Ronco, OxyClean, ShamWow and P90x

It’s late at night and you can’t sleep. You should probably use that time to read your Bible and pray for all the things going on in your life but instead, you decide to kill some time by watching TV. The only problem is that even though you have 500 channels on your satellite dish, there is absolutely nothing on.

Wait, what was that? You go back to the channel you just passed to listen to a guy tell you about ShamWow, the amazing chamois, towel-like product that will absolutely revolutionize your life. You’ll save money because you’ll never need to buy another paper towel as long as you live. In addition, it will absorb any spill or stain that has ever soiled your carpet.

You’re mesmerized as you wonder how you’ve lived even one day without this fantastic, amazing, revolutionary product.

Such is the world of infomercials, 30 – 60 minute “paid programs” which aim to sell you products that you probably wouldn’t pay a dime for if you saw them in the local Wal-Mart. But somehow, when you watch the infomercial, you’re tempted to sign over the deed to your house to get a bucket of “Oxyclean.”

Growing up, I remember Ron Popeil, who popularized the infomercial with his amazing food dehydrator. I desperately wanted one so I could make beef jerkey, but I wasn’t old enough to have a credit card, so I could never order one. Just maybe though, I’ll be lucky enough to acquire one through a white elephant gift exchange!

Amazingly, Ron Popeil is still promoting his Ronco products. Infomercials have come a long ways though. Recently, I saw an infomercial for a revolutionary fitness program called P90x. To be honest, I have wanted to get this program because I know that if I go through the 90 day intense workout, I will look more ripped and fit than just about any man alive! Seriously though, I know many who have used the program and it does seem legit. Perhaps I’ll give it a shot when I have about $70 laying around that I don’t have anything else committed to it.

In the mean time, I’ve come up with my own version of P90x. As you know, Jennifer and I are giving leadership to our staff to encourage and coach them to reach the nearly 2 million students in California, Arizona and Hawaii who are ethnic minorities. The number of students who are culturally non-white continues to increase and is now approaching 60% in our region.

In order to reach these students effectively, we need to start movements within their cultural group that will communicate the message of Christ in a way that is culturally relevant to them. That’s our goal.

Jen and I have identified 90 different cultural ministries that we would like to start on campuses throughout our region. So what is our version of P90x? Well, we are starting with Prayer. We’re praying for the Lord to help us start 90 new cross (x) cultural ministries. Hence P90x is Praying for 90 crosscultural ministries to be established in California, Arizona, Hawaii and Las Vegas.

We are trusting the Lord to establish 8 of these new ministries by December and 18 total by May. This is a huge step of faith for us and we’re working hard to surface leaders for new potential movements. Please pray for us and with us that the Lord would establish HIS P90x program here in our region. I can say with all sincerity that this P90x program WILL revolutionize things. And if you have a cool idea for how we can
turn this into an infomercial, please let us know!

Click here to view the pdf version of The Lowedown!