Is it ok to monetize a christian youtube channel?

NathChristian said:

Hi everyone.

I want to make a youtube channel where I will talk mostly about the Bible and christian teachings.
I want to know whether it would be wrong for me to monetize my channel or not?

Also, I will write an ebook with christian content, does it need to be given freely or can I earn money from my ebook sellings?

I really do not know whether it is wrong or right.

There is a priest I like who has a site: padrepauloricardo.org - Vídeos exclusivos sobre a fé, doutrina e espiritualidade católica
His site has many courses, but they are paid, so maybe it is not wrong?

2 peter 2:3 seems to be against it
but then
1 timothy 5:17 seem to be ok with it

Click to expand...

I would do a compromise and give the materials freely with a note that who will find it useful can make a donation.

Or a premium content, something special just for them who pay.

NathChristian said:

Hi everyone.

I want to make a youtube channel where I will talk mostly about the Bible and christian teachings.
I want to know whether it would be wrong for me to monetize my channel or not?

Also, I will write an ebook with christian content, does it need to be given freely or can I earn money from my ebook sellings?

I really do not know whether it is wrong or right.

There is a priest I like who has a site: padrepauloricardo.org - Vídeos exclusivos sobre a fé, doutrina e espiritualidade católica
His site has many courses, but they are paid, so maybe it is not wrong?

2 peter 2:3 seems to be against it
but then
1 timothy 5:17 seem to be ok with it

Click to expand...

I plan to build two YouTube channels. One this year (not monetized because it’s strictly Bible based) and the other over a year from now (likely monetized) because it’s not strictly Bible based.

Why am I not monetizing the first? I don’t feel right making profit from scripture. I also don’t want the type of ads YouTube tends to show.

The second may be monetized but I must be aware of the lure of money. Often people begin creating great content but money gets to their head and they sacrifice integrity for likes and subscribers. I refuse to be one of those people, cheapening their content or even being deliberately deceptive to make bank.

Monetising a YouTube channel is neither moral nor immoral.

However, I would say, though, that the intent is what would make the action good or bad. Why do you want to monetise the content? Why do you seek to gain a profit from this? What are your true intentions? Only you can answer that and then weigh them against Scripture.

I couldn't give you advice to do it or not as it's not my place, what I would rather remind you of is that the Bible does not say "Money is the root of all evil" but rather "the love of money..." (2 Tim 6:10).

NathChristian said:

His site has many courses, but they are paid, so maybe it is not wrong?

Click to expand...

"Someone I believe is saved does it, so it much be ok and ok for me to do," Is never a wise way to live and make decisions.

Let the Spirit guide your heart. You are able to feel what is right and what isnt.

Try making money.....If you make some and don't feel good about it......I will gladly take it off your hands..........Because I am here to help anyway I can.

NathChristian said:

Hi everyone.

I want to make a youtube channel where I will talk mostly about the Bible and christian teachings.
I want to know whether it would be wrong for me to monetize my channel or not?

Also, I will write an ebook with christian content, does it need to be given freely or can I earn money from my ebook sellings?

I really do not know whether it is wrong or right.

There is a priest I like who has a site: padrepauloricardo.org - Vídeos exclusivos sobre a fé, doutrina e espiritualidade católica
His site has many courses, but they are paid, so maybe it is not wrong?

2 peter 2:3 seems to be against it
but then
1 timothy 5:17 seem to be ok with it

Click to expand...

Are you making money on the content or your TIME? See, I have done the same before and will be recording soon again. I will monetize and hopefully make some money. I will keep some and donate the rest to the congregation. But each time I go film I have to drive to the studio, set up, record, edit and upload. When I am doing that I can't make tents, so to speak. So my TIME should be compensated. I am not doing it for money, but I do have a family to feed and bills to pay and I am not doing that when I am filming or editing.

In and of itself monetising a channel isn't sinful - unless you're lusting/mastered by money. If it's not fame you're after, getting paid for work you're doing - I don't see anything wrong with it.

NathChristian said:

Hi everyone.

I want to make a youtube channel where I will talk mostly about the Bible and christian teachings.
I want to know whether it would be wrong for me to monetize my channel or not?

Also, I will write an ebook with christian content, does it need to be given freely or can I earn money from my ebook sellings?

I really do not know whether it is wrong or right.

There is a priest I like who has a site: padrepauloricardo.org - Vídeos exclusivos sobre a fé, doutrina e espiritualidade católica
His site has many courses, but they are paid, so maybe it is not wrong?

2 peter 2:3 seems to be against it
but then
1 timothy 5:17 seem to be ok with it

Click to expand...

yes it is OK. I see this in terms of Paul referring to not "muzzling the ox" in 1 Timothy 5:18 and 1 Corinthians 9:9. If you are doing this work, and want to make a living on it, you feel you are called to it then there is no reason to not be compensated for your time. And monetizing on You-tube is a very benevolent way of doing that. People are not expected to give directly, they just are spending a little extra time watching commercials for which you are compensated based on how many tens thousand views you get.


I don't think the 2nd Peter verse applies, it is not greedy to want to make a decent middle class living. Of course if you want to minister for free that is great too. Really the only potential problem I see is the "money changers in the temple" type scenario in the Gospels, but even that I don't think would fit. If commercials begin airing that advertise things contrary to the Faith that could be an issue, but there are other ways around that using services like Patreon where you have membership fees, voluntary offerings and so on.

NathChristian said:

Hi everyone.

I want to make a youtube channel where I will talk mostly about the Bible and christian teachings.
I want to know whether it would be wrong for me to monetize my channel or not?

Also, I will write an ebook with christian content, does it need to be given freely or can I earn money from my ebook sellings?

I really do not know whether it is wrong or right.

There is a priest I like who has a site: padrepauloricardo.org - Vídeos exclusivos sobre a fé, doutrina e espiritualidade católica
His site has many courses, but they are paid, so maybe it is not wrong?

2 peter 2:3 seems to be against it
but then
1 timothy 5:17 seem to be ok with it

Click to expand...

There is nothing wrong with it.

If you have the means to give stuff away for free, then that is something that you should consider.

But if you don't have the means to do so, I don't see why you should.

The apostle Paul was a tent maker, and didn't require any compensation for himself, because he supplied for his own needs.

But not all people have that ability.

Pastor Mark Gungor, has a "Laugh your way to a better marriage" ministry. When he first started out as pastor, the church was in dire straights. So he made his living off of the Marriage Seminars, and got zero compensation from the church.

So he charged money for the marriage seminars, so that he was not a drain on the church.

I don't see any problem with this at all.

So whether you charge for your Christian content or not, is up to you. I myself have a youtube channel, that is largely christian content. I don't have it monetized. I do not see any reason to yet. But it would not bother me to do so. Of course no one watches my channel, so it's not like I'm missing out either.

Regardless, the real issue is how you live. Christians are supposed to live a modest life. A modest life is subjective, but I think most of us can tell when a person who calls themselves Christian, is really just banking money on the name Christian.

Monetizing videos are done by adware, and if you really get known you can be sponsored by brands and companies.

Note: you must have something like 4000 hours worth of videos, at least 1000 subscribers, and I think they must be at least 10 minutes long now, in order for you to benefit from monetizing. Or, you can do what some Youtubers do is a bunch a click bait and stupid videos to rack up to a million views for one video and you won't have to worry about the 4000 hours.