Spotlight
To Love on Women Who Feel Unlovable
Interview with Robin Paul
Robin Paul, an Open Bible credentialed minister and member of Open Bible Praise Center in Boonville, Missouri, is the founder of Central Missouri Outreach. Central Missouri Outreach is a frontline ministry sharing and demonstrating the love of God to individuals working in the sex industry or affected by sexual exploitation. CMO provides emotional support, prayer, and spiritual guidance so those affected may discover God’s purpose and their value in life. We interviewed Robin to learn more about this ministry.
Message:
When did you begin this ministry?
Robin:
In February of 2017 I was talking with a dear friend who told me about a conversation with her nine-year-old son. He had always thought the triple Xs on one of the buildings along I-70 meant that there was a bowling alley inside! But as he grew older, he started to question his assumptions and asked his mom what was “really” in that building.
She tried to explain it to him, as best she could to a nine-year-old. It turned into a great spiritual lesson as she emphasized that we should pray for the lost in the world. As my friend shared this story with me, an intense feeling swept over me. I kept hearing these words in my head: “This is what I have been telling you to do. This is what you have been prepared for, to love on women who feel unlovable.”
When I looked back at my life, I realized God had indeed been preparing me to love the unlovable – from my suffering abuse as a child to working in a male prison for ten years. I was reminded of learning about another friend a few years ago who ministered to women who worked in brothels in Las Vegas. Even at that time, I thought, “I can do this!” But as I contemplated the idea, I questioned how someone living in Missouri could minister to women in brothels and had let the idea slide.
I shared these feelings with my friend with the nine-year-old son, and she gave me the contact information of a woman in southern Missouri who worked with a group of women from a local church that ministered to women who work in adult entertainment clubs along I-44. Once a month for the next ten months I drove to southern Missouri and went out with the team there. My husband and I also started driving to clubs in central Missouri where we sat in the parking lots and prayed. We prayed over the women and men working in the clubs and their families. We prayed for the customers who entered the clubs.
I talked to whoever would listen to me about what God had placed on my heart and eventually formed a team of women who were willing to go in and minister to these women. My husband, Darin, agreed to drive us to the clubs and wait in the vehicle while we went in. I have always felt prayer is the most important part of our outreach, so we always try to have two to three people in the vehicle praying over the building, the women, the men, and everyone in the club. They also pray for the team of women going in, for their safety in both body and spirit.
Message:
Who do you specifically minister to and how are you able to conduct this ministry?
Robin:
We specifically minister to the women working in adult entertainment clubs; the majority are dancers. A few may be bartenders or front door persons. God has opened doors for us. I remember the first time, in December of 2017, that we were going to deliver Christmas presents to the women, and I had to call the clubs ahead of time to ask for permission to come in. I remember being in near panic. I thought, “We have spent the past ten months praying in parking lots. I have driven to southern Missouri once a month for several months. The team has trained, prayed, and prepared for months, and now it’s time. What if the owners say no? I mean, really, why would they let a bunch of women come in to talk about Jesus? It’s a pretty dark place; we represent the light.”
Someone reminded me that we had been obedient, and if we were not allowed to go in, then God had other plans. We were to just keep praying and doing what we had been called to do. I gathered the courage to make those phone calls, and the first club owner who answered recognized me from a club he owned in southern Missouri. He said absolutely, we could come in! He also told me when I contacted the other clubs to let them know he was letting us come in!
When we go into the clubs, we are allowed back into the dressing rooms and break areas. In one of the clubs, we are seldom allowed to speak with the women, but we still show up every month and deliver a small gift and a snack for the women.
Message:
How receptive are the women when you first approach them?
Robin:
A few obviously dodge us, but most are excited to see us. One told me when the “church ladies” (the name they gave us) come in they know it’s going to be a good night. They say even the customers are nicer to them after we have been in.
