A call to arms

D

Dindae

New Member
Beloved!
Let me introduce myself first!
My name is Tomislav and I am a Croatian, 24- year old, Catholic seminarian. For over 6 years now I have been active in the Charismatic Renewal within the Catholic Church,and am now just finishing my third year of college.
But what is the reason I am writing this to you?
The reason is simple : To share a vision I have with all of you, here.
And the vision is this :
I am a gamer. And as a gamer and as a fellow christian brother I am writing this "call to arms."
You all know the needs of the souls that these days live on our planet, and what is the situation with the sharing of the Gospel, all around the world. Truly the Gospel has been spread to many countries and different continents, but alas, there are still many of those who do not know, the joyous news of our Reedemer. Many of those are close among us. And with that "close among us" I mean mostly at those souls you are meeting every day playing Tabula Rasa, WoW, Eve, Guild Wars and any other game that is played today in a massive way on the big net.
My friends, I have heard, and met lots of souls that need help, by playing these games, or heard others saying me that (who have played).
And the sad situation is that altough there are fellow Christians playing these games who administer help if needed, all of these are isolated or at best loosely formed groups.
And now to share my vision with you : ....I truly believe that the time has come for us Christians to forge an alliance. A center for evangelising those who are in need, and who are actively playing either MMORPG's or any other big multiplayer game.
At this center Christians from different game worlds could come together and share experience,offer prayer, or counseling,point to a nearby living church, make new alliances, and organise themselves for the tasks ahead.
I think the time for it is now! Let us not be asleep! Even now as I write this to you, thousands of new players are beeing introduced into the gaming world, brand new Big games are beeing produced (Conan,Warhamer online...)with already many of them giving place for milions of players...
All of them need to hear the Good News of Salvation.
I firmly think that we must be the first to act! Let us forge an indivisible whole, with Christ seated above us, all for his glory, and salvation of souls!

In the end it is truly all up to us. He who is faitful shall surely aid us in our quest. I implore you. Let us create history, for His name sake.

In Christ Love
-
Tom.
 
Okay, speaking as an individual, not as a TF officer, I'd like to field these questions. Please take them as brotherly inquisitiveness and advice, rather than hostile power posturing :).

First, who are you, and what makes you tick? This is your first post, so it's a bit like getting an anonymous letter asking me to sign up for something :) I too share a bit of vision for the lost in games, but before I'd be willing to ally with you, I'd want to know if our passions aligned or simply just sound similar. We are all servants of Christ, but not all are called to serve in the same place and at the same time.

Secondly, how and where do you propose to do this? It sounds like you're hoping to found an organization that is dedicated to spreading God's word in games. Is this a physical organization? A website? A set of interconnected multi-platform gaming guilds?

Third, what are your proposed methods? I'll tell you right off the bat that simple blanket proselytizing isn't going to work and will just create rifts between the believers and their subjects. But that's not to say we shouldn't tell others the Good News. So my question is, how do you propose we reach our fellow gamers without alienating them? I'd like to hear your ideas. Once again, it sounds like you're talking about forging a Christian gaming community -- much like this one. What about allegiances between Christian gaming communities? Or are you talking about something completely different?

Finally, I need to take you to task on your last line. Is it truly "all up to us?" Do we need to "create history?" I'm a closet cynic and so I really need to make sure we're going in the right direction with this.


All in all, I hope you don't think I'm being hostile or trying to stop your vision. I'm simply asking these questions because I feel the need to be a good steward with my time, energy, and talents. A good steward looks over the land and counts the cost before he buys in and starts planting. I hope that if you're serious about this you will take the time to answer me.

In Christ,
Neirai the Forgiven.
 
First, let me applaud your passion for those who have not yet experienced the awesome redeeming love of God. Yes, there have been many barriers to Christians working together in the past but a generation has arisen in which Christ has broken down that walls that have divided.

Like Neirai, I too would say that this is a very delicate and potentially divisive issue. We are all called to be witnesses of Jesus Christ and how we witness is as important as what we are witnessing about. I have a friend who set up a prayer spot on Facebook and as soon as he did he was inundated with prayer requests. Obviously there is a great spiritual void in the lives of many. Jesus told us, "the poor you will always have," indicating that needs will always be there. So, wisdom is needed in reaching out to those needs. Needs easily can overwhelm those who are sensitive to them. Even Jesus was wise to not attempt to meet all the needs. He also had to rely on Father to direct and empower. Prayer needs to precede passion.

Concerning history, we must all remember that it is His Story that is being written. We are not called to write it, just to participate in it. We are colabourers with Him as senior partner. I would be careful of the attitude of making history as opposed to being a part of His Story.

Once again, I applaud you for vision and passion. I am not sure that this forum is the best place to work out the prayer and practicality of reaching all the World of Warcraft with the gospel of Jesus Christ. But starting the discussion is a good first step. Continue it and see where it goes.

Blessings,
 
First and foremost thank you for your kind and straight questions
!
Let me start then elaborating that what I carry.
Kianei
1)First, who are you, and what makes you tick?...-
:)The ticker started actually when I first set my hands on to a mmorpg of a newer breed - anarchy online. From that time on this thought simply didn't want to leave me.
But why is that? - As new technologies emerge by the minute, our capability of simulating a virtual world is progressing. Even now , the graphics and the sounds have the 'magic' to bring a player into a virtual world as to a real one. This situation as years go on, will surely further progress, enabling greater and greater possibilites of living the virtual world as it is a live one. (Anyone who preordered WoW nows what I am talking about :) ). And bringing the real world with the same level into the virtual, thus blending the difference - the virtual world is going to become for many a "new world", and for some "the only world - for an ex. jap. - hikikomori."
The Lord clearly states - Go into the World...
I think and believe that it is just a matter of time for us to receive one "The World" as it is described in the Hack.Sign Series.
-So the ticker is quite simple - if we can go onto missions to Asia, Africa, Europe, Russia, to bring the Good News, why can't we go to the "Virtual Asia,Africa,Europe..."
-And yes this is my first post, but I have been collecting data and thinking about the presence of Christians in the games for some years now, and since you brothers and sisters here are one of the best communities on the net, I wanted to be as straight as I can. You actually are not the all, to whom I wanted to write this 'manifest', there are also other christian gaming communites of whom you are surely aware of, but you just seemed as the first and best option to start asking.

-Secondly, how and where do you propose to do this?...-
To be deeply honest, looking at the fullest I do not know. That what I know is the name - 'Christ4Gamers' - and the basis for that would be John 3,16.
...but as I was, and am thinking of it, yes all of that what you have stated comes into it. If C4G would come alive then surely It would need a web site, and yes it would surely be a place for different christian gaming clanes to come together, for fellow christians, who are playing, and those who are starting to play to have a place to come. For them to ask about christian brothers and sisters all across the virtual gaming worlds,to share virtual and real life experience, and to enrich each others.
Think of it as of a "Prancing Pony" from LOTR, or "The silver arms inn" from Baldurs Gate, in that way.
But further more, it would be a place where answers could be found, and questions asked, it would be a place where people could ask for help and at least get the sing that shows where to seek it.
But the foremost thing I had in mind when I was thinking about this, was, simply - Unity.
In Unity lies the strength. I thought of C4G as a "Town that lies on a hill" - that clearly states, Christ loves you gamers! He has died and ressurected for you! That is the main goal and cause,I myself think C4G would have to be all about.
Since we now we are all limbs of Christ's body, with Him as our head, C4G would also be a limb of sorts. At the same time a virtual and a real one. In a virtual world providing real Gospel.
To real people in need.
-those are just my first ideas. I cannot say I myself have the whole situation cleared in my head. I do not. That is the reasons I came here to ask for help. I just have this idea, which I truly belive, could work, and could make a great impact across the world. But for it to happen, all of us would have to be into it. And if not actively working upon it, then at least supporting it.

-Third, what are your proposed methods?-
There is just one method - Like I said before, first we must stand united in His Love, for this goal - for them to know the Love of Christ and to come back to the Father. That is to bring everyone to reconciliation with the Lord, and personal relationship later on.
And how to exactly do this?
My dear brother the whole ecumenical momevent is battling to make this happen for decades now. So it is not an easy task, that's for shure. (but as you know, a popular and working method today is to bring a person to a moment where he gives his life over to the Lord.)
But I think that the first thing we must do is to make room for Him in the 'virtual scene' among fellow Christians.
A place where unity could be seen. Clearly. A place that would shout to the world a simple message - He is here for all of you.
...But to put the side the rhetorics.
If we all manage to make a single spot where people could make new ideas and concepts of winning souls for Christ in the virtual world,without using paladin zeal attack on each others, then we have made our goal.

