Finding God in Video Games

We are all accustomed to seeing “bugs” in our Pokémon titles… but typically they are cute and fun character such as Caterpie, Butterfree, or Cutiefly. The bugs that are currently plaguing the release of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are the farthest thing from cute… and catching them all is definitely not fun. Years ago, Nintendo’s very own Shigeru Miyamoto wisely stated that, “A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever bad.” If only the talented team developing this potentially incredible adventure would have heeded his warning, we would have avoided a lot of... well, watch the video and you will see.

Join us as we explore the reasons behind the glitch-filled release of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet and gain a deeper understanding of the dynamic between "hope and faith"... when we pray for the Lord’s will to be done rather than our own, it means we are giving up OUR solution to our prayers and accepting HIS resolution to our problems. Hope is not blindly “wishing” for something to happen while adding our faith in the Lord into the mix as some kind of secret ingredient. Our faith is based in believing in who the Lord is, and our hope is grounded in Him doing what He said He would do in a manner consistent with who He is.

#pokemon #pokemonscarletandviolet #pokemonscarlet #pokemonviolet #videogames #gaming #christianvideos #christianreels #christianpodcast #christianpodcaster #gamingpodcast

There was a period of time that Rayman seemed poised to be the next breakout lead character of the platforming genre, with strong releases across multiple consoles that earned critical acclaim and modest commercial success. But it was his ill-fated dance with the “Rabbids” that grew his franchise into a global phenomenon… but left our limbless hero behind. The bizarre party-style “Rayman Raving Rabbids” game thrust these new side-characters into the spotlight, and they have yet to give it back. FINALLY, Rayman is at least getting to step back into the franchise he birthed as a DLC add-on for Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope... and in his story we will find our own "Sparks of Hope" as well.

Join us as we explore Rayman's journey from hero to zero and reflect on a very similar struggle for Christ's very own flesh-and-blood cousin... John the Baptist. And in these parallel stories we will find a deeper spiritual truth behind Luthen's iconic speech in Star Wars: Andor when he said, "I burn my life to make a sunrise I know I will never see"...

#rayman #raymangaming #rabbids #videogames #videogaming #gaming #gamingvideos #gamingcommunity #gamingchannel #gamingshorts #mario #mariobros #mariorabbidssparksofhope #mariorabbids #johnthebaptist #luthen #starwars #andor #god #jesus #christiangamer #christianity #christianvideos #christianliving #christianreels #hope #christianpodcast #christianpodcaster #gaming podcast

(Author’s Note: This video is not a recommendation or endorsement of this game/franchise and is written for the purposes of commenting on a missing feature from the game and its’ implications. As with all entertainment and media consumption, we advise all to adhere to Biblical principles as well as their own individual convictions from the Lord).After many years of patiently waiting, eager fans finally got their hands on Diablo IV and discovered a few unwelcome surprises… most notably, that the game’s persistent online connection removed the ability to PAUSE the game while playing it. That’s right, even when playing the game in single player, this game can NOT be paused… and the inability to pause and safely step away for a moment to use the restroom, research our current predicament for solutions, or just take a break and regroup makes the experience even more restricting.

Join us as we reflect on how this inability to press "Pause" is causing gamers to lose valuable progress (as well as from some game-breaking bugs), and along the way we will learn a LOT about the answer to the question "What Would Jesus Do?"... and the answer may NOT be what you think!

#videogames #diablo4 #diabloiv #diablo #pause #prayer #whatwouldjesusdo #wwjd #gaming #christianvideos #god #christianreels #christianpodcast #christianpodcaster #gamingpodcast

Our introduction to the mysterious "Cyborg Ninja" in the first Metal Gear Solid left us with more questions than answers... and the reveal of who this enigmatic warrior truly was and what was driving him is one of the most underrated parts of this legendary game. I can’t relate to being a genetically enhanced super human robot ninja, but his struggle with "forgiving himself" and his inability to move forward from his past mistakes definitely hits home for me. Join us as we take a deep dive into the tragic story of Gray Fox and share our own personal struggles with forgiving ourselves... and along the way attempt to find the Biblical answer to our very real question, "How can a child of God, born again and in a committed daily relationship with Jesus, forgive others and offer grace to everyone but themselves?" #forgiveness #forgive #forgiveyourself #videogames #metalgearsolid #cyborgninja #grayfox #christianvideos #christianreels #christianpodcast #christianpodcaster #gamingpodcast

Life is starting to imitate art as the high stakes battle between Microsoft and Sony for control of Activision Blizzard is playing out like a video game boss fight with LITERAL game-changing implications… and as the cold war between these two behemoths plays out in court, a LOT of previously concealed communications are beginning to come to light. If you have not kept up to date on the legal happenings between these two companies, here is the quick version… Microsoft announced an agreement to acquire Activision Blizzard for almost $70 billion dollars, and with this transaction Microsoft would own exclusive control over major franchises such as Call of Duty, Overwatch, and the rest of Activision Blizzard’s massive portfolio of titles. But a purchase of this magnitude has resulted in a massive amount of legal review such as the ongoing proceedings by the FTC in the UK to explore the ramifications of this deal... and both Microsoft and Sony are finding. out the hard way that their "private" internal communications are suddenly not so private anymore.

Join us as we explore the fallout from this courtroom drama as well as the troubling but important truth that a similar "day of reckoning" will exist for all of our actions, words, thoughts, and even our hidden motives... and along the way we will figure out what we should do about it.

