Welcome Back for Part 2. We’ve been talking with Drenda Thomas about her ministry, Piercing the Darkness. Drenda, when we left off last week, you had just told us that your husband goes with you when you do outreach. Let’s start there. Even with your husband nearby and a team of people at your side, have you ever been scared to enter an unfamiliar place?
Not really. Well, there was one night a few months ago. We went to a new club, and there was this HUGE guy standing out front. The ladies were questioning me as to whether or not we should go in. I said, “We’re going in” and got out of the van. Sweet Norma (a senior lady) was right behind me. As we’re walking up to the club, a girl gets out of the car and yells, “You found us! You finally found us!” She, and most of the people at this club, used to be at another strip club that burned down a couple of years ago. We were wondering where they ended up. It was like a family reunion. Lots of hugs and catching up. As I got closer to the door, I recognized the HUGE guy. We shook hands, and he welcomed us into the club. It was awesome!
Wow. Knowing that you were recognized, welcomed, and even missed makes me teary. What an incredible testimony to your impact on the people you choose to love. With that I am curious about the opposition you might face. Is there any spiritual warfare going on before, during or after your outreach time? Can you tell us what that might look like and how you handle it?
This question made me chuckle. YES, there is warfare! We joke (even though it’s no joke) that it must be outreach time because everything is going wrong. Problems at work, at the house, health issues, financial issues, car problems….you name it, the team has faced it. Once you realize it’s an attack, the situation is much easier to deal with. The situation may not be gone, but you know where it’s coming from. Then you can deal with it like you’re supposed to instead of freaking out.
It’s obvious you’re making an impact on the dancers and other club employees. How do you feel about the male customers?
I’ve had some visiting teams who had issues with the males in the clubs. Some women get really ticked off about the men. The men are no worse than the dancers. If all of the male customers were totally sold out to God, there would be no demand for dancers. The law of supply and demand…
Amazingly enough, we’ve had male customers ask us to pray for them, for their marriages, and one even asked us to pray for his girlfriend who was a dancer. She wouldn’t give up the dancing, and it was ripping him apart. We prayed for him in the parking lot, and tears rolled down his face.
What if any of the girls want to get out? Are you prepared to help them?
Yes, I’ve networked with for-profit and non-profit agencies, recruiters and other individuals who are willing to provide computer training, resume assistance, interviewing skills, business clothes, etc. at no charge.
You mentioned that you also do outreach at other venues such as Mardi Gras, Gay Pride parades, Fantasy Fest, and porn conventions. How do you prepare yourself for what you might find in these places?
I don’t think you can mentally prepare yourself for the first time you minister in these places. I imagined everyone would be having sex all over the place at the porn convention. Fortunately, the convention hall had rules that did not allow such behavior.
To prepare yourself spiritually, the “right” answer is: fast, pray, read your Bible….easier said than done because things don’t go as planned prior to outreach. Maybe it’s better that way in that I don’t have a canned speech ready for each person I meet. God is an individual God. He knows right where each person is and knows what they need to hear. If I know I’m unprepared, I’m more likely to be listening and to be dependent on Him. I’ll have something fresh, and it will be EXACTLY what the person needs to hear for their particular situation.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying to totally forget about praying and reading your Bible. I’m saying: do what you feel you need to do (fast, read, pray) but don’t beat yourself up if you don’t reach someone else’s hyper-spiritual goals. When we are weak, He is strong.
After every outreach into the clubs and any other street outreach, we pray over everything we saw and heard. We pray that the images we saw and any conversation we had or overheard that wasn’t good for us or that might cause us to fall into temptation wouldn’t stick in our brains.
You seem to receive a lot of welcome from the strip clubs. What about the other venues? Is there welcome there as well or do you feel hatred from some of these groups?
Have I had ice and beer thrown at me at Mardi Gras and Fantasy Fest just because I was in a parade that was singing a hymn while walking down the street? Yes. My experience has been that these people hate Christians for good reason. Christians have been rude, self-righteous, hateful and down-right condescending to them. Churches have ostracized people because they didn’t fit a certain image. Is that how Jesus would treat them?
I’ve had many conversations with people who started out antagonist towards me because of how they labeled me. But once you allow people to talk and you really listen to them, you can find common ground and build from there. Following Christ is about building bridges – not burning them. It’s the goodness of God that draws people to repentance.
Are you uncomfortable being in the bars?
No. I know why I’m there.
One of my readers had this question: Are you uncomfortable being around the people demonstrating for their right to be against God (as in ministering at Gay Pride event)?
