Who Are Hookers for Jesus?

The other day, I was stumbling through some news stories and I found a story on a prominent news site pertaining to a website called Hookers for Jesus. I had seen Hookers for Jesus on the top internet searches on both Yahoo! and Google a few days before, so I'll admit, I was intrigued. I decided to Google the site and see what it was all about, and see if there was other information about this interesting title for a website.

What I found is that this is not just a website, but an entire organization, based out of Las Vegas, Nevada (which makes sense, since prostitution is at least somewhat legal in Nevada). When going to the Hookers for Jesus website, I found what appears to be a mission statement:

"Hookers for Jesus is an international, faith-based organization that addresses the realities of human sex trafficking, sexual violence, and exploitation linked to pornography and the sex industry. While we are committed to abolishing human sex trafficking on a global scale, our urban ministry outreach, community awareness, and transitional programs are based out of Las Vegas, Nevada." (retrieved March 30, 2009 from: http://www.hookersforjesus.net/home.cfm)

So who are Hookers for Jesus?

Hookers for Jesus has Annie Lobert as a main spokesperson. A self-described "party girl", Annie shares in a testimonial her personal story of how she became a "high class call girl", and other aspects of her personal life leading up to Hookers for Jesus.

Annie speaks very openly about her past, about the trials she's experienced in her life, including being pimped, being kidnapped, being beaten and bones broken, doing drugs, and all sorts of other things while others considered her lifestyle 'glamorous'. Of course, with a lifestyle like this, is it any wonder that Annie later tells us she suffered Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

That is when, at the peak of her pain and suffering, she found God and Jesus and was saved. She decided to use her pain to help others, and thus Hookers for Jesus was born.

What does Hookers for Jesus do?

Founded in 2005, Hookers for Jesus, with the founding member Annie Lobert, is a grassroots organization that is targeting the adult entertainment industry with an intent to help those who are victims of the industry find a way out and find their way to safety, security, and God.

Yes, Hookers for Jesus is a faith-based initiative, but the website clearly states they are an outreach organization, and it appears no one is excluded for lack of faith or beliefs, though it's clear God and Jesus and the Bible will all be part of the umbrella used to assist with helping others. Many outreach ministries are the same, but searching around the internet, it's impossible to find any other faith-based initiative or outreach except for Hookers for Jesus who are specifically targeting the adult entertainment and sex industries.

What I personally find fascinating about this is that, it seems to reason to me, that these industries would be the prime target for God-fearing Christians to reach out to, those who are needing guidance back to a righteous path, regardless of doctrine or faith or anything else. Because of that reason alone, I find what Annie Lobert has proposed here and is doing here to be fascinating and even Christ-like in action.

Annie Lobert and others in the organization, with volunteers from local churches actually walk the streets of Las Vegas and find prostitutes, hookers, and try to bring them into the church. Additionally, they pass out gift bags with Bibles to the women they find on the streets.

"Everything that we keep hidden has power over us."

This is the tagline found all over the Hookers for Jesus website, and seems to be the main mantra for this organization. They are not preaching, but rather reaching out to others, and showing that there is alternatives to the adult entertainment industry. From Annie, a former sex industry and adult entertainer herself, she understands the power making fast and what at first appears to be easy money can mean to someone, particularly woman, in the adult industry.

Hookers for Jesus - Their Vision

"Our vision is to let others know that they are loved unconditionally. Without judgment. We want to help others live the life that God intended for them. To those hurting and tired souls, we want to let you know that you can be finally be FREE!!! We will help you discover your NEW freedom!"

Annie Lobert and others from the Hookers for Jesus organization, as well as those members of The Church at South Las Vegas, the church Annie attends, are available for seminars, speaking engagements, and more. There is information on the website about crime-based adult entertainment and sex trafficking laws and problems, as well as links for help and other information.

Hookers for Jesus might have a strange name, but it does the job of getting attention, because it sure drew my attention when I saw it talked about in such reputable media as the LA Times, ABC News, and TBN.

Hookers for Jesus can be found on social networks like Facebook, and there are even YouTube videos of interviews with the Hookers for Jesus founder, Annie Lobert. This is definitely an organization worth checking out to see what they are all about, without judgment.