I will be performing a concert from my living room via Facebook Live on Thursday, April 16th at 7:00 pm CST. Visit www.facebook.com/PhillipTelferAuthor/ to join this live event
For nearly two decades I have been speaking to youth and parents about making wise media and entertainment choices from a Biblical Worldview. One of the hot topics has been the subject of video games.
It was not uncommon to have teens asking me what I thought about their favorite game. I originally brought up four things for them to consider for themselves instead of just hearing my opinion.
1. The Bible teaches us to redeem the time. Video games can be an enormous time sink. Is this the best use of your time?
2. Research is proving what mom’s already know — video games can be addictive. This can become problematic in the home and for personal responsibilities. Is gaming under control or are you under its control?
3. Is there anything in the game you’re playing that if you did in real life would break one of the moral laws of God?
4. Video games often foster a false sense of accomplishment. This is usually at the cost of real-life accomplishments that are neglected due to a fixation on playing video games.
In the last few years I’ve modified my questions a little and have added three more considerations.
I’ve recently written a short E-Book that explains all seven considerations in more detail and I tell my personal story regarding video games.
Download My FREE E-Book
7 Considerations in the Age of Video Games by Phillip Telfer
In my new book, Why Save Alexander, seventeen-year-old Alex Brooks is obsessed with going pro until he suddenly goes missing. He must face a life or death struggle in a foreign culture that doesn’t have a power grid. His digital world didn’t prepare him for these challenges. Alex also hides a deep secret, the cavernous void in his life that nothing seems to fill. He gains a new perspective on what it means to become a man and what it takes to be a hero.
I was inspired to write this story after two significant moments left a deep impression on me. The first happened years ago when speaking to a youth group about making wise media and entertainment choices. After my presentation a twelve-year-old approached me to share how the message that evening had a positive impact on him. He confessed to being addicted to playing video games but he also described his broken home and his greatest challenge, “I am lonely, I don’t know what to do with myself.” This insightful and heartfelt statement became the seed for Why Save Alexander.
The second moment watered that seed while listening to a seminar on the importance of storytelling. The speaker encouraged Christians to learn the craft and get better at communicating stories to our generation. It made me think about my ministry to teens and motivated me to try and write a creative and compelling novel.
The result is this coming-of-age story that follows Alex as he is forced to grow up the hard way through extraordinary circumstances, which cause him to reevaluate what’s important in life, his need for God, and the positive influence of older mentors.
This book has been over seven years in the making and I’m excited to announce that it is available now for pre-order on Amazon and will be ready to ship on December 17, 2019 in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle. I look forward to announcing the release of the audio book as soon as the publisher confirms the date (presently 1/14/2020).
“Teens and young adult men and women will enjoy and benefit from this book. It’s full of action vividly described. It moves quickly and will engage the reader. This gripping story is full of much truth. In clever and creative ways, Phillip causes readers to think about and evaluate their lives, relationships, goals, purposes, and passions. They may not even realize they’re thinking about these things while enjoying the book, but it will be good for them. I expect some readers will make changes in their lives because of Phillip’s important story. I don’t read much fiction because it doesn’t move me, but I could not put this book down.”
“Phillip Telfer is a master story-teller, drawing the reader into a tale that is both epic and intimate. This book is an unexpected reading adventure with an irresistible plot line, curious characters, and exotic cinematic backdrops. Why Save Alexander showcases Telfer’s rare knack for supplying pithy and profound cultural insight. He blends high stakes drama and winsome fun with a deeply thought-provoking message to produce a delightfully soul-stirring tale.”
“Phillip Telfer is a dear friend and a wise and engaging communicator whose heart for Christ and the gospel is evident in all that he does. This book is embedded with an important and timely theme for our generation.”
“An entertaining story driven by values you can feel good about.”
“There was a time in my life—many moons ago—that I read for fun. Give me a Hardy Boys mystery or Nancy Drew novel (not just for girls!) and I would be transported into a world of adventure and intrigue where the good ‘guys’ accomplished something daring and noble. That was then. Now? Two of my last books have been about theology and religious criticism. I just don’t take the time for mystery and adventure. But I should. Why Save Alexander started out as a read as a favor for a friend, but morphed into a nostalgic throwback—only with a Christian underpinning that came naturally in this story. And left me wanting to read the next book in this series—if one should be written.”
“Phillip Teller tells a good story here that is sure to engage the young teen as well as adult reader. Why Save Alexander walks the fine line between the real world and the metaphoric, but leaves the reader with a firmer grasp on reality—God’s reality—real reality. The message could not be more powerful and important for the post-modern, thoughtful reader.”
How often have you said or heard someone say something like, “I’m having trouble juggling all the different things in my life”? It’s even more notable when I hear it from a young adult who is single without the responsibilities of children, or home ownership, or leading a team for a business or ministry. I truly believe they mean what they say, as much as I have meant it when I’ve said it myself.
Yet it eventually occurred to me that the metaphor of juggling sets us up for failure and discouragement when a ball gets dropped along the way. There are many things in our lives that we should always take responsibility for on an ongoing basis, to our spouse and children, to our particular vocation, to our weekly gathering as believers in church, to personal care and well-being.
It may help to rethink the metaphor and consider the concept of a solar system with planets orbiting around the sun at various distances. Many of these important things in life are not going away and instead of trying to merely juggle them, how about getting them into proper orbits around the Son.
“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?” Psalms 8:3-4
“For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:16-17
The important things in life need to orbit around Christ who is able to keep them in motion. But not all areas of life should have equal attention. Some things need to have longer orbits.
For instance, Mars takes 687 days to orbit the sun, almost twice the amount of time for the Earth. Jupiter takes a whopping 4,333 days to orbit the sun. Saturn is 10,759 days. Neptune? 60,190 days compared with Mercury’s 88-day orbit.
So what is the Mercury in your life? I want to encourage you to have your personal relationship with Jesus be the closest orbit. Your spiritual well-being is going to affect all the other orbits and if you don’t have this one right then the rest are going to struggle and you will find yourself reverting back to juggling life.
If you are married then your spouse is your Venus, and though the planet Venus has no moons, if you have children, then your Venus has one or more that will orbit together.
What should orbit next? What is the Earth in your planetary system? Some would say your vocation, but I would suggest involvement in your local church. I’m not saying that because I’m a pastor of a local church but because Jesus taught, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” Matthew 6:33. The congregation of Christians is the invention of Christ and has been foundational for His kingdom for over 2000 years.
You’ll have to determine what is your Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. The most important point I hope to make is that they all need to orbit around the Son, Jesus Christ.
So stop all the juggling and attempting to keep all the various things in your life in motion. Instead, submit each of them to God and ask for His help and guidance to keep them in the proper orbit.
Recently Mary and I attended the red carpet premiere of Overcomer in Columbus, GA and in my opinion, it is the best Kendrick film yet, and I’ve liked them all since their first film Flywheel. Be sure to take you family to go see this on opening weekend. The film is in theaters starting August 23rd. Be sure to look for Mary and I in the opening seen and let me know what you think of our debut.
