Editor’s Note: Matthew Chicoine interviewed Kira Andrea via phone call on September 3rd, 2025. Some of the questions/answers have been rearranged, edited, and paraphrased to provide the best reader experience without losing any integrity of the answers given.
Journey of Music and Faith
You’ve had incredible success in the mainstream music world, from America’s Got Talent to TV placements and charting songs. What led you from that path to writing and performing music specifically for the Church?
We lived in Los Angeles for about five years. We started in secular rock bands playing in clubs. We moved back home in 2011/2012 (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio), had our daughter and we were asked to play for the Life Teen Mass at our local parish. I had cantored at Mass since I was 13.
Editor’s Note: Matthew Chicoine interviewed Vivian Imbruglia via phone call on May 12th, 2025. Some of the questions have been rearranged and edited to provide the best reader experience without losing any integrity of the answers given.
How did you get into creating sacred icons?
It’s been over 20 years. My mother asked me to take an “art” class but I didn’t have time with my kids being in high school. But I heard a talk by my priest about honoring your parents and so I took my mother to this class on Tuesday.
I loved this sacred art class. I had such a love for this art and studied on my own. When our teacher left, I took over the class. I felt called to teach sacred iconography full-time and left my job. I put my trust in the Lord that God would take care of us. It’s been amazing! I just finished a huge altar piece and am now getting ready to begin an Adoration piece.
Your work is described as “writing” rather than painting icons. Can you tell me more about this?
This is how I learned in iconography you can’t take credit for anything you do. How can I say that I painted the Wedding of Cana, the Baptism of Our Lord, all these other stories from Scripture. It would seem rather arrogant to me to say I painted this scene. I am writing these stories anew. I feel incredibly underqualified to say that I am painting. In real iconography one never signs their name on the front. It is only on the back of the icon and the signature is in small letters.
I will hide the letters AMDG in the icon as a reminder to myself that this image I made is for the glory of God.
Could you elaborate on this spiritual distinction and how it affects your approach compared to other forms of religious art?
You have to live within your faith at all times. There were times I was struggling with a piece and I had a friend say, “When’s the last time you went to Confession?”. I have Gregorian chants in the background and don’t listen to secular content when I am working on the artwork. Your mind must be immersed in the holy. My husband is now a deacon and I have a lot of friends who share the same faith, so it helps to be in the environment that helps get me in the right theological soil.
You mention dialoguing with saints as you create their icons. Could you share a particularly memorable conversation or inspiration you’ve received during this process?
I had to read up on Saint Philomena about ten years ago. I learned she was known as the wonder-worker. My grandson was being tested for autism. I was talking with her and received a call from a friend who had a prayer request for her aunt. My friend called me back saying that her Aunt Ella received a vision from a woman in blue. Many times I had conversations with the saints. For example, I go to Saint Michael the Archangel. I had a relic and blessed salt and asked him for his guidance on a car ride (I’m not a fan of car rides). He was instrumental in protecting me during this occasion where a car was coming directly from us from the wrong direction, my husband swerved and went between two semis. There were several fatalities. But in hindsight I learned that Saint Michael protected me and my husband.
Many of your icons incorporate physical elements like sand from holy sites or blessed water. How did this practice develop in your work, and what impact have you seen it have on those who receive these icons?
This is really interesting, I was working on a piece about Saint Oscar Romero. I took this dirt my priest gave me from El Salvardo where a massacre took place. I mixed it in the paint and put the 24 carat gold over the paint as a symbol of these individuals going to Heaven (as martyrs). We were blessed to have a first class relic of Oscar Romero in the icon.
There’s a sense of awe and gives people something to think about. Having the relic present while I am writing the icon is incredible and a blessing.
The eyes seem particularly important in your iconography process, as you pray specifically that they will “draw in” the right viewers. Have you witnessed any powerful encounters or conversions that stemmed from this spiritual connection?
Oftentimes my images go and I don’t see them again. I pray that those who need to see it will be drawn in. It might be an image of Divine Mercy or a particular saint. That’s the prayer: that those who need to see it will see it. I ask the Lord “Give me the grace to see the eyes.” The eyes are like the soul of the icon.
