The Body of Christ - a themed youth night of icebreakers, games and talk!

Exploring what it means to be part of the church and to play our part in the 'body of Christ.' To complete the icebreakers and games the young people need to co-operate with each other and work as a team.

BODY WALK

Draw two chalk lines on the floor about 10 metres apart. Divide the young people into teams of four. The object of the game is for each team to cross from one line to the other with only the correct number of limbs or body parts touching the floor. Begin with easy combinations, gradually becoming more complicated: 6 feet only, 5 feet and 2 elbows, 5 feet and 1 hand, 4 feet and 3 hands, 2 feet and 4 hands, 3 feet and 1 nose etc. You can make it as easy or difficult as you like. Have 6-10 different combinations. This game is about working together as a team. You might like to have a camera ready - you have to see this to believe it! Remember to ask the girls to wear jeans for the evening.

BODY PICTURE

Divide into teams of 6-8 young people. Give each person a different coloured crayon. Place large pieces of paper, one for each team, about 3 metres away from where they have lined up. Tell them that they cannot change places in the line and they may only use the crayon they have been given. Explain their task is to draw a picture of a farm (or another picture of your choosing). The first person on each team runs to the paper and begins to draw the parts of the picture which link to the colour of their crayon. After 15 seconds they must return to their teams and be replaced by the next person in the line who will add their colour to the picture. Continue the relay until all of the team members get a chance to draw a part of the picture. Display the pictures. You may have to get each team to explain their work of art to you and the rest of the group! This game illustrates the unique contribution of every person. It takes a variety of colours to make the picture, everyone is important and the picture can only be drawn when everyone participates.

BODY PARTS

Preparation: Make a series of small cards with the name of a different body part written on each side of the card. For example, elbow-knee, knee-foot, foot-nose, forehead-ear, hand-elbow, hand-back. Make enough for 5-6 cards for each pair.

Ask for volunteers to make up three pairs, boys with boys, girls with girls. This is a good spectator game for the rest of the group, but if you wish, a second group of three pairs can follow. Don't play for too long. Shuffle each set of cards and give one card from each set to each pair. Ask them to place the card between the two body parts written on each side of the card. For example elbow-knee would see them holding the card between the knee of one young person and the elbow of the other. Give each pair a second card. Keep adding cards until one is dropped and the pair is out of the game. If a card is dropped the pair is out. Last pair standing (or whatever position they end up in!) wins.

BODY SPELL

Divide the young people into teams of five. They will need to play this game with bare feet. The groups can play against each other or the clock (five second time limit). Using a felt tip marker write three letters on each team member. Either two hands (palms) and one foot (sole) or one hand and two feet.

1. TDO
2. HYI
3. EHR
4. BFT
5. OCS

As you call out a series of 4, 5, 6 or 7 letter words the group has to spell the word using combinations of hands and feet. The finished words must be clearly visible to the leader.

• 4 Letter words: rest, fist, dice, trot, crib, boot, rich, host.
• 5 letter words: shoot, first, drift, shirt, roost, shred, hired
• 6 letter words: forest, theory, bitter, bother, frosty, boiled, strict
• 7 letter words: thirsty, ostrich, october, boosted, shifted, hoisted.
• 8 letter word: stitched

Finally ask each group to spell the theme of the evening – THE BODY OF CHRIST.

IDEAS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

Discuss with the group what they had to do to complete the body games i.e. they had to work together (body walk, body parts) and everyone was needed to complete the task (body picture, body spell). In the New Testament the church is also described as 'the body of Christ.' Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-27.

• Why do you think the Apostle Paul chose to compare the church to a body?
• What does this tell us the church should be like?
• 'But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it' (v18). What do you think you can do to play your part in the body?
• 'All of you together are Christ's body, and each of you is a part of it' (v27). What can we do in our youth group to demonstrate that we are part of the body of Christ?

The New Testament uses several images to describe the church,

• A bride (Ephesians 5: 25-27)
• A family (Ephesians 2: 19-20)
• An army (Ephesians 6: 12-17)
• A temple (1 Peter 2: 4-5)

What can we learn about the church and our role as part of 'the body of Christ' from these verses?

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Comments

[Peter Jurco]

Thanks! I used it in our youth group today to introduce new series about community as body of Christ. It was really helpful. We have lot of fun :)

[Janice]

EXCELLENT

[Karl]

Hey Grahame,

Thanks for the great ideas. I'm covering Corinthians in my 7th grade class tomorrow night and had already figured that 1 Cor 12 and 13 would be a good focal point--but wanted a way to bring the body analogy to life for these kids at the end of a long Monday. Exactly what the doctor ordered!!!

Karl

[Grahame]

Hi Brian. Hope the body games go well and no injuries :-) Aahh, all those smelly feet!

[Brian Kirk]

Hey Grahame,
Just wanted to let you know I'm using these ideas with my group this afternoon. I particularly love the "body spell" activity. Thanks for sharing!
Peace,
Brian