He starred in more than a thousand porn films until he decided to change his life and become an evangelical pastor

Joshua Broome changed the sets of porn movies to the pulpit from where he preaches the word of God. In his old life, he was nicknamed “Rocco Reed” and went on to record more than a thousand triple X productions, before taking a total turn in 2012.

According to Broome's own testimony to his followers, during his years within the adult entertainment industry he shot straight and homosexual porn and says that that experience caused him an “enormous amount of emotional trauma.”

“I literally lost track of who I was,” Broome said in an interview with The New York Post. “It was all lies and fiction. I wanted to take my own life and I didn't have the guts to do it.”

Broome, now 39, fell into the porn industry after moving to Hollywood in his early 20s in hopes of becoming an actor.

While working as a waiter, he had the opportunity to meet a group of women who insisted that a porn scene would help increase his chances of becoming a movie star. He took that advice and was selected for an adult film just a few days later.

Soon, Broome, who was then 23 years old, was shooting dozens of scenes per month and quickly became one of the most popular male stars in the industry, although satisfaction did not come

“I believed the lie that if I made money I would be happy,” Broome told The Post. “I won over a million dollars. I traveled to all the places I wanted to go. I had all the sex I could have imagined. But once I had it all, my life fell apart, because it amplified the sadness and emptiness that I always felt inside.”

Broome surprised industry experts when he abruptly abandoned it in 2012 after six years shooting pornographic films.

At the time he issued a statement in which he stated: “I would like to say that my time in the adult industry in all aspects has come to an end. I would also like to say that I am not or have never been gay, just an adult actor. I'm not retiring for any other reason than because this is the time to move on.”

Broome left Los Angeles and moved home to North Carolina. He says he struggled with depression and was “plagued by shame”, trying to hide his previous career while working in a gym.

Then, in 2014, he met a woman named Hope at the gym and the couple decided to go for a run together.

There, Broome confessed her porn past to him and was stunned by the fact that Hope refused to judge him.

“Through his kindness and not rejecting me, he cultivated my curiosity,” Broome said. “The following weekend we went to church together.”

The porn star suddenly experienced a spiritual awakening, finding a satisfaction that the glitz and glamour of the porn world could not bring her.

“I gave up a life of shame. I lived with a 'I'm not good enough' mentality all my life, and I was able to put that behind me,” she explained of her new Christian faith.

Broome studied biblical theology before marrying Hope in 2016. The couple now have three young children together.

Broome is currently a pastor at Good News Baptist Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and also teaches and preaches throughout the country.

The former adult entertainer also talks about the dangers of pornography.

“It's so harmful,” he told The Post. “You're saying that it's okay to consume a person as a product, and if you treat people like products, every aspect of your life will be harmful.”

Broome also has a podcast and a popular Instagram page with more than 50,000 followers.

The preacher tells listeners that it is never too late to change course in life, saying that his extraordinary journey from porn star to pastor is a test in itself.

“It's never too late to change what you're doing,” he continued. “Is it going to take some hard work? Yes. Is it going to take time? Yes. Will it be worth it? Absolutely.”

The star says he is no longer burdened by the shame of his previous career and that his family life is “incredible”.

“I built a life that I can be proud of, and when I rest my head on my pillow at night, I don't feel ashamed or guilty,” Broome told The Post. “You can allow your past to own you or you can take control and own your past.”

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