There was an image of “Eucharistic Jesus” the eyes have drawn people to see Jesus truly present in the Eucharist. It was originally written for a retreat; now it is hanging in the Adoration Chapel, Saint Peter and Saint Paul in Altaloma, CA. During the Eucharistic Revival we reprinted (10 x 8 frames) and gave one away to a family each week. We gave the families pamphlets about Eucharistic Adoration. So that image really helped a lot of people learn about Jesus in the Eucharist. For over a year we gave out images to families and ended up giving about 1,000 images.
As Catholics increasingly seek to strengthen their domestic churches, how have you seen your icons transform family prayer life and devotion in homes?
I make a point to ask families that if someone walked into your home would they know you are Catholic. Have at least an image of the Sacred Heart. It’s kind of been my thing to spread the beauty of our faith through my images. People have forgotten the beauty of our Catholic faith and made our homes the domestic church. Especially when I speak at marriage retreats. I ask how you can fight with your spouse in front of an image of Jesus or have something inappropriate on TV when you have the Blessed Virgin Mary in the living room.
If Jesus walked into our homes today would he see a picture or image of Himself? If not, then you should get sacred art or statutes to remind you of Jesus, Mary, and the saints.
For those interested in learning iconography as a spiritual practice, what advice would you give about approaching this ancient tradition with the proper reverence and understanding?
We don’t see a lot of Catholics doing this. Our Greek Orthodox brothers and sisters aren’t always the kindest with us on this matter. Read about Catholic sacred art. Think of iconography as windows into Heaven. Icons are a small window into Heaven. I try to write as much about the saints on my website but research any way you can. Learn about the saints! Again think of it as a window into Heaven and wanting that for your home. Remember that we are not only looking at the saint but they are also looking at us!
Icons are prayers.
About Vivian:
Vivian Imbruglia, a devoted wife and mother of two, serves alongside her husband, Deacon Tom, at St. Peter & St. Paul Catholic Church in Alta Loma, California. She is also a loving grandmother to five. As a cradle Catholic, Vivian discovered her passion for iconography and sacred art over two decades ago. Since then, she has created over 200 icons and sacred artworks that have been featured globally. Guided by the Jesuit motto, “Ad majorem Dei gloriam” (For the greater glory of God), she incorporates the letters AMDG into all of her work. Her mission is simple: to spread the beauty of the Catholic faith through images.
Editor’s Note: Matthew Chicoine interviewed Thomas Salerno, via phone call on February 7th, 2024. Some of the questions have been rearranged and edited to provide the best reader experience without losing any integrity of the answers given.
What drew you to write about Blessed Nicolas Steno?
I’ve known about Nicolas Steno for a while. In college, I took a lot of geology classes and came across him in my textbooks. The textbooks rarely mentioned he was a priest. He is not well known even in Catholic circles. He’s not as familiar to people as Gregor Mendel. But Nicolas has been a hero of mine and I wanted to write about him.
Because he is still “just” a blessed he doesn’t get as much “air-time” as a fully canonized saint.
If you could sum up Nicholas Steno’s life in a couple sentences for my readers?
His life represents a relentless pursuit of truth. He came into the Catholic Church from a Lutheran family. No matter what subject he was studying, he was never afraid of where that journey towards truth would lead him.
How did you balance making complex geological concepts accessible to young readers while maintaining scientific accuracy?
That’s a great question. I tried to keep the book as jargon-free as possible without “dumbing” it down. I thought about it as if I was a 10 year old again. How would I process these concepts at that age?
Image courtesy of Word on Fire.
Your book connects scientific discovery with religious devotion. Could you share a particular moment in Steno’s life that you found most compelling in demonstrating this harmony between faith and reason?
I think it would probably be during his conversion story. Steno initially tried to reason his way to the faith by studying the Church Fathers. On All Souls Day, he had a very powerful experience when he perceived God personally telling him to join the Catholic Church. It was through an ordinary experience: he was about to make a wrong turn on the street and a passerby told him to go the other way. In his heart, Steno was wavering on “which way to go” (that is, whether to stay Lutheran or become Catholic) and he took those words as coming directly from God.
