Post-Apostolic Church's Biannual Update 2023

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Biannual Update 2023
Post-Apostolic Church

INTRO
On this day, ten years ago, this channel began.  As is my tradition, it is time for a biannual update.  I would like to get personal, talk about what is planned for the future, share some statistics, and explain why I end each video as I do.  In advance, thank you for listening.

RADICALLY CHRISTIAN
In the last update video, I forgot to mention something.  My friend Wes McAdams has a podcast called Radically Christian.  In June of 2020, he invited me to talk about what the early church wrote about racism.  As I researched the topic, I found what the early Christians said about racism and how they condemned it.  I also found that they wrote more about classism, which is discrimination based on social status or wealth.  The podcast went longer than expected, so it is split into two parts.  If you would like to listen, the links are in the description.

https://radicallychristian.com/racism-and-the-early-church-part-one/

https://radicallychristian.com/racism-and-the-early-church-part-two/

GETTING PERSONAL
Greeting and so forth, everyone!  Yes, I do still exist.  That is how I began the update video from two years ago.  And once again, I assure you that I am alive and well.  However, another couple of years went by without much new content.  It is still my desire to do more research and post more videos.

I’m thankful that I have this tradition to release updates.  It allows me a moment to get personal.  In the update from two years ago, I got personal and talked about a significant and unpleasant life change.  My life continues to be extremely busy.  But I have been busy with good things, God’s things.  My life has boiled down to five areas.  I am a dad.  I work a full-time job.  I have the honor of teaching a Bible class every single Sunday morning.  I have been involved and serving in a recovery group, helping other guys with their struggles.  Lastly, I have my God-given purpose of delivering the faith and history of the Pre-Nicene Christians on this channel.

As I look at all the things God has placed in my life, this channel has been less urgent and less important than those other things.  At least, that is what my life has needed to be over the last four years.  I am looking to change that by spending more time on this channel over the next two years, if the Lord grants me that grace.

On a positive note, I have never stopped reading all the comments and emails.  And I continue to respond to the majority of them.  I have loved corresponding with so many of you!

It is my God-given honor to work on this channel.  While I have been more silent than normal over the last four years, I want to commit to work on more content.  Please pray that this happens.  And feel free to reach out to me with encouragement, reminding me that these videos are an encouragement to you.

PROGRESSION
What new content in is in the works?  For the series on the Septuagint, all research has finished for the book of Luke.  Those Old Testament quotations in Luke will be the next three videos in that series.  For the series on the Divinity, I have been working on what the early Christians believed about God the Son. When it comes to all the subjects that the early Christians wrote about, they probably wrote the most about who Jesus Christ is.  Therefore, there is much more research in my future on that topic.

STATISTICS
Next, it is time to share some statistics.

Subscribers
Here are the subscribers.

First two years (July 2013 – July 2015).  +542 subscribers.  542 total subscribers.
Second two years (July 2015 – July 2017).  +1,708 subscribers.  2,250 total subscribers.
Third two years (July 2017 – July 2019).  +5,406 subscribers.  7,656 total subscribers.
Fourth two years (July 2019 – July 2021).  +14,625 subscribers.  22,281 total subscribers.
Last two years (July 2021 – July 2023).  +4,850 subscribers.  27,131 total subscribers.

There are 108 listeners who have subscribed by email.

Videos
Here are the videos posted.

First two years (July 2013 – July 2015).  +35 videos.  35 total videos.
Second two years (July 2015 – July 2017).  +19 videos.  54 total videos.
Third two years (July 2017 – July 2019).  +12 videos.  66 total videos.
Fourth two years (July 2019 – July 2021).  +4 videos.  70 total videos.
Last two years (July 2021 – July 2023).  +2 videos.  72 total videos.

Views
Here are the videos viewed.

First two years (July 2013 – July 2015).  +26,966 views.  26,966 total views.
Second two years (July 2015 – July 2017).  +126,552 views.  153,518 total views.
Third two years (July 2017 – July 2019).  +339,721 views.  493,239 total views.
Fourth two years (July 2019 – July 2021).  +666,863 views.  1,160,102 total views.
Last two years (July 2021 – July 2023).  +313,476 views.  1,473,578 total views. 

ENDING OF EACH VIDEO
A number of people have asked why I end each video the way I do.  I say, “Blessings and so forth.”  It is typical for Youtubers to have their own style or catchphrase in how they begin or end their videos.  I wanted to bring that to my videos too.  This is the story about how I came up with this way of signing off.

It is my personal habit (perhaps even catchphrase) to add the words “and stuff” to the end of things.  One of my favorite ways to say hi to folks is to say, “Greetings and stuff!”

One of my friends was reading Ezra chapter 4.  He happened to be reading it in the NKJV, which is the only version which renders it this way.  In Artaxerxes’ letter to Samaria, chapter 4 verse 17, the king starts the letter saying, “Peace and so forth.”  When my friend saw this, he shared it with me, saying that it sounded like the way I talk.

Because I add “and stuff” to phrases, I was excited to see “and so forth” in the Bible!  I decided that I could say this as a way to sign off.  Instead of “peace” from Ezra 4:17, I decided to use “blessing.”  I like the word bless because it was the first thing God did for Adam and Eve and it was the last thing Jesus did before ascending to heaven.  So I put these things together and came up with “Blessings and so forth.”  And now you know the story.

CONCLUSION
Today marks this channel’s 10-year anniversary.  When this channel started, I planned to be much, much further along in sharing the faith and history of the Pre-Nicene Christians.  Of course, things don’t always work out as planned.  However, I have no plans to abandon nor forsake this channel!  Please stay tuned for more, and please share this channel with your friends and your ministers.  Again, I ask that you to pray for this ministry.

Blessings and so forth.