Children & youth ministry

Jonathan Boye

2. 
   Worming Around: Pass out one gummy worm to each student. Then instruct them to make a big circle by linking the two different colors on their worm with two other people. For instance, if you had a red and white gummy worm, then you would have to find one person who had red as one of their colors and another who has white. Then line up next to each other according to colors. Then once they have found their “partners” they must quickly find out an interesting fact about both people next to them in which they are to share with the circle. Each person must give a different fact to each partner. Once the circle is formed, have one student start sharing his fun info about his partners. Go around the circle until all have shared.
   

Chad Schauer

3. 
   Show Your True Colors: Pass around a bag of M & M’s (you may need more than one) and tell everyone to take at least one but no more than ten. Have them place their M & M’s into a plastic cup to hold while everyone is getting their candy. After everyone has their M & M’s, they must tell a fact about their life that fits into each color category before they can eat their candy.
   

Red: Embarrassing moments

Brown: Favorite hobbies

Green: Unique places you been to

Blue: Favorite beverages

Orange: Crazy body tricks or movements (i.e. double joints)

Yellow: Memorial moments

If the student has 3 reds, 2 blues and an orange, then he must share 3 embarrassing moments, 2 favorite beverages, and a crazy body trick he can do. As they share each color they can eat that specific colored M & M. Go around the room until everyone has shared.

Jonathan Boye

4. 
   Speaking With “Tongues”: Give each student an Airhead and once each person has one, have them unwrap it and put it in their mouths. The airhead should stick out of their mouth as if they are constantly sticking their tongue out at you. Then they must go around the room and get into groups of three where they all have three of the same things in common. For example, Sally, Scott, and Sarah may all form a group because they all have names that start with an “S”, they all like they color green, and have a pet dog. Once all the students have formed their groups, have each group tell their three things in common, still with the airhead hanging out of their mouths.
   

5. Who Am I? At the beginning of the night, as the students are arriving, have each one write on one piece of paper their names and what candy bests describes themselves. Use one list for the whole group and have an extra piece of paper to cover up only the names of each student (not the candy) so their identity will not yet be seen and uncovered. If the name of the candy is already on the list, it cannot be used again. After everyone is brought together, have the leader read off one candy at a time and allow the students to guess whom each candy represents.

Games:

1. 
   Rope 'Em Up: Divide all the students into teams and have them line up at one end of the room. Then have a leader over each team to stand twenty feet in front of the students with licorice ropes and marshmallows. When the head youth leader yells go, the first person on each team must run to the leader and grab one rope and one marshmallow and tie the marshmallow to the end of the rope. Then he must stick the empty end into his mouth and, without using hands or body to help, he must eat the rope and then the marshmallow before running back to his team. Once back at the home line, the next team member can go. First team done wins.
   

Yaconelli and Rice, 38.

2. 
   Candy Coded Smack Down: Have the group form a large circle with chairs enough for all but one of the students. (If the group is too large you can split the group into two circles.) Then go around the circle and have each student pick a name of candy that they want to be called. So Joe picks snickers and Kate picks skittles and Michelle picks hot tamales, etc. Once all have names, go around the circle one more time having each person declare their “code name” to the circle. The student without a chair is it first. He or she will stand inside the circle and have a rolled up newspaper in hand. He will choose one person to start the game and that person is to call out a candy code name other than that of the one who is it. If he calls out the “it” person’s code name he can tag him with the paper and he will become it. Switching spots, the new person now asks him to start it out again. He calls out a code name and the person in the middle runs to that person with the coded name and tries to tag her before she yells out another coded name. If hit before calling out a coded name she becomes it, if not, the one in the middle tries to find the next person she called out. So on and so forth. This game can last as long as you want it to.
   