#microsoft #xbox #sony #playstation #activision #callofduty #ftc #videogames #christianreels #christianvideos #gaming #christianity #christianliving #christianpodcast #christianpodcaster #nerdpodcast #gamingpodcast

Join us for an exploration of one of the strangest chapters in the Legend of Zelda series... Link's Awakening. This game has had multiple opportunities to tell its' strange "fish story" over the years, and in this narrative journey there is much to learn about our own struggles with whether or not our "fish" is enough.

If you think you don’t have enough resources to serve God, you are missing the point of this whole story. If you believe that you don’t have enough time, money, support, or abilities to do what God wants you to do… let me tell you something important. You are RIGHT. You DON’T have enough. Not on your own. But what you DO have is MORE than enough if you just surrender it to the One who gave it to you in the first place and let Him multiply it. His abundance is never the issue… it is all about our willingness to bring Him what may be in our eyes (or even the eyes of others) an insignificant portion of “fish” with the faith that HE will do something magnificent with it.

#legendofzelda #zelda #linksawakening #videogames #christianreels #christianvideos #God #JesusIsEnough #abundance #christianpodcast #christianpodcaster#gamingpodcast

WARNING: We will share a little bit about our own personal reflections on losses (including pregnancy loss) in this video.If you are anything like me, you have lost some things in life, too. Time, loved ones, relationships, capabilities, possessions… many times it can feel like my path in life has a great deal in common with my struggle to make progress in Jedi Survivor. Getting stuck on one area forces me to go back to a “restart” point over and over and OVER again until I can finally get it right and move ahead… and in the meantime I feel like I am wasting valuable time, energy, and resources just to get back to the exact same place I was before. And my anxiety is compounded by the knowledge that I am not getting any younger… I have less time each day to move my journey forward, making any non-fruitful time even more painful to absorb. Sure, there is knowledge I have gained, skills I have grown, and lessons I have learned through my repetitive efforts to advance… but that doesn’t make it any easier to accept the reality that sometimes I will spend a great deal of time and effort just trying to get back to square one.

Join us for a very personal video as we share our reflections on both our losses and our restorations... and remind ourselves that it is our enemy that tries to bury us in shame for the sins we have repented from and uses our previous tragedies to keep us from moving forward after he has killed our dreams and stolen our joy… it’s in his job description. Satan would like nothing better than to see the children of God wallowing in despair, afraid to embrace our God-given destinies because we believe the Lord’s grace is sufficient enough to cleanse us but lacks the strength to RESTORE us. Restoration is ASSURED for all of the Lord’s children who are willing to return to that place of previous defeat and allow the Lord to give us the strength to not only face them, but refuse to permit them to define us.

#pain #loss #pregnancyloss #christianvideos #videogames #starwars #starwarsjedisurvivor #christianreels #christianliving #christianpodcast #christianpodcast #gamingpodcast

After years of failing to read the writing on the wall, one of the original premier gaming expos in the entire world has finally accepted the inevitability of their situation… the Electronic Entertainment Expo did not return this year physically, electronically, or in any other form. The saddest part about this is that there was a flicker of hope that this year would be the year that E3 would return to relevance… but E3 2023 was stuck facing the same challenges that they never truly addressed in the wake of E3 2019. Join us as we explore the rise and fall of what used to represent the pinnacle of the video game industry and the parallel journey of King Saul, and along the way we will learn the critical importance of maintaining a "teachable spirit" as well as discover the unfortunate and preventable outcomes that occur when we don't.

#e3 #e32023 #teachable #videogames #kingsaul #christianreels #god #gaming #christianvideos #christianity #christianliving #cancelled #christianpodcast #christianpodcaster

Join us for this week's episode of "Ministry Spotlight" as we get to sit down with Samuru from Gaming and God to get down and nerdy, as he shares some of the secrets and insights he has learned over his years of being both a passionate gamer and a disciple of Christ!

#christiangamer #christiangamers #gamingandgod #videogamepodcast #videogames #christianpodcast #christianpodcaster #gamingpodcast

Streaming services such as Twitch have permanently altered the gaming landscape and added an additional layer of challenge to the games we play. Beating the game and defeating the villainous characters contained inside of it only represents a portion of the battle gamers are choosing to fight… the larger mission for many is to gain enough clicks, views, likes, subscribes, and followers to hopefully go “viral” and gain the credibility that comes along with it.

The desire to achieve “viral” success is not limited to the realm of gaming… and it is not simply an invention of social media, either. But a concerning trend is emerging from this obsession with “going viral”… the tendency to believe that the number of clicks or likes that we receive not only validates the value of what we have created, but that the lack of “engagement” that we see for our creations somehow invalidates and devalues them. Join us as we take a deeper look at the "Twitch-ification" of gaming and a reminder that the same Lord who left the ninety-nine to seek and save ONE lost soul is calling His followers to do likewise... even if it is just for an audience of ONE.

#videogames #christianreels #god #jesus #christianvideos #christiangamer #christianity #christianliving #twitch #gaming #gamingvideos #likes #likesharesubscribe #philip #streaming #searchingforlikes #viral #goingviral #christian

In this episode of "Ministry Spotlight", we are talking about everything from the new #Dune2 movie, attending conventions, and how to bring our belief in Christ into the places where our favorite fandoms are expressed with Eric from Nerd Chapel... join us for our "nerdy" conversation and to learn more about Nerd Chapel and the mission to bring Christ to the cons and beyond! #NerdTalk #christiannerd #Jesus #christianity #nerd #nerdlife #churchnerd #christianvideos #christianreels #nerdchapel #christianpodcast #nerdpodcast #christianpodcaster

Star Wars. Halo. Harry Potter. Final Fantasy. The MCU. The Legend of Zelda. Tomb Raider. What is one thing all of these various properties and so many more have experienced over the years? If you answered PREQUELS, then clearly you already read the title of this video. If there is one constant in the various seas of entertainment we choose to enjoy, it is that no franchise is immune to moving farther forward or backward in time in order to milk every last possible storyline from it. From excellent additions to the lore of their respective series such as Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi to essential experiences such as Halo Reach, prequels have proven time and time again that in the right hands these stories can be both commercially successful as well as critically acclaimed. Performing a time jump to the past can give us the opportunity to learn even more about our favorite characters and the worlds that they occupy, but there is also a curious dynamic that exists in exploring these launching points… before we even begin partaking of the experience, we already know where the story inevitably has to go.

