Checkpoint Church

Join us at Checkpoint Church as we explore The Last of Us' controversial ending through the lens of Christianity. Nerd Pastor Nate delves into the moral dilemmas faced by protagonist Joel and draws parallels with Jesus Christ's teachings. Engage in thought-provoking discussions on faith, gaming, and the choices that define our lives. Whether you're a die-hard fan or new to the world of gaming, this unique perspective is not to be missed. Subscribe and hit the bell for more content like this, and share your thoughts on Ellie's choice in the comments below. See you in the video! Support our ministry here: https://checkpointchurch.churchcenter.com/giving Follow Us Everywhere: https://linktr.ee/CheckpointChurch We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Writer, Filmographer: Nathan Webb Editor: Niki Turner Secret Link: https://youtu.be/YeQBEjKaL8c Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before. Timecodes: 0:00 - Introduction 0:56 - Welcome! 1:29 - Scripture 2:42 - TLOU Recap 3:21 - Summary of the Finale 6:18 - Joel's Trolley Problem 7:10 - Scripture Analysis 8:15 - Jesus Rejects the Trollley 8:50 - No Teams for Jesus 9:40 - What does this mean for us today? 10:49 - Thanks for Watching! 12:00 - Quick Question 12:30 - Three Things 13:16 - Twitch Clip!

In this video, Nerd Pastor Nate from Checkpoint Church discusses the recent reboot of the classic anime Trigun in its new form as Trigun Stampede. Nate dives into what makes the protagonist Vash so unique, namely his unwavering commitment to pacifism in a world of violence and conflict. Drawing on scripture from Luke 6:27-36, Nate explores the radical call to love one's enemies and do good to those who mistreat you. He also provides an overview of the Trigun Stampede story and highlights the impressive 3DCG animation. If you're a fan of anime, thoughtful discussions on faith and ethics, or just want to learn more about Trigun Stampede, this video is for you. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and check out Checkpoint Church's other content! Support our ministry here: https://checkpointchurch.churchcenter.com/giving Follow Us Everywhere: https://linktr.ee/CheckpointChurch We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Writer, Filmographer: Nathan Webb Editor: Niki Turner Secret Link: https://youtu.be/wH76zi_Enyo Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before. Timecodes: 0:00 - Introduction 1:04 - Welcome! 1:37 - Scripture 2:54 - What is Trigun Stampede? 4:21 - Vash's Best Character Trait 6:01 - Scripture Analysis 7:45 - A Calling to Pacifism 8:06 - A Quick Caveat 8:26 - Christians Do Not Make War 10:23 - What does this mean for us today? 12:12 - Thanks for Watching! 13:43 - Quick Question 14:05 - Three Things 14:53 - Twitch Clip!

In this video, Nerd Pastor Nate discusses the indie game A Space for the Unbound and its powerful message about grace and acceptance. He delves into the game's storyline, characters, and gameplay, exploring how it addresses prevalent concerns of the current generation such as anxiety and depression. Nate also draws parallels to the life of Jesus and how the game's themes relate to Christianity. If you're an indie gamer looking for a meaningful gaming experience, or just interested in exploring deeper themes in video games, this video is for you. Follow Us Everywhere: https://linktr.ee/CheckpointChurch We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Writer, Filmographer: Nathan Webb Editor: Niki Turner Secret Link: https://youtu.be/8Lkcig9Hup0 Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before. Timecodes: 0:00 - Introduction 1:03 - Welcome! 1:40 - Scripture 2:13 - A Quick Caveat 2:36 - What is A Space for the Unbound? 5:19 - What's Really Happening in ASFTU 6:55 - Scripture Analysis 9:02 - Atma and Personified Grace 10:23 - What does this mean for us today? 11:46 - Thanks for Watching! 13:11 - Quick Question 13:24 - Three Things 14:20 - Twitch Clip!