Pastor Brett Hilgiman

3. 
   Candy Covered Charades: Divide the students into two groups. In the front of the room have a basket full of slips of paper with a name of candy on each slip. Have one person from group A go and pick a slip and then act out that name. The actor cannot talk and only has one minute to get their group to yell out the correct candy. If group A does not get it, group B can guess. After trying for A’s points, it is group B’s turn to act and guess. Each correct answer is worth 100 points. Once each player from each team has gone or all the slips are gone, the game is over. Team with the most points wins.
   

Noel Escamilla

4. 
   Raunchy Relay: Divide the group into teams of three, six, or nine people, depending on your group’s size. Have the first station a large rectangular tub filled with chocolate pudding, oreo’s and gummy worms. At this station the students must dig with their feet for five worms. Once all five are found, he or she will tag their teammate who will then run to the next station. (All the teams use the same stations) Station two will be a diaper full of nasty goodies for the person to eat. The student must eat all of the candy from the diaper before tagging their teammate. At the last station will be cans of Coke and Fizzies (a candy that fizzes). They must place the Fizzie in their mouths and then chug a can of coke. If more than three people per team, have the person run from station three back to station one to tag the next team member in line. First team done wins.
   
5. 
   Ginger Bread House Contest: Split the group up into four teams and give each team the same supplies and same amounts for making a ginger bread house. (Graham crackers, frosting, gum drops, candy canes…) each team has to create a ginger bread house in ten minutes and then they will be judged to see which team wins with the most creative and best looking house.
   
6. 
   Chaotic Chocolate Scramble: Have a Hershey’s chocolate bar wrapped up in lots of wrapping paper and taped super well so it is hard to open. Then have a pair of oven mitts, a long scarf, and two dice all lying next to the wrapped “gift” on the table. Have all the students form a large circle, either seated on the floor or in chairs. Give the dice to one student to roll first. Each student gets one role at a time as the dice travel around the circle. As each student roles, they want to role doubles so they can go to the table in the middle of the circle and put on the oven mitts and scarf and try to open the gift. Mean while the dice are still being rolled and when another person rolls doubles, he gets to take the mitts and scarf and try to continue opening the gift. The dice keep going around the circle and people keep switching back and forth until the gift has been completely opened. The one that finishes opening the gift gets to keep it.
   

Rice, 83.

Message: GOD’S WORD, THE NATURAL ENERGY BUSTER

Say: Open up the message time with a prayer.

Say: “Rules are there are no rules, wouldn’t that be nice. The world we all live in is a place where rules are enforced to keep peace and safety for all people. Yet laws can be hard to follow sometimes. They can restrict your activities and, at times, can hinder you from having a lot of fun.

Ask: What are some rules that you can think of that keep you from doing what you would like to do to have fun?

(Responses: Speed Limits, City Curfews, School Skip Policy, etc)

Say: Laws are in place so that we all can be safe and not harm others or ourselves. Even though they can restrict us momentarily, they are to our benefit to follow them. There is also truth to that when we follow the laws of God. In Psalms 119:97-104, David talks about how he is so in love with God’s laws. Now that sounds crazy but listen to what he says. (Read the passage.) David is continually meditating on the law and making sure he is following everything God has commanded him to do.

Ask: What are the benefits you see David having from meditating and memorizing God’s law?

(Responses: wisdom, understanding, passion, etc.)

Say: David claimed that knowing the Law of God, which is the Word of God, made him wiser than his enemies, to have more understanding than the elders. We benefit when we study the laws of God because we learn to see how God sees, to love what He loves. That is awesome to think about. When we spend time learning about how God expects us to live and behave, it is powerful because we become more and more like our creator. David loved God’s word so much that he said it was sweeter than honey to his mouth. Every word was like a sweet morsel of goodness to his soul. He could never get enough, always craving for more.

Do: Have all the students take a marker or a crayon and draw a picture of what they long after more than anything else in this world.

