Show others the Love of God through the connection of the love of gaming. To closer connect members of the body to eachother, and the body to the community in which it resides.
Rom 12:4 - For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function
1 Corin 9:22 - To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.
John 13:34 - A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
The recommended first step for any church or organization is to announce there will be a Game Night hosted by the church. This Game Night can be online on the Kingdom Connected discord, in-person at the Kingdom Connected facility located in Allegan, or in-person at the Church, depending on what systems are available. Through hosting Game Nights, members will gather and help form the core team that will soon be able to use Gaming as a ministry. Through this Journey, Kingdom Connected staff can guide and answer questions! Once members have been identified and Game Night is showing fruit, it may be time to jump to the next level!
Guardian Game Night is specifically designed to bring Parents/Guardians closer to the young people in their life. In today's world, it can be very challenging to understand and connect with kids who have different interests. What we have found at Kingdom Connected is that by playing and competing in Games with your young one, you can help them truly feel loved and craft memories of Love that they will carry with them through their life. Also, don't worry if you're not a good gamer! You will be playing with other parents/guardians who will likely also be a bit noobie! The program is designed to be fun for both guardians and young ones alike.
Another avenue for ministry is hosting a Youth Game Night. The games we reccommend playing are rated E for everyone, so the age groups can be whatever your church or organization feels is best. At Youth Game Night, kids and young adults will be participating in organized play and even esports competition. Youth pastors can oversee this event without having game knowledge, as their main responsibility is ensuring all players act and treat others in the Christian spirit! We believe that Youth Game Night will be a complelling avenue for kids or young adults to extend invitations to friends who are not part of the church, and show them the Love of Christ through the Love of Games.
Once your church or organization feels comfortable with the equipment and technology, coordinating and hosting outreach events should be considered! It can be intimidating, but opening doors to the public to enter and participate in organized play, whether it's an esports competition for prizing, or a building competition in Minecraft, can be a wonderful way to build meaningful connections with non-church going people in the community, and provide opportunities to share the Gospel when the time is right. Also, don't forget! Kingdom Connected has a facility in Allegan that is already outfitted to host these types of events, so if your Church or Organization is curious, reach out!
One main goal of Kindgom Connected is to build meaningful connections amongst the people involved in the program. If you're a gamer, you understand that winning games with your team and having fun playign together builds bonds that bring you very close! And if you're a parent with a young one that games, you know how much they love to spend time playing! Our vision is to bring churches together who embrace gaming as a ministry, and create an avenue of competition not only within their church, but also the churches in the region, and eventually churches around the world. Because we are connected online, it is very easy to accomplish! We see a world where churches around the world are forging friendships and reaching people through the love of games.
Kingdom Connected has a gaming facility located in Allegan, Michigan which is ready for use right now! Let's work together to plant and water seeds of God's Truth within this generation of gamers. Our ministry model is Give What You Want (GWYW), so if your church or group does not have money, do not worry. You can still schedule your game night! If there is a desire to outfit your church or group with the proper equipment to host Game Night at your own facility, we can help with that as well. Please reach out to us, we are eager to serve!
My name is James Villar, though online I go by the name “Jamesbot”. I’m married to my beautiful wife Katie, and have a small fluffy white dog named Hamilton. I'm a member of Woodhaven Reformed Church and live in Byron Center. I enjoy learning about computers and technology, as well as organizing and producing professional esports events. As long as I can remember I’ve been a gamer. Before becoming a Christian all I wanted to do was play video games. I grew up playing Xbox Live and titles such as Ghost Recon, Rainbow Six, Halo, World of Warcraft and most recently Rocket League. I had lived most of my adult life believing there was no God. However, in 2020 a miracle of prayer showed me that God is true, and his healing power changed my life. Now as a Christian, it is apparent that there is a great harvest ahead for those who enter the labor of planting seeds and watering through a ministry of gaming. Before believing, I was confident I’d never step foot into a church again…however, I might have had it been for a video game competition. Love transcends barriers, and that’s also true for those who love games. Gaming is a common thread between people of all walks of life, and can bring people together who are different in almost every aspect. I’ve witnessed this personally through my participation in global esports. With Kingdom Connected, we are called to bring people together in gaming, with the focus always pointing to the Love of Christ.
