Years ago, I launched a running club here at Focus on the Family with the stated purpose of helping my colleagues complete their first marathon or half marathon. To facilitate the “club” feel, I scheduled a big kickoff meeting, sent out regular emails, and even scheduled group training runs on the weekends. Then to make it even more “club-esque,” we had T-shirts designed and printed. Looking back on it, I’m rather proud to have helped about 15 individuals run 13.1 or 26.2 miles for the very first time. There’s was something magical and motivating about being part of this club. Clubs can make you feel like you’re part of something special.
As I mentioned last week (and hopefully whetted your appetite), Focus on the Family has launched its first club. It’s called the Odyssey Adventure Club (OAC), and for a mere $15 per month, those who join will have access (via desktop or IOS device) to all 700 Adventures in Odyssey episodes going back 27 years. As most of you know, they’re among the cleanest, most fun and most professionally produced forms of entertainment out there. And of course, they’re spiritually enriching! Technically, they were written and recorded with children in mind. But don’t kid yourself: Many of our most ardent fans are adults.
In case you’re still wavering, let me tip the scale even more by listing a few of the benefits to joining:
• New, exclusive Adventures in Odyssey “episodes of the month”
• Bonus Odyssey episodes, including archival shows that have never aired before, along with the original 13-episode Family Portraits series
• “Pop Upisodes”—Adventures in Odyssey episodes featuring behind-the-scenes information and trivia that pop up as the program plays
• The Adventures in Odyssey video series
• The Last Chance Detectives radio and video series, an Odyssey spinoff featuring a team of preteen super-sleuths
• Select titles from Focus on the Family’s Radio Theatre series, which includes audio dramatizations of C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia, Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist and Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables
• Four additional user accounts per membership so that the whole family can enjoy their own Odyssey experience
• Daily devotional readings
• A subscription to Clubhouse magazine
• Access to the OAC online community, where you can interact with other Odyssey aficionados from around the world
• Bonus online content, including documentaries about the making of Adventures in Odyssey, Web Quests (activities), comics, maps, historical background and real-life stories that inspired the episodes, games, and more
• Inspirational stories about other ministries and organizations that are working to change the world in Jesus’ Name
Moreover, a percentage of membership proceeds will be donated to world relief and ministry organizations on a monthly basis to build churches, dig wells, provide livestock, distribute vaccinations, and other worthwhile initiatives.
The initial response to OAC has been most gratifying. Since its launch a few weeks ago, 1,400 people have joined. Still, I’d like to see that number exponentially grow. So, are you ready to join the adventure? If so, or for more information, visit www.OAClub.org.
And by the way, if you want to run your first marathon, you’ll have to start your own running club. Mine went the way of the Tim Tebow Broncos jersey.
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