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    Churches Using Halo 3 to Attract Youth

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    David Cook, professor of Christian ethics at Wheaton College, said, “The church rightly is concerned about the impact of video material on everyone, especially young people,” Cook said.

    “Sexual content and violence are often features in that medium and the church ought not to be encouraging or promoting such videos,” Cook continued.

    Some churches say team play on Halo 3 encourages fellowship and togetherness.

    Sweetwater Baptist Church in Lawrenceville, Ga. offers Halo 3 for its youth. The gaming is usually followed by something to eat and a lesson.

    Church leaders in favor of the game say it is an effective modern tool to reach the elusive audience of boys and young men.

    Other churches and youth organizations feel there are better ways to involve youth in the gospel.

    “The Wittenberg Lutheran Church and Student Center would not offer Halo or similar video games as a way to draw in youth from the community,” Alyssa Moehring, president of the Wittenberg Lutheran Center at ISU, said. Moehring went on to say that the center often holds fellowship nights for youth, who are encouraged to bring friends.

    While the fellowship nights often involve board games and food, Halo is not a consideration.

    “If we believe that Christ is the way, the truth and the life we must find winsome ways of expressing that truth which will draw young and old alike into investigating and finding Jesus Christ and all that He brings into the lives of those who seek to be His followers,” Cook said.

    Opponents of Halo in youth groups point out that the video game associates arousal with killing.

    They fear the churches might be offering violent content that some children would not have access to elsewhere.

    SOURCE:  The Daily Vidette

    So… what do you think?  Is your church using Halo 3?  Would you?  Why or why not?

    Halo 3 is well on its way to becoming the most popular video game ever made. The shoot-em-up multi-player game has now found itself in the hands of church ministers and youth pastors. Church leaders are using the game to draw in youth, particularly teenage boys, from communities. They claim that teenage boys are often the hardest demographic to reach, and video games such as Halo 3 help to attract new members. The use of the game as a promotion for youth functions has raised several ethics questions.

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    1. Eric Joppa on Mon, October 15, 2007

      Ok… so as a youth pastor, I would use Halo 3 but don’t because of the flack I would have to deal with from conservative parents, leaders, etc. I have however used Halo in a number of different settings, (at my house for a sleep over for instance) and it DOES create fellowship and connection with the students.


      I play Halo on my own, with friends, and with studetns, I just don’t use the tool at the church (only because I can’t use it at church without having problems that are just to trivial to be worth it.


      I actually have never seen the problem that is made with Halo and it’s violence. I have also never heard of anyone shooting someone because they played Halo or even becoming violent because of it either.


      To me, (and I may have a ton of you disagree with me) its just another way the church makes an issue out of a non issue and ignores an incredibly relevant and effective tool for reaching a hard to reach demographic.


      -E

    2. Nathan Watkins on Mon, October 15, 2007

      Here are my thoughts as to the use of Halo and other video games in the church context. And I admit up front that I do not think of the standards I promote at my home as being different from those I propose at church, and this may or may not be appropriate given the presence of “weaker brothers” in our midst.


      My basic rule of thumb is that entertainment that taps into the basic eternal conflict of Good vs. Evil - where the lines between them are fairly clear, where Evil is seen as detrimental to the health of people or creation, where Good is viewed as the more noble cause, where good character is cherished, and where it is obvious that it must prevail in the end – is entertainment that can play a valuable role in our lives.  Countless stories tap into this theme and are told through books, are acted out on stage, are presented in movies, are sung in song, and are displayed in video games.  The repetition of this theme reminds us of all the different ways this conflict reveals itself in our lives.


      The presence of violence in these stories should be an expected component because the eternal conflict in question is neither mild nor gentle. One must prevail and conquer the other completely.  Violence is neither evil in and of itself, nor an enemy to be avoided, if in fact, it plays a valuable role in this conflict.  It is a means to an end, and fills the pages of the Bible as such.  Until evil is conquered, it remains a part of our lives.   If, though, violence becomes the End, is has reversed the formula.


