Book Proposal
A Much Needed Book!
Overview
According to data from a Barna study, masses are turning from the Christian faith. Their research showed nearly half of Americans were practicing Christians in 2000. Today, only one in four Americans practice their faith.
My concern, as the author of this book, centers around the question, “How will you remain one of the four?”
To remain a Christ follower—and advance God’s kingdom—we must do better. This book is designed to show Christians how. Yes, it’s an uphill battle. With the secular media dominating the messaging of today, we don’t need one more touchy-feely Christian book that addresses another worn-out topic.
It’s been said that if a person wants to know what is happening in culture, they need only look to what popular comedians are saying. In this internet world, this is true—now more than ever. Because of the media and technological disruption, comedians have taken on the role of our public intellectuals.
Many people now look to established comedians not just for them to make fun of the world, but to make sense of it (and maybe even help to fix it). Culturally influential comedians are acting not just as joke-tellers, but as truth-tellers and guides through our cultural debates.
This is where I believe most Christians are misreading culture. They’ve yet to realize we are now living in a post-Christian country influenced by a new breed of atheists. These enthusiastic, militant, and articulate atheists are influencing millions into a state of confusion with their in-your-face attacks.
As the owner of a digital marketing agency (with hundreds of businesses on my technology platforms), I’ve had a front row seat to how the comedians of our day are influencing the national soul with their moral messaging.
This book “leverages” the comedian that has risen to become the top influencer—Joe Rogan. Who is Joe Rogan? In addition to being a stand-up comedian and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) color commentator, he is one of the most influential people in all of media…
He hosts the #1 podcast in the world called “The Joe Rogan Experience.” It is estimated that Rogan has over 11 million listeners per episode. That’s nearly four times as many people who listen to the top prime-time cable TV hosts on Fox News Channel, CNN, and MSNBC—combined.
I love Joe Rogan! Ever since I heard him talk about Mixed Martial Arts in the early 2000’s, I felt a connection to him. Like Rogan, I had competed in Karate tournaments when I was young and later fallen in love with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This positions me to be uniquely qualified to speak to this subject.
Admittedly, I have only listened to a very small fraction of his online content. But the important thing is, I do know what Rogan thinks about Christianity. I believe it’s a mirror reflection of what is transpiring in the hearts and minds of millions of people. And more importantly, what is NOT taking place in those hearts and minds.
What I find most incredible is there has not been one podcast guest who is a mature Christian. By “mature,” I mean a follower of Christ that can properly engage in the argument and articulate their faith when their beliefs are being challenged by Rogan.
Isn’t this interesting? As I’m writing this (early 2023), there has NOT BEEN ONE intelligent conversation about Christianity and the supernatural. That’s right. Not even one! This has not gone unnoticed in the Christian world. Whenever Rogan speaks negatively about religion, there are always numerous “Comments” posted pointing this out.
But Rogan has had several people on his podcast who reject and ridicule Christianity. Individuals like Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, Sean Carrol, and Michael Shermer.
Why hasn’t Joe Rogan given a Christian a fair shot on his podcast? That is what I will endeavor to explain in this book. Throughout the pages of the book, a Christian’s faith will be strengthened when they come to understand how to respond to what’s transpiring in the culture.
The catalyst of this book stems from a 6-minute, 46-second, video clip that showed up in one of my social media feeds. It was an excerpt from one of Joe Rogan’s podcasts. He was talking about Christianity with a fellow comedian. As I was listening, something immediately started to stir within me.
It got me thinking…
If I was sitting across from Rogan, how would I respond to what he was saying? I imagined what I would like to share with him that would accurately reflect my beliefs as it pertained to Christianity.
How would this conversation go?
The answer to this question became a splinter in my mind…
When I woke up, I thought about a conversation I would like to have with someone who believed like Rogan. When I was working out, I imagined what I would say to Joe about my faith. When I mowed my yard, I pictured how a conversation would go if my faith was challenged by an influential person who thought like him…
You get the picture.
