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Game Ideas, Object Lessons

Clinging to God – Object Lessons from a Clothespin

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A clothespin is used to attach clothes to a clothesline. It can also serve as a reminder that we need to cling to our lifeline – we need to cling to God (Deuteronomy 13:4). And clothes aren’t the only thing that needs washing. We need to be washed clean as well. And God washes us white as snow. (Isaiah 1:18) The scriptures lists a variety of things we should cling to, things we should hold on to, but in reality most of those other things listed have the same purpose – to help us to cling to God.

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What You Need

  • Lots of clothespins. You can easily buy them by the hundreds. You want the spring loaded ones.

Games using Clothespins

  • Blind Clothespin Pick-up – Clothespins are strewn throughout the room. While blindfolded, youths must pick up as many clothespins as possible within 60 seconds. The youth with the most clothespins wins.
  • Clothespin Grab – Each youth pins 5 clothespins to his or her clothing. The objective is to grab a clothespin from another youth’s clothing while protecting your own, all the while staying within a designated play area. If you lose all of your clothespins you are out of the game, but as long as you still have at least one you can continue to play. Any clothespins you grab must be attached to your won clothing before you can grab another one. At the end of a designated time, the youth with the most clothespins wins.
  • Clothespin Jiggle – Attach several clothespins to everyone’s sleeves, pant legs, and shirts. Youth must jiggle jiggle themselves around and try to get rid of the clothespins. They may not touch them to remove them. The person who has been able to get rid of the most clothespins after a given time has passed wins.
  • Clothespin Knockoff – Pin a clothespin to the clothing in the center of each youth’s back. Youth must knock off the clothespins from other youth, without getting theirs kocked off. Players cannot pick up clothespins that have been knocked off and they cannot touch the clothespins on their own backs. They also cannot GRAB the clothespins but can only swipe at them.
  • Clothespin Puller – Pin 50 clothespins each all over the clothes of a team representatives. The youth must then pull off all 50 clothes pins. First to do so, wins.
  • Clothespin Relay – The first person in line for each team must pin the clothespin to the next person in line. Only then can that person unpin it and pin it to the next person in line. Continue to the end of the line. The first team to get to the end wins. Make it more difficult by forcing them to hold hands in a chain and by not allowing them to use their hands to pass the clothespins. Add more clothespins for more fun.
  • Clothespin Sorting – Place words to a scripture verse on sheets of paper and attache them to a clothesline. First team to place them in order wins. Variation: Instead of words from a scripture verse, place key events in a Bible narrative on the pieces of paper. First team to put them in the right order wins.
  • Clothespin Tag – This wild game is the opposite of clothespin Grab. Give every person 5 clothespins as they enter. When everyone has their clothespins, tell them you’re giving them two minutes to get rid of their clothespins. The only way to get rid of them is to pin them to someone else. Chaos results as everyone tries to get rid of their clothespins!! At the end of the designated time, the person with the least clothespins wins. Turn this into a “get to know you” icebreaker by requiring each person must state one “Fun Fact” about themselves for each clothespin they are wearing.
  • Clothespins Face-off – In this game, students pin as many clothespins to the face of someone on their team as possible. They cannot pin them to hair, but only to the face. The team with the most clothespins attached to the chosen team members face at the end of the designated time is the winner.
  • Clothespins Pick-up – Using one or two clothes pins, the youth must pic up various objects using only the clothespins and place them in a box or container. The clothespins are the only thing that can touch the objects to move them.
  • Hair Clips – The objective is to be the team with the most clothespins pinned to the hair of one of the team members. One at a time, team members run to a box, grab one clothespin, and run back to their team and pin it to the hair of the chosen team member. The game is over when time runs out or there are no more clothespins.
  • Hanging the Clothes – Give each team of youth a sack of clothes with the same type and number of items in each sack. Hang a clothesline across the room or use a real one outdoors. The first team member must run to the clothesline and pin all the clothes on the line then run back to the team. The next person in line rins to the clothesline and puts on all the clothes and returns to the team where he or she removes them and places them back in the sack. Repeat the process until all team members have gone. The first team to finish wins.
  • Lizard’s Tail – Youth pair up and one person behind the other with his or her hands on the hips of the person in front of them. The person at the rear has a clothespin attached to the middle back of his or her shirt. Players try to eliminate other teams by pulling off the tail of other teams. Only the person in the front can use hands to pull off the clothespins. The person in the back must keep his or her hands on the hips of the person in front at all times. If their hands lose contact, the pair is eliminated. If you lose your tail you are eliminated. Last team remaining wins.
  • Pinned Together – Youth pair off and each pair uses 5 to 10 clothespins to attach themselves together. They must them complete a series of actions without losing the connections between them. The pair with the most clothespins still in place wins. Actions could include racing to an object, climbing over or under obstacles, doing a dance move, etc.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

  • What is the purpose of a clothespin?
  • What are some of the ways we use clothespins?
  • What are the characteristics of a good clothespin?

The Main purpose of a clothespin is to hold on to the line so that the clothes do not get blown away. Their main purpose is to attach the clothes to the line. When the spring in a clothespin loses its strength, they become weak and re easily detached.

Looking at the verses below, what are some things we need to hold on to?

