Do you have gamers in your youth group? Are you a gamer yourself? If so, make sure you check out GameChurch!
I’ve been associated with this great organization for a couple years now as a writer for their website. But the first time I heard about them was many years ago at either E3 or PAX East (I cannot remember). I just remember coming across their booth and thinking how cool it was.
One of the big aspects of their ministry is going to gaming events and geek-culture conventions with the sole purpose of loving people and sharing Jesus. Their tagline of “Jesus loves gamers” says their purpose so well. In addition to writing, I’ve also had the ability to sit in their booth for a few hours and talk with GameChurch’s missionaries, who work the booth. It is so great to hear about the conversations they’ve been able to have with people, showing them Jesus’ love.
The main way I contribute to GameChurch’s ministry, as I mentioned earlier, is through writing for their website. It’s important to realize, though, that this is not a review site. Unlike some other sites, we don’t say whether Christians should play some games or not. Instead, we look at the deeper meanings behind games. We write about the artistic side of games. For example, there’s an article for the game Uurnog Uurnlimited, about our culture’s dehumanizing obsession with status, and there’s another on about Mario’s quest for self-discovery in Super Mario Odyssey. We even write about mature-rated games, as in the Call of Duty: WWII piece about the value of human lives.
If you’re looking to connect with other gamers, I highly recommend joining their online community. They have a thriving Facebook Group, called GameChurch City, where Christians and non-Christians talk about games 24/7. Not only will they discuss their thoughts on recent games, but it’s also a great place to find others to play with online. There are even GameChurch communities on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation.
Another cool piece of GameChurch’s ministry is their Jesus for the Win book, which is the Gospel of John with some gaming-focused commentary. Not only do they hand it out for free at events, but you can also order your own copy or download the free app on your mobile phone. If you have some students who are into gaming but don’t really know Jesus yet, this is a great resource!
For those who love podcasts, make sure you check out the GameChurch Podcast, where they regularly talk about games, but also interview game developers about their beliefs and faith. It’s a really great way to get to know the people behind the games!
As you can tell, I’m very excited about the ministry of GameChurch. Please check out their website, share it with your students, and pray about supporting them in other ways.
Steve Cullum 