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Group Formations 3
↔ Would You Rather…? [works with any number of people] 3
↔ Cinderella’s shoe [works with any number of people] 3
↔ Hot chocolate [works with any number of people] 3
↔ Lolly Gangs {30+} [works with any number of people] 3
Mixer 4
↔ Your Room [works with any number of people] 4
↔ Whose bin? (Mixer Version) [works with any number of people] 4
↔ Quotable Quotes [works with any number of people] 4
↔ Fongo Bingo [works with any number of people] 4
↔ Skittles mixer [works with any number of people] 4
↔ Find your twin [works with any number of people] 5
↔ Speed meeting [works with any number of people] 5
↔ Portrait bingo [works with any number of people] 5
↔ Secret portrait {-20} [works best with 20 people or less] 5
↔ Secret self-portrait [works with any number of people] 5
↔ Appointments [works with any number of people] 5
↔ Hot chocolate [works with any number of people] 6
↔ People Pictionary {-20} [works best with 20 people or less] 6
↔ Guess who {-15} [works best with 15 people or less] 6
↔ Memory match card game {-10} [works best with 10 people or less] 6
Bible game 7
↔ 4 Pics 1 Word [works with any number of people] 7
↔ Get your story straight {20-60} [works best with 20-60 people] 7
↔ Bible Blunder! [works with any number of people] 8
↔ Bible or What? [works with any number of people] 8
↔ Bible Balderdash [Max 8 groups of about 8] 9
↔ Guess who? Bible Characters [number of people limited to the amount of cards you have] 9
↔ Quotable Quotes [works with any number of people] 10
↔ Group verses Guru [works with any number of people] 10
↔ Don’t forget the Bible verse! {-40} [works best with 40 people or less] 10
↔ Bible Skit {-20} [works best with 20 people or less] 10
↔ Bubble gum sculpture [works with any number of people] 10
↔ A Perfect Match {-50} [works best with 50 people or less] 10
↔ Props {-100} [works best with 100 people or less] 11
↔ Bible Taboo [works with any number of people] 11
↔ Protect the truth {-50} [works best with 50 people or less] 11
↔ Bible charades/Pictionary [works with any number of people] 11
↔ Who am I? [works with any number of people] 11
↔ Bible Secret Sounds [works with any number of people] 11
↔ Whose bin? (Bible Version) [works with any number of people] 12
↔ Draw your Swords! [works with any number of people] 12
Share 13
↔ Jesus Tweet [works with any number of people] 13
↔ Bible spot [works with any number of people] 13
↔ Spotlight [works with any number of people] 13
↔ Testimony [works with any number of people] 13
↔ Represent [works with any number of people] 13
↔ Voice [works with any number of people] 13
↔ The Download [works with any number of people] 13
↔ Reflection Section [works with any number of people] 13
↔ Expression Session 14
↔ Victories and Arrows [works with any number of people] 14
↔ The Lord’s supper [works with any number of people] 14
Memory Verse 15
Introducing memory verse activities: 15
↔ Name That Tune [works with any number of people] 15
↔ Engrish Memory Verse [works with any number of people] 15
↔ SMS memory verse [works with any number of people] 15
↔ Mad Gab memory verse [works with any number of people] 15
↔ Buzzer blanks [works with any number of people] 15
↔ Jigsaw puzzle [works with any number of people] 16
↔ Pass the parcel [works with any number of people] 16
↔ Eat Out! [works with any number of people] 16
↔ Balloon Darts {-14} [works best with 14 people or less] 16
Revision memory verse activities: 17
↔ Name That Tune [works with any number of people] 17
↔ Engrish Memory Verse [works with any number of people] 17
↔ Chinese Whispers [works with any number of people] 17
↔ Application pictures [works with any number of people] 17
↔ Memory verse skit {-60} [works best with 60 people or less] 17
↔ Memory verse relay {-20} [works best with 20 people or less] 17
↔ Pass the ball {-20} [works best with 20 people or less] 17
↔ Newspaper slice {-20} [works best with 20 people or less] 18
↔ Memory verse song [works with any number of people] 18
↔ Pass the parcel revision [works with any number of people] 18
↔ Total Recall [works with any number of people] 18
Prayer 19
↔ One Point Prayer Tree [works with any number of people] 19
↔ Confession [works with any number of people] 19
↔ World map [works with any number of people] 19
↔ Prayer card shuffle [works with any number of people] 19
↔ Bite size prayer [works with any number of people] 20
↔ Prayer Barrel [works with any number of people] 20
↔ Target prayer [works with any number of people] 20
↔ Small group [works with any number of people] 20
↔ Prayer leaders [works with any number of people] 20
↔ Popcorn [works with any number of people] 20
↔ AAPB [works with any number of people] 20
↔ Psalms [works with any number of people] 20
Teaching activities 21
↔ Clothes peg opinion 21
↔ Application badges/tattoos… 21
↔ Jesus Tweet 21
Group Formations
Would You Rather…? [works with any number of people]
The idea is fairly straight forward, make a series “would you rather” propositions with multiple choice answers so that people have to choose which answer out of the available options they would prefer. If you want to form your large group into 4 smaller mixed groups, give 4 possible answers to your “would you rather” proposition and designate 4 areas of your room to correspond with each respective answer.
So for example, you say to the group “Would you rather:
a) Heavy Metal;
b) Pop music;
c) Classical;
d) Dance music.
All the participants then move to that part of the room that represents their preference. Participants may not like any of the choices, but they have to choose which they’d prefer out of the options they’ve been given.
Repeat the process a few times with different propositions and by the end of a few rounds you should have 4 smaller mixed groups and some valuable insights into the preferences of your young people (. If you want to make more smaller groups just make more answer options with of course more areas of the room to equal the number of answer options.
There’s a pre-prepared .ppt file attached with 3 rounds of propositions.
Cinderella’s shoe [works with any number of people]
Get everyone in your group to take off one of their shoes/footwear and put it in a pile in the middle of the room. If you want to form small groups of 6, for example, then get each of your leaders to go in and grab a random selection of 6 shoes each. All the participants then have to go find their missing shoe and join the group of the leader who had their shoe.
Hot chocolate [works with any number of people]
Get together the four ingredients you need to make hot chocolate ie. Mugs, spoons, packet of hot chocolate mix, and marshmallows (make sure you provide hot water and milk). Divide everybody into four even groups. Give each group only one hot chocolate ingredient and enough for each person in the group to have 4 each. Group 1: each person is given 4 mugs. Group 2: each person is given 4 spoons. Group 3: each person is given 4 marshmallows. Group 4: each person is given 4 packets of hot chocolate mix.
Once all the ingredients are handed out, get everybody to form new groups that have all the hot chocolate ingredients. There should now be newly formed groups of 4 people which now have enough hot chocolate ingredients to make one cup of hot chocolate for each person in the group. When each group has made their hot chocolates ask them to sit down and give a sharing question for them to discuss.
Variations of this mixer could be: Banana splits (bowls, bananas, chocolate toping, ice cream), spiders (glasses, ice cream, soft drink, spoon/straws), Milo (glasses, Milo, spoons, milk), the list goes on and on…
Note: Allow at least 25 minutes for this mixer.
Lolly Gangs {30+} [works with any number of people]
This game works better with groups 30+. Gather a few different types of wrapped lollies and tape them under the chairs of your audience before the meeting. Keep in mind the different types, and the amount of lollies you use, so that the teams will be as evenly numbered as possible. Everyone looks underneath their seat, grabs the lolly, and then has to find the other people in the room with the same lolly. Once all team members have found their respective "gang", they eat the lollies and turn the wrappers into team badges, and answer a few sharing questions.
Mixer
Download (Mixer Version) [works with any number of people]
Give each person in the group a sheet of paper and tell them to write down (download) everything that they did, or that happened to them during the week (or holidays). Then get them to find another person or other people in the group who’s list has the most similar items to their own. Interview some of the groups or pairs then pray.
Your Room [works with any number of people]
Have a young person (or a few people) from youth group make a 1 minute video (each) of their room, showing things that are on their desk, posters on their wall, the song playing on their iPod, their Bible open at the last passage they read, the clothes in their wardrobe, a musical instrument or any other quirky thing they might have (a pet snake for instance!). The whole idea is to give a snapshot of their life and what they’re interested in. After watching the video at youth group, quiz the group on what they saw in the video (questions like: what poster was on the wall? What passage was their Bible open on? What was on their doona/quilt cover? etc). Reward those who make a correct answer (with chocolate or something). This game can be played in pairs or groups where you would have each pair/group make a list answering the questions about the video. Repeat the process if there’s more than one video.
The aim of the activity is simply to better know someone at youth group.
Whose bin? (Mixer Version) [works with any number of people]
Decide on a person from your church (not from youth group because it won’t work). Collect about 5-8 items/clues that are related to the person and put the items in a bin (you will want to make them a little cryptic, with the first clue the hardest, and the final clue more or less giving away the answer). Note, you can just get pictures of the items and put them on the powerpoint rather than find the actual props for clues.
Split into smaller groups (mix it up with those who go to church and those who don’t). Bring the bin out the front so that all groups can see it (or the use the powerpoint slide). In the game, each group gets to have only one guess at who the person is, their guess should be made to the leader of the game in quiet so that other teams can continue to play without knowing the guess of other teams. If the person is guessed immediately after the first clue, maximum points are awarded. With every clue that is revealed less points are awarded for a correct guess.
At the conclusion of the round give info about the person from church or play a video interview of them before moving on to the next round.
#1 Alternative game play: Split into teams and give each group a bin with clues to a different person. Each team is given 5 minutes to rummage through the clues in the bin and then make their guess. In this alternative game play all clues should be a bit cryptic with no “give-it-away” clue.
#2 Alternative game play: Instead of using group members, use bible characters or stories and use it as a Bible Game.
Quotable Quotes [works with any number of people]
This game should help people get to know characters from the Bible, from Christian history and to know each other.
Compile a range of quotes (can be bible quotes, Christian quotes or quotes from someone in your group). Split the group into teams and then read out the quotes in character. Teams buzz in to have a guess when they think they know who said it. Award points for each correct guess.
You may need to give clues if quotes are hard to guess.
Alternative: No teams needed. Compile a range of quotes and write them on separate pieces of paper with the answer included (can be bible quotes, Christian quotes or quotes from someone in your group). Place the pieces into a container and select one at random. Read the quote in character. Whoever guesses the quote correctly comes to the front and draws another quote from the container at random and reads it out in character. Continue this cycle until all the quotes are finished.
Fongo Bingo [works with any number of people]
(from the famous James Fong!)
Each person is given a piece of paper and a pen. Everybody is given about 5 minutes to go around the room and collect the names of 6 people in the room they don’t know so well. They must find out 3 things about each person on their sheet (eg. Name, school, about family, pets, worst hair cut, etc.). When everybody has 6 people on their sheet they take their seats again and we play Bingo! The leader up the front will have a list of everybody in the room and their names (if you don’t have a roll, you will need to collect everyone’s names as the enter). To play bingo the leader up the front will read names of the sheet in a random order. People tick off the names on their sheet as they are read out. Whoever is the first to tick off all 6 of the names on their sheet and yell Bingo! Wins. That person will receive a prize and should be asked to introduce all 6 people on their sheet and say what they found out about them.
40+ Note: If there’s more than 40 people then reduce the number of names you need to make bingo (eg. Gather 6 names but you only need to tick off 3). This increases the odds and shortens the game.
Skittles mixer [works with any number of people]
Pass the bag of skittles around so students can take a handful skittles. Each person can eat their skittles but has to keep one skittle left over. Each colour (normally 5 colours in a skittles bag) represents a different question (ie. Green- What do you want to be when you grow up? Red- last part of the Bible you read or heard? Orange- Sing a verse of your favourite TV show theme song. Purple- What is your favourite subject in school and why? Yellow- how many people in your family). Go around the group as each person answers the question that corresponds to their colour skittle. After they have answered the question, they can of course eat their skittle.
30+ Note: If there’s more than 30 people then just let people keep one colour skittle only. Ask everyone with that colour to stand but only pick 3 to answer the question.
Find your twin [works with any number of people]
This game is played in rounds, and in each round members of the group need to find their twin and ask 3 or 4 set questions. The leader of the activity gives direction for how each person is to find their twin in each round ie. Round 1- find someone the same height as you, round 2- find someone who is in the same year at school, round 3- find someone who like the same type of music, etc. When everybody has found their twin they ask each other the 3 or 4 set questions (ie. What’s you’re name? How would you spend your last $10.00? What’s the best thing about youth group? Etc.).
Variation: Swap.
After finding you’re twin and asking the questions for that round, swap one item with each other (ie. shoe, sock, necklace, hat, keys, etc.) and then move on to the next round. At the conclusion of all the rounds you should have a collection of items from the people you met. Ask a few people in the group to stand up and share what items they have, who they’re from, and the answers to the questions, then return the items to their owners. After a few people have shared, make sure everyone returns the items.
Speed meeting [works with any number of people]
Like speed dating. Split the group into 2 equal groups. Have the groups stand in two concentric circles with the outside circle facing in and the inside circle facing out, each person should be facing a partner. Give the group 3-4 questions to ask each other (ie. Name, place you were born, what’s 3 things you’d take into the Big Brother house? Etc.). The partners have 2-3 minutes to ask the questions and find out the answers before the leader of the activity rings a bell (or similar) and the partners must change (ie. Inside circle moves one person to the right or outside circle moves two people to the left, etc.). Repeat the process till everyone has met each other or till time allows. Select people to share with the group who they met and the answers to the questions.
Note: This activity requires a bit of room.
Portrait bingo [works with any number of people]
Give each person a ‘Bingo sheet’ – a piece of paper with a 6 squares big enough to draw a small portrait. Write a question for each square. The goal of the game is to find someone who can answer the question or statement in the box (eg. Someone who went to the beach in the holidays, someone in year 7, someone who has a dog etc). when you’ve found someone who fulfils the category, you draw their portrait in the square provided, then move onto another person. You can’t have the same person again on your bingo sheet.
Secret portrait {-20} [works best with 20 people or less]
The group sits in a circle. Write everybody’s name on a piece of paper and place the names in a hat or bowl. Give each person a piece of A4 paper and a pen or pencil. Each person draws a name from the hat or bowl – they are not to tell anyone whose name. When everyone has a name, they draw the face of that person without anyone knowing who they are drawing. When every one has finished drawing, the activity leader collects the portraits and shows them to the group one at a time while the group tries to guess who the subject of the portrait is and who drew it.
Secret self-portrait [works with any number of people]
Each person in the group is given a piece of A4 paper and a pen or pencil. Each person draws their own self portrait without showing anyone else their drawing, and adds one unknown fact about themselves. The activity leader collects the portraits and then randomly redistributes the unnamed portraits to the group (if anyone gets their own they should choose again). Everyone in the group then tries to find who the self portrait belongs to. A name is placed on the portrait once the subject of the portrait has successfully been found, and then put up on the wall.
Appointments [works with any number of people]
Each person in the group is given an appointment card – that is: a card which has space for 3 names on separate lines (with 1 extra line underneath each name) and 3-4 sharing questions at the bottom or reverse side of the card. Give everybody time to go and make an appointment with someone else in the group.
Make it very clear that appointments are with each other (ie. if person x makes an appointment with person y, then person y also makes an appointment with person x).
Allow about 10 seconds for each appointment to be made and then have everybody sit down (or you may want to sing a song or do something else). Then when you’re ready say “it’s now time for your first appointment!”. Everyone in the group goes to their first appointment and asks the other person the 3-4 sharing questions written on the appointment card. Allow about 2-3 minutes for each appointment and then finish the mixer by asking some in the group to share who the met and the answers to the questions.
Hot chocolate [works with any number of people]
Get together the four ingredients you need to make hot chocolate ie. Mugs, spoons, packet of hot chocolate mix, and marshmallows (make sure you provide hot water and milk). Divide everybody into four even groups. Give each group only one hot chocolate ingredient and enough for each person in the group to have 4 each. Group 1: each person is given 4 mugs. Group 2: each person is given 4 spoons. Group 3: each person is given 4 marshmallows. Group 4: each person is given 4 packets of hot chocolate mix.
Once all the ingredients are handed out, get everybody to form new groups that have all the hot chocolate ingredients. There should now be newly formed groups of 4 people which now have enough hot chocolate ingredients to make one cup of hot chocolate for each person in the group. When each group has made their hot chocolates ask them to sit down and give a sharing question for them to discuss.
Variations of this mixer could be: Banana splits (bowls, bananas, chocolate toping, ice cream), spiders (glasses, ice cream, soft drink, spoon/straws), Milo (glasses, Milo, spoons, milk), the list goes on and on…
Note: Allow at least 25 minutes for this mixer.
People Pictionary {-20} [works best with 20 people or less]
Split the group into 2 teams, A and B. Everyone has to write down some things about themselves and what they like on a card that can be used as clues in a game of Pictionary (eg. For Mike - a motorbike, drums etc.). The leader of the game then calls up the first delegated drawer from each team and shows them a card from a person on the opposite team, they go back and try to draw the clues on a piece of paper so their team can guess who it is. When the team has guessed, another drawer runs up to the game leader to grab another card from the opposite team and so on until the team to guess all their cards first is the winner. It will be important for the cards to have a name on them so the drawer will know if their team’s guess is the right answer.
Guess who {-15} [works best with 15 people or less]
Everyone writes 3 or 5 little known things about themselves on a card with their name at the top of the card and gives them to the M.C. Each person in the group will need another piece of paper to write their guesses on. The piece of paper should be numbered down one side equal to the number of people in the group. The M.C. reads out the first card saying: "person one is…" and reads out the description. After time has been given for people to write their guess, the M.C. then reads out the following card "person two is…" and so on till all the cards have been read out. Who ever guesses the most right is the winner.
Memory match card game {-10} [works best with 10 people or less]
(This game really only works with a small group, otherwise it takes forever…)
Each person is given 2 cards that they write their name on, and something unique or interesting about themselves. All the cards from the group are mixed up and put on a table face down. Each person in the group then takes turns at trying to find a set of matching cards by selecting 2 cards and turning them up the right way. If a matching set is found, that set is taken off the table and that player gets another turn. If a matching set isn’t found, those cards are returned face down to the same position and the turn moves on to the next player.
Variation: Each person is given 2 cards to write 3 unique things about themselves (the same on each card) and without writing their name on the cards. All the cards from the group are mixed up and put on a table face down. Each person in the group then takes turns at trying to find a set of matching cards by selecting 2 cards and turning them up the right way. When a set of matching cards is found the player who found them must guess who the set belongs to before taking the set off the table and having another turn. If they guess incorrectly the cards are turned back over and the turn moves on to the next player.
Bible game
4 Pics 1 Word [works with any number of people]
This game courtesy of Mark Schroder, youth minister at Campbelltown Anglican.
This game is based on the same game that has overtaken your news feed on Facebook!
The idea: Try and guess the word that is being represented by 4 cryptic pictures. This activity is a great one for learning about Bible characters, Bible stories and each other.
Create 3 rounds for the game. For example:
Round one: Bible Character
Round Two: Bible Story or thing:
Round Three: Youth Group Character ie. leader or member.
How to play:
1. Display pictures and the blanked out word on the screen
2. Allow groups to think about the answer and write it down
3. After a few minutes move on to next round.
4. After all pictures have been displayed provide everyone with the answers
5. Finally, choose one of the categories and give a few details or extra facts about it. If its a youth group leader or member interview them and pray for them in your small groups/pairs.
If the pictures are too cryptic, you can make a round easier by providing one or two bonus letters as clues.
Below are 2 examples provided in pptx files with the following answers for each respective one:
powerpoint #1
a) Callum- (he's a youth group leader at Campbelltown Anglican Youth)
b) Samson
c) The Prodigal Son
powerpoint #2
a) Nick Bull- (he's a youth group leader at Campbelltown Anglican Youth)
b) Jonah
c) Tower of Babel
Get your story straight {20-60} [works best with 20-60 people]
The object of this game is to help young people become familiar with stories from the gospels and as a secondary goal will help them mix with other young people at youth group. This game does NOT require players to have any prior knowledge of the Bible at all (though there is an advantage for people that do).
You will need to download and print off one of the Story Card decks (download: Deck 1 here), 200gsm cardboard works well. Each deck contains 12 stories. Each story is split over 5 cards (Beginning, 1st Middle, 2nd Middle, 3rd Middle, and End). Only use enough cards to have complete stories, for example if you have 20 people playing use 20 cards that make up 4 complete stories. If you have an odd number of players, for example 22 people, see if you can make up the numbers with 3 leaders so you have 25 people playing the game and 5 complete stories.
Starting the Game:
Split into groups of 5 people. After you form everyone into teams of 5 you can work out how many bible stories you’ll use from the deck (eg. 10 teams = 10 stories. There’s 12 stories in a deck so remove the remaining 2 stories).
(We’ll use 10 teams as an example of how the game works)
Designate a captain from each team of 5 and deal out 1 card from each of the stories that you’re using (maybe just give them the “beginning” card from each story), that’ll leave a remaining 4 cards for each story in the deck.
Shuffle the remaining deck of cards and distribute randomly. You should now have 10 teams where the captain has the beginning of a story but the rest of the cards in the team are mixed up and will all be from the different stories (though the law of averages will mean that there could be 1 or more other card/s in the team that matches the captains story card). The card that has been dealt to that person stays with them for the entire game.
Playing the Game:
Give the groups a minute or so to work out if they have any cards that belong to the same story. After roughly a minute, sound a gong (or something) to indicate that the captains trading period has begun. Set a time limit for the trading period to encourage them to get on with it.
The Trading Period:
The captains meet in the middle of the room (front or wherever the trading area is) and they start to work out a trade with other teams. Captains can only trade a maximum of two people (and their cards) each trading period. At first the captains will want to trade the maximum, so everyone will want to trade 2 players. As the game goes on and people are getting closer to piecing together their story, some will want to trade 1 and others 2, but no matter what happens a team MUST NOT exceed 5 players. It’ll be up to the captain to work out how to trade the players they want to swap (eg. If the captain wants to swap 2 players but everyone else only wants to swap 1, then the captain will need to swap their players to 2 different teams. No problem).
The players remain in their teams with their cards during the trading period. Once the captains have struck a deal, then people move teams (taking their card with them).
Once all the teams have traded, give them another minute or so to work out if they now have more cards that belong to the captain’s story.
At the end of roughly a minute, start the next trading period and repeat the process until one group has one complete story. Check if the story is correct and then you may end the game there or continue until all groups have completed stories, though it is perhaps best to finish after 1 group has a complete story because of time. Have the winning group read out their complete story.
Note: It’ll help to have another copy of the cards printed out complete on A4 pages so you can check if the completed stories are correct or give assistance for those who need it.
Bible Blunder! [works with any number of people]
This game is designed to help young people to be discerning in regards to what they might hear in bible talks or what they overhear about the bible. It will encourage young people to really learn the Bible for themselves, as well as teaching them some stories from the bible. This game does NOT require players to have any prior knowledge of the Bible at all (though there is an advantage for people that do).This game requires you to go through and change or add to a Bible story before hand.
For example:
DAVID & GOLIATH (Edited Version!) 1 Samuel 16 & 17
David was the youngest of twelve son's and was by far the most popular. (False! 1 Samuel 16:10-11) He worked as a shepherd, and often had to kill Lions and Bears. He was also glowing with health and had a fine appearance. Because of his health and fine appearance he was appointed King. (False! 1 Samuel 16:7) Now, the Babylonians were invading Judah (False! 1 Samuel 17:1) They had a champion by the name of Goliath, who was about 9 ½ feet tall! He Defied the people of Israel, and challenged them to send him a person to fight. Lots of men volunteered, but David was chosen because of his practice fighting wild animals.(False! 1 Samuel 17:11) David was a little nervous, but took courage when the King lent him his personal set of armour. (False! 1 Samuel 17:38) He went down to the water and picked out five smooth stones, and with his sling in hand approached Goliath. Goliath taunted him, so david started shooting his stones at him, Goliath charged and with his last stone David knocked out Goliath. (False! 1 Samuel 17:49) David then chopped Goliath's head off. When the enemy saw what had happened they dropped there weapons and bowed down in reverence and respect of the Lord, becoming Israelites. (False! 1 Samuel 17:51-53) From that point on, David became very popular and went to live with the King and his Son.
Instructions: This game is played in teams and will require a sheet of paper and a pen for each team. Put the edited story on big screen (if you are able) and read the edited story out loud telling them to look out for 'bible blunders' which are places where the story has been changed or added to. Afterwards, give the teams 2 minutes or so to list all the mistakes by writing them on a sheet of paper.
Once the time is completed, ask the teams to mark their list as you read out the list of the mistakes (honesty system!). A correct guess gets you one point, but an incorrect guess means you lose two points. After each mistake is announced, say how it really happened, so everyone knows how the story should actually go. At the end, ask people how many mistakes they got (Did they miss some? Did they think there was extra?) then tally up the scores. The team with the most points wins.
Bible or What? [works with any number of people]
This game helps people become familiar with the Bible and recognise concepts and phrases that are not in the Bible. This game does NOT require players to have any prior knowledge of the Bible at all (though there is an advantage for people that do).
This game is adapted from a “Spicks & Specks” game where contestants are shown a photo and have to decide if the photo is of a famous composer or serial killer (very entertaining and unfortunately often quite hard to tell…). Obviously “Bible or What?” doesn’t use photos but text. Participants need to decide if the text they are shown is from the Bible or elsewhere.
Some examples of topics are: Bible or Poetry? Bible or Pop Song? Bible or Philosophy? Bible or Buddhism? Bible or Islam? Bible or Shakespeare? Etc. (Poetry & Philosophy obviously refer to non-biblical examples of those topics).
Choose some texts for your topics that are hard to distinguish between and others that are obvious. Here are 2 example questions for Bible or Shakespeare just so you get the idea:
1. "Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast"
← Answer: Shakespeare! (Romeo & Juliet).
2. “He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated."
← Answer: Bible! (Proverbs 14:17 – KJV)
And 2 example questions from Bible or Pop Song:
1. “Throw your soul through every open door, count your blessings to find what you look for, turn my sorrow into treasured gold, you pay me back in kind and reap just what you sow.”
← Answer: Pop Song! (Adele – Rolling in the deep)
2. “For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.”
← Answer: Bible! (Psalm 57:10 - TNIV)
Instructions: You can play this game in 3 rounds where you choose 3 topics and have a multiple questions in each; or you can play the game with multiple topics that have one question for each, it’s up to you but the latter will be more work.
Once you have chosen your topics and worked out your questions, form the group into teams to play. Give each team a card that says “Bible” written on one side and “Other” written on the reverse side. After displaying and reading out the text, each team is given a minute to decide their answer before showing if they think the text is from the Bible or from the other topic you have chosen. Tally points as you go and declare the winner when you’ve completed the rounds. More importantly use the game as an opportunity to help people understand what is in the bible and what isn’t.
Bible Balderdash [Max 8 groups of about 8]
The aim of the game is ultimately to learn the definition of biblical & theological terms and words (eg. iniquity, statute, precept, justification, sanctification, propitiation etc) to build vocabulary and help with personal Bible reading and understanding. This game does NOT require players to have any prior knowledge of the Bible at all (though there is an advantage for people that do).
The Balderdash game is a classic bluffing game. Players make up definitions for a chosen word. They earn points for bluffing the other players with their made-up definition. They also earn points for guessing the correct definition.
The game is played in groups, with 8 groups being the maximum otherwise there will be too many definitions to read out and remember.
The Dasher introduces a word to all the groups playing the game (display it on a projector screen if you have one). Each group then has 3 minutes to discuss what they think the correct definition of the word is, and then create a definition for the word that sounds believable and could be mistaken as the correct definition by the other groups.
They write the definition on their answer sheet (with group name on top) and hand it to the "Dasher" up the front.
Once the answer sheets are collected, the “Dasher” reads all the definitions aloud including the correct definition of the word.
Each group then votes for the definition which they believe is the correct definition. The Dasher takes note of which definition each group chooses. After all the groups have guessed, the “Dasher” reads the correct definition (display on projector screen if you have one).
Scores are awarded:
A group is awarded 1 point for each vote their made-up definition received.
Each group who chose the correct definition is awarded 2 points.
Those groups that didn’t receive any votes or choose the correct definition are awarded no points.
Play more rounds as time allows.
Guess who? Bible Characters [number of people limited to the amount of cards you have]
This game is based on the board game “Guess Who?”. This game does NOT require players to have any prior knowledge of the Bible at all (though there is an advantage for people that do).
Split into teams (you will need a complete set of cards for each team, so only have as many teams as you have sets of cards), the smaller the teams the better. Each team starts the game with a set of 50 Bible character cards (download cards here) that they arrange face up in front of them. The game starts with the game organiser selecting a card of their choice from a separate complete pile of cards. The object of the game is to be the first to determine which card the game organiser has selected. Teams take turns asking a yes or no question to eliminate candidates, such as "Is this person in the OT?". Well-crafted questions allow players to eliminate one or more possible cards. Teams should just turn over the cards which are eliminated. Questions need to be asked to the game organiser without the other groups hearing their question (otherwise they would gain an unfair advantage). Each team is only allowed one guess, which is an incentive to play the game the game through without just making random guesses each round…
When the character has been guessed, give a short description of who this person was, what they did, and how they are significant in the salvation story of the bible. Here is a good website to get factual biblical information:
Quotable Quotes [works with any number of people]
This game should help people get to know characters from the Bible, from Christian history and to know each other.
Compile a range of quotes (can be bible quotes, Christian quotes or quotes from someone in your group). Split the group into teams and then read out the quotes in character. Teams buzz in to have a guess when they think they know who said it. Award points for each correct guess.
You may need to give clues if quotes are hard to guess.
Alternative: No teams needed. Compile a range of quotes and write them on separate pieces of paper with the answer included (can be bible quotes, Christian quotes or quotes from someone in your group). Place the pieces into a container and select one at random. Read the quote in character. Whoever guesses the quote correctly come to the front and draws another quote from the container at random and reads it out in character. Continue this cycle until all the quotes are finished.
Group verses Guru [works with any number of people]
A version of the TV game show “One verses 100”. Call in a “guru” (minister, student minister, youth minister, youth leader, etc) to youth group have them compete against the whole youth group in Bible (or other) trivia. The game should work like the game show where the aim is for the “guru” to outlast the group by getting all the questions right. The youth group and the “guru” are given a multiple choice question. The group is given 30 seconds for every person to decide their answer and record it on a piece of paper (this works on trust). Anyone in the group with the wrong answer is out for the rest of the game. The “guru” is also given 30 seconds to decide their answer and lock it in. If the “guru” gets the answer wrong, then the “guru” is out and the group wins.
35+ Note: For groups 35+ make A5 size answer cards that are folded into 4 quarters with one letter (A,B,C,D) written respectively in each quarter. People then lock in their answer for the question by holding the letter above their head. Make sure you ask the Guru to lock in his answer secretly before the group answers, otherwise the Guru gets an unfair advantage.
Don’t forget the Bible verse! {-40} [works best with 40 people or less]
A version of the TV game show “Don’t forget the lyrics!”. This game does NOT require players to have any prior knowledge of the Bible at all (though there is an advantage for people that do).
This game is played in teams. Read out a verse in the Bible and leave off the last few words. Tell the contestants how many words are missing and the contestants have to guess what the missing words are. You can play this game in rounds ie. New Testament verses, Old Testament verse, Obscure verses (for more points), Well Known verses (less points), and you can have rounds where the number of missing words increases each round. The aim of this game is to teach Bible verses and significant points of Biblical theology.
