Ideas For Teaching Bible Knowledge

Books Of The Bible

• Put the names of Bible books on index cards. Children put cards in order. A table game can be made of this. Each child, in turn, selects a card from a face down pack and places each book card in chorological order. One point for each correct placement. The cards are realigned on the table as cards are added. When a card is placed in error the player looses the point and the next player can capture that point. If the next player is wrong, each player in turn attempts to place the card until it is in the correct order. Game requires a game moderator with knowledge of the correct order or a listing of the correct order. This game can be played with all Bible books, or just Old Testament or New Testament.
• Blocks of wood with names of Bible books written on the spine and one side. Players or team selects a Bible book block from a stack and place it correctly in a chorological line.
• Blocks of wood or Bible book cards. On signal players or team place book blocks or book cards in correct chronological order. First player or team to line up books correctly wins.

Bible Divisions – It can be helpful for children to being learning some of the basic Bible book divisions and section names. The books of the law (Pentateuch), the Minor Prophets, the Major Prophets, the books of Poetry the books of history, the Gospels, Acts-the history of the Church, Paul’s’ letters, Hebrews and general letters and Revelation, the book of prophecy.

Bible Features – Unless children are provided with a solid Bible teaching curriculum that includes a comprehensive scope and sequence of basic Bible knowledge skills, they can miss out on acquiring knowledge of basic Bible features. Make sure that somewhere during the teaching years in children’s ministry that children learn the following special Bible features:

• The Ten Commandments
• The Beatitudes
• The Armor of God
• Heaven
• The Fruit of The Spirit
• The 23rd Psalm
• The Lord’s Prayer
• Hebrews 11 – The Faith chapter
• The Tabernacle and how it relates to the coming Christ
• Names of God
• The Parables
• The Miracles of Jesus
• Spiritual gifts
• Prophecy concerning Jesus passages

Bible Facts With A Deck Of Cards

• The Ace reminds us that there is only one God.
• The Two represents the two parts of the Bible, Old and New Testaments
• The Three represents the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost.
• The Four stands for the Four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
• The Five is for the five virgins there were ten but only five of them were glorified.
• The Six is for the six days it took God to create the Heavens and Earth.
• The Seven is for the day God rested after making His Creation.
• The Eight is for the family of Noah and his wife, their three sons and their wives -- the eight people God spared from the flood that destroyed the Earth.
• The Nine is for the lepers that Jesus cleansed of leprosy He cleansed ten, but nine never thanked Him.
• The Ten represents the Ten Commandments that God handed down to Moses on tablets made of stone.
• The Jack is a reminder of Satan, one of God's first angels, but he got kicked out of heaven for his sly and wicked ways and is now the joker of eternal hell.
• The Queen stands for the Virgin Mary.
• The King stands for Jesus, for he is the King of all kings.
• There are a total of 52 cards in a deck; each is a week - 52 weeks in a year.
• The four suits represent the four seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter.
• Each suit has thirteen cards -- there are exactly thirteen weeks in a quarter.

When you want to thank God, I just pull out a deck of cards and be reminded of all that we have to be thankful for.

Ideas For Teaching Worship

Teaching children to worship is not just sitting and listening, but is activity thinking about God, appreciating God for who he is, thanking God for what he has done, giving back to God, and praising God though song and other expression. Children need guidance to learn how to worship God. Consider some of the following worship encouragement ideas:

• Help children recognize, understand and accept God’s gift of Salvation, as an act of faith, not based on works don works.
• Encourage children to discover the importance of corporate worship. Structure experiences where children both contribute to and receive from others through corporate worship.
• Instruct children how to worship when they are alone. Use selected Psalms to help children discover expressions of worship.
• Help children discover the greatness of God through all of His creation.
• Teach children and encourage children to worship through prayer.
• Make full use of musical expeir4ences to enable children to worship God through voice and instruments. Use God’s Word as examples of how people worshipped God through music and song.
• Teach children that part of worship is giving to God both materially (offerings) and through Christian service.
• Have children write original Psalms and songs of worship

Ideas For Teaching Stewardship - Giving

This is one of the often-neglected areas of children’s ministry teaching. While many churches “take offerings” regularly, we seldom help children to develop a sense of personal responsibility about giving to God. Stewardship is not only giving to God financially, but it is also honoring Him with our time and our talents as well.

