Vegas Bound
By Tod Hunter
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Bright light city gonna set my soul/Gonna set my soul on fire...
Viva Las Vegas, written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, Pomus Songs Inc./Mort Shuman Songs (BMI)
XXXChurch is pulling up stakes and moving from Michigan to Las Vegas-adjacent Henderson, Nevada.
Pastor Craig Gross said the choice to move XXXChurch's home base out of Michigan was easy because the adult temptations in Las Vegas are "more powerful and strong than any place I've ever been."
The Henderson-based South Hills Church Community is entering into a partnership with XXXChurch, which will refer people to South Hills. Meanwhile, South Hills is starting work on a new, $15 million church.
Years ago, when I first interviewed Craig Gross at Adult Expo, I asked him, "Is this a put-on? Because if you're here to have fun, we can have fun with you."
Gross cheerfully told me that he was serious and that he was a non-denominational Christian minister who wanted to tell the fans and professionals at the Expo that porn was fine, but heaven was even better, passing along a God-loves-you message.
Since then, Gross has changed his approach a little by moving XXXChurch into the self-help for porn addiction ministry. He has gotten veteran adult director Jimmy D to direct PSAs for the church and has appeared on stages across the country to "debate" about porn with veteran performer Ron Jeremy. He has always had a friendly demeanor and cheerful smile, handing out pocket-sized Bibles and assuring one and all that "God loves porn stars."
And, like Willie Sutton, who robbed banks because "that’s where the money is," Craig Gross is taking his ministry to southern Nevada because that's where the temptation is.
Even better for him, he won't have to travel so far to Adult Expo any more.
The XXXChurch website is here if you want more information.