Over my years in children’s ministry, I have spent countless hours planning for game time. Some weeks this came with great excitement and joy around a new, attention-grabbing activity. Some weeks the last minute planning led to a game-time flop and disappointed kids.
As I’ve met leaders around world, I’ve found that leading games can be a great strength and source of enjoyment for some, and a dreaded task for others.
Regardless of our personal strengths and preferences, I want to point children’s ministry leaders to the PURPOSE of game time in ministry, and help them avoid what I see as the two ditches of game time.
Games for the Brain
Game time is a very important element in a children’s ministry program. Games create a high-energy experience that can be organized, relational, memorable, and fun!
Physical activity helps kids burn energy and it increases oxygen to the brain. Spending part of your ministry time playing games can literally increase your students’ ability to learn and absorb information during lessons or small group time.
Playing games also provides a way for students to start building connections with peers and adult leaders. Problem solving, offering encouragement, and practicing teamwork can be building blocks for connection and growth.
And on your best weeks, the actual elements of the game can help illustrate a gospel truth! When rightly considered, games are a vehicle by which the truth of God’s Word can be more easily administered, understood, digested, and even applied.
While game time is an essential part of your ministry, there are two dangerous ditches that should be avoided.
Playing games also provides a way for students to start building connections with peers and adult leaders.
Problem solving, offering encouragement, and practicing teamwork can be building blocks for connection and growth.
And on your best weeks, the actual elements of the game can help illustrate a gospel truth! When rightly considered, games are a vehicle by which the truth of God’s Word can be more easily administered, understood, digested, and even applied.
While game time is an essential part of your ministry, there are two dangerous ditches that should be avoided.
Ditch #1: Make It All Fun and Games – The Goof-Ball Approach
Far too many leaders do not understand the purpose of games and where they fit into the bigger picture of the gospel vision. Rather than using games as a means to an end, some leaders feel that “fun and games” are the entire purpose for why the kids have gathered.
Don’t get me wrong — we should never extract “children” from “children’s ministry.” However, I have seen leaders who have dressed in wacky costumes, worn bizarre hats, and led messy games, yet completely by-passed the opportunity for presenting a solid biblical message to a group of gathered kids.
I say it all the time — it’s all about the gospel. Everything we do should be for the gospel. If we are willing to go to the lengths of capturing the minds and attention of children through crazy antics, it should be for the sake of the gospel. When our programming is exclusively fun and games, we are not fulfilling the mission of the Kingdom of God.
Many communities offer educational day care opportunities. Parents pay a fee for program directors to prepare activity upon activity upon activity so kids have fun and keep busy. Would a child who comes to your church for Sunday morning or Wednesday night programming see a distinct difference in your program versus a community-based educational daycare experience? They should!
It can’t just be fun and games. We have a distinct calling and a distinct mission. Games are nothing more than a tool that helps get us there.
Ditch #2: Kill the Fun and Games – The Taking-It-Too-Seriously Approach
I have met leaders who shunned and dismantled all games for a miniature theological seminary during their children’s programming time. Please don’t misunderstand me. The need for theologically accurate and biblicallybased teaching is the most important thing. I love God’s Word!
Yet, the moment you remove the fun and games, you are in serious children’s ministry danger. Some leaders, in fear of being construed as a “fluffy children’s ministry” don’t realize that games can actually be the avenue by which the truth of God’s word can be delivered.
There is nothing worse than for a kid to associate boredom with the local church and the kingdom of God. Quite honestly, the ditch of “Kill the Fun and Games” is more dangerous than it may seem.
Children are, well…children! They naturally run, play, and make up games. If you look at any culture, you will see children taking any resource at their disposal and making it into a game.
If children come into a ministry context devoid of fun, play, and engagement, they will have a distorted view of the church and quite possibly of God Himself. Games shouldn’t be dismissed in favor of a program that only involves talking-at and teaching-to kids.
Like many things in ministry, it’s about finding balance. But understanding the why behind games in children’s ministry can help you stay out of the ditches, and ultimately fulfill your calling of reaching children with the truth of the gospel.
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