Our story
It started with a kid from DC who loved these games.
I was born in Washington, DC, and I grew up loving art and Japanese culture. These games, along with comics and cartoons, shaped a lot of how I saw the world. Kung fu came into my life at fourteen and gave me discipline, but it couldn't give me peace.
In 2007 my kung fu brother Philippe Prosper shared the gospel with me, and I gave my life to Jesus. Everything changed. I wanted to use what God had given me, my art and my love for these games, to tell other people what He had done.
In 2015 the idea came to make a series of paintings that brought faith, art, and gaming together. The goal was simple: take the Bible and "translate" it for a generation that grew up on pop culture and video games.
Where it's been
From a coffee house in Manassas to campuses in Tokyo.
2016
The first show
The series debuted at Jirani Coffee House in Manassas, then went to Awesome Con and Baltimore Comic Con. On New Year's Eve we brought it to New Years Aid at McLean Bible Church, with close to 1,000 people in the room.
2017
The book and the RJC conference
Philippe and I led an arts seminar at the RJC Network international conference in Los Angeles. We shared at the Sakura Matsuri festival in DC with the Washington International Japanese Church, showed at Art Whino Gallery in Tysons, and released the first art book.
2018
Churches, camps and the town green
A young adult outreach at Living Faith Christian Church in Farmingdale, New York. Art and morning devotionals at McLean Bible Church's Liya Camp. Two gospel talks and a kung fu demo at Vienna Presbyterian's Go Big event on the Vienna Town Green.
2019
Japan
Two weeks, five cities, and a Japanese edition of the book. Sent by CBMC and McLean Bible Church.
2020
Back in the schools
An assembly at Manassas Christian School for more than 300 students, with the kung fu demo, my testimony, and the paintings.
2021
The Kennedy Center
The series was displayed at the artist market on the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage in Washington, DC.
Japan · November 2019
Sharing the gospel where these games were born.
Philippe Prosper, John Konisiewicz and I traveled with CBMC as our sending organization and McLean Bible Church as our sending church. We printed 800 copies of the Japanese edition of the book and gave them out city by city.
Stop 1
Akita
A community event in Omagari, a church event, and a Sunday message.
Stop 2
Niigata
A visit to an international college and an evening presentation.
Stop 3
Tokyo
A park outreach, and an event at Waseda University with Chi Alpha.
Stop 4
Kanagawa
A presentation at a coffee shop in Hiratsuka, then a student cookout.
Stop 5
Osaka
A Sunday service and kids' lesson, then a full presentation at Abide.
At Waseda, two young men gave their lives to Christ. A missionary who hosted us told us these were "the most unreached people you have ever shared with."
The team
Who you'll be working with.
James E. Whitley III
Artist and speaker
Painter of the series and a graduate of Lancaster Bible College. James is also a kung fu master and a co-founder of Grandmaster Martial Arts Academy.
Philippe Prosper
Co-presenter and hip-hop artist
James's ministry brother and the voice behind Rap Is A Martial Art. Philippe hosts the events with James and performs music inspired by the series.
The Grandmaster Project
This ministry is part of something bigger.
The Grandmaster Project is a Christian 501(c)(3) nonprofit that uses martial arts, the arts, and discipleship to reach people for Christ. James serves as an artist under The Grandmaster Project, and The Gospel According to Nintendo is one of the ways it carries out that mission.