Here’s an example: Mark 10:43 Jesus said “whoever wants to become great among you must ___ /_____ /_________” (be your servant). We might expect that whoever wants to be great must be the smartest or have the best skills, but Jesus says be a servant, and that’s a significant theological point for Christianity.
You can find a list of good Bible verses at the back of “Changing the World through Effective Youth Ministry 2” K. Moser, Aquilia Press, 2005.
-40 Note: This game works best with a maximum of 4 groups of 10 people… otherwise it takes too long and there’s too much down time for other groups while they wait for their turn.
Bible Skit {-20} [works best with 20 people or less]
Split into 2 groups and make a skit on the Bible teaching passage. Give each group about 5-10 minutes to work out a 2 minute skit and then perform it in front of the whole group. This will really only work with narrative parts of the Bible.
Note: This activity requires at least 20 mins.
Bubble gum sculpture [works with any number of people]
This is a good revision game, but you’ll probably only want to do this once a year… it’s pretty gross. You will need rubber gloves and lots of bubble gum. Divide kids into groups. Give each group a plate or flat dish and 3 or 4 packets of bubble gum. In 10 minutes each group needs to chew their bubble gum and make a sculpture out of the gum that relates to a Bible story or teaching point from past weeks (or that night). Warning: it smells pretty bad and rubber or latex gloves are a must!
Variation: Can do with play-doh for something less gross…
A Perfect Match {-50} [works best with 50 people or less]
This game takes a lot of preparation!
Pick some famous couples from the Bible (eg. Samson & Delilah, Mary & Joseph, Ruth & Boaz, Abraham & Sarah, David & Bathsheba, etc. Or some famous groups of people from the Bible, eg. Shadrach & Meshach & Abednego, the 12 sons of Israel, 12 disciples of Jesus, etc.) and create some information sheets about them (including details of where you’d read about them in the Bible, who they are, their role in the salvation story of the Bible, and some prayer points to thank God for). Put up the information sheets about the Bible characters on the walls around the room.
Create some sticky name labels for each name in the famous couple or group (eg. a label for Samson and a label for Delilah etc.) and distribute the labels randomly to each person. Give everybody 5 minutes to check out the information sheets and discover who they are and who their match is (eg. If it’s “Samson” they need to find “Delilah”). Once everybody has made their match and formed their pair or group, they sit together with the info sheet and talk about what they discovered about their bible character and then pray the prayer points. Bring everybody back together and pick some people to share who they were and what they discovered.
Note: Even if people have little or no Bible knowledge they should be able to work it out from the info sheets.
Props {-100} [works best with 100 people or less]
Taken from the theatre sport game show “who’s line is it anyway?”. Split into 2 or more teams of 3-5 people and give each teams a set of props (eg. broom, cushion, hat, hula-hoop, brick, aqua noodle, etc...). Give each team 5 minutes to come up with as many Bible stories as possible which they can act out in 30 second skits using the props. Have the teams perform in front of a judging panel (probably made up of leaders) and score each skit on: Use of props; team participation; comedy value, paraphrased biblical accuracy etc… Rotate through the teams as they perform their skits. If a story is acted out by more than one team then the points for that 30 second skit are halved.
30+ Note: If there are 30 people or more, then give each team a Bible story and let them find a way to work the props into the story (could use broom as a horse etc…). The groups will need time to read the story and prepare a skit, at least 10 minutes for prep and 2 minutes to perform. Depending on the number of groups this activity may take about 30 minutes.
Bible Taboo [works with any number of people]
This is a rip off of a popular board game Taboo. This game does NOT require players to have any prior knowledge of the Bible at all (though there is an advantage for people that do).
Make a bunch of cards that have Bible characters or recognisable Bible things (eg. Noah’s ark, temple, Ark of the covenant, etc.) and list about five words on the card that can’t be used to describe the person or object (Taboo words). Split the group into teams and have each team taking turns at going through the cards and trying to describe the Bible character or thing to their group. 1 pt. per correct guess to that team, and -1 pt. if that team takes a pass on a card or says one of the Taboo words.
Note: I’ve done this game with 120 teenagers (non Christian even) and it works a treat!
Protect the truth {-50} [works best with 50 people or less]
This game is a variation of poison ball. Using masking tape, chalk, or rope, mark out an court to play poison ball (the court should be rectangle and divided into 3 equal thirds). Divide the group into 2 teams. Team ‘A’ will stand in the middle section of the poison ball court and the team ‘B’ will stand each side. Like regular poison ball, team ‘B’ needs to eliminate team ‘A’ by throwing a ball and hitting each member below the knee. The added twist to this is that one member on team ‘A’ is given a Bible and given the title: “the truth”. Team ‘A’ needs to protect the truth at all costs. If “the truth” gets hit below the knee by the ball, not only are they out, but the whole team is out. The game goes for 3 minutes, and if team ‘A’ is able to protect “the truth” for the duration of the game, they win. Play this game as many times as you like and swap the roles of the different teams and who plays “the truth” each time.
Note: This activity requires a durable environment and lots of space.
Bible charades/Pictionary [works with any number of people]
Just like the game charades or pictionary. This game does NOT require players to have any prior knowledge of the Bible at all (though there is an advantage for people that do).
Divide the group into teams. Make list of about 10 scenes, things, or people from the Bible. Each team nominates one person to go up first and be told the first item on the list. They return to their group to act out or draw the Bible scene, thing, or person that was given. When someone guesses what it is, that person then goes back to the leader running the game and gets the next item off the list. The process repeats until all the listed items have been guessed. The team that finishes the list first is the winner.
Variation: Can also be done with playdoh – sculptionary.
Who am I? [works with any number of people]
Choose names from the bible (be sure to use the more well known names). Prepare 12 clues for each of the Bible characters. Start with harder clues and then get easier until you finally reveal the Bible character. Play this game in rounds, with one bible character per round. Split everybody into groups and read out the clues pausing after each clue in order to give the groups a chance to guess. Once a group has made their guess, that’s it for the round. Have a range of prizes to give out depending on how many clues were read out before the character was guessed.
Bible Secret Sounds [works with any number of people]
This activity takes a bit of preparation!
This works much like “Who am I?” except the clues are given as sounds, and you use Bible stories instead of characters. Choose a Bible story. Prepare about 12 audio clues (starting with harder clues and getting easier). Split everybody into groups and play the audio clues pausing after each clue in order to give the groups a chance to guess. Once a group has made their guess, that’s it for the game. Have a range of prizes to give out depending on how many clues were heard before the Bible story was guessed.
Whose bin? (Bible Version) [works with any number of people]
Decide on a bible character or story. Collect about 5-8 items/clues that are related to the character or story and put the items in a bin (you will want to make them a little cryptic, with the first clue the hardest, and the final clue more or less giving away the answer). Note, you can just get pictures of the items and put them on the powerpoint rather than find the actual props for clues (there is a keynote file already prepared attached to this post).
Split into smaller groups (mix it up with those who have Bible knowledge and those who don't). Bring the bin out the front so that all groups can see it (or the use the powerpoint slide). In the game, each group gets to have only one guess at what the story or who the character is, their guess should be made to the leader of the game in quiet so that other teams can continue to play without knowing the guess of other teams. If the story or character is guessed immediately after the first clue, maximum points are awarded. With every clue that is revealed less points are awarded for a correct guess.
At the conclusion of the round point out the theological significance of that Bible character before moving on to the next round.
#1 Alternative game play: Split into teams and give each group a bin with clues to a different bible character or story. Each team is given 5 minutes to rummage through the clues in the bin and then make their guess. In this alternative game play all clues should be a bit cryptic with no “give-it-away” clue.
#2 Alternative game play: Instead of using bible characters or stories, use group members and make the game a mixer.
Draw your Swords! [works with any number of people]
The aim of this game is to help everyone navigate their way around the Bible better. Give every person in the group a Bible to tuck under one arm. Call out a Bible passage to the group (eg. Jeremiah 31:31) and the first person to open their Bible, find the passage and read it out is the winner. Repeat again until satisfied.
Share
Jesus Tweet [works with any number of people]
This is a sharing time that would work well with reflection section.
