August 20, 2012 · 2:50 am
Time
10-15 minutes
Description
God often changed someone’s name in Scripture to identify his or her potential, and other people in authority renamed characters for various reasons. This matching game challenges children to select both the old and new names of the Biblical characters and throw a beanbag on each one to earn points.
Scriptures
Materials
- Masking tape (1 roll)
- Permanent marker (1 – darker color)
- Name cards (A PowerPoint file with these names is available on the Lesson and Material Downloads page at www.teachingthem.comin the file called, “Name Change Toss – Name Cards.”):
- Abram (Exalted Father); Abraham (Father of Many)
- Sarai (Argumentative); Sarah (Princess)
- Jacob (Deceiver); Israel (He Struggles With God)
- Ben-Oni (Son of My Trouble); Benjamin (Son of My Right Hand)
- Lo-Ruhamah (Not Loved); Ruhamah (Loved)
- Lo-Ammi (Not My People); Ammi (My People)
- Simon (Listens and Obeys); Peter (the Rock)
- Saul (Prayed For); Paul (Humble)
- Beanbags (2) or something similar that children can toss onto the grid
- Bible
Preparation
- Select a space to play the game.
- Create your 4×4 grid with masking tape (each square should be about 8”x8”).
- Create or print your name cards.
- Lay the name cards down (one per square in the grid) in random order (face-up). Separate the old and new names from each other.
- Lay down a strip of masking tape about six feet away from the grid, and label it, “Tossing Line” with a permanent marker.
- Have your beanbags ready
- Practice the script.
Procedure
Use the following script (or modify to suit your needs):
- “In Bible times, your name was very important. It told what people could expect from you.”
- “When God changed your name, it was because He knew your potential and wanted to share His plan for your future.”
- “Can anyone think of someone from the Bible who had their name changed?” (Acknowledge responses, and share the meanings of any of the following names that are mentioned.
- Abram (Exalted Father); Abraham (Father of Many)
- Sarai (Argumentative); Sarah (Princess)
- Jacob (Deceiver); Israel (He Struggles With God)
- Ben-Oni (Son of My Trouble); Benjamin (Son of My Right Hand)
- Lo-Ruhamah (Not Loved); Ruhamah (Loved)
- Lo-Ammi (Not My People); Ammi (My People)
- Simon (Listens and Obeys); Peter (the Rock)
- Saul (Prayed For); Paul (Humble))
- “Let’s play a game to try to match the old and new names of some of these biblical characters.”
- “Follow me over to this grid that I’ve made on the floor.” (Lead children to the grid.)
- “You will take turns throwing the beanbags and trying to hit both the old and new names.”
- “You have to make your toss from this line.” (Point out the Tossing Line.)
- “If you get both the old and new names for any person, you can remove both cards, get two points and try again.”
- “If your beanbags land on names that aren’t a match or off the grid, the next person in line gets to try.”
- “The person with the most points when all the cards have been collected wins.”
- “Does anyone have any questions?” (Answer questions, and then line up the children behind the Tossing Line. Let them take turns tossing two beanbags each. If they get a match, they can collect the cards and try again. If they don’t, the next person in line gets a turn, and the person who missed rotates to the back of the line. Play several rounds if you have time, and then ask the Debrief Questions below.)
Debrief Questions
- How important do you think your name is in today’s times?
- Why do you think Jesus changed Peter’s name from Simon to Peter?
- How do you think it made Peter feel?
- Do you think Peter ever became a “rock” for God? Why or why not?
Filed under Abraham, Abram, Game, Names, Paul, Peter, Purpose, Sarah
Tagged as Bean bag toss, beanbag toss, God's plan, potential
August 19, 2012 · 2:02 am
Time
10-15 minutes
Description
One of the times that Jesus called Peter to follow Him was after He did a miracle that allowed Peter to catch so many fish that the weight of them made his boat and his friends’ boat began to sink. Jesus told Peter that from that moment on he would catch men instead of fish. This activity lets children try to catch a “miraculous catch of fish.”
Scriptures
Materials
- Sheet or large piece of fabric to act as the “net.”
- Bucket filled with balls (the type you find in a “ball pit” in a children’s play area)
- Bible
Preparation
- Select a space to play the game, and set up your materials.
- Practice the script.
Procedure
Use the following script (or modify to suit your needs):
- “One of the times that Jesus called Peter to follow Him was after He did a miracle that allowed Peter to catch so many fish that the weight of them made his boat and his friends’ boat began to sink.” (Ask volunteer to read Luke 5:1-11.)
- “Did you hear that?”
- “Jesus told Peter that from that moment on he would catch MEN instead of FISH.”
