"Stand in the place where you live, now face north. Think about direction, wonder why you haven't before." -R.E.M.

strippers

Stripped

04/07/2009 05:15 PM Filed in: Pastoral Stuff | Church

Recently I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about exotic dancers.

Last week my wife and I went downtown with some friends to grab some Mexican food and look at the art exhibits on display during the monthly Springfield Art Walk. I noticed one of the stores, Good Girl Art Gallery, had a few pieces that had been created by local exotic dancers. The pieces were interesting and fresh; they were honest and real.

And they made me start thinking about exotic dancers.

I’ve been living in Springfield for 9 months and I’m always surprised when I spot yet another strip club in town. For a city that has a mostly clean-cut, Bible-thumping reputation, Springfield has a thriving sex industry.

And I’ve heard plenty of stories about exotic dancers. One nurse told me that she helped an injured stripper a few months ago who kept referring to her boss as her “master.” She told me that the young woman seemed brainwashed and detached from reality.

And what’s the draw to this lifestyle? Typically it appears to be money, drugs, or both. The average exotic dancer makes between $30,000 and $60,000 a year. If they have a drug habit that needs to be fed, it’s not uncommon for club owners to help satisfy that craving as well.

Another nurse told me she was working in the Emergency Room one evening when an exotic dancer came in with her family. This family was bragging to anyone who would listen about how much money the girl was bringing in for them, even going so far as to show her portfolio to people.

As I began to think and talk about exotic dancers, a more clear picture of them began to emerge. Granted, it’s somewhat of a generalization, but many dancers are in it as a last resort. Many have low self-esteem and very little support system. Many of them have lived a hard life.

But they don’t need to be saved from stripping. They need to be saved from emptiness. They need Jesus.

The more I think about it, the more I wonder what Milestone Church can do to help exotic dancers in our area. I don’t think raiding the strip clubs or standing outside with picket signs are the answers. But I don’t know if there is any other church in town that’s willing to step down into the mire in order to help lift these girls out because it won’t be an easy or squeaky-clean task.

Maybe we’ve been called to get down in the dirt and show them Jesus.

Tags: pole dancer, strippers, strip clubs, Evangelism