Church is more than a place where people can go to worship. For many, it's also a social and recreational outlet. Fun church activities can emphasize this aspect of worship gatherings, encouraging engagement, supporting outreach and helping people connect with their faith.
Church activities for youth, adults, families, small groups and ladies' church groups offer unique ways to help people engage with the Bible and each other. They help your church community learn together, have fun and attract new members. You'll find different approaches to reading and understanding the Bible and its lessons, plus exciting ways to build and celebrate deeper spiritual connections.
Church outreach ideas can connect members to their community. Once upcoming events and faith-building activities are planned, send out a church event invitation letter to generate interest and awareness. Below, you'll find a diverse collection of fun, engaging church activity ideas with detailed instructions on how to offer them in your church.
Table of Contents
- Fun Church Activities for Families
- Fun Church Activities for Kids
- Fun Church Activities for Youth
- Fun Church Activities for Adults
- Fun Church Outreach Activities
- FAQs
- Get the Free Church Event Kit
Fun Church Activities for Families
When it comes to fun church activities for families, the options are almost endless. From youth group games that teach important lessons to crafts that bring the Bible alive to marriage ministry ideