As part of my Warrior Mama series where we are discussing ways to protect our kids from harmful media content, such as in video games, I am delighted to share with you about Lightgliders, a Christian video game app for kids.  I received the opportunity to interview Zach Fay, founder of Lightgliders, and he is going to share with us about his amazing video game app that provides so much more than just entertainment, it’s more like a Biblically-based curriculum for kids! 

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Zach, tell me about yourself and what led you to develop the Lightgliders video game app and website.

My name is Zach Fay. My “career” — if you want to call it that — has included youth ministry, management consulting, entrepreneurship, and even a season in the Christian music industry. Today, I’m best known as the founder and creator of Lightgliders, a virtual world of Christian faith, games, and community available online and in the app stores. At its core, Lightgliders is a redemptive screen time solution intentionally designed to engage kids while encouraging biblical faith, positive values, and meaningful family conversations.

The heart behind Lightgliders really goes back to my dad. I came to know Jesus at a young age through my relationship with him. I’m a grown man now with four kids of my own, but I’m not ashamed to say that my dad put me to bed at night. Those moments shaped me. We talked, we prayed, we read Scripture together, and through those simple, intentional rhythms, my heart was captured by the God who loves me.

As I got older, I realized just how formative those moments had been in my spiritual journey. That realization led me to ask an important question: How can we help families create more meaningful discipleship moments during the critical preteen years?

When I learned that the average young person spends around seven hours a day in front of a screen but less than twenty minutes a day in meaningful conversation with a parent, I felt both concerned and challenged. Screen time isn’t going away. Digital games are part of our culture. So instead of criticizing it, I began dreaming about what it could look like to redeem it — to create something that could capture kids’ imaginations while also encouraging faith and family connections. That dream eventually became Lightgliders.

What types of games are found on your website/app?

Lightgliders features a wide variety of games designed to be fun, safe, and meaningful for kids. Inside Lightgliders, kids create a character and explore an imaginative virtual world filled with adventure games, arcade-style challenges, puzzles, racing games, obstacle courses, quests, and creative activities. There are also multiplayer experiences where kids can safely interact, encourage one another, and build friendships within a moderated environment. 

Many of the games are intentionally connected to larger themes of faith, character, courage, and kindness. Players can complete missions, collect treasures, customize their gliders, decorate treehouse, and participate in community events — all while engaging with biblical truths and positive values woven naturally into the experience.

One of the things that makes Lightgliders unique is that the platform is not built around endless consumption or addictive mechanics. Instead, the games are designed to spark imagination, encourage healthy community, and create opportunities for meaningful conversations between kids and parents. In short, it’s a mix of fun gaming experiences kids genuinely enjoy, combined with a purposeful environment that helps families redeem screen time rather than simply manage it.

How do these games not only entertain but also encourage your kids in their Christian faith and character?

At Lightgliders, we believe entertainment and spiritual formation do not have to compete with one another. Kids are already spending significant time in digital spaces, so our goal has been to create a world where faith and fun work together instead of pulling kids in opposite directions.

Lightgliders encourages Christian faith and character in several ways. First, biblical truth is woven naturally throughout the experience. Kids encounter weekly Bible-based themes, Scriptures, devotional videos, and prayer activities as part of a year of biblical worldview curriculum. Spotlighted in these lessons are positive values and character qualities. And we send these lessons to the parents each week via email with reflection questions to spark meaningful conversations. In addition, we host a regular calendar of virtual community events, including Bible studies and prayer gatherings. In many ways, Lightgliders functions like a 24/7 digital kids ministry.

Beyond the curriculum, the very story and gameplay of Lightgliders are designed to reflect God’s heart for redemption and restoration. In many ways, Lightgliders is an interactive parable — a story-driven adventure where kids become part of the narrative themselves. Players go on missions to respect, rescue, and restore, discovering along the way that the Lightgliders story points to the Far Greater Story of God’s love revealed in the Bible and ultimately through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. 

Kids are drawn in by the fun, exploration, creativity, achievement, and community. But what parents often tell us is that Lightgliders opens the door to conversations about faith, identity, and purpose that might not have happened otherwise. That is especially important during the preteen years, when so much spiritual and emotional formation is taking place.

We also work hard to create a safe and encouraging environment. In a digital culture that can often feel toxic or isolating, we want kids to experience online communities in a way that reflects the love of Jesus — where they feel encouraged, valued, and reminded that their identity is rooted in God’s love for them.

Our hope is that kids leave Lightgliders not only entertained, but also encouraged in their faith, strengthened in character, more connected to the people who love them most, and with a vision for they were “made to shine!”

Are there any other special features you would like to share?

One of the things we’ve heard many times from parents is that Lightgliders is “so much more than a game.” I couldn’t agree more. Yes, it is a game with levels to achieve. Yes, it is a platform with hundreds of games. Yes, it is a vibrant virtual community. Yes, it is a brand universe with story-based adventures and unique characters. Yes, it is a biblical worldview curriculum. Yes, it is a tool for family discipleship. It’s not just one thing, but rather many.  It’s a Christian adventure world with something for everyone. But one of the most meaningful features may actually be the conversations Lightgliders helps create offline. Parents consistently tell us that the platform opens doors to conversations about God that feel natural and engaging for their kids. For us, that is one of the greatest wins of all.

In short, Lightgliders is a ministry intentionally designed to help kids know, grow in, and show the love of Jesus.

Do you have/are you working on any future plans or projects with Lightgliders?

Yes, there are two that I can tell you about now. 

The first is The Gliddle Podcast Brought To You By Lightgliders. This is a short, weekly podcast created specifically for kids and families to encourage faith, values, and meaningful conversations in a fun and engaging way. Hosted by Howie the Red Gliddle, one of the characters in the game, the podcast explores the themes, Scriptures, and lessons found inside the Lightgliders world each week. What makes the podcast unique is that it extends the Lightgliders experience beyond gameplay and into everyday family life. Episodes are short, kid-friendly, and centered around biblical truth and character formation. One of our biggest goals with the podcast is to help create intentional moments for families. Parents often listen with their kids during car rides, bedtime routines, or throughout the week as a simple way to spark conversations. 

The second is the Lightglider Origins book series. These are middle-grade fantasy adventure books created to expand the world and story behind Lightgliders. Written by Derek Holser and me, the series is designed for kids ages 8–14 and combines epic adventure, imaginative world-building, and relatable characters with a strong biblical worldview. At the center of the series is the mysterious world of Glideon — a land filled with Gliddles, talking spiders, dangerous Machines, hidden treasures, and ancient mysteries. Each book follows a different teenager from a different place and time in history who is unexpectedly transported into Glideon and called to become a Lightglider. 

What makes the series unique is that these are not just fantasy stories for entertainment. Each character wrestles with real-life struggles like fear, identity, pride, forgiveness, courage, or grief. As they journey through Glideon, they discover that they were “made to shine” and that their story is part of a much greater story of redemption and restoration.  The first two books, Bryce and the Lost Pearl and Tambika and the Shield of Wisdom, are out now with more to come.  

How can families sign up to be a part of the Lightgliders community?

You can sign up through our website using Growing Kids for the Kingdom’s affiliate link at https://www.lightgliders.com/growingkidsforthekingdom.  

Thank you, Zach, for sharing this amazing video game app with us.  I love how your desire is to create a world where faith and fun work together instead of pulling kids in opposite directions.  I know many children will be blessed by your video games and Biblical content as my son has, and praying the Lord will continue to use what you are doing to grow children in Christ-like character and bold faith.