(Responses: pictures of love, friendships, Jesus, family, food, candy, etc)

Say: Just as you long after these things, so God longs after you. He gave us his word so that we can get to know him and become close with him. His law is there not to hinder us, but to help us. To give us hope and peace, joy and assurance that God will never leave us nor forsake us. That alone should give us a more energy and enthusiasm than any sugar rush can.  It is important for us to study the Word and to memorize it, because it transforms us. It makes us wiser that people who are much older than we are. Wouldn’t it be cool to be wiser that your teachers at school. God’s word can help guide you into all truth, helping you to know when teachers at school are teaching good or bad information. His word will make you strong so you can stand up against peers who try to make fun or pressure you into making bad decisions. This is how His word is sweet to our soul. Like honey in our mouths. When we read it, it encourages, changes us, and gives us energy to make it through.

Ask: How many of you want to have God’s word energizing your life?

(Response: nearly all the hands will go up.)

Say: That’s awesome. God loves each and every one of us so much and can’t wait for you to spend time with him. This next week I encourage you all to spend time each day reading the Bible and praying. It doesn’t have to be a lot of time, but when you do spend that time, try to make it as meaningful as you can. Find a verse that speaks to you and memorize it.

Say: Close with Prayer.

Works Cited

Boye, Jonathan

Escamilla, Noel

Hilgiman, Brett

Rice, Wayne. Great Ideas for Small Youth Groups. Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1986.

Schauer, Chad

Yaconelli, Mike and Wayne Rice. Creative Socials & Special Events. Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1986.

Chris Gonzalez

Fun N Da Son

Icebreakers:

1. Name Catch
The Guides stand in a circle. One guide is given a ball. She has to throw it to another Guide in the circle and say here name at the same time. The person who catches the ball then does the same and so on. http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Valley/5170/getknow.htm

2. Never Have I Ever

This is a great game to help learn names. Make a circle of chairs with a couple of feet between each chair. The number of chairs should be one less than the number of people. One person is chosen to start and is placed in the center of the circle; everyone else takes a seat. The center person says, "Hi, I'm [insert name]." The group responds, "Hi, [insert name]." The center person then says, "Never have I ever . . ." and then says something he/she has never done, e.g., sung in a choir, been on a cruise, and had a sister. Anyone who has done what is said must get up and move to a different chair. In the process the center person attempts to sit in an empty chair. The person who remains standing repeats the process. Extra fun: this game is especially fun at the beach; use markers (hat, piece of clothing, or soda can) to mark places around the circle. (http://www.edow.org/stjamespotomac/youth/intro/games.htm)

3. Body Parts

Everyone picks a partner.  Then the group creates to circles, one inside another.  One partner is in one circle while the other is in the other circle.  Then music plays and the circles move in opposite directions.  When the music stops they must find their partner while   the mc names two body parts. Then the must touch those body parts.  Like nose to knee.  One partner takes his nose and places it on the others knee (provide by Lynnsee Hancock)
4. Memory Game

Pick a subject like foods you would eat or crave. Lay them all in a tray for viewers to see and have participants pass tray around. Remove tray from sight and have participant’s list what was on tray. The person that lists the most objects is the winner. You can give extra points or break ties by asking specific questions like what flavor sucker and so on. (http://www.funattic.com/game_icebreaker.htm#anchor3)

5. Boundary breaka

The leader asks a series of questions. Actually, there are over 100 questions that come with the little packet, but I didn't use the packet. I just made up some questions. Anyway, the questions range from shallow to deep. For instance, 'What is your favorite color?' would obviously be a shallow question, but, 'What do you like least about your parents?' would be a deeper one. The purpose is to get the kids talking. Go around the group and ask the same question to every person in the group. Start with something shallow, and then move towards deeper questions, and back towards shallow. Finally, ask questions about the questions: 'Which answer surprised you the most?' Give everyone an opportunity to answer. A person may skip, but always come back to them and have them answer the question as the last person. This works best with groups from 7-12 members. If you have a big group, then split it up into smaller groups. I have done this. It works really well. (http://www.youthpastor.com/games/index.cfm?G=28)

Games:

1. Pass the Sand: Divide the group into 2 teams and line them up. Have the person in each line grab a handful of sand from a container. They must pass the sand to the next player, who passes it to the next, and so on down the line. When the sand reaches the last player, he/she pours what is left of it on a plate. The team with the most sand wins the game. (You may have to weigh the sand on a food scale if it's close.) (www.party411.com)

2. Scavenger Hunt: This is a game that is usually relatively inexpensive and time-consuming (good for both kids and parents). Give the partygoers clues that take them from place to place. Perhaps this game could begin at the house of the party host/hostess, and the final clue could lead to the party destination. The team that arrives at the final destination first wins! (Or instead of a Scavenger Hunt have kids solve a Detective's Case. Set out clues all over the yard and have kids collect them. Then the kids have to figure out what the clues mean. You might have them find clues to making a pizza, building a scarecrow, or solving a puzzle.) (www.party411.com)

3. Hold On!

This is a good game to play outside on a lawn or on a beach. If you play it inside you will want to scatter pillows or something soft on the floor. Take a large tarp and have the members of your group sit around it. Explain that the first person has to try to make it across the tarp without falling. He must remain standing at all times. Explain to the others that they have to stay seated on the ground. When you give the start signal the people around the tarp can start pulling and tugging, trying to topple the person crossing. The person crossing tries to make it to the other side without falling or running. After a few have tried, introduce a thick rope into the game and stretch it across the tarp with a strong person holding each end. Explain that their job is to help the person cross by providing something stable to hold on to. They stand and hold the rope at waste level or higher. (www.teensalive.com)
4. Poop Deck

Mark off two lines on the floor about 6 feet apart. The space between the lines is the main deck and to either side are the poop deck and the quarter deck. Everyone starts on the main deck. The leader stands where the two lines are clearly visible and calls out either "poop deck" or "quarter deck." Everyone rushes to the appropriate deck; the last person to step across the line is out of the game. Play continues until only the winner remains. Special rule: If the leader calls out the deck on which everyone is standing, anyone who steps across the line is out. (http://www.edow.org/stjamespotomac/youth/intro/games.htm)

5. Bananarama

Basically, you send a bunch of people out in cars armed with Bananas.  You then proceed to have them measure signs, streets, people, places, buildings and whatever else you can think of in banana lengths.  The first team to return with the most correct answers wins!

(http://www.egadideas.com/ideas.asp)
6. Sandy Game

Have baby pools full of sand with puzzle pieces mixed around for each team. Give the team the puzzles that hold the pieces so they can put them in as they find the pieces. Use children’s puzzles for the game. Once all the puzzle pieces are found in the sand and put into the appropriate places the game ends. Points are given to the team done first.

One time on Survivor, they had to find huge puzzle pieces and organize them together to make something out of it. The Sandy Game is kind of like that in that they have to dig to find the puzzle pieces and find the right places on the puzzle to put them.
Devotional
Title: Keep going and going

Text: Hebrews 12:1-3

Introduction: Calling

TS: If we are called then we should run for it.

I. Run Christian Run. (Vs.1)

Exp: The author describes an arena of faithful witness that encourages believers to run the race that God has for them.

Ill: Derek Redman Story

App: We as believers need to throw off all hindrances,

In order to run the race with perseverance.

Ts: Not only should we just run for the sake of running but we should fix our eyes on Jesus.

II. Fix our eyes on Jesus. (Vs. 2)

Exp: The author reminds his audience that the key to

success in their race is to fix their eyes on Jesus.

Ill: Story of Florence Chadwick

App: We as believers need to recognized that our focus

in our daily life should be fixed on Jesus.

Ts: Not only should we run and fix our eyes on Jesus we should not grow weary.

III. Do not grow weary, but endure. (Vs. 3)

Exp: The author reminds his audience not to grow weary

in this race, but to be steadfast.

App: We must not grow weary. It is not a sprint but a

Marathon.

TS: Today may we remember to run, fix, and not grow weary?

Conclusion: Today we need to be reminded to continue to

press on in our individual race. Not allowing any

distraction to alter our path just like we did in the games

we just finish playing.

Work Cited

www.geocities.com/Heartland/Valley/5170/getknow.htm
www.edow.org/stjamespotomac/youth/intro/games.htm
www.funattic.com/game_icebreaker.htm#anchor3
www.youthpastor.com/games/index.cfm?G=28
www.party411.com
www.teensalive.com
www.edow.org/stjamespotomac/youth/intro/games.htm
www.egadideas.com/ideas.asp

Brandon Helm

THEME NIGHT: TIME MACHINE

For this Game day, the theme will be a trip back in time all the games will feature some aspect of time travel. Preparations for this night will take place over several days. First the night will take place on an off-church night, for the purpose of using several different rooms in the church as locations in time. Different games will take place as the time machine drops them in various locations. The closing message is on the unending promises of God and the treasures that can be attained when like time travelers we seek to find the answers.

Icebreakers
1. String Toss, Required materials ball of yarn. Set up a small group of players and have them sit in a circle. One player is given a ball of yarn and finds the end of it and holds on to it. They object is once the ball is passed the catcher is asked two questions. The question are just basic getting to know you questions (fav color, band, their eye color) once the player has answer the questions they hold on to the string and pass it to someone else in the circle till everyone has answered the question at the end it will have created a nice web of friendship. www.extremeyouth.com
2. Who am I, Required stick on name tags? Pre-make tags with each tag having a famous name on it from the past i.e. George Washington, Aristotle and so on. The tag is placed on the back of each student. They do not know who they are. They must then go around the room asking for clues as to who they are. They can only ask one question and make only one guess as to who they are with each person they ask. They must go around asking different people till they figure out who they are.www.funattic.com
3. Dress the Mummy, Toilet paper. Set up teams with 2-4 people in each team, one person is the mummy the other one are wrappers they must pass the toilet paper around the mummy till the roll is gone. When completed the mummies will be judged for best wrap design and the winner receiving their own package of Charmin. www.youthspecialities.com
4. What’s in the Bag, Felt bag with items in it too divide teams. This game takes work but worth it get 6 or 7 items and place them in a bag and without taking the item out of the bag they must get into groups by the item in their bag this must be done without talking or showing item used as a way to make teams.

www.youthpastor.com

5. Puzzle Piece Search, Pre-cut puzzle and an empty table. Hide pieces around the room and have them go and find the pieces and bring them to an empty table where the picture is reassembled. Once the player finds the piece all they do is set it down and continue to look until they find all the pieces they then come back together and assemble the puzzle together the picture will make a time machine talk about how the differing pieces make up the “big picture”
Games
1.Lion Tag: Daniel’s Lion’s Den, A player is selected to be the “lion” and takes a position on his hands and knees inside a 10 ft. square. Other players tease the lion by standing in the cage area or running through it. The lion tries to tag any of the players. Anyone who is tagged by the lion trades places with him. www.funattic.com
2. Chinese torture: Fareast Room This game requires rope, donuts, lipstick, markers, cups, sponge rollers, clip earrings, water balloons, nail polish, a table, envelopes and chairs. Divide up into teams of eleven and pick one person willing to go through the Chinese Torture. You can even have leaders go through the torture to show evidence of their courage and faith. If this were the case then you would only need ten players on each team. All players will line up in a line and their tortured player will be placed in a chair about 6-10 feet in front of them. On a table behind the seated player place items that their teammates will use. For each team have ten envelopes labeled from 1-10 and place inside them the instructions as to the task they are to perform. Below will be a list tasks for the Chinese Torture and in parentheses will be helpful comments to get you started.

1. Tie them to a chair. (For each team provide twine cut about 6-8 feet long, instruct not to tie them to tight.)

2. feed them a donut. (Donuts will not be too messy but just enough.)

