How God is in gaming and the 15 second prayer

If you’re a parent, you’ve probably asked yourself at least once: “How many hours can a human being spend on Fortnite before they turn into a couch cushion?”

I hate to break it to you, but gaming isn’t going anywhere. In fact, it’s the largest entertainment industry on the planet. Your kids’ favorite worlds aren’t distractions from real life; they’re where friendships are forged, challenges are faced, and get this: even where God can show up.

That’s right: video games, gaming, and esports aren’t barriers to God. They can actually be bridges. For both you and your kids. (Yeah, I saw your jaw drop.)

Every parent knows the daily grind: laundry piles, homework checks, dishes after dinner, chauffeuring kids from one activity to another. Gamers know it as XP farming, loot hunting, and climbing ranked ladders.

But, what if you saw your child’s grind in gaming as a way to talk about the grind of faith? Scripture calls us to a steady, daily practice with things like reading God’s Word, prayer, small acts of kindness. In other words, spiritual XP.

Imagine encouraging your kid by pointing out that the patience they show mining resources in Minecraft is the same kind of patience God builds in us through life’s routines. Suddenly, their game time becomes a spiritual teaching moment.

Parents, you are already in co-op mode. You’re Player Two (or Player One, depending on the day). Parenting is the ultimate team campaign.

Psalm 23 doesn’t say, “You will never enter the Valley of Shadow of Death.” It says, “Even though I walk through the valley… You are with me.” David reminds us that God doesn’t abandon us when things get hard. And in the same way, you don’t abandon your child when they’re stuck on a tough level, whether that’s algebra, adolescence, or a raid boss.

What if you leaned into their gaming world as a way to remind them of God’s presence? A quick prayer before a match or an honest talk after a frustrating loss invites God into the conversation. By doing this you model that faith isn’t just for Sundays. It's for every lobby your child enters.

Kids tilt. Parents tilt. Everybody tilts.

Your child rage-quits after a loss and you rage-lecture after reminding your player to take out the trash for the ump-teenth time. Same energy.

But James 1:19 calls us to be “quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.” When your child loses it over a dropped match, you have the chance to show what tilt-proof faith looks like. Instead of escalating, you practice patience. Instead of sarcasm, you speak encouragement.

Gaming can train you just as much as it trains your child. God uses those heated living room moments to shape our character as much as theirs.

Here’s a super radical thought: gaming can be worship.

Not in the sense of bowing down to the Xbox, but in how our attitudes reflect God’s character. When your child treats teammates with respect, resists trash talk, or celebrates creativity in a building game, that’s worship.

And when you, as a parent, honor your player’s gaming interests by engaging with them instead of dismissing them, you’re worshiping, too. You’re saying: “God, thank You for how You wired my child, even if I don’t fully understand this whole speedrunning Minecraft thing.”

So how do parents actually engage with God through gaming? Try these quests:

• Ask, don’t assume. Instead of “Why do you waste time on that game?” try, “What do you enjoy most about it?” This type of question opens space for connection.

• Pray before play. A 15-second prayer with your child before a session plants the seed that God belongs in every part of life.

• Look for teachable moments. A lost match? Talk about resilience. A great team win? Talk about gratitude.

• Celebrate creativity. Point out how games mirror God’s creativity and how your child’s imagination reflects His image. Think Minecraft.

Parents don’t need to be a gamer to connect with your child in this world. And they definitely don’t need to fear that gaming pulls them away from God. No way.

Instead, see it as an opportunity. An opportunity to walk alongside them, to point out spiritual truths, and to remind them that God is Player Two who will never disconnect. Never.

Here’s the truth: every game has a story. And you, as a parent, get to help your child see how their story, with controller in hand, headset on, eyes glued to the screen, can also be a story of God’s grace, guidance, and presence.

Game over? Not a chance. There’s just too many games for the story to end.

Make the connection:

Which one of the quests will you use with your player to engage with God through gaming?

Connecting gamers • Building communities • Creating champions