      Entertainment that reverses the formula should be avoided at all costs - where the lines between Good and Evil are indistinguishable; where Evil is glorified or seen as the noble cause; where corrupt character is considered cool; where Evil wins in the end - these forms of entertainment are detrimental to our thinking and are especially difficult for young minds to discern.  As Christians, this formula must be viewed as a lie of the enemy, and we must be vigilant as to the forms of entertainment that are part of this slippery slope.

    3. Leonard Lee on Mon, October 15, 2007

      I’d do it if I had a 360.

    4. Jan on Mon, October 15, 2007

      I think those are good guidelines Nathan.


      We have a very young congregation (age 30 and under) and they have been known to set up video game competitions all over the church, and play all night until they have a winner, and the youth guys all come and hang out with the men, and I think that is great.


      I think a tool for ministry is just that, a tool.  Of course we need to check out the content of those tools and see if there are any conflicts with our theology,  (just like having movie night with the girls).  And pick and choose wisely.


      I’ve heard this debated before and the guns don’t bother me.  Our guys go out and shoot real guns too and bows and arrows and paint ball.  And a biggie at men’s retreat is a church against church shooting competition with real guns and also paint ball.


      Our guys are so into this that they had my son, who is a Marine, give them military tactics for winning.  Our church, incidently, was the smallest church, but had the most me attend the retreat. 


      Anyway,  I do think that tapping into guy culture and yes, games which 99% of guys this age are into, is a way to reach them.

    5. Camey on Mon, October 15, 2007

      If time permits him… I’m going to let our oldest son Austin post on this..


      *Warning* lol

    6. Stewart on Mon, October 15, 2007

      Question: where would you draw the line?


      If it’s okay to use violent video games to get an audience with guys, what about sexual content? That would certainly be effective at drawing a crowd. Or you could go more realistic… just bring in dancing girls in cheerleader outfits, guys would turn up.


      Throw in cheap beer and a pep talk about how to keep your pants on and it all starts to sound like ministry.


      Perhaps those are absurd extremes, but seriously - where would you draw the line on what is an acceptable “tool” for attracting a crowd. For me, the means have to be consistent with the ends. Meaning, I won’t use tactics that aren’t morally and ethically consistent with what I’m trying to get my guys to do and be.


      So I guess the question about Halo 3 for me would be a little more restrictive than Nathan’s. My question would be “is the violence glorified or is it cast as a necessary evil in service to a greater good (like a just war)?”

    7. Daniel on Mon, October 15, 2007

      The larger critique of course, has to do with the fact that church (both youth group and old-people group) can tend towards entertainment.  Regardless of the entertainment you use… the point of Church is not to entertain.


      On top of this, you really do have to wonder about the compatibility of teaching kids to be trigger happy, if only on a screen, when the point is to teach them discipleship in the Way of the one who commanded us to love our enemies and overcome evil with good.


      No point in being legalistic about it, but I have trouble understanding how some of these activities are compatible with the calling of leaders to nurture Christian virtues in our youth.  And non-violent love of enemies is a central Christian virtue.


      My two cents.


      -Daniel-

    8. Brian on Mon, October 15, 2007

      Stewart, I believe you have answered your first question with your last.  And It is the standard to which I hold all the video games used for our youth ministry.   I have played the Halo series of games, and the single player campaign leads you through a war between humans and misguided religious fanatical aliens bent on destroying earth.  The multiplayer aspect of the game varies: capture the flag, assault(CTF in reverse), King of the hill, and finally, Slayer.  Of these, the slayer gametype is the only one where killing is the goal, and not a means to an end.


      Contrast this with a game like Gears of War (another halo style video game).  While I have not played this game,  I have seen several game reviews and video segments from the game.  You still fight in a war, but the weaponry is far more brutal, including the ability to kill your enemy with a chainsaw in a fantastically bloody display.  Also, the game is filled with profanity.  This, in my opinion, clearly demonstrates violence for the sake of violence, and exemplifies what churches should not embrace.


      All video games should be scrutinized on a case by case basis.  Halo, in my opinion, does not glorify violence.  It uses violence as a means to an end.  Gears of War and several others glorify violence in a way that is inappropriate for youth(let alone youth at church!)

