I’ve been doing nerd ministry for a little over a year now and I’ve found that, given the vastness of the World Wide Web, there are so many more of us out there that aren’t being discovered. In order to combat the reality of the algorithm, I am going to compile creative works every other week on the blog so that the community might get to know itself that much better.
These will be specifically related to nerd ministry, so be aware that these are not the be-all, end-all of resources. There are also only so many hours in the week - so these will be brief and unedited. I also will not be discriminating against these sources much. I don’t condone or approve of the theology, actions, or anything else that these entities might be involved with. These are purely things I find interesting or worth considering. Venture at your own risk or reward.
Russ and David discuss the gaming industry and game development with Andrew Bair, founder and CEO of Aspiring Unicorn Games.
A quote from the article:
“I expected a film that would be full of action, fights, and humor, which Black Widow (2021) certainly had in abundance. But, I also encountered richer, haunting themes, as the movie powerfully asserts the dignity and worth of every woman in a world which so seldom seems to recognize this. Further, it tells a story about the fight to bear the incalculable weight of one’s own trauma even while walking with other people through the trauma they bear too.”
Article from Paul Butterworth, from their website: “Paul's nerd journey began when he watched The Empire Strikes Back in a hotel room as a child. By trade, he is a sustainability client manager and you can find him on Facebook and LinkedIn. He lives with his wife, daughters, and Goldendoodle in Goshen, Kentucky.”
Admittedly, this is an older resource by now. It released back in May of this year, but it’s equally important and a helpful tool for those of us seeking out nerdy discussions with a theological bent (or vice versa).
From the Amazon write-up:
“Do you drink blue milk for breakfast? Are you aimin’ to misbehave? Do you wish there was a book that combined your faith with your love of science fiction? If you're a geek and a Christian, we've got you covered. Delving into futuristic, space-faring, and post-apocalyptic worlds, Thy Geekdom Come (Vol. 2)—written by a group of authors and pastors from a variety of Christian backgrounds—relates these tales to an almighty, loving God who is ever present in our beloved franchises. From The Mandalorian to Final Fantasy, popular stories impact our lives and can point the way to what is holy if we dare to look. Writers who contributed to this anthology: Aaron Thiessen, Allison Alexander, Ashley Mowers, Charles Sadnick, Courtney Young, Daniel Bergman, Dustin Schellenberg, Ellen Elliott, Emma Skrumeda, James Felix, Jared Siebert, Jason Dueck, Jen Schlameuss, Jonathan Elsensohn, Justin Koop, Kevin Cummings, Kyle Rudge, Lester Liao, Matt Civico, Michael Penner, Nathan Campbell, Nathan Siebert, Philippa Isom, Robert White, Shaneen Thompson, Tim Webster, Victoria Grace Howell.”
Did you know there is a nerdy Christian Vtuber? I’ll be honest and say I’m still not entirely sure if this one is serious or an absolute troll. According to her bio, she is for real and is a sister out of the Lutheran tradition. She is the first nerd ministry Vtuber I’ve discovered, but I’m certain she isn’t the only one out there. This doesn’t even mention that she’s got 7.1k followers and has already reached Twitch Partner. She is clearly doing something right.
Always makes my Wesleyan heart warmed to see the UMC hosting things like this. Northern Pines Camp hosted a week of camp called Games Galore and More with the express purpose of doing exactly what we’re doing at Checkpoint, only in person and for youth.
According to the article: “Attendees played Magic: The Gathering, Dungeons and Dragons, Pokémon, Pandemic, Silver Bullet, and Spoons, among others, while also enjoying traditional camp activities like archery, swimming, and campfire singalongs. For arts and crafts time, the group painted miniatures and built dice-rolling towers out of Pringles cans.”
So, you know, the dream camp experience. Beats the pants out of having to sign up for dodgeball again this year.
And that wraps up our first ever Nerd of Mouth post. What did you think? Was this helpful? Encouraging? Inspiring? Or do you have some ideas of how we could make it better? Even better, would you be interested in doing it better? For now, that’s where we’ll leave it. Send ideas for improvement or ideas to be included to checkpointchurch@gmail.com.
Until next time,
God loves you.
We love you. You matter.
Buh-bye!
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