We talk with the women as equal to, not below us. I don’t know how many times we’ve heard that they appreciate that we look them in the eye. We have conversations about whatever is on their minds. We listen, we love them, we hug them, we pray with them. We always ask for prayer requests. Many of them will stop and pray with us while others may quietly ask for a prayer. Once they build trust with us, they will begin to share with us their beliefs or ask questions they may have about our love for Jesus. We have found that many of the women have known the Lord or at least have been brought up in a home that believed in God. Many of them have been hurt by those they love or trusted.
Message:
What measures do you take to protect your team?
Robin:
It’s not only our physical safety that we constantly try to be aware of, but also our spiritual safety. We always go into the club covered with prayer. We have extensive training regarding safety. We always have a leader over the team going in. If at ANY time the team lead feels we need to leave, she will advise the team it’s time to go. At no time are we to question our lead as to when it is time to go. The team lead is observing what’s going on in the club while the other team members are visiting. We are NEVER to be alone or out of eyesight from at least one other team member. We will never enter clubs without a man waiting outside in our vehicle. The men sit in the car with the other team members who do not go in and observe the parking lot. If it is unsafe for us to enter the parking lot, we have safety measures outlined as to what the team is supposed to do. We learn to pray with our eyes open.
Message:
What kind of obstacles have you encountered?
Robin:
Our team realized early on that every week before outreach we are going to be “tried” on many levels. We MUST be prayed up.
Message:
What are your goals for this ministry?
Robin:
To love on women who are at risk while working in the sex industry. We do not have resources to help them physically, but we have an extensive list of resources to refer them to. We are here to love them as Jesus does, to let them know that Jesus will meet them right where they are. It’s not our job as a team to “rescue” them from their job or to tell them what they are doing is wrong; we are here to love. This is a frontline ministry. We are planting seeds that we may never see sprout. This is where we must have faith and trust in what the Lord has called upon us to do. Our team consists of men and women from several churches in our area.
Message:
Can you share any highlights from this ministry?
Robin:
The community and churches have been very generous in providing gifts to the women. Every year we have a group of women gather for the afternoon and highlight verses in Bibles that we will give to the women as part of their Christmas present. They also write notes or letters of encouragement. One of the women told us how special that was to her. She said that one year not all the women had taken their Bibles home, so she took them. She said it was amazing to her that each Bible had been marked so differently and that she always seemed to pick up the Bible she needed to help her at that exact moment. This last year a women’s ministry group from a church south of our community asked if they could do the Bibles. A church in another community donated bath soaps, lotions, and other items to put in their bags. Monthly gifts can consist of nail polish or socks, things that will put a smile on the women’s faces.
I have also had the opportunity to speak to women’s and youth ministries regarding the identification markers of young women being groomed for trafficking. If anyone is interested in hearing this information, I would love to share what I have learned. How to share Jesus’ love with women in this industry is a subject I could talk about forever. I will talk to anyone who will listen!
For more information about this ministry, you may contact Robin at chouteausprings@hotmail.com
Darin and Robin with their puppy.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV).
There is a quiet invitation woven through these words – an invitation into constant, total dependence on God. We often imagine maturity as having our act together, managing our lives with unshakable strength. But in God’s kingdom, maturity looks nothing like self-reliance. It looks like surrender.
… in God’s kingdom, maturity looks nothing like self-reliance. It looks like surrender.
Just as valleys are watered with rain and become fruitful while lofty mountains remain dry, so it is with our hearts. The low places – the humbling, honest valleys – are where God’s grace pools and grows us. The heights of self-confidence, the illusions that we’ve got everything under control, stay barren.
Grace is not just God’s favor; it is His love set in motion toward us. When Paul begged God to remove the thorn in his life, God didn’t take it away. He gave Paul something far more powerful: grace. Sometimes relief comes by His removing the burden, but sometimes God strengthens the shoulders that carry it.
This past year, I’ve walked through my own valleys in ways I could never have anticipated. An abnormal mammogram led to surgery, which revealed breast cancer. By God’s miraculous hand, the tumor was removed completely, with clear margins and no spread although the tumor was dangerously close to my lymph nodes – a reminder of God’s perfect timing, protection, and faithfulness.
