Why Stream DOOM? A Confessional Lutheran Answer

The night before All Hallows’ Eve, in the Year of our Lord 2025, I fired up my first game play live stream on the YouTube channel—DOOM (1993), the pixelated hymn of chaos itself. It wasn’t just about blasting demons, though. It was a chance to relax, chat, and take questions about theology, Confessional Lutheran belief, and what it means to live as a Christian in this strange digital age. My face quickly became a magnet for fireballs and bullets, my reflexes proved about as sharp as a butter knife, and the chat had an absolute field day watching the mayhem and asking questions.

Not long after my DOOM live stream, someone reached out with a sincere and loving question:

“Why stream a video game and take theological questions when you could’ve done a Bible study or something similar?”

It’s a good question—and one that deserves a thoughtful answer. My reasoning is two-fold.

1. Because My Content Is Supplemental—Not Sacramental

I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: what I do online is not a replacement for Church.

We live in an era where far too many trade in-person worship and pastoral care for internet sermons and “digital churches.” The COVID years only accelerated this confusion. But the Church is not a screen. It’s not a live stream. It’s flesh and blood—Christ’s flesh and blood given and shed for you in Word and Sacrament.

The Augsburg Confession makes this clear:

“That we may obtain this faith, the ministry of teaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments was instituted.” (AC V, The Office of the Ministry)

The Office of the Holy Ministry is not a “content creator” role. It’s a divine office, instituted by Christ Himself for the forgiveness of sins. Pastors are not influencers; they are shepherds charged with preaching, absolving, and distributing Christ’s gifts to His flock.

So when I stream a video game, host a podcast, or write on Substack, I’m careful to keep a clear distinction between vocation and platform. My calling as a pastor is to preach, teach, and administer the Sacraments in the local congregation. My online work is a supplement—a tool for reflection, encouragement, and theological engagement, but never a replacement for the divine service or your local pastor.

That’s why a “chill” stream can actually serve a healthy purpose. It draws a line between devotional teaching and Christian discussion. It gives space to interact, laugh, and think about theology in an informal way—while reminding everyone that the true gifts of grace come only where Christ has promised them: in His Word and Sacrament.

2. Because Pop Culture Is a Mission Field Too

From the beginning, my channel’s motto has been:
Always Biblical. Always Entertaining. Always in that order.

That means I don’t just talk about doctrine in isolation. I also talk about culture—because culture shapes how people think, what they value, and even how they hear the Gospel.

DOOM might seem like a strange choice for that conversation, but it fits perfectly. It’s one of the most iconic video games ever made, a fast-paced, heavy-metal battle against literal demons. And while it’s not a theological treatise on demonology, it captures something real: evil exists, and it must be confronted.

Scripture says:

“For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12, ASV)

We don’t fight those powers with chainsaws or shotguns—but with the Word of God and prayer. That’s the fun juxtaposition I like exploring in streams like this. Games like DOOM open up conversations about spiritual warfare, sin, redemption, and the hope we have in Christ.

It’s the same reason I write pulp fiction, design T-shirts, and run this Substack: to help Christians think about art, culture, and creativity through a biblical worldview.

Christians shouldn’t retreat from culture—we should engage it faithfully, discerningly, and boldly. Not to sanctify everything, but to point out where truth, beauty, and goodness still glimmer through the cracks.

In Closing

So yes—I’ll keep doing these game play streams, Lord willing, about once a month. They’ll remain relaxed, conversational, and grounded in the same commitment that guides everything I do:

Always Biblical. Always Entertaining. Always in that order.

They’re meant to build community, encourage conversation, and remind us that faith isn’t a cloistered thing. It’s lived out—even in the pixelated corridors of Mars where the DOOM Slayer fights his endless war.

And through it all, we hold fast to something far greater than a BFG 9000:
the victory of Jesus Christ, who has already crushed the head of the serpent and conquered every demon once and for all.

You can watch the replay of the live stream here: