How These YouTube Stars Bring Joy to ‘Crushed Spirits’
By Movieguide® Contributor
Whether influencers Justin Stuart and Andrew Scites are building toilet paper forts or filming dangerous overnight adventures in an abandoned oil rig, the duo believe that God is at work even in “not-so-obvious ways.”
“We had a unique sense of humor that a lot of people appreciated. I think it goes without saying that the current climate, whether it’s on TV, commercials, YouTube — a lot of it is very inappropriate and not good for kids or anybody in general,” Scites said on the “Jesus Calling” podcast. “And so looking around on YouTube, we knew that there was a gap that needed to be filled.”
Both Stuart and Scites were raised in Christian homes where they were instilled with “good morals,” and so even on their JStu YouTube channel where they pull pranks, they aim to keep “a lighthearted, funny spirit to it that anybody can enjoy,” Stuart said.
“For example, eating loudly in the library, even though technically we might be breaking a rule of no snacks, but still…” Scites said.
For two friends that have a “passion for making others laugh” — “a missing piece that [is] needed in people’s lives” — Stuart is grateful to make a living doing just that.
“…God made a way for us to be able to make content, and obviously has had His hand on every part of our business ever since the start of it,” Stuart said.
Laughter is not just about being “goofy” for Scites and Stuart, but biblical.
“We created this motto called ‘Laugh Daily,’ which comes from Proverbs 17:22 that says, ‘A joyful heart is good medicine,’” Scites said.
“The back half of Proverbs 17:22 also says, ‘A crushed spirit dries up the bones’ Because the Bible is truth, there’s truth in both those things, that joy is medicine. Think about how many people in our current culture — whether that is a lot of people in middle school, whatever age — have crushed spirits,” Stuart added. “And so we have the opportunity — anybody has the opportunity — to be able to provide joy.”
The team’s motto has apparently worked as their YouTube channel has garnered over eight million subscribers, and for many viewers, this channel is more than just entertainment.
“We’ve lost track of how many times people have sent us a message or come up to us in person and told us how our content has helped them during difficult times in their lives, whether it’s depression or bullying,” Stuart said. “And so just hearing stories like that has kind of really pushed us to keep going.”
JStu videos aren’t all for laughs, though, as Stuart and Scites have filmed overnight challenges in some dangerous locations. One that stands out to Scites is staying overnight at an old lighthouse in the middle of Lake Michigan.
“It took like a two hour boat ride and we got there and the thing was covered in ice. And it was all so intense and it was so fun at the same time,” Stuart recalled. “We stayed overnight there, and we woke up in the morning, and the whole lake was fogged over.”
Stuart said that these challenges have helped him overcome his fear of heights and anxiety.
“I feel like that’s been good for me because, I mean, just in general, facing a fear, doing something you’re uncomfortable with, has its benefits,” he said. “And it’s made me more comfortable as a person.”
The father of three sometimes wonders what impact his videos have but remembers, “God works in mysterious ways. He works in obvious ways. He works in not-so-obvious ways.”
“[A]s I think about it, I’m like, man, God was involved in this and God is involved in every detail of our lives,” Stuart added. “And if we just look for it, we can see how He’s impacting our lives, showing us things, whatever it may be.”
While not overt about their faith in their videos, Stuart says that people can tell they are Christian by the way they carry themselves.
“[P]eople have come up to us and been like, ‘You guys are Christians, right?’ … they just could tell,” Stuart said in the “It Is What It Is” podcast. “I mean…if you watch someone’s content…or even meeting people almost; you can kind of like tell what they’re about.”
READ MORE: CAN ‘GOOFY’ YOUTUBE VIDEOS BE WORSHIP? INFLUENCERS SAY YES
Stuart and Scites are open about their faith outside of their JStu channel. Both Andrew and Justin recently hosted a youth retreat.
“We had a blast at Kalahari for a youth retreat! We were invited to be the hosts so we brought as much fun and energy as we could! We shared some info about our devotional and some points about our testimonies,” Scites posted on Instagram.
“I’m not the first to jump at an opportunity to talk on stage, it’s not my favorite,” he went on to admit. “But this was a really cool event and we saw hundreds of kids [lives] being changed by Jesus.”
Stuart encouraged listeners on the “Jesus Calling” podcast that they can “be a force for good” no matter what their station in life.
“You don’t have to go out there and make YouTube videos, build crazy things, stay overnight in insane locations, to make an impact,” he said. “You can make an impact right where you are by being a difference to those around you, by adding value to those who are around you.”
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