Could video games be ministry?

I've heard that some have tried to use their xbox subscription to the glory of God by evangelizing online during a video game match. A lot of people think that's absurd. However, because I like to look at both sides of an issue, I'm not going to immediately condemn it. But I do have some thoughts that I think give some insight into this subject.

I was thinking today about how my little brother and I play online and how it never really brings us together. Let me explain.

He misses me a lot. I'm often away from home for long periods of time, so I can see why. He also plays video games a lot, so that's a great opportunity to hang out with him, right?

Well, I'm beginning to think differently. The very nature of the games we play, such as COD 4 Modern Warfare, are such that several things happen in the game that actually keep us "apart" the whole time we're playing together. Literally, the very nature of the game separates us even though we're trying to spend some time together.

Here's what I mean.

Problem One. I die a lot in Call of Duty. Fact. That means that even if I can find my bro in the game, and I try to fight alongside him, I don't last long. Then I get spawned again, this time across the map, so I have to spend the majority of my time in cyberspace actually "away" from my brother, trying to get to him, when the whole point is to be "with" him playing this game.

Problem Two. We're not in the same room, we're in opposite sides of the house, playing in the same match. Problem is, even though we have headsets to talk to each other, that's the only real thing about my brother that I'm getting to encounter in this game. And you know boys. We don't talk much... we just shoot things.

So maybe if it were Nintendo Wii, or if we were playing splitscreen, then I'd actually get to sit in the same room as him and do something fun that makes us laugh together. I've been hoping for another way to connect to my brother besides this... because really, the way it feels when we're done playing, is very, very unfulfilled. I don't feel like I've seen my brother at all, or enjoyed any time with him. It's really robbed me of getting to joke around and laugh with him. You know, doing stuff that makes memories, that we all love doing. Cause who doesn't love hanging out? It's just meaningless. You just play and then you're done, and what do you get to keep? What about your videogame endures beyond you turning off the console? Are you finding your self-worth in what achievements you've earned on XBOX Live? Talk about sad!

So the next time he asks me if I can play Call of Duty, I have to wonder... what are some other things we could do that would actually make us feel like we spent time together? Makes me sound like a goody-goody nerd who writes self-help books, but I don't care. I'm not.

So I have to question anyone who says they're trying to talk about Jesus while people are busy blowing each others' heads off. Not very many videogame players are thinking about how unfulfilled they are while they are playing, but instead after they play. Your online presence has little affect on anyone. It's a waste of time... because it's not real.

The GRAND BEGINNING

Hello! This is my first blog. I'm very excited, and I know you are (haha what arrogant pish posh). Anyway, I'm doing this for kicks. I'm not serious about it, because there is absolutely nothing exciting going on right now with me. Don't really feel like doing anything else. Actually, I think that sounds really foolish so I'm gonna continue now with my Bible studying and do 1 Corinthians.

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Other day I studied Galatians. I'm mentioning all this cause studying my Bible is something new. I've read pieces before but never done an organized note-taking, thoughtful reading experience yet that actually is a good use of my time. Galatians was all about how the (you guessed it, Galatians) were doing stuff to try to earn God's grace. Paul repeated many times how we can't earn God's gift, we have to believe instead and do the following:

1 - Stand for your faith in everyone's presence, not just some.
2 - Don't be a people pleaser.
3 - Have FREEDOM in Christ.*
4 - Help fallen Christians.
5 - Do not let pride get in the way of helping them- you are really a nobody (Paul's words!)
6 - Do your part when it comes to your work.
7 - You reap what you sow.
8 - What counts is whether we have been changed into new and different people.

*Christ gives us freedom from the crap that brings us down. What this freedom lets us do is serve one another in love. It is not so we can go on satisfying ourselves sinfully.

So I took from this that I should stop believing the lie that being a good person to others is what is gonna earn me a trip to Heaven. It's faith, faith that shows despite the crowd or setting... And ultimately, if my life is more about avoiding sin than about joyfully going after God, it's gonna suck when I die. Cause that's not the way less traveled, that few ever find.