As someone writing for children about both science and faith, how do you approach explaining the relationship between understanding God’s creation through scientific inquiry while maintaining a sense of wonder and reverence?
Another great question! I really try to communicate in my writing that scientific inquiry is a way for God to help us learn about His creation. It’s a way to give praise back to God and to give thanks for creating the beautiful, diverse, and complex world He has made.
The title mentions “Tongue-stones” – could you tell us about the significance of these fossils in Steno’s work and how they became a gateway to his broader discoveries?
“Tongue-stones” is a name that people from centuries ago in Europe gave to fossils of sharks’ teeth. Steno was originally an animal anatomist. So when he dissected a shark, he noticed how their teeth were identical to tongue-stones; they were essentially petrified shark’s teeth. This allowed him to marshal evidence that fossils were actually what they were evident to be: remains of organisms from long ago.
During your research, what surprised you most about Blessed Nicolas Steno’s journey from scientist to Catholic bishop?
Two things surprised me. Firstly, that he was still able to keep practicing science while performing his duties as a bishop. And the other thing that surprised me was how much trouble he got himself into in both the Protestant and Catholic areas. He was a reformer at heart so he didn’t have a whole lot of support from his congregations. At one point he was receiving death threats simply by opposing corruption in his diocese.
Your book includes field-guide sketches and a glossary. How did you decide which visual elements would best help young readers connect with both the scientific and spiritual aspects of the story?
To be honest, I left that in the hands of my design team at Word on Fire. One thing I have learned in this experience is how much of a team effort it is putting together a children’s book.
As a Catholic writer addressing scientific topics, what advice would you give to parents and educators who want to nurture both scientific curiosity and religious faith in children?
I think that the best advice I can give is to not be afraid to learn about these things with your children. If your child shows an interest in science or nature, nurture that interest, but also find out why they are interested and show celebrate that passion. Ask questions and be engaged with your children’s interests.
I dedicated the book to my mom because she allowed me to be interested in my study of paleontology and fossils. She took me to museums and we collected various things from outside like rocks and minerals. She let me chart my own path of learning.
Any last words of advice for my readers about how to grow in your Catholic faith?
Two things recently have deepened my faith: Spiritual reading and a dedicated daily prayer routine. The Church provides a wealth of different types of prayer, but if you can establish that daily prayer time with God it will be a game-changer.
Thomas Salerno is a museum educator, author, freelance essayist, and podcaster from Long Island, New York. Thomas has a degree in anthropology from Stony Brook University and is the author of the debut children’s nonfiction book, The Riddle of the Tongue-Stones: How Blessed Nicolas Steno Uncovered the Hidden History of the Earth.
Editor’s Note: Matthew Chicoine interviewed Theresa Ambat, Founder of Saint Sprites, via phone call on January 27th, 2024. Some of the questions have been rearranged and edited to provide the best reader experience without losing any integrity of the answers given. All the images about Saint Sprites, along with the headshot, are provided by Theresa and she allowed usage in this article.
Blessed Carlo Acutis clearly had a profound impact on your work. What aspects of his life and spirituality particularly resonate with you, and how do they continue to influence your artistic choices?
I first heard about him back in October 2020. I was first drawn to him because he played video games. Reading more about his life, he was so young and exemplified the love of Christ in all aspects of his life. He is similar to Saint Therese the Little Flower in how he loved everyone so deeply.
The way Carlo used these tools (the Internet and digital art) for the good of others was inspiring. People love games and speak to them really strongly. To point people toward God through video games is a powerful thing. He is the first saint to really use the Internet for evangelization. I found how he channeled the love of Jesus through the Internet inspiring.
Your work bridges two seemingly different worlds – traditional Catholic spirituality and retro gaming aesthetics. What inspired you to combine these elements, and what do you think this combination offers to modern Catholics?
I think with video games it’s such a different form of media from books for movies. You are in the middle of the story. We see a part of ourselves when we play these games. I think that’s why so many people find video games so impactful. Hopefully, they are pursuing something good in the game.