In this video, Nerd Pastor Nate takes a deep dive into the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe entry, Ant-Man: Quantumania, and shares his thoughts on the film's highs and lows. He also explores a pivotal moment in the movie where the importance of focus is emphasized, drawing parallels to the need for unity and cohesion in the Church, as seen in 1 Corinthians. With insightful commentary and relevant scripture, Nate encourages viewers to reflect on the question, "Has Christ been divided?" and consider ways to work towards a unified vision of Christ in the church. Whether you're a Marvel fan or a Christian seeking spiritual insight, this video offers thought-provoking perspectives and invites you to join the community of faith and inclusion at Checkpoint Church. Don't forget to like and subscribe for more weekly deep dives! Follow Us Everywhere: https://linktr.ee/CheckpointChurch We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Writer, Filmographer: Nathan Webb Editor: Niki Turner Secret Link: https://youtu.be/UpPx7E27Bc8 Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before. Timecodes: 0:00 - Introduction 0:44 - Welcome! 1:15 - Scripture 2:06 - What is Quantumania? 3:45 - The Possibility Paradox 5:08 - Scripture Analysis 7:08 - Has Christ Been Divided? 9:32 - What does this mean for us today? 11:19 - Thanks for Watching! 12:38 - Quick Question 13:11 - Three Things 13:59 - Twitch Clip!

Join Pastor Nate as he dives into Fire Emblem Engage, a classic Nintendo real-time strategy game, and explores the parallels between the game's concept of the "communion of heroes" and the Christian belief in the communion of saints. Follow Us Everywhere: https://linktr.ee/CheckpointChurch We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Writer, Filmographer: Nathan Webb Editor: Niki Turner Secret Link: https://youtu.be/ON_khh_jy94 Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before. Timecodes: 0:00 - Introduction 1:12 - Welcome! 1:49 - Scripture 2:31 - What is Fire Emblem Engage? 3:43 - Narrative Storytelling in FE Engage 5:08 - Rings & Communion of Saints 6:49 - Scripture Analysis 9:10 - What does this mean for us today? 10:00 - Thanks for Watching! 11:12 - Quick Question 11:25 - Three Things 12:18 - Twitch Clip!

Join Nerd Pastor Nate as he dives into the latest HBO Max series "The Last of Us", exploring its themes of love, tragedy, and its resonances with faith. With no spoilers for the main plot points, this review focuses on the relationship between the two main characters Joel and Ellie and the show's portrayal of love's potential to cause harm. Follow Us Everywhere: https://linktr.ee/CheckpointChurch We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Writer, Filmographer: Nathan Webb Editor: Niki Turner Secret Link: https://youtu.be/yhOYzGNAGNM Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before. Timecodes: 0:00 - Introduction 1:01 - Welcome! 1:39 - Scripture 2:32 - What is The Last of Us? 3:36 - Theme of Bad Love in TLOU 6:35 - Love, According to Jesus 8:10 - Scripture Analysis 9:45 - Love isn't Good in TLOU 10:27 - What does this mean for us today? 12:07 - Thanks for Watching! 13:38 - Quick Question 14:13 - Three Things 14:59 - Twitch Clip!

Join us on this episode of Nerdy Sermon Rewind as we dive into the critically acclaimed indie game Omori and its exploration of heavy themes such as suicide, depression, and mental illness. We discuss how this story can improve our relationship with Jesus and whether or not we should consider playing games like Omori. Watch the full video to find out more! Follow Us Everywhere: https://linktr.ee/CheckpointChurch We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Writer, Filmographer: Nathan Webb Editor: Niki Turner Secret Link: https://youtu.be/EghCfCePT5k Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before. Timecodes: 0:00 - Introduction 0:53 - Welcome! 1:29 - Scripture 2:10 - What/Who is Omori? 5:03 - Hope in Omori 6:19 - Scriptural Analysis 8:30 - Parallels between Omori and the Bible 9:34 - What does this mean for us today? 11:51 - Thanks for Watching! 13:21 - Quick Question 13:46 - Three Things 14:43 - Twitch Clip!

Join the convo on our Discord: https://discord.gg/zUg5sj7 Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://bit.ly/tothepointnews Follow our blog: https://www.checkpointchurch.com//blog The LVL2 Podcast is a monthly, community-driven podcast distributed through our podcast hub. We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before.