• Make offering time a regular part of the children’s programs
• Encourage parents of young children to give them small tasks to do at home where they will get “paid” nominal amounts. Then, guide the parents in taking the money children earn through the week, placing those coins or dollars on the table and help children to see what part of what they have earned should be given in the offering and that the rest is for them to spend or save
• Provide children with information on where their offerings are used
• Develop special stewardship projects that the children can give toward. Consider developing some stewardship projects that involve other children
• Develop special containers for special projects. Decorated coffee cans can be used, small jars, cardboard box banks.

Ideas For Teaching Church / Doctrine

It is not uncommon that children’s ministry leaders so heavily emphasis other areas of ministry program components such as Salvation, Bible memory, Bible knowledge, missions projects and stewardship that basic doctrine is avoided as a dry and uninteresting topic. However, Basic Bible doctrine is very important to the children’s ministry teaching program. Children need to be instructed and need to learn basic doctrine. Doctrine is what we believe about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Bible, Heaven, Satan, angels and events regarding Christ’s eventual return. This is basic doctrine. Planning a purposeful teaching of doctrine can be accomplished not only through direct teaching, but can be incorporated into music, games and a variety of other activities. In developing a plan for teaching doctrine, following are some of the highlights in the area of doctrine that should be considered. Do keep in mind that every denomination or church may have specific doctrine distinctives that they will also want to have taught to the children.

• Plan at time for the pastor to visit the children’s program. Have an interview time to ask the pastor about how he became a pastor, what he typically does during the week, how he develops a sermon, etc.
• Include in the regular teaching program lessons on the history of the church (appropriate to the age / grade level)
• Make sure that children are instructed at appropriate ages about the sacraments of the church or other special worship features
• Have church leaders such a elders, deacons and deaconesses as special guests to a class and teach the children about their church leadership roles and responsibilities
• Plan times to take children into the sanctuary and teach them about special features of the sanctuary.
• Teach children the history of worship of God’s people. Teach children about the Israelite tabernacle and temple and the meaning of the tabernacle/temple furnishings.

Ideas For Teaching Global Awareness

International Worker Prayer Tree – An artificial tree can be used to place the photo cards of international workers (missionaries). Children can take a card home for the week and prayer for that missionary and family and then bring the card back the following week and exchange it for another missionary card off the tree.

Cross Cultural Meal – Correspond with one of the church’s international workers or families and enlist their assistance in putting together a meal that would represent their country. Plan an international ministry meal and use this time to also teach the children about the work of the worker being highlighted.

Children’s Games In Other Countries – Children love to play games. Do some research and determine what type of game the children play in countries that are being highlighted. Plan a time to have children play those games or play games from countries around the world.

Learn A New Language – Children love to learn new and different things. Determine a missionary or country you want the children to learn about. You can find some beginning language phrases through the Internet, bookstore or library. Teach children five or ten words or phrases over a few weeks. This can be the beginning of some exciting learning adventures for children.

Ideas For Teaching Bible Memory

Rev. Daryl Dale of Spiritual Formation Ministries conducted research and demonstrated that in spite of valiant effort on the part of children’s ministry teachers and leaders, that few children retain more than 5 or 6 Bible verses by memory into adolescent years. Further, most adults fare no better than this record and most of the verses they know by memory were learned as a child.

If children are given fewer verses to learn each year and in his Bible memory verse program includes regular ongoing review of previous verses learned, by the time a child completes 6^th grade he or she will have committed 56 verses to memory for life.