When Carlo was beatified I thought it would be so cool that there would be an RPG of the life of the disciples. Video games are interactive and immersive. I don’t have the skillset (yet) to make a video game. But I hope that others can make such video games.
I see that video games can act as a bridge to help people learn about the faith. To have an RPG about Maximilian Kolbe or Joan of Arc would be amazing!
How did you settle on the name “Saint Sprites”?
Originally, I was going to do Pixel Saints, but I think that name was already taken on Instagram.
A sprite refers to a singular piece of art in a video game. Individual pieces of pixel art. And there’s alliteration with it.
When you create a new saint sprite, what’s your creative process like?
Good question! Typically, I’ll look up the sprite on Google, do some research on the saint, seeing if there are any objects associated with them. Working with a 32 x 32 pixelboard limits me, but it pushes my creativity.
For example, a lot of the religious sisters look similar. Both Hildegard and Monica looked similar so I have the former hold a Gregorian chant piece. Trying to figure how to show their character is fun too. I gave Saint Therese rosy cheeks, and St. Paul a wrinkle on his forehead. More modern saints are a bit easier because they had a more standard outfit than more ancient saints. But so far, I feel like I have been able to put enough detail and make it work to distinguish while working within the 32 by 32 board parameters.
With the Marian devotions, I like to have a bit more pizazz (she is Mary after all!). I have Our Lady of Guadalupe on the Moon.
What keeps you motivated to grow in your craft as it relates to Saint Sprites?
Well, I think when I see that this is impacting people and reminding them of God it pushes me to keep going. It motivates me to make more saints and improve my products. I love reading my reviews on Etsy (shown below).
These words of encouragement motivate me.
I find parents and godparents buying these stickers for their children’s First Communion and how it impacts their faith. So something as simple as a piece of paper that sticks on another piece of paper to help people connect to God is humbling. Ultimately, knowing this project is a way to bring people to God is what motivates me.
Among all the saints you’ve portrayed in your pixel art style, do you have a particular favorite piece or saint that you especially enjoyed creating? What made this one special?
I think I’m coming up on 82 saints. That’s a good and tough question.
Probably Maximlian Kolbe, he is one of my favorite saints, he was one of the first saints I made and was proud I was able to include so many details in that sticker. He is one of my more distinctive looking saints. For similar reasons, Saint Faustina. I was really pleased to include the Divine Mercy symbol. And thirdly probably Saint Therese. She gives me so much joy. When I put the rosy cheeks on her I knew that THIS IS Therese and she is one of my favorite saints. Those three would be my favorite (it’s soooo hard to pick!).
Any last words of advice to any readers who are also artists?
My biggest piece of advice is to invite the Lord into everything you create. He is the Original Creator. Every little sticker I make is God’s gift to me. Creation is so much more of a joy when you involve the Original Creator. This involves a strong prayer life and inviting the Lord into your workspace. Having a collaborative perspective when creating is an important part of being an artist.
About Theresa
Theresa Ambat is a 26-year-old Catholic entrepreneur based in Seattle, Washington. Theresa, first interested in music and sound design for video games, eventually found herself creating pixel-art drawings of Catholic saints in her free time. She was inspired by the beatification of Carlo Acutis and over the last four years developed a love for evangelization through Catholic pixel-art reminiscent of retro visuals from the NES and Gameboy. Thus, Saint Sprites was born.
Editor’s Note: Matthew Chicoine interviewed Matthew Estrade via phone call on September 20th, 2024. Some of the questions have been rearranged and edited to provide the best reader experience without losing any integrity of the answers given.
What inspired you to start Catholic Aging, and how does your faith inform your approach to dementia care?
Before I started Catholic Aging, it was really my family that got me into gerontology. My grandfather on my mom’s side had dementia and that started my journey on the dementia side. Since 2015, seeds were planted on what the Catholic Church says about dementia. I came across Saint Dympha and I found a couple books on Dementia and Catholicism. But they didn’t contain practical advice and tips from a Catholic lens on how to deal with Dementia. While I am a cradle Catholic and attended Catholic school through college, I didn’t really understand redemptive suffering.