The idea is simple: Get the young people to create a one line summary of the bible teaching and/or a personal application from the bible teaching and tweet it on twitter or facebook. Now all their friends can read how the gospel is impacting them. Easy!
Bible spot [works with any number of people]
This segment is an opportunity for people to share with the group what they’ve been reading in the Bible lately and what challenges and/or encouragement they’ve received from reading the Bible. This segment can be done spontaneously or someone may be notified before hand to do a Bible Spot. After someone has done a Bible Spot, prayer for them in the group.
Spotlight [works with any number of people]
This segment is about getting to know a member of the group more intimately. Have every body stand up and then begin a process of elimination through statements ie. sit down if you have blue eyes, sit down if you have enclosed shoes, sit down if you are in year 8, etc. when there is only one person left standing, ask that person to stand in front of the group on a chair and then ask them a series of questions that help the group know them better. Start off by asking general information questions (ie. Name, school, age, etc.), and follow withy some light hearted questions (ie. If you ran off to join the circus what type of entertainer would you be?), and then finish with some deeper questions (ie. What‘s the best thing about being a Christian? Etc) obviously, if you’re not sure whether they are Christian or not use appropriate alternatives (ie. What’s one question you’d like to ask God?).
Testimony [works with any number of people]
This segment is for sharing someone’s personal faith journey with the group. Can be done impromptu or prepared. It’s good to mention 3 elements in a testimony: 1. where you’ve come from? (how you became a Christian?), 2. How you’re life is changed now? (what’s it like being a Christian at the moment?), and 3. where are you going? (where is you’re Christian faith leading you Always, a testimony needs to focus more on Jesus rather than the sins you've left behind.
Represent [works with any number of people]
Have individuals in the group share a time during the week when they’ve been able to represent (or fly the flag for) Jesus. I could be something like not gossiping while all your friends were or supporting scripture at school by turning up or telling someone about Jesus. Cheer and encourage those people that share their ‘represent’ and pray for the group to represent Jesus where ever we are, and in every situation.
Voice [works with any number of people]
Being a voice for those people who don’t have one. A focus spot on social justice near and abroad. A range of topics from persecuted Christians to undeveloped countries, and corrupt political leaders, are just some ideas of what can be covered. Include practical suggestions on what can be done or is being done about the situation so that the youth group feels empowered to bring about change. Finish the segment with a prayer time for the country or situation that was being voiced.
The Download [works with any number of people]
This share time is to give the group an idea of all the things that are happening in each others lives and some things to be praying for. Give each person in the group a sheet of paper and tell them to write down (download) everything that they did, or that happened to them during the week (or holidays). Whoever can write down the most gets to share their week with the group, and whoever has written the least. Choose 1 other person to also share their week with the group. Finish by praying for those 3 people.
Reflection Section [works with any number of people]
Reflecting on the Bible teaching. First get people to think about the Bible teaching and how it would particularly impact their life: something they may need to change, repent of, confess, or something they could start doing. Get them to write a short prayer to God about their reflection. Some people will feel more comfortable doing this by themselves, others will prefer to discuss personal application in small groups, so make it clear that those people who would like to discuss it in a group should form a group and those who would rather do it individually can do so by themselves. Give this segment about 5 minutes. (obviously this will need to come after the Bible teaching).
Expression Session
Evaluating commonly used expressions so that we may have godly speech. (ie. “it’s not fair.”, “that’s gay.” Etc…)
Have the groups think about some of the commonly used expressions that they hear regularly and/or use themselves. Write some of them up on the white board. Ask the group to reflect on what the use of these expressions say about our values, ie. “that’s gay!” is an expression that devalues gay people, “Eshays” might be sarcastic way of mocking lads. Reflect together on whether the values that lie behind the expression agree with Christian values. Finally, ask how the use of that expression might affect the people who hear it and should we keep using it. You might even be able to create more helpful expressions to use as replacements.
In summary, this segment has 4 phases:
1. What common expressions are we using/hearing?
2. How does the expression show what we value?
3. How does it compare with Christian values?
4. How does this expression affect those who hear it and should we keep using it?
Finish the segment by reading these words from Ephesians 4:29 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” And James 3:9-12 “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”
Victories and Arrows [works with any number of people]
This is an opportunity for the youth group to notice the hundreds of victories over temptation and sin that they have everyday, and also to identify the “flaming arrows of the evil one” (Eph. 6:16) that we face and how we might avoid/deal with them. Run this segment by getting everyone into groups of 2-3 people and give them a bit of paper. Give them a couple of minutes to reflect and then get them to write or draw their victories on one side of the paper, and the “flaming arrows” (temptations and distractions they face) on the other. Finish by sharing some of them with the larger group and then the leader should pray that we would continue to grow in faith, and Jesus’ victory over sin.
The Lord’s supper [works with any number of people]
This is an opportunity for us to share that meal which Christians have the privilege to share!
Memory Verse
Introducing memory verse activities:
Name That Tune [works with any number of people]
This game is adapted from the Spicks and Specks game show where it is called "Substitute".
The aim is to teach the memory verse by singing it as many times and in as many ways as possible to help reinforce memorisation.
Split into at least 4 teams. Give the memory verse for the term to each team or have it up on the projector or a whiteboard. Each team will also need to be given three tunes to well-known songs as well - you can use national anthems, pop songs, church songs etc. This game is played in 3 rounds. Before the start of each round, each team has a minute to practice among themselves singing the words of the memory verse to the tune of one of the well-known songs that they were given.
Each team then takes turns in singing the memory verse to the tune of the well-known song while the other teams listen in and try to guess the tune of the song that is being sung. Teams only get one opportunity to make a guess and they "buzz in" when they think they know the tune. 1 point is awarded to the team that makes a correct guess, and 1 point given to the team that was singing the song that was correctly guessed. No points are awarded if no one guesses the tune of the song.
Engrish Memory Verse [works with any number of people]
Type the memory verse into an online translator and translate the verse from English into another language (Chinese works best). Then take the foreign language translation and translate it back again into English. You will notice that it doesn’t come back out the way it went in! You might want to repeat the process a few times if you really want to mess it up, however, it does need to be vaguely recognisable…
Show this mistranslation to the group and then give them a limited amount of time to work out what the memory verse actually is.
Example:
John 3:16 [English TNIV] “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Translate into Chinese (Han): “對於上帝如此被愛世界他產生他僅有的兒子，誰相信他的那不會消滅，然而有來世。”
Translated back into English: “So is liked the world he producing his only son regarding God, who believes that his will not eliminate, however has next life.”
If you repeat the process one more time you get: “Therefore is liked producing only then his about God's his son, believes world he will not eliminate, has the life.”
SMS memory verse [works with any number of people]
Write the memory verse out on a piece of paper using only the numbers used to write the words in an SMS message, ie. the numbers that correspond to the letters on the keypad. (Eg. “843 5673” = “the lord”). Obviously there will be a number of words that will correspond to a pattern of numbers but that’s all part of the fun for the kids to work out the memory verse. They can use their mobile phones for this game to help them work it out. Split the group into small teams of 3-4 and if there is a person on each team who has credit and is willing to spend it, then you could say whoever is first to text the memory verse to the leader’s mobile wins. Otherwise the winner can be whoever is first to decode it and write it out correctly.
Mad Gab memory verse [works with any number of people]
This is a good game for introducing a new memory verse. Just like the card game ‘Mad Gab’ from Mattel©. It’s a game of words and phrases, it’s not what you say, it’s what you hear. Say the words “Day Leo Fur Rings” a few times and you’ll find you’re saying. “daily offerings!”, just sound it out. Write up the memory verse in Mad Gab style (eg. “Iron hot ash aimed off day goes bell” = I am not ashamed of the gospel). If it’s a large memory verse split it into sections (ie. If there are 3 sections to the memory verse then make 3 rounds to the game, and when a team has solved the first section, give them the second, and so on til they solve the whole verse). Players work in teams and compete against each other to solve the memory verse first, and when they have solved it, run up to the white board and write it out in full.
