More ideas...

Posted by Connie on March 30, 2004

I am looking for some games that might be geography or map related that would tie in to Paul's letter to the church at Corinth about the Body of Christ - I Corinthians 12.

thanks

Posted by Hilary S. on March 30, 2004

Connie,
A few thoughts for you ...
If you have a large floor game you might use the coloured spaces to denote different kinds of questions about Paul's travels.
You could also cut up a map like a jigsaw puzzle which the kids could reassemble or do a "mix & match" game where they are given a clue/Bible reference on the map and they have to find the place. Using multiple choice questions a la Trivial Pursuit is always a good way to play.
We have used bibleland.com software to explore the Bible geographically. There may be some questions you can use from that ---if you have it.
Blessings,
Hilary

Posted by Connie on May 13, 2004

We have completed our rotation - we enlarged a map of Greece/Turkey/Middle East and cut it into big jigsaw puzzle pieces. The leader hid these around the church school area and the children searched for them. When found, they put the puzzle together. On the back, there were relevant questions about each of the areas and the leader did a Q&A with them. The leader also pointed out that the metaphor of a puzzle is one that we can use for the Body of Christ/the church as well When all the pieces are in place, the puzzle picture is complete. When one is missing, it's incomplete. Same with the church - we need all the gifts and talents of the congregation to complete the work and picture of our church. When someone is missing, the community is incomplete. We found other relevant workshop materials through the Cornerstones curriuclum. [Update 2016: In the past year or so, the founders of Cornerstones retired. Their website and materials are no longer available.]

Body of Christ Game Station

Here is an idea for a game station about the body of Christ. The emphasis of the lesson would be that we are all important to the body of Christ and all have a role to play in the life of our church.

Start with a game set like Jenga. Have different spiritual gifts, volunteer positions, acts of service you can perform at church written on each piece. There might be blank pieces where students could offer up their own suggestions, or even names of people. A nice structure is built. Then the students start pulling pieces out and reading what is on the piece. That gift/role/whatever is no longer a part of their church/body of Christ in this game. What eventually happens? There are alot of spiritual gifts laying around not being used for the church (and its ministries). The structure may even collapse and no longer serve its purpose.

You could take it a step further and talk about the church's foundation. Is it the firm foundation of Jesus Christ our Lord (as the hymn says)or is it built on the shaky foundation of personal opinions, "values-free" thinking, emotions, etc. You could try building your Jenga structure on a hard tabletop or in a box filled with packing peanuts.

We are the Body of Christ – Game Workshop Lesson

(grades 2-6)

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 12:12-31
Paul describes the early church as the body of Christ. Every part of the body is different, but all parts are important and are needed.

Workshop Summary

1. Students will learn that there is not any one noticeable part of the church that can be considered most important.
2. Students will talk about what skills and talents church members and workers use to help others.
3. Every body part of every person is essential.

Supplies:

• Jenga game
• CD/tape player
• Chairs and a bench

Lesson Plan

Opening:

Introduce yourself. Make sure everyone has a nametag.
Open class with prayer if you desire—ask first for prayer requests then ask if someone would like to lead the group in prayer. Be prepared to say a prayer yourself, working in prayer requests.

Study:
Have the children get out a bible and look up the story together 1 Corinthians 12:12-31. Read the lesson together.

Paul wrote this letter to the people of Corinth, because they wanted him name the most important member of their church. Paul didn’t do this.

What did Paul tell the people?
Why do you think he said they were like the Body of Christ?

Today we will play two games to help us remember that we too are like the Body of Christ. All of us are needed and important.

Game 1: Cooperative Chairs:

Object of the game:

The children are to work together so all the children win the game. They game can’t be won without everyone sitting/touching the chair and helping each other to do so, no matter how few chairs are left. The game is similar to musical chairs except instead of the children aren’t out at the end of a round. Everyone has a chair to sit on, plus the bench. At the end of each round a chair is removed, now the children all must sit down, but they have one less chair to use. How can they all sit with fewer and fewer chairs? 

In this game their feet may not touch the ground when they are sitting!

Set up the chairs and bench in a circle. There should be one chair for every child, plus the bench. Start the music, the children should circle the chairs until the music stops, then sit. One chair is removed. End of round one.

Proceed with removing chairs until all that is left to sit on is the bench. The children will need to work together to all sit on the bench. It helps to have a "spotter" or two if you have many children all trying to help each other stay on one chair!

Game 2:
Pass out a set of Jenga blocks.

On each Jenga wooden game piece write a different job/person in the church, things the church needs people to do.  Now build the Jenga tower with all the pieces (job/people in the church). 

Now play Jenga, each person taking a turn removing a block without letting the tower fall. The students start removing pieces and reading what is on the piece. That removed brick is no longer a part of the church/Body of Christ. Eventually the tower will fall, Why? There are many people/bricks laying around not being used for the church. What happens to the church? 

Wormy adds some questions....

• Are certain blocks more important than others? 
• Jesus said "the least is the most important". What would you consider the "least" block/job? 
• How do we STICK TOGETHER?  
• How do we help each other?
• How does worship and Sunday School help the blocks work together?
• What if you had blocks who didn't know their job or their importance?
• What if a bunch of the blocks decided to stay home and not be part of the church?
• What is the "tower" working together to reach for?  
  (Here you might reassemble the blocks into a bridge across "problems". How is the church like a bridge and what happens if parts of the bridge don't want to help?
• Does the church ever fall down? Fail?  How, when, why?
• How do we put ourselves BACK TOGETHER?
• What promises does God make to us about restoring us when we fall?
• What are the PIECES YOU NEED TO ASSEMBLE WITHIN YOU that are required to lead a Godly life?  (worship, study, prayer, service, confession...)

Reflection:

Remind them of the focus of the lesson - We are all one Body of Christ. How did all of you fit on the bench? You worked together. You are all part of the Body of Christ.

Pray! Ask the kids if they have any prayer requests. Thank God for our talents and for stories in the Bible that teach us so much about God and Jesus.

Submitted by Lord of Life Lutheran, West Chester Ohio.

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