Tag Archives: actions

Evangelism Ideas, Game Ideas

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

Leave a comment

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?

Icebreakers

Love Your Neighbor

Leave a comment

Materials
Get enough chairs to have one for each participant then remove one chair.

Icebreaker Description
In this icebreaker / crowdbreaker, youth will discover some common characteristics of others in the group.

Preparation
Arrange the chairs in a circle.

Icebreaker Activity

  1. Sit the group in a circle.
  2. Stand in the center of the circle, and ask one person in the group “Do you love your neighbor.”
  3. The person you ask can give either of two possible responses: 1) “Yes” and then the youth on his/her right and left must switch seats. OR 2) They can say “no but I love everyone who…” has brown hair, is wearing blue, has been water skiing, name starts with K…
  4. Everyone who meets the characteristic has to get up and change seats to a new seat.
  5. While people are changing seats the person in the center of the circle tries to grab one of the empty chairs.
  6. Whoever is left without a seat get to repeat the process of asking someone in the circle “Do You Love Your Neighbor?”

Optional Debrief

  • What types of people do you find it easy to love? Difficult to love?
  • What are some ways that people show their love toward others?

Conclusion
Scriptures tell us that others will know that we are Christians by our love. We are told to love not only those people we can get along with, but to also love our enemies.

Application
Commit to one way to show love for your neighbor this week.

Scripture
Matthew 5:43-46

Get Icebreakers ebookIcebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Icebreakers

I Never

Leave a comment

Materials
Enough sturdy chairs for all participants to sit in a circle

Icebreaker Description
In this high energy icebreaker, youth learn a lot of fun facts about each other pertaining to the things that they have never done.

Preparation
Place enough chairs in a circle to have one chair for each person then remove one chair.

Icebreaker Activity

  1. Choose one person to be “it” and stand in the center of the circle.
  2. The person in the middle of the circle names something they have never done. (e.g. “I have never… been water skiing.”)
  3. Then, anyone who has done the thing that was mentioned has to get out of his/her chair and find another empty chair to sit in. They may NOT sit in the same seat. Whoever is “It” tries to grab one of the empty chairs during the chaos.
  4. Whoever is left without a chair become “it” and must stand in the middle of the circle. They then state something they have never done and try to get a chair.
  5. If a person has been in the center of the circle at least 3 times and can’t think of anything they’ve never done, they can “holler train wreck.” EVERYONE has to move on this one. Don’t let them call this out too many times or you loose all the fun of it.

Variation
If a person ends up in the center of the circle three times, they must perform a forfeit for the group. This forfeit could be to dance, to sing, to tell a clean joke, etc.

Caution
Be careful to not allow youth to name things that might be an embarrassment to others.

Optional Debrief

  • What are some of the things that Christians should do, but most never do? Why?
  • What are some things that you fail to do in your own Christian walk even though you know you should do them?
  • Have you ever found yourself doing something that you promised yourself you would never do?

Conclusion
Traditionally there are two types of sin: Sins of Commission and Sins of Omission. Sins of commission are the things that we do that are wrong. Whenever we break one of the commandments or do anything that the Bible forbids it is a sin of commission. Sins of Omission are those things we know we should do, but fail to do. Scripture puts it this way: “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins” (James 4:17).

Application Point
What is something you haven’t been doing in your Christian walk, that you will commit to start doing this week?

Scripture
James 4:17

Get Icebreakers ebookIcebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!