I came into a youth ministry program that played a lot of youth group games. And I am probably one of those youth ministry types that…well…don’t tell anyone, but I’m not a huge fan of games. So I immediately thought, “This should be interesting…”
It’s not that I hate playing youth group games (in fact, here is a light of the Top 20 All-Time Best Youth Group Games), but trying to come up with good ones is something I’m just not that gifted in. And I probably tend to be more on the side of trying to fight against this idea that youth ministry = games. Many run their youth groups like they’re at Young Life: fun, craziness, games, loudness – and then a dash of Jesus at the end.
So, you’ll understand my surprise a few weeks ago when I found myself scheduling both a trip to Boomers (go-karts, laser-tag, mini-golf, arcade) and a combined middle school and high school Game Night – all to happen in the same week.
In my seminary classes in youth ministry, I had the privilege of studying under Kenda Creasy Dean. She was a blessing to me, both professionally as she trained me for youth ministry, and as she served as an adviser and friend to me throughout seminary. She was always asking, “Yes, but what’s the theological foundation behind that…?” That was her question. So you want to plan the 30 Hour Famine weekend retreat? Why? Where’s the theological foundation? So you want to have an all-nighter? Great. Why? What’s the theological foundation?
And I think that for me – it used to be hard to find the theological foundation for a game-centered youth ministry. Obviously, there is a focus on community, fellowship and fun. But if that’s all there was in a youth ministry – wouldn’t the church just become another version of the YMCA?
It’s only been recently that I’ve started to really think about what a theology of “play” looks like in a church. I think games and those types of activities do have a place in youth ministry (heck – in adult ministries as well – we don’t give ourselves enough time to play). Games and fun activities allow youth to:
- Relax & let down their guard
- Build community
- Work in teams toward a goal
- Experience joy (God wants us to live joyful lives too!)
Recently I’ve seen some youth really open up through the practice of “play” and games. I’ve seen some youth who are extremely quiet start to open up through a sweaty game of Capture the Flag. I’ve seen some friendships form through the silliness of Scatterball or Shufflebutt. And I’ve seen some youth really have a genuinely good time being silly with one another.
So, I think I’m moving past the stage of “games are the devil” in youth ministry. They’re still not my favorite – and I still struggly weekly to come up with new ideas. But I am seeing that they have a place in our youth ministry program – at least sometimes.
How do you incorporate youth group games into your youth ministry? What is your “theology of play?” And if you’re looking for some of the all-time best youth group games, check out this list of the Top 20 All-Time Best Youth Group Games.
I agree with your assessment… and would add my own take on “theology of play,” that in play we reflect the nature of our Creator: never so rigid as to be drained of life, nor so pliable as to be dangerously unstable. God, like subatomic matter, wobbles! Science is just as much about hunch, intuition and guesswork as it is about cold, hard, sterile facts, and I think the same is true of theology. Play balances the scales.
The feelings you have resonate with my own…
I would ask another question with that of Dean. That is: “Who are they playing with”. Working from David White’s Practicing Discernment with Youth and Andrew Roots Revisiting Relational Youth Ministry, the problem of a lack of adolescent mentorship must be stressed, but still relationships is not the means to an end, but the end in itself.
If games become a space where relationships between adults and kids come into being organically I can have a foundation for it. But only if the “who” question can be answered with: “those who are open to building relationships with adolescents.
This said, theologically I believe we can find resources in the fact that God is found in community, within those relationships God becomes visible.
I’m actually at ARW (the annual recreation workshop) at Montreat right now. It’s a great place to discuss and live out the theology of play each year.
Interesting blogpost … thank you for this. I especially like what Cobus, above, writes about play as a forum for relationships.
I too question the youth ministry that is fun and games with just a smattering of Jesus … and not because Jesus isn’t in the fun and games! Fun and games are a part of the human experience, and God blesses our whole being … and we should have fun in church, but … but I think that our work in the church should help our young people (and adults, too) recognize God in their daily life (at school/work, with family, in the mundane, etc.) without setting up a parallel series of church experiences that may seek to remove kids from the world.
We can and should have fun at church, but we also need to teach and show how God is in the fun and games our kids share at school, home, and in their neighborhood. That is, I question a youth ministry that tries to offer everything under the sun – as a “counterbalance” to everything the world offers – because we cannot and should not do that. But if we can offer an insight and experience of faith that they carry into the world … now that would be awesome.
Had a class my last year in Seminary titled “Creativity and Pedagogy” and one of the main points was how our sense of creativity, wonder and play helps us deepen our sense of the holy, helps us grow closer to God. It was SUCH a blessing to me, as I was fried- tired of the same routine of read, write paper, read, take test.
We talked about play, and the value it had for allowing people to think creatively and differently, which impacts how we think about God. Here are a few of the books we read, if you’re interested. They were a great help to me in learning to value and use “play:”
Robert Fuller “Wonder”
Jerry Larsen “Religious Education and the Brain”
Gordon Kaufman “In the Beginning…Creativity”
Johan Huizinga “Homo Ludens”
Maxine Greene “Releasing the Imagination”
For those of you that struggle to come up with ideas for games I would highly recommend Recreation Express. It’s a database of activities and games with directions and a supply list that meets your needs. I’ve got a whole description on my blog at http://youthministrylink.blogspot.com/. You can learn more about this resource at http://recreationexpress.com/.
I was a youth pastor for a number of years and definitely agree. But wanted to share that this also applies to church. I am involved with a home church with about 25 adults and 10 children and youth. We have games often and it is great for helping everyone zone out and connect. it is great for helping young people feel that church isn’t always about talking and serious stuff. It is great for getting the different age groups to interact and connect on the same level. It is great for teaching us all that spiritual things aren’t always about talking but it is about playing and community. If we could get playing to happen in traditional churches then I think there could be so much great stuff come out of it.
Very thoughtful post. I appreciate that you are finding a middle ground between those who think youth ministry is mostly about entertainment and those who have gone to the other extreme. For me, play can involve all sorts of activities, not just games and sports. Play can be found in art-making, team-building, drama, conversation, even Bible study! And play in youth ministry is at it’s best when we are thoughtful about what we are doing and how it is edifying to the participants as a way of helping them experience the love of God in their midst.
Peace!
Have you guys seen the movie To Save a Life trailer? It looks pretty incredible – going to be a great film on the impact of youth ministry in teenagers’ lives. http://tosavealifemovie.com/ They bring up a great point too- I saw a screening of it the other day, and there was a scene portraying games played at youth groups and what youth ministry is really about. A must see for all youth pastors, and a fantastic film for youth pastors to get their students behind as well.
My struggle isn’t so much coming up with games (for there are many websites filled with hundreds of ideas), but rather finding any that high school students who are too cool for anything will play. Thus far I can get minimal to no participation with most of the games, and 70% of the students sit there not having any fun. Dodgeball is the only whole group active event that they do, so other than that, we do little stage games with a few participants and the rest watching (may or may not be entertained). Any thoughts or helps? I’m not opposed to games, but it seems students respond better to teaching and interactive idea sharing.
Dave,
YES! What a common experience. I find that dodgeball is a huge hit with all the boys, but the girls would rather sit around and play a game that involves little movement [certainly without flying dodgeballs!].
It’s not much of a solution, but we try to balance it out with a highly active game and a highly relational game. It never pleases everyone, but we find we get less complaints that way.
This is a good reasons to have same sex small groups led by volunteers.
Learing the word of God can be fun, true by doing some games, children are more interested to participate.
Excellent thoughts!
The theology of games that we work with is more relational: the students build relationships through games, which strengthen their trust in one another. If you’re familiar with the works of Bonhoeffer [or subsequent thoughts of Andrew Root], you know that relationships are foundational to faith formation.
So that’s a bit of our rationale behind games: relationships.
If part of the theology of games in youth ministry is to build community, I strongly question the desire to play competitive games — those that pit one team against another and end up with winners and losers. This to me does not seem to reflect the inclusive Kingdom of God but rather the dog-eat-dog culture in which we live. I definitely would avoid games like dodgeball which are really a form of mock violence (which is why boys are encultureated to like these games) as are activities such as paintball which are simply simulated warfare.
I do agree….however, if you play SCATTERBALL (which is a variation on the classic dodgeball) – no one ever gets out…if you get hit with the ball, then you just have to sit down, but you can still throw the ball at people. And you work together as a team with the other people to get the remaining kids out.
But yah. I get your point – you’re still throwing a ball at someone.
- The last thing you want for students to think church is boring.
- I agree that certain activities can be unifying and team-building.
- There is a big difference between Jr. High and High School. Way less games and programming needed in High School. They should be digesting more of the word and able fellowship at a more meaningful level.
- I generally don’t like games that are cheesy and I don’t want church to feel “churchy”. So I encourage participation, but try to have several options for students.