The church will give away a two-story brick-and-siding home to a needy family during the noon worship service. The house, built in 1908, will be renovated for the new owners.
The church has been active in numerous ministries to the community, including distributing food, working with the local school, and sponsoring a health fair.
The authors of Jesus Loves the Porn Star and Jesus Loves You … This I Know – Craig Gross and Jason Harper – donated money to have the house renovated and will help with the renovation work.
The event is part of the pair’s six-city book tour that focuses on a different theme in each city and seeks to connect with people who often feel left behind by the church. Sunday’s theme is “Jesus loves the disconnected.”
Gross is a Las Vegas resident who started The Strip Church in the heart of the city. He is also the founder of Fireproof Ministries and TripleXChurch, a Web network that reaches out to workers in the sex industry or people struggling with pornography.
Harper is the founder of The Extra Mile, an organization committed to advocating for improvements in education and health care for inner-city children. He is a published author and the director of community outreach for Capital Christian Center in Sacramento, California.
The authors are touring six cities, focusing on a different “Jesus Loves…” theme at each of the stops. In addition to this Sunday’s theme focusing on the disconnected, themes include:
• “Jesus Loves the Religious” – Gross and Harper traveled to Topeka, where they tried to meet with a religious group that has made national news for its hate-filled demonstrations, including at funerals for troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• “Jesus Loves the Gluttons” – In September, the tour traveled to the Orleans Hotel, where the duo gave away 400 lunch buffets.
• “Jesus Loves Porn Stars” – On Wednesday in Los Angeles, California, Gross debated porn star Ron Jeremy about the effects of pornography. Gross and Jeremy have engaged in “The Porn Debate” multiple times in recent years.
• “Jesus Loves the Crooks” – On October 23, Gross and Harper will lead a chapel service at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, California.
• Jesus Loves the Outcast – The final leg of the tour will be at the Atlanta Pride Festival October 30-November 1. The authors will set up a booth at the festival with the message, “We Are Sorry.” Harper and Gross hope the message will lead to conversations with festival participants.
