Ministry combines love for fantasy with passion for faith
Geekdom House on a mission to love and serve the nerd and geek community
WINNIPEG, MB—A new ministry is combining its love for all things fantasy with its mission to reach others for Christ.
While some may think of ‘geek’ and ‘nerd’ as derogatory names heard in high school hallways, ‘geekdom’ is in fact a vibrant culture whose members enjoy fantasy (C.S. Lewis and J.R. Tolkien are two examples well known in faith circles), science fiction, comics, and gaming among other pursuits.
The newly launched ministry Geekdom House is on a mission to serve that community with the love of Jesus. Founder Kyle Rudge says the geek community is often missed when it comes to church outreach, in part because of how the church is structured.
“Typically ministries in the church follow one of three categories: Either they are gender-specific, martial-status specific or age-specific,” Rudge explains. “The church doesn’t really set things up as interest-based.”
The idea for Geekdom House came about as Rudge and his wife Marilyn examined two important issues: What is the mission of small groups? And, how could they incorporate a Bible study that would generate enthusiasm and in-depth faith discussion while appealing to the Christian geek culture?
Rudge quickly found faith and fantasy could work together after putting together a test group last year. Based on the space western TV show Firefly, they explored the idea of treating the show as a theme for a Bible study. He wrote the Bible studies himself and is looking to get them published through a Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign.
So far, he says, their small group is thriving.
“We are generally getting people who have tried every other category of small group and felt they did not fit,” Rudge says. “When somebody has their love for God and love for geek culture collide, there is this incredible passion that erupts out of that. It is so exciting to see and be a part of. It’s like they become whole, finally.”
The group even attended the 2014 Winnipeg Comic-Con, calling it their own short-term mission trip. For three months they rehearsed 28 a cappella songs from popular video games, television shows and movies, and then sang them to convention attendees and celebrities.
One actor from The Hobbit became so excited he jumped on the table, dancing and singing along. Another voice actor from the popular animated television show, “Sailor Moon,” was so moved at the group’s dedication that he cried, saying, “Nobody has ever sang to me before.”
He even invited the minstrels to sing as special guests for the entire audience at the question and answer panel session later that day.
People at the convention asked, “Why are you doing this?” and Rudge says their answer was simple: “We are a group of Christians and we just want to love, serve and bless you as a community.”
Earlier this year, Geekdom House launched its website and Rudge says people are already applying to join the singing minstrels this year.
“We want to be pioneers and we want to create excellent works that are a unique contribution,” Rudge says, “and that is our entrance into this community.”
For more information about Geekdom House’s ideas visit its website at geekdomhouse.com.
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