Buzzer blanks [works with any number of people]
(AKA. Wheel of fortune, missing letters, hang man) This is a good game for introducing a new short memory verse. Using a white board, put underscore dashes on the board for every letter in each word of the memory verse eg. Jesus wept = _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. Divide everybody into 2 groups. Each group elects someone to be the buzzer and another to be the contestant. The ‘buzzer sits on a chair out the front while the contestant stands behind them with their hands on the head of the buzzer, when they want to answer a question they lightly press the buzzer to make the sound for that team. The game is played in rounds so that the each person in the team has an opportunity to be the buzzer or contestant. When a contestant gets a question right they are allowed to select 1 letter of the alphabet (apart from vowels) to be uncovered on the board. Have special rounds where contestants are allowed to choose vowels or solve the memory verse. You will need to prepare at least 26 questions for the game and they can include bible questions, youth group questions, celebrity questions, etc.
Jigsaw puzzle [works with any number of people]
Write the memory verse on cardboard and then cut it up to form a jigsaw puzzle. Split everyone into small groups (approx 5) and give one jigsaw puzzle to each group. The team that pieces the memory verse together first is the winner.
Pass the parcel [works with any number of people]
Hide a word of the memory verse in each layer of the parcel (with or without prizes). With music playing, pass the parcel around the group till the music stops and then unravel a layer of the parcel. Repeat till all layers are unravelled and all words have been revealed. Have the group place the memory verse in order and say out lout together.
Revison: Teach the memory verse to the group. Make a parcel with prizes in each layer. Have the group sit in a circle and pass the parcel around the group to each person while they say one word of the memory verse each out loud, whoever has the parcel when the memory verse has been said through gets to unwrap a layer. Repeat the process saying the memory verse each time until all the layers have been unwrapped (some kids will miss out on a prize, but this will teach them that life isn’t always fair… they’ve got to learn somewhere!).
Note: If you have lots of people, this activity will require lots of space.
Eat Out! [works with any number of people]
Write each word of the memory verse on a disposable paper bowl (one memory verse word on each bowl, or if it’s a long verse write a few words) so that there is a set of bowls with the complete memory verse. Split into teams of about 5 people and give one set of bowls to each team (obviously you’ll need to have one full set of bowls with the memory verse written out per team; eg. 5 teams = 5 sets of bowls). Have each bowl filled with some sort of food (eg. Cereal, crumbled dry weet-bix, chips, custard, etc.) so that the word/s cannot be read underneath. Do a “ready, set, go!” and the team that finishes their food first, arranges the memory verse in proper order, and read it out is the winner.
Warning: You will want to check for food allergies among the contestants first, and let people sit out who really don’t want to be a part of it.
Balloon Darts {-14} [works best with 14 people or less]
Print off 2 copies of the memory verse on different coloured paper and put the words of the memory verse into about 5-6 balloons. Blow up the balloons and stick them to the wall. Split the group into 2 teams and give them some darts. The teams won’t know which balloons will have their memory verse words in it. When all the balloons have been popped, the first team to arrange the memory verse and read it out is the winner.
Warning: Don’t let kids go up to the wall until all the balloons have been popped and no one is throwing any darts.
Revision memory verse activities:
Name That Tune [works with any number of people]
This game is adapted from the Spicks and Specks game show where it is called "Substitute".
The aim is to teach the memory verse by singing it as many times and in as many ways as possible to help reinforce memorisation.
Split into at least 4 teams. Give the memory verse for the term to each team or have it up on the projector or a whiteboard. Each team will also need to be given three tunes to well-known songs as well - you can use national anthems, pop songs, church songs etc. This game is played in 3 rounds. Before the start of each round, each team has a minute to practice among themselves singing the words of the memory verse to the tune of one of the well-known songs that they were given.
Each team then takes turns in singing the memory verse to the tune of the well-known song while the other teams listen in and try to guess the tune of the song that is being sung. Teams only get one opportunity to make a guess and they "buzz in" when they think they know the tune. 1 point is awarded to the team that makes a correct guess, and 1 point given to the team that was singing the song that was correctly guessed. No points are awarded if no one guesses the tune of the song.
Engrish Memory Verse [works with any number of people]
Type the memory verse into an online translator and translate the verse from English into another language (Chinese works best). Then take the foreign language translation and translate it back again into English. You will notice that it doesn’t come back out the way it went in! You might want to repeat the process a few times if you really want to mess it up, however, it does need to be vaguely recognisable…
Show this mistranslation to the group and then give them a limited amount of time to work out what the memory verse actually is.
Example:
John 3:16 [English TNIV] “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Translate into Chinese (Han): “對於上帝如此被愛世界他產生他僅有的兒子，誰相信他的那不會消滅，然而有來世。”
Translated back into English: “So is liked the world he producing his only son regarding God, who believes that his will not eliminate, however has next life.”
If you repeat the process one more time you get: “Therefore is liked producing only then his about God's his son, believes world he will not eliminate, has the life.”
Chinese Whispers [works with any number of people]
This operates just like the Chinese whispers you played at school. Split into 2 teams and have each team form a circle or a line. Tell the memory verse to the first person in the group and then they have to pass it on to the next person by memory, and so on… At the end of the group, see who has the memory verse most accurate. This activity will work as an introductory memory verse activity as well.
20+ Note: If you have more than 20 people, split into smaller groups and have the last person in the group write out the verse on butcher’s paper.
Application pictures [works with any number of people]
Ask the group “what situations would it be useful to know this memory verse?” and then draw pictures of those situations on the white board/butchers paper. The aim is for them to see how memorising the bible is useful in life.
-20 Note: If you have time on your side, you can split into small groups and have each group come up with their own situations and pictures, then present it back to the group. Add approx 5 minutes per group to the running time for this activity (eg. 4 groups will add 20 mins)
Memory verse skit {-60} [works best with 60 people or less]
Split into smaller groups and create a skit that demonstrates how the memory verse might be applied to a real life situation. This is much like “Application Pictures” except it’s “Application Skits”!
Memory verse relay {-20} [works best with 20 people or less]
Form teams for a relay race where each team member has to run up to the whiteboard and write one word of the memory verse (in correct order) until the entire verse is written. If time permits can do multiple rounds with different instructions e.g. Hop/jump to the whiteboard. Can also do with a memory verse jigsaw puzzle.
Pass the ball {-20} [works best with 20 people or less]
See who knows the memory verse, then write it up on the board. Get everyone to stand in a circle and have a ball to pass around the group. As you catch the ball you say one word of the memory verse and then pass it to another who says the next word, and so on till the memory verse is said in full. Time how long it takes to say the memory verse and try and see how fast the group can say the memory verse. Try to beat the previous time.
Newspaper slice {-20} [works best with 20 people or less]
Divide the memory verse up into sections then divide the youth group into smaller groups. Hand out a newspaper to each group and give 10 mins to slice up words and/or letters out of the newspaper to make up their section of the memory verse and glue onto a piece of paper. Awards for most creative.
Memory verse song [works with any number of people]
Split into groups (approx. 10 people) and have each group do the memory verse in a different music genre (eg. Advertising jingle, high school musical, rap, soap opera TV theme song, Opera, Country and Western etc). Record the songs if you have the technology and use them in the coming weeks to remember the verse.
50+ Note: If you have 50 people or more, just use a memory verse song already written (eg. Colin Buchanan) to teach the memory verse. You can play the song on CD and sing along or play it live! (playing live might be best, because the CD can be a bit lame).
Pass the parcel revision [works with any number of people]
Teach the memory verse to the group. Make a parcel with prizes in each layer. Have the group sit in a circle and pass the parcel around the group while everyone says the memory verse out loud, whoever has the parcel when the memory verse has been said through gets to unwrap a layer. Repeat the process saying the memory verse each time until all the layers have been unwrapped (some kids will miss out on a prize, but this will teach them that life isn’t always fair… they’ve got to learn somewhere!).
Total Recall [works with any number of people]
See who can recall both the memory verses for the term. For an extra challenge you can see how many verses they can recall from the year! Do this activity near the end of term, and even get them to do it in groups sometimes so they can work out the memory verses together by writing down as many as they can recall on a piece of paper.