As the weeks and months went by, the splinter in my mind began to lodge itself deep into my heart. I simply could not shake the uneasiness I felt whenever I thought about the millions upon millions of people that have never heard a proper defense for the good news gospel of Jesus Christ… Especially after hearing such a sure sounding negative opinion about Christianity from such an influential person like Joe Rogan.
Because there has never been a guest to talk about these things with Rogan (to date), the record has not been set straight. And as Proverbs explains: “There are two sides to every story. The first one to speak sounds true until you hear the other side and they set the record straight.” [Proverbs 18:17 (TPT, emphasis mine)]
I couldn’t stop thinking about the multitude of Christians who have walked away from the faith having felt the sledgehammer of the so-called New Atheist’s movement (while not even knowing this movement existed). It bothered me greatly that they had built their lives upon shifting sand and in so doing, couldn’t withstand the persecution that inevitably comes with being a follower of Jesus.
Far too many Christians have a faith that is disconnected from their lives. They have intellectual beliefs about God, but when their faith comes under intense intellectual scrutiny, it can break down if it isn’t grounded in a personal encounter with God. Knowing God is NOT just knowing about Him—it’s experiencing Him, intimately.
The only thing I could find to relieve some of the pressure I was feeling in my soul was to go back and start rereading some of my old books that had anchored my faith years ago. As I reread these books, I found myself underlining sentences, highlighting paragraphs, writing things in the book’s margins, looking up Scriptures in the Bible… and then writing down thoughts in my journal.
This book is a summarized documentation of that journey. I believe it can be a “survival guide” for Christians who are now living in our post-Christian culture.
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Target Audience
This book taps into a specific subject matter (#1 Podcaster vs. Christianity) at a specific moment in time (where everything in the world is uncertain). This in turn creates a built-in audience:
#1 – This book’s main target is Christians—who are concerned about what is transpiring in culture and don’t know how to deal with the anti-God sentiment. Specifically, they profess being a Christian but are struggling to follow Him unashamedly.
#2 – Secondly, the book targets those who may not be Christians but like listening to Joe Rogan’s Podcast. He has amassed an enormous and loyal audience for his show. According to published research, one in ten Americans consider themselves to be “avid fans” of Joe Rogan (two in ten describe themselves as “casual fans”). 72% of the avid fans are men, and a similar percentage are under the age of 45 (46% aged between 18 and 34 and a further 23% between 35 and 44).
#3 – Lastly, the book targets “Influencers” in the Christian subculture who are looking for good content (see “Promotion” section of this Proposal).
About the Author
Kevin Cortez is an accomplished entrepreneur, dynamic speaker, and inspiring author. He has been featured in Voyage Dallas Magazine as one of “Dallas’s most inspiring entrepreneurs!” Kevin brings a level of business acumen to entrepreneurship that is rare in the emerging media landscape.
Prior to starting his interactive marketing agency in Texas, Kevin had a twenty-year track record of success in ministry and business, including running his family’s wholesale distribution company in California for fifteen years.
During this season in California, Kevin was also the lead pastor of a non-denominational church for eleven years. While pastoring, Cortez wrote two Christian books that were distributed in over 30 countries.
Prior to this, Cortez was a “key” administrator for the second largest media ministry in the world (at that time). This gave him insight into the good, the bad, the ugly, the unmentionable, and the insane that goes along with prominent Christian ministry.
Cortez is positioned to speak on this subject with some very unique “credibility” as it relates to the views of Joe Rogan and his millions of followers. Like Rogan, Cortez had competed in Karate tournaments when he was young and later fallen in love with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (Rogan’s Jiu-Jitsu instructor is younger brother of Cortez’s instructor).
John Bevere, International minister and best-selling author, says of Cortez:
“A man’s message is no greater than what he lives. There are many who proclaim or teach messages that are well thought out or studied, yet their lives are estranged from it. Their message, at best, will bring information. Those who preach from what they live bring transformation.
I have known Kevin Cortez since 1983 when we served together on the same ministry staff for over four years.
We have been friends since. What God reveals to him he lives with all his heart, soul, body and strength.”