Pentiment is a unique and thought-provoking narrative adventure game set in Bavaria in the 16th century. As the journeyman artist Andreas Maler, players investigate the murder of a prominent person for which his friend has been accused. But the story doesn't stop there - it spans three acts over 25 years and involves the entire town of Tassing. In this video, we delve into the themes of perception, judgment, and prejudice in Pentiment, and how it relates to our call to live a Christian life.  The game's art style and use of fonts to represent characters' education levels adds depth and complexity to the story. And through its exploration of class hierarchy and power dynamics, Pentiment serves as a reminder to check our own biases and strive for fairness and equality in our relationships. Don't miss out on this unique and entertaining game that also encourages self-reflection and growth in our faith. Follow Us Everywhere: https://linktr.ee/CheckpointChurch We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Writer, Filmographer: Nathan Webb Editor: Niki Turner Secret Link: https://youtu.be/AjIfxeNhrj4 Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before. Timecodes: 0:00 - Introduction 0:50 - Welcome! 1:54 - Scripture 3:06 - Introduction to Pentiment 4:15 - Hierarchy and Power Dynamics in Pentiment 5:59 - Themes of Perception, Judgment, and Prejudice in Pentiment 8:29 - Scripture Analysis 9:38 - Discernment vs Discrimination 12:05 - What does this mean for us today? 13:30 - Thanks for Watching! 14:28 - Quick Question 15:02 - Three Things 16:20 - Twitch Clip!

Find Full Transcript Here: https://www.checkpointchurch.com/post/nerds-of-pray-frost Nerds of Pray is the podcast where Nerd Pastor Nathan Webb of Checkpoint Church sits down with some of the leading people in the realm of Nerd/Pop Culture Ministry. He asks them questions about their specific venture into the ministry, as well as what first led them to the intersection of faith and fandom. In this episode, Nathan sits down with Luke Filipiak of LoveThyNerd, FrostByteIV and LukeAndAsia. Support Luke Filipiak:    Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lovethynerd | https://www.twitch.tv/frostbyteiv YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FrostByteIV Twitter: https://twitter.com/FrostByteIV Website: https://lukeandasia.com/ Nerds of Pray is made possible by the support of Checkpoint Church, the church for nerds, geeks, and gamers online. This episode was hosted, produced, recorded, edited, and mastered by Nathan Webb. It was captured via Cleanfeed and edited in DaVinci Resolve. Intro/Outro Music is Royalty Free: "The Little Broth" by Rolemusic    Key Art/Logo was created by: Nathan Webb    Character Art/Avatar by: mondayvibes To support Checkpoint Church and the ministry they produce, please like this video and subscribe to our channel or these other sources:  Podcast: https://anchor.fm/checkpoint-church  Linktree: https://linktr.ee/CheckpointChurch  Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch  Discord: https://discord.gg/zUg5sj7  Website: http://www.checkpointchurch.com/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/checkpointchurchnc  Twitter: https://twitter.com/CheckpointNerd  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/checkpointchurch/  Merch: https://checkpoint-church.creator-spring.com/ Our next episode will be dropping next month and will feature Matt Alexander of Checkpoint Church. Look forward to that and thanks again so much for giving us a listen! If you have any recommendations or would like to be considered as a future guest on the podcast, submit your name and biography to checkpointchurch@gmail.com. The Checkpoint Church Podcast Hub is the hub for all of our podcasts, sermons, and special projects. To learn more, go to checkpointchurch.com or send any questions you have to checkpointchurch@gmail.com. 0:00 - Clip 0:20 - Intro 0:35 - Introducing Luke 1:13 - Welcome Luke! 2:53 - What flavor of nerd are you? 3:55 - Where did your nerd journey begin? 6:30 - Where did you first find the intersection of faith and fandom? 10:10 - Connecting with Love Thy Nerd 20:15 - Luke's Ministry Calling 23:15 - Maintaining Different Ministry Accounts 27:35 - Digital Ministry Collaboration 31:00 - Milestones for Love Thy Nerd 48:19 - What do you think the future of faith and pop culture looks like? 55:28 - What are you watching/reading/playing? 1:05:00 - Shout outs 1:09:50 - Closing 1:10:46 - Credits #nerdsofpray #podcast #newpodcast #frostbyte #lovethynerd #twitchstreamer #interview #church #christian #nerd #nerdpastor #checkpointchurch #nerdministry

Join the convo on our Discord: https://discord.gg/zUg5sj7 Respond to this blog here: https://www.checkpointchurch.com/post/we-begin-from-the-end Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://bit.ly/tothepointnews Follow the blog: https://www.checkpointchurch.com//blog To The Point is a weekly newsletter distributed through our email chain, website, and podcast. We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before.

