YouTube Star with 3 billion views, Luke Nichols, called to Young Men General Advisory Council

Luke J. Nichols, the soft-spoken Alaskan outdoorsman whose YouTube channels have drawn more than 3 billion views and a vast global following, has been appointed to the Young Men General Advisory Council of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Church announced Monday.

Nichols, 47, rose to prominence through Outdoor Boys, a sprawling catalogue of backcountry adventures, bushcraft projects, quiet father-and-sons outings and the occasional bear encounter — all infused with a homespun earnestness that helped him become one of the most-watched outdoor creators on the internet. His videos, often devoid of the breathless pace that defines modern YouTube, reached an audience hungry for what one viewer once called “a calmer world.”

His appointment places him among fourteen men who will advise the Young Men General Presidency, helping shape programs for teenage boys in the faith. The council members began serving December 1.

For Nichols, the call from Church leadership arrived at a pivotal moment. In May, at the height of his popularity, he announced that he was stepping back from YouTube, citing privacy concerns and a desire to reclaim quiet time with his wife, Rebecca, and their three sons. The channel had grown by an astonishing 12 million subscribers in just 18 months — a pace he later described as “overwhelming.”

Nichols’ life before YouTube followed an entirely different script. Raised in Alaska, he served a mission in Fukuoka, Japan, attended Brigham Young University, and later earned a law degree from George Mason University. He spent years as a criminal defense attorney in Virginia before turning his attention full-time to digital storytelling.

His decision to retire from YouTube surprised fans who had watched his children grow up onscreen and followed his wilderness expeditions as if they were episodic literature. When he posted a brief video in November announcing that he would release three previously unfinished episodes, comments poured in — grateful, wistful, and often emotional.

For some Latter-day Saint observers, Nichols’ new appointment signals a generational shift in the Church’s approach to youth mentorship. The advisory council now includes educators, media producers, business leaders, and seasoned Church officers — a roster that suggests a deliberate blend of institutional experience and digital-era fluency.

Nichols, whose work has long celebrated themes of family connection, resilience and self-reliance, fits neatly into that mix. His outdoor treks often served as a canvas for understated lessons in parenting and perseverance, and the Council’s charge — teaching, serving, and watching over young men — echoes the values embedded in his videos.

Church leaders did not publicly detail Nichols’ specific responsibilities within the council. But in a brief statement, the Young Men General Presidency reaffirmed its aim to guide rising generations “with compassion, clarity, and faith,” calling the new council members “men of commitment and character.”

Nichols has remained largely private since stepping back from public life. But for millions who once saw him coax fire from wet wood, build shelters in Alaska’s winter darkness, or cook campfire meals with his sons at his side, this new chapter may seem less like a departure than a continuation — another form of stewardship, this time directed not through a camera lens but through ecclesiastical service.