Market Analysis
There are a few Christian “Comparable Titles” that are popular, but they take different approaches to addressing the social issues within the current culture:
- Another Gospel?: A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity by Alisa Childers. In a culture of endless questions, you need solid answers. If you or someone you love has encountered the ideas of progressive Christianity and aren’t sure how to respond, the author shows you how to determine―and rest in―what’s unmistakably true.
- Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,649 in Books; #16 in Christian Social Issues; #21 in Christian Apologetics; #164 in Christian Spiritual Growth
- Why God Makes Sense in a World That Doesn’t: The Beauty of Christian Theism by Gavin Ortlund. This apologetics book for a new generation makes the case that Christianity offers a compelling explanatory framework for making sense of our world. The author believes it is essential to appeal not only to the mind but also to the heart and the imagination as we articulate the beauty of the gospel.
- Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #353,258 in Books; #428 in Religion & Philosophy; #938 in Christian Apologetics
- We Will Not Be Silenced: Responding Courageously to Our Culture’s Assault on Christianity by Erwin W. Lutzer. Each day, you watch America turn further from Christian values. It’s frustrating to feel you can’t assert biblical truth without facing condemnation. Amidst this dissent, this book shows you how to not only stay rooted in your own faith, but continue publicly testifying for Jesus.
- Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,431 in Books; #16 in History of Christianity; #22 in Christian Social Issues; #245 in Politics & Government
- Culture Shock: A Biblical Response to Today’s Most Divisive Issues by Chip Ingram. We live in a reactionary culture where divisive issues arise, people on either side throw stones, and everyone ends up more entrenched in their opinions than in reaching common ground—or even exhibiting common courtesy! Believers must develop convictions based on research, reason, and biblical truth–and be able (and willing) to communicate these convictions with a love and respect that reflects God’s own heart.
- Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,911 in Books; #17 in Christian Social Issues; #106 in Christian Personal Growth
If there ever was a time for Christians to understand and communicate God’s truth about controversial and polarizing issues, it is now.
Promotion
Of course, the end-game is to get the attention of Joe Rogan and his “tens of millions” followers. In order to do this, I plan on doing the following…
In my book, I’ve mentioned Christian Influencers who are currently offering thoughtful Christian commentary on culture. I will be reaching out to them to hopefully establish a relationship. The goal is to bring visibility to my book with their built-in audiences on YouTube (520.8k followers), Facebook (133k followers), Instagram (83.2k followers), and Twitter (31.5k followers) … These people already have a following that would be interested in my book:
- Jon McCray with “Whaddo You Meme:” YouTube (273k followers w/ 39 million views), Facebook (41k followers), Instagram (14.9k followers), and Twitter (9k followers).
- Ruslan Karaoglanov with “Kings Dream Entertainment:” YouTube (238k followers w/ 44 million views), Facebook (60k followers), Instagram (68.3k followers), and Twitter (22.5k followers).
- Rod Saunders with “Jew & Greek:” YouTube (8.5k w/ 1.4 million views), and Facebook (16k followers).
- SJ Newell with “Objective Believer:” YouTube (1.3k followers w/ 73k views), and Facebook (16.7k followers).
Additional influencers I have mentioned in my book that I will be reaching out to, include some friends:
- John Bevere: Personal friend and best-selling author. We have been friends since 1983 when we worked on the same ministerial staff for over four years.
- Jim Baker: Personal friend and Pastor. I am also connected to his Christian Discipleship Group with over 2k members who meet weekly via Zoom.
- Blaine Bartel: Personal friend and best-selling author. He mentions how I helped him after his very public fall in his latest book, Death by a Thousand Lies: My cover up, my crash and my resurrection from sexual addiction.
- Roberts Liardon: Personal friend, church historian, and best-selling author.
I also am in relationship with some influential Christian minsters that hopefully will endorse the book, including:
- Lisa Bevere: Personal friend and best-selling author.
- Richard Parinchief: Personal friend, Pastor, and author.
- Michael Pitts: Pastor and author.
Lastly, I will be promoting this book during public appearances and speaking engagements… This will also include promoting this book as I’m being interviewed on various Podcasts.
Marketing
Since I own a successful digital marketing agency, I will primarily focus on Online Marketing.