This system begins at age 4 with only four verses, appropriate to children that age, with only four more added during age 5 or kindergarten. Each quarter all previous quarter verses are reviewed as well ads the new verse for the quarter added. From first through 6^th grade children are then only given eight additional verses each year, always with review of previous verses learned.

By sixth grade children in this Bible memory program have fully master memorization of 56 verses.

It is suggested that verses are selected which support and reinforce the 12 areas of spiritual development for children; Bible knowledge, worship, Salvation, missions, church life, devotional life, prayer, Christian service, outreach, missions, Bible memory, stewardship.

When teaching memory verses to children, be sure to select verses that have the desired meaning to teach the intended biblical principle or truth. For unsaved children, use verses that clearly explain God’s Plan of Salvation and then use the Bible memory activity to teach this to the children as they learn the verse.

Bible Memorization Activities:

Walk the Verse: Make a template of a large footprint out of construction paper then make several copies. Write one word of the verse on each footprint and place these in a circle. Use a small piece of rolled masking tape to stick the footprint to the floor or carpet. Have the children “walk the verse” repeating each word as they walk the Bible verse circle.

Bible Memory In Color: Call on children to say the verse by an article of clothing color. Example, “Someone who is wearing anything with red can say the verse.”

Bible Verse Scramble: Place the words of the verse on various construction paper rectangles. Place these face down. On signal, have the player or players turn all cards over and put the verse in the correct order.

Clothesline Bible Verse Scramble: Place each word of the verse on a piece of index stock paper cut to the shape of clothing articles. String a closes line or have two children hold the clothesline and using spring clothespins, attach the verse in scrambled order on the line. On the signal have the player or team unscramble the verse.

All In a Line Bible Verse Scramble: Have the number of children stand in a line, as there are words in the verse. Give each child one card to hold that has one word of the verse printed on with the words facing towards them On signal have the children turn the cards around and have the player or team move the cards to put the verse in the correct order.

Sound Effects Bible Verse: Have children developed a sound effect for each word in the verse. Use drums, tambourines, whistles, a small horn, etc. Have children play one sound effect for each word. Prerecorded sound effects can also be used that might include crashing sounds, thunder, etc.

Ideas For Teaching Christian Service

Pick Up Team: Have children take on a regular, weekly responsibility of checking the sanctuary after each weekend worship service and picking up any left over church bulletins or other papers. This can help children feel they have a needed role in the church and also will help the church custodial staff.

Card Care Club: Encourage children to regularly make and send or give cards to people that are ill, shut in or who need encouragement. A card from a child can have a major impact on an adult. Get a list of people needing contact from the pastor. Consider extending this project to people in the community that might not be attending church. A “We Care” card club can be an effective tool to connect with people in the community.

Community Projects: Consider community helping projects at public parks or other public locations. According to the location in the country seasonal projects might include raking leaves, removing snow, picking up litter, etc. Let the local newspaper know about your project

Community Puppet Programs: Prerecorded puppet skits and programs are some of the easiest projects to do. Put together a kid’s puppet team practices some easy programs and offered these activities to area nursing homes or community activities

Clown Ministry: Children, with good instruction, can do effective and quality clown ministry. There are a number of good resource books on how to develop a clown ministry. Put together a children’s clown group, training them in the basics of clown ministry, and let them provide Christian service for the community. Children can learn easy tricks, juggling, how to tie balloon animals, etc.

Ideas For Teaching Prayer

Christmas Prayer Tree- After the Christmas season keep watch for a small tabletop artificial tree or used a leaf free small tree from your area. Use this tree to have children attach index cards with specific prayer requests along with their name. Ask adults in the church to take a prayer card form the tree and pray for that child and their need during the upcoming week.