Join us as we reflect on the "Peace in the Prequel" we each experience when enjoying these narratives and remind ourselves that our internal peace cannot come from how the Lord chooses to address our storms in life… it must come from understanding that we are currently in the PREQUEL of a story that He has already written. A story that already has a pre-determined ending… Christ’s complete victory that He is sharing with all who have placed their faith in Him.

#videogames #christianreels #god #jesus #christianvideos #starwars #talesofthejedi #prequel #halo #haloreach #origin #originstory #christiangamer #christianity #christianliving #gaming #gamingvideos #peace #findingpeace #findinggod

If you had told me years ago that the act of watching other people play video games would become an industry that is worth over $3 billion dollars annually and growing, I would have never believed you. It just sounds like such a crazy idea… a crazy idea that has changed the world of video games forever. From televised competitions for elite players who compete for fame and fortune to the humble gaming setups of simple gamers like you and me playing from home while others spectate, watching other people play video games is one of the fastest growing sectors of viewed entertainment on the planet. Gamers all over the world are putting the controller down and picking up their remote control so they can watch, listen to, and even interact with other gamers while they play.

Join us as we take a deeper look at this phenomenon and reflect on why this is a GOOD thing. And if we look close enough, it may help us understand the challenging reality we face as followers of Christ to "live-stream" the impact of Christ in our lives... through both the good times AND the bad.

#Pain #LiveStream #GlassHouse #Twitch #ESports #Streaming #VideoGames #Christianity #ChristianLiving #Jesus #God #ChristianGamer #christian #christianvideos #christianreels #gaming #gamingvideos #gamestream #christianpodcast

In this episode of "Ministry Spotlight", we are learning more about our friends at Anilujah Podcast and how they are combining their love of animated films across many different genres with their passion for the Lord! Join us for our discussion and please follow them for more of their content each week!

#christianvideos #christianpodcast #christianpodcasters #christianpodcasts #anime #animation #spotlight #anilujah #christiancontentcreators #ministry

Let’s do a quick exercise. If you are currently playing through a video game raise your hand. If you are ALSO playing through another game simultaneously raise your other hand. If IN ADDITION to those two games you have yet ANOTHER game in the queue that you are still messing around with raise another hand. And finally, if those games are on different video game platforms raise just ONE more hand. Hmmm... that seems like more hands than you should be able to raise at one time. You should probably see a doctor about that. Join us as we unpack the challenges of the "double-minded" syndrome... an issue that most of us face in both our gaming hobby as well as our real-world lives without realizing it. And along the way we will discover the secret to navigating this challenge through a lesson learned from some of the peak gamers on the planet as well as the book of James...and yes, there will be tacos as well. :) #videogames #god #jesus #christiangamer #christianity #christianvideos #christianliving #christianreels #gaming #gamingvideos #christian #gamingcommunity #gamingchannel #tacos #doubleminded #james #christianpodcast

Three of my LEAST favorite words to see on a video game screen are "Loading... please wait". Join us as we take a look back at some of our least favorite parts of the gaming experience... those loading screens and download bars that often break up the action but are performing functions behind the scenes that make the entire game experience better. While enduring them is rarely "fun", they serve a critical (though often hidden) purpose. Let's take a peek behind the screens and explore the reason they exist not only in our video games, but many times in our real world lives as well! #videogames #loading #waiting #patience #christian #christianity #christianliving #christiangamer #christ #moses #israel #israelites #prayer #prayers #christianvideos #God #Jesus #christianreel #christianreels #christianmotivation #christianpodcast

Origin stories. They are not only an expectation, they are practically a rite of passage. If you want to get to the part of the game where your character can execute their coolest moves and demonstrate the abilities you saw and drooled about in all of the game trailers, then you better buckle up for a long ride because the person you will start the game as is rarely that person. They tend to lack all of the powers you associate with them, possess a small and insignificant life bar with an equally empty skill tree, and can scarcely hold their own in a fight with a common street thug when you first get started. We have come to expect that we must slowly BECOME the acrobatic and skilled hero we originally imagined over the course of many hours of learning moves, unlocking attributes, and finding gear. And IF we have persevered, by the end of the game we just MIGHT look like, act like, and fight like the superhero we planned on playing as for the last twenty hours. After many years of the same pattern in video games, Insomniac Games took the bold move to shoot a string of web and swing right past the expected origin story of Peter Parker and give us a fully capable, combat ready, mature(ish) Spider-Man for their first foray with this license. Join us as we take a look at the importance of understanding that our origin stories are what we WERE, not who we ARE... and not who we are BECOMING in Christ :) #spiderman #spidermannowayhome #spidermanps4 #spiderverse #spidermanremastered #spidermangame #marvel #marvelstudios #marvelspiderman #origin #originstory #christiangamer #christianity #christianliving #christian #christianvideos #videogames #videogaming #christianreels #christianvideos

