Teenager Amasses 1.2 Million Followers With Posts on Jesus and the Bible
Jey Reis, a 17-year-old teenager from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, was already using her Instagram account to tell friends about Jesus when, one Saturday (Sabbath) morning at church, she heard the preacher share a startling fact.
“The TikTok app was the most downloaded social media application in 2019!” he said while discussing the influence of digital media.
Reis believes that was the moment the Holy Spirit touched her heart.
Since then, her TikTok account has reached — as of September 15, 2020 — a whopping 1.2 million followers. According to Reis, the more than 300 short videos she has posted had no other goal than to talk about Jesus and the Bible. And so far, the videos have received 23.5 million likes.
Jey Reis’s TikTok account currently has 23.5 million likes. [Photo: South American Division]
What was your motivation to start posting videos on Tik Tok with a Christian approach, especially catering to other teenagers?
Presently, TikTok has more than 1.5 billion users. In Mark 16:15, Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.” Where else could we go and reach everyone if not in a place where more than 1.5 billion people are? I believe that cyberspace is a podium for preaching the gospel.
How would you define the topics you choose and what the videos will be about? Do you talk to other people, read something specific, or get inspired by some other influencers?
My videos are quite varied. I have videos preaching, dubbing, music videos, and comedy. But always on a Christian topic. As regards my background preparations, I always seek the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and, of course, study the Bible. I have a daily study routine. I do a lot of research, and I always talk to my parents about various topics. The best ideas for my videos usually come out of these discussions.
How do you manage the reaction of teenagers who see you as a role model?
The most important thing I try to remember is that nothing I do is for my own glory. All is given to me by God, for His honor and glory. I am an influencer who is completely influenced by Jesus. And so, every day, I try to help my followers get closer to Him as a friend.
Talk about an experience of someone who saw your videos and decided to embark on a similar ministry.
Daily, I receive messages from other people, telling me that I influenced them to talk about Jesus on social media. Even from several pastors! I am thrilled to know that my initiative has inspired others to launch similar ministries.
The original version of this story was posted on the South American Division Portuguese-language news site.