Game Description
In this crowdbreaker, youth will try to guess the identity of a murderer, before they are murdered.

Game Materials
Deck of playing cards, chairs arranged in a circle for 6 to 52 players. Reduce the cards to the number of players available to insure someone gets the “murder” card.

Optimal Group Size
6 or more youth

Game Venue
Open area large enough for the groups to form a circle. This game can also be played as part of a youth camp. Simply decide the boundaries of when challenges/ murders can or cannot occur. One common variation allows challenges and kills only during mealtimes.

Game Preparation
None

Game Play

1. Sit the group in a circle and pass out one card to each person, (they can not show their card to anyone else).
2. In the cards passed out there needs to be a joker. The joker is the murderer, and the murderer’s job is to kill everyone in the game. The murderer does this by winking at the others before he/she gets caught!
3. Group members can jointly issue a challenge to identify the identity of the murder. There must be two challengers. Without discussion or communication between them of any kind, on the count of three they must each point to the person they believe to be the murderer.
4. They should be careful. If they point to different people both challengers are dead and out of the game. This is true, even if one of them is correct about the identity of the murderer. If they both point to the same person, but that person is not the murderer, they are also killed.
5. When a member sees someone wink at them, they have been killed, and they need to count (silently) to 5 and say, “I’m dead” and flip their card over. Alternatively they can liven it up with a dramatic death scene.
6. If you have already been killed or died because you guessed incorrectly you can no longer guess the killer.

Icebreakers 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.

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Game Description
This messy game has no lesson or meaning and is simply an opportunity for youth to have fun while getting a little messy with their dessert.

Game Materials
All the ingredients of an ice-cream Sundae. (A typical sundae may have ice cream, chocolate syrup, strawberry topping, candy sprinkles, banana slices, whip cream and just about anything else you want.)

Optimal Group Size
Any Number (equal number of guys/ girls works best)

Game Venue
Area for participants to lie on thier backs. If indoors, you may wish to line the floor with plastic sheets or newspaper for an easy clean-up afterward.

Game Preparation
Get all the ingredients for your Icecream Sundae.

Game Play

1. Pair up each girl with a guy.
2. The girls must make an ice cream sundae on the boys forehead with all the fixings
3. Have several couples do this at the same time and then have judges choose the best ice cream sundae.
4. If your youth are really brave provide spoons and have a follow-up race of the girls eating the Sunday they have just made.

Game Variation

1. Girls must build the ice-cream Sunday in the guy’s mouth.
2. They must drop the ice-cream and successive ingredients into the guys mouth from a specific height. The greater the distance from the guys mouth, the more messy the game.
3. First girl to successful build a Sunday in the mouth of her partner wins.

Icebreakers 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!

Game Description
In this classic simulation game, youth learn what it means to stand up for one’s faith and to totally trust God even in situations where they may face incredible adversity.

Game Materials
None

Optimal Group Size
Minimum of 8 youth, preferrably a larger group. (Depending on the size of the group leaders can take the roles as Romans and Angels)

Game Venue
Large facility with many rooms and lots of room for participants to run around.

Game Preparation
As a pre-game brief, read the following scenario to the youth:
“Everybody close your eyes. You are no longer at camp. You have been transported to the first century A.D., where disciples of Christ are being persecuted. You are a Christian, but you are facing opposition from the government. Anyone who publicly acknowledges that they are a Christian is condemned to be thrown to the lions. Guards wander the streets, interrogating common people in order to eliminate unwanted Christians. It is into this atmosphere that you will find yourself when you step out of this room. Today is not an ordinary day, however. There is a secret gathering of Christians in a yet-to-be-disclosed location. Your goal is to find your way to the secret location and join your brothers and sisters in this secret “underground church” meeting. Along the way you may be approached by one of the guards, who will simply ask you, “Roman or Christian?” If you reply, “Roman,” you will not be held any longer and you will be sent on your way. If you reply, “Christian,” you will be taken to a holding cell to await your fate with the lions. Picture yourself in such a society. What will you do?