"Co-op gaming" is one of our deepest passions, but playing together in this mode also adds ONE more variable when trying to take on an incredibly challenging platforming title such as Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze. Join us as we take a look back on the challenges of navigating not only this classic co-op game, but the reality that many times in life we will need a co-op partner to get us through some of the most challenging patches. And other times, we are expected to BE the co-op partner that someone else needs with very little warning... just ask Jesus and one of his most famous co-op partners, Simon of Cyrene. #videogames #videogamer #gamer #donkeykong #donkeykongcountry #nintendo #donkeykongtropicalfreeze #simonofcyrene #videogaming #christian #christianity #Christ #christianliving #Christianvideos #christianvideo #christianreels #christianreel #God #Jesus #cross #coopgames #cooperation #christianpodcast

From their home consoles to their portable gaming juggernauts, Nintendo currently stands without equal as the longest running entertainment company in the video game space. For over 130 years, Nintendo has had their eyes firmly focused on delivering relevant gaming content with entertainment options that are both affordable and portable. No… that wasn’t a typo. The Nintendo company that we all know and love got their start all the way back in the year 1889 as a producer and distributor of playing cards (no, they weren’t Pokémon cards. But wouldn’t that have been SUPER COOL?). Join us as we take a look back at Nintendo's humble beginnings and a path that did not fully indicate the destiny they would one day step into. And along the way we will learn a critical spiritual truth....in whatever position life has us in right now, we are NOT here by accident. There is a purpose in these circumstances that is aligned with the calling He has given us (Romans 8:28). It may not make a lot of sense right now… it rarely does. But if we want to graduate to the next part of His plan for our lives, we must first fully learn the lessons that He is teaching us in this place we are currently occupying. Let’s embrace the place the Lord has us serving Him in right now and learn what He is teaching us in the solitude of these smaller beginnings… it is only in this quiet place that He grows shepherds into kings. #videogames #nintendo #nintendoswitch #christiangamer #christianity #christianvideos #god #jesus #christian #christianreels #christianreel #christianvideo #christianliving #gaming #gamingvideos #gamingcommunity #games #gamer #christianpodcast

DC fans, let me apologize in advance for offending those of you who adore Krypton's most famous son....but, personally I am not Superman’s biggest fan. Nothing against those of you whose heart swells every time you hear his theme, but for me everything just seems to come a little too easy for the son of Krypton. He lacks both the pathos of Batman as well as the humanity of the Flash. Lois Lane dies? No problem, he just flies around the sun, reverses time and course-corrects. But when Flash does something similar he nearly destroys the entire multiverse by creating Flashpoint. Superman had an incredibly interesting character arc between the two Injustice video games, so please join us as we open up these game's plots and reflect on how they intersect with some intriguing and highly resonating questions that do NOT have easy answers. As a warning, spoilers for the original Injustice as well as a healthy dose of Biblical introspection follow… #videogames #videogamer #gamer #videogaming #Injustice #DC #dceu #dcuniverse #superman #kalel #christian #christianity #Christ #christianliving #Christianvideos #christianvideo #christianreels #christianreel #God #Jesus #injusticegame

The surge in popularity of class-based games such as Overwatch and Apex Legends and the continuing dominance of titles like Team Fortress and League of Legends has brought the age-old concept of building a perfect team into the limelight… these class-based games allow participants to choose roles that are better suited to their play style as tank-like warriors, range-focused fighters, nimble assassins, and more. Every great squad should demonstrate a balanced approach in their loadouts, and within all of the different character classes, the most essential loadout is often the one that has the lowest number of volunteers… the HEALERS. Join us as we explore the role of a “healer”... a calling that means putting the needs of others ahead of our own, helping those who have made decisions we don’t agree with, and picking up those who have fallen in battle without judgment. We are His vessels of mercy... healers who have been given the ministry of reconciliation, acting as the physical hands and arms who bring other fallen and injured souls back into harmony with the Father. #videogames #gamers #gaming #gamingcommunity #Christ #christian #christianity #christianlife #christianliving #christianvideos #christianreels #christianreel #overwatch2 #overwatchgame #ApexLegends #mercy #healer #healers #healing #reconciliation #god #jesus #christianpodcast

Not every game can stand the test of time. Don’t believe me? For every Super Mario Bros. or Legend of Zelda that looks and feels just as solid as you remember it, there are those other poor monsters that simply were not meant to enter into this millennium. Go ahead and dig that old PS1 out of the garage and give that old copy of Bubsy 3D a try. But the original Metal Gear Solid is, well, not to be too obvious here, but it is still SOLID. Join us as we take a look at a lesson learned from the ever changing environment that Snake faced when trying to find the secret to using ONE card key to activate THREE separate terminals... and along the way, we will gain a better understanding on how the Lord uses the unique challenges of the environment around us to shape us into the perfect "key" for those souls who would never have been reached any other way. #videogames #Christiangamer #God #Jesus #Christianity #ChristianLiving #MetalGear #metalgearsolid #gamer #gamers #gaming #christian #christianlife #christiangamer #christianvideos #christianreels #christianreel #christianpodcast

Overwatch 1 is gone… the game that became a standard in esports competition and redefined team-based shooters for a generation of gaming fans has been wiped off of the face of the earth, never to be played again. When the inevitable sequel was first announced, the impact it would have on the first game wasn’t fully understood… most of us probably assumed these two titles would peacefully co-exist next to each other for a long time to come. But Overwatch 2 is not simply a new experience in the Overwatch universe… it REPLACED it. Join us as we unpack our feelings on this as well as the changes we experience in our real-world lives… whether these changes we are facing are entirely unwanted or something that we desired, they ARE happening. They are inevitable… the only part we choose is whether we allow these changes to press us deeper into our relationship with the Lord and increase His control of our lives, or stubbornly place that obsolete Overwatch 1 disc into our drive tray in a vain attempt to relive an experience that now resides permanently in our past. #Overwatch #Overwatch2 #sequel #change #gaming #videogames #videogaming #christian #christianity #christianliving #Christiangamer #God #Jesus #christianvideos #Christ

I may be in the minority here, but of all the conflicts that have existed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I have found the interplay between the heroic Thor and his trickster younger brother Loki to be the most human and compelling. And it's more than just the classic "brains vs. brawn" or "sibling rivalry" aspects of their conflict that make their relationship so interesting... it's the juxtaposition of two very different and complex personalities, skill sets, and outlooks on life that sets apart this epic struggle for supremacy. And the more I dig into it, the more I realized that I have heard this story before... in the book of Genesis to be specific. Join us as we dive into the origins of a very similar sibling rivalry that also had some pretty far reaching implications... #Marvel #MarvelStudios #marvelcinematicuniverse #mcu #thor #Loki #videogames #Christianity #Christians #christiangamer #christianvideos #christian #christianliving #god #jesus #jacob #israel #esau #christianpodcast

The time has finally come to say goodbye to the world’s most well-known Pokémon trainer… Ash Ketchum. After 25 years of leading the Pokémon anime series as the leading protagonist and face of the franchise, Ash has finally achieved his dream of becoming “the very best, like no one ever was”. With his (and Pikachu’s) victory in the Pokémon World Coronation Series Masters Tournament, Ash has proven that he is, in fact, the world’s greatest Pokémon trainer… which means his twenty-five year long story story has finally come to an end. Join us as we take a look at one of the main reasons Ash’s stories resonated with a global audience over the years... NOTHING came easy for him. He lost almost as many battles as he won, grinding through constant opposition and their insufferable trainers who frequently upstaged him and forced him to grow and learn in order to advance. And hopefully, thanks to Ash, we will look at all the “small things” we are all currently facing in our lives with a new sense of purpose today… the Lord didn’t place these obstacles in our paths, but He WILL use them to refine us so we can successfully carry the larger destiny that He DID design for us. Goodbye Ash... and thanks for all the memories. #pokemon #pokémon #ash #pokemonash #pikachu #pokemonpikachu #videogames #videogaming #gaming #gamingvideos #gamingcommunity #gamers #gamer #christiangamer #christianliving #christianity #christianvideos #god #jesus #christianlife #faithful #goodbye #christianpodcast

Branding is an exceptionally powerful part of the gaming medium, and licenses have either succeeded or failed many times simply due to the effectiveness of the marketing campaign and a catchy title. The console side of the business is no exception, and over the years we can really gain a lot of insight into both the mindset and the future of a company by how they choose to identify their signature product. Sony, Nintendo, Sega, and Microsoft each revealed a great deal about their mentality, strategy, and amount of risk they were willing to undertake by how creative their console names were (or in some cases, WEREN'T). Join us as we take a deeper look at the "labels" that these console makers chose to wear, and along the way we will also explore some of the "labels" that we each wear in life... and what our Heavenly Father has to say about them. #videogames #christiangamer #christianity #christianliving #christianvideos #gaming #god #gamingvideos #jesus #christianlife #abraham #names #labels #sony #sonyplaystation #xbox #microsoft #nintendo #gameconsole #sega #christianpodcast

SPOILERS AHEAD!!! Seriously, we are going to spoil the daylights out of the new Obi-Wan Kenobi series… so if you have not watched the series through to completion, please proceed at your own peril. The most difficult part of watching this series was witnessing the complete disconnect of Obi-Wan Kenobi from “the force”… this was most certainly NOT the Obi-Wan Kenobi we had grown to know and love. The Obi-Wan Kenobi we knew was GONE, replaced by a broken shell of a man who had lost everything he had ever cared about, loved, or believed in. His heartbreak and disappointment were evident in every aspect of his mundane daily activities, and as he endured the quiet solitude of his final act of service to the Jedi Order it was clear that he had not “lost touch” with the force… he had willingly shut himself off from it. Please join us as we explore Obi-Wan's painful path, from his feelings of brokenness and abandonment to his "reconnection", and along the way we will share our own experience with "feeling forsaken" and what we learned about reconnecting to Christ through these dark places. And along the way we will share a truth that we have uncovered in both Obi-Wan's journey and the Bible... the dark cave that holds our deepest disappointment and represents our greatest disconnection may be the very place that the Lord has chosen for His most profound “Revelation” to be unveiled! #videogames #starwars #obiwankenobi #obiwankenobiseries #obiwan #disneyplus #starwarsobiwankenobi #darthvader #anakinskywalker #revelation #broken #forsaken #abandoned #jesus #jesuschrist #god #christiangamer #christianliving #christianity #christianvideos #christian #theforce #philadelphia #christianpodcasts

For a short time retro gaming consoles were bigger than anything NOT named Fortnite... gamers worldwide were getting to enjoy many of the experiences that ruled my adolescent life with pixel perfect versions of titles such as Super Mario Bros 3, Legend of Zelda, and Donkey Kong Country lighting up high definition televisions in all of their original 8-bit and 16-bit glory. With the monstrous success Nintendo enjoyed with the release of both the NES and the SNES classic models, the temptation to join the wave of nostalgia was too much for Sony to resist. Enter the PlayStation Classic... with many critical pieces of their legacy not included. Join us as we take a look back at the launch of the PS Classic and learn a valuable lesson from both Sony and the book of Acts about trying to give to others what we don't actually possess... #videogames #christiangamer #christianliving #christianity #christianvideos #gaming #god #jesus #gamingvideos #christianlife #gamingcommunity #christian #sony #sonyplaystation #playstation #psclassic #playstationclassic #retro #retrogaming #retrogames #retrogame #christianpodcast

After three trilogies of movies as well as multiple spin-off cinematic adventures, animated series, video games, comics, and novelizations, you would THINK that the story of the rise, fall and redemption of Anakin Skywalker has been told as thoroughly as any story in the history of time. You would THINK that, but it seems we would be incorrect… because we NEEDED the Obi-Wan Kenobi series to connect a few more dots much more than we may have realized. A word of warning, SPOILERS ARE AHEAD for those who have not watched the new Obi-Wan Kenobi series through to completion. Please join us as we take a deep dive into the series of events that took a talented and impressionable young Jedi and transformed him into the scourge of the galaxy... and along the way we will explore the "Jezebel" spirit that threatens to disconnect all of us from the truth and deceptively connect us to a lie without us even realizing it is occurring until it is too late. #starwars #obiwankenobi #anakinskywalker #anakin #skywalker #skywalkersaga #darthvader #vader #videogames #videogaming #christiangamer #christianliving #christianity #christianvideos #god #jesus #jezebel #jezebelspirit #revelation #thyatira #obiwankenobiseries #jedi #sith #palpatine #wolfinsheepsclothing #christianpodcast

Were you there when it happened? The "Black Hole event"? If you weren't, let me enlighten you. In a move that was completely unanticipated by the masses, Epic Games did the unthinkable… they shut down Fortnite. They did what no other game, not PUBG, not Destiny, not even the omnipotent juggernaut Call of Duty could do…. they made people stop playing Fortnite. DINNER doesn’t even stop people from playing Fortnite. And yet, for at least a brief window of time, the candle of Fortnite flickered out, as everything players knew and loved was absorbed into a black hole... and none of us had any idea what was awaiting us on the other side. Join us as we relive the this completely unanticipated moment in gaming history and reflect on the "black hole events" we all experience in life... and learn how we can navigate them. #videogames #Christiangamer #God #Jesus #Christianity #ChristianLiving #Fortnite #BlackHole #faith #gamers #gaming #gamingvideos #gamingcommunity #christianlife #christianvideos #christianpodcast

We DID IT!  We pushed through all of those cold, lonely, painful, Mandalorian-less nights and have FINALLY made it to the new season of "The Mandalorian".  Fortunately, I had Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order to scratch my Star Wars itch... at least for a little while.  Fallen Order is a mostly satisfying journey in the shoes of Cal Kestis, a Jedi who has the responsibility of protecting the identities of the few remaining Jedi in the universe from the Empire all while slowly (and I do mean SLOWLY) reconnecting with his force powers.    

Join us as we explore the challenges of dealing with delayed dreams, deferred hope, tracking down the "scomp links" that stand between us and our destinies, and the challenge of accepting that "This is the Way"...  

#videogames #Christiangamer #God #Jesus #Christianity #ChristianLiving #StarWars #Jedi #JediFallenOrder #Delay #DelayedDreams #DeferredHope #christianvideos #christian #gaming #gamers #mando #mandalorian #themandalorian #thisistheway #christianpodcast #christianpodcaster

If you have ever wished you could take a few steps in the red and gold armor-plated boots of Iron Man, you are not alone... and there are a handful of games that allow us to live out this part of Tony Stark's alter ego.  We may not get to enjoy the wealth, the intelligence, or the other infamous pursuits of the world’s greatest “genius billionaire playboy philanthropist”, but the opportunity to take on the armor-clad portion of Tony Stark has been something I'm sure most of us have longed to do ever since we first watched Tony take to the skies.    

SPOILERS FOLLOW for the four people who have not yet watched Avengers: Endgame... the closure of the Iron Man arc may be the single most important story thread weaved in and out of Marvel’s magnum opus, and we are going to take some time to reflect on this, his real world counterpart from the Bible, and hopefully learn a few things about ourselves and our gifts as well.  

#tonystark #ironman #marvel #marvelstudios #marvelsavengers #avengers #avengersendgame #ironmanvr #videogames #gaming #gamingvideos #gaminglife #christian #christiangamer #Christianity #Christianliving #Solomon #God #Christianlife #Jesus #gifts #christianvideos #Christianpodcaster #Christianpodcast

Who is on your list of the most important heroes in video game history?  Let's list a few... Master Chief.  Link.  Lara Croft.  Commander Shepard.  Bob from accounting. Solid Snake.  Hold on, hold on… let’s just back up the train for a second. Who is “Bob from accounting” and how did he make it onto this list of epic gaming heroes? All of these other gaming icons have a lot in common… they have all saved the world (some multiple times just for extra style points). I don’t recall hearing about “Bob” defeating legions of enemies or watching him heroically sacrifice himself to save billions of lives.  I mean, seriously, Bob doesn’t even have his own cubicle.    So who is Bob and why does he belong on this list?  

Bob, along with Karen the mechanic, Frank the engineer, and Nancy the systems administrator all belong on that list as well… doing the thankless work that has to be done just like all of these other brave souls.  They just didn’t get to do it on the frontlines because their specific missions took them elsewhere, playing a supporting role.  Join us as we take a look at the importance of supporting roles in not only our video games, but in our real life journey as well!  

#videogames #Christiangamer #God #Jesus #Christianity #ChristianLiving #Support #christian #gaming #christianvideos #Christ #supporters #supporter #Christianpodcast #Christianpodcaster

Pokémon is a franchise with few peers, equally dominating the worlds of gaming, cinema, television, merchandising, and pop culture for decades.  The central theme of these games that keeps us coming back for more is the need to "Catch 'Em All",  as we amass a menagerie of unique Pokémon that we collect and train so they can defend us with their specific capabilities during our adventures.   

Join us as we take a look back at our Pokémon adventures... and along the way we will dig into some of the "pocket monsters" that we choose to carry with us in our real lives, why we are carrying them, and most importantly how we can let them go.  

#videogames #pokémon #pokemon #christiangamer #christianliving #christianliving #christianity #gaming #gamingvideos #gamingcommunity #christiancommunity #christian #letitgo #gottacatchemall #christianvideos #Christianpodcast #Christianpodcaster

If one person’s trash is another person’s treasure, then it may be possible that a game that one of us would truly enjoy may simply suffer from negative press and poor ratings from those who don’t share the same taste in games.  And as a case in point, I would like to present to you, in all of its jumbled and unappreciated glory, the magnificence that is... Sneak King.     

Join us as we take a look back on this bizarre video game that I loved in spite of the terrible reviews it received, and along the way we will reflect on the stigma of the negative ratings we all wear at some point in our lives and what our Father has to say about them...  

#videogames #Christiangamer #God #Jesus #Christianity #ChristianLiving #NegativeRating #Stigma #BurgerKing #SneakKing #BurgerKingGame #gamers #gaming #gamingcommunity #gaminglife #christian #christianvideos #christianpodcast #christianpodcaster

Faith-based video games are not terribly common in the marketplace, as they face a massive number of unique obstacles. The gaming community is a challenging place for ANY new IP to find space amongst the larger publishing companies... but the difficulties inherent in making a game that is truly fun and compelling while STILL remaining consistent with Christian values are on an entirely different difficulty level. I'm sure you can see why there are so few companies who are willing to take on the mission of developing games that inspire as well as entertain. Enter TruPlay Games and their founder/CEO Brent Dusing... Join us as we get to know a little bit more about Brent, TruPlay Games, and what made him choose the mission field of video games to reach an untapped generation with the message of Christ! #videogames #christiangamer #christianity #christianliving #christianvideos #gaming #god #jesus #gamingvideos #christianlife #christianyouth #kidsgames #gamers #christiangaming #gamingcommunity #gamedevelopment #games #gamingchannel #christiangamers

There is thinking outside of the box, and then there is Nintendo... thinking about the box ITSELF.   Specifically what the box is made of, and if it could be turned into a piano or, you know, a giant robot.  ONLY Nintendo could have done this.  I have never looked at cardboard and thought, "You know, this would REALLY enhance my video game playing experience.  But here was Nintendo doing what they do best... and reminding us that many times in life God chooses the seemingly "unqualified" to do His most critical work.    

Join us as we take a look back at the phenomenon that was the Nintendo Labo, and when the unqualified met its' purpose...  

#videogames #Christiangamer #God #Jesus #Christianity #ChristianLiving #Unqualified #Nintendo #Labo #NintendoLabo #switch #nintendoswitch #nintendoswitchgames #cardboard #christianlife #christianvideos #Jael #christianpodcaster #christianpodcast

It may seem to be an odd sentiment, but I truly appreciate a quality villain in my video games... as a matter of fact, there is typically a direct correlation between how compelling the antagonist of the story is and how satisfying I find the plot of my adventure.  But I find that I don't always appreciate them when I am engaged in battle with them... especially when they seem to be getting the better of me.  

Join us as we take a look under the hood of one of the most iconic villains of all time... Darth Vader.  And along the way we will discover the purpose of these enemies and why we NEED them... because they will push us farther than our friends could ever carry us.  

#videogames #Christiangamer #God #Jesus #Christianity #ChristianLiving #Villain #darthvader #starwars #vader #VaderImmortal #starwarsgames #christian #christianvideos #enemies #prayforyourenemies #gaming #gamingvideos #christianpodcast #christianpodcaster

SEGA was once a mighty powerhouse console manufacturer who went toe-to-toe with both Nintendo and Sony... and, well, now they have no toes.  But that didn't stop me from loving them anyway.  Join us as we take an honest look back on Sega and my "stubborn love" relationship with their series of consoles that were less successful than I had hoped... and even deeper look back on the same unearned and undeserved "stubborn love" that the Lord has shown each of us!  

#videogames #Christiangamer #God #Jesus #Christianity #ChristianLiving #Stubborn #StubbornLove #Sega #God'sLove #christianvideos #gaming #gamingvideos #gamingcommunity #videogaming #christ #dreamcast #genesis #segagenesis #segadreamcast #saturn #segasaturn #christianpodcast #christianpodcaster

Over the years, the Assassin's Creed series has taken us to multiple real world locations and blended actual historical figures with a gaming narrative that has captured the attentions of millions of gamers... but would it surprise you to learn that there was a time that God not only selected an assassin of His own, but intentionally chose this individual based on their perceived limitations rather than their capabilities?  

Join us as we explore the story of Ehud... Heaven's hitman.  And as we explore his "assassination contract", we may find the inspiration we need to take on whatever real-world challenges that we feel we are under-qualified for!  

#assassin #assassinscreed #assassins #assassinscreedorigins #videogames #videogaming #christianity #christianliving #christiangamer #christian #christ #ehud #christianvideos #gaming #gamingvideos #god #jesus #christianpodcast #christianpodcasters

When Viva Piñata first came out, it appeared to be a colorful, cheerful, fun-for-all-ages, family-friendly gardening simulator...  but “APPEARED” is the operative word in that sentence.  I mean, it IS colorful, and it certainly is cheerful... but the core gameplay component of "breaking" open my piñatas to advance was often more difficult than I care to admit.    

Join us as we take a look back into this colorful world and the importance of becoming "broken" in order to not only progress in our own lives, but bring others into the garden as well!  

