Welcome to the wonderful world of Alternate Reality Games (ARG). We created the Citizens of Virtue (COV) game to help expand the message of new book from Rob Bell and Don Golden, JESUS WANTS TO SAVE CHRISTIANS. COV is the fictitious parachurch organization featured in the ARG. We invite you to join the hunt, solve the clues, help the Seven, and immerse yourself in the message of JESUS WANTS TO SAVE CHRISTIANS.
Click here to visit the Jesus Wants to Save Christians Alternate Reality Game explanation page. It has a message from Rob Bell, explanation of the ARG and a spoilers/behind the scenes section.
What happens in the game?
The goal of the game is to bring down the Citizens of Virtue. Players will do that through solving puzzles, performing good works, and other fascinating activities. Activity will also occur on Jesuswantstosavechristians.com and other websites, in the book itself, and other places of interest. It will deal with real organizations and the hot-button issues of our time.
How do I play?
The game is played by people around the world working together to solve clues and puzzles found on various websites and on things in real life. To start, you might go to WikiBruce. That fan site gives a clear explanation of what is going on in the game. If you want to join in the fun, head to Unfiction.com, but aware that site is loaded with spoilers. There's also an entrance point at Jesuswantstosavechristians.com if you click on "Help the Seven." If you would like to start from the beginning, read this article on Relevant Magazine and see if you can find the clues on the page.
What’s an alternate reality game?
An alternate reality game (ARG) is an immersive experience where the entire internet can band together to immerse themselves in a story, solve puzzles, and interact with the real world. ARGs have the unique characteristic of pretending they are real. Part of the fun of an ARG is to figure out what it is and how you interact with it.
Who are the Citizens of Virtue?
The Citizens of Virtue, or COV, is a fictional right-wing fundamentalist Christian parachurch organization. They are headed by a powerful figure named Pastor Bryson Grace. The COV has launched a campaign called the Seven Virtual Virtues, focusing on one of the seven cardinal virtues every week. They think they’re the good guys. Maybe they're right, maybe not.
Why create an ARG for Jesus Wants to Save Christians?
A provocative book demands a provocative venue for discussion of controversial themes. Alternate reality games have been used for this purpose by videogame companies, movie studios, TV shows, and bands, but not usually for a traditional book publisher, and not with a religious theme. This ARG explores the concepts of the war for the soul of Christianity, with virtue (lowercase "v") winning out.
Where can I buy the book?