WHAT THE KIDS DON’T KNOW (but you do) 

1. The location of the secret meeting (make sure it’s big enough for everybody)
2. Some of the guards (perhaps one out of five) are actually Christians and will not only set you free if you admit you are a Christian, but they will give you a hint as to where the secret meeting is.
3. Some of those who stand up for their faith and are sent to the holding cell (early in the game) will be broken free by an amazing work of the Holy Spirit (angels come and hold the guards, allowing the prisoners to go free). Those who are caught much later in the game will not be released and will be told of their untimely demise at the hands of the lions (there were martyrs, you know).

OTHER NOTES:

1. There should be at least one guard for every 5 people or so, or nobody will ever get caught.
2. The secret meeting place needs to be hidden well enough that everybody won’t find it within five minutes. Once people find the secret church, they MAY NOT LEAVE to bring others in; it is simply too dangerous.
3. The larger the playing area, the better.

Game Debrief
This is the most important part of the entire game, and it must be done in a very sensitive way:

1. Some kids will have denied their faith and might feel bad about it.
2. Others will think it was no big deal to lie about not being a Christian so they could reach their goal.
3. Others might be afraid of what might happen to them if they stand up for their faith in real life.

The debrief is an opportunity for you to really reach the kids on what it means to stand up for one’s faith and to totally trust God even in situations where they may face incredible adversity.

Optional Conclusion
In some places, peoples lives are in jeopardy today as Christians. Our lives may not be in jeopardy, but there are still pressures for us to deny our faith. If you admit you are a Christian, friends might ridicule you, You might not get that job promotion. You might be deemed as old fashioned and out of touch with today’s reality. The threats are more subtle and the consequences may seem less severe, but there are still pressures. Are you bold enough to stand up for your faith regardless of the circumstances?

Application
What is one situation that if you face this week, you will commit to take a stand for Christ?

Scripture
Mark 13:9-13, 1 Corinthians 15:58, 1 Corinthians 16:13,

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…

Game Description
In this group builder, youth will learn to trust one another.

Game Materials
Blindfold (optional)

Optimal Group Size
8-12 youth. For large groups, break the group up into smaller ones of 8-12 people.

Game Venue
Open area large enough for the groups to form two lines facing each other.

Game Preparation
Preclude this game with a reminder that there should be no funny business in this game. Each person must be able to trust the group explicitely. Everything said and done must be towrd building this trust.

Game Play

1. A group of 8-12 youth line up in two lines facing each other about a body’s width apart.
2. A blindfolded volunteer lies face-up on the floor between the two lines. (Alternatively you can ask the person simply to keep thier eyes shut.)
3. The two lines then lean over and placing their hands palms up, carefully position them beneath the volunteer. Hands should be gently placed from head to foot in order to fully support the person’s body.
4. Slowly and gently raise the volunteer off the floor while gently rocking back and forth lengthwise. Imagine a “falling leaf” gently rocking back and forth as it falls from a tree.
5. The group continues to raise and rock the volunteer until he/she is lifted above their heads and then proceed to lower them back to the floor in the same manner. Repeat the activity with each member of the group.

Optional Debrief

• How did it feel as you were lifted and lowered back to the ground?
• How did you feel, placing yourself under the control of the group?
• Did you have doubts, when you began?
• What things allowed you to trust the group?
• Is trust important in a youth group?
• What are some areas that you have difficulty trusting others?

Optional Conclusion
Life is full of opportunities requiring trust. We don’t have to face life alone. Unfortunately certain experiences in our past may make it difficult to trust people. We keenly remember when trust was violated and may find it difficult to trust again. Yet, when we are in a group where we feel loveand trust, it empowers us to take risks and push ourselves beyond our comfort zone. When we know we can count on the support of others, we can try new things and test our abilities. It is this support group that is one of the most important aspects of church life. With the support of the group we can “rise to greater heights than we could on our own.”

Application
Choose one way you can be more supportive of others in the youth group this week.

Scripture
Ephesians 4:1-3; Galatians 6:2

Icebreakers 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!