The holiday special is a lost art, but this year, Marvel brought the world a special treat with the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. It’s no masterpiece, but it does what it needs to do and doesn’t overstay its welcome. We can all agree that we need more Drax in our lives, and Mantis is undoubtedly one of our less-known background characters, so an adventure with the two of them feels like a great use of 45 minutes.  My favorite part of these holiday specials is that they don’t need to go above and beyond with some ephemeral narrative; they can keep things grounded and remind us of the more straightforward message of being better people. Is it cheesy? Yeah, but I write nerdy sermons on pop culture. I’m cheesy.  For this nerdy sermon, we’re going to talk about how Drax and Mantis, and the crew help illustrate one of the lasting truths of the Christmas season. Maybe they even prove you never needed to abduct a celebrity to find happiness. Let’s talk about it. Follow Us Everywhere: https://linktr.ee/CheckpointChurch We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Writer, Filmographer: Nathan Webb Editor: Niki Turner Secret Link: https://youtu.be/t3zUeLqa05s Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before. Timecodes: 0:00 - Introduction 0:53 - Welcome! 1:57 - Scripture 2:22 - What is the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special? 4:25 - Why This Movie Matters 4:58 - Scripture Analysis 6:11 - Parallels with GotG 7:21 - Holiday Traditions 8:33 - What does this mean for us today? 9:53 - Thanks for Watching! 10:36 - Quick Question 10:55 - Three Things 12:17 - Twitch Clip!

2022 was a pretty fantastic year for gaming - as most years have been for a while now - but perhaps the two hallmarks of the year capped the beginning and end quite nicely. We started 2022 with Elden Ring and wrapped it up with God of War Ragnarok. God of War has been hotly anticipated since the 2018 smash hit, and folks were waiting with bated breath to see just how many times Kratos would say, “Boy!” But the best bit of the game for me was knowing what we were in for by the title alone: Ragnarok. And this game did not disappoint in exploring all of the complexities of the archaic term. If Kratos’ story since the refresh has been one of redemption, then Atreus’ story has been one of destiny… or rather, defying that destiny.  For this nerdy sermon, we’re going to explore how the relationship between purpose and destiny relates and how Kratos & Atreus’ story can teach us how to focus on the right stuff as we move forward toward whatever is ahead. Let’s talk about it.  Follow Us Everywhere: https://linktr.ee/CheckpointChurch We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Writer, Filmographer: Nathan Webb Editor: Niki Turner Secret Link: https://youtu.be/Pobwy_es2uc Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before. Timecodes: 0:00 - Introduction 1:03 - Welcome! 1:37 - Scripture 3:21 - What is God of War Ragnarok? 4:58 - God of War Ragnarok & Destiny 6:03 - Scripture Breakdown 7:42 - Eschatology of Jesus 10:10 - Perspective Shift of Destiny vs Purpose 12:00 - What does this mean for us today? 14:02 - Thanks for Watching! 14:44 - Quick Question 15:14 - Three Things 15:58 - Twitch Clip!

Take the quiz for yourself: https://apps.quanticfoundry.com/surveys/start/gamerprofile/ Join the convo on our Discord: https://discord.gg/zUg5sj7 Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://bit.ly/tothepointnews Follow our blog: https://www.checkpointchurch.com//blog The LVL2 Podcast is a monthly, community-driven podcast distributed through our podcast hub. We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before.

