Members and Contributors

Connor

I am the owner and operator of Gethsemane.

The History of Gethsemane

I was not allowed to play video games, scroll the internet, or watch popular media until my earlier teens. Some of the first games I ever played was Roblox, Minecraft, then the Batman Arkham series. I fell in love with the medium of video games and eventually sought out people with whom to play, and I inevitably found the Discord platform. 'Social media' does not quite capture the versatility and scope of Discord—it is the ultimate platform for gamers to connect with gamers, and that was how I used it for many years. But it was not long before I found another kind of Discord community that resonated with me: Christian Discord. The first Christian Discord server I joined was the largest one I could find online and I stayed in that community for about a year before things went downhill. It was in this so-called Christian community that I saw the ugly underbelly of the internet for the first time. The level of abuse and misbehavior was at a fever pitch.

In late 2019, the large Christian Discord server I had joined began hemorrhaging members and starting other servers. One of those smaller servers that spawned from the death of that larger, abusive community was Gethsemane. The values of Gethsemane are simple: we adore Jesus Christ, pursue Christian perfection, love one another very deeply, and these above all things. While most online forums are wrought with abuse and misbehavior, our rules are strict and our chats are thoroughly moderated to keep every conversation clean, interesting, and edifying. The community enjoys playing video games, talking about Christian theology, meeting for prayer and Bible study, having charitable disagreements about all matters of theology and politics, building and maintaining computers, reading and writing, digital art and storytelling, and taking on the world together with life-long family and friends.

Our Beliefs and Theology

Gethsemane consists of people from every walk of life and various faith traditions. Despite our myriad disagreements, each of us believe that the Bible is the Word of God, that Jesus Christ died for our sins, and that all men are called to repent, believe, and receive from the Word and Sacraments.

Those in the community who presume to love Jesus are expected to believe, pray, and profess the whole, undiluted Nicene Creed and every article thereof. We believe that the Nicene Creed perfectly reflects the teachings of the Word of God and that assent to the Creed is essential for salvation.

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made; being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made. Who for us and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father. And He shall come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spake by the Prophets.

And I believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins. And I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.