3. Draw a happy face on their forehead with washable marker. (You can use lipstick instead of marker if helpful.)

4. Put lipstick on their lips. (Make sure there are enough tubes so that everyone will receive a clean tube, find someone that sells makeup and get sample tubes if possible.)

5. Give them a drink of water. (Have cups of water poured out ahead of time and you can even make them drink from a straw.)

6. Place 4 sponge rollers in their hair. (You can use hair clips instead of sponge rollers but the roller will be the most effective for a reaction.)

7. Place clip on earrings. (Go to a garage sale of second hand shop to purchase cheap clip on earrings.)

8. Throw a water balloon at them. (It must break.) (Don’t aim for the head.)

9. Paint all their fingernails on one hand. (Make sure you have nail polish remover after this event.)

10. Kiss their cheek. (Hey, this could be the luck of the draw, just get it over with, win it for the Gipper.)

The list can be added to if there are more players on each team. The first person on the team will run to the table, open the envelope number 1 and do what is written on the slip (tie them to a chair). After completing this task they will run back to their team, tag the next player and they will complete the next numbered task. The first team done is the winner. www.funattic.com

3. Chariot Races: This game will take place in a large multipurpose room. The supplies needed to play this game are 4 chairs, 3 sheets and a good attitude. The game is quick paced as soon as they walk into the Roman Room divide them up into three groups and select a Caesar, who will be the judge and decide the ultimate winner. The three teams are each given a sheet. The game is simple space the chairs out in a race track formation and tell the teams they need to pick a driver (someone to lay on the sheet) and a team of horses (people to pull the sheet) after they select and start a 5 lap race around the multipurpose room the winner of the race is given a 100 grand (candy bar)

4. Stoning of the Christians: Jerusalem Room This game is not as violent as it sounds for this game you divide everyone into two teams an equal number of boys and girls and big and small people on each team and you give the stoners all the dodge balls and play dodge ball until the game ends with regular Dodge Ball rules. All the Christian team gets to be Hero’s (give them a hero candy bar) and the Stoners get to Snicker at the Christians so give them Snickers bars.

5. Dark Ages: Castle Room This game needs few supplies it takes in a dark room made to look like a castle on the outside of the room then they walk into the room and you separate them into two teams and give 4 people (Christians) a torch (flashlights) and tell the rest of the room to go hide anywhere inside the sanctuary, With all the lights out inside the Christians must find all the common people and share their light and together they go and get that a person a flashlight and then they are a Christian and help the one who found them to find other people who need the light.
6. Pirate Ship: Fill a small square or rectangle container with birdseed and place 10-15 pennies within the seed. Allow the participants 1 minute to find as many pennies within the time frame. Award players based on the total amount of pennies they have found. You can have them close their eyes to complicate the game if need be. You may also reduce the amount of time for older players. www.funattic.com
Message
The message is a very simple one since this night is designed to be an outreach night I want to keep the message very simple. The entire night as been geared to time travel and so the message will deal with what now and how all the time since the world was created is not even the beginning to the amount of time we will spend eternity so we will ask the ultimate Question Heaven or Hell.
I chose to address heaven like a treasure and that all through out time people have search for it like an elusive thing
BACKGROUND:

Today many people are searching for a treasure. These treasures are thought to be such worldly things as money, fame. The truth is God has a treasure for us one that we don’t have to go through time to find. The only thing one must do to obtain this treasure is to simply look if one does not look he will never find it.

Ask the students how they felt when they were going through time ask if they thought it was fun to see all the differing places, ask if they thought it is the same when looking for the salvation must they see everything before them to understand the significance of the treasure. Do they even want the treasure?
STUDY:

Read Matthew 7:7 what does God command us to do? Will we be able to find it?

Matthew 13:44-46 should we be willing to give everything to God? Do we have to pay physically to obtain our treasure?

