Activity
1. Each person one a team is given a chance to tell the opposing team something about his / herself. They may choose to say something that is true or something that is false. For example, someone could say, “My favorite food is my mom’s fried chicken” or “I went to the school swimming meet on Friday night.”
2. The other team will try to guess if the person is telling the truth. If they think he/she is lying, they’ll say, “We doubt it.” If they think he / she is telling the truth, they’ll say, “We believe you.”
3. If the person sharing the info fools the opposing team, his/her team gets a point. If the other team guesses correctly, it gets a point.
4. Alternate teams until each person has had a chance to tell something about themselves.
5. Tally the score, and declare a winner.
Debrief
* What was it like to try to guess if someone was telling the truth?
* How is this similar to real life situations?
Read the story John 20:24-31 then ask:
* How is this game like trying to decide whether to believe what Jesus says? How is it different?
* What are some things that you have doubted in the Bible? About God?
* What are some of your doubts?
* Are doubts good or bad?
Application
Doubting Thomas exemplifies an honest seeker that asks for solid evidence before belief. Jesus did not reject his questioning, instead He met his questions head-on and provided the evidence Thomas needed to believe. We see in scripture that God does not reject honest and sincere seeking after the truth. If some obstruction occurs in our trust and relationship with God that impedes progress, then God does give us room to ask questions. The issue that remains is how do we go about seeking after the truth.
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.
Materials
Gather as many first-, second-, and third-place ribbons as you can. You’ll need a Bible, too. Draw some ribbons if you don’t have manufactored ones. You can also buy blue, red, and white ribbon to make your own prize ribbons.
Activity
Your plan will be to give away as many prizes and awards as possible during the class period. This is not a contest because everyone will win a prize by the end of the class. Tell your kids that the class time will center around winning and that everyone is a winner in God’s eyes.
1. Start as soon as the first person arrives, give that person a blue ribbon for being first. Give the next person a red ribbon for being second and the third person a white ribbon for being third.
2. Next, hand out ribbons:
* to the first three to be seated
* those who help with various activities
* those who sing songs nicely
* those who are willing to pray
* someone who does a kind action for someone else,
* those who answer questions
* those who do well in your activities
* those who bring their Bibles
* those who take notes
* those who ask questions during the study.
* Any any other excuse you can find to give youth awards.
Application
Close the time with worship in which young people lay down their ribbons or prizes before Christ, placing them at the foot of a cross silent celebration. Paul was willing to lay everything down for Christ. For him the greatest prize was serving Christ. Everything he did in life was for the sake of Christ. (Phil 3:12 – 16)
Destined to Win Need a Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series on “Running the Christian Race”?
Our “Destined to Win” series is a great follow up for youth who are new Christians or to emphasize the basics of our spiritual Journey in the Faith. This Bible Study / Camp Curriculum / Small Group Study has a sports theme and is great for athletes and works well as a tie in to the Olympics. ->Tell me about “Destined to Win”
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.
Description
This activity can be used as an icebreaker or discussion starter on living the Christian life. In the Bible, Paul frequently illustrated the Christian lifestyle as being similar to running in a race. It’s ties in nicely to an Olympics theme as well a general sports related theme.
Materials
None
Activity
Give youth / kids different sports below to pantomime. Let the rest of the group guess the sports.
Baseball
Basketball
Bobsledding
Bowling
Boxing
Canoeing
Chess
Cross-country Skiing
Darts
Diving
Downhill
Skiing
Football
Figure Skating
Golf
Gymnastics
Horseshoes
Ice Hockey
Kayaking
Luge
Ping-pong
Rapelling
River Rafting
Rock Climbing
Horseshoes
Rugby
Ski Jump
Slalom
Soccer
Speedskating
Swimming
Tennis
Track & Field
Volleyball
Waterpolo
Wrestling
Others?
Discussion
Ask each youth what sport best describes his/her spiritual life and why.
Application
Paul compared his life to that of a race. He leaves everything behind and presses toward the goal, the finish line. (Phil 3:12 – 16 )
Destined to Win Need a Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series on “Running the Christian Race”?
Our “Destined to Win” series is a great follow up for youth who are new Christians or to emphasize the basics of our spiritual Journey in the Faith. This Bible Study / Camp Curriculum / Small Group Study has a sports theme and is great for athletes and works well as a tie in to the Olympics. ->Tell me about “Destined to Win”
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.