Since I wasn’t finding what I was looking for on the subject of dementia and Catholicism. In early 2018, I started a draft which eventually became my book Peace with Dementia Rosary. It was published in 2019.
How does “The Peace with Dementia Rosary” book uniquely address the spiritual needs of caregivers?
The first thing I think of is that it points someone to the Holy Rosary. It’s a way to point people towards the Blessed Virgin Mary and not to focus on the crisis they are going through. I tried to blend what was going on with the Mysteries of the Rosary and the dementia journey. For example, the First Joyful Mystery (The Annunciation) I connected with the initial diagnosis of your loved one having dementia. Just like a diagnosis is a revealing of a medical condition, the Annunciation is a revelation and this news/diagnosis could be fraught with fear and uncertainty.
How can young Catholics better support older members of their parish who might be living with dementia or caring for someone with dementia?
One of the biggest things is treating them like anybody else. It’s similar to how we would treat anyone else with a disability by including them in activities and evening being proactive in reaching out to them. These individuals are still a treasure to your parish and we want to keep them involved. Dementia is really a family disease. You see the caregiver being impacted by not wanting to socialize or going to Mass due to the stress of care-giving.
What are some practical ways that young adults can prepare now for potential care-giving responsibilities in the future?
I’d say to be open to conversations with our parents and grandparents about how they see themselves aging. It’s key to have a plan in place for when your loved ones age and how to adapt. For example, all of us will have to cease driving due to various reasons at some point. And that could be one of the toughest conversations to have, as driving represents independence. In a similar way, you will have to have a conversation with your parents and grandparents before that day arrives. Make sure you have a plan of how to get to Mass and go on errands.
What are the three common myths about aging or dementia that you frequently encounter in your work?
One of the biggest myths is that dementia is a normal part of aging. That it’s going to happen to everybody. A lot of people think that cognitive decline is immediately a sign of dementia. If the memory or thinking challenges are disrupting life, that’s when it’s not normal aging and it would be time to consult a medical professional.
A second major myth is that dementia only impacts the memory. Dementia is really a cognitive or thinking impairment. Symptoms could involve a decline in sound judgment or having trouble following a sequence (ex: brushing your teeth or using the washing machine.) Frontal temporal dementia impacts language more so than memory.
The third myth is to say that palliative care is the same as hospice care. Palliative medicine is symptom management and is broad. It aims to alleviate pain and seek a cure. It is really about an extra layer of support besides your primary care physician. On the other hand, hospice care is only at the end of life. Hospice is comfort care, but it’s not curative. Hospice is typically provided in the last six months of life and is prescribed by a doctor.
How can parishes better integrate and support individuals with dementia and their caregivers in church life?
I think something that is impactful is the outreach that a parish provides to its aging population and dementia by having a caregiver support group. It’s rare to have a specific group for caregivers of those loved ones with dementia. It would be great to have it once a month or a quarter.
Another thing would be to have a parish bring in a speaker to educate on dementia. Awareness. Education. Support. That’s what parishes can do.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to a young adult who has just learned that a loved one has been diagnosed with dementia?
To know that whatever symptoms they are experiencing that your loved one is still the same person (ex: they are still your grandfather or parent). It’s important to stay involved and visit. It is a challenge and something you have to learn to adapt. Care-giving is a different type of cross but you will receive the grace from Jesus to carry it.
How can young Catholics use social media to raise awareness about dementia and support caregivers in their community?
I think it’s powerful to share experiences. If someone is open to sharing what they are learning it is helpful. Share their personal journey and the resources they found helpful (articles and/or support groups in their local communities).
Could you share a brief success story of how your ministry has positively impacted a family dealing with dementia?
This is an ongoing situation. I continued to talk with a care-giver whose parent has dementia. This care-giver doesn’t have any family help as her siblings don’t want to help and are out of town. The care-giver has chronic conditions herself and is trying to take care of her mom by herself. She is having trouble navigating the medical system (ex: getting the right medication). What I’m able to do in my ministry is keep in communication, to pray, and bounce ideas off each other. We look for blessings and lessons in this situation. We use both coaching and have an opportunity to see these blessings/challenges interpreted in light of our Catholic faith.