Proverbs 2:45 How should we search for God’s treasure?

APPLICATION:

As Christians, we should be in constant search for our treasure. As long as we ask for God’s help we will find our treasure.

Ask students how they plan to search for the treasure (Christ) and how to they plan to show their friends how to search?
REFLECTION

Pray for God’s direction and guidance in our life-long search for our heavenly treasure.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Internet: www.funattic.com
Internet: www.youthpastor.com
Internet: www.youthspecilties.com
Internet: www.extremeyouth.com
Ricky Hernandez

Star Wars Game Night

Icebreakers

1. 
   Power Point Game - Have various distorted scenes from the Star Wars movies
   

and have students guess as many as possible in a limited amount of time.

2. 
   Who Said It? – Play coin phrases from sound bites of various characters of the Star Wars films. As students guess who said it give them candy treats.
   
3. 
   Star Wars Identification – Divide students equally into two teams. All you need is a blanket. Each group picks one person to stand in front of the blanket. Behind the blanket a youth worker places various pictures of characters from all Star Wars movies. When the blanket is let down, the two participants must name the character that is being displayed. The first to correctly name the character gets 1,000 points. The first team to 10,000 points wins.
   
4. 
   Death Star, Starfighter, Capital Ships – Game is played same as “Paper, rock, scissors.” The difference is the symbolic gesture used. Partner everyone up in pairs. Students stand back to back. At the word “fight” students turn around immediately and give their gesture of play. Death Stars form a circle with their arms above their heads. Starfighters point both hands at their opponents in the form of guns. Capital Ships stretch out their arms as if eagles in mid flight. Death Stars beat Capital ships, because they weapons of mass destructions and can spot Capital ships from a distance with ease. Capital ships beat starfighters because they are better equipped. Starfighters beat Death Stars because though they are not as deadly, they can easily infiltrate Death Stars unnoticed. Whoever beats their partner, goes and finds another partner who won. Losers are eliminated. Last man standing wins. (games.com)
   
5. 
   Yoda Says – Just a slight twist from Simon Says. A line is established in the middle of the playing area. Students are lined up in a straight line facing Yoda (a predetermined youth worker) on one side of the line. The right side of the line is considered the “Light” side of the force (line). The left side of the line is considered the “Dark” side of the force. Yoda yells “Light side” and “Dark side” repeatedly and in alternating patterns. Upon hearing the command, the students jump from one side of the force to the other. If the students jump in the wrong direction or don’t jump to the proper side of the force when it’s a valid command they are out of the game. Last man remaining wins. Yoda can try and get the students to miss by pointing to one side of the line while commanding for the students to jump to the opposite side or by repeating the same side and/or changing pace. (hometown.aol.com/smcov7/index.html)
   

Games

1. 
   Star Wars Capture the Flag – It’s the Jedi Knights against the Dark Side in this classic game. It’s two teams in an outdoors setting with diverse features. Each team receives a flag. Once the flags are in a safe place, signal the players to search for the flags. Also, each team is equipped with atlatls, a Gungan weapon from Episode 1 (water balloons). When a player enters the opposite teams playing field in search of the flag, he may become disabled with an atlatl. The disabled player can only be activated with the touch of a teammate. The team in position of their own flag as well as the flag of their opponent at the end of a predetermined time wins. (Funandgames.com)
   
2. 
   Pod Racers Relay – As many teams of two may play. Each team has a pod racer (tricycle, go cart, skate board…etc.), a blindfold, and a course with 5 or more cones head of them equally spaced. The first player from each team will mount his pod racer and put on a blindfold. His partner will direct the driver down through the cones weaving in and out and then back to the start line. The two racers will switch roles. The first team to complete the rotation is the winner. (R. Scheel, Fun-Attic, Inc.)
   