People want to feel a personal connection with authors, their books, and the characters in them, and my online presence is the way I will give it to them. I will build my online presence and following using the fundamentals:
- I have created an author website. The site is structured to be a communication hub to connect directly with my email subscribers about new content, merchandise, or my current blog post.
- Create specific online Lead Magnets to get audience into sales funnel.
- I will focus on engaging with readers on social media. Using Specific Hashtags to grow reach.
- I will be offering extra content that provides value.
- I will be showing “the person” behind my book through blogs and videos.
I will run Targeted Ads on social media using my market research to narrow in on a target audience. In conjunction, I will:
- Utilize video to boost engagement.
- Build specific landing pages that reflect my ad copy.
- Explore different platforms
- Keep an eye on my analytics and find ways to optimize
Additional marketing channels will consist of:
- Give my supporters the opportunity to promote my book offline by creating and selling themed/branded merchandise on my website.
- Book signings.
- Create a promotional kit. Include graphics, images, links, excerpts, and sample Facebook shares and Tweets, that can be sent to bloggers upon request.
- Create an Audiobook.
- * Use Book Promotion Sites (ex. BookBub).
- Create a press release. Then submit release to free press release distribution sites.
- Building out an email list.
- Leveraging Podcast interviews and features.
I will also become a subject matter expert by:
- Reaching Out to Media, Bloggers & Influencers.
- Providing interviews and go on Podcasts.
- Developing a workshop based on my books content.
- Writing Guest Posts and Articles.
- Linking my book to trending topics. Write articles that tie your book topic or genre to current popular interests.
Misc.:
- Repurpose content to reach more people. Take my popular posts, useful insights, inspirational quotes, noteworthy results, chapter outlines, or key points and repurpose them to share as a story on Instagram or videos on YouTube.
- Attend live networking events, conferences, and expos.
- Gather Book Reviews on Amazon.
- Leverage Author Central Page on Amazon and Goodreads.
- Write LinkedIn Articles.
- Give book to Clients (and potential clients).
- Add the Book to my Email Footer.
Promote others. As I help promote other authors in my genre, by sharing their posts, reviewing their books and the like, I will build goodwill and a strong network of peer support for my current and future projects.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE: Crazy Town
CHAPTER TWO: Splinter in My Mind
CHAPTER THREE: First-Hand Testimony
CHAPTER FOUR: In-Your-Face
CHAPTER FIVE: The Ultimate Question
CHAPTER SIX: Battle for the Mind
CHAPTER SEVEN: Authenticity of Scripture
CHAPTER EIGHT: Supernatural Kingdom
CHAPTER NINE: Eternity and a Place Called Heaven
CHAPTER TEN: I Hate Religion
CHPATER ELEVEN: Creator and the Cosmos
CHAPTER TWELVE: I Believe in Aliens
CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Let’s Simply Ask God
APPENDIX A: Discerning His Voice
APPENDIX B: Spirit, Soul, and Body
APPENDIX C: Answering the “Born Gay” Question
APPENDIX D: Spiritual Gift of Tongues
APPENDIX E: “Prosperity Gospel” Myth
Chapter Summaries
CHAPTER ONE: Crazy Town
This unpredictable world is breaking apart at the seams. This first chapter emphasizes why we should be like the wise man who built his house on an unshakable foundation—so that when the storms of life beat upon our house, it will stand firm because of its strong foundation anchored to Christ Jesus.
CHAPTER TWO: Splinter in My Mind
Tens of millions of people have listened to one of the most influential people in media (Joe Rogan) mock Christianity on several occasions, without ever being given the chance to hear the other side of the issue. This chapter sets the stage to apply the following Proverb to the conversation, “The first one to speak sounds true until you hear the other side and they set the record straight.”
CHAPTER THREE: First-Hand Testimony
It doesn’t matter where a believer is on their faith journey, the most profound proof that Christianity is real can be found in the fact that their relationship with Jesus has affected their life. This chapter goes into the author’s testimony and highlights why he is uniquely qualified to address Christianity, the supernatural, and aliens in the manner he does.
