Quick Jump Daily Digest

Thank you for your interest in the Quick Jump Daily Digest. Get notified of all new content on QJ in our free Daily Digest. To subscribe, enter your email address below and click the subscribe button.

Cancel and Return to page

The Halo 3 church issue part 2: on using video games to reach out to non-Christians

Posted Mar 17, 2008 at 11:16PM EST by QJ Staff

Listed in: Xbox 360 Tags: Bungie Studios, Master Chief, xbox 360 titles

A church uses Halo 3 in its advertising - Image 1

There are certain issues that just don't stay dead for long, it seems. Take the old church issue, for instance. In a nutshell, it was about churches using Bungie Studio's Halo 3 and various video games to bring kids and teens in. Even now, opinions regarding the effectiveness and moral uprightness of this approach differ.

Proponents have claimed that Halo 3 is full of religious overtones that make relating the game to the Gospel easier. Others, like Mike Matlock and Kedrick Kenerly, have established a group called Christian Gamers Online. The purpose of the group is to use gaming as a Gospel outreach tool. The group also strives to protect impressionable young minds from negative influences at the same time.

Lyle Dorset, an evangelism professor at Samford University's Beeson Divinity School, cautiously supports this approach. The trick, he says, is to use the games to ultimately point to Jesus Christ, and not to the video games themselves.

We can use all kinds of clever tricks to bring young people in or adults in. They may love it, and they may stay for a year, but they will never become true disciples of Jesus Christ and be born again unless the Spirit changes their heart and somebody gives them Christ.

Nevertheless, there are other Christians who simply do not agree. Al Menconi is one of them. As an expert on the influences of pop culture on Christian families, Menconi believes that games like Halo 3 are just an "adrenaline rush of killing." In other words, they teach young people to kill without hesitation and without side effects.

So how do you reconcile everything? The experts concur that the key lies in good parenting and love. Ultimately, it's the care of responsible adults, such as parents and pastors, that makes a big difference in how games like Bungie's Halo 3 will affect children and teens.

This story sucks? This story rocks!

Vote Now!

(0)

(0)

Like I totally went to this church and they had like Halo and stuff. I like totally believe in Christ as my savior cause of like Halo 3.

Christianity is a pretty cool guy. eh saves souls and doesn't afraid of anything.

I see nothing but butthurt losers who hate the idea of going to church/temple/mosque because it's a waste of their time. Churches do this with all sorts of activies, but don't you dare play games at church, why the stupid kids that go there to play might just be brainwashed into believing in X!

# re: — Guest 2008-03-18 19:32

Agreed. I still remember Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. Boy, that was violent...

# peado priests — daveymontgomery 2008-03-18 22:40

just another way for priests to lure children

Refresh comments list

Add comment

JComments

HOT GAMING NEWS | LATEST GAMING SEARCHES | FORUMS

QUICK JUMP DAILY DIGEST

Welcome to QJ.Net!

If you want your comments to go live without waiting for moderation, you need to be logged in. Being logged in has its benefits:

Logged in members do not wait for their comments to be approved.
Logged in members can create Profiles to be seen by other users.

So why wait? Create an account or login now! It's easy, quick, and free.

To get started, use the LOGIN boxes, or the REGISTER link below!

Want to learn more about the team who brings you the QJ news?

Read about them now!

HOT FLASH GAMES

QJ.NET Categories
• Apple • E3 • Featured Articles • Gadgets • Games for Windows • iPad • iPhone • MMORPG • Mobile • News • Nintendo 3DS • Nintendo DS • Opinions & Analysis	• Photography • PlayStation 3 • PoV • PS Vita • PSP • Rumors • Science • Site News • Tabula Rasa • Wii • Wii U • World of Warcraft • Xbox 360

Sitemap

Newest Downloads

05/25/2012 - 06/01/2012

Zombiies	06/01/2012
Newo Runner v1.1	06/01/2012
Kurushi Wii v1.0	06/01/2012
Hero City 2 v1.1	06/01/2012
WiiFlow Mod 3.0 r431	05/31/2012
XeBuild GUI 2.061	05/30/2012
edicpopDS v0.3.01	05/29/2012
RGLoader 0v290 Beta	05/27/2012
WiiMod 3.2	05/27/2012
WiiMC v1.2.7	05/25/2012
True Blue Firmeware v2.7	05/24/2012
3DS Video Converter v2.3	05/24/2012
Mobile Assault 1.8.2	05/24/2012
PSP Tools Alpha 0.1	05/22/2012
Newton War	05/22/2012

Most Comments this Month
3D On Your Vita, iPhone an..	(5)
Finally: Star Wars for Gro..	(5)
Diablo III Refunds: Nope!	(4)
Japan Says No To Pirates	(3)
Another Expensive, Full-of..	(2)
Watch This: The Elder Scro..	(2)
Wanna Return to Agent 47's..	(1)
Get a Load of the Doom 3:..	(1)
Co-Op Is Dead...Space 3	(1)
Watch This: Tomb Raider is..	(1)
Feel Like Squashing Some S..	(1)
DS Homebrew: Another World	(1)
On Shelves this Week: Jun..	(1)
Rumor Mill: Green 3DS Plan..	(1)
Gameloft Shows Off Some Gr..	(1)
Changelog For Newest Multi..	(1)
PSP Is Back, Whiter, Cheap..	(1)
What's New From Team Xecut..	(1)
Party like Rockstar—But..	(1)
Rumor: Modern Warfare 4 to..	(1)
Gettin' All Stabby to a Ja..	(1)
The Return of the Killer T..	(1)

Top Jumps this Month
Naruto Shippuden: Ul..	(7)
Pokemon Liquid Cryst..	(6)
Finally: Star Wars f..	(6)
Another Expensive, F..	(4)
PSP homebrew - LameC..	(4)
PSP Is Back, Whiter,..	(3)
Bust Out Your PSP Fo..	(3)
Get Back to the Mult..	(3)
Download full Sid Me..	(2)
Latest Left 4 Dead 2..	(2)
Wii homebrew: WAD Ma..	(2)
PSP homebrew - Lamec..	(2)
What Can J-Runner Bu..	(2)
The Need For...An An..	(2)
PSP Homebrew - PSPDi..	(2)
What's New From Team..	(2)
Custom Firmware PRO-..	(2)
Hellcat Working On R..	(2)
3D On Your Vita, iPh..	(2)
Some Cyber in Your P..	(2)
Japan Says No To Pir..	(2)
Free Ratchet & Clank..	(1)
King of Pirates anno..	(1)
IceTea v1.3	(1)
Is This the Title of..	(1)

HOT GAMING NEWS TOPICS

Quick Jump Daily Digest

The Halo 3 church issue part 2: on using video games to reach out to non-Christians

Related Stories:

Comments

Add comment

Newest Downloads