But the challenges didn’t end there. Amid cancer treatment, autoimmune flare-ups, and the toll on my body, I experienced alarming numbness on the left side of my face, suddenly losing strength in my left arm and leg. A trip to the ER revealed a nearly blocked right carotid artery, a tear likely caused by a fall I’d taken months prior, and a blood clot that could have caused a massive stroke.
Yet in the middle of chaos as we prepared for worst case scenarios, God’s grace showed up. Within a day of their being detected, scans revealed that both the clot and tear were gone. Every doctor involved was astonished. I was walking, speaking, and moving with minimal effects – a miracle too clear to dismiss.
In these moments, I’ve learned that we don’t truly trust God’s grace until we first admit we are insufficient. It’s easier to believe in grace for the past or the future. But grace for this moment, right here, in the pressing reality of fear, pain, and uncertainty, requires a present-tense, radical faith.
God didn’t just supplement my strength; He became my strength. He reminded me that the thorn doesn’t defeat us; it becomes the doorway through which His glory steps in. My husband, family, friends, and the countless prayers lifted on my behalf became vessels of God’s love, reminding me that what looks like an ending is often where He does His best work.
… the thorn doesn’t defeat us; it becomes the doorway through which His glory steps in.
Through lingering numbness and nerve pain in my face (Trigeminal neuralgia), vision issues in my left eye, and the exhaustion of hospital stays and oncology appointments, God has been teaching me to release my grip on self-sufficiency. Every test, every scan, every unknown has been a lesson in dependence, a sacred invitation to rest fully in Him. He meets us in both the dramatic and the mundane.
As we face uncertainty and continue to navigate treatments, recoveries, and the unknown, the same promise remains: His grace is sufficient. His power is made perfect in weakness. My valleys have become fertile soil, and in surrendering, I’ve discovered strength I never possessed alone.
To anyone reading this, let this be a challenge and an encouragement: don’t wait for the mountains to feel secure. Step into your valley. Admit your insufficiency. Rest in grace. Let God’s power carry you through the moments you cannot handle on your own. Because in the valleys, in the weakness, God is not just present – He is gloriously, powerfully enough.
About the Author
Sarah Holsapple serves on staff at her church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as the Creative & Spiritual Development Director. She serves alongside her husband of almost twenty years, Harris, who is the lead pastor at First Open Bible. Sarah has been teaching and preaching for several years. She’s passionate about discipleship and women’s ministry and served as the Regional Women’s Director for Open Bible Central Region. One of her favorite things in life is being a mom to her two incredible children, Hudson and Lynnley Jo.
The last several years for Sarah have been the hardest of her life. She truly knows the depths of heartbreak and what it feels like to wrestle through healing. She has seen God move in miraculous ways and has experienced great comfort in knowing that we serve a faithful God. Sarah feels great joy in sharing encouragement from the word of God, seeing lives changed and people set free!
My wife, Leona, was at an eye exam, and I was waiting in the lobby when a good-looking couple walked in. Thinking they were Hispanic, I greeted them in Spanish. With a look of surprise, they responded that they didn’t understand. Noticing their accent, I asked what language they spoke. “Arabic,” they replied. They were from Cairo, Egypt.
“I was just there!” I exclaimed. We introduced ourselves, and when they asked about my trip, I explained that I had gone to teach at INSTE Global Bible College. As we talked, we discovered common ground—Youssef and Fatima are both college professors, and Leona and I also work in higher education.
When the conversation turned to food, my Italian roots—revealed by my surname—caught their interest. I asked them what their favorite Italian dish was. “We love eggplant parmesan,” they answered.
“Would you come to our house for dinner if I made that?” I asked. They gladly accepted. When Leona’s appointment ended, we compared calendars and set a date to host Youssef, Fatima, and their four sons.
