The Bible In Killstream

The verse at the core of the sci-fi series.

Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:11-12)

This is the passage at the heart of my YA cyberpunk series, Killstream. It hits so close to home for me because I know the feeling of loneliness all too well. I used to strive to be alone.

But now, I know better.

This is part of the Church’s purpose, so that believers might not be alone, but might hold fast to one another. In times of need, we can lean on one another. We support one another and stand strong.

But in a lot of Western congregations, we’ve lost that closeness. It’s become about the music, the lights, and the message. Of course, preaching and worship are essential. But there was one church I went to a while back where things just clicked.

Where everybody knows your name

My dad and I went on vacation to a really small town over the course of a weekend, and we went to church that Sunday morning. It was a Church of Christ, which I’ve always had a lot of respect for. Our home church is non-denominational, but if I were to go anywhere else, it’d likely be a Church of Christ. If it weren’t for any other reason, it’d be for this experience alone.

The people were friendly enough. That’s not out of the ordinary. I have been to a few churches where no one even knew if I was a new member there or not, but this was not the case. Everyone knew my dad and I hadn’t visited before, and they were very welcoming and wanted to know who we were and where we’d come from.

We weren’t just another number to fill the seats.

During the service, it got even clearer that this congregation had what I had been missing for a long time.

Everyone knew everyone.

They all knew one another’s name. They were all close. They cared for one another, and despite their size, they knew when one of their own was missing.

That’s an incredible thing.

It really did feel like one big family, and that’s what Church is supposed to be. We’re all part of the body of Christ. We must know and embrace one another as such. That’s the beauty of Christ’s Church.

This is what Killstream is about, too. I wanted to translate that understanding and experience into a story, and so I did.

Blake Barnes needs help. He’s struggling, he’s working hard to keep himself and his mom in their house, and he can’t do it alone. Fortunately, his old friend Rhys is there to help him.

But Blake thinks he needs to do this on his own. He thinks he needs to figure it out by himself. Otherwise, he’s weak.

The truth is that Blake is weak by trying to do it alone.

Only by trusting in his friends and asking for help can Blake succeed.

That’s when Blake runs into another problem.

(MAJOR SPOILERS FOR BOOK 1!!!)

Raven has been something of a rival to Blake. They keep butting heads and running into one another at the games. But Raven doesn’t mind giving Blake some advice. She wants to see the beginner find his footing.

But when their goals clash, only one will come out on top.

Blake is forced to choose. Does he win this big prize and beat Raven, or does he let Raven win and lose the house?

In the end, Blake sorts out his priorities. The house is just a house. Blake still wins enough to get him and his mom into an apartment, and the prize money goes to saving the life of Raven’s dad.

Community always triumphs over going solo.

How this is reflected in the Church

Okay, spoiler time is over!

Killstream was about community from the beginning. It’s about lifting one another up and using strife and hard times to grow closer to one another instead of falling apart.

It’s meant to be a blueprint for the Church. We cannot win the prize alone. We need people to show us the ropes, to hold us up so we cannot fall, and to push us forward when we need that push.

That doesn’t mean just shaking hands and smiling. It doesn’t even mean remembering people’s names, although that is very important.

It means calling people out for their sin, sharing the word of God in all of its truth and glory, and pulling people out of their darkest places.

I’m not Catholic, but I have a lot of respect for some of their traditions and practices. Namely, confessionals.

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you might be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (James 5:16)

We must be open and honest with one another. Pray for one another and confess to one another. Only then will we be a true family under Christ. Honesty, authenticity, and intimacy are integral to the Church.

Don’t walk into church wearing a mask. Take the mask off and let your brothers and sisters wipe the tears away.

This is why I believe writing Killstream is so important. As fun as it is, it’s more than just a VR sports story. It’s a series about friendship, community, and the Church.

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