RSVP PLEASE! https://bit.ly/checksmas2022 Join the convo on our Discord: https://discord.gg/zUg5sj7 Respond to this blog here: https://www.checkpointchurch.com/post/better-begins-with-you Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://bit.ly/tothepointnews Follow the blog: https://www.checkpointchurch.com//blog To The Point is a weekly newsletter distributed through our email chain, website, and podcast. We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet hit the universe two weeks ago, and I’m not exaggerating when I say that it’s all I want to play all of the time. And yet - it seems impossible to go anywhere without hearing complaints about the game. It’s the frame rate, the bugs, the raid issues, the botched this, or the broken that. But in essence, Game Freak kind of gave Pokemon fans precisely what we’ve been asking for for generations now… but it came with some costs that made the game overall suffer.  Given that this is a nerdy sermon, it shouldn’t shock you to hear that this is a pretty human conundrum to find ourselves in. We face this pressing reality as people, and we’ve done it since the beginning. I’d wager this won’t be the last time a video game fails to live up to expectations. In this nerdy deep dive, we’ll highlight one particularly overused piece of scripture to reveal some of the secrets of expectations and look into ways to help ourselves out of the rut of disappointment in our favorite things.  So what do the captive Israelites have to do with Pocket Mans? Let’s talk about it. Follow Us Everywhere: https://linktr.ee/CheckpointChurch We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Writer, Filmographer: Nathan Webb Editor: Niki Turner Secret Link: https://youtu.be/calH97ghNqc Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before. Timecodes: 0:00 - Introduction 0:56 - Welcome! 1:39 - Scripture 2:14 - What is the deal with Pokemon Scarlet & Violet? 4:41 - So... it's a bad game then? 6:41 - Scripture Analysis 8:18 - Our Expectations of Jesus 9:05 - Advent & Preparation 10:27 - What does this mean for us today? 12:40 - Thanks for Watching! 13:17 - Quick Question 13:31 - Three Things 14:25 - Twitch Clip!

Fill out the survey here: https://bit.ly/ttpfeedback22 Join the convo on our Discord: https://discord.gg/zUg5sj7 Respond to this blog here: https://www.checkpointchurch.com/post/better-begins-with-you Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://bit.ly/tothepointnews Follow the blog: https://www.checkpointchurch.com//blog To The Point is a weekly newsletter distributed through our email chain, website, and podcast. We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before.

Two years after his tragic passing, we’ve finally seen Marvel’s honoring of Chadwick Boseman and his excellent portrayal as the Black Panther, aka T’Challa. And the pressure was real, I’m sure. The world has wondered for years now how the franchise would adapt and shift with the needed change. How would his legacy be captured? How would the fictional character be lifted to highlight the real one?  Of equal importance to honoring the life lost, Black Panther Wakanda Forever sought out not only that but also to allow the coping and processing on behalf of Letitia Wright’s Shuri and Angela Bassett’s Queen Ramonda. That, in my opinion, was the real crux of this film, and - long runtime and busy script aside - I’m fascinated by the grief processing exhibited in the movie.  What can we learn from Ryan Coogler’s presentation on grief when there is no one to blame? Let’s talk about it. Follow Us Everywhere: https://linktr.ee/CheckpointChurch We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Writer, Filmographer: Nathan Webb Editor: Niki Turner Secret Link: https://youtu.be/calH97ghNqc Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before. Timecodes: 0:00 - Introduction 0:54 - Welcome! 1:33 - Scripture 2:53 - What is Black Panther Wakanda Forever? 5:44 - Shuri's Vision 6:38 - Scripture Analysis 7:59 - Reading Ourselves into the Story 9:00 - The Grief of Jesus' Arrest & T'Challa's Death 11:00 - What does this mean for us today? 12:50 - Thanks for Watching! 13:38 - Quick Question 14:05 - Three Things 14:47 - Twitch Clip!

Join the convo on our Discord: https://discord.gg/zUg5sj7 Respond to this blog here: https://www.checkpointchurch.com/post/an-advent-reality Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://bit.ly/tothepointnews Follow the blog: https://www.checkpointchurch.com//blog To The Point is a weekly newsletter distributed through our email chain, website, and podcast. We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before.