Praying Children – Children can have a vital role in the congregational worship experience by occasionally offering the congregational prayer. Children can write out their prayer under adult guidance, or possibly even with the pastor’s assistance and a child can be selected to read/pray their prayer during a worship service. It is important that children are taught the appropriate things to pray for when leading a congregational in prayer. The pastor can help teach children through this project about prayer.

Prayer Reminder Bookmarks – Children can be provided with weekly bookmark reminders of just one or two things to pray about during the upcoming week. Such prayer reminders can help children structure a regular prayer time.

Components of Prayer – Child Evangelism Fellowship has developed a basic prayer system in conjunction with using the thumb and fingers of your hand as a prayer object reminder. The thumb is used to remember to pray for person closest, such as family members. The index fingers for those who point us to God (our minister and church leaders, parents, etc.) The middle finger / the “tall” finger reminds us to pray for people in authority. This can be our government leaders, church leaders, schoolteachers, etc. The ring finger is often considering the weak fingers it is the most difficult finger to lift when a person’s hand is placed on a flat surface. This finger reminds us to pray for people who are weak or sick. The small finger is a reminder to pray for us, always putting you last.

Talk to God Reminder Card: Give children a prayer time assignment of one specific thing to talk to God about between sessions. They also need something physical to take home as a reminder to talk to God. Sometimes a card with the prayer item written and they put a mark on the card each time they talk to God about that prayer need and bring their cards with them to the next session.

Things Made by People Cannot Answer Prayer: Another idea is to have the children paint a prayer stone. You teach them the story of the Golden Calf, and about idols and how some people even today pray to stones (idols made from stone) and things made by people. Just take a regular stone and have children color decorate it. Then you teach them and use verses to remind them that the Living God is NOT made from stone of things that man has made. He is the Living God that made us and who we worship and talk to. Praying to that stone would be useless as it is just a stone and cannot answer prayer.

Prayer Models

Matthew 6:9-13 / Luke 11:2	The Lord’s Prayer
Genesis 18:22-23	Abraham for Sodom
II Samuel 7:18-19	David / Temple
I Kings 3:5-14	Solomon for wisdom
Daniel 9:15-19	Daniel prays
Matthew 6: 9-13	Lord’s Prayer
Ephesians 3:14-21	Paul prays for Ephesians

Written prayers – Have younger children write out prayers for the church worship service and read it.

Prayer Reminders

Prayer wheel	Paper prayer chains	Prayer tree	Prayer table tent
Prayer picture chart	Prayer puzzle	Prayer scrolls	Prayer bracelets
Prayer pictures / photos	Prayer mural	Pocket chart prayer time

Prayers

• Liturgy responses – Psalm 136
• Benediction prayers
• Psalm 19:14
• Numbers 6:24-26
• Genesis 31:49
• II Corinthians 13:14
• Hebrews 13:20,21
• Jude 24,25

Prayer Activities

Prayer charades – Have children in teams draw stick figure pictures and team will have 3 minutes to guess the Bible story or scene

• Luke 23:33-34 Jesus on the cross
• Acts 9:1-9 Saul on the Damascus road
• Jonah 1:11-2:1 Jonah thrown overboard
• Acts 7:54-60 Stephen being stoned
• Exodus 32:30-35 Moses with the golden calf
• I Samuel 1:9-167 Hannah praying
• Acts 16:25-31 Paula and Silas in jail
• Daniel 67”7-13 Daniel defying the king’s orders
• Luke 22:39-46 Jesus in the garden
• I Kings 18:30-38 Elijah before the Baal prophets

Prayer rhymes or poems

Prayer post cards or greeting cards

Prayer theme mobiles i.e. thanksgiving, petition, etc.