Where can my audience learn more about your ministry?
By visiting CatholicAging.com.
Any last words of advice or encouragement to my readers who might be going through the trials of aging or being caregiver?
It can’t be overstated the power of redemptive suffering. Doing what we can (medically and adaptation) and conforming our will to God especially as it pertains to aging and seeing this cross from a Catholic lens.
Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.
—Saint Augustine
About Matthew:
Matthew Estrade is the founder of Catholic Aging and author of “The Peace with Dementia Rosary: Education, Intentions, Community” in both English and Spanish. He helps Parish and Diocesan ministries include and serve aging Parishioners and their caregivers more effectively. Matthew does this through improving awareness and education through speaking, training, and consulting. As a gerontologist with MyCatholicDoctor.com, Matthew conducts family and caregiver meetings to help make sense of the challenging journey.
Editor’s Note: Matthew Chicoine interviewed Joshua Masterson via phone call on August 5th, 2024. Some of the questions have been rearranged and edited to provide the best reader experience without losing any integrity of the answers given.
How did you get into drawing cartoons?
I have been drawing my since I was little. Mainly drawing cartoons. My dad and my grandma are both artists. My dad specifically, taught me how to draw cartoons when I was around six years old.
Which artists/cartoonists do you model your style after?
Yes, definitely! It’s multiple people I drew inspiration from. One of the big ones is Norman Rockwell. His artwork was day-to-day life and there was so much detail in his work. For cartoon-work, I am specifically inspired by Bil Keane (The Family Circus), Charles M. Schulz (Peanuts), and Dean Young (Blondie).
My grandma was always telling me: “you can do cartoons! You would be a great cartoonist!” So she was that inspiration for me to pursue cartoons beyond a mere hobby. She also enjoyed reading the Family Circus cartoon and her love of that cartoon led me to being drawn to Keane’s work.
Who are your patrons saints you look to for inspiration?
The number one is Saint Therese of Lisieux. She’s been my favorite saint since I was 8 years old. I read her biography (children’s version). What stuck out to me in her story was that it was the first time I was able to relate to a saint. She was an ordinary person. There were details about her life that shared her struggles and it just seemed like she was a normal person. From that moment on, I wanted to be a saint like her.
Describe your cartoon creation process.
A lot of it is looking at my day-to-day life. Artists paint or draw what they see around them. I’m looking at life around me. I’m involved enough at my parish (altar serving, volunteering). I’ll obviously exaggerate some goofy situations but the cartoons are ultimately rooted in my experiences and my parish life.
How do you balance humor and reverence when creating cartoons about religious themes?
This comic strip and comics are typically funny. While this comic has a premise of being funny (i.e. Sunday funnies). I want this comic to show “Catholic life”. Just like in a regular life there’s times we spend in prayer (more serious) and other times we have fun and enjoy time with others. Sometimes I feel the need to bring a more serious and prayerful element to the comics. So I made up a character (Cordelia) who helps to bring that seriousness to the comic. She was an inspiration from God and came from my heart.
The nice thing about developing characters is readers can associate with them and know what to expect. Cordelia was that character who I created to help bring my readers to gaze upon the glory of God.
What has been the most challenging aspect of maintaining a consistent output of Catholic-themed cartoons?
The main challenge I’d say would be more practical things like writer’s block. On a more spiritual level this comic I like to consider it as God’s cartoon, but sometimes I can get my pride mixed in when looking at the metrics/numbers of views. My own ego can be a challenge sometimes. I know that God can still make good come from this.
Have you ever received pushback or criticism for your work, and if so, how do you handle it?
Actually one of the many blessings, the general audience is wholesome. So it’s rare to see negative comments. In the rare cases I have made a joke that didn’t go over well, my audience let me know and I’ve looked at the feedback I get and that steered my content to mirror that family/parish life focus.
Are there any particular Bible stories or Catholic teachings that you find especially inspiring or conducive to cartoon representation?
Saint Therese is a huge inspiration to me, again with the character of Cordelia I implement a lot of her philosophy and childlike faith. I have a tough time comprehending the writings of Saint Thomas Aquinas, but I can easily understand the Little Flower’s teachings.
