The future is now — and St. Andrew's, Kitchener, Ont., is making the most of it. Rev. Mark Lewis' Sunday sermons are available for viewing on YouTube.com, a new video website that makes filmmakers and celebrities out of the boy- and girl-next-door. The site is so hot that Google snatched it up last October for a whopping $1.65-billion.
Not to be left out, the 152-year-old St. Andrew's has taken its place in this new phenomenon, where 100-million viewings occur every day, and 65,000 new videos are uploaded daily. “It is the quintessential expression of a global community existing in cyberspace,” said Lewis, who joined St. Andrew's last May. “What struck me the most was that some of the sites were reaching an audience of thousands at almost no cost. I am sure that if Jesus were here today, he would use YouTube as a means of spreading the Good News.”
The idea to offer Lewis' sermons to the world came from Dave Mitchell, a St. Andrew's elder. Mitchell records the sermons, mixes graphics and choir anthems, and uploads it all to the website. Member Ian McGee helps make the site easy to navigate. Their first offering was in November, and the sermons have received anywhere from 229 hits to just one.
“I hope our members watch when they cannot attend and that they inform others when they are moved by what they view,” said Mitchell. “Mark's sermons are inspirational and I know that people outside our church family watch from time to time. I also hope some people who are searching for a church home might be moved to come to St. Andrew's in person, having seen some of these video segments.”
St. Andrew's already broadcasts its sermons on local television every other Sunday, and the online presence is an extension of that. Mitchell said he hopes to involve some of the congregation's youth in the video production, and to feature special church projects and events.
To watch Lewis' sermons, visit www.youtube.com and type “reverend mark lewis” in the search box. – AM
