to move on. For the last six years, I have tried to figure out what I am running towards rather than what I'm leaving behind. If you want to keep up with the direction I am headed, you can read more at www.craigbrain.com.
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and loves this ministry but also has a good business sense, organizational skills, and some knowledge of the non-profit world. Together they will champion this ministry.
My departure from XXXchurch is not me leaving and never talking about it again but me moving into a "coaching" type role rather than playing quarterback. After much prayer and counsel, I have asked Brittni and Rich De La Mora to QB the next chapter of
What God has done in her life in the last seven years is nothing short of an incredible miracle.
XXXchurch. Brittni is a former porn star we met while she was still in the industry, and we
I have never been more excited about leaving
fostered a relationship with her as she began
something because I do believe the future is
hers with Christ. What God has done in her life
bright with these two. To me, it is the perfect
in the last seven years is nothing short of an
way to leave after all the craziness and backlash
incredible miracle. She knows the Word of God
we heard about going to a porn show in 2002.
inside and out and lives her life in reverence.
It took years of outreach to Brittni for her to
It doesn't surprise me in the least that God is
come to Christ and leave the industry and now
calling her here. It's a perfect depiction of Psalm
has been over six years of working with her,
51 (a Psalm of repentance) wherein verses 12
attending her wedding, and seeing what God
and 13, David asks the Lord to restore him to
is doing through her new family. To know that
the joy of his salvation, and then he will teach
this is who will lead this ministry brings a smile
transgressors about God and sinners will return
to my face like no other. I could never have seen
to the Lord. If you have ever met Brittni, you
that coming in 2002 when we went to our first
know she has a contagious smile and spirit full
show for outreach and everyone was asking why
of joy. Her husband Rich comes from a family
I was doing this ministry. Brittni will never have
of ministers. He has a compassionate heart
to answer that question.
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BRITTNI & RICHARD
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Hi! My name is Brittni, and I am married to (in
After leaving the porn industry, I found myself
my opinion) the most amazing man in the world,
sitting in a young adult service at church. Richard
Richard De La Mora. We met soon after I decided
preached a message that night that radically
to quit the adult film industry. I was named as
changed my life. After listening to his message,
one of Maxim Magazines Top 12 Hottest Female
I decided to take a vow of purity-no more sex,
Porn Stars, and Howard Stern labeled me the
until marriage. I also vowed to take one year
Smartest Girl In Porn. These aren’t accolades
off dating so that I could grow in God without
I am proud of, but this was my life until Jesus
any distractions. A few weeks after making
intervened.
these vows, Richard handed me an XXXchurch
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magazine, and I shouted, “OH MY GOSH!
from Craig saying that said God told Him to
I KNOW THESE PEOPLE!” I went home that
give this ministry to us to foster. We felt the
evening, read the magazine, and sent an email to
weight of this. Craig and his team have
Craig Gross, the founder. I asked him to forward
successfully helped hundreds of thousands of
to the email to Rachel, thanking her for the
people around the world. This is not a call we
difference she made in my life. While I was in the
take lightly, but are both humbled and honored
porn industry, I used to attend the conventions
that God would choose us to carry this mantle.
to meet with my fans. Rachel always showed up
We are beyond excited to bring forth the legacy
with XXXchurch, and with her actions, she greatly
that Craig has built so that people can continue
ministered the gospel to me. She gave without
to be set free from pornography addictions. My
expecting a return, she was genuinely interested
husband and I believe purity starts in the heart, and
in who I was and not for what I had to offer, was
we want to see people changed from the inside out.
extremely kind, and never cast judgment. She
I always say that if an ex-pornstar could practice
showed me who Jesus truly is and always left me
purity, then you can too. The truth is, nobody
wanting more of Him.
strives to become an addict; it’s just something that happens. I have seen first-hand how God
Within the hour of sending this email, I received
can take a former addict and work her into His
a phone call from Craig and Rachel reconnecting
masterpiece. If He did it for me, then He can do
me to XXXchurch in a completely different way.
it for you too! Rich and I ask that you stay tuned
I went from being ministered to at the porn
and get connected with us. We want to get to
conventions to going to the conventions to
know you and learn how we can best serve you!
minister to other girls and spectators who are
We mean this with all of our hearts when we say
in the same bondage as I once was. I instantly
that we are here for you, we want God’s best for
fell in love with this ministry and have stayed
you, and we are praying for you.
closely connected! Love Always, Fast forward to 2019. My husband and I heard
Richard and Brittni De La Mora
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XXXCHURCH Closing from Craig Gross
Rich and Brittni, with some help, can take this further than I can now. I have worked closely with them over the years, and I know their capabilities. I have never asked for money for the ministry that is not for a specific project or just because we need money. I always go out with my entrepreneurial mind and figure it out, but I realize I can’t figure this one out. They will have to step up and figure out how to support the ministry, but I would love to set them up for success to be able to do that.
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The short term is going to require me to be
I am committed to working with Brittni and Rich
involved, bring them on staff, and help them
for the next twelve months in this transition
build something that they can operate, grow,
behind the scenes to set XXXchurch up for the
and sustain. For almost 20 years of our non-
best possible future, but I need to get started
profit, we have operated month over month
now.
and have never had any reserves. I have loved working like that; we are totally dependent on
I want to raise money for this ministry, which
God each month to provide. But, I realize that
would allow us to rebuild, relaunch, and re-
it is more in my gifting than the De La Mora’s. I
innovate a plan for taking XXXchurch into the
need to help them start with a leg up financially.
next 20 years.
XXXchurch runs on a one million dollar budget with no assets, liabilities, buildings, or rent. We have a small staff who cares for the people we serve while handling all the behind-the-
THE FUTURE STARTS
scenes it takes to keep everything going. We have some monthly recurring revenue from software, workshops, and donors. I realize that all the things I have put in place to keep the
If we have a starting point to set Brittni and
ministry operating might not be what Brittni
Rich up for success, we can continue to help
and Rich desire/need/want to continue.
people and have a significant impact on the Kingdom through reaching lost people at
Our leadership team has some ideas to strip
porn shows and saving marriages.
things down when it comes to our operations to rebuild a new XXXchurch. This means that
This funding is what is needed for Brittni
income will go away, but our staff will stay
and Rich to continue XXXchurch.
on in coaching roles as Brittni and Rich learn the plays. It takes a lot to run a ministry of this magnitude, from outreaches to resources and now tearing down to rebuild. It is going to require some breathing room and financing; so now I have come to put forth an ask.
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WOULD YOU CONSIDER A GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
As always, your contribution is 100% tax-deductible. XXXchurch needs you now more than ever to move forward.
Every dollar given up to $100,000 will be matched by our board of directors.
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YOU CAN MAKE YOUR DONATIONS ONLINE AT www.xxxchurch.com/2020
MAIL A CHECK TO 2020 VISION FIREPROOF MINISTRIES PO BOX 50048 PASADENA CA 91115.
DONATE STOCK BY EMAILING michelle@xxxchurch.com for more details.
Here's to the future! Craig
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