For the Bible, I do try to incorporate various Bible verses and the psalms into the comics.
What is your favorite comic strip you drew?
This one was special to me as I grew up praying the Rosary together with my family.
What place does art have in passing on the Gospel in the 21st century?
I’d say it has a huge importance. Growing up in the 21st century, I have grown up with comics and I think that with social media it’s much easier to share art. Art is really powerful, a picture is worth a thousand words. All these ways of sharing art make it important to put good, beautiful art out to inspire people and draw them closer to God.
Thank you for taking time to chat about the faith and your cartoons.
Absolutely, it was a pleasure! God bless.
About The Catholic Cartoonist (Joshua Masterson):
My name is Josh Masterson and I’m the fifth of ten kids and was homeschooled. At my parish, I altar serve as often as I can at the Mass and also help train the new servers. Serving at Mass, helping out at the parish, and interacting with our priests have all served as my inspiration for making comics that show the beauty of daily Catholic life at a small parish. I have been drawing cartoons my whole life and so decided that this was a great opportunity to share the beauty and truth of the Faith through this obscure medium. I hope to continue drawing Catholic comics to bring joy and truth to the world.
Editor’s Note: Matthew Chicoine interviewed Jack Dunbar via phone call on March 27th, 2024. Some of the questions have been rearranged and edited to provide the best reader experience without losing any integrity of the answers given.
Tell me a bit about your faith story.
I’m 32 years old and grew up in a small town. My parents didn’t expect to have kids and I’m an only child. My mom was raised as a Roman Catholic but she wasn’t really practicing her faith. Both her and my dad were nominal Christians. I was baptized as an infant. I got into youth group and got to know the Youth Group Leader. There was a talk about Mark 2 (the Healing of the Paralytic). Hearing this story and how Jesus has authority to heal spiritually and physcially opened my eyes. I prayed to accept Jesus, I went to bible studies for a few years.
When I was 16 I made a decision to follow Jesus and when signing up to go to college I was set on going to the University of Washington. I wanted to be a doctor, as I was drawn to the stories of Jesus’ healing, and I wanted to get out of my small town. I ended up being drawn to Whitworth College in Spokane. While all the faculty were Christian it was not a requirement for students to be Christian but I felt called to that school. I applied and was accepted. During my undergraduate degree I got involved in ministry. I received my Master’s Degree in Theology (2014-2016) from Whitworth as well.
I got involved in Pacific Keep Church after my Master’s Degree and in 2016 started serving as a lay associate pastor, baptized in 2018 and met my wife that same year. Between 2018-2023, I served as a full pastor. I have a young daughter, started a board game business, and looking to have more kids.
Since 2022 I have been working at Shepherd Financial Group (a faith-based accounting firm).
What led you directly to getting into board gaming?
Going back to 2016 with my church ministry, we were talking about the mission of the Gospel in our ordinary life. I loved playing board games with my cousins and friends. For me it was a way to be social. I was an introvert world (in a rural area and as an only child). I played games with my youth ministry kids, but I started to take it a step further by inviting people into my house to play board games. As I got more deeply in the hobby of collecting games I found it to be a way to build deeper relationships with people.
Fast forward to 2019, I was doing other work to help pay the bills to supplement the ministry work. As I was transitioning between jobs, the pandemic occurred. I had a friend ask me about how my work going and it led me to finding out my desire to work in retail but to sell something that I believed in. We started looking around the Internet for Christian board games and saw a gap in the market. The high-quality Christian board games were hard to find. I find the story of the Bible is the most compelling and creative work ever.
I discerned that the skills, experience, and passion for the faith made it possible for me get in to this work.
What games influenced Gardeners?
My wife and I got into Dominion. I started to think about making a clone of this game with Christian themes. In January 2020, I created a proto-type. I listened to Andrew Lowen’s podcast on marketing and I networked with other Christian board game designers. I also stumbled across his game Deliverance and this furthered my interest in the Christian board gaming niche.
Besides Andrew, what other Christian board game creators influenced you?
