There is a new video sharing Web site on the net — think YouTube converted to Christianity.
Its name is Godtube. That’s right, GodTube.com. And its popularity is growing in the Biola community.
With the “t” in “tube” like a shape of the cross, this Christian-based site has a triune purpose: it serves as an online community, much like MySpace, has video uploading capabilities like YouTube and Web casting.
Created by Chris Wyatt, a former CBS television producer and Dallas Theological Seminary student, the Web site drew more than 4 million unique visitors during October. Ranked number one as the fastest growing site in August — exploding by 973 percent that month — GodTube stands as the largest broadcaster of Christian videos in the world, according to its site. The official launch was in August, and its videos include music, comedy and heated theological debates. One of the most viewed includes rap remix called “Baby Got Book.”
Type in “Biola” in YouTube and one will find everything from concerts and plays to humorous student films about open hours at Biola. Type in the same at GodTube and a search of Biola displays videos from faculty such as Dr. Gary DeWeese of Talbot and J.P. Moreland.
There are also videos posted from Joshua Tongol, a second year Talbot student. His videos such as “My journey into the Supernatural” picture him presenting to a Biola theology class. Tongol also has videos uploaded to YouTube. He says the difference is that while there are more videos on YouTube, such as breakdancing clips he enjoys, there’s more “junk” as well. Tongol also mentioned, surprisingly enough, that he has received more positive comments on his apologetics video on YouTube than GodTube.
Unlike YouTube, Wyatt’s site is carefully monitored for inappropriate content. To ensure the site remains safe, creators added a feature known as Video Police, through which viewers can report content by clicking a button that brings up an interactive window to talk with a staff member according to the web site. About 10 people are monitoring content at any one time, Wyatt told the Associated Press (AP). Seminary students are hired for the task.
The site also enables pastors from across the world to upload their sermons. The site has approximately 250,000 church sermons. Wyatt said that the number of GodTube.com visitors on Sunday mornings outnumber megachurch pastor Joel Osteen’s congregation in Houston, according to the AP.
But the idea of a YouTube-style church is raising some eyebrows. Junior Terry Coon, who occasionally preaches at East 105 Street Christian Church, feels GodTube is a great concept but should not be a replacement for a church atmosphere. He said the decline in church goers could be attributed to “church people” not being the greatest ambassadors.
“People love Jesus,” Coon said, “but he just has bad PR people.” Coon said, however, that he would consider uploading his own sermons on GodTube after thoroughly checking out the site.
Biola sophomore and film student Natalie Pohorski is not thrilled with GodTube.
“I’m not a big fan of the concept because its just separating us from [non believers],” she said. “If we want to reach non-Christians, then we should be putting things up on YouTube.”
Pohorski said Godtube is “preaching to the choir” and posts her own films on YouTube. The advatage to YouTube, she said, was that it is great to get recognition and feedback.
“I wouldn’t put my films on GodTube, because honestly I don’t really want to support it and I’m not interested in the feedback I would get from the creators of the site,” she said.
Apart from uploading her films, Pohorski enjoys YouTube, as she said “you can find the funniest, most random videos on there or you can post your own.” Although she admits the site could be careful of some of the explicit material, she thinks the site is otherwise great.
But will YouTube’s Christian cousin catch up? Only time will tell.