Sonic Frontiers has officially been out for a few days, but as I wrote this, I still needed to get to play the dang thing because I got the VID. I’m better now, by the way, appreciate the prayers, good vibes, and check-ins.  By the time this nerdy deep-dive hits the airwaves, I will hopefully have been proven incorrect or correct about my theories in this one on the blue blur’s story in this game, but, in the interest of hopping on the hype, it’s worth noting that the level of Sonic never really changes in any media. Ultimately, Sonic the Hedgehog’s narrative doesn’t revolve around being the fastest - Sonic already is. So it’s instead, ‘who can be the most powerful?’  But the result always reveals that the question isn’t what it seems. So this deep-dive will explore the pursuit of power present in one Ivo ‘Eggman’ Robotnik and how he may be treading down a familiar path to the disciples of Jesus.  Follow Us Everywhere: https://linktr.ee/CheckpointChurch We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Writer, Filmographer: Nathan Webb Editor: Niki Turner Secret Link: https://youtu.be/calH97ghNqc Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before. Timecodes: 0:00 - Introduction 0:56 - Welcome! 1:28 - Scripture 2:41 - Sonic Lore 101 4:47 - Sonic Frontiers Predictions 6:16 - Scripture Analysis 8:30 - The Truth of Power 9:17 - What does this mean for us today? 11:08 - Thanks for Watching! 11:47 - Quick Question 12:06 - Three Things 12:58 - Twitch Clip!

Join the convo on our Discord: https://discord.gg/zUg5sj7 Respond to this blog here: https://www.checkpointchurch.com/post/billbaord-vs-bases Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://bit.ly/tothepointnews Follow the blog: https://www.checkpointchurch.com//blog To The Point is a weekly newsletter distributed through our email chain, website, and podcast. We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before.

Do you know those wholesome anime where it’s not about victory but the friendships made along the way? Yeah - this isn’t that. When I first got Blue Lock the manga in my Manga Spice Cafe sub box, I thought I was in for another encouraging and wholesome sports manga like Whistle! But - this is a far cry from that. Blue Lock happens when you combine a battle royale with soccer and the results, while not deadly, are just as cutthroat. To make matters that much worse, the themes of this manga and its new anime feel antithetical to anything possibly Christian. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to make this connection. But then I realized that if we shift the focus just a smidge, this illustrates something incredible about who Jesus is, was, and is to be.  So what could a story about being the best striker around have to do with Jesus from Nazareth? Let’s talk about it. . Follow Us Everywhere: https://linktr.ee/CheckpointChurch We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Writer, Filmographer: Nathan Webb Editor: Niki Turner Secret Link: https://youtu.be/calH97ghNqc Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before. Timecodes: 0:00 - Introduction 1:05 - Welcome! 1:38 - Scripture 2:31 - What is Blue Lock? 5:20 - Why is this relevant? 6:03 - Scripture Analysis 8:36 - Ego May Be Right 9:33 - The Power of Self Definition 10:30 - What does this mean for us today? 12:22 - Thanks for Watching! 13:03 - Quick Question 13:23 - Three Things 14:07 - Twitch Clip!

Join the convo on our Discord: https://discord.gg/zUg5sj7 Respond to this blog here: https://www.checkpointchurch.com/post/of-stakes-and-holders Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://bit.ly/tothepointnews Follow the blog: https://www.checkpointchurch.com//blog To The Point is a weekly newsletter distributed through our email chain, website, and podcast. We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before.

Look - I hear you. How on earth is there anything a church could say about Chainsaw Man? An anime literally about devils, chainsaws, gore, and one of the pervier MCs we’ve seen since Mushoku Tensei.  But make no mistake, Chainsaw Man is here to make waves and has already broken the Internet - er, at least, Crunchyroll’s servers - several times. But we don’t even need to dive very deep at all into the plot to see that Chainsaw Man’s lore provides us with unique insight into one of the less discussed aspects of the Bible. We’re talking demons, devils, and what’s the true power of fear in this nerdy deep dive.  What could a man fused with the chainsaw devil possibly do with Jesus? Let’s talk about it. . Follow Us Everywhere: https://linktr.ee/CheckpointChurch We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Writer, Filmographer: Nathan Webb Editor: Niki Turner Secret Link: https://youtu.be/tFjMdsODA4s Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before. Timecodes: 0:00 - Introduction 0:42 - Welcome! 1:17 - Scripture 2:40 - What is Chainsaw Man? 4:12 - Chainsaw Man Lore 5:12 - Scripture Analysis 7:15 - The Power of Names 8:40 - Names, Power & Fear 10:12 - What does this mean for us today? 11:27 - Thanks for Watching! 12:07 - Quick Question 12:17 - Three Things 13:15- Twitch Clip!