3. 
   Sith on the Loose – Have all the lights turned off throughout your youth facilities. Hide a dim lava lamp in a secret place known to no one but the person explaining the game. Equip a group of Jedi Knights with lightsabers (flashlights). You must have one Jedi Knight for every three Sith. Object of the game is for the Jedi Knights to catch as many Sith as possible before they reach the lava lamp. If more Sith than Jedi Knights are left alive at the end of the game, then the Jedi lost control of the universe and are executed. Vice Versa.
   
4. 
   Use the Force – Three or more teams are set up and one person on each team is assigned to be the Padwan Learner (Jedi in training). The Padwan is blindfolded. Once all chosen players are blindfolded and teams are established, have one person throw out a ball into the play area. Each team is to stand back from a designated line and instruct their teammate where the ball is by yelling out instructions. The Padwan must use the quiet his mind and use the force (his teammates instructions) to find the ball. If the Padwan finds the ball, they are to return to the team while still blindfolded and receive 10,000 points. If another Padwan tags them, that team receives 5,000 points. Then another team member will switch in with the Padwan that has been tagged and try to complete the same task. First Order of Jedi Knights to reach 50,000 points wins.
   
5. 
   Sith Lord Dodge Ball – Dodgeball rules apply. There are two teams, Jedi Knights and Sith, one on each end of the playing area. Two atlatls (large size nerf balls) are set in the middle of the two teams. This middle is also the boundary that the teams cannot cross. At least one referee is needed to call the game. When the ref yells to commence, the players race for the atlatls and try to hit members of the opposite team. A hit player is out for the round. If a player being thrown at catches the ball the thrower is out for the round. Here’s the twist. Prior to each round, each team designates a secret Sith Lord and Jedi Master for the round. The referee is then notified of these selections. If at any time the secret leaders is made out whether by being hit or by having his atlatl caught, the whole team goes down and loses the round. It is a best out of five series in this heated battle. (Gameskidsplay.net)
   
6. 
   Escape of the Wookiees – Groups of Wookiees have been captured and are trying to escape the Death Star. They have just found a break in some malfunctioning sliding steel doors. Use two poles and a piece of string or rope tied between the poles about four feet high from the ground and the poles are only two feet apart. The object is for the entire team of Wookiees to get over this malfunctioning “sliding steel door” (the string or rope) without getting “sliced” (touching the rope). No going under either. Only one team member can go over at a time, but can be helped by teammates. Other team members can help if they want, but once a person is over the laser beam, they must stay over and may not come back around to help anyone. So the last person each time must somehow get over the laser beam without help from the other side. Requires lots of teamwork and cooperation. To complicate matters worse, they have a 5-minute time limit before the Death Star self-destructs. (youthpastor.com).
   

Short Message

Walking in the Light

I John 1:5-10

Show the scene from Episode 2 where Anakin Skywalker goes on the quest to find his mother. When he finally does, she is near death and held captive by the Tusken Raiders. In a matter of seconds, Anakin is filled with fury and allows his anger to overwhelm him. He proceeds to use the force for his personal gain, a major no go within the Jedi, and completely destroys the Sand people. Explain to the students that though Anakin was a Jedi in training, he allowed there to be just a bit of evil in him. It was this bit of evil how ever minute that eventually led to Anakin’s transformation into Darth Vader. Read 1 John 1:5-10. Explain that God is light and there can be no darkness in him at all. We cannot claim to be a part of “the force” and allow there to be any bit of darkness within us. One important aspect of walking in the light is to have fellowship with other Christians (Jedi Knights). They serve the purpose of accountability in our lives as did the Jedi Council. Though this walk in the light requires much of us, we must realize that we are not perfect. Therefore, we cannot claim to be without sin (darkness). Instead, we should recognize the sin in our lives and confess it and suppress it. It is through Christ’s blood that we are purified. By becoming in tuned with God’s Spirit, we can learn to master the flesh and its desires.
Works Cited

www.funandgames.org
www.funattic.com
www.gameskidsplay.net
www.hometown.aol.com/smcov7/index.html
www.youthpastor.com/games