Elevating Ministry Games

Not just time-wasters

We believe that games can be powerful means of ministry to your class.

First, it starts with building and planning an intentional lesson. Check out our blog post “3 Things to Do Differently When Preparing for Sunday School.” We talk about the steps to take in order to craft an excellent lesson.

1. Games help to reinforce and review the day’s theme or lesson.

There are many games that you can adapt to fit your lesson for the day. When you match your lesson with a game your class will be more likely to remember the details! You may have noticed that your class memorizes scripture best when it is matched with hand motions. The same concept goes with your lesson. Make up a game that reinforces the theme and you will see that it impacts them in a deeper way.

2. Games give children a chance to move. God created children to move!

A child’s attention span is very limited. Put them in a crowd and it becomes even less. Considering how long a child can sit and listen, you might have 10 minutes to teach your lesson. Beyond that, your class will get wiggly!

3. Games are fun! “Fun” is the special language of children.

Having fun is key to memory-making for children. Powerful and meaningful memories are made while having fun. When you intentionally plan fun elements in your lesson, you are investing into your class’s long-term memory. When you play a game, do a fun activity or plan for wiggle time you will be implanting truth in their little hearts and minds. “Fun” is worth the effort and planning.

4. Games provide wonderful opportunities for building relationships.

We have already seen that games are beneficial because it helps your class remember the lesson, pay attention, and implant the truth in their long-term memory. These are great things that are centered on capturing the lesson and their attention. But this last reason to use games is a key to building an overall fun-healthy ministry.

We do not mean just putting a game together where the children play and you stand by and supervise. We mean that you get involved.

Play tag, run around, laugh, run out of breath, give a child a high-five, run some more, shout out encouragement, laugh some more, and have fun!

When your class sees you smiling and having fun, and not just watching them play, they will begin to bond with you.

Just do not forget why you are playing games. It is not a time for you to show off and win! It is a time to bond, create intentional relationships and to show your class that you you enjoy spending time with them. This is what it is to be a servant-leader.

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We are committed to reach, rescue, root, and release this emerging generation in Africa into the dream of God for their lives. info@414africa.com

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4/14 Africa

We are committed to reach, rescue, root, and release this emerging generation in Africa into the dream of God for their lives. info@414africa.com