A Setback for Anti-Porn Pastors
Handing out free Bibles to porn stars and their fans at adult film conventions isn't as hard as it would seem. Pastors Mike Foster and Craig Gross say they typically give away 1,000 copies of the New Testament at the multiday conferences.
Even so, the founders of XXXchurch.com -- a Corona-based anti-pornography Internet ministry -- thought a hip cover could easily triple their distribution.
But the pastors' brainstorm to put their "Jesus Loves Porn Stars" brand on covers of the New Testament was rejected by the American Bible Society, the publishing company that XXXchurch.com paid to print 10,000 copies of the Scriptures.
The publisher said that while it applauded the outreach to those who make a living off pornography, "the wording is misleading and inappropriate for a New Testament," according to a letter the pastors received from Barbara Bernstengel, the executive in charge of standards at the nonprofit Bible publishing company.
Bernstengel offered several alternatives, but the pastors rejected them.
"In this case, we think this is a fight worth having because it goes to the core of the Gospel," Foster said.
Gross said their slogan isn't misleading; Jesus does love porn stars and the message doesn't insinuate that he loves pornography.
"But that's why we're putting the Bible in [the porn stars'] hands -- Jesus is not OK with it," said Gross, a former youth pastor who works on the XXXchurch.com website from his Lake Elsinore garage. "The publisher is hindering the Gospel going forth."
The number of companies that publish the Bible is limited. Modern versions of the Scriptures are licensed to publishers by the organizations that did the translations.
The XXXchurch.com pastors say the rejection of the cover is typical of the clash between old-school Christianity -- with its rigid structure and traditions -- and an emerging brand practiced mostly by younger Christians who focus on relationships, spiritual experiences and converting nonbelievers through bold, sometimes edgy marketing.
"This whole religious rule book just needs to be burned, and we need to reinvent the rules," Gross said. "Otherwise, Christianity is going to fade away."
Roy Lloyd, a spokesman for the American Bible Society, said his 190-year-old organization publishes custom Bibles for a variety of youth-oriented ministries, including skateboarders and hip-hop devotees. "It's not that we're opposed to what [XXXchurch.com] is doing," he said. "But there needs to be a sense of propriety."
