It’s no secret that James White has a penchant for treating Christians with whom he shares minor disagreements worse than unbelievers. But what stood out last week was that he attacked others for doing exactly what he does: soliciting donations/subscriptions.
Now, there is nothing wrong with soliciting donations, and it is commendable to be honest about where and how the money is spent. However, James White invents standards for what makes what NXR Studio does wrong and not him.
The first is longevity. This is a LeBron James argument of greatness, and it largely fails. Faithful ministry over decades is commendable. However, it is not a cudgel. Alistair Begg had many faithful years of ministry before deciding that sending grandmothers to gay weddings was a hill to die on. Similarly, Doug Wilson had longevity before defending the Talmud. Longevity is good, but it must be balanced with what you have done lately, lest we grow complacent.
The second invested standard is paywalled content. James White’s books are behind a paywall. He speaks at conferences that are often ticketed. This isn’t wrong, but it is the same thing, even if, and especially since he operates a nonprofit for which he is well compensated.
The third new standard is monetizing social media. James White might not monetizehis own YouTube channel, but this is a pious gesture, considering social media is where and how his ministry operates. If James White was spending his evenings navel-gazing esoteric questions, that would be one thing. But White’s Dividing Line, where he solicits donations, is James White complaining about his social media beefs for an hour. Social media is the content he uses to monetize his ministry.
None of these standards are wrong or even morally questionable. Everyone does it. Apologia Studios, ran by Jeff Durbin and others at White’s church, has a subscription model. Doug Wilson’s Canon Press is a subscription business. And Joel Webbon runs one via NXR Studios.
Since Joel Webbon has surpassed James White in subscribers and relevancy without the credentials that White boasts, much of Whites Dividing Line diatribe is nothing more than envy wrapped in self-importance.
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3 Responses
Webbon is the flavor of the day and will crash in 3-5 years.
I don’t think it will take that long……
What will really bend your gourd is that the lessons on tithing don’t apply to Christians. It was a Jewish thing to cover the cost of the Levites who could “not ” own property.
You ain’t heard nothing until you heard the pastor screaming about tithes and “sacrificial” offerings. “YOUV’E GOT TO GIVE”. I was in one place and in the 2 years I never heard anyone pray for the business owners in the church. But every week it was pray and pay for the pastor and his tribe. Soon after there was a big split.