Gabe Barrett from the Board Game Design Lab. I joined a Facebook group Christian Game Design Conference- this way primarily focused on video games and was referred to Andrew Lowen. I also met Pete Schultz in 2020.
Pete helped me think through things practically. He made time for me and prayed for me. Andrew helped me connect more broadly online.
In 2021 after spending a lot of time learning, we found out my wife was pregnant and our daughter was born in August. This was a sign that I needed to focus on fine-tuning my board game. I came across my board game artist Melissa in the spring of 2021. Around Christmas 2021, I picked up the game Wingspan. I was intrigued because while it was complicated, it was communicated simply. It had beautiful art. This game made me see my clearer vision for my games.
I’ve heard Wingspan is an amazing game it’s been on my list to get for my collection for some time. What else influenced you in the game creation process?
When my artist would sketch things, my imagination was activated. It made me realize how I needed the theme to be more specific. I was thinking about the C.S. Lewis approach, maybe conveying things allegorically. I wanted to design these gateway games. I want my games to be a gateway to the faith, to board gaming, to the community.
The decision to gear my board game toward this specific type of audience (a gateway to board gaming) was intentional. Control over the theme was desired, avoiding potential changes from a publisher regarding the biblical subject matter. Additionally, the allure of building my own business proved compelling. Driving the creation of board games with a mission-focused approach was a motivating factor.
Around the spring of 2021, I had the design premise (strategic and approachable). I drew a Venn-diagram with my target market: the intersection of Christian families and thematic gamers. The overlap was the Christian gamer. I couldn’t be so Christian that it would turn off the thematic gamer and needed to be accessible enough of a game for the Christian family to learn and enjoy it.
Simplicity in a board is so key. How did you settle on your theme?
I noticed planting, farming, and nature themed games were doing well. I was thinking about having the game be an allegory for planting the Kingdom of God. We had the game rethemed and I had the full idea in August 2021. Less of a deck-builder more of a tableu game like Wingspan. Going into 2022, I had the pieces to the game, God was telling me I had another year to complete the game.
In 2022 I focused on developing and marketing the game. We also were in the process of building our new home, but somehow by God’s grace the game continued to developed. I had the full vision for the crowdfunding by the end of 2022.
How did your kickstarter go?
In April 21st 2023, on the three year anniversary of the start of this project, we launched the Kickstarter. This campaign lasted until May 15th and had 308 backers with $16,665 in Kickstarter funds.
All of the modeling and marketing stuff I learned lined up with my expectations. By the end of the year, I ended up making $25,000 and I was able to send the game to my backers in December 2023.
The reception has been great. People continue to order. My goal is to grow the company. The games are based on kingdom principles. New Kingdom: Gardeners has a discipleship component to it.
That’s awesome! So cool to see games do well on Kickstarter. What is next for your company?
I’m casting a wider net to see what works. I’ve published three games. The first is New Kingdom: Sowers. It’s based on the Parable of the Sower. Scott Kabel is the creator of Sowers.This game is going to Kickstarter April 2024. It’s a small box game for 1-2 players.
In July I’m crowdfunding a game called Prestige. This game is not biblically themed but the designer is Christian, Fritz Paull. It’s a city-building game. We will be going to Gen-Con in August.
Finally, I will be working on a co-operative battling game called Tribulation. The idea is to create diversity in my company board. Tribulation will appeal to pre-teens, teenagers, and young adults.
Any last message to share with my audience?
Thank you for taking the time to interview me. I want people to experience the love of Jesus and have fellowship in gaming. In the past, art was what got people into learning about the Gospel. I think board gaming is the new medium by which to bring people to Jesus.
I think God has given the call to evangelize to all the Church. It is my hope that New Kingdom Gaming will serve as a way for me (and those who play it) to glorify God.
About Jack:
Jack Dunbar is a Christian, husband, father, lay pastor and game designer (in that order) from Medical Lake, WA. He dreams of reaching other gamers for Jesus and encouraging believers in their walk by publishing high quality Christian and biblically-themed games. He, of course, loves board games, observing the natural world, being outdoors and spending time with his family.
