Does YouTube Have Any Limits
It you have read any of the latest reports on the You Tube, then you are probably just about as baffled as I am at some of the statistics. The following statistics were taken from YouTube’s Reach Begins to Eclipse Television, by Jon Mitchell January 23, 2012.
- 4 billion videos per day are served up by You Tube.
- YouTube users upload one hour of video every second (YouTube video graphic).
- At the end of 2011, YouTube reported that it served a trillion videos last year.
- Assuming the trillion number to be accurate, that is about 140 views for every living human being.
With these statistics in mind, let me mention a couple of random thoughts to ponder as it relates to youth ministry:
Today, when researching a topic, one of the places many students include in their data search is You Tube. I do not remember the last time I talked to a teen or college student who did not refer me to a You Tube video on some topic whether serious or humorous.
In light of its popularity I think this should be a tool we maximize as youth leaders. I know you can overdo a good thing but this is a great method for illustrating sermons, devotionals or bible studies. It is also a useful “group dynamic” for involving students’ right on the spot in your youth meetings. With so many of the teens having smartphones or iPads it would not be difficult to pull this off. Why not divide them into small groups and have them find a You Tube video to illustrate a particular point or truth in your lesson.
Just like anything else that can be used for good, there is also an opportunity for evil. For that reason I suggest every parent and youth leader address the issues associated with any internet tool like YouTube. The porn industry and anybody with a perverted agenda has learned to link their garbage to key words that have nothing to do with their message. Be proactive in teaching students how to navigate these dark waters.
So, how have you used YouTube to enhance your youth ministry? What creative ways have your teens used it?
