GodTube Prayer Wall FTF. (for the fail)

by Tony Steward on October 20, 2008

GodTube’s Prayer Wall – Very Cool, I like!

Oh… I have to login to pray? hmm, FAIL.

Tagged as: Asides

{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Steve October 20, 2008 at 3:39 pm: Hey,
I actually emailed GodTube about this, and the reason they do it this way is because these prayers actually go to your profile page, where all your friends can see your prayer and pray for you. Also, since they are family friendly and they have people look at the comments/prayers, they can make sure that people aren’t abusing the prayer wall.

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2 Tony Steward October 20, 2008 at 7:55 pm: How is divorce “family friendly?” How is dealing with addiction family friendly? How is dealing with sexual abuse family friendly?

I was hoping for a prayer wall were people could ask for prayer about real hurt, that they could have a place to ask for help in the things they haven’t yet had the courage to ask for anywhere else, and that people could life them up in prayer for those things. Not a place for GodTube to add value to their website/profiles and to get more users. But I guess I was asking GodTube to be a ministry instead of a video startup with venture capital investments and investors, it was my mistake.

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3 Steve October 21, 2008 at 8:02 am: All good questions. Divorce isn’t family friendly but are you saying it doesn’t deserve prayers? You said you were hoping for “a place for people could ask for prayer about real hurt.” Have you spent any time on that prayer wall? I look at it periodically and people ARE praying for real problems….cocaine addictions…. porn addictions…. marital issues…. probably a lot of issues they are afraid to tell their pastors.

I think we are disagreeing with what “family friendly” is defined as. Without having people screen those prayers don’t you think the internet atheists would crash that prayer wall with profanity laced blasphemy? How much porn do you think you would find on it?

I’m not disagreeing with you… I WISH we had a system where people could use a prayer wall that was unfiltered but the internet doesn’t work that way. For example, one of my favorite iphone apps is youversion… but what do you think you youversion would look like if there were zero filters? People would totally destroy that app! Everyone would be dropping cuss words because if you aren’t a Christian why would you respect it?

And please let me know why it is so terrible that GodTube makes their own money? Do you not work for a ministry? Are you not being paid by donations? What if you could make this site self sustaining and not take money from your church… would you do it?

Thanks!
Scuba Steve

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4 Tony Steward October 21, 2008 at 8:21 am: All good points! I do see your point on monitoring the community, and keep it a safe place for what it was intended for and who it was intended for.

But, GodTube is not a Church/ministry. It has had 30 million in venture capital invested in it. That money wasn’t invested because they are inspired by a ministry vision, it is because investors expect a return. It is a business, so it is possible for it to be doing something good, but only as long as it continues to match their revenue model.

The local church is completely different. Yes I am currently employed by a church, but I just spent 2 years as a full time volunteer doing the same kind of ministry as I do now. I would do what I do whether I was paid or not – and have hosted free events and websites, where I and others ate the cost to make it reality. Do you really think that the people at GodTube would do what they are doing, that they have a passion for the lost and ministry that they would do it for free, even when it would cost them? Yeah, me neither.

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5 Chris Moncus October 21, 2008 at 8:28 am: On the other hand there is http://www.wethechurch.org/ that doesn’t require signup but someone does read each prayer before it’s posted to make sure it is actually a prayer.

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6 Steve October 21, 2008 at 8:39 am: Tony,
I do think if we were to have this conversation in person that we would see eye-to-eye.

But do you really think that everyone at GodTube is just in it for the money? I think that is a bit over the top. I agree that they are a business, but that doesn’t make them evil. Sure, they had 30 million (which was news to me) invested in them but that doesn’t mean that makes them less likely to change the world right? Think what that money can do! Imagine a Christian social network the size of myspace or facebook! Imagine! Just because some investors made money from it doesn’t mean it couldn’t create a huge digital impact. And, as an internet blogger, can you disagree that the internet needs a huge Christian social network so my nieces and nephews don’t have to be on an unfiltered myspace?

Another note… I want to encourage you and your blogging skills. Just because I disagree with you on a couple of points doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy your blogs. Also, thanks for taking those two years and being a full time volunteer! That is amazing man!

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7 Tony Steward October 21, 2008 at 8:59 am: Well, personally, I think a christian social network of that size is the quickest way to avoid changing the world – because we would just be creating our own to hide in – instead of engaging the one that needs changing. (but again that is just my thinking on it at the moment, and I know there are parts that are way to black and white, lol)

That doesn’t mean I think MySpace is a great place to be (I think it is the toilet bowl of the internet) , but avoiding it just means we are losing all the potential of ministering there.

Yes, I do believe GodTube is in it for the money, if they weren’t then whoever dropped 30 million on them are complete idiots. They may have a secondary purpose or mission, but their primary one (especially after the investment) is to keep a working revenue model in motion. And I am not saying that is bad for them, I am just saying that it is different then the church that is focused on the process of reaching the lost, building them up, training them and sending them out.

And I love this conversation by the way, for you to step in with a different perspective and for us to talk about it is the sort of challenge required for us to refine our thoughts and helps us to come back to being reasonable human beings, lol. Thanks!

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8 Steve October 21, 2008 at 9:24 am: First of all… I want to say that I agree that creating a Christian social network that ‘hides’ in its bubble is a huge mistake! But I do believe that kids are going to use social networking… better to have a good place for them to have community like GodTube than facebook or myspace right?

Let’s talk about the difference between GodTube being a communal spot and myspace being a missionary spot. To me, it is like the Church. I go to my church, and it is my place to have community with people who will pray for me and build me up. Now… when I leave the church, I believe that is my time to be missional (not sure if that is a word??) . Much like GodTube and Myspace. I dwell in GodTube, but I use myspace as more of a missional place.

Now, what I’m hoping that the team over at Godtube will do is make it easier to share Christian content on the web. Like making it easier for me to share stuff on myspace, easier to Digg good Christian content (imagine if we all got together and made sure Jesus showed up on the homepage of Digg everyday!), and easier to start blogging discussion (like this one) that are meaningful and don’t hide behind a Christian bubble! Now, all we need Godtube to do is change that stupid name so I could get my friends to visit it!!! hahah!

I look forward to the day when I have a Christian social network that rivals myspace and facebook, and I hope that Godtube can build that (fingers crossed). As far as them receiving VC money, let me ask you a question… if someone offered your church 30 million and you knew you could create something that touched millions of hearts and all you had to do was show them a return, would you do it? Who cares if it is secular dollars? And remember, if you say you wouldn’t take it because it is secular… aren’t you just creating another Christian bubble?

I enjoy this. It has me thinking.

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9 Tony Steward October 21, 2008 at 9:26 am: You were right, we would see eye to eye on a lot of this! haha.

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10 Steve October 21, 2008 at 9:52 am: Wow. Can’t believe we actually agreed on something. I think i’m gonna go start my own blog now… just so I can have something to argue with you on!

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11 John October 21, 2008 at 5:54 pm: hey, give it props. it looks pretty.

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GodTube Prayer Wall FTF. (for the fail)

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