How much do you think YouTube has paid me for 85 million views over 7 years? Well, I can guarantee one thing to you. I promise you that when I reveal this number behind this piece of paper, none of you were expecting it. Are you ready for it? Let's find out. It just before I reveal the answer, there is one thing I'd really appreciate. It'll take you ten seconds. I have a terrible fear.
That one day, I will wake up and my YouTube channel be deleted and I will no longer be able to preach the gospel. And after all these years, after the friendships that you and I have built up and I have no way of being able to stay in touch and contact you. Sir, please. Would you just take one moment to go across to off the curb .co.uk and please sign up. Up to our newsletter there.
So we've got a way of staying in touch and also I think you'll find some of the newsletters encouraging and Emma. And I have got a very big announcement on the next newsletter that's coming up. Okay, without further ado, 19 lbs and 87 P. Yes, you heard correctly, the amount of money. I've earned over seven years on, YouTube, would amount to $15, but why?
So little, well, let me tell you right now. 2018 was the hardest year for me and my family financially and even though I wasn't getting a whole lot of you. So I thought why not? Just put YouTube ads on our maybe that can help provide a bit of an Income. So, I did, and after two or three days, I felt really convicted. You know, when the Lord presses, a particular conviction upon you and you know that you shouldn't be doing this. Well, that's exactly how I felt.
So I remove the ads and I didn't even cash the 19 pounds and 87 P. But why did I feel an unrest in my spirit about putting adverts in front of my YouTube channel? I'm going to give you some reasons why I personally saw, it is wrong for me. But first I really do need to make something Abundantly clear, I am not judging any other Christian YouTuber, who puts ads in front of their Channel.
And I want to apologize if I've ever given that impression, please forgive me because we're all on the same team. We all have the same goal to reach people with the word of God. And I was actually talking to a rather wise Christian brother who also has a Christian Channel, and he gets a heap of use and he said to me, Joe with the numbers you're getting, you'd be looking at about fifty
thousand dollars. A single month from your YouTube videos and he said, Joe, you could choose that money to feed the poor. You could use that money to invest into your church. Your church could do with 50,000 dollars to then put back into other Ministries, Joe. You could use that money to extend your ministry to free, you up to have more time with your family. So you're not always working behind a computer and so that you have more chance to reach others with the gospel.
And that brother was right. Those are all wonderful, legitimate reasons to put adverts. Front of your videos. But personally, I can't do it because back in the day, I made a decision before the Lord, when no one was watching my videos. And now all of a sudden when there's a temptation to make money, if you, like, I want to stand by what I decided before the Lord. And here are the reasons. Why the first reason is this? Every time I start to consider, should I put YouTube ads in
front of my videos? God, sorts of sends a sign, can I use that word? He sends a side to sort of Vic me and say no, Joe stick with your original decision, as Warren ways, be used to say, I am responsible for the depth of my Ministry but God is responsible for the breadth of my Ministry. And that really showed me come on child. Keep your eyes on the Lord and let him be in charge of it all. Because after all he is the boss
over everything. And the second reason is this, you have very little control over the adverts. You put in front of your YouTube videos. For instance, many times I've gone to watch a Christian YouTuber. I've been excited to hear biblical content and then all of a sudden in front of me is a false religion. Were in front of me, is a cult saying signups one of our Bible studies. And if I didn't know the word of God's, I would think that's
rather enticing. Yeah, maybe I will sign up for one of these free Bible studies and perhaps on the same level. I've also seen women, very attractive, women who are trying to sell me a body razor. And just looking at you, very honestly right in the face, I've been tempted. When I've seen those adverts before, let me put it another
way to you guys. How many of your past has how many of The Godly man that you listen to preach week in week out would allow a random salesman or would allow a false religion or a false Court to stand up before they preach a sermon and say con you can do a sales pitch know. I think every single one of them would say excuse me what are you doing? We're about to preach the word of God. This has nothing to do with it. This has no relevance. The Bible.
And if we wouldn't stand for it in our churches, can I gently ask? Why would we stand for it? On our YouTube videos? I appreciate this is YouTube's house. It's not our house. They make up the rules but for me, personally, I know I've got a choice in this and so that's why I don't want to put ads on. And also another thought that haunts me is this supposing, one of my subscribers. Let's think of a young man. He gets a notification on his phone ping.
