Code Red Podcast: Interview with Tami Taunton, Founder of Hadassah's Hope

Recently on the Code Red Podcast, Zach interviewed my friend and ministry warrior, Tami Taunton! You can find their conversation here.  

I first learned about Hadassah’s Hope at a Women's Ministry Event at our church, First Baptist Church, Fernandina Beach in 2018. The founder, Tami Taunton, came and shared her vision for a ministry that had been operating for a few years in Jacksonville, that was an outreach by women, in strip clubs. The more she shared, the more I began to see the beauty of what was taking place, and many other ladies at our church also saw the eternal potential of this unlikely place to see God move.

It didn't take long for a cooking team to be formed in our church, with ladies committing to put together a meal one Saturday a month, that would feed a group of ladies in a club as they were in their dressing room, chatting with and being treated with love and respect by an Outreach Team from Hadassah's Hope. I learned that these Outreach Team members were affectionately known in the clubs as "The Church Ladies", and that excitement would brew when news came that "The Church Ladies" were coming!

Since then, Hadassah's Hope has grown tremendously and now reaches out to 13 clubs in the Jacksonville area as well as one club in south Georgia. There are talks and invitations to continue the movement south, into Daytona, as well. But perhaps the most exciting facets of the ministry are what happens outside of the clubs.

I'll begin with a new and powerful way that the Hadassah's Hope Team has begun to pursue outreach. It is through a group of trained volunteers texting women an encouraging note, along with an offer to help or find resources, to those who are in the process of selling themselves online. And the response has been overwhelming!! Women who saw no other way, are suddenly offered help and hope- and they are receptive and open to listen! Many women have already been given baby items, temporary housing, job training, and so much more through the text outreach ministry.

Many people wonder- do any of these women leave the sex industry? Do any of them come to faith in Christ? And the answer to both questions is, YES! Tami explains so well that this process is long and messy, but reaps both short term and eternal imact on many of these mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends.

Hadassah's Hope offers Community Groups where ladies come to a safe place to study the Bible, learn practical skills like how to cook or fill out a resume, take an art class, or for some who have come to know Christ, be discipled by a sister in Christ from a local church! I love the story from a staff member of how a group of former dancers and their Christian mentors were all sitting in a room together, and no one could tell "who was who". Now, they are all sisters in Christ, learning to walk with and obey Christ, together.

Hadassah's Hope has a robust army of volunteer support, sitting now at 531 people!  There are many ways to get involved, even if you are not the one who is showing up at a club. There are Cooking Teams, Prayer Teams, Security Teams, Text Outreach Teams, mentors, supply organizers, and gift bag creators- to name a few! And there is even an App available to walk you through how to get involved- individually or as a church!

There are also ways to support the ministry financially- follow their ministry to learn more:

Facebook: Hadassah's Hope 
Instagram: Hadassah's Hope 
Website: https://www.hadassahshope.com

Pastor Zach Terry is the host of Maximum Life Radio heard throughout the United States on terrestrial radio and around the world online. He also serves as the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church, Fernandina Beach, Florida.

Known for his ability to teach complex ideas in simple terms with practical implications for daily life, Pastor Zach is delighted to help people comprehend and apply God's Word.

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