At home we talked about what to do with our dog Barney. Living in a townhome, we couldn’t put him outside. Knowing that Muslims traditionally view dogs as unclean, we decided to banish Barney to our finished basement during the visit.
Before dinner, we explained our custom of thanking God for our food. They understood, appreciating that we blessed them also in our prayer. Conversation flowed easily as we shared the meal. Afterward, the younger boys, full of energy, spotted the basement stairs. Leona explained about Barney, assuring Fatima that he was friendly. With her permission, the boys bounded downstairs to play with one very happy dog. The older boys preferred the TV room to watch football, while we lingered at the table with Youssef and Fatima, enjoying the chance to connect as fellow educators. Our first dinner together was a success.
As Fatima and Leona washed the dishes, the conversation was salted with quotes from the Koran and the Bible…
That Thanksgiving, we invited the family back to share in a traditional holiday meal. Barney had a sleepover at Leona’s sister’s house this time. We set the table for a 1:00 p.m. feast, but our guests were delayed returning from Wisconsin and arrived closer to 5:00. Once gathered, we enjoyed another rich time together.
Leona and Fatima washed dishes side by side, as Youssef and I chatted in the living room. All four boys bundled into the TV room to watch sports. Later, gathered by the fireplace, Youssef asked, “Does the Bible talk about the end of the world?” He was genuinely interested in comparing Christian and Muslim viewpoints on the end times. We had a very interesting conversation that evening! It was 11:00 p.m. when six-year-old Ahmed sleepily stumbled from the TV room, asking, “Can we go home now?” Shortly thereafter, we said good night to our guests with gratitude for another memorable evening.
Months later, Youssef and Fatima invited us to their home for the Muslim celebration of Eid, marking the close of Ramadan. Fatima had prepared the traditional feast of Egyptian dishes. We arrived in time to count down to sunset, and then the banquet began. As Fatima and Leona washed the dishes, the conversation was salted with quotes from the Koran and the Bible as Fatima explained Eid. The rest of the evening was filled with relaxing conversation, along with plans to get together for the Fourth of July.
Friendship and food opened doors for evangelism.
Our last gathering was at Christmas. Once again, we shared a meal, meaningful conversation, and plenty of laughter. Wanting to give them New Testaments in a respectful way, we sought guidance from friends experienced in ministry to Muslims. Following their advice, we wrapped the books beautifully, adding a heartfelt note expressing our joy in their friendship. We presented the gifts as they left that evening. Though we haven’t heard from them since, we often remember Youssef, Fatima, and their boys in prayer. Friendship and food opened doors for evangelism. We learned that sensitivity to cultural and religious differences keeps those doors open, and above all, we were reminded to live out 1 Peter 3:15: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” (NIV).
About the Authors
Leona K. Venditti, EdD, and Nicholas A Venditti, PhD, met in Madrid, Spain. In 1982, Leona was sent by Open Bible’s Department of Global Missions to start a training program which has since grown into INSTE Global Bible College. It has expanded to more than forty countries and eighteen languages. Together, the Vendittis continue to “make disciples and develop leaders” both nationally and globally as they mentor many cross-cultural followers of Jesus.
Spiritual direction…hmmm, sounds like what I get from the Holy Spirit when I pray, so why would I need to meet with a spiritual director when I can do this on my own? Seems unnecessary, right? Not to mention, I’m a guy; we never ask for directions.
That was my thinking a few years ago, until the day I got a call from another minister who was training to be a spiritual director. She needed to log a certain number of practice hours to finish her training, and she asked if I would be her “guinea pig.”
The call had “coincidentally” come in the middle of a challenging season; my pastoral duties felt relentless, and I was going through a profound life change. I felt empty inside as I wrestled with a nagging question: “Am I really hearing God clearly?” Unable to talk through my struggle with very many people, I had been feeling spiritually stuck. The person calling was someone I trusted, so I agreed to be a part of her training process. I thought I was helping her out, but little did I know this decision would stand as a cornerstone of my spiritual and mental health moving forward.