  • Deuteronomy 10:20 – “You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve Him and cling to Him, and you shall swear by His name.”
  • Deuteronomy 11:22 “For if you carefully keep all these commandments which I command you to do; to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, and to hold fast to Him;
  • Deuteronomy 13:4 – “You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.”
  • Joshua 22:5 “But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
  • Job 27:6 “My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live.”
  • Psalm 63:8 – “I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.”
  • Proverbs 4:4 – “Then he taught me, and he said to me, “Take hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands, and you will live.”
  • Proverbs 4:13 – “Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; keep her, for she is your life.”
  • Hebrews 4:14 – “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.”
  • Hebrews 10:23 – “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”
  • Romans 12:9 – “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.”
  • Philippians 3:12 – “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:21 – “Test all things; hold fast what is good.”
  • 1 Timothy 6:12 – “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”
  • Timothy 1:13 – “Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. that word which I preached to you; unless you believed in vain.”
  • Titus 1:9 “holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.”
  • Revelation 2:13 “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.”
  • Revelation 3:11 – “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

  • How do we hold fast to God?
  • What thoughts come to mind when you consider CLINGING to God?
  • How do you feel when you are close to God? How does it affect how you live and how you treat others?
  • When have you felt separated from God? How do we restore the closeness?
  • How do we hold fast to God when our grip weakens?
  • Of the various things mentioned in scripture, what do you find it most difficult to hold on to in your spiritual walk?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

  • From scripture, what is missing in your life right now of those things you are told to hold on to, to cling to?
  • To take hold of God you must let go of the world. What things are you holding on to instead of God? What do you need to let go of?
  • What can you do to draw closer and cling more tightly to God this week?

KEY SCRIPTURE VERSE

Deuteronomy 13:4 – “You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.”

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MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

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Creative Teaching Ideas, Game Ideas

Valentine’s Day – Candy Hearts

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Candy Conversation Hearts, commonly available near to Valentine’s Day, have been around for close to 150 years. In this youth idea, you’ll get several games to play using the candy hearts as well as ideas to use the messages written on the hearts to tell about God’s Love.

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What You Need

  • A lot of candy hearts

A Brief History

An american named Oliver Chase invented a candy machine that cut candy lozenges in 1847 and 3 years later a machine to pulverise sugar to make the candy. Then in 1866 his brother, Daniel Chase invented a machine to press food dye letters onto the hearts and other shapes to create short messages. They were first shared at weddings, birthday parties, and other celebrations, but over the years became synonymous with Valentine’s Day.

Games using Candy Conversation Hearts

  • Valentine’s Candy Hearts Toss: Place some saucers on top of cups to elevate them at different heights. You may also designate different saucers as having higher point values than others. The youth are given 5 heart candies, and from a designated distance, must toss the candy hearts onto the saucer. Highest score wins.
  • Candy Hearts Pick Up: The youth or who transfers the most hearts from the saucer to a bowl in one minute, using only chopsticks wins the game. Variation: Instead of chopsticks youth must create suction through a straw to transfer the hearts.
  • Conversational Hearts Story Game: Youth are given 10-12 candy hearts with various messages and must use them to create a story of God’s love for us. Variation: allow any story and award prizes for the most serious, the most mushy, the grossest, the funniest and the silliest stories.
  • Candy Hearts Icebreaker: Fill a bowl with Candy hearts and pass it around the group. Each youth takes as much or as little candy as they want. Make sure that no one eats their candy right away. For each candy heart they take, they have to share one fact about themselves. To make it a little more interesting, assign something specific for each color: favorite hobby, food, song, place to visit, most embarrassing moment, greatest fear, etc.
  • Heart Match: Separate several boxes of conversation hearts into pairs of identical words / colors. Give each youth one as he/she arrives. They must mingle and pair up with the person who has the same phrase, but cannot speak any of the words on the heart in the search to find their partner.
  • Candy Heart Charades: Play a game of charades using candy conversation hearts as the messages.
  • Valentine Heart Tower: Have a competition to see who can make the tallest tower of candy hearts, by stacking them one on top of the other. When the time runs out, the team with the tallest standing tower is awarded a prize.

Candy Heart Messages
Over the years, the hearts have contained a variety of creative and touching ways to say “I love you.” They rotate the saying from year to year as well as add new ones.

Some of the more well known ones are:
I Love You, Be Mine, Call Me, Cupid, Dream, Flirt, Friend 4Ever, Heart Throb, I Do, Love Me, Miss You, Soul Mate, Too Cool

They’ve also used:
All Mine, Amore, Angel, Ask Me, Awesome, Be Good, Be My Hero, Be My Icon, Be True, Cool, Cutie Pie, Dear, Dear One, Dig Me, Dream On, Email Me, Fax Me, First Kiss, For You, Get Real, Girl Power, Go Girl, Go Home, Got Love, Heart Of Gold, Hello, Love, Home Sick, Honey Bun, How Sweet, Hug Me, I Heart You, I Hope, I Will, I Wish, I’m Sure, I’m Yours, It’s Love, It’s True, Kiss Me, Let’s Kiss, LOL, Love, Love Ya, Love You, Lover Boy, Marry Me, Miss Me, Moon Beam, My Baby, My Girl, My Hero, My Love, My Man, My Pal, Neat, New Love, Nice Girl, Oh Boy, One I Love, Only You, Page Me, Real Love, Rising Star, Sexy Baby, Smile, So Fine, Sure Dear, Sure Love, Sweet Talk, Thank You, TLC, Too Hot, Too Sweet, True Love, Ura Star, Ura10, Venus, What Ever, Why Not, Yes Dear, You + Me?, You Bet, You Rule, You’re Tops

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Discussion

  • What 1 to 3 word message would you put on candy hearts if you had a chance?

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” – Jeremiah 31:33

  • BE MINE – God wants us to accept His love; God calls us to be His. James 1:18; Isaiah 43:1; John 3:16; John 10:27-30; Exodus 19:5-6; Deuteronomy 7:6; Romans 8:38-39; Romans 8:28
  • TRUE LOVE – God loves us with true love – unconditional love. Jeremiah 31:3; 1 John 3:1; 1 John 3:16; Romans 5:8; Lamentations 3:22-25
  • LOVE ME – God wants us to love Him. Luke 10:27; 1 John 4:7-12
  • SWEET TALK – God’s Word is His love letter to us. Psalm 119:103
  • CALL ME – God wants us to communicate with Him. Jeremiah 33:3

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

  • What words are written on people’s hearts? How do words get written on our hearts?
  • What 1 to 3 word messages do you believe God would want to write on a person’s heart?
  • If a person had the words of God written on their hearts, how would it change them? How would it change their thoughts, attitudes, words, and actions?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

  • If you were to describe your own heart in 1 to 3 words what words would characterise your heart?
  • What will the keywords will you choose to be on your heart this week as you reveal your heart to God? to others? In your family? In school?

OTHER SCRIPTURE VERSES

  • James 1:18 (NLT)  – “He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.”
  • 2 Chronicles 17:4 (NIV) – “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
  • Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV) – “I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”
  • Jeremiah 31:33 (NIV) – “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
  • Proverbs 3:3 – “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.”

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Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next Valentine’s Day activity as well as other familiar holidays. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do in celebration of the holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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Game Ideas

Valentine’s Day – If you love me?

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This popular icebreaker game is a great discussion starter for Valentines Day and introducing the concept of God’s unmerited love for us.

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What You Need

  • You need a chair for each youth
  • You’ll need enough open space to arrange the chairs in a circle.

Preparation

  1. Place the chairs in a circle facing inward. There should be one chair for each youth you expect to play the game.
  2. Ask the youth to each sit in a chair.
  3. Once all the youth have taken a seat, remove any extra chairs and close up the circle so there are no gaps.
  4. Then randomly select one youth to stand in the center of the circle and remove his or her chair from the circle as well.

What to do

  1. All the youth should be sitting in chairs except one who is standing in the center of the circle of chairs.
  2. His or her objective is to take the seat of someone sitting in the circle and force them into the center.
  3. This is done by getting someone in the circle to smile. The youth in the center of the circle must go up to someone sitting opposite sex and saying the following exact words in whatever manner desired to get a smile: “Honey, if you love me would you please, please, smile.”
  4. The youth who is chosen must keep eye contact and say the exact words, “Honey, I love you, but I just can’t smile” without cracking even the slightest smile and keeping a straight face the entire time.
  5. If he/she smiles, then he/she gives up the chair to the person in the middle and now must stand in the middle for another round of the game.
  6. If the chosen youth fails to smile, whoever is in the center must choose a different person and try again. This continues until someone smiles and is forced to give up a seat.
  7. Continue for several rounds – long enough for it to be exciting and fun, but not too long or it will get boring.
  8. The youth will quickly discover who is an easy target and can’t keep a straight face. To make the person smile, they can make funny faces, speak in strange voices, and make gestures and move around. The only rule is they cannot touch the person they are trying to make smile.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

As people, we often place conditions on our love. “I will love you if” “If you love me you will” “I love you because..” We usually love people because of who they are or what they do. But God’s love for you completely transcends who you are and what you do. He, who knows you best, in all of your sinful actions, unclean thoughts, and hurtful words, loves you most.

But doesn’t scripture place conditions on God’s love?

  • John 14:21 “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
  • Exodus 20:5-6 “You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.”
  • John 16:27 “No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.”
  • 1 John 4:15-16 “If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.”
  • If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. (1 John 4:15-16)

God loved us first. His love is freely given. It is not based on who you are or what you’ve done, but it is instead based on WHO HE IS and what HE HAS DONE. His love is unchanging as he is unchanging. It will not be taken away. But there is one condition. WE MUST ACCEPT IT OR RECEIVE IT!

AN ILLUSTRATION
Someone once explained it this way. Imagine yourself carrying a large box filled with everything you value most in life. It take both arms and all your strength just to carry it. And God walks in will another box filled with all his love, his blessing, his riches, the best of everything. It is offered to you completely free, unconditional, everything is yours for the taking. From God’s perspective it is given to you regardless of who your are or what you have done. It is an unconditional gift, unmerited favor, grace. But from your perspective there is a condition. You must first put down the box you are holding before you can receive the box God is offering. The condition is not on God’s side but on yours. Are you willing to receive it? To do so, you must give up what you are holding and hold on to what he has offered.

THE NATURE OF GOD’S LOVE

1. God loved you before you chose him.

  • Romans 5:6-8 “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
  • Ephesians 1:4-6 “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the Beloved.
  • Ephesians 2:4-5 “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved.”
  • John 3:16 “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.”

2. God’s love is not based on who you are, but who he is. God loves you, not because you deserve it, but because he CHOSE to love you. There is nothing you can do, say, or be, to deserve God’s love.

  • Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast.”
  • 1 John 4:8-10 “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
  • Romans 3:23-24 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified FREELY by his GRACE through the redemption that came through Christ Jesus.”
  • Ephesians 3:16-21 “I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
  • 1 John 3:1 “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”

3. God’s love for you is unchanging

  • Romans 11:29 “For God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.”
  • Romans 8:38-39 “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither heighth nor depth,nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
  • Psalm 48:9 “Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.”
  • Jeremiah 31:3 “The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.”
  • Psalm 136:26 “Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.”
  • Lamentations 3:22 25 “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.”

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

  • Do you ever feel that God loves you and cares for you us more when you have pleased Him? Explain.
  • Do you feel that He loves you less when you sin? Explain.
  • Do you believe that your performance makes God love you more? Explain.
  • What encouragement do these verses on God’s love offer to those who feel God loves them less when they fail?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

  • Is there anything in your life that you are holding on to that prevents you from freely accepting God’s love and all that he offers to you? What’s holding you back?
  • Which of these verses is most meaningful to you and how can knowledge of the truths contained in that verse enable you to live a fuller, more abundant Christian life, embraced in the love of God?

KEY SCRIPTURE

Romans 5:6-8 “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

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Get Creative Youth Ideas: "Holiday Collection" ebook Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next Valentine’s Day activity as well as other familiar holidays. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do in celebration of the holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

=> Tell me more about the Holiday Collection

Game Ideas

Christmas: An Unexpected Gift

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We are attracted by extravagantly wrapped gifts with red bows and colorful paper. In this game, participants will try to guess the objects that have been wrapped up as Christmas gifts. But the gifts are probably not what they will expect – they are simply things that are very ordinary. The gift of the first Christmas was not wrapped the way the world expected either. The Jews wanted a mighty warrior with a sword in one hand and King’s crown in the other. But instead, God sent an innocent, defenceless, vulnerable baby – just a seemingly ordinary baby boy.

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What You Need

  • Wrap up several Christmas gifts that are ordinary objects. Some ideas are toilet paper roll, box of tissue, toothpaste, a pencil, a comb, a bar of soap, an ordinary drinking glass, an ice cube tray, a battery, a can of food, etc.)

Preparation

  1. Get the gifts and wrap them up nicely. Wrap them well, maybe in more than one layer of paper so that they are not easily opened and so that the youth cannot easily take a peak.
  2. Place a tag with a number on each gift.

What to Do

  1. Give everyone a piece of paper and pass the gifts around.
  2. Have them write down what they thing each gift is according the numbers on each one.
  3. The youth who correctly guesses the most objects is the winner.
  4. You might choose to award the gifts to the winner.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

Unfortunately, because of the world’s expectations, the gift of God was unnoticed by most! There was no special welcome, no special preparations, no grand entrance and in fact there wasn’t even room for him in the inn nor a real bed to sleep in.

This is still true today. We welcome the excitement, the expectation of wonderful gifts, the idea of Christmas cheer and celebrations, but most people are unwilling to welcome the Christ Child into their hearts. He’s not really what most people are looking for during the Christmas season.

The people God first told about the birth were shepherds. In general, the shepherds were the poor, the jobless, the powerless, the less educated, the uncultured, maybe even the outcasts. Often when we buy gifts for others, we reserve the best gifts for the special people, the ones who will surely give us something in return, the ones who are our favorites. But the gift of Jesus was first announced to the shepherds, those without titles, those who could return little.

God had given the world a gift it didn’t think it wanted or needed, and certainly not as expected, and he presented the gift to a group of people who weren’t the powerful, the rulers, or those most looked up to. It was a seemingly ordinary gift, in an ordinary wrapper, given to ordinary people.

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

The Shepherds
Read Luke 2:1-20

  • Why do you think the angels appeared to the shepherds and not someone else?
  • Could the shepherds have chosen to accept or decline the angels invitation? What did they choose to do?
  • How long do you think it took them to decide?
  • Why do you think it was important to them to see the Baby Jesus first hand?
  • Why did the shepherds drop everything to go find out about some baby? Why were they so excited?
  • What does this baby mean to them?
  • What does this baby mean to us?
  • Why was the birth of Christ Good News?
  • What are some lessons, truths, attitudes, and responses can we learn from the shepherds?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

  • Do you still find a sense of wonder when you consider God’s gift to the world, or has it lost its luster?
  • What are you hoping for this Christmas?
  • How can you have a deeper first hand experience with Christ this Christmas?
  • What can you do to help others see the true gift of Christmas this year?

SCRIPTURES

  • Luke 2:1-20

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Game Ideas

Thanksgiving: Looking Back

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Thanksgiving is an American Holiday where people set aside a day to remember what God has done for them over the past one year and praise Him and give Him thanks for the works He has done in heir lives. This game plays on the idea of looking forward yet being able to recognise and picture what is behind. It serves as a metaphor for us, also looking forward to the future, but taking some time to picture and recognise what God has done in the past.

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What You Need

  • A variety of simple images related to the Thanksgiving. Some possibilities include a turkey, a pumpkin, a pie, an Indian, fall leaves, the Mayflower ship, pilgrims, etc. You can also use simple greeting cards for the design or images from a Children’s coloring book.
  • Paper and something for youth to write with.

What to do – Game

  1. Form teams of six people.
  2. Instruct each team to sit in a line, one person behind another, and take a vow of silence for the duration of the game.
  3. Give the first person in each line a pencil and a piece of paper.
  4. Then show the last person in each line a simple image of a Thanksgiving outline or drawing
  5. That person must use his or her finger to draw the object on the back of the person in front of him or her.
  6. This continues until the drawing reaches the first person in line. He or she must draw it on the piece of paper.
  7. Have judges determine which team’s picture closest resembles the original picture.
  8. If time permits, play more rounds, letting team members change positions if they wish.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

In this game, we looked forward but had to recognise things that were behind us. Sometimes it is difficult to look back and recognise God’s handiwork when we are focused only on what is in front of us. Thanksgiving is an opportunity to look back, and recognise what God has done for us and praise Him and Thank Him for his work in our lives.

In Deuteronomy 8: 10-18 the Israelites were also reminded to look back at what God had done for them.

“When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you. You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.”

  • List some of the things mentioned in the passage that the Israelites were to praise God for? Were they all pleasant things?
  • What lessons can we learn from this passage?

What to do – An optional Illustration

  1. Ask the youth to look around the room and take notice of everything in the room that is red. (You can use any color here as long as there are things in the room of that color)
  2. Then ask the youths to close their eyes and name something in the room that is yellow. (Again pick any color that can be found in the room)
  3. Most will be unable to name something unless they are wearing that color.
  4. It doesn’t mean that the color did not exist when they were looking around, but the way our minds work, when we focus on something specific, we have a hard time recognising anything else.

The lesson is that if we are always looking at all the negative things in our lives and all of our problems (the red color) we will probably miss all the things to be thankful for (the yellow color).

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

  • Why is it important to Thank God and Praise Him for what he has done for us in the past?
  • What does the passage in Deuteronomy 8 says about why it is important?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

  • Ask God to help you to examine your life – help you to see all the times He’s worked in your life.
  • What has God done in your life today and then what has He done this week? This month? Write down a list of everything God’s done in your life during the past year.
  • Ask the youth to share some things they have received from God or that God has done for them during the past year?
  • What event(s) in your life do you look back on as special evidence of God•s love and care for you?
  • Spend some moments in prayer, praising and thanking God for working in your life.
  • Ask the youth to keep the list of blessings made during the lesson, take it home, and place it in a drawer or on a mirror where it will be seen often and add to it from time to time.

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE

“Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced”

– 1 Chronicles 16:8-12

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Game Ideas

Flee Sin, Pursue God – Rock, Scissors, Paper – Tag

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Most youth have played the game “Rock, Scissors, Paper”. This well known game serves as an introduction to 2 Timothy 2:22 and what the Bible teaches about fleeing from sin and pursuing godliness.

What You Need

This activity requires a large empty room or two well defined boundary lines. It is idea for a gym, an outdoor basketball court, or even a large field.

What to Do

In the standard version of “rock, paper, scissors”, two youth face each other, count to three and then put their hand into one of three positions:

  • A clenched fist represents a rock.
  • A flat hand represents paper.
  • The index and middle finger outstretched and separated like a pair of scissors represents scissors.

The winner is determined by the following system:

  • Rock smashes scissors.
  • Scissors cover paper.
  • Paper covers rock.

How to play

  1. For this activity the same rules apply but instead of two youth facing each other, it is two teams.
  2. Each team chooses a leader who will choose rock, paper, or scissors for the entire team.
  3. Once chosen, the teams face off across the center of the room, field or court.
  4. Count one, two three and everyone shows their hands according to the leader’s choice.
  5. The winning team chases the other team back to the wall, or boundary line, attempting to tag as many members as possible.
  6. Any youth tagged before reach the safety zone or before touching the wall, becomes a member of the winning team.
  7. If the two teams make the same choice, both teams retreat to the wall and no one is tagged.
  8. The process is then repeated, with leaders making a choice, lining up along the center, then everyone revealing the choice made by their leader.
  9. Usually, you can play several round or for a certain amount of time.

Take it to the Next Level

DEBRIEF

In this game, there are times you need to flee and time you need to pursue.

  • What are some things in life that people flee from? Why?
  • What are some things in life that people pursue? Why?

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

  • Read 2 Timothy 2:22; 1 Timothy 6:6-11; Matthew 6:1; 2 Peter 1:3; Eph. 5:15-17

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

  • What was Timothy encouraged to flee from?
  • What was Timothy encouraged to pursue?
  • What are some of the evil desires of youth?
  • How do our pursuits affect us for good or bad?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

  • What are some things you need be more determined to flee this week?
  • What are some godly characteristics you need to pursue this week?

Scriptures

“Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” – 2 Timothy 2:22

“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” – Ephesians 5:15-17

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Game Ideas

Whose Father?

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Description

In this crowdbreaker game, youth are given a list of statements and must find another youth whose dad fits each statement.

Materials

You can print this as a simple list or make a grid of squares and include one statement in each square. If possible think about the father’s of youth in your group and use that as a guideline for characteristics.

Preparation

Be sure to prepare the list in advance.

What to do

  1. Youth mingle about the room trying to must find someone whose dad fulfills each characteristic and have them sign next to the characteristic. Each person can only sign your list once.
  2. First person to get all their squares signed wins.

Some possibilities for characteristics are:

  • Hair color isn’t black
  • Wears specs
  • Travels on business
  • Works as (name a job)
  • Drives a car
  • Wears tennis shoes
  • Favorite hobby is (Name of a hobby)
  • Likes (a specific food)
  • Is tall/short
  • Is on the church council
  • Wears a ring
  • Is between 30-40 yrs old
  • Wears (name an item)
  • Has a brother
  • Has a sister
  • Lives (location)
  • Has been to (place)
  • Wears a gold colored watch
  • Watches soccer on TV
  • Exercizes
  • Drinks Coffee
  • Plays an instrument
  • Plays a sport
  • Likes to fish
  • Has a pet
  • Has a mustache or beard
  • Is bald

Take it to the Next Level

Make it Spiritual
We each know our Father best. We know what he likes, what he does, and common characteristics about him. But we should also know our heavenly Father.