Prayed crossword puzzles

Prayer thank-you booklets

Pass it on prayer with a group – each one says one part

Answered prayer chart

People to pray for prayer wheel with spinner

Match a prayer from the Bible game (Prayer with person who prayed it)

Silent prayer as needs are stated

Weekly prayer calendars

Prayer clock – time to pray for certain things during the day

Lord’s Prayer color candles

• Our father White
• Who is in heaven Blue
• Holy is your name Green
• Your Kingdom come Purple
• Your will be done in earth as in heaven Brown
• Give us this day Yellow (bread)
• Forgive us our sins against others Silver - coins to pay debt
• Lead us not into sin Black
• Deliver us from evil Red - Jesus’ sacrifice for us
• Your is the Kingdom Gold
• Glory forever Orange

Creative Ways To Encourage Children To Pray

Adopt-A-Leader: I Timothy 2:1-4. Encourage children to adopt one church leader that they can faithfully pray for and have the children send a card to that person to let them know they are being prayed for regularly. This can be once a week or more often.

10 Most Wanted: Have children make a list of 10 people they would most like to come to know Jesus as Savior. Have them regularly payer for that listing.

Prayer Closet: Develop a special area in a child’s room or in class where photos of people that children want to pray for can be displayed. This can become their “prayer closet”

Prayer Heroes: Provide children with biographies and pictures of present day Christian heroes have the faith and biblical heroes (Hebrews 11). Use Ephesians 6:10-18 and develop a knight’s amour costume to encourage children about the qualities of a hero in God’s army.

Five-Finger Hand Prayer Reminder: Have children trace their hand on card stock, cut out the hand and label each finger and the thumb with the following items to remember to pray for:

Thumb-Those closest, family members. Pointer finger – those that point us to Christ. Tall Finger – Those in authority, government and church. Ring Finger- Those that are weak and sick. Little finger- for ourselves – we put ourselves last and before others.

Prayer Tree: Place a real tree, a cut tree of just branches, or make a large wall display of a branched tree cut out from paper. Make leaves out paper and place the names of things and people to pray for on the leaves. Each week have the children take one leaf home to pray for that person or item through the week.

Puzzle Prayer: Make an outline of the child’s community, country or world on paper. Cut the picture intro sections and make a large puzzle. Have children each take a puzzle piece and then find a person with a matching puzzle piece and form prayer partners to pray for specific needs. (Make sure your total pieces are just sufficient for the number of children in the class) When you are finished praying have the children put their pieces together to see the community they have prayed for.

Prayer Journal: Establish prayer stations in the classroom or in the home. At each prayer station and list one or two people or things to pray for. Have children go from station to station and pray for the person of prayer request listed. Children can place their name at that station to show they have prayer for that item.

Praying Children – Children can participate in congregational worship by occasionally offering the congregational prayer. Children can write out their prayer under adult guidance, or possibly even with the pastor’s assistance, and read/pray their prayer during a worship service.

Prayer Calendar: Have children develop a 2-month (8 session) plan for teaching children about prayer and using a variety of prayer ideas. Week 1 has been done for you as an example.

Ideas For International Games

INTRODUCTION: Games are a great way to get to know about other cultures. Introduce your kids to these cultures and talk about them. Make sure that you explain the game, rules, and the reason why you are playing the games. Make it fun, interesting but informative. Challenge your kids to reach others from different nationalities for Christ right now.

Cultural Games

Continents – Big, Big World - Draw continents big enough for groups to stand in. Use chalk on the sidewalk or driveway. Use a big plastic clothe for inside. To play the game tell the children wearing blue to stand on a certain continent. Improvise by asking those who had chips for supper stand on the continents, etc. Or you can children to stand on the continent where a certain missionary is working.

Africa – Stick Race - A double section 2’ ½ “ PVC piping can be used for this game and this makes it easy to travel with for international missions teams. Use two sections per player with a cap on either end of the 2’ PVC pipe section and a ½” cap on each section as well to make 4’ sections.

