Online video games are part of the daily routine of many teenagers and young adults. For some, it’s a second life online. For others, streaming video game sessions to hundreds of followers has even become a source of income.

For millions, online gaming platforms are the place to meet new friends from all over the world whilst competing against each other in games such as Grand Theft Auto, Fortnite or Resident Evil Requiem.

Christians also form part of these communities, and some have forged deep friendships in the online world that have led to meaningful conversations about faith.

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A still unexplored mission field

Christian Vision (CV), based in the UK, wants to prepare Christians and local chuches for “a radical new future” where opportunities open to “explore new horizons in evangelism to take the gospel in every direction”, they say on their website.

 

Emerging technologies are a priority.

“People have been sharing the gospel in gaming spaces for years”, Heinz Oldewage, Managing Director of CV tells Evangelical Focus. The need now is an “innovative, coordinated, and intentional mission effort to support and scale evangelism in these types of platforms”.

“The opportunity is not theoretical – this type of evangelism is already happening and has been happening for some time”

Among a generation of hyper-connected digitally natives, “it's been clear to see that Jesus has been raising up many individuals to preach the gospel in these spaces”. But  “these people are operating almost entirely on their own”, Oldewage says.

These believers are often “not being actively supported, equipped, or backed” by their local churches or mission organisations. “The opportunity is not theoretical – this type of evangelism is already happening and has been happening for some time”.

“However, what we have not yet seen is a coordinated, scalable missional response that recognises these spaces as genuine mission fields and supports them accordingly”, he adds.

 

Giving your life to Christ whilst playing video games

In April, CV Global shared the story of someone who “gave their life to Jesus during a live in-game interaction streamed in real time on CV’s Discord server”.

Small teams led by an experienced evangelist had been organised for in-game outreach hoping to “start conversations and introduce people to Jesus”.

During the first live session in the game ARC Raiders, more than 20 meaningful conversations happened, the ministry explains. “They engaged one man in a deep discussion that led to prayer and an invitation to encounter Jesus. Another gamer opened up, received the gospel, and chose to accept salvation through Jesus”. The person who became a Christian has been connected to a local church.

 

Exploring Digital Mission Fields

Recently, CV’s Digital Mission Fields project is “identifying and engaging unreached audiences across different geographic areas, language groups, and digital spaces”.

One aim is to equip and encourage Christians to “share their faith with confidence by providing practical tools and strategies”.

“That’s why we’re passionate about seeing Christians in gaming communities take opportunities to share their faith online when they arise”, explains Heinz Oldewage.

 

 

 

 

 

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Heinz Oldewage Q&A: Online evangelism, ‘Digital Day’

Question. In a growing context of AI tools, algorithms, paid campaigns online... How can Christian initiatives keep their ethics and values clear in the wild digital world of merchandising and content production?

Answer. Three things matter most: First, don’t do the obviously wrong things – no deceptive ads, no emotional or spiritual manipulation, no manufactured urgency to push people into decisions.

Secondly, it is important to be transparent about the use of AI, especially in pastoral contexts. When someone reaches out in a moment of spiritual need, they deserve to know whether they're talking to a person or an AI bot. AI can be a genuine help in content  production and even evangelism, but it shouldn’t pretend to be something it isn't.

Third, we need to remember what evangelism actually is. It’s the work of the Spirit, carried out in partnership with the church. Algorithms and campaigns are tools; they don't move people to faith. If we treat these technologies as the engine rather than the servant, we end up trusting the wrong things. Keep the tools in their place, and keep the church and the Spirit at the centre.

 

Question. In 2025, you organised a ‘Digital Day’ gathering. How do you hope it will serve churches and mission organisations in the future?

Answer. CV’s annual Digital Day event (held in London every year) is a dynamic one-day event designed to serve the Church and other mission organisations by equipping and activating them for effective evangelism in digital spaces.

The day aspires to move people from awareness to action and our belief is that it will continue to empower people, including church and ministry leaders, with practical, actionable approaches they can immediately apply in their own contexts.

“Algorithms and campaigns are tools. If we treat these technologies as the engine rather than the servant, we end up trusting the wrong things. Keep the church and the Spirit at the centre”

By accelerating the adoption of proven tools, insights, and initiatives, it can help the wider Church engage more confidently and fruitfully in digital evangelism.

Digital Day also plays a key role in expanding awareness of CV’s work and translating global evangelism learnings into usable strategies. This ensures that what is being discovered and developed can be shared at scale, benefiting churches and ministry organisations far beyond the event itself.

One of the most incredible things about Digital Day is the sense of community it gives to those who attend. Bringing likeminded people together each year creates a hub where space is made for genuine connections and ideas are shared around new and emerging approaches to evangelism.

A range of resources and training courses (in English, Spanish, Portuguese) are available on the ministry’s website to help people share their faith both online and in person.

 

About Christian Vision

CV Global is a global non-profit organisation, founded in 1988 by Lord Robert Edmiston. They are an evangelism-focused ministry “committed to helping people everywhere encounter Jesus”.

They aim to equip the Church, as well as every day Christians, with “free tools and strategies, to empower believers around the world to share their faith and see the message of Jesus multiply across traditional and emerging spaces”.

Their main headquarters is in Solihull in the United Kingdom, but CV has major hubs in three other locations: Maroochydore (Australia), Dallas (United States), and Cape Town (South Africa). The organisation has smaller office locations around the world with more than 350 employees globally.