    9. Daniel on Tue, October 16, 2007

      Why is violence ‘as a means to an end’ ok?  If we take seriously the call to make disciples, must we not imitate our Lord?  I think it may be worth meditating on his repeated insistence that violence (e.g. the sword) as a means to an end (e.g. the establishment of his Kingdom) does not embody faithfulness to God.  Even in the ‘just war’ tradition (and I doubt video game violence can be justified by an appeal to its very strict standards) I think you’ll find a certain tension with what Jesus explicitly commanded.


      Peace,


      -Daniel-

    10. Rebecca Barnes, editor, ChurchCentral.com on Tue, October 16, 2007

      I don’t know anything about this game, except that it’s violent—rated M for mature audiences, meaning you have to be 17 or older to purchase the game. So, is it a church outreach tool? Depends who you are trying to reach.


      A new study by researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital’s (MGH) Center for Mental Health and Media shows that most (94 percent) young teens play video games. A third of boys and one in ten girls play video or computer games almost every day.


      But what about the content? Most 7th and 8th graders (ages 12 to 14) regularly play violent video games. Two-thirds of boys and more than one in four girls reported playing at least one M-rated game “a lot in the past six months.”


      The MGH study found that Grand Theft Auto—rated M for blood and gore, intense violence, strong language, strong sexual content, and drug use—was the most popular game series among the boys surveyed.


      Should your church use Grand Theft Auto to lure young teens? The Georgia church probably made the safer choice with Halo 3. But is that safe enough?


      Some instructive comments come from Christian teens who have added to the discussion of the Halo 2 game review on the ChristianAnswers.net page:


      “As far as blood and violence … if you find these things offensive, then you should not play this game. However, realistically, an accurate movie of the bible [sic] would be more graphic than a few hours playing Halo … Besides, Master Cheif [sic] is trying to save the Human Race, and is ready to give his life if that is necessary (Who does that remind us of . . .http://www.mondaymorninginsight.com/images/smileys/grin.gif)”—Kaleb Havens, age 16.


      As for Grand Theft Auto, no real redeeming allegory here. The review on Answers read in part: “GTA3 clearly considers itself a sick joke and boldly displays a warped sense of humor throughout, however Christians may find this joke to be in poor taste.”


      Bottom line on gaming for churches that want to reach teens? It may be as simple as paying attention to gaming as a part of the culture—learning the language, if you will. Ignoring games and trying to reach teens may be like eschewing PowerPoint and parking lots while trying to reach adults who continually see visuals in presentations and drive cars. In the same way, teens see games all the time, and drive Xboxes, PS2s, Game Cubes, Wiis and other Nintendos.


      Churches can’t offer teens a nice flannel graph story and expect to find an interested audience. Youth ministry leaders should get into the game if they want to reach the gamers.

    11. Brian on Tue, October 16, 2007

      “I think it may be worth meditating on his repeated insistence that violence (e.g. the sword) as a means to an end (e.g. the establishment of his Kingdom) does not embody faithfulness to God.”


      I actually couldn’t agree more with this statement.  When I read it, though, it sounds like we are forcing kids into church under duress and holding them there against their will.  I assure you this is not the case.


      As for using violence as a means to an end:  The kind of violence depicted in Halo is of self-defense and preservation of the human race.  While the Bible does teach “turn the other cheek”,  It by no means teaches you to be a doormat.   When stopping opposition with words fails, what would you use? When opposition openly kills civilians and refuses to negotiate, and threatens your very way of life, do you still just turn the other cheek?


      The violence used in games like Gears of War, and the Grand Theft Auto series display violence for the sake of violence, proactive violence as opposed to a last resort, profanity, a soft-core pornography scene, and rewards gratuitous violence(including rape and murder).  In no lifetime has this been an acceptable way of life for any Christian and the content in these games should not be exposed to any youth, regardless of faith.


      If the purpose of the games was to teach youth anything, then it would be misguided.  But the purpose of the games is to relate to youth in a language they can understand.  The purpose of youth ministers, volunteers, and clergy is to teach them a Christian lifestyle.

    12. Eric Joppa on Wed, October 17, 2007

      While I have to admit that I love the comments and thoughts that are being shared I have to ask. Don’t you guys think that this is being over thought just a bit?


