It’s been a while since I added a post to this column, several years in fact! This time in Gaming With Purpose I’m highlighting a gaming community that is part of the Vineyard, a huge Christian movement around the world. Alex, one of their team members, reached out to me via email and I asked if he would be up for a few questions about how they got started, what they are about, and what games they are currently playing.
Get to know them better below and if you are interested in being part of the community, check out their free discord! I’ll be joining them as well so if you want to say my username is Samuru (Gaming & God).
What’s the origin story of Vineyard Gaming? Who started it and what’s the mission that the group is hoping to accomplish?
Vineyard Gaming started as a space for some friends attending Vineyard churches in the Kansas City area to coordinate playing games together. Over the last several years, through mostly word of mouth, it has grown to include over 250 people from all over the US and elsewhere. We are trying to create a positive, Christ-centered environment where people can engage in gaming culture in healthy ways. We think we’re doing that and we’re pretty excited about it.
How long has it been open?
Vineyard Gaming has been around since 2017 but took off during the shutdown in 2020 like a lot of online communities.
What feedback have you received since launching from your members, or even Vineyard? What have been some highlights or testimonies that have come out of the group?
We’ve had a ton of people excited to meet other Christians and have a space to game together in a positive and healthy community, focused on Christ. We’ve also had a lot of people join who love their local church but don’t know anyone in their church with an interest in gaming. This gives them a space to live out their passion with others from the Church even if they don’t have any gamer friends at their local congregation. A personal highlight of mine was praying for someone while playing Minecraft. The mental picture of two Minecraft avatars standing around, pickaxe in hand, praying for each other while exploring a cave always makes me chuckle.
Are you only on Discord, or are there other ways people can connect with Vineyard Gaming?
At the moment, we are only on Discord. We do have space on our Discord server for local churches to have their private channels to coordinate events at a local level.
Is this only for Vineyard churches, or it’s open to anyone? Are there any requirements to join if someone is interested? Is it only for Christians or anyone who is looking for a positive gaming experience?
Everyone is welcome to be a part of it. There’s a lot of Vineyard people but everyone is welcome to be a part of the community. We love our Vineyard identity and we exist as an outpouring of our faith and connection to the Vineyard. Our leadership team and many of our more involved folks call Vineyard churches their home but it certainly isn’t required. And, if you check us out and we’re not a great fit, please check out Gaming and God to find a community that does work for you!
What games do you play as a group currently? I know that can change often, but let me know some that you’re playing now for the reader who is looking for community around certain games.
What’s popular in gaming culture changes rapidly. Whenever something drops that the culture at large is into, usually someone on the server is into it too. That said, some of the mainstay multiplayer games on our server for the last year or so have been Minecraft, Call of Duty, Mario Kart, Jackbox, Ark, Baldur’s Gate 3, and Fortnite. There are tons of people who play single-player games that love to talk about them too – Zelda, Elden Ring, Mario, Spider-Man, Pokemon, and others.
It’s also worth noting that we host our own, private Minecraft survival server for the community to play together. We also have groups regularly playing tabletop RPGs on things like Roll20.
Do you have any bible studies or resources that are held in the group to grow the members in their walk with Christ and scripture?
There is a saying in the Vineyard, “How do you know you’re at a Vineyard church? Someone asks, ‘How can I pray for you right now.’ ” We have an active prayer requests area where people can ask for prayer or connect with others to pray. There is also space to discuss devotionals, scripture, and whatever else you’re digging into spiritually.
Are you only on Discord, or are there other ways people can connect with Vineyard Gaming?
At the moment, we are only on Discord. We do have space on our Discord server for local churches to have their private channels to coordinate events at a local level.
Where can people get in touch with you or the group?
My Discord and Twitch handles are AlexWearsFlannel if you want to message me there. You can find out more about us at www.vineyardgaming.com
Thank you very much again for your time, I hope those who read this give the group a chance and find some fellow gamers who also want to learn more about their faith in God.
Thanks for featuring Vineyard Gaming!
Your welcome! They seem like a great group