One of our desires as kid influencers is to encourage them in studying the Bible. Memorizing the books of the Bible is a start to the logistics of what books are where … but we need to go further than that.
Here are five themes that help kids engage is finding what they need to know in the Bible. Most of these ideas require kids to do some pre-club work at home. Encourage parents to help their kids (a good way to get parents involved). We suggest team points for those who complete the tasks – but you can be creative in how you motivate the kids in your club.
1. Find the Verse – Say the Verse Night. Kids say verses as usual, but if they find the verse they are about to recite in the Bible and show it to their leaders before they say it, they receive double points for their team.
2. Find the Key Word Night. What will your Large Group Lesson be about next week? Love? Obedience? Patience? Challenge your kids to find as many verses that use that particular word and bring the list to club next week. Team points for every verse found.
3. Facebook Find. Does your club have a Facebook page? Each day add a clue about a Bible character. Start out with a general clue and as the week goes on, make them more specific. Each kid who comes to club knowing who the clues were about, earns points for the team.
For instance:
Day 1 – His story is found in the New Testament.
Day 2 – He has a Bible book named after him.
Day 3 – He knew the Apostle Paul.
Day 4 – He had a church in his house.
Day 5 – He learned a lesson on forgiveness.
Day 6 – He had a slave named Onesimus.
4. Find the Date Night. Give kids a list of Bible events. During the week they put the events in chronological order. Kids who bring the correct timeline back the next week, receive team points. (Teens on Facebook and other social media are familiar with timelines. Challenge them to design a Facebook-type timeline for key biblical events.)
5. Treasure Hunt Night. Give kids a list of Scripture verses with the number of a specific word in the verse.
For instance (in ESV) –
- Genesis 19:26 – word four (answer – behind)
- John 3:16 – word five (answer – the)
- 2 Kings 4:10 – word 22 (answer – chair)
(Of course, clues can be a lot more complicated than those in our example.)
After decoding the clue, kids look for the treasure box which is filled with a small treat or prizes for the kids.
Thanks to Crabapple First Baptist Church, Milton, Georgia for this last idea.