Everyone playing needs one 4-foot PVC pipe or stick in his or her left hand. Kids stand in a circle about 8 feet apart with one end of stick on the floor. The hold the pipe or stick upright with one finger on top of the pipe or stick. At a given signal the kids move to the right but let go of their stick. The kids move to the next spot in the circle as the game is played and need to catch the next stick before it falls. If the stick falls then the player who did not catch it is out along with the stick. The last one remaining is the winner. This can be done as play-offs with several teams and after the first round the winners of each first round playing all pay for the run-off.

African Mancala Game from recycled egg cartons RULES:

Materials:

• Cardboard egg carton (dozen size)
• 2 Tuna cans; washed, rinsed, and dry
• Craft paints
• Paintbrush
• 48 marbles, tiny rocks, beads, beans, etc.

Making the game:

• Paint the egg carton in the color desired. Let dry.
• Paint the tuna cans on the outside. Let dry. (If you paint the inside, the paint will chip off as you play the game.)
• Paint designs on the side of the egg carton and tuna cans if you wish. Let dry.
• Play your game with a friend or family member.

Object: 2 players compete against each other to collect as many marbles as they can before one of the players clears his side of the egg carton of all its marbles.

Setting up the game: Place the egg carton between the 2 players, lengthwise. The cups closest to you is your side of the board. The Mancala (tuna can) to your right is yours. Place 4 marbles in each of the cups. Choose a player to go first.

Playing the game: The first player picks up all the marbles in one of his cups. The player then starts to the first cup to the right and starts dropping one marble in each. If he reaches the end of his side, he is to drop one marble in his Mancala, then continue around to the other side of the board. He is not, however, to drop a marble in his opponent's Mancala.

If the player places his last marble in his own Mancala, the player gets to play again. Example: If you start the game, a good play may be to choose the cup that is located 4th from the right. You would pick up 4 marbles, dropping one in each cup and ending in your Mancala. This gives you an extra turn.

If the player drops his last marble on his side of the board in an empty cup, he captures all the marbles in his opponent's bin directly across from that bin. All captured marbles, plus the capturing marble, gets put in the player's Mancala.

Players are not allowed to touch marbles in order to count them. If you touch your marbles, you are to play that cup.

Winning the game: The game ends when one player runs out of marbles on his side of the egg carton. When the game ends, the other player gets to take all his stones from his side of the egg carton and place in his own Mancala. Strategy sets in by determining whether it is wiser to go out, or play longer, depending on how many stones are in the opposing player’s cups.

Mongolia - A “SHAGAI” GAME (Can use doggie biscuits for this game) - Mongolian children have favorite games they like to play, just like we do! Because many Mongolians live in the countryside far away from cities, they sometimes play games using “shagai,” which are the cleaned anklebones of sheep. This is one of their favorites. It is somewhat like our game of marbles.

Materials: Divide a number of small dog bone treats into four equal groups. The bones will be the “shagies.” Use paint or ink markers to make each group a different color. The colored bones will represent “sheep”, “goat”, “camel”, or “horse.” (Some small dog treats already come in colors; check local pet or grocery stores)

Instructions: Four children (or teams) each select one bone (dog biscuit) of a different kind of animal to be used as their “shooter.” Have the children scatter the remaining shagies on the ground in a bordered playing area (about 4 feet square). The bones will be the “targets.” Each of the four teams takes turns shooting (flicking) a shag with his finger from outside the border, trying to hit a shagi of the same animal. If they are successful, the shagi is removed and counted as a point for their team. Whichever team ends with the most shagis wins the game.

Russia – Russian Line Tag - Place 5’ of masking tape on the floor. One player is “it”. The rest of the kids are divided into two lines 10’ from the kid who is it. The kid at the end of the line listens for it to say, “Last one runs”. Then the kid at the end of the line runs forward joining hands with the other kid who ran forward before “it” tags one of them. The kid tagged becomes “it”.

Britain or Australia – Force ball - Divide group into two teams. Place masking tape at least 3 yards apart. Each team lines up behind the tape with legs apart toes touching toes of the kid beside them. Using their hands the kids try to hit the ball between the legs of the opposing team to score a point. Players cannot move their feet. The team with the most points wins.

