Thoughts from the intersection of Christianity and video games,
by a Christian and a long-time avid gamer.
Keep Up the Work, Even If You Don't See Much Progress - With enough time, even the lowliest of efforts can often prevail against a much stronger force
Mercy vs. Religious Ritual - Do we sometimes just repeat the same actions over and over again?
Life on Rails - Is real life entirely "open-world", or are we kind of on rails?
Just a Few Is All You Need to Get Started - Do you sometimes feel like you're staring at a blank page, trying to come up with things to be thankful for?
Not Knowing the Results - What can cheating in an educational video game teach us about faith?
Taking on Bots - If we knew that we could win battles against evil for the benefit of lost souls, would we be bolder in our actions?
Ode to the Bridge Builder - Sometimes, a canyon is just too big to cross without a good bridge.
Re-Loader - What do we do when it seems like we're out of resources in the battle against evil?
You Can't Make That With Those Ingredients, Part 1 - No matter how hard we might try, there are some things that can't be made without the right ingredients.
Commander Who? - Voice-acted video games might not know details about who is playing, but we don't have that excuse: each of us knows who we are following.
Not a Match - We can pretend to ignore the rules, but - unless we're in charge - we don't actually get to change them.
Sometimes, We Need to Rebuild - Maybe your life doesn't just need a new coat of paint or some light remodeling. Perhaps it needs some major demolition and rebuilding!
Getting All the Coins - Common sense suggests that we stockpile resources (or at least some money) before going on a trip. Why did Jesus suggest otherwise for his disciples, once?
Waypoints - Wouldn't it be great if we could see waypoint markers in real life?
Non-Random Encounters - Do you ever feel like you're just stuck in a series of "random encounters" in life? What if there was a quest that could eliminate them, entirely?
Gankers and Newbs, Part 2 - Not every follower of Jesus is at the same place in their journey with Him. How can we find common ground and help others who are also on this path?
Gankers and Newbs, Part 1 - Just like in other team activities, we must evaluate whether we are contributing to God's kingdom, or working against other believers.
Melee Combat - Sometimes, battling evil requires us to get into the fray and defend the side of good. Usually this isn't a physical battle, but may still result in us getting our hands dirty.
Tree-Puncher - When we have no other choice, a challenging solution may be the only one. However, when a better way is available, it's irrational to not make use of it.
Empty Fitting - In a video game, it doesn't make sense to go into battle unequipped. Isn't life the same way?
Side Quests - Opportunities that look attractive will regularly pop up. We must choose the best ones to focus on, though, so that we don't get pulled away from what is most important.
Indestructible - Although we may face challenges from without, it is only through God's power that we can hold up.
What Are We Trying to Win? - Life is not a game, but we need to make choices with an eye to succeeding in the "end-game", and towards getting to the outcome that we want.
Hardcore Mode - Whether we remember classic arcade games or modern games' hardcore modes, reality has one thing in common with them: We get only one life in which to make the choices that affect the outcome.
Don't Skip the Tutorial - Unlike the less-forgiving games of the past, a veteran gamer can often breeze through the tutorial on a modern game. Real life, though, is not so forgiving of just skimming over the instructions.
Karateka - Do we sometimes enter into conversations ready for combat, when others actually need to see us as someone who can help show them the way to be rescued?
David vs. Goliath - What if the famous battle between David and Goliath had been set in a video game?
Tower Defense - We may sometimes feel that we're in a Tower Defense game, marching along a path as others attack us. Whatever the perils, though, we can find a defender in God.