Rusty Benson
AFA Journal associate editor
September 2018 – To most of us, it’s a household chore, but to Lynn Ingram (photo, below right), doing laundry is nothing less than a passion. Talk of detergent or stain removal makes his eyes sparkle, his hands wave, and his face break into a smile that reveals a rare enthusiasm for his trade.
“I’m a laundry man and the son of a laundry man,” Ingram declares with a happy mix of candor and confidence.
But his love for laundry goes deeper than dirt. To Ingram, it’s a means of ministry that compels him to use his gifts, career, and expertise to honor Christ.
“God can use even the most mundane tasks, like laundry, to transform lives and expand his kingdom,” the Abilene, Texas, businessman said.
A career, a company, a calling
Before he was a teenager, Ingram started work in the laundry business his father founded in the 1950s. With a hard working dad as a mentor, he began a labor that would last a lifetime.
“I had a great dad,” he said. “Wasn’t perfect, but he loved my mother and us. We worked together for many years and never had an argument. I didn’t always agree with him, but I knew that supporting him was the right thing to do. I trusted him because he never lied to me. And when we left work, we were simply father and son.”
Now at age 65, Ingram and his business partner, Jim Duncan, manage a multi-faceted cleaning business. They see their company not only as a place to make a living, but more as a platform for ministry.
“This is the place I’ve been called to stay to help and encourage my employees,” Ingram reflects.
But the employees of Ingram Cleaners are not the only ones who now benefit from Ingram’s view of Christian calling.
Listening to radio, listening to God
As a long-time listener to American Family Radio, Ingram says he has been greatly encouraged and challenged by the network’s news, commentary, and teaching.
For several years, he sensed a nudge from God to support AFA financially. More recently, that tug grew into a desire to provide a potentially steady income stream for the ministry. When he sold one of his companies, Ingram felt the time had come to approach AFA with a plan.
But first, he wanted confirmation that AFA leadership was “the real deal,” as he put it.
“I researched everything I could find about AFA,” he said. “Everything, I mean everything, was excellent.”
Next, Ingram says he wanted to know the character of “who was at the wheel,” so he booked a seat on a Washington, D.C. tour that AFA president Tim Wildmon was hosting.
“I didn’t say a word to Tim during the tour until the last day,” Ingram said. “Then at the Jefferson Memorial, I approached Tim privately, told him who I was, revealed my real purpose for going on the tour, and shared my plan with him. He gave me a hug and invited me to visit with AFA’s leadership team.”
Godliness next to cleanliness
Ingram often says, “Everyone wants clean clothes and everybody has to purchase laundry detergent.” So, his plan proposed a strategy to do both in a way that supports the work of AFA.
The plan is simple: For a $30 suggested donation to AFA, supporters get their choice of one of three bundles of laundry products shipped to their home. A portion of the cost goes to support the work of AFA.
The environmentally friendly detergent is available at afastore.net or by calling 877-485-5527.
“The Redeem Clean products have been formulated specifically for this AFA project,” Ingram said. “They are guaranteed safe for families and contain no harmful fillers common in other laundry products.”
Learn more at afastore.net. 
