Body Gospel: Beachbody Breaks the Seventh Seal by Marketing a “Faith-Based” Workout Program

The infomercial and website for the Body Gospel (www.BodyGospel.com) exercise system looks like something the old Wittenburg Door magazine might have published as a pointed satire of the commercialization of religion. But the Body Gospel “faith-based in-home DVD workout program” is no cunningly devised fable:

Look closely at the list of songs used in Body Gospel, because the next time one of those is sung at your house of worship you may notice several congregants fighting the urge to bust out squats or bicep curls.

Body Gospel was not begotten by some church or ministry but by fitness giant Beachbody, the same company responsible for P90X, Turbo Jam, Hip Hop Abs and many other infomercials. If Body Gospel were merely an aerobics program that happened to use gospel and praise music, it would have been unremarkable. The surprising thing is how blatantly words like “faith,” “spirit,” and “God” are employed to sell this thing:

“At last, you can combine the power of your faith with your desire to lose weight and get fit.”

“You have great workouts, a great meal plan, and the Lord on your side. That is a winning combo.”

“…these people finally found a way to get healthy by uniting their desire to lose weight with a power they knew they could depend on…faith.”

“Her [creator Donna Richardson Joyner’s ] secret is incorporating her breakthrough workouts and healthy nutrition program with the power of faith.”

“I think it’s a cool realization that as I’m glorifying God, I’m getting fit.”

“…they’re everyday people like you who made an incredible journey to improve their physical and spiritual health with Body Gospel.”

“I have lost 59 pounds; 11 inches off my waist. I am a brand new man. I am new born!”

“…the foundation of the workout is God.”

Popular Christian products are also alluded to. The testimonial “With Body Gospel, on those days that I felt alone, He was not walking next to me He was carrying me through those days” recalls the ubiquitous (and trite) Footprints in the Sand poem, and the customer comment “This is not about you. It’s about something much bigger” echoes the opening words of Pastor Rick Warren’s bestselling book The Purpose Driven Life.

Not since Danny Vierra cited Bible verses to sell his Almighty Cleanse colon cleanser has so much religious language been employed to peddle infomercial merchandise.

Even the titles of the individual workout DVDs in this program have “spiritual” connotations:

• Body Revival
• Core Revelation
• Stretch in the Spirit
• Power & Praise
• Gospel Glory
• Strength & Spirit
• Stepping in the Spirit

Customers also receive membership in the “Fellowship of Fitness” support forum and get the “Feed Your Body, Feed Your Soul Nutrition Guide.” (No word on whether that guide includes the “Whore of Babylon Liquid Diet.”)