Youth groups need fun and meaningful ways to build faith and trust. Games are a great way to engage young people in a relaxed environment. They encourage teamwork, build connections, and strengthen bonds within the group. These activities help participants learn about trust and faith in practical, hands-on ways.
Games can teach youth how to rely on one another and on God. Each game has a specific purpose, designed to build both spiritual and relational skills. In this article, we’ll explore 10 engaging games that focus on faith and trust for youth groups.
10 Engaging Games About Faith and Trust for Youth Groups
#1. Blindfolded Trust Walk
Objective
This game teaches trust by having participants rely on others to guide them. It encourages communication and builds faith in the team.
How to Play
Start by dividing the group into pairs. Each pair will have one person who is blindfolded and the other who serves as the guide. Create a simple obstacle course using chairs, cones, or other objects that can be safely navigated around. The guide’s role is to verbally direct their blindfolded partner through the course without allowing them to touch any obstacles. The blindfolded participant must trust their guide completely to avoid stumbling or veering off course. After the blindfolded person reaches the end, the roles are switched. You can make the game more challenging by adding time limits or increasing the difficulty of the obstacles. This activity promotes clear communication, deep trust, and patience.
#2. Faith-Filled Charades
Objective
This game helps youth reflect on their faith while encouraging creativity and teamwork.
How to Play
To begin, prepare a set of cards with Bible stories, faith-related concepts, or virtues written on them, such as “David and Goliath,” “The Fruit of the Spirit,” or “Forgiveness.” Divide the youth into two teams, and have one player from the first team draw a card. That player must act out the word or phrase on the card without speaking, using only gestures and actions. The other team members must try to guess the word or phrase within a set time limit, typically around 1-2 minutes. If they guess correctly, they score a point. After the round ends, the opposing team takes a turn. The game continues until all the cards are used or until a pre-set score is reached. Faith-Filled Charades encourages youth to think about Biblical themes in a fun and interactive way while promoting teamwork.
#3. Scripture Scavenger Hunt
Objective
This activity helps youth become more familiar with the Bible. It encourages teamwork and builds problem-solving skills.
How to Play
For this game, hide several objects in a designated area. Each object should correspond to a Bible verse or story. For example, you could hide a small stone to represent David’s slingshot, or a staff to represent Moses. Divide the group into teams and give each team a list of Bible verses as clues. The verses should give hints to where each object is hidden. For example, if an object relates to the verse “The Lord is my shepherd,” it could be hidden near a sheep toy or a pastoral scene. The teams must search for the items, using the Bible verses as their guide. Set a time limit for the hunt, such as 20-30 minutes. The first team to find all the objects or the team that finds the most within the time limit wins. This game encourages familiarity with scripture and problem-solving as a team.
#4. Faith Building Blocks
Objective
This game teaches youth the importance of a solid foundation in faith. It shows how small actions build up over time.
How to Play
Give each participant a small set of building blocks, such as Legos or wooden blocks. Explain that each block represents an action of faith or spiritual discipline, such as prayer, worship, or serving others. Start by asking each participant to name a faith action as they place their block on the foundation. For example, one person might say, “This block represents prayer,” as they add it to the structure. Gradually, the group builds a tower together, adding blocks one by one. As the tower grows taller, it becomes more challenging to keep it stable, symbolizing how our faith grows stronger with each action, but can become unsteady if the foundation is weak. If the tower falls, use the moment to discuss how lapses in faith can cause difficulties in our lives, but how we can always rebuild. This game visually demonstrates how our faith is built up over time, brick by brick.
#5. Trust Fall
Objective
This classic game builds trust by showing participants how to rely on others physically.
