All three were standing in the same place at the Exxxotica Porn Convention in New Jersey.
We each arrived for our own reasons. Yet for a brief moment in time, our paths intersected in one of the most unlikely environments imaginable.
Yes, I am a Christian. And each year, I intentionally spend an entire weekend at this convention, surrounded by porn stars, producers, vendors, and thousands of attendees from every walk of life. People often ask me why. The answer is simple, though not always easy to understand.
Because love goes where it is needed.
And I always leave the same way I arrived, firmly grounded in my faith, but with a deeper awareness of something sacred. God is already there, moving, pursuing, and loving people long before anyone else notices.
Over the years, I have had hundreds of conversations. Most are brief. Some are profound. But two encounters during one convention stayed with me.
At the check-in desk, I found myself in conversation with two men I had come to know over the years. They were skeptical of our presence, questioning whether Christians could genuinely show up without judgment or agenda. They had seen too much of the opposite.
Standing nearby was Ron Jeremy, someone they respected. Knowing he was familiar with the Christian organization we were partnered with, I jokingly asked him to tell them we were authentic. Without hesitation, he did. He affirmed that our group was sincere, that we practiced what we preached.
What happened next surprised me even more.
When someone nearby made a crude comment, Ron immediately stopped him and said it was inappropriate to speak that way in front of me. In that moment, I saw something deeper than the labels people so easily assign. I saw honor. I saw dignity. I saw humanity.
Later, Ron shared about a near-death experience he had the year before and how, in that moment, he called out to God. Then he quietly played “Amazing Grace” on his harmonica.
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.
I stood there listening, aware that grace does not belong to a category of people. Grace belongs to anyone willing to receive it.
Another encounter happened at our booth.
A young woman named Heather stopped by to pick up a shirt. She shared that she was agnostic, and what followed was a conversation marked not by debate, but by mutual respect. She was kind, thoughtful, and disarmingly sincere. She thanked me repeatedly, not for convincing her of anything, but simply for being kind.
With her permission, I took her photo in front of our backdrop. She asked if she could take a few copies of the Little Book of Hope we were giving away. She flipped through the pages, filled with scripture, prayers, and encouragement, and her face lit up. She wanted to read them. She wanted to share them.
It wasn’t until later, when she tagged me online, that I realized she herself was a well-known performer at the convention.
She had come simply as a person. Curious. Open. Human.
And she left carrying hope.
Moments like these remind me why this work matters.
At Kelly Master Ministries, we go to places most people avoid. Not to change people through force or argument, but to meet them in their humanity. To remind them of their dignity. To offer hope without condition.
Because love is not meant to stay inside church walls. Love moves outward. It crosses boundaries. It enters uncomfortable spaces. It sees people, not labels.
God’s love is not reserved for the polished or the perfect. It reaches into every story, every life, every moment of longing. Whether someone believes or doubts, whether they feel close to Him or far away, He is still pursuing them.
I may never see Heather again. I may never cross paths with Ron again. But I know this with certainty:
God sees them. He knows them. And He loves them.
And sometimes, He simply sends someone willing to show up and reflect that love.
And the greatest of these is love.