Friday, July 3, 2015

Post-Apostolic Church's Biannual Update 2015



Too lazy to read?  Watch the video!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hni8uHGQ868
 
Biannual Update 2015
Post-Apostolic Church

INTRO
On this day, two years ago, I posted an introduction video to this channel.  It gave six very good reasons why it is beneficial to study the writings of the early Christians.  If you have not seen the introduction video, please do!  Click this video or the link in the description.

I felt that this is a good time for a video update for all my subscribers, both through Youtube and through email.  I want to talk about how far this channel has come, what is in store for the future, and also get a little personal.  In advance, thank you for listening to this update.

HISTORY
Subscribers
Over the last two years, this channel has gained 542 Youtube subscribers.  And even though there is some overlap as some have subscribed both ways, this channel has also gained 70 subscribers by email.  You might ask, "What is the difference?"  Well, Youtube has an algorithm that gives some subscriptions more importance than others—based on various criteria.  Because of this, it is possible for Youtube subscribers to miss seeing it when I post a new video.  On the other hand, email is more reliable, that is, those who subscribe by email will certainly be notified when a new video is posted.

To all 612 subscribers who have decided that early Christianity is worth learning about: thank you for your support!  I am very surprised and pleased to see how this channel has been received.  And I am very encouraged by your comments and emails.  I sincerely thank you!

Videos
Over the last two years, I've posted 35 videos with 26,590 total views.  That is an average of 1 video every 3 weeks.  The rate at which I post videos has been far less frequent than I would like, especially during the first year.  There are a few reasons why videos come slowly.

I have other commitments besides sharing the faith and history of early Christianity.  For example, I have a full-time secular career in Technology Information Systems.  My wife and I have four sons, all under the age of seven.  And as a member of my local congregation, I teach Bible classes and serve in a few ministries.  Lastly, for me to make these videos as accurate as I can, it requires a lot of research to complete a video.

I love working on this channel and all the research that goes with it.  I feel that God has given me this ministry as part of my purpose here on earth.  Please be patient with me as I work hard to share the faith and history of early Christianity on the Internet.  I ask that you pray that this channel will progress quickly and these topics can be shared sooner rather than later.

FUTURE
So what are the future plans for this channel?  In the introduction video, I mentioned that I plan to explain what happened to the apostles after they wrote their gospels and letters and after Acts.  And I still plan to deliver just that... eventually.  Until then, here is what you can expect.

First, I plan to finish videos that introduce the rest of the major early Christian writers and works.  There are 10 more.

Once these are done, I want to do a four-video series on the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament which began around 250 BC.  The Septuagint was very significant to the early Christians.

Once that is done, I will begin sharing what this channel is all about: explaining what the early Christians believed about all kinds of subjects... many of which I mentioned in my introduction video.  Here are the next few categories of subjects that you can look forward to.  Each of these will be its own series of videos.

NON-EARLY CHRISTIAN VIDEOS
Less than a year ago, I posted a video about when Obadiah was written.  Though the main purpose of this channel is sharing early Christianity, from time to time, I plan to share videos that are more of a Bible study or a history lesson.

For example, of the books of the Bible that occurred while the Jews were under the Persian Empire, I worked to put them in chronological order.  I plan to post a video that will put all the passages from Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, and parts of Daniel in chronological order.  Stay tuned for that and more like it.

ENDING
Please know that I do my best to answer all comments and all emails.

Very recently, I gathered all the videos I have posted so far and put them into one convenient location.  It is a video archive for this channel.  It has a short description of each video with a direct link to the video.  The link to this archive is in the description.

I feel very blessed to be able to share the faith and history of early Christianity with you.  Please stay tuned for more, and share this channel with your friends and your ministers.  Again, I ask that you pray for this ministry.  May the Lord bless you.