GOD IS NOT MOCKED Galatians 6:7
‘For Sinners by Sinners’ Church Pastored by Active Porn Star and Husband
A headline that Christ-followers probably hope was stolen from the popular Christian satire site The Babylon Bee is, in fact, very real. Living Faith Church, located in Little Italy in downtown San Diego, California, describes itself as a Christian Charismatic church and is pastored by two entrepreneurs, one of whom is a porn star.
Pastors Stephen and Angela Dela Cruz met while attending Bethany College of the Assemblies of God, a Bible college where Stephen earned his bachelors degree in theology and theological studies. Angela is an ordained minister who is also open about actively working in the adult entertainment industry.
The self-titled entrepreneurs celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary this past June and have spoken openly about how their marriage works on their YouTube channel, which is home to church videos and snippets of Angela promoting her industry’s work.
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Church Planter Pleased His Wife Is a Porn Star
Stephen describes himself as a CEO, investor, hypnotist, sales trainer, business strategist, motivational speaker & trainer, and a planter of a progressive Christian church. He speaks in a supportive manner about Angela’s profession.
The church’s website describes Living Faith Church’s mission as a church that leads “people to discover their purpose, live in power, and live out their God-given potential!” The slogan reads: “This is a church for sinners by sinners,” then unpacks what that means by saying, “The leaders of this church are the biggest sinners, and this is the most non-judgmental church around!” The site offers little detail about services, location, or ministries, but features invitations for visitors to text or call to connect and offers automated weekly giving options.
Living Faith Church explains in its comprehensive statement of belief that “the Bible is truth without any mixture of error and is completely relevant to our daily lives.” It cites the gospel and references the Bible extensively, similar to other churches’ websites. In videos, Stephen offers a gospel presentation, asking people to pray a “prayer of salvation” after his sermons, and a band plays worship songs most church members are familiar with.
In an Instagram post, Stephen didn’t shy away from his wife’s participation in an industry that goes directly against God’s Word; is known for abusing women, men, children; and promotes sex trafficking. He wrote:
We have had many people question how we can do a church plant and my wife be a porn star lol so we are doing a special in person meeting in downtown San Diego for people to ask questions and hear our heart. We understand this isn’t a traditional church, but we feel called to this purpose and want to share. If you would like to be invited to this meeting, send me a dm and I’ll get you on the list. This will also be recorded for future broadcast but this is for in person invitation.
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Church Planter and Porn Star
It might seem unfathomable to put the terms church planter and adult entertainer in same sentence describing the same person, but in Angela’s case, it is the reality.
In a very personal Instagram post, Angela called out people for judging her for her profession. The ordained minister explained to her followers that she once struggled with what she does, but with God’s help she has learned to love who she is. “Love me, hate me, I have learned to not care. People will always judge, but the most important thing I have learned is do I love me? The answer is yes. The many years of battling with insecurities, afraid of what others thought, lead me to a downward spiral that made me not love myself, felt unworthy, unvalued, and made me put a wall up towards people. I grew angry filled with pain, unforgiveness, depression, anxiety and hate. [sic]”
While not denying that her profession in pornography is what causes people to judge her, Angela said people never got to know her due to her occupation and instead treated her like a disease. She said people spread rumors about her, blocked her on social media, and didn’t want to be associated with her, which Angela said made her heart bitter.
“The moment I realized my occupation doesn’t define who I am was the moment I was able to begin a process of healing,” she wrote. Giving God credit for healing her, she proclaimed, “through this healing with God’s help, I began to know who I am. Who I am is a confident, beautiful, friendly, kind, funny, generous, and loving person. When I realized who I am, I began to love myself, act and feel like the person I am suppose to be and learned to not care so much about what others think.”
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Angela reiterated her stance about those who criticize her work in the adult entertainment industry as unbiblical. “Love me, hate me, I don’t care because I love who I am. If you judge me because of my occupation that is your problem. If I did you wrong, approach me so I may fix it and we can resolve it.”
“But until you have a true reason, stop and think why do I not like this person [sic],” she continued. “The world is filled with hurting and broken people. Let’s stop hating and judging others and let’s start loving people for where they are at. It is through love where people begin to heal, feel loved, and accepted. [sic]”
Paul Warned of Pastors Affirming Sin
The Apostle Paul gave God’s children a clear vision for preaching, encouraging his young disciple Timothy to speak the Word in and out of season for correction, rebuking, and encouragement, while also asserting “great patience and careful instruction.” [2 Timothy 4:2] Paul also warned that the world will long for teaching to affirm its sin, saying, “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” [2 Timothy 4:3-4]
Critics say Stephen and Angela need to repent for their sins and for leading others toward belief that living a sexually immoral lifestyle is OK with God. The Apostle Paul tells followers of Christ in Romans 6 not to knowingly sin just because we have God’s grace. He warns us to take control of our bodies, saying, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.”
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Paul continues, “What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?”
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