On this episode, Dr. Kevin Gushiken and I discuss his upcoming book A Theology of Play and the importance of incorporating play into the Christian life. He explores the reasons why Christians often don’t prioritize play and suggests that grounding play in theology and scripture can give us permission to enjoy life. He emphasizes the need for a playful attitude and spontaneous moments of play, as well as scheduled play.
Dr. Gushiken also highlights the benefits of play in relationships, workplaces, and discipleship. In this conversation, Kevin Gushiken and Craig Thompson discuss the importance of play in our lives, especially in the midst of pain and struggle. They explore the idea that play brings joy, freedom, and perspective, and helps us connect with others and with God. They also discuss the impact of technology on play and the need to prioritize play in our lives. The conversation concludes with a discussion on favorite ways to play and a reminder to step into play and make it a part of our daily lives.
Takeaways
- Grounding play in theology and scripture can give Christians permission to enjoy life.
- Playfulness and spontaneous moments of play should be incorporated into all aspects of life, not just scheduled play.
- Play can deepen relationships, build trust, and increase productivity in workplaces.
- Play can be a valuable tool for discipleship and spiritual growth.
- The Bible affirms the importance of play and enjoyment of life. Play brings joy, freedom, and perspective to our lives.
- Play helps us connect with others and with God.
- Technology can hinder our ability to play and disconnect from the busyness of life.
- We need to prioritize play and make it a part of our daily lives.
- Play can be a source of strength and resilience in the midst of pain and struggle.
Sound Bites
- “Why is it that Christians, and I think this applies to people who are non-Christians as well, why is it that we don’t play?”
- “Have you played this week?”
- “We’re not doing an excellent job at discipling young men… We’ve created discipleship methods and models that are very driven towards… readers… but just aren’t interested in reading a 300-page book on theology or a 250-page book on spiritual disciplines.”
- “We have an Abba father. Why would it be any different for our Abba father when he gave us this good creation? I think he gets great pleasure when we enjoy the relationships, the gifts, the creation, the ability to play, to connect with people.”
- “How connected are we to our phone, our email? And so we almost become sterilized in life, right? Because we’re so connected to technology that we don’t disconnect to enjoy.”
- “The best antidote to mental health is let’s go play a little bit.”
Chapters
00:00Introduction: A Theology of Play
08:54Play as a Discipleship Method
23:15Play in the Workplace: Increasing Productivity
30:59Disconnecting from Technology and Prioritizing Play
40:29Rediscovering Play as Empty Nesters
53:12Stepping into Play: Making it a Habit and Routine
Preorder A Theology of Play here.
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