Prayer
One Point Prayer Tree [works with any number of people]
This is a simple one point prayer segment that helps people think deeply about what they are actually praying for.
Ask the group to suggest one specific point to pray for (eg. war in Iraq, etc...). Write the prayer point at the top of a white board and then ask the question "What do we actually want to pray for (eg. the war in Iraq)?". Then begin to write on the board the sub-points that people suggest we should pray for (ie. we want peace) and link the sub-point to the heading by drawing a line. Further still, ask a question about the sub-point (eg. "What do we want peace to look like?") and then write those sub-points under the previous sub-point.
In the end you should have a kind of diagram that looks something like a tree with many specific sub-points to pray about the original prayer point.
This activity should help people really think about what they want to ask God for. It's all very well to say "dear God I pray for the war in Iraq." But are you praying for the war in Iraq to get worse, get better, or what? This prayer segment will help us to pray even more thoughtful prayers.
Confession [works with any number of people]
To remind us of our sinfulness and the salvation we have through Christ Jesus. The first 2 orders of confession are taken from the AAPB.
#1: Take a moment for people to reflect on their lives and pray this confession silently using the singular personal pronouns “I” and “me” and “my”. Then after a few minutes pray this confession together as a group using the plural personal pronouns “we” and “our” and “us”.
“Most merciful God, we humbly admit that we have wandered from your way: we have done wrong, and we have failed to do what is right. You alone can save us.
Have mercy on us: wipe out our sins and teach us to forgive others. Bring forth in us the fruit of the Spirit that we may live as disciples of Christ. This we ask in the name of Jesus our Saviour. Amen.”
Have someone declare God’s forgiveness:
“God wills that all people be saved and in response to his call we acknowledge our sins. He pardons those who humbly repent and truly believe the gospel. Therefore we have peace with God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be all blessing and honour forever. Amen.”
#2: Read out Mark 12:28-33 (the greatest commandments) and give people time to reflect on how they have kept or rather, no kept these great commands. Then confess together:
“Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, maker of all things, judge of all people, we acknowledge with shame the sins we have committed, by thought, word, and deed, against your divine majesty, provoking most justly your wrath and indignation against us. We earnestly repent, and are heartily sorry for all our misdoings. Have mercy on us, most merciful Father. For your Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake forgive us all that is past, and grant that from this time forward we may serve and please you in newness of life, to the honour and glory of your name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
Have someone declare God’s forgiveness:
“Almighty God our heavenly Father, who of his great mercy has promised forgiveness of sins to all who with hearty repentance and true faith turn to him: have mercy on you; pardon and deliver you from all your sins; confirm and strengthen you in all goodness; and keep you in eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
#3: Use the psalms of confession: Psalm 6, 32, 38, 51, 103, 130, 143. Perhaps read one and then have each person write a confession of their sins on paper and then burn them up in a fireplace as symbolic of how God has dealt with our sin, or even write them in the sand at a beach and let the ocean wash them away…
World map [works with any number of people]
Split everyone up into groups. Give each group a massive round weather balloon (preferably filled with helium for some extra excitement!) and a couple of textas. In a time frame of about 5 minutes, each group needs to draw (and label) a world map on their balloon as accurately as possible. The group with the most accurate world map is the winner.
Important! Have information sheets prepared before hand that focus on a particular country and perhaps a missionary there. Give an information sheet to each group to discuss the country, find out about its environment, politics, issues, religion, and then pray for that country.
Prayer card shuffle [works with any number of people]
Prayer card shuffle is designed to help people who don’t usually pray (or have never prayed), to pray out loud. Give everyone a card and ask them to write a prayer for themselves in the 3rd person (eg. Mike writes on his card “dear God please help Mike…” etc). Then shuffle the cards and redistribute them. Pray out loud by going around the group one after the other, so that everyone ends up praying for another person. Ask the youth group to hold onto the cards and prayer for that person during the week.
40+ Note: If there’s more than 40 people then after the cards have been shuffled and given out, just allow 5 minutes for people to pray through their card in silence rather than out loud.
Bite size prayer [works with any number of people]
Bite size is designed to help people who don’t usually pray (or have never prayed), to pray out loud. Bite size prayer works by writing up two categories on the white board (usually ‘thanks’ and ‘ask’) and when the group has enough prayer points on the board for each person in the group to pray one, delegate the prayer points to everyone in the group. Go around the group and pray one bite sized prayer each – that means short i.e. “Thanks God for the rain, amen.”
30+ Note: If there’s more than 30 people, then select just a few of people (maybe 5) to pray the prayer points in both columns.
Prayer Barrel [works with any number of people]
Ask the kids to each come up with a prayer topic (eg. Youth group, government, Africa, non Christian friends, war, etc.) Write the topics on pieces of paper and put them in the barrel (or on the wheel). Choose someone to come and spin the barrel and then pick out a topic. Repeat the process till you have 3 or 4 prayer topics and then ask the group for prayer points under those topics. When there is enough prayer points, pray through them as a whole group out loud.
40+ Note: If there’s more than 40 people, you can either: 1) limit the to just 2 topics; 2) select just a few of people (maybe 1 for each category) to pray the prayer points on the board; or 3) split into small groups to pray.
Target prayer [works with any number of people]
Draw 3 circles on a white board with the circles representing world issues, local issues, and individual issues respectively. After the group comes up with some prayer points for each category, pray one point each out loud as a group.
40+ Note: If there’s more than 40 people, then select just 1 person per category to pray the prayer points in each circle.
Small group [works with any number of people]
Small group prayer is pretty self explanatory, it’s sharing prayer points and praying in a small group (usually 3-4 people).
Prayer leaders [works with any number of people]
Just like in church, roster on a couple of the youth group kids (2 or 3) to write and pray some prayers for the world, our community, our church, each other, on behalf of everyone in the group. You will need to notify the persons nominated to pray the week before and maybe give them some help with what to pray for and maybe even how to pray.
Popcorn [works with any number of people]
This is just random free flowing prayer time! Just get people to pray out loud in no particular order. Can be about anything people want to pray for. This segment gives people the freedom to pray spontaneously and without any regimented structure, it teaches them that prayer doesn’t need to be orderly.
AAPB [works with any number of people]
The good old Australian Anglican Prayer Book (AAPB) has some great prayers written in it for various things on pages 91-97 (also p.120). Doing some of these every now and again is a good way to be trained in WHAT to pray and different things to pray for. The leader of the prayer time can print some off (or photocopy) a few of the different prayers and choose some of the youth group to pray them out. Some of the language might need to be adjusted and updated so the youth group understand it.
Psalms [works with any number of people]
Praying through the Psalms. Using the psalms to teach us how to express ourselves to God in prayer. Pick a Psalm (or a few of different types) and in small groups use the parts of the Psalm to create your own prayer to God.
Teaching activities
Clothes peg opinion
A unique way to get your kids to share their opinions. Hang a clothesline across the meeting room. On one end have a sign that says, "Strongly Agree" and the other end says "Strongly Disagree." Mark the centre of the clothesline for reference. Get wooden clothes pegs and allow the youth to decorate them as they wish so they'll know which are theirs. Each week at the close of your youth meeting, read a strong statement to the group. Ask your youth members to think about, talk about and research the statement during the week. At the beginning of the next meeting, have each member clip a clothespin on the line where it best reflects his or her opinion. Spend the first few minutes of the meeting discussing the results. The topic can be independent of the meeting's main lesson or it may be used as a great intro. to a relaxed subject.
Application badges/tattoos…
Make stick on tattoos or pin on badges which have a simple summary of the Bible teaching application. They can stick the tattoos on themselves or the badges on their bags to remind them during the week to “Love their enemy” or “be extra helpful to their parents” or whatever. Printable stick on tattoos can be bought from Officeworks etc.
Jesus Tweet
This is a sharing time that would work well with reflection section.
The idea is simple: Get the young people to create a one line summary of the bible teaching and/or a personal application from the bible teaching and tweet it on twitter or facebook. Now all their friends can read how the gospel is impacting them. Easy!
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