Monetizing Christian Youtube Channel - is that wrong?

NathChristian

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Hi guys

There are some Christian youtube channels who are monetized.
Wouldn't it be wrong to monetize your youtube channel if you talk about Jesus?

Also, some channels mix videos like"christian advices" and other videos about "conspiracy theories" etc.

There are even christian youtube channels who have their own library, selling books.

Is this all ok or would all of this be wrong?
 

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There are some Christian youtube channels who are monetized.
Wouldn't it be wrong to monetize your youtube channel if you talk about Jesus?

Also, some channels mix videos like"christian advices" and other videos about "conspiracy theories" etc.

There are even christian youtube channels who have their own library, selling books.

Is this all ok or would all of this be wrong?

If your mission is to spread the gospel it's fine.

If your mission is to make money it's wrong.
 
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Jonaitis

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I have a Youtube channel where I discuss theology, but I refrained from monetizing my videos for the fact that it usually come through adware. The reason that I have a problem with that is the fact that my channel is about sharing the gospel, encouraging believers, and discussing theology, and if my ads are random I fear that it will promote things I don't agree with. I have personally seen many ads that aren't good, promoting same-sex unions and other issues I am uncomfortable allowing to be shown with my videos. I don't want to aid their agenda and be paid for it. And, I know that there are some Youtubers who customize their ads, but I haven't figured out how to do that yet, and if I did I don't know what ads I would allow for my channel...

If things worked out right, I would do it, because "the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel" (1 Cor. 9:14). It isn't wrong to be supported by your ministry, but it should never be done for money. You're not running a business, your doing a work for God, and God has allowed you to be supported by it. You can try Patreon...
 
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Raising support for ministry is a Biblical option (1 Corinthians 9). Monetizing is a different model, I don't know enough about it to say how different, but since it doesn't directly charge the audience, I think that's in its favor. The downside would seem to be you are beholden to your advertisers, and if Youtube comes down on you (either due to a bogus report of a TOS violation or otherwise), you lose that revenue stream that you have come to depend on.

As for conspiracy theories and other outright misinformation, I'd rather people not taint the Gospel with them.
 
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Sketcher

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"should live of the gospel" doesn't mean they should live according the gospel?
I don't see this as getting an income.
I think the translation you used is confusing you. The verses in the ESV are:

Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.
Verse 13 and the preceding verses clearly set the context of income, also.
 
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NathChristian

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Raising support for ministry is a Biblical option (1 Corinthians 9). Monetizing is a different model, I don't know enough about it to say how different, but since it doesn't directly charge the audience, I think that's in its favor. The downside would seem to be you are beholden to your advertisers, and if Youtube comes down on you (either due to a bogus report of a TOS violation or otherwise), you lose that revenue stream that you have come to depend on.

As for conspiracy theories and other outright misinformation, I'd rather people not taint the Gospel with them.
Cospiracy theories that are related to the gospel such as eschatology, the anti christ, mundane media agenda... are these themes wrong to be portrayed in a christian channel?
 
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Sketcher

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Cospiracy theories that are related to the gospel such as eschatology, the anti christ, mundane media agenda... are these themes wrong to be portrayed in a christian channel?
Depends on what you do with it, but all of it that I have seen is kooky stuff that should not be associated with the Gospel. The wisest approach to eschatology is a patient and open minded one, rather than pushing pet theories on who the Antichrist is or when this is all going to happen or Bible codes.
 
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NathChristian

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I think the translation you used is confusing you. The verses in the ESV are:

Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.
Verse 13 and the preceding verses clearly set the context of income, also.
"get their living"=income?
english is not my first language...
 
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NathChristian

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Depends on what you do with it, but all of it that I have seen is kooky stuff that should not be associated with the Gospel. The wisest approach to eschatology is a patient and open minded one, rather than pushing pet theories on who the Antichrist is or when this is all going to happen or Bible codes.
I think they have everything to do with the gospel because they talk about the end times and how people are being lead away from Jesus.
 
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"get their living"=income?
english is not my first language...
Yes, that's income. It's a pretty common English phrase, "make a living" is a way of saying what your job or career is, "get your living from" is another way of saying it.
 
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I think they have everything to do with the gospel because they talk about the end times and how people are being lead away from Jesus.
People have been led away from Jesus ever since the time of Jesus.
 
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Hi guys

There are some Christian youtube channels who are monetized.
Wouldn't it be wrong to monetize your youtube channel if you talk about Jesus?

Also, some channels mix videos like"christian advices" and other videos about "conspiracy theories" etc.

There are even christian youtube channels who have their own library, selling books.

Is this all ok or would all of this be wrong?

Why would it be wrong?

I don't believe conspiracy theories garbage. But being factually wrong, and morally wrong, are not the same.

However, as far as simply making money from your efforts.... why not? I have my own channel as well, and while I do not currently monetize, I cannot see any reason not to. Making those videos actually takes quite a bit of effort and time. Should no one be compensated for it? Why then do Churches pay pastors?

I have never understood this idea that sometimes pops up, that people who minister to the faithful, should never been given a dime for their efforts. Where does that idea come from? It certainly is not in the Bible.
 
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NathChristian

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I have never understood this idea that sometimes pops up, that people who minister to the faithful, should never been given a dime for their efforts. Where does that idea come from? It certainly is not in the Bible.
Meybe because most saints were poor also catholic priests take vows of poverty.
It is reported a monk stayed years on purgatory because he kept some coins to himself.
and Jesus said... "give away all your riches" to enter the kingdom of heaven, something like that.
''money is the root of all evil''...
 