CHAPTER FOUR: In-Your-Face
America is having to contend with the obvious fact that Christianity no longer forms the foundation of our society—which has given rise to what are being called, “New Atheists.” This chapter boldly confronts the evil forces that have been unleashed against Christians and provides the ammunition necessary to engage in the battle.
CHAPTER FIVE: The Ultimate Question
Saying you believe in God tells us nothing about you. Using historical proof, this chapter leads the reader deeper into who Christ claimed to be, and helps them honestly answer the question: “Who do you say Jesus Christ is?”
CHAPTER SIX: Battle for the Mind
God wants us to transform how we’ve been thinking in order to believe correctly. This chapter explains how a child of God can mature in their faith by pulling down strongholds in their mind so they can be empowered to discern God’s will in the midst of all the other “voices” screaming for attention.
CHAPTER SEVEN: Authenticity of Scripture
This chapter addresses the integrity of the living Word of God by showing how the Bible is validated by its historical accuracy—not to mention, how the God of the universe has been intricately involved in getting an accurate translation of His Word (His Will) into our hands. The chapter also highlights how this book (the Bible) not only talks about God, but actually contains His very substance.
CHAPTER EIGHT: Supernatural Kingdom
One of the most common ways Christians miss out on the supernatural is they are always looking for something spectacular—or sensational—to happen. Giving real-life examples, this chapter teaches how God has chosen to reveal Himself through the supernatural and the miraculous, including a behind-the-scenes perspective of a “63-day revival” the author was a part of (which impacted millions).
CHAPTER NINE: Eternity and a Place Called Heaven
Perhaps amidst all of the head spinning, God designed our daily lives to point us to another reality. This chapter teaches on the importance of understanding eternity and how Christ followers are to align themselves with the values of the Kingdom of Heaven.
CHAPTER TEN: I Hate Religion
If we get entangled in religious traditions, Jesus said the Word of God would become of no effect in our lives. This chapter exposes the “religious” things that are hindering many believers from growing in their personal relationship with Christ and showing them how to develop spiritual discernment in order to separate what is and isn’t of God.
CHPATER ELEVEN: Creator and the Cosmos
Even though Christianity should not be an intellectual pursuit, we shouldn’t be afraid of science. This chapter explores how Christians—using the Bible as the ultimate authority—have a foundation for believing in immaterial, universal, invariant laws such as mathematics, science, and the laws of logic.
CHAPTER TWELVE: I Believe in Aliens
Believing in UFO’s and alien beings (as in alien to Earth) has turned into a “craze.” This chapter addresses the various theories and then goes into detail about spiritual beings—such as angels and demons that interact with our world—and how a Christian should deal with them, according to Scripture.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Let’s Simply Ask God
In these past few years, there are many people who have been through massive challenges, trauma, and struggles. This last chapter of the book simply encourages readers to go beyond what has been said about God and accept the challenge to simply ask God to reveal Himself to them in a real and powerful way.
APPENDIX A: Discerning His Voice
What many believers don’t realize is, God is always speaking. This section of the book teaches a believer how to recognize what He is speaking to them (at the moment) and how to correctly respond to His voice.
APPENDIX B: Spirit, Soul, and Body
This section expounds upon believers thinking correctly and living their lives from the position of who they really are—in order to partake of God’s divine nature. The message shows a child of God how to live from the inside out—allowing the Spirit to direct every aspect of their lives.
APPENDIX C: Answering the “Born Gay” Question
There are many people who sincerely believe that who they are as a person, is inextricably bound up in their sexuality. Emphasizing God’s love and grace, this chapter explains the Christian view on sexuality and shows how only Christ can overcome the sin nature within us all.
APPENDIX D: Spiritual Gift of Tongues
The doctrine of “Baptism in the Holy Spirit and the Gift of Speaking in Tongues” has been a controversial issue in many Christian churches. This section addresses this topic in an in-depth manner and encourages the believer to activate this gift in their life.
APPENDIX E: “Prosperity Gospel” Myth
If the devil can stop God’s children from being prosperous, he can hinder the advancement of the God’s Kingdom and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This section explains, from a Biblical perspective, why we should never dismiss what the Bible has to say about financial fruitfulness.