Ever since 2016 I have operated this gaming ministry as the “Dungeon Master Pastor”. It worked because it was just me, doing things on the side as a vocational hobby. I was a pastor and a dungeon master and was interested in what might happen if I crossed the streams a bit more intentionally. I’ve written blogs, created some resources, hosted events (like the amazing Holy Rollers retreat), taught, and generally been a part of the ttrpg community.

But over the last couple years, and especially over the last few months, I’ve been feeling that it’s time for a bit of an identity update. More and more I have discovered what it is that I feel called to in this space and have gathered a few others onto the team to help me explore it. There is community here, and the potential for more. There is depth here, and the potential for more. There is fun here, and the potential for more. There is joy here.

In the spirit of that joy, we have given this strange ttrpg ministry project a new name: ROLL FOR JOY. For this, the maiden voyage blog under this new name, I want to speak a bit about this joy.

First, a disclaimer. I come at this project openly and transparently from a Christian point-of-view. I engage with the world and with my faith with a deep sense of spiritual sincerity. As a part of that, I have long nurtured practices of contemplation, prayer, meditation, and spiritual direction. I have also engaged with and studied a number of religious and mystical traditions from around the world. As I have engaged in this deep spiritual work and met others likewise engaged from across the scope of religions, one of the truths that has arisen for me is that in the deep places of the world’s faith traditions we are more alike than we are different. In those deep places the distinctions fall away, only to leave the divine experience of being human. One of my spiritual beliefs is that at the core we all are pieces of God, yearning to be reunited with God and each other.

As a Christian, I name that joy in this way: Jesus (who was fully God) became fully human, humbly joining with humanity and in turn graciously opening the doorway for humanity to be joined with our eternally creative God! I write this on Easter night. In this season of Easter, Christians everywhere celebrate that eternal creativity, which is an infinite resurrecting power to take what is broken, formless, and void and do perplexing, dazzling, and amazing new things. This is truly a season of joy.

But what is this true joy? In The Book of Joy Archbishop Desmond Tutu says, “we are fragile creatures, and it is from this weakness, not despite it, that we discover the possibility of true joy.” True joy does not hide from the challenges of the world, challenges that Jesus fully embodies through his
death on the cross. It is not a skin-deep façade, but rather that which is sung about in Psalm 30,

“Weeping may spend the night, but joy comes with the morning.”

Psalm 30:5b

True joy, which comes through the resurrecting power of Christ, frees us so we are no longer beholden to who we have become. Yes, we have imperfect lives. Yes, the injustices and wars of the world might pile on top of us. Yes, the pain of grief might seek to bury us. Yes, those are real, but they need not define us or limit our happiness for,

“Happy/ Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

Matthew 5:4

It is possible to access this joy, which is promised by God as our birthright as God’s own children and image bearers, for many many people have inexplicably found such joy even in the midst of great suffering. In our games on the tabletop, we trust that the dungeons can be escaped and the dragons overcome. We find joy and fun both in the process and in the victory. We find it best when we find it collaboratively together.

The point of Roll for Joy, this strange ttrpg ministry project, is to lift up that joy in our communal play around tables together, and to lift out that joy from the realm of the tabletop experience and into the rest of our lives. In doing this, we help people use games and the Spirit of Play to enjoy the fullness of their humanity and the depths of divinity within.