For years, with a handful of people, I helped run a successful Christian video game group on Facebook. I learned several things through that time (these two things being a primary standout):
- Be careful who you partner with. Make sure that they have the same vision, work ethic, goals, etc.
- When games become more important than the Gospel, something is wrong.
Our group was a place where struggling Christians/non-Christians could ask, “Can I play video games at all?” Or even, “Can I play such-n-such game?”
And to answer the questions above real quick:
- Yes, Christians can play video games. Welcome to the party! If you think the answer is no though, there are tons of other hobbies available.
- First, are you old enough? What are your parents telling you? If you are older, what about the game gives you pause? Is it because you don’t normally play in Hell with a zombie sawblade of doom? Joking aside, figure out why the game gives you pause. If it’s related to a sin that you are struggling with, don’t play it. Simple as that.
The danger is that it went from asking questions to more of a whispered, “You should play this because there are tons of other Christians, in this group, that have played it”. Forget Jesus. Any sort of conviction. Forget that sin you struggle with that this game will ultimately amplify. Just do it. It will be fun.
Yes, you can use video games to reach those who haven’t heard the Gospel. It is when the Gospel, the Good News, begins to be replaced with more of your particular hobby than Christ that the red flags go up.
JohnnyBGamer 