'The Doug and Jon Show' – Haven for Youths to Laugh, Meet Christ
"You are God's masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus, where God has good things planned for you."
This is the message show creators Doug Hutchcraft and Jon Taylor hope will reach the lost souls of today's youth, who face everyday battles with issues of self-image, popularity, loneliness and bullying.
Flourishing youth ministry "The Doug and Jon Show" is a virtual playground connecting young people around the world, offering them a place to have a laugh, share thoughts, and open up about life's difficulties.
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It's a fun website that has caught teens and young adults with eccentric video blogs and quirky comedic shorts. Some of the short video clips include "The Chuck Norris Man Test," "Global Warming: Frog Armageddon," and "Lady Gaga 'Alejandro' D&J Remix."
The two creators saw the need for a "clean" teen-oriented comedy website. It may not be apparent from the onset that it is Christian, but already, the unique site has led 11,000 people from 48 countries, including the Philippines, Australia and the Middle East, to begin a relationship with Jesus since being founded in August 2009.
And though the site has a sense of playfulness and light-heartedness, embedded within every video are the life testimonies of both Hutchcraft and Taylor, who are passionate about sharing Christ.
"They originate in either Doug or mine's heart and head in one way or the other," Taylor said about the inspiration behind their popular "Life Video Blog."
In one video, titled "Popularity is Overrated," Taylor gives a narration of his effort to be cool and fit in during sixth grade, only to find classmate Hector was popular simply by not trying at all.
"It's a real life story and it's a real life struggle that I had growing up," he said.
He concludes with finding self-value in the love of Christ, and learning to accept the way people, including himself, were made.
Both Hutchcraft, 39, and Taylor, 27, are much more than just site moderators. The two founders interact at a personal level by actively answering questions and responding to comments on their site and fan page.
They believe in connecting with teens through building a relationship of trust, before going on to discuss Christ.
"You're not dealing with personalities here, you're dealing with people who genuinely care about you," said Hutchcraft.
This is how the two, along with Taylor's wife, Kara, who offers a female perspective in a section called "Café de Kara," communicate the message of Christ to a generation that has grown up on the internet and is seen as "the biggest mission field in history."
"It's kind of like the day of Pentecost where people came from all over and gathered in one place and God gave the apostles the ability to communicate with them all at once," said Taylor.
"We have that exact same thing happening here with the internet. Everyone gathers in one place online and if you can just get them to come to where you're speaking, they will all hear what you have to say."
Taylor noted another way "The Doug and Jon Show" could be a tool to spread the news of Jesus: by giving it to young Christians as a means to share their faith.
"It's really hard to get a young person to share their faith, with all the pressure and everything that there is against them opening their mouth and speaking about Christ," he said.
"[But] It's really easy is to get a young person to share a funny video, a video that is well done and not in your face but has a great message."
The ministry has witnessed many praying to receive Christ while also gaining a large number of followers, but Hutchcraft and Taylor believe God has planned an even greater commission for the pair.
"I really believe we're just getting started," said Hutchcraft. "We really believe that the Lord has called us to reach millions of young people. I don't know what He's going to do, but this is how we pray: that millions will come to know Christ."
On the Web: http://www.thedougandjonshow.com/
