Checkpoint Church is a “welcoming and inclusive community that caters to people from all walks of life, with a special focus on those who identify as nerds, geeks, or gamers.” Founded by ‘Nerd Pastor’ Nathan Webb, an ordained provisional elder in the United Methodist Church, Checkpoint church is an ‘online church’ on Twitch, Discord, and YouTube, catering to a very specific demographic.
Built around an online community that hangs out watching the pastor playing video games on stream, the ‘church’ takes the nerd/gamer/geek motif to the extreme, “gamifying” involvement and participation.
Their sermon repertoire is geared towards those who love geek culture, featuring short homilies with occasional questionable biblical applications and tie-ins.
Castlevania Nocturne: The Vampire Messiah & Christian Perspective
Exploring Madoka Magica: The Deconstruction of Magical Girl Anime & Christian Prayer
Finding Faith in the Fantasy: Baldur’s Gate 3 as a Spiritual Parable
Broken but Capable: Spiritual Lessons from Mary, Martha, and the Mario Bros
Started by a United Methodist Church pastor, a brief promo video for the church throws up more than a few red flags.
Despite the insistence by Nerd pastor Nate that what he has created is a “real church,” it is anything but. It may be a helpful ministry, but unless he’s pointing people to a physical gathering with a shepherd, sermon, worship, communion, and church discipline, he has a geek-centered social club but little more.