Japan – Crab Race - Two teams of equal number lines up facing the goal. Leader determines the goal. Each player takes a turn leaning backward on all fours to look like a crab. Each player moves to the goal and back like a crab. First team to have all players to the goal and back wins.

Amazonia Rain Forest – The Wolf (a version of tag) - This game is played with 10 to 12 players. On one side of the room use masking tape to mark off a safe house for the sheep. On the other side of the room mark off a safe house for the wolf. The area between is the pasture. One player is the wolf and the rest are the lambs. Lambs move around the pasture area and call out to the wolf “Are you ready Wolf?” The wolf answers “I’m getting ready” or “Here I come!” If he answers “Here I come?” Then the wolf comes into the pasture and the lambs must run back to their home for safety. Tagged lambs go to the wolf’s house. Keep playing until only one lamb is left and then that lamb becomes the wolf and play begins again.

Australia – Aboriginal People - About 10 players stand in a circle around 3 stacked cans. One player throws a large soft ball to knock the cans over. When the cans are knocked over the players run as far as they can away from the circle. The thrower must stack the cans again and then yells “STOP!” The players must freeze. The thrower then tries to hit the nearest player below the waist. The player hit becomes the thrower. However, if the player is not hit then thrower must throw again.

India – Kim’s Game - Rudyard Kipling was an English author who wrote many books and poems about India. In his book entitled “Kim” he talks about a game to train boys in their memory to be sent out on spy missions. Place about 15 articles (regarding missions if possible) on a cloth. Divide the group into 2 or 3 teams. Or it can be done individually. Show them the articles and then cover them. Have the kids write down what they saw. See how many articles they can remember. The team or individual with the most written is the winner.

Ideas For World Awareness Games

Overseas Relay - On two paper plates glue a picture of a Bible. Divide group into two teams. Using masking tape mark a start and then further away a finish line. At the finish line place a globe or world map. The players take the paper plate to the globe or map and put their finger on a country and call out the name. Then say Mark 16:15. They return to the next player who does the same but must point on the map or global to another country. Countries cannot be repeated. The second time round have the players walk backwards. Point out that sometimes there are hindrances to taking the Gospel to other countries.

World Map - World floor puzzle maps are available in most specialty toy stores or on line. Use the floor puzzle map to help children become aware of the different continents, regions and countries of the world.

Two such maps can be used for team seemly contests. The maps can also be linked to supported and/or know international workers serving in various countries.

Game options:

• Place the names of international workers (missionaries) on the backs of the puzzle pieces with stick on notes in the country puzzle section where they serve. Have children or teams guess the workers name and match it with the country of ministry
• Link multiple puzzle pieces of the same region with international workers and use the puzzle sections as a prayer activity. Children can pray for workers in the country of the sections they are holding and then add to the floor puzzle assembly.

World Conflict - Divide the group into 3 teams. Name the teams Hindus, Muslims, and Buddhists. Draw 3 circles on the floor for each team to stand in. In the center of the room place a big globe ball. Call out the name of two teams. It is up to the team to bring the globe back to their circle without the globe carrier being tagged between the shoulder and the elbow. If the carrier is tagged then the tagger gets 25 points for his team and the tagger then tries to take the ball back to his circle with his team helping him. Talk to the players about the difficulties trying to get the globe and taking it back to their circle. There are difficulties today trying to reach these groups of people with the Gospel because of obstacles.

Steps Ahead - All the players line up at one end of the room behind the line marked with masking tape. Make up questions regarding missions, missionaries and Bible verses. Divide questions into two parts. When players answer questions in the first part correctly they can take 3 shoe long steps. In the second part when players answer questions correctly they can take 3 as big as you can steps. First one to reach to finish line is the winner. Players will learn more about missions and it gives the leader knowledge about what they do not know.