Spiritual direction is like having a wonderful (dare I say, sacred) friend who walks alongside you and gently guides you to notice and respond to the presence of God in your life.
Spiritual direction is like having a wonderful (dare I say, sacred) friend who walks alongside you and gently guides you to notice and respond to the presence of God in your life. Believe it or not, even the best of us can miss Him in the middle of our emotional and mental upheavals. Unlike traditional counseling or mentorship, spiritual direction focuses on deepening our relationship with God, helping us become more aware of His presence in our everyday experiences.
A Transformative Encounter: Experiencing the Father Three Ways
There’s one spiritual direction session that particularly stands out in my mind. My mom had just passed away, and my dad was in the final stages of his life. It had been a tough year of loss, and I was doing my best to keep it together. As I shared with my spiritual director, she made a suggestion. She said, “Gary, take the next ten minutes to sit before the Father and ask Him what He wants to say to you in this season.”
I muted the microphone, sat in silence, and stared out the window of my office into my backyard. It was a beautiful day, and the wind was rustling through the trees. Things moving by some unseen force. As I sat there, God reminded me of three snapshots (memories) with my dad. The first was a memory of being at the beach with him when I was four and his taking me into the deep water. I remember protesting that I didn’t want to go out there but also feeling safe because I was held tightly in my father’s arms. The second was a memory of when I was twenty and we took a trip together. It was on that trip that I felt my father, through his actions, take his mantle of authority and leadership and place it on my shoulders. The third snapshot wasn’t a true memory but a glimpse into the future. I was about to visit my dad in a month – it was to say goodbye as he was in the final stages of life on earth. My agenda was simple: I was just going to spend time with Dad.
In those pictures, with the wind blowing through the trees, the Father used my father to help me encounter Him. I’ll never forget the three things God whispered to me as I pondered those three snapshots:
Gary, I’m with you; you’re safe.
Gary, I’ve given you everything you need to fulfill what I’ve called you to do; I trust you.
Gary, all I desire is for you to spend time with me and enjoy my presence.
Those past and future joys were a reminder from my heavenly Father that I could take the path ahead because He was with me. I’m not sure I would have had such a profound experience had it not been for the preceding conversation with my spiritual director and our subsequent debrief.
Integrating Spiritual Direction into Pastoral Ministry
Moments in this and following sessions have been a game changer for me, helping me become a better leader and follower. I now approach decisions with a greater sense of grounding, choosing to rely on prayerful discernment and feedback from someone who’s spiritually mature and not emotionally tied to the situations. I’ve also learned to listen better, not just to God but also to people.
Spiritual direction has been a transformative experience for me, helping me grow both personally and professionally.
Spiritual direction has also been a huge help with my mental health. Regular sessions provide a sanctuary from the incessant demands of ministry and allow me to process those stressors in a safe context. I’ve learned to be more resilient, thanks to the reflective exploration of my spiritual journey, and I feel more balanced and purposeful.
If you’re a minister who hasn’t tried spiritual direction yet, I highly recommend it. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Find a spiritual director who’s trained to help others on their spiritual journey.
- Make sure you prioritize regular meetings. Consistent engagement allows for a deeper unfolding of your spiritual narrative and allows for sustained growth.
- Be open and vulnerable. Don’t be afraid to talk about the good and bad parts of your spiritual life.
Spiritual direction has been a transformative experience for me, helping me grow both personally and professionally. Remember, we all need help sometimes.
About the Author
Gary Kahn
Gary Khan was born on the island of Trinidad in the Caribbean. He moved to America when he was twenty to pursue his education and calling to be a pastor. He met his wife DeLaine at Eugene Bible College (now New Hope Christian College) and upon their graduation, they were married and began working at Desert Streams Church in Santa Clarita, CA. After thirty-two years as a pastor, Gary became an Executive Director of Operations for Marketplace Chaplains. He is the author of devotionals including Reset and Greater and his most recent book, That Didn’t Turn Out the Way I Thought.