  • What are the things God likes?
  • What are the things that God does?
  • What are some characteristics of God?

Here are some Scriptures that Describe God as a Father. What can you learn about God as Father from each verse?

God as Father
“But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. – Galatians 4:4-7

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” – John 1:12

Protector
“Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.” – Psalm 10:14
“When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.” – Psalm 27:10

Loving
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” – 1 John 3:1

Compassionate
“As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.” – Psalm 103:13
“The Father of compassion and the God of all comfort” – 2 Corinthians 1:3

Cares for us
“The LORD your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.” – Deuteronomy 1:31

Gives us gifts
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father, who does not change like shifting shadows.” – James 1:17

“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” – Matthew 7:11

Disciplines us
“Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good.” Hebrews 12:7,10

Make it Personal

  • What characteristics of God is most meaningful to you? Why?
  • What is the first step in becoming a child of the Father?
  • If you become a child of the Father, then how should you live your life?

 


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Game Ideas, Object Lessons

Valentine’s Day: Held Together

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It’s going to be Valentine’s Day in a couple days, when everyone gets all romantic. While chocolates, flowers and candlelight dinners have their place, it is also a great opportunity to discuss the topic of love. Love isn’t just for romantic relationships, but for our relationships in the family, among fellow Christians, and in our relationship with God. So this week we have a memory game which serves as an object lesson on the topic of love. God so loved the world that he sent his Son (John 3:16) God is love. They shall know that we are Christians by our love. Have a great weekend! Love God with all your heart. Love your neighbour as yourself. So here’s to Love!

Resources

  • A cookie sheet or tray
  • 20 to 25 small objects from the list below.
  • A cloth that will cover the tray
  • Paper and pencil for each player

Objects List

  1. Tape
  2. Glue
  3. Stapler
  4. A bolt
  5. Paper clip
  6. Clothes Pin
  7. Button
  8. Piece of rope or strong
  9. Shoelace
  10. Spiral from a notebook
  11. Skewer
  12. Rubber band
  13. Key ring
  14. Blue tack
  15. Bandage
  16. Padlock
  17. Watch band
  18. Zipper
  19. Velcro
  20. Screw
  21. Thumb Tack
  22. Hinge
  23. Nail
  24. Safety Pin
  25. Straight Pin
  26. Sewing Thread
  27. Snap
  28. Zip Tie or cable tie
  29. Wooden Dowel
  30. Refrigerator magnet

Preparation

Place all the objects on the tray and cover with a cloth to begin.

What to Do

  1. Have the youth sit in a circle where they can all see the tray.
  2. Remove the cloth for 60 seconds, then replace it.
  3. The youth then write down everything they remember seeing on the tray.
  4. The player who remembered the most items wins.

Take It to the Next Level

Make it Spiritual

What do all the objects have in common?

All of the objects are used to hold various things together. We often use tape and glue with paper. Staplers and paper clips also hold pieces of paper together. Bolts come in various sizes and are often used to hold two pieces of metal together. A bandage holds the sides of a cut together to stop bleeding. Even a refrigerator magnet holds paper to the refrigerator.

There is something else that needs to be held together as well and that is people. We need to be close to people. If we are not, life becomes very sad and lonely. We need to be close to our family, to our friends, and to our fellow church people-plus many others. Love holds people together better than anything else: ! Love is the best tape, the best glue, the best staple, the best bolt that you can find to keep you close to people.

There are other things that we sometimes think keep us close to others but they don’t work as well as love. You may think that it’s because you live on the same street that you are friends with a certain person, but if that is all that makes you friends it will be over with the first time you have a serious fight. Sometimes we think we are close friends with someone because we like the same sport or the same games but this usually doesn’t last either. Even living in the same house with your family will not automatically make you close to them. In every case what we really need is love for that person. No matter what you like doing with someone close to you, just remember that to love that person is the most important thing of all. Love will be the tape, the glue, the staple, the bolt that holds us together in unity.

Make it Practical

How can you show love to others this week? For your parents, your valentine, your siblings, your friends. All love finds its source in God. God is love. How can you love more like God loves others this week?

Scripture References

Matthew 22
Luke 10

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
– John 13:34

“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
– Colossians 1:17

 


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Creative Teaching Ideas, Game Ideas

God Says

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This learning game is a great way to introduce the concept of obedience to God. It can also be used for famous Biblical personalities (See the list at the end) that practiced hearing God and obedience to Him.

What to Do

  1. Tell the youth that they must only obey you if you first say the words “Simon says.”
  2. If they follow an order that doesn’t begin with “Simon says,” or if they fail to do what Simon SAYS to do they will be eliminated from the game. Remember, they have to do what “Simon” says, NOT what “Simon” does.
  3. Start with something simple like, “Simon says, put your hands on your head.” Put your hands on your head to demonstrate what you are asking them to do. Once you have given the instruction, take note of those who who did not follow the instruction and eliminate them from the game.
  4. Continue to give instructions, prefacing them with “Simon says” and eliminating those who fail to follow the instructions. “Thumbs Up” “Thumbs down” Shout out a phrase. Be sure to include a lot of funny and silly things to get everyone laughing.
  5. Mix things up by also saying things like, “Raise your right hand,” without the preface “Simon says.” Eliminate the youth who raise their hands.
  6. Continue to play, randomly choosing to give instructions with and without prefacing them with “Simon Says” and eliminating players until only one person is left. This is the winner.

