Church Retreat Games

When planning a church retreat, it's a good idea to have some activities in mind that will allow those attending a chance to unwind and have a little fun together. Planning or bringing along a few games will help keep the congregation engaged and make the event enjoyable and fulfilling. There are several games that can be played that will bring the attendees together and promote fellowship.

Sometimes a church retreat can feel awkward to some people, especially when the church congregation is extremely large or there's more than one congregation involved. The key to removing this apprehension is to break the ice and allow them to learn about one another. By playing a game called “We Are Similar,” the participants will realize they have a lot in common and new bonds will most likely be formed. This is an ideal game for early on in the retreat. The game works by passing out cards that read, “(blank) and I are similar because we both … .” The object is to choose someone you don’t know well and approach them and begin asking questions. Discover anything you have in common such as favorite movies, foods, the neighborhood you live in or anything else that relates the two. Once every player learns five similarities with others, they take turns reading the similarities aloud.

"Bible Battle" is a fun, educational game that's especially good for those who are just learning Bible verses. Divide participants into two equal teams in an area with a team flag on each end. The object is to capture opponents and be the first to cross the field, capture the flag and bring it back to your own team’s base. All players, with a Bible in hand, begin from opposite starting lines. One team moves first, and all players can take one step in any direction. The other team takes a turn in the same way. When one player touches another, they challenge them to a Bible Battle. A game leader calls out any book and verse from the Bible and the players race to find the passage in their Bible and begin reading it aloud. The first one to find the passage wins the battle, and the loser is captured and must go back to the starting area and skip three turns before returning to play.

"Outburst Bible Edition" by Cactus Game Design is a variation of the popular "Outburst" board game in which players try to yell out as many responses to a question as possible, hoping that they'll guess one or more of the answers listed on a target answer card. The only difference in the "Bible Edition" is that all topics are Bible related. “Name animals that appear in the Bible” is an example of a round of play in "Outburst Bible Edition." This game evokes laughter and makes for friendly competition among players who are knowledgeable about the Good Book. It's usually best for ages 8 and up.