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Andrew77

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Meybe because most saints were poor also catholic priests take vows of poverty.
It is reported a monk stayed years on purgatory because he kept some coins to himself.
and Jesus said... "give away all your riches" to enter the kingdom of heaven, something like that.
''money is the root of all evil''...

I am not Catholic, and I believe the Bible is the only authority. There is nothing in there about a requirement for priests to be poor. So I have no problem with a priest choosing to be poor, but that is not a Bible based doctrine. That is a choice of the individual. Again, nothing wrong with it... but it isn't a Bible scripture saying that.

Also, there is no monk the Bible who kept a coin, and stayed in purgatory. The only passage in the Bible that talks of people who are dead, is Luke 16:19, where Jesus relates the story of the rich man and Lazarus. The key there is that we know their rewards had nothing to do with being poor or rich, and we know this because the Rich man talks to Abraham, who by every account we have, was extraordinarily wealthy.

Lastly, the statement "money is the root of all evil", is no where in the Bible.

You are thinking of 1 Timothy 6:10, which says:
"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil."​

Note, it is the "the love of money", that is the root of all kinds of evil. Not money itself. Throughout the entire bible, both old and new testaments, the key thing G-d is looking for, is what is in your heart. G-d generally doesn't care much what you have, as much as what is in your soul.

This is why you can just as easily have greedy and envious poor people, as rich people. Both can have the love of money in their hearts.

This is why he told the Rich Young Ruler, to give away his riches. It wasn't because all Christian's have to be poor. We know that because Jesus was in contact with many wealthy people, and he never told all of them to give all their money away.

Jesus was buried in a very wealthy man's tomb. He was a Christian. If Jesus had told him to give away all his money, he wouldn't have had a tomb for Jesus to be buried in.

Before Jesus was killed, a woman poured extremely expensive perfume all over him. If Jesus had told them to give all their wealthy away, that woman would not have had that perfume.

Jesus told that one person to give away his wealth, because that one person had the love of money in his heart. And we know this because he went away sad. If we knew that just giving away our bank account, was going to guarantee our soul in Heaven for eternity... we would be jumping for joy on the way to the bank. But this specific guy had the love of money in his heart, not eternity. That is why Jesus told him to give away his wealth.

But that doesn't apply to everyone. Just those who have the love of money in their hearts. Again, Jesus had many rich people who were Christians. And he didn't say that to all of them, did he? Neither did the early church, after Jesus resurrection.

Lastly, just to support my prior statements, you pointed to that verse in Timothy, about the love of money being the root of evil.

That same book, in 1 Timothy 5:17 says the following:

Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”​

So like I said before... I don't know where Christians get this idea that people who minister, should not be compensated, especially when the Bible very specifically, and directly about people who teach and preach, should get wages for their labor.
 
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NathChristian

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I am not Catholic, and I believe the Bible is the only authority. There is nothing in there about a requirement for priests to be poor. So I have no problem with a priest choosing to be poor, but that is not a Bible based doctrine. That is a choice of the individual. Again, nothing wrong with it... but it isn't a Bible scripture saying that.

Also, there is no monk the Bible who kept a coin, and stayed in purgatory. The only passage in the Bible that talks of people who are dead, is Luke 16:19, where Jesus relates the story of the rich man and Lazarus. The key there is that we know their rewards had nothing to do with being poor or rich, and we know this because the Rich man talks to Abraham, who by every account we have, was extraordinarily wealthy.

Lastly, the statement "money is the root of all evil", is no where in the Bible.

You are thinking of 1 Timothy 6:10, which says:
"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil."​

Note, it is the "the love of money", that is the root of all kinds of evil. Not money itself. Throughout the entire bible, both old and new testaments, the key thing G-d is looking for, is what is in your heart. G-d generally doesn't care much what you have, as much as what is in your soul.

This is why you can just as easily have greedy and envious poor people, as rich people. Both can have the love of money in their hearts.

This is why he told the Rich Young Ruler, to give away his riches. It wasn't because all Christian's have to be poor. We know that because Jesus was in contact with many wealthy people, and he never told all of them to give all their money away.

Jesus was buried in a very wealthy man's tomb. He was a Christian. If Jesus had told him to give away all his money, he wouldn't have had a tomb for Jesus to be buried in.

Before Jesus was killed, a woman poured extremely expensive perfume all over him. If Jesus had told them to give all their wealthy away, that woman would not have had that perfume.

Jesus told that one person to give away his wealth, because that one person had the love of money in his heart. And we know this because he went away sad. If we knew that just giving away our bank account, was going to guarantee our soul in Heaven for eternity... we would be jumping for joy on the way to the bank. But this specific guy had the love of money in his heart, not eternity. That is why Jesus told him to give away his wealth.

But that doesn't apply to everyone. Just those who have the love of money in their hearts. Again, Jesus had many rich people who were Christians. And he didn't say that to all of them, did he? Neither did the early church, after Jesus resurrection.

Lastly, just to support my prior statements, you pointed to that verse in Timothy, about the love of money being the root of evil.

That same book, in 1 Timothy 5:17 says the following:

Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”​

So like I said before... I don't know where Christians get this idea that people who minister, should not be compensated, especially when the Bible very specifically, and directly about people who teach and preach, should get wages for their labor.

And what about that time Jesus was angry because people were selling things in the temple?
 
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