You can play a second, more challenging round by:

  1. Giving the instructions quickly and keep the pace moving fast.
  2. Giving instructions in a quick series.
  3. Use phrases like “Do this” while making the motions you want copied. Other examples include “And This”, “Put it down”, “Put it back”, etc. Many of the youth will simply copy your gestures and be eliminated from the game.
  4. Relax and give simple instructions once in a while that seem as if they are not commands but instructions for how to play the game: “Relax”, “Straighten up your line”, “If you are having fun in this game, raise your hand”, etc. Some of the youth will let down their guard and be eliminated from the game.
  5. You can also call players by name and ask them to do simple tasks like “Move back a step”, “Get me a pencil” etc. You can point to a youth and tell them to tell you their name again, and other similar phrases.
  6. Or, you can simply follow this script:
    • “Ok everyone stand up. I thought you said you knew how to play Simon Says! I thought you were ready! Ok I’ll give you one more chance.
    • Simon says Stand up. That was slow! Sit back down.
    • Simon says touch your nose. Simon says rub your belly.
    • Simon says spin around in a circle. Ok you can stop.
    • Simon says stop.
    • Simon says touch your head, Simon says touch your mouth, Simon says touch your shoulders, Simon says touch your ears, Simon says touch your hips, touch your knees.
    • Simon says touch your knees (while touching head), Simon says touch your hips (while touching ears), Simon says touch your nose (while touching knees), Simon says touch your ears (while touching shoulders), Simon says touch your hips, touch your head.
    • Ok all those who are still in the game, give yourselves a big hand!”

Take It to the Next Level

Discussion

How many of you found this simple game to be an unexpected challenge?
What was it that made it hard to follow instructions?
To those who were eliminated early:

  • Was the game as easy as you thought it would be?
  • Did you have trouble understanding the rules?
  • Did you think the game was fair?

To the last remaining few:

  • Did all of you get so far by REALLY following the instructions? (Some may have actually been eliminated but didn’t own up to their mistakes)
  • Were you called out by others on the mistakes you made but didn’t own up to?
  • How did it feel to be so close to winning, but failing in the end?

To the winner:

  • What did you do to stay on till the end?
  • What was your winning strategy?
  • What’s your advice to everyone else?

Make it Spiritual

Many times, we find it a struggle to listen to instructions. Or we misunderstand what instructions are given to us. There are times when we’re distracted by things going on around us, we see what other people around us are doing and blindly followed along. Some times we don’t follow the instructions exactly but pretend to. We think no one’s going to notice.

Ultimately, when instructions aren’t followed exactly, we end up getting eliminated. To follow instructions only once or at the beginning is not enough. You have to keep following the instructions. To not follow God’s instructions can also eliminate us from Him being able to use us. To obey Him only once is not enough. We must be in a constant state of obedience. We can fool everyone around us, but we can’t fool God.

In the New Testament, obedience is not used with commands, laws, or decrees, but in reference to a person. Obedience is to God, to Moses, to prophets, to Paul, to parents, etc.

Make it Practical

  • What areas do youth find it most difficult to obey?
  • What areas of obedience do youth question most often?
  • Why is obedience often difficult?
  • Why are some things easy to obey yet others are so difficult?
  • What can a person do if they have disobeyed to make things right?

Make it Personal

  • What are some areas where you find it easy to obey God? Difficult?
  • What types of commands do you tend to question?
  • What things do you hesitate to obey?
  • What areas of disobedience do you often make excuses for?
  • What is one area of your life you can submit to God and live in greater obedience to Him? The solution is not to focus on the law, the rule, the commandment, but to focus on the person. Obedience is always to a person. What truths do you know about God that will make it easier for you to obey him in the area of your life you have chosen to submit to him?

Scripture References

  • Deuteronomy 11:13 – “if you listen obediently to MY commandments”
  • I Samuel 15:22 – “to obey is better than sacrifice”
  • Hebrews 5:9 – “He became to all who obey Him the source of salvation”
  • I Peter 1:2 – “that you may obey Jesus Christ”
  • I Peter 1:14 – “As obedient children…be holy”
  • I Peter 1:22 – “you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls”

Other references to obedience:

  • Acts 5:29
  • 1 Samuel 15:22
  • Romans 6:16
  • 2 Corinthians 10:5

Biblical Personalities who were are known for their obedience

  • Abraham – Genesis 12:4 22:2,3
  • Abram (Abraham)- Genesis 12:1-4; Hebrews 11:8; Genesis 22:3,12
  • Asa – 1 Kings 15:11
  • Bezaleel – Exodus 36:1; Numbers 9:23
  • Caleb – Numbers 32:12
  • Christ – Hebrews 5:8, 10:9; Philippians 2:8, Romans 5:19, John 14:31; 15:10; 15:20; Matthew 3:15
  • Daniel – Daniel 1-6
  • David – Psalm 119:106, 1 Samuel 17
  • Elijah – 1 Kings 17:5
  • Hezekiah – 2 Kings 18:6; Ezra 7:23; Psalm 27:8
  • Israelites – Exodus 12:28; 24:7
  • Joseph and Mary – Luke 1:26-38; 2:39; Acts 16:10; Matthew 1:24
  • Joshua – A man known for his military strategy was asked by God to to march around Jericho for seven days beating on pots and blowing horns rather that use his miliatry might. – Joshua 11:15
  • Josiah – 2 Kings 22:2
  • Moses – A desert nomad who could not speak was asked by God to appear before Pharaoh, a leader of powerful civilization and to demand that the Israelites be set free.
  • Naaman – 2 Kings 5
  • Nehemiah – Was sked by God to supplies to rebuild Jerusalem from a pagan Babylonian king.
  • Noah – Asked by God to build a huge boat and was ridiculed by men for doing so. – Genesis 6:22
  • Paul – Acts 26:19; Romans 16:19
  • Saints of Rome – Romans 16:19
  • Wise men – Matthew 2:12
  • Zacharias – Luke 1:6
  • Zerubbabel – Haggai 1:12

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Evangelism Ideas, Game Ideas

Our Christian Testimony: Earth! Water! Air! Fire!

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Using the game of “Earth!” “Water!” “Air!” or “Fire!” youth will discuss how our actions affect our testimony for Christ.

Preparation

  1. Position the youth in a circle of chairs facing inward.
  2. Take a handkerchief and knot it at one end so it can be easily thrown back and forth between people.

What to do

  1. Give the handkerchief to one of the youth instructing him/ her to throw it into the lap of another youth else in the circle. As he/she throws it he/she must call out “Earth!” “Water!” “Air!” or “Fire!”
  2. If “Earth!”, “Water!” or “Air!” is called, the one into whose lap the handkerchief has been thrown must name some bird or animal that lives or moves about in that environment. For example, if “earth” is shouted then the one into whose lap the handkerchief falls might answer: “Worms!” It would be just as correct however for him to name any beast which lives upon the earth. The same animal cannot be used again.
  3. As soon as a handkerchief lands in someone’s lap the one who threw it begins to count rapidly to 10. If the animal is not given to for “Earth”, “water”, or “air”, then that person must answer a question before passing the handkerchief on to the next person.
  4. However, if the handkerchief is thrown, and the one who throws it calls out “fire!” then the one into whose lap it falls must remain perfectly silent. If he/ she does not remain silent he/she must answer one of the questions before passing the handkerchief on to another player.

Questions

The questions are related to the topic of “personal testimony.” The questions that youth must answer all involve whether the action, attitude, characteristic stated:

  • harms one’s testimony or
  • benefits one’s personal testimony or
  • has no effect on a person’s testimony.

A reason must be given for the answer. Then continue the game. You may do the questions in order or have youth pick a number between (1-66). Mark off numbers as they are used! Some of the choices involve things that happened to Paul. Others involve things to which a typical teen might be exposed.

  1. Dancing
  2. Cheating
  3. Responsible
  4. Integrity
  5. Trust
  6. Going to church
  7. Trials
  8. Being a follower of the Way
  9. Envy
  10. Belief in an afterlife
  11. Lust
  12. A clear conscience
  13. Going to a party
  14. Loving one’s enemies.
  15. Having fun!
  16. Having to appear in court
  17. Having a consistent devotional life
  18. Making good grades
  19. Having personal problems
  20. Wealth
  21. Drinking
  22. Being falsely accused of a crime
  23. Sharing your belief with someone else
  24. Athletic
  25. Serving others
  26. Speaking to a leader with great authority
  27. Taking responsibility for your actions
  28. Insisting on your rights
  29. Giving gifts to the poor
  30. Being ceremonially clean
  31. Listening to country music
  32. Listening to Rock music
  33. Theft
  34. Reading one’s Bible to the class
  35. Telling Jokes
  36. Pointing out the sins of others
  37. Hanging with the wrong crowd
  38. Obeying parents
  39. Going to an RA movie
  40. Smoking
  41. Being shy
  42. Being serious about life
  43. Being in Jail
  44. Losing your temper
  45. Listening to ONLY Christian music
  46. Praying daily
  47. Saying table grace
  48. Rudeness
  49. Anger
  50. Thinking about your sexuality
  51. Taking a stand for what you believe
  52. Showing your answers on a test to someone
  53. Being challenged to fight someone
  54. Sneaking out of the house to go to church
  55. Causing a public disturbance
  56. Telling the truth, even if it hurts someone
  57. Gossip
  58. Preaching
  59. Kissing someone in public
  60. Dating
  61. Good looks
  62. Memorizing your testimony
  63. Singing all the time
  64. The clothes you wear
  65. Your nationality
  66. Helping those in need

Take it to the Next Level

Make it Spiritual

Paul present his testimony in Acts 24:10-21.  In fact, some of the statements in the list are references to parts of Paul’s testimony as presented in this passage.  Paul shares more insight on his motives, and his actions as related to being a testimony to the gospel of Christ in 1 Corinthians 9:1-23 and 1 Corinthians 10:23-33.  Two key principles are evident.

  • While all things are permissible, Paul holds himself to a stricter standard so that he might be better witness for the Gospel, that is testimony might reach more people.
  • Paul gives up some of his rights so that others might be saved.

Make it Practical

Discuss some of the issues regarding Christian freedom, God’s forgiveness, and our our actions, words and attitudes affect our testimony as Christians.

Make it Personal

In what ways might you personally be a better testimony for the Gospel for your family, friends, and those who know you?