Metaverse CHURCH Resource Kit
The metaverse, comprising new and yet-to-be technologies, shows incredible potential for the future Church.
THE METAVERSE IS UPON US!
Sometimes called Web 3.0, the metaverse, comprising new and yet-to-be technologies, shows incredible potential for the future Church. From the communities based in virtual reality to the potential communication channels influenced by augmented reality to the cultural shift towards decentralization influenced by cryptocurrencies and blockchain, our world will look very different thanks to the metaverse.
What role does the Church play in the metaverse? What role does the metaverse play in the Church?
In the Metaverse Church Resource Kit we will explore:
- What is the metaverse?
- What is the Church currently doing in the metaverse?
- What is the potential of the metaverse in relation to the Church and its mission?
4 AREAS OF FOCUS
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Metaverse Disciple-making
How will metaverse technologies like VR, AR, mixed reality, and even artificial intelligence help complement the disciple-making process in the metaverse as well as in physical churches?
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Metaverse Mission Field
How does engaging in metaverse communities like VR's AltVR, VR Chat, Rec Room, Facebook Horizon, or other avatar-based communities open up a new mission field? The harvest is BIG. The workers?
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Metaverse Churches
How does a metaverse church follow a biblical ecclesiology? Can a biblical church function in virtual reality? What will augmented reality do to strengthen the mission of the physical church?
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Metaverse Technologies
How will metaverse technologies like AI, machine learning, and even blockchain and cryptocurrencies, help physical churches and their mission? How will our culture’s move towards decentralization affect the church?
Metaverse CHURCH Sessions
- Welcome: Jeff Reed, Director of Metaverse Church NEXT
- Web 3.0 Overview: Adam Graber, FaithTech
- Virtual Reality Communities: Micheal Uzdavines, Church of the META
- Mental Health and the Metaverse: Mindy Caliguire, Soul Care
- Wrap-up: Jeff Reed, Director of Metaverse Church NEXT
- Introduction: Jeff Reed, Director of Metaverse Church NEXT
- Evangelism in the Metaverse: Bill Willenbrock, 4X Christian Fellowship
- Theology of the Metaverse: Jason Poling, Cornerstone Yuba City
- Pastoring and Shepherding in the Metaverse: Stuart McPherson, Lakeland Church
- Wrap-up: Jeff Reed, Director of Metaverse Church NEXT
- Introduction: Jeff Reed, Director of Metaverse Church NEXT
- Decentralization and Cultural Impact on Church: Chestly Lunday, DigitalChurch.Network
- Video Game Church: DJ Soto, VR/MMO Church
- Video Game Missionaries and/or Pastors: Q&A with Jeff Reed, DJ Soto, Enrico Pellini, and Aleatha Singleton
- Augmented Reality & Immersive Journaling: Q&A with Jeff Reed and LMichelle Salvant
- Bible on the Blockchain: Noel Thomas, ZeroTrafficking
- Closing: Jeff Reed, Director of Metaverse Church NEXT
METAVERSE CHURCH SPEAKERS
An unparalleled lineup of metaverse practitioners to guide you through these conversations.
Mindy Caliguire
Mindy Caliguire
Mindy is the co-founder and president of Soul Care (www.soulcare.com), a spiritual formation ministry that exists to increase “soul health” in the body of Christ. She serves in senior leadership for Cherith Analytics, and in the past has served in executive leadership at Gloo (www.gloo.us), and at the Willow Creek Association (WCA). She speaks and advises organizations including Stadia Church Planting and various churches and ministries across the US and beyond. The Soul Care team serves organizations including Christ Church of the Valley, Dallas Theological Seminary, Plum Creek Church, and more. Mindy’s books include Discovering Soul Care and Spiritual Friendship from InterVarsity Press and STIR: Spiritual Transformation in Relationships from Zondervan (HCC).
Adam Graber
Adam Graber
@AdamGraber (MA Digital Theology, BA Psychology) is a Digital Theology Consultant for FaithTech and co-host of the Device & Virtue podcast. For FaithTech, Adam leads and presents research on the Missional Tech Trends, exploring emerging technologies and assessing their impact and opportunity for Christian organizations.
Chestly Lunday
Chestly Lunday
Chestly Lunday is highly regarded as an international speaker, coach, and consultant helping people defeat futility in life and the workplace. Having given over 1000 unique presentations, he has worked with denominations like the Southern Baptist Convention, The Assemblies of God, the Christian Reformed Church, and The Reformed Church in America as well as multiple businesses. Chestly has over a decade of developing leaders from all walks of life. Chestly is on the cutting edge of innovation in the religious non-profit sector, co-founding Digital Church Network, training and connecting Digital Church leaders all around the world. Chestly’s insights help leaders facing the prospect of irrelevance in their ministries by helping them build a cohesive strategy around digital community and discipleship.
Stuart McPherson
Stuart McPherson
Stuart McPherson is the VR Campus pastor at Lakeland Community Church in Lake Geneva, WI. He has been in ministry for 10 years doing everything from youth to adult ministry, and now digital ministry. Stuart is not your traditional pastor, he has tattoos and piercing but Loves Jesus a ton! Others would say he is crazy about his family, CrossFit, and the Church.
Additionally, Stuart also is the host of the “Stu on This” Podcast and Co-host of the “Life in Rhythm” podcast.
Stuart describes himself as a straight shooter and has three main Loves in his life 1. Jesus, 2. His Family and 3. Chips and Salsa. Stuart believes that any restaurant that serves chips and salsa should give the table two baskets. One for the table and one just for him. You can find out more about Stuart at StuartMcpherson.org.
Enrico Pellini
Enrico Pellini
Enrico, commonly known as Rico in the 'verse, is actively involved in Virtual Reality and Video Game communities. He is an MMO Pastor for VR MMO Church.
