D&D, Dudes, and Discipleship

A sword swings toward the terrifying enemy. You dodge to avoid an incoming projectile. A flash of powerful magic fills the area. As you and your companions emerge victorious from the combat, you all let out a loud cheer!

Is this the description of the newest fantasy video game or movie? While it certainly could be, this scene is played out in the mind of a Dungeons and Dragon player. While Dungeons and Dragons (also known as D&D) may have had a tumultuous past with Christianity, the recent popularity of Dungeons and Dragons—in both playing and media representation—has reintroduced the public to many enjoyable aspects of the game. 

With this recent reemergence, could Dungeons and Dungeons be a helpful game/tool for discipleship? From my playing experience, I think a wide range of things—Dungeons and Dragons included—could provide a fruitful medium for discipleship, particularly among high school, youth, and college students. 

Why D&D?

I was first introduced to D&D by my youth co-leader Brandon when we were thinking of fun activities to do with our high school students. On a whim, we decided to try out D&D as it was gaining popularity. Our youth students and I were immediately hooked on the adventure and freedom the game gave us. Now, I play in two games. In one, I act as the Dungeon Master. In the other, I participate alongside my former students in our adventure.

“Perhaps Christians can consider how things like D&D can be not only an enjoyable way to connect but also a medium for discipleship or outreach.”

One of the great struggles of youth ministry is connecting many different personalities together and retaining that close Christian brotherhood after graduation. Our D&D group allowed us to do both of those things. When our group began our adventure, we were united around a common cause— protecting a new settlement on a distant island. Our many differences were not a hindrance in our group cohesion. Instead, each person brought something uniquely personal to the game that others could not. As our adventure continued, the story that initially brought us together continued to keep us closely connected as friends. 

How Can D&D be Utilized with Discipleship? 

The tabletop role-playing game is certainly a unique gaming medium. But how can this gaming medium help in discipleship? I think a wide array of things—D&D included—can be of benefit for discipleship. Here’s what I’ve seen happen through our D&D group.

1. Unite different groups

The attraction of D&D is its appeal and inclusion of people from varying backgrounds and different personalities. D&D was historically a game for the uncool, basement-dwelling nerds. However, recent shows such as Stranger Things, Community, and The Big Bang Theory as well as celebrities like Stephen Colbert, Vin Diesel, Joe Manganiello, or Deborah Ann Woll have contributed to the massive renewed interest in the game. D&D is now more open and accessible to a wide variety of players from different backgrounds to play together. 

“One of the struggles of youth ministry is connecting many different personalities and retaining that close Christian brotherhood after graduation.
Our D&D group allowed us to do both.”

This accessibility does not guarantee that all will be interested, but the recently removed stigma associated with the game may inspire new participants to join in the fun. For discipleship, D&D can be a way to connect with a more reserved individual or to bring together multiple different groups of people.

2. Participate in a narrative

At its core, D&D tells a story—much like The Lord of the Rings or the Chronicles of Narnia. However, the biggest difference between these well-known epics and D&D is the player’s ability to make meaningful decisions within the story. Like our own situation in God’s grand narrative, D&D players make decisions within the world that the Dungeon Master has placed them in. Thus, the players are intimately involved in the story and its outcome. 

“ Like our own situation in God’s grand narrative, D&D players make decisions within the world that the Dungeon Master has placed them in.”

Due to this more intimate connection to the story, players are not just passive bystanders to the events but active participants together with their fellow party members. Stories unite people around a compelling narrative, and D&D stories are no exemption. The shared experiences of a D&D story and the larger scope of uniting narratives provide an opportunity for a group to begin uniting around a common cause. 

3. Learn about your friends

It can be difficult to force people—especially dudes—to share about themselves in a formal (or even less formal) church setting. Games, and cooperative games, in particular, are a fantastic medium to allow people to break out of their shell and connect with others. As a cooperative game, D&D provides an environment designed for players to learn about the others at the table. 

While on the adventure together, players make decisions within the game that can either benefit or hurt themselves or the group. Players can explore the background of others at the table and why others have made certain character personalizations or decisions. Players tend to reflect the personality of their owners, and these moments offer an opportunity to learn more about the friends you are fighting alongside.

4. Provide a guiding hand

In traditional discipleship, there is a mentor-mentee relationship. Often an older, wiser, or more mature Christian provides a guiding hand for young Christians in their adolescent faith. Similarly, D&D can provide opportunities to have a mentor/mentee relationship in a gaming experience. The game is full of action-packed fights, difficult moral decisions, and the resulting consequences from decisions made. With so many choices available, D&D is a great gaming medium to see how people make choices and explore why they made a particular choice over another. Things may not always go the player’s way based on the decisions they choose to make. 

“A discipler can guide youth through decision-making and moral processing in a way that would help them in real life. ”

From my own playing experience, having an older adult or youth leader playing alongside youth-aged students can prove very beneficial. Younger players can be overwhelmed by the numerous choices available or stuck when confronted with a difficult moral decision. A discipler can guide youth through decision-making and moral processing in a way that would help them in real life. 

What the Youth have to Say

I can only speak from the perspective of a youth leader. What about the perspective of the youth? I asked several of my youth guys their reflections on how D&D helped in their discipleship. They come from different backgrounds and are heading off toward different career paths. But our weekly games of D&D still keep us all connected. Here’s what they have to say. 

Zac: I definitely wouldn't have been as close with Seth, Nathan, and Graham if we didn't start playing D&D in high school. Since I know them so well, I definitely feel like I can talk to them about stuff and they'll respond in a sound, Christlike manner. It's helped me stay connected with my leaders too. If I have a question about anything I don't feel weird texting Brandon even though he lives halfway across the country. 

Seth: Just playing a simple game like D&D with these guys really helped me through some of my darkest times throughout the past couple of years. I look forward to every Monday and Thursday because I know the hours of laughter I’m going to have as well as the times we sit there and have deep conversations about God or things we have on our minds.

I think God introduced this game into my life as a way to bring me closer to guys that will be my absolute best friends for the rest of my life. I think it also has brought me two Christian role models that I can watch and learn from… It honestly has been a blessing from God that we decided to start doing this.

Graham: The differences between living at home and living at school were intense. At home, I was in an environment where I was constantly surrounded by believers, lifelong friends, and my brothers and sisters in Christ. [At school], there is no pressure to get up in the morning and go to church, much less stay involved in the body of Christ. 

Regularly playing D&D allowed us to stay in touch over the long distances we traveled from each other and keep our relationship with Christ intact. This acts as an anchor for me, to prevent me from losing track of what really matters in my life. When we play, it strengthens our relationships with our brothers in Christ. If not for the game, our relationship wouldn’t be nearly as strong. Those relationships will last for a lifetime, and through those relationships, our relationship with Christ grows stronger as well.

Nathan: I feel like D&D gave me the chance to do what I did as a kid: play pretend and be cooler than I was. It also allowed me to hang out with some people I admire and grow closer together with my friends, creating memories we will hopefully remember for many years. 

As D&D and role-playing games continue to rise in popularity, perhaps Christians can consider how things like D&D can be not only an enjoyable way to connect but also a medium for discipleship or outreach. What might God use in your context to reach out to and engage others?  

Eddy Wu is a Ph.D. student at Southeastern Baptist Theology Seminary and works as the IT Operations Manager. His interests include Apologetics, Technology, A.I., and Asian culture. He enjoys teaching and mentoring the youth at his church. He is married to Erica, and they have two beautiful and crazy children, Millie and Oliver.