Does God fit into a water balloon war? What about a trust fall? Although some leaders choose to focus on Bible study with their students, games have an important place in next gen ministry and the church. Ann Saylor and Susan Ragsdale, the co-authors of Great Group Games, are experts on “playing with purpose.” They believe games are beneficial for healthy social, emotional, and physical development in young people.
One reason children and youth benefit from games is because they remove built-up tension from daily life. Godly play invigorates the spirit, renews creativity, and opens children up to new insights.
In addition to these personal benefits that come from play, the community benefits as well from group interaction, eased social anxiety, and newly formed relationships. Games also enhance teaching and learning opportunities by engaging the whole body, providing opportunities to practice new behaviors, and creating space for problem solving.
Playing with Purpose
It’s clear that games provide many developmental benefits, but many games also provide spiritual ones. As a ministry leader, it’s helpful to develop a theology of games that guides your understanding of how to use them and why they’re important.
Here are three beliefs that you can use to guide the games you choose.
Re-creation
Re-creation is an important biblical theme — God makes all things new. Ann Saylor and Susan Ragsdale say that games can provide a break from the stresses of life. They give young people the opportunity to focus on something right in front of them, through mental and physical challenges. Creating safe places where students can play and be re-created in the image of Christ is not only fun, but beneficial for their health.
Laughter
God desires for us to know true joy, and laughter brings joy to the soul. Games create many opportunities for laughter. During a game, students take themselves less seriously and learn to laugh at themselves. This makes for many shared memories and unity among the group.
Community
Community cannot be formed solely through games, but games provide a great space for community to form. Games can help build relationships, teach teamwork, and break down social barriers. One example of this is in the tight-knit communities that develop between fans of professional sports teams. As you prepare for gatherings with your students, keep all three of these theological underpinnings in mind to find games worth playing.
You can learn more about playing with purpose in Great Group Games by Ann Saylor and Susan Ragsdale. The book offers many fun, community-building games that help a group move from getting to know each other to deep trust. You can also check out Youth Group Trust Builders, which provides games at various levels of trust and helpful discussion questions for processing the experiences together.