So it's one of Joe Kirby's videos and he clicks on it. He's excited to hear about Jesus but they're in front of him, is a woman who's not dressed well and Temptation fills his mind. And then he thinks, you know what, I just check out that unclean website for a moment and he's LED off to sin, that terrifies me that thought. And that really is the main reason why I don't put ads in front of my videos.
The Bible says, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if Millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depth of the sea woe to the world because of offenses for offenses, must come. But woe to that man by whom the offense comes'. My dear friends we can say it's
their problem. They're the ones who need to guard their eyes, but the Bible. Quite clearly says here woe to the one who causes this woe to the one by whom this offense, this sin comes to look when I sit with my Son on my lap and we watch videos on YouTube. There are times when I have to take my hand and cover his eyes because I remember that children's him be careful little eyes.
What you see? So if I would do that for my own son, I feel a responsibility to do that for your son, for your daughter's, because the eyes of our children are so precious and all around the world. They're bombarded with these wicked things, but I don't want that to be on a Christian Channel, where I'm trying To preach the gospel and the third reason is because our message is free we stand before.
God condemned dirty, unrighteous was so full of sin and there is nothing we can do to earn our salvation but because God is rich in Mercy because God is abundant in Grace. He pours out this free gift of Salvation to us. God all the way before, the foundation of the world was laid. God in his mind in a Petit had planned that a lamb would be slain and that lamb was Jesus Christ and Christ on the cross, gave himself freely for us
Christ on the cross. His blood freely washes away, all of our sins Christ on the cross to any man, any woman he'll come, he will give them his righteousness as a gift for free and eternal life. The Resurrection, The Power of the Resurrection, all this life, all this hope. All this forgiveness is totally free. Why the Bible says for God. So loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him, shall
not perish but have eternal. Life is a gift friends and if all of this has been given to us for free, it just doesn't rest Well with My Soul that I would then get some kind of monetary gain from Google to preach, a free message but I know exactly what some of you are thinking, you're saying, Joe doesn't the scripture say do not. Not muzzle an ox while it's treading. The Grain. And isn't it also say a worker is worthy of his hire?
A worker should get a wage. You're totally right, the Bible does say that. But my understanding, when I read those verses is this, I think it's Paul talking to the local church. Encouraging them saying you as the church, you need to fund this work. I don't see. And I could be wrong about this, but I don't see anywhere in the scripture where a non-Christian sponsors a Believer to do. Spool work. They may pay them to do tent making but nowhere.
Do you see them saying here here is some money and you go out and preach the gospel. No, I believe that it is always all the way through the Bible. It is always the church is always the Widow's Mite, which funds Ministry. Okay, before I tell you, my final reason for not monetizing, I do need to apologize to you all because some of you, you've heard me talk about this over and over again.
But the reason for this is because a friend, gave me some advice that I It was very helpful, he said, people might get the wrong idea about you. If they see, you're always talking about celebrities or they see you getting lots of views on Jesus. They might think you're just in it for the money. So every now and then you need to make it clear what your intentions are. And that really your intention is to preach the gospel. So that's why I'm talking about this and I'm sorry if in any way
it comes across super spiritual. That was not my intention. And my final reason for why I do not put ads in front of my videos, is because Just don't trust myself with that kind of money for me to have six hundred thousand dollars running through my fingers every year. I know myself, I know I'm a weak person spiritually, and I'm not mature enough to handle that. A times as I've watched this ministry grow and certain sins.
Certain envies jealousies thoughts of entered into my mind that I could never have foreseen from this growth as happened on YouTube. And I know if that money was in my hands, it's probably Be safe or somewhere else. So that's why I don't judge any other Christian YouTubers because I know there are men of God who have the right mindset and the right way of handling these things. But for me at the moment, I know I'm just not there yet but I have one big announcement for you.
We've just recently launched another YouTube channel, a shorts, Christian YouTube channel, and I would love it if you would consider subscribing to that. So we can get it off the ground and we can reach more people with the gospel in under 60, second videos, and if you haven't yet, signed up to our newsletter, please do go across to off the curb .co.uk