YOUTH GROUP GAME ON BEING UNIQUE
Bible: Genesis 1:27; Romans 12:2
Bottom Line: God uniquely created each of us, so we don’t need to be like anyone else.
SUPPLIES
- Stop watch
- Multiple ink pads
- White index cards - two per student
- Tape
- Sticky notes - one per student
- Baby wipes
- Bag of candy for winning team
HOW TO PLAY THE GAME
Divide your group into two equal teams with at least 8 -10 people per team.
For smaller groups, do this as individuals and the “best time” wins.
Before the game, have each student stamp their thumbprint onto two cards.
Put a number on one of the cards and the same number on a sticky note with their name.
Tape the thumbprint card without the number to the student.
Place the sticky note with the number and name to their back so no one can see it.
Have leaders stand behind the students with the sticky notes on their backs.
Now lay the remaining cards out across the room with the fingerprint side facing up – separate each team’s cards.
Teams will play one at a time.
Start the clock and send one player to the pile to grab one fingerprint card.
They will try to match the card to one of the other team’s players, without looking at the sticky note on the player’s back.
Once students choose a player, the leader will either let them know they are correct or incorrect by checking to see if the numbers match.
- If they are correct: Both students sit down and another person from the team takes their turn.
- If they are incorrect: Player will return the card to the pile, sit down, and another teammate will take a turn
This continues until everyone has been matched and is sitting down.
The clock stops as soon as the last person sits down.
The team with the quickest time wins.
TEACH
Say: Congrats to the winning team!
You all did a fantastic job and deserve a prize.
Remember to pass out prizes for the game after the lesson is over.
But first, let me ask you a few questions about the game:
- What was the hardest part of the game?
- Was there a time you thought all of the cards looked alike?
- Did the fingerprints look mostly the same, or were they really different?
- How does it make you feel that no one in this room has the same fingerprints as you?
- Have you ever thought about how different we are from each other?
- Why do we try so hard to be like each other?
- Why are we so different from each other?
Well, that final question is the one we are about to answer.
God, who created the heavens, the stars, the world, light and darkness, all animals and plants – He created you!
Many of you have probably heard that a thousand times, but it matters!
I realize that some of you just want to fit in.
Maybe all you want to do is blend in and not stand out in the crowd.
Or just be anyone else except who you are.
But, here’s what God has to say...
Read Genesis 1:27.
So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
God created you, and what do we know about what God creates?
Wait for a few answers.
Everything God creates is perfect - because He is perfect.
Now let’s read Romans 12:2.
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
God uniquely created each of us, so we don’t need to be like anyone else.
In fact, He doesn’t want us to be like everyone else.
God, especially doesn’t want us to be what world tells us to be.
As we allow God to transform us into who He wants us to be, we will see that the things that makes us different are the same things God can use to draw others to Him.
This is what God wants for you – it’s why He created you.
Different and perfect just as He wants you to be.
Close in Prayer.
Written by Rob Quinn. Rob has over 10 years of experience in preteen ministry. He is married to an amazing woman Jodi, who just so happens to be the Children’s Ministry Director at his church. They have one beautiful daughter Sydni, and an 8-pound attack dog named Lilly.