- “That had to sound strange to Peter.”
- “But it was also a good way to explain to him how his life would change after this moment.”
- “Jesus used fishing language to help Peter understand what was going to happen.”
- “So, who do you think is the better fisherman? Peter or Jesus?” (Acknowledge responses.)
- “Right! Jesus is much better, because He created the fish and can command the fish to get into the net.”
- “Peter can’t do that.”
- “Jesus was helping Peter to understand that He was God by using fishing – something Peter understood very well.”
- “Peter was an expert fisherman and had spent all night fishing but caught no fish.”
- “So, when Jesus knew right where and when to put the net into the water, Peter realized this wasn’t just good luck.”
- “This was God.”
- “Let’s play a game to help us remember the story.”
- “I would like for everyone to grab an edge of this sheet.” (Hold up sheet, and help children to find a place to grab along the edges. Makes sure there are children all around the sheet and that they use both hands.”
- “You are all the fishermen, and the sheet is your ‘net.’”
- “I’ll play Jesus.”
- “I have a bucket full of ‘fish.’ They are really balls, but we are going to pretend they are fish.”
- “When I dump out the ‘fish,’ you should try to catch all of them in your ‘net.’”
- “If you drop some fish, you can collect them, put them back in the bucket and try again.”
- “Does anyone have any questions?” (Answer questions, and then start the game. Pretend to dump the fish several times before actually dumping them, and try to make it a little challenging so that the children have to work together to capture all the fish in the net. Play several rounds, and allow some of the children to play Jesus if you like. Then ask the Debrief Questions below.)
Debrief Questions
- Why do you think Peter said to Jesus, “Get away from me, Lord! I am a sinful man!” after they caught all the fish?
- What do you think Jesus was trying to teach Peter and the others?
- What did Jesus mean when he said that they would now fish for people?
- Why did the fishermen leave everything (even all the fish that they had just caught) to follow Jesus?
- What would you have done?
August 3, 2012 · 7:22 pm
Time
10-15 minutes
Description
This game is a bit of a “Knock, Knock” joke about Peter’s situation when he was released from prison by an angel. Even though the believers had prayed for a miracle, they didn’t really believe one would happen and were surprised when he showed up at their prayer meeting. Children will sit in a circle and try to say the right thing when it becomes their turn. If they say the wrong thing or hesitate, they are out.
Scriptures
Materials
Preparation
- Select a space to play the game.
- Practice the script.
Procedure
Use the following script (or modify to suit your needs):
- “Peter was once locked in prison by King Herod, but an angel came during the night and released him in a miraculous way.”
- “All the Christian believers had been praying together for him, but they were totally surprised when he knocked at their door.”
- “Let’s read about it.” (Have volunteer read Acts 12:12-17.)
- “That’s pretty funny, huh?”
- “They were praying for a miracle, but they didn’t believe it when it happened!”
- “Let’s play a game about this story.”
- “Everyone sit in a circle.” (Have children arrange themselves in a circle.)
- “I’m going to pick someone to start, and that person will say, ‘Knock, knock’ to the person on their right.”
- “The second person will say, ‘Who’s there?’ and the first person will respond, ‘It’s Peter?’” (You might want to practice this much so that they don’t get confused.)
- “Then, the second person will turn to the person on their right and say, ‘It’s Peter!’”
- “The third person will then deny that it’s Peter to the person on their right.”
- “For example, person #3 could turn to person #4 and say, ‘No it’s not!’”
- “Then the forth person and everyone after them has to turn to the person on their right and deny that it’s Peter in a different way.”
- “For example, person #4 could turn to person #5 and say, ‘That’s impossible!’”
- “And person #5 might turn to person #6 and say, ‘Unbelievable!’”
- “And person #6 might turn to person #7 and say, ‘You’re making that up!’” (You might want to practice this once so that they get the idea.)
- “This continues all the way around until even ‘Peter’ (the first person) denies that it’s him!!!”
- “This starts a new round, and person #2 (who said ‘Who’s there?’ in the first round) now becomes Peter and turns to the person on their right to say, ‘Knock, knock.’”
- “This continues until someone hesitates, says the wrong thing or uses the same denial someone else used in the same round. If they do, that person is out.”
- “The game is over when there are only two people left.”
- “Does anyone have any questions?” (Answer questions, and then start the game. Play several rounds, starting with different people each time. Then ask the Debrief Questions below.)
Debrief Questions
- Would you have believed it was Peter at the door? Why or why not?
- Why was it so hard for the “believers” to believe in this situation?
- Have you ever prayed for something and been surprised when God gave you what you asked for? What happened?
Time
Teach Them 