      A fantasy game about a cyborg (half man/half machine) who is virutally indestructable fights aliens to stop them from firing a number of rings…Halos that will destroy all life in the universe…


      Ok that is a main part of the plot of this game, nothing spiritual or unspiritual. Just a Game.


      As far as games like GTA (grand theft auto), I think the line goes way in front of that game and I also beleive that Halo is far more mild than GTA. The sexual and criminal acts that are a huge part of the game and that earn you points, are incredibly inappropriate. I would never think to use a game like that to reach students, and here’s why…


      It glorifies things that students can actually do and that areactually detremental to their life and future if they were to engage in these acts. Having sex with prostitutes, selling drugs, stealing and murder are all task that you can do in the game. That is OBVIOUSLY unhealthy.


      Halo, is a team game (you can play with up to 16 players if you have 4 consoles) that helps to create positive memories for students having fun with their leaders.Yes, there is military violence in the game (Master Cheif is a Marine) but I have never heard of a student trying to throw a plasma grenade…well you get my point.


      And stop yourself before you start talking about Columbine and the recent shooting in Cleveland, and other incidents like them. Halo DID NOT CONTRIBUTE to these. Those things happened more as a result of poor parenting, tragic events that traumatized them or even a predisposition to psychosis.


      Halo is a game that should be used by youth leaders/pastors to reach students. That is where they are, what they are doing, and is a huge opportunity to build relationships.


      -E

    13. Leonard on Wed, October 17, 2007

      Good thoughts Eric.  I agree that it is just a game and very different from some of the games mentioned. This game should be used as nothing more than a bridge not the ministry.

    14. Daniel on Wed, October 17, 2007

      Eric—good thoughts. 


      Halo is certainly much much better than Grand Theft Auto and games of its ilk.  I personally still don’t think it’s a good idea to spend hours and hours running around training yourself to shoot at everything (or almost everything) that moves, but your point is well taken.


      However, I must take issue with the causal factors you see at work in tragedies like Columbine.  As much as “poor parenting, tragic events that traumatized them or even a predisposition to psychosis” may have played a role, you can’t deny that the world human beings inhabit (composed of both ‘real-world’- and cyber-experiences) plays a part in shaping their self-understanding.  Consequently, spending lots and lots of time playing games were the objective is enemy-annihilation DOES play a role (though there is of course much more to be said) in tragedies.  People have to be trained to become what they become.


      As I admitted before however, it may be that 1 hour of Halo at church may not be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.


      Brian, your comment requires a separate answer because you contradict Jesus’ teachings.  You said: “While the Bible does teach ‘turn the other cheek’, It by no means teaches you to be a doormat.  When stopping opposition with words fails, what would you use? When opposition openly kills civilians and refuses to negotiate, and threatens your very way of life, do you still just turn the other cheek?”


      My only answer is to look at Jesus—who died on a cross because he refused to retaliate violently, and to look at the early Church, who were martyred en masse (with their children!), because of their unwillingness to pick up the sword.  Only when Constantine made Christianity the religion of the Roman empire did Christians start fusing the cross and the sword.


      I maintain that nonviolence is one (if not the) key Christian virtue (which we should be seeking to nurture in our youth).  We aren’t called to be doormats, certainly, but we even more certainly aren’t called to pick up the sword to defend ‘our way of life’.


      Our way of life is self-sacrificial love.  How do you defend that with a sword?


      Peace,


      -Daniel-

    15. Brian on Wed, October 17, 2007

      I, too, struggle with the same principle of non-violence.  When Jesus himself drove the money changers from his temple by using a whip of cords, is that not violence?  Jesus was protecting his Father’s house.  While this is the only example of violence that Jesus does,  God uses violence repeatedly in the Old Testament to accomplish his will. (If you believe in the trinity, they are in fact the same person)  In addition, Revelation is extremely violent.  God has no problem with utterly destroying what is wrong and evil when the time comes.


      Don’t get me wrong, I avoid violent resolutions to problems whenever I can.  I believe that we are called as Christians to find non-violent solutions wherever possible.  I simply believe the violence depicted in Halo does not contradict Christian teachings because it is based in fantasy, does not reward you for it, and (in the story mode) is the last alternative the entire human race has when faced with extinction. 


      I think you confused my meaning of “way of life”.  I meant existence.

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