Activity
1. Divide the youth into groups of a minimum of 5 to 10 participants (Larger groups are better).
2. Randomly assign each group a machine from your list.
3. Give each group time to prepare. Each group must act out the machine they are given. Sound effects are encouraged! Everyone in a group must be involved in the charade.
4. Have groups take turns presenting their machine while other groups guess the identity of the machines.
Some machines that are very effective are:
washing machine
vacuum cleaner
car engine
elevator
escalator
typewriter
pinball machine
jack-hammer
bus
blender
toilet
jacuzzi
lawnmower
building crane
pipe organ
MAKE UP YOUR OWN
Application
After each group has demonstrated their machines,discuss how each machine had specific parts. And while some of the youth may not understand how all the parts work, the person who originally invented / created each machine thought of every part and understood every piece. In the same way God created us and knows how we all fit together. He knows how everything works. And we can only discover our part by going to him as our Creator.
Alternate Application
After each group has demonstrated their machines, tell them that we discovered the machines by their actions. Tell them that the most important way that other people discover love / Christianity is through our actions!
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.
Materials
A couple of spare belts in case there are too few belts in a group.
Activity
1. Divide the group into 2 or more groups
2. Ask all members in each group to remove their belts.
2. Within each group, the group must then fasten all the belts together so they form a single belt around the group. This may be a tight squeeze!
3. Have relay race or a series of tasks for the group to accomplish while bound together. Some possibilities are:
* Race across the room, pick up a coin from the floor and return it to you.
* Soccer style, kick a ball across the room and then back to you.
* Leave the room through a doorway (tight fit) and then return to the room
* Hop across the room as a group
* Everyone in the group remove their shoes
* Spin around in a circle three times
* Get on their knees
* Sing a song with hand motions. Everyone must sing and do the motions.
* Keep a balloon in the air for 2 minutes, by tapping it up as it starts to fall.
* THINK OF YOUR OWN TASKS
4. Have an observer to tick off the tasks as they are conpleted. Award the group that completes the most tasks in a specific time frame or that is the first to complete all the tasks.
Discussion
* How did you manage to get the belt to fit around the whole group?
* How is this belt like or unlike unity?
* What are some things we must do to create unity?
* In this case the belt serves as a restriction. Is unity restrictive or freeing?
* What are some of the benefits of unity? Some of the restrictions?
* How does unity affect our movement toward a goal and in accomplishing an objective.
* In what ways do the benefits of unity outweigh the restrictions?
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.
Potential tasks
* Youth must form pairs and toss a tennis ball back and forth (from a distance of at least 10 feet) 10 times in a row without dropping it.
* Every youth must balance three books on his or her head and walk across the room without dropping the books.
* Youth must stand on one leg for two minutes without any support from other object in the room or other people.
* Youth must form a line lying on their backs and use only their feet to pass the ball down the line without dropping it once. (Avoid this one if girls are wearing shorts or skirts)
* Youth must chew 3 crackers then chew a piece of gum and blow a bubble.
* Youth must cross the room by inflating a balloon and then releasing it and letting it go until it touches the opposite wall. The may only inflate the balloon by standing where it lands.
* Youth must spin in a circle 10 times then walk a straight line without stepping of the line.
* Everyone must do 66 jumping jacks while saying the books of the Bible in reverse backward.
* Walk across a room with a ping-pong ball in a spoon without dropping it
* Put a rubber dishwashing glove over your head and blow it up using air from your nose
ADD ANY OTHER GREAT IDEAS FOR VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TASKS
Activity
When youth arrive tell them that if they can complete the task you will give them, they will win a wonderful prize. (Your prize could be an ice-cream Sunday, a pizza dinner, a trip to the movies, a chance to cream your face with a pie, almost anything. Choose something you would like to do with the youth.) Explain that the way to win the prize is to complete ALL the tasks you give them, and they must be done perfectly and within 10 minutes (or another short time frame).
Application
When time is up gather the youth into a circle:
1. Youth will realize there is no way they can complete all the tasks in the designated time and didn’t measure up to your challenge.
2. Read 1 Timothy 1:12-17.
3. Then reward the youth with the party/ event / reward you promised.
This experience is like the mercy God showed Paul and that God shows us each day.
Materials
On small slips of paper write down the names of numerous athletes.
Activity
1. Tape these to the back of students as they arrive. The task of the students is to discover what name is pinned on their backs by asking only “yes” or “no” questions. This continues until everyone arrives and has learned the name of the famous athlete on his/her back.
2. Then go around the group and ask each youth his/her name, favorite sport, and other information you might like to know.
3. How is a goal / points scored in each of the sports the youth mentioned?
Philippians 3:12-14
* What does this tell us about Paul’s Goal in life?
* How does this apply to our goals in life?
Go for the Gold Need an evangelistic Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series with an Olympic Theme?
What is salvation all about? What does it mean to be saved? This sports themed Bible Study / Camp Curriculum uses the Olympic Flag to introduce the concepts of sin (black circle), forgiveness (red circle), purity (white background), spiritual growth (green circle), heaven (Yellow Circle) and (Baptism) blue circle. -> Tell me about “Go for the Gold”
Destined to Win Need a Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series on “Running the Christian Race”?
The race as a metaphor for the Christian life is used in several places in the Bible. This series is a great follow up for new Christians or to re-emphasize the basics of our spiritual Journey in the Faith. This Bible Study / Camp Curriculum has a sports theme and is great for athletes as well as a tie in to the youth Olympic Games. ->Tell me about “Destined to Win”
Materials
1. Choose a variety of items representing the obstacles Elisha faced. You might use an empty box of cereal, a tombstone, a glass of water, an empty coin purse, a crown (you can make one from yellow paper, etc.
2. Place two tables side by side with a gap between the two tables big enough for a person’s head.
3. Cover the tables with a sheet or cloth, including the gap. Line up the items along the top two side by side tables.
4. Arrange a youth in advance to hide beneath the table with his head sticking up between the two tables. Be sure to choose someone who is a good sport and won’t get upset with what will happen later.
5. Cover each item with a cardboard box, including the youth’s head between the two tables.
Activity
1. Choose three volunteers to compete to see who can identify all the items that Elisha faced in the quickest time possible.
2. Get someone to time each participant with a stop watch. One by one lift up the boxes and have the youth identify the item under it.
3. Save the person hiding for last. Then when you reveal the person hiding that person shouts “boo!” and tries to scare the person.
4. Repeat with the second volunteer.
5. The third volunteer does the same but have a pie tin with whip creme or shaving creme to push into the person’s face who is hiding after they scare the third volunteer. Be careful of eyes. hah hah… last laugh is on you!
Scripture
2 Kings 1:1-4:44
Application
Elisha faced many obstacles in his role as a prophet. But God always took care to provide for his needs and get him through the difficulties. One of the greatest obstacles we have to serving God and standing up when there difficulties is fear. But God can always conquer our fear in the end if we will simply trust him. Sometimes we might receive a little persecution or even a pie in the face, but when we must stand up for God because that is what we have been called to do.
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.
Materials
Cardboard or newsprint, or paper large enough to block the door of the room.
What to do
Using cardboard boxes block off the entrances to the classroom. You can even tape paper over the door if nothing else. You might paint it or draw bricks on it so it looks like a wall.
Have youth bust through the paper to enter the classroom.
Discuss the obstacles we have to living our faith in a world that does not know God. How can we bust through these obstacles like we did the wall blocking the classroom door?
Give each youth a peice of paper or cardboard used to block the door. Have them write obstacles on one side and ways we can break through the obstacles with God’s provision on the other side.
Variation
As an alternative object lesson bring in a small brick or piece of wood painted to look like a brick for each student. Have the youth write a symbol of at least one obstacle they face in their spiritual lives onto this brick and keep it in a prominent place at home to remind them that there is no obstacle God cannot overcome in your walk with Him.
Scripture
2 Kings 1:1-4:44
Summary
God wants to help us move beyond the obstacles in life.
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. Learn More…
Activity
1. Set up chairs and tables and other things as obstacles for when youth / children enter the room. You can also design an obstacle course for them.
2. Ask two volunteers to go through the course blindfolded.
3. While they are outside the room being blindfolded, remove all of the obstacles. Choose a guide for each blindfolded volunteer to carefully guided through the non-existent obstacles. Make sure to include instructions about avoiding the obstacles, even though they have been removed.
4. Surprise the youth / Children when you remove the blindfolds.
Application
Sometimes God gives us the strength and a guide such as he did Elisha, but at other times God removes the obstacles as when he parted the Jordan River for Elisha and Elijah.
Scripture
2 Kings 1:1-4:44
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.
Creative Youth ideas: 1700+ Resources for youth leaders, pastors, ministers to help plan camps, retreats, and meetings using games, illustrations, Children's Worship, Bible Studies, object lessons, sermons, creative ideas,creative activities
Materials
Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level
Materials