Not uncomfortable. It’s more heart-breaking than anything. I don’t take their demonstrations personally. Everyone has a choice to make. Not everyone will choose Christ. And not everyone is demonstrating “against God”. Many are simply anti-Christians. Can’t say I blame them. Christians can be pretty obnoxious at times. There have been times when I’m on the streets ministering that I shrink away from the street preachers who are yelling hellfire and damnation. I don’t want to be associated with those types of “preachers”. The ministries that I go with to Gay Pride, Fantasy Fest, Mardi Gras, etc. are not these types of street preachers. Do we speak the truth? Yes, but in love.
How do you go about ministering at a Gay Pride event?
I go with Ron and Judy Radachy of The Oasis of Hollywood. They’ve been ministering in Hollywood for about 30 years. At the Gay Pride Parade, we break into teams and roam up and down the street looking for people to talk with. Some people hand out tracts. Some people carry a sign that has a positive message – NOT “God hates gays.” I usually walk around and then find a place to sit. People get tired and come sit down by me. You make small talk about the parade, and then the conversation can be eased into how they feel about God, do they need prayer for anything, etc. Very non-confrontational in the approach. And if a conversation never turns toward God, that’s okay, too. I’m not there to ram God down their throats, but it is important for me to leave a good impression with them. I don’t want them to hate all Christians or God because of their encounter with me.
I’ve had some amazing encounters at the Gay Pride Parade in Hollywood. One time a guy came out of a building while we were walking down the sidewalk talking amongst ourselves. He approached us and said, “Don’t talk to me about God.”
“Okay, we won’t.”
“I told you don’t talk to me about God.”
“Okay.”
“I really don’t want to talk about God.”
“Okay, why don’t you want to talk about God?”
And then he launches into his frustrations with the church, etc. and walks off. It was bizarre…
Another time I met a former Assemblies of God pastor who was dressed in leathers. He had been kicked out of church the year before for having a homosexual affair. He left his wife and sons. He was extremely hurt over how his former pastor friends were treating him and his family. I apologized to him on behalf of the A/G (my dad is a retired Assemblies of God pastor). We had a very long conversation. He let me pray with him before he went on his S&M date with 4 guys. I pleaded with him not to go because I didn’t want him to get hurt. He thanked me for my concern, said I was the only one from the church to show any concern and walked away into the night. I’ve never forgotten him or that conversation.
Drenda, you’ve given us some eye opening accounts of your experiences. I know you have many more stories to tell than our time here allows. You’ve willingly put yourself on the front lines for those you’re aiming to help and that has taken you to some very dark places. How would you respond to believers who think we have no business being anywhere near such places?
My response is: look at Jesus’ life. Who did He hang out with the most? Or maybe I should say who did He like hanging out with the most? It sure wasn’t the church people (Pharisees). He called them vipers. He had mercy on the prostitutes, lepers, blind, tax collectors and all the other unseemly citizens. He touched them and talked to them when the rest of society ignored and shunned them.
By the way the tone of my response matters, too. I don’t come across angry — well, I try not to. I get rather frustrated with church people. I’m much more patient with non-church people.
If you are struggling with drug, alcohol or sexual addictions, don’t go to clubs/bars or places you used to hang out – even if it is to minister. Use wisdom. Wait until you are free of those addictions. You can minister in other ways and other places until then. You can always pray for the people in the clubs and for the people ministering to them. All ministries need good intercessors.
Amen to that! This has been an amazing experience for me and I’m so excited about the work you and your team are doing. Any final thoughts or comments?
After 8 years I’m still amazed every single time a strip club lets us in the door. It’s been the favor of God. I’m also humbled that God trusts me enough to make me a part of his search and rescue team. I’m grateful for the team that God has assembled who goes into the clubs with me. They are an incredible group of ladies. I’m grateful for my dad and husband who have our backs.
One more thing…I’ve personally ministered with each of these ministries and HIGHLY recommend them.
http://xxxchurch.com/
http://www.rescueatlanta.com/
http://www.oasisofhollywood.org/
Piercing the Darkness will have its site up soon. It’s geared more towards the church and Christians. http://www.searchandrescueonline.com/
I’m working on a website specifically for the dancers. It will be: www.jesuslovesdancers.com
I send out an email the morning after an outreach. If anyone is interested in being added to that, they can email me at deetr@comcast.net, and I will add them to the list.
What would be the best way for someone to contribute financially to the ministry for gift bag items or whatever other needs you might have?
Until we receive tax exempt status from the IRS, all donations are run through a local church who supports the ministry. They give year-end receipts. To send a check, make it payable to “Spring First Church” and mailed to POB 130441, The Woodlands, TX 77393.
Thank you, Niki, for allowing me this opportunity.
Thank you Drenda for joining us here and challenging us to make the world a better place, and to love those within our reach no matter what their occupation, life situation, or addiction might be. Thank you for being an example to the Christian community and for passing on the love without judgment. May God continue to bless your ministry!
