It was only 3 in the afternoon and there was a good amount of men there. We couldn’t help but wonder how full it would be during the busy time frames. In the few moments we saw the women who had been working, their faces were so sullen and sad. Both of us felt deep sorrow come over us. We also unexpectedly felt compassion for the patrons nursing their beers.

Every single man in there was sitting at a table alone. In isolation. Clear shame on the faces of those who noticed us—two fully clothed women entering unexpectedly.

I began to feel overwhelmed by the fact:

Jesus loves the strippers. Jesus loves those men too.

There are groups of people all around the country who give their life to communicate God’s love to these children of God. 

One of the people who has taught me the most is my friend Keisha and her work with Created.

There is a group of people in our city trying to figure out how as well! Let me know if you want to be connected with them.

What is God doing at BJ’s Topless Bar in my neighborhood? Honestly, it was really hard to tell. But inside of me and my friend, God was doing a work of compassion and grace. Reminding us that God doesn’t love us any more than he loves those strippers or those lonely men.

No amount of “missional living,” Bible studies or moral standards will make God have more grace for us than he has for those souls. It’s hard to believe that sometimes—and I think that’s what God was doing…reminding us of the reality of that grace. Jesus loves strippers—what it would it look like to tell them?

What would it look like to show them?