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Influencers for Zion

 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced fourteen new members of the Young Men General Advisory Council, a group that aids the Young Men General Presidency in council and leadership of boys ages twelve to eighteen. The announcement has cause quite an online stir in Mormon spaces as several of these men already have established online followings.



Religious youth retention is slipping and institutional messaging struggles to compete with platforms where teens spend most of their time. 

Youth these days have a tendency to put a lot of trust in creators, sometimes even more than official statements. By calling men with YouTube channels, filmmaking schools, and large digital classrooms, the Church gains access to people who already know how to package a message and keep an audience engaged. These are essential skillsets for any organization to have in our online world.

Who the New Council Members Are

Derral E. Eves helped build The Chosen and spent years shaping digital campaigns for massive audiences. His background gives the Church something it has tried but failed to generate internally: long-form storytelling that resonates online.

Luke J. Nichols, creator of the Outdoor Boys YouTube channel, brings a following that dwarfs most Church media projects. His appointment signals the value the institution now sees in borrowed trust.

Parker Aaron Walbeck runs Full Time Filmmaker and trains thousands of creators in polished video work. His presence on the council highlights the Church’s need for voices who can speak fluently in modern media environments.

John Hilton III and Anthony Sweat come from the world of religious education and are familiar to members who engage with CES content. Their roles help anchor the council in traditional teaching while making room for newer communication strategies.

The remaining members including Agbor T. Agbor, Daniel E. Mendoza García, Richard P. Kaufusi, G. Sheldon Martin, Steve K. Mutombo, Rogelio Osuna, Walter G. Queiroz Jr., Clinton E. Udy, and Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita bring leadership experience from missions, business, and education across several continents. Their backgrounds help round out the council, but the online conversation seems to be centered squarely on the influencers.


Source: Jasmin Rappleye on YouTube

Why Members Are Excited

Members seem to be responding most strongly to the men they already know. Familiar faces generate instant trust, and trust is currency in a digital world. Many hope that pulling in creators with wide reach will help the Church speak to teens who no longer connect with institutional tones.

Others see this as a necessary response to the realities of modern Church life. Leaders have been searching for ways to communicate with a generation shaped by algorithms, short-form media, and parasocial relationships. Bringing in people who already thrive in that environment feels like an obvious move.


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