Join the convo on our Discord: https://discord.gg/zUg5sj7 Respond to this blog here: https://www.checkpointchurch.com/post/happily-missing-out Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://bit.ly/tothepointnews Follow the blog: https://www.checkpointchurch.com//blog To The Point is a weekly newsletter distributed through our email chain, website, and podcast. We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before.

Find Full Transcript Here: https://www.checkpointchurch.com/post/nerds-of-pray-jate Nerds of Pray is the podcast where Nerd Pastor Nathan Webb of Checkpoint Church sits down with some of the leading people in the realm of Nerd/Pop Culture Ministry. He asks them questions about their specific venture into the ministry, as well as what first led them to the intersection of faith and fandom. In this episode, Nathan sits down with Jate Earhart, founder of Love Clan and full-time Twitch Streamer known as JateLIVE. Support Jate Earhart:    Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/jatelive Discord: http://loveclan.net/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ThatGuyFromTwitter/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JateLIVE Nerds of Pray is made possible by the support of Checkpoint Church, the church for nerds, geeks, and gamers online. This episode was hosted, produced, recorded, edited, and mastered by Nathan Webb. It was captured via Cleanfeed and edited in DaVinci Resolve. Intro/Outro Music is Royalty Free: "The Little Broth" by Rolemusic    Key Art/Logo was created by: Nathan Webb    Character Art/Avatar by: mondayvibes To support Checkpoint Church and the ministry they produce, please like this video and subscribe to our channel or these other sources:  Podcast: https://anchor.fm/checkpoint-church  Linktree: https://linktr.ee/CheckpointChurch  Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch  Discord: https://discord.gg/zUg5sj7  Website: http://www.checkpointchurch.com/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/checkpointchurchnc  Twitter: https://twitter.com/CheckpointNerd  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/checkpointchurch/  Merch: https://checkpoint-church.creator-spring.com/ Our next episode will be dropping next month and will feature Luke Filipiak of Love Thy Nerd. Look forward to that and thanks again so much for giving us a listen! If you have any recommendations or would like to be considered as a future guest on the podcast, submit your name and biography to checkpointchurch@gmail.com. The Checkpoint Church Podcast Hub is the hub for all of our podcasts, sermons, and special projects. To learn more, go to checkpointchurch.com or send any questions you have to checkpointchurch@gmail.com. 0:00 - Clip 0:36 - Intro 1:10 - Introducing Jate 1:43 - Welcome Jate! 4:25 - What flavor of nerd are you? 7:10 - Where did your nerd journey begin? 10:30 - Where did you first find the intersection of faith and fandom? 17:30 - What is Love Clan? 21:51 - Jate's Origin Story 30:29 - What is Full-Time Streaming like? 43:50 - What is the future of JateLIVE & Love Clan? 47:59 - Listener Q: What is one thing from the physical church that you brought with you? 52:40 - What do you think the future of faith and pop culture looks like? 59:40 - What are you watching/reading/playing? 1:02:42 - Shout outs 1:04:36 - Closing 1:05:39 - Credits #nerdsofpray #podcast #newpodcast #jate #jatelive #jateearhart #twitchstreamer #interview #church #christian #nerd #nerdpastor #checkpointchurch #nerdministry

Rethink Article: https://www.umc.org/en/content/netflixs-the-midnight-club-is-more-all-saints-day-than-halloween?fbclid=IwAR2Op2yDuQLAMeGHYBV3gCwbOFX5jSmLHFnFlTOyChZ_OJ3BvTBv3Vn5P84 Whenever the weather starts to get cold, I begin to anticipate what Mike Flanagan will do next. But I wasn't so sure whenever I learned his next show was about terminal children in a hospice center.  Nevertheless, I gave the midnight club a chance, and I'm glad I did because it might just be one of my favorite examples of why our Christian testimony is so important. If you're a fan of when Mike Flanagan talks about faith in a way that accidentally really is an excellent example of faith, then this is the perfect show for you. What does a horror show about terminally ill children in a miraculous hospice center have to do with our conversations and stories as Christians? Let's talk about it. . Follow Us Everywhere: https://linktr.ee/CheckpointChurch We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Writer, Filmographer: Nathan Webb Editor: Niki Turner Secret Link: https://youtu.be/eivnVc7yWuY Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before. Timecodes: 0:00 - Introduction 0:43 - Welcome! 1:30 - Scripture 2:44 - What is The Midnight Club?  4:26 - The Purpose of the Midnight Club 5:20 - The Storytelling in The Midnight Club 6:28 - Connecting our Scripture 8:26 - Our Testimony As An Echo of Jesus 10:15 - What does this mean for us today? 11:40 - Thanks for Watching! 12:07 - Quick Question 12:22 - Three Things 13:03- Twitch Clip!

