The Unseen Impact: Remembering Notable Deaths of 2023 and the Legacy of Klaus Teuber's Settlers of Catan

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I was reading today on a frozen Thursday in the latest addition to the World Magazine. They profiled many of the notable deaths of 2023. I want to highlight a few for you.

Bobby Hull, the great Chicago Blackhawks hockey player; Raquel Welch, who I only know from her guest role on Seinfeld; Chaim Topol, who starred as Tevye in the Broadway and film adoption of Fiddler on the Roof; Charles Stanley, prominent Baptist pastor and leader in Atlanta; Harry Reeder III, an influential Presbyterian pastor in Birmingham, Alabama; Tim Keller, distinguished writer, theologian, and pastor in New York City; Cormac McCarthy, celebrated novelist of No Country for Old Men and many others from Tennessee; Ted Kaczynski, famously known as the Unabomber; Pat Robertson, Baptist pastor turned conservative political leader and media voice; Tony Bennett, sensational jazz-singer of hits like “I Left My Heart in San Francisco;” Paul Reubens, creator and portrayer of children’s TV character Pee-wee Herman, Sinead O’ Connor, who infamously tore a photo of Pope John Paul II on SNL in 1992; Bob Barker, gameshow host of The Price is Right for 35 years and comedic scene stealer in comedy movie Happy Gilmore; John Warnock, creator of the PDF in 1993; Sarah Young, author of the controversial book Jesus Calling; Jimmy Buffett, singer-songwriter of “Margaritaville “loved by his Parrot Head fans; Michael Gambon, famed for portraying headmaster Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series and the last turn of the Top Gear test track is named after him; Dick Butkus, feared Chicago Bear linebacker; Matthew Perry, known as Chandler on the hit show Friends; Bob Knight, nefarious Indiana men’s basketball coach of the last undefeated season; Henry Kissinger, legendary diplomate of the Nixon and Ford administrations; Sandra Day O’Connor, first woman to seat on the U.S. Supreme Court; and Ken Mattingly, known for famously missing the Apollo 13 because of measles, died in 2023.

While the list of notable deaths included many others, another name that is less known but hugely impactful for the many who cherish his delightful board game from Germany is Klaus Teuber, who died on April 1st at the age of 70. You may not know his name, but you may have played his famous board game, The Settlers of Catan. The game has been translated into nearly 50 languages with more than 40 million copies of the game sold. The game has expanded with different versions. My family surprisedly loves the Star Trek Catan.

I honor the architect of the greatest board game on Partners and Citizens because God has used this nerdy invention to bring people together. As groups gather around this diversity of cardboard hexagon districts with resource cards, numbered coins, a plastic robber, and an assortment of wooden pieces, relationships form, and gospel conversations ascend.

I can imagine a group of Christian friends in college inviting their non-believing hall-mates for a friendly game of Settlers. During 90 minutes of strategy, trades, and dice-rolling, an assortment of topics are discussed. Perhaps the subject of Jesus and the Bible is tossed out to the competitors while playing Klaus’ little game. After several sessions of Settlers over an extended period of time, the gospel was explained and perhaps affirmed by someone. Maybe one of those new friends who connected over Settlers was an international student from Nepal who had never heard the gospel before being invited to play.

Klaus Teuber intended to create a fun strategy game, but God used Settlers to bring many to Christ. I would encourage you to discover simple joys like board games and invite people to join you. God may use you in that common interest to connect someone to the gospel and accomplish His mission to be known by many.

Discover and enjoy a hobby in 2024, and invite people to join you. The hobbies could be golf, disc golf, weightlifting, running, chess, classic cars, and many others. By the way, if you haven’t played The Settlers of Catan, get out from underneath your rock and play a round. You can thank Mr. Klaus Teuber afterward.