#pinata #Viva #vivapinata #broken #brokenness #videogames #videogaming #gaming #gamingvideos #christianity #Christians #christianlife #christianliving #christiangamer #christ #Jesus #God #christianpodcast #videogamepodcast

We have all played bad video games... but what is the worst video game of all time?  Superman 64?  Bubsy 3D?  E.T?  Two Worlds?  What is the criteria that truly makes a video game the worst of the worst?  Join us as we take a look back at some of the worst games we have ever played and make a startling discovery on what TRULY makes a game the "Worst Game EVER"... and how this affects the way we view many of our "worst" experiences in the real world as well.  

#worst #worstgames #worstgameever #worstvideogames #videogames #videogaming #christianity #christianliving #christiangamer #christianvideos #gamingvideos #gamingcommunity #gaming #christ #god #superman #halo #halo2 #halomcc

The meteoric rise of Telltale Games followed by the tragic fall of this studio serves as a cautionary tale... the dangers of living an over-encumbered life. 

Join us as we take a look back at the incredible story of this beloved and acclaimed developer and the importance of keeping our burdens LIGHT.  

#videogames #Christiangamer #God #Jesus #Christianity #ChristianLiving #Encumbrance #Overencumbered #TelltaleGames #Burdens #lightburdens #christianvideos #gamingvideos #gaming #gamingcommunity #christiancommunity

When I think of great games and your favorite parts of them, a few things come to mind...  interesting characters with realistic dialogue, incredible graphics that transport me to another place or time, and an epic soundtrack that sweeps me up into a story that grips us from the title screen to the closing credits.  Dynamic inventory systems?  Mmmm... maybe not so much.  But this often invisible and less than glamorous backbone buried within many of my favorite titles is CRITICAL to the overall enjoyment of the game in more ways then one may think...   

Join us as we take a look at the importance of understanding our capacity limitations in our video games as well as in the burdens we carry in our real world!  

#videogames #christianity #christiangamer #christianliving #gamingvideos #christianvideos #gaming #gamingcommunity #jesus #god #capacity #inventory #christianvideos

It can be easy to slap a "happy face" over our struggles and problems, but as we will see when taking a dive into the original Super Mario Bros. 2 on NES, this just results in wearing a mask that conceals the reality lying underneath the surface.    Ready for the truth?  Join us as we shatter the facade worn by this game and expose a truth that we have had to come to grips with in our personal faith in Christ... courtesy of the Apostle Paul.  #mario #supermario #supermariobros #supermariobrothers #supermario2 #supermariobros2 #videogames #christianity #christianliving #christiangamer #christianvideos #christian

Perhaps you are not sure what all the fuss is about or why legions of loyal fans were happy just to hear the Nintendo is still aware that we want a new Metroid game set in the "Prime" timeline.  Well, the original Metroid Prime games still stand up today and are well worth tracking down if you have the hankering for some excellent first-person exploration.    Join us as we talk about the problems we experienced as we played with a power suit, that, you know... doesn't seem to actually have any POWERS.  And along the way, we will share our personal experience with this exact same conundrum in our real world lives as followers of Christ.    #metroid #metroidprime #samus #videogames #gaming #gamingvideos #christian #christianity #christianvideos #christianlife #christianliving #christianlifestyle #christiangamer

The most exciting news to come out of this year's Gamescom event wasn't even a game… it was simply a better way to play them. Mere weeks after announcing their exciting partnership with Backbone to create a mobile phone controller based off of the styling of the PS5 DualSense controller, Sony is unleashing their ultimate game playing peripheral… the DualSense Edge. To be fair, I am not one of those players who gets excited about EVERY new controller on the market, but this one is a pretty big deal. Why is this big news? One simple word… customization. While Microsoft fans have been able to enjoy the benefits of a premium controller for several years with the fully customizable Elite controller, PlayStation players have been forced to either stick with the official Sony controller or settle for some rather dubious third-party controller options that tried (and failed) to mimic the impressive functionality of the Xbox Elite controller.

Join us as we unpack the tough decision by Sony to wait until the right time to launch this premium product, even if it is far later than most of us would have preferred to have received it.  And along the way we will dive into the final reason some of our dreams are "interrupted" as we finish this series with one final revelation... our dreams have a time and a place for discovery and often a very different time and place for fulfillment.  And the path between those two places will often be longer than we prefer... but it is the only path that brings us from discovery through to our destiny.

#Christianpodcast #Christian #Dreams #Destiny #Christianity #ChristianLiving #Videogames #Sony #Playstation #PS5 #Edge #Esther #DualSense #DualSenseEdge

If you had told me five years ago that the Sonic the Hedgehog game series would mutate into becoming not just one, but the top TWO highest-grossing domestic video game movie releases of ALL TIME with a third one on the way... well, I definitely wouldn't have believed you.  But the most interesting part about the unexpected breakout performance of the Sonic movie franchise isn’t just that it has been successful from both a critical and commercial standpoint… it is because the way it started gave NO indication that this would work. As a matter of fact, the fan response to the first iteration of what has now been affectionally named “Ugly Sonic” was SO massively negative that the creators made the incredibly expensive decision to completely throw out their first design of Sonic and all of his animations and start over. 

Join us as we take a deeper look at "Ugly Sonic" and the path this character took to redemption from his rocky start... and along the way we will explore the importance of moving forward from our own "Ugly Sonic" starts in life.  

#Sonic #UglySonic #SonicMovie #Videogames #Videogamemovies #Sonicthehedgehog #Christian #Christianity #ChristianLiving #Christianpodcast #Ugly #Startingover #Christiangamer #Dreams #Destiny #Nevertoolate #Startingugly