Join the convo on our Discord: https://discord.gg/zUg5sj7 Respond to this blog here: https://www.checkpointchurch.com/post/you-should-be-learning Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://bit.ly/tothepointnews Follow the blog: https://www.checkpointchurch.com//blog To The Point is a weekly newsletter distributed through our email chain, website, and podcast. We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before.

A bit of a different one today, but maybe the most important message we have to offer at Checkpoint. This nerdy sermon will cover a wide variety of topics by the time all is said and done, but we'll ultimately explore the answer to the question, "Will Checkpoint stay in Twitch?" with all that is happening right now. The easy answer - yes, but a better answer will ultimately come through this video and nerdy sermon. Not to mention I try to talk about trending media, and I had to figure out a way to weasel in a quick sermon on an older game I am obsessed with right now.  So what do Twitch, indie darling OneShot, and Checkpoint Church have to do with the disciples of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of Luke and my TikTok account? Let's talk about it.  . Follow Us Everywhere: https://linktr.ee/CheckpointChurch We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Writer, Filmographer: Nathan Webb Editor: Niki Turner Secret Link: https://youtu.be/ACULtdKEVdY Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before. Timecodes: 0:00 - Introduction 0:43 - Welcome! 1:19 - Scripture 2:27 - What is OneShot? 3:29 - The True Importance Behind OneShot 5:01 - What The OneShot Community Taught Me 6:15 - The Why Behind The What 7:01 - Our Scripture For Today 8:15 - Who is the Enemy of the Digital Church? 10:21 - What does this mean for us today? 12:08 - Thanks for Watching! 12:39 - Quick Question 12:53 - Three Things 14:02- Twitch Clip!

Join the convo on our Discord: https://discord.gg/zUg5sj7 Respond to this blog here: https://www.checkpointchurch.com/post/who-benefits-from-digital-church Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://bit.ly/tothepointnews Follow the blog: https://www.checkpointchurch.com//blog To The Point is a weekly newsletter distributed through our email chain, website, and podcast. We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before.

This might just be our most niche Nerdy Sermon to date. But dang it… I’m obsessed, and you can’t stop me unless you click away. Please don’t - let me geek out about this, I beg you. If you follow us on Twitch, then you’ve already heard a bit of this rant, but I have become obsessed with this music video project on YouTube called Milgram. It’s one of the most creative ideas I’ve seen in a long while, and it’s put together so phenomenally that I can’t stop thinking about it. Do you like death games like Danganronpa or Squid Game? It’s got that. Do you like anime OPs? You get ten per season. Do you like gorgeous animation and compelling anime characters? Got it. Do you like to decide the fate of murderers based on their feelings personified in a music video? A bit more specific, but if that’s you - you’re in luck. This series is so compelling and especially worth talking about concerning the Christian faith because it centers around the concept of forgiveness, which is… kind of a big part of what we do.  So what could J-pop have to do with Jesus? Let’s talk about it. Follow Us Everywhere: https://linktr.ee/CheckpointChurch We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Writer, Filmographer: Nathan Webb Editor: Niki Turner Secret Link: https://youtu.be/ACULtdKEVdY Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before.

Join the convo on our Discord: https://discord.gg/zUg5sj7 Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://bit.ly/tothepointnews Follow our blog: https://www.checkpointchurch.com//blog The LVL2 Podcast is a monthly, community-driven podcast distributed through our podcast hub. We stream Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday: https://www.twitch.tv/checkpointchurch Checkpoint Church is the place where all people from all walks of life are always welcomed with loving arms. We strive to steer clear from the modern temptations of being too ‘churchy’ or judgmental. We are the safe space for those who haven’t felt welcomed by the church before.