How to Play
Instruct the group to form pairs, standing a few feet apart. One person in each pair closes their eyes, crosses their arms over their chest, and falls backward, while the other person is responsible for catching them. Before starting, encourage everyone to discuss their comfort levels, ensuring no one feels pressured. Make sure the person falling does so in a controlled, gradual manner, allowing their partner time to catch them securely. After each fall, the partners switch roles. As the game progresses, you can have the participants increase the distance between them, or fall from a higher position, but always ensure safety comes first. Trust Fall shows the importance of depending on others, both in the physical act of catching someone and in the broader context of relationships and faith. It helps the group build stronger bonds by demonstrating that they can rely on one another for support.
#6. Faith Relay Races
Objective
This game combines physical activity with spiritual reflection. It encourages teamwork and highlights the importance of perseverance in faith.
How to Play
Set up a relay race course with different stations. At each station, place a small task related to faith. For example, the first station might require a participant to recite a Bible verse, while the next station might involve solving a puzzle related to a Biblical story. Divide the group into teams, and have each team line up at the starting point. The first participant races to the first station, completes the task, then races back to tag the next team member. The race continues until all participants have completed the course. To make it more meaningful, you can have a discussion afterward about how perseverance in the race is similar to staying strong in faith during challenging times.
#7. The Trust Bridge
Objective
This game teaches the importance of trust and teamwork in supporting one another. It demonstrates how faith can create a strong foundation in relationships.
How to Play
Divide the group into two teams. Set up an area with a clear path marked as “the bridge.” The challenge is for each team to transport one member across this bridge without letting them touch the ground. They can only use items like wooden planks, chairs, or ropes to form a path. The team must work together to figure out the safest way to get the person across. If the person falls or touches the ground, they must restart. This activity symbolizes the trust we place in each other and in God to guide us through difficult situations. The game ends when both teams successfully transport their members across the bridge.
#8. Faith Bingo
Objective
This game encourages youth to reflect on their faith and the different aspects of their spiritual journey in a fun, interactive way.
How to Play
Prepare bingo cards that feature different faith-based activities or experiences. For example, some squares could say “prayed for a friend,” “read a Bible story,” or “helped someone in need.” Each player receives a card, and the leader calls out experiences or activities that correspond to the squares. If a player has that experience on their card, they mark the square. The first person to mark off an entire row, column, or diagonal wins. You can enhance the experience by discussing the significance of each activity after the game is over, helping the group reflect on how these actions build faith.
#9. Building Trust with the Truth
Objective
This game encourages honesty and helps youth understand the role of trust and truth in relationships. It fosters open communication within the group.
How to Play
Have everyone sit in a circle. Each person takes a turn sharing two truths and one lie about themselves. The rest of the group must guess which statement is the lie. Afterward, the person reveals the truth and the lie, and a brief discussion can follow. The game helps break down barriers, allowing participants to share personal stories in a safe environment. It illustrates the importance of honesty in building trust. You can guide a conversation afterward about how truth strengthens relationships and how it ties into faith.
#10. Faith Jeopardy
Objective
This game tests the group’s Biblical knowledge while promoting teamwork and friendly competition.
How to Play
Prepare a Jeopardy-style game board with categories such as “Old Testament,” “Miracles of Jesus,” “Parables,” and “Famous Bible Characters.” Under each category, create questions of varying difficulty, assigning point values to each one. Divide the group into teams. One team selects a category and point value, and the leader reads the corresponding question. If the team answers correctly, they earn points. If they answer incorrectly, the other team gets a chance to answer. The game continues until all questions are answered, and the team with the most points wins. Faith Jeopardy is a fun way to reinforce Biblical knowledge and encourage group participation.
Closing Thoughts
Games can be a powerful way to teach important lessons about faith and trust. These activities not only encourage teamwork but also help youth reflect on their spiritual journey in a fun and interactive setting. By incorporating games like these into your group, you can create a stronger sense of community while reinforcing key aspects of faith.
Whether through trust-building exercises or Bible-based challenges, these experiences leave lasting impressions. Each game is a step toward deeper relationships with both God and one another, helping youth grow in their faith together.