Jason Poling
Jason Poling
Jason loves being a pastor. He loves to encourage people and help them become over-comers through preaching, teaching and counseling the Word of God. He is super excited about reaching others with the Good News of Jesus Christ and helping Christians get on this same mission. Jason served as an Adult Ministries Pastor for 10 years at an EFCA church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa before becoming the lead pastor at Cornerstone. Before serving in Iowa, he went to seminary at Southern Seminary in Louisville, KY. Jason is from southwest Ohio, and thus a (not) proud Cincinnati sports fan. He is married to his best friend, Gwen, and they have 3 kids, 3 dogs (small, medium and Newfie-size), 7 cats (one being a 3-legged, black cat named Darth Kittious), and 3 rabbits. He likes music, songwriting, reading, movies, outdoor sports, beatboxing, coffee, chocolate, adventure cycling, Sci-Fi, hobby farming, and cottage
cheese on pizza (and you really should too).
L Michelle
LMichelle
L.Michelle Salvant is an Emerging Media & Content Development Coach in Tallahassee, FL. Her company, LMichelleMedia, helps clients connect and engage with their communities by using Emerging Media Platforms / Technology. The company also helps develop creative learning experiences for students, and aids Ministry and Church leaders in training their teams in Media Ministry. A fan of Wearable Tech, L. has been using Smartglasses to journal Life and make "Life Films" since 2013. L.Michelle is married to Army Reserve Chaplain, Christopher Salvant, Sr. and they have one son, Christopher, Jr.
Aleatha Singleton
Aleatha Singleton
Koko (aka Aleatha Singleton) is an elder pastor at VR MMO Church, and pastor of MMO Church in Final Fantasy 14 hailing from Southeast Texas.
She’s also an author, teacher and consultant for VR shops and teams, and mentors UX professionals, in order to enable them to create more compelling and user-friendly immersive experiences for their clients.
In her free time, she likes to play video games, design and build furniture, and study the Japanese language.
DJ Soto
DJ Soto
Believing that faith is renewed as people engage with the good news of God’s love on new technology platforms, D.J. Soto began preaching in the metaverse in 2016. Originally thinking they would plant physical churches, they soon realized a new vision to plant churches in the metaverse. He is now the Bishop of Virtual Reality Church and MMO Church, which are futuristic church expressions that is intended to be radically inclusive and consistent with Christianity’s long history of adapting to new forms of media.
Noel Thomas
Noel Thomas
Noel Thomas is co-founder and CEO of Zero Trafficking, a data company bringing innovative data, analysis, and training solutions to the frontlines of anti-trafficking. Under Noel’s leadership, Zero Trafficking fights human trafficking networks with digital intelligence, proactively detecting and tracking sophisticated criminal organizations who exploit victims for profit through force, fraud, and coercion.
Micheal Uzdavines
Michael Uzdavines
Pastor Michael Uzdavines was born in New Jersey and moved to Florida with his family at the age of 13. As a young boy, Michael enjoyed computer programming, playing video games, playing baseball and hockey, and eventually played college baseball. Michael went to law school at the University of Florida and met his wife, Marilyn, there. They have been married for 17 years and have four children, Franco (14), Angelina (13), Valentina (11), and Liliana (5). After ten years of practicing law, Michael felt a calling on his life to be in full-time ministry. Michael earned his Masters in Divinity from Liberty University and later his M.B.A. from University of Florida. For the last ten years, in his free time, Michael has been developing games and programs to help spread the gospel of Jesus. His passion is reaching out to the lost and unchurched through video games and in the digital space. Michael and his family have lived in South Florida for the last nine years where they enjoy going on family bike rides, day trips to the beach, playing tennis, and playing games together.
Bill Willenbrock
Bill Willenbrock
Bill Willenbrock, aka “PastorBrock”, is the founder of 4X Christian Fellowship, a parchurch fellowship which meets primarily in “VRChat”, a VR social platform. Over the last three years Bill has spoken to thousands from as far as China, Romania, India, and undisclosed locations in the middle-east. Bill holds a MDiv. from Concordia Theological Seminary and has over a decade of parish ministry experience, He resides with his wife and four children in suburban Detroit.
Not Just a Tech Talk!
Sure, we’ll explore the idea of the metaverse as a mission field and the technology surrounding that, but we’re going to dive deep into the theology of a church operating in the metaverse. Quite frankly, we’re asking a lot of questions that have not been asked. Then… wait for it… We will be sharing real stories of those pioneering churches and individuals innovating in the metaverse.
Leadership Network is always interested in pioneers. Our metaverse pioneers are the people who first asked the hard theological questions, and then, after prayerful consideration, launched strategies into this new mission field. We can learn a lot from them!
And hopefully along the way we’ll inspire churches like yours, maybe even people like you, to see the potential to disciple and multiply in the metaverse. The harvest is plenty, and the workers are few.
Brought to you by:
Jeff Reed
Director of Metaverse Church NEXT
In June 2000, Jeff led his first Online Bible Study, taking 75 people around the planet through the book of James using a text-based system called Ultimate BB. He was doing digital ministry way before it was cool. Founding THECHURCH.DIGITAL in 2018, Jeff’s passions have evolved into helping churches (and individuals too!) find their calling through digital discipleship, releasing people on digital mission, and planting multiplying digital churches. This pursuit is realized through DigitalChurch.Network, an organic, decentralized network for digital expressions of church, globally. Jeff also champions Meta Church development as the Director of Metaverse Church Next for Leadership Network, and works closely NewThing Network, Exponential, and other globally facing, multiplication-friendly, gospel-centric organizations.
Jeff married his high-school sweetheart, Amy, and has two kids and a dog, They live in Miami, Florida.
