Ever since senior Ninad Suresh converted to Christianity around a year ago, he has studied the Bible and scriptures that have helped him become more in touch with his religion. Similarly, senior Shashi Bhagwat, a long-time friend of Suresh, also converted to Christianity at a similar time. In July 2024, the two of them began making content on a joint TikTok account, called “moses12911,” as they believed TikTok was the best way to reach their desired audience of teenagers. Since the creation of the account, Bhagwat and Suresh have posted content to advocate for Christianity, specifically highlighting their optimistic mindsets after converting.
“Usually, I decide to post a video whenever I get an idea in my head,” Bhagwat said. “I think to myself, ‘I wish other people knew this,’ and write down some bullet points of things I want to say, and then just wing it while recording the video. I would like to start posting this content more regularly, in order to get more people excited about Christianity.”
Since Bhagwat and Suresh have started the account, they have amassed over 600 followers. Along with this, some of their content has gone viral, including a video where Suresh and other classmates chant and cheer names of figures in the Bible during a MVHS football game. The video received over 900K views and 100K likes.
@moses12911 NAME IN THE BIBLD FNL EDITION #nameinthebible #jesus #jesuslovesyou #christiantiktok ♬ original sound – moses12911
Not only has this account gained popularity online, but it has also gained a following at MVHS. Senior Ronak Shenoy, has been following the account since it was created, and discovered it after the video showed up on his Instagram explore page. As a Christian, Shenoy believes that the two are doing a great job running the account, specifically the way that they are able to add a touch to religion that appeals to younger generations.
“Looking at the comment section, I think it’s well appreciated by the Christian community,” Shenoy said. “Especially with people in our age group, because they really like how they’re producing content in a way which is relatable to people and understandable. I feel like a lot of people, including myself, struggle with straying away from God and I think by producing content like this, they’re helping us get closer and hear the word.”
Suresh claims that his videos have generally received positive feedback, with only a few negative comments challenging his beliefs. Specifically, Suresh has had discussions in comment sections of his videos, with users who believe that he comes off too strong while discussing his religion.
“I feel judged by my peers all the time,” Suresh said. “Some people just don’t have to share the same opinions as you, and that’s okay. But I like social media because I feel like I can reach a large number of people. I prefer religious discussions in-person, because then I can have actual debates with people and address their rebuttals, but social media is good in order to reach a wider audience.”
Bhagwat agrees with Suresh’s remarks about the benefits of social media, claiming that he became inspired to advocate for his religion by finding others doing the same on social media, specifically YouTube channels that read and study Bible verses. He believes the main advantage of his social media presence is that younger people, especially Gen Z, can become informed about the tenets of Christianity.
“I think that social media can have a bad impact on people, but it ultimately can be used to benefit,” Bhagwat said. “It’s hard to get people to believe the same thing as you by just preaching that Christianity is the only way, but if you teach them a lesson that resonates with them, it’ll intrigue them to learn more about the religion and social media helps to communicate that effectively.”
In the future, Bhagwat and Suresh hope to continue what they are doing, and post as much as possible. Despite totalling over a million views in just a few videos, Bhagwat’s main goal for the future of this account is to expand the viewership and to reach as many of his peers as possible. He says that his favorite part of the whole experience is the positive feedback he’s received from his community, so he would like to post on a rigid schedule to keep his audience engaged. Despite the opinionated audience that the two have gathered throughout his journey, Suresh has still been able to tune out the negativity and stay focused on his main goal.
“I don’t do it to look cool; I know people are gonna look at me and think I’m weird and have too many opinions,” Suresh said. “I even feel uncomfortable just recording the videos, but I know that it’s just bigger than me. It’s bigger than just trying to convert people. I believe that what I say and the things I preach could be the difference maker in someone’s life.”
