Youth group games have purposes beyond laughter or burning off adolescent energy. For preteens and teens, games connect the Bible’s eternal truths with young people’s real-life experiences. When kids laugh, strategize, compete, or solve challenges with friends, their brains are fully engaged. As a result, they’ll more likely to remember the biblical lesson that follows.
Unlike traditional lectures or one-way teaching, games spark participation. They help Scripture come alive in ways that stick long after youth group ends. Creative, well-designed games bridge the gap between abstract faith concepts and real-world application.
Here are six awesome youth group games for middle school and high school students. Each one ties to a biblical truth while keeping teens interested, active, and ready to apply what they learn.
6 Bible-Based Youth Group Games
1. The Great Escape (Exodus and Deliverance)
Biblical Tie-In: God delivers his people from bondage (Exodus 14).
How to Play: Set up a challenging escape-style course inside or outside your church. Create obstacles like chairs to crawl under, a rope to cross, locked puzzles to solve, or a coded message to decipher. Students play in small groups, racing against time together. At one point, make a dead end with no way out. Then provide an unexpected solution. For example, a leader removes a barrier, unlocks a hidden door, or hands them the missing clue.
Debrief: Relate the game to the Israelites trapped at the Red Sea. They saw no way out until God parted the waters. Emphasize that God always provides a way of deliverance, even when we feel trapped in sin, fear, or struggles.
2. Hidden in Plain Sight (God’s Word in Our Lives)
Biblical Tie-In: “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11).
How to Play: Beforehand, prepare slips of paper or small objects with Bible verses written on them. Then hide them throughout the room or building. The verses should connect to the night’s lesson. Form teams and tell them to search for Scripture that’s “hidden in plain sight.” The twist: Some items are distractions. Include fake slips with meaningless phrases or funny instructions.
Debrief: Ask: “Why was it easier to find some verses than others? How do distractions in life keep us from noticing God’s Word?” Reinforce the importance of intentionally seeking out Scripture and storing it in our hearts for when we need it.
3. Reverse Scavenger Hunt (Living Sacrifice and Service)
Biblical Tie-In: Offer yourselves as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1).
How to Play: Instead of collecting items, students must give things away. Teams earn points not for what they collect but for how they bless others. For example, provide a list such as:
- Give a snack to someone not on your team.
- Encourage a leader.
- Offer to clean up a mess.
- Donate a personal item you brought.
Debrief: Highlight how different this felt compared to the usual “get, grab, and win” mindset. Connect it to Romans 12 and the call to give sacrificially. True worship happens not just in songs but in service.