-Is it truly "all up to us?" Do we need to "create history?"-
Actually He himself said it - "You cannot do anything without me.", but He also said, "You will do even greater things."
To put it bluntly - I truly believe "God is Moving" as that song from Hillsong goes. And It is trully His will to evangelise.
So from his side of the coin, the thing is cleared. It is now up to us. He is stading ready to help.
Didn't He himself say - "Go!" And that he will be waiting for us in the Galilee? You all know what kind of Galilee out there is.
So, yes, the answer is yes. Yes it is all up to us, because he is for this cause always. I truly believe the Lord is speaking to every christian (including us gamers) these days the same words he spoke to Gideon in Judges 6,14.

-And do we need to create history? No we do not. But are we called to work with our mortal hands on the building of His kindgom? Most definetly!
I for one want to be a part of that glorious plan.

-Elwood-
-Even Jesus was wise to not attempt to meet all the needs-
You got to the point. This is not a call to organise this thing in a matter of months. This is just as it states, 'a call'. And a call is answered, and then thought about, and planned on.
Lk 14,28.
So this is not a realisation of weeks...

Keeping you in my prayers.
Tom.
 
Dindae,

If I come across negatively and pessimistic, please do not read it that way - my tone while writing is light and pleasant :)

With that said... I'm not sure how you found us, but if you take a look up at the top, this site is the Chistian Gamers Alliance (CGA). It is a HUGE collection of gamers from all different games across many different platforms. We're not just WoW players, AO, LotRO, SW:G, or EQ. There are literally chapters here for Wii, XBox, PS, PC, and everything in between. I think that your original idea of place that gamers can go has already been built. This place is gigantic (almost to the point of difficulty in navigation because there's just sooo much going on)

I can't speak for every guild/kin/group in every game and platform, but I know that in The Forgiven (our guild in WoW) we're founded straight from His Word. We uphold Christian principles. We encourage good, clean, family-friendly play. We try to be good witnesses and helpful to other players. We have a member's only section where many of our members have prayer and praise requests. Have a verse of Scripture to share? Awesome! We do that too. We treat each other right, and try to handle all of our problems with love. We even have people paying server transfer fees just to join our guild because they believe that they need a faith-based guild, too. There's a reason we're one of the largest guilds on our server. We're selective in our membership - just as you can't join a church without a confession of faith, we require one as well... and yet we're still constantly at the max characters allowed in the guild.

The guild alliance that we're in knows where we stand in our faith, too. We don't always sit back quietly. While I may not run around the game spamming verses of Scripture on the virtual soapbox in Shat'trath, Prancing Pony, or Silver Arms Inn, I believe our actions speak as loudly as our speech.

Please be encouraged to hear that many of the things that you originally wrote about are not just thoughts on our minds as well, but actions we're taking already because we share your vision.

And know that for every new MMO that comes out, there are groups of Christians forming up guilds, just like ours. While we may be outnumbered, we're certainly not alone.
 
I'm happy to see your enthusiasm, though I may not agree with your tactics/Christian theology as I'm not sure on the details.

As to the question of *how* to share the truth with others..

1) God has already shared a portion of it with all mankind (Romans 1)on their hearts.

2) Sharing the extended version written and confirmed in the Bible does results in alienating others at times, it's not our goal, it's just a job hazard. Christ did not win everyone, but he didn't water down the truth in an effort to convert others to it, that's not possible. In fact ALL of the Godly men in the bible chosen by God were blunt with their listeners and did not win everyone. It didn't alienate them from God, it exposed what was already there. However, for others it led them to repentance.

So my goal is not to win ppl to me..or make friends at the expense of the very truth needed to transform their lives. Jesus said, "Suppose I have come to bring peace?".. "Nah..but a sword.." Truth divides ppl, but it also transforms and unites.
Jesus said, "The world hates me because I tell it that it's evil". "If it hated me, it will hate you" Again, this it NOT our goal, to be hated. But this is the feedback we will get from some, yet others will respond in the positive.

Does that mean I jump on WOW and spam, John 3:36 in all the channels? ( Jesus said, "God's wrath is on those who do not believe in me")
or, "Repent or you will die in your sins?" No. I don't do that for the following reasons: 1) It would likely lead me into getting banned. 2)That active channels are not the best forum for communication and proper context of the message I want to send.

However I have pced ppl from time to time who were making arguments against God/Godliness and those talks have led to personal email exchanges and conversations that lasted for weeks.
And in the end, if that gets me banned from Wow.. Well, I would do as Christ said, "Rejoice when you are hated for my name sake"..

So be wise...use wisdom..and make the most of your time in the game...understanding that while the world in general demands "tolerance" it has very little to none for Christ. (Unless it's a watered down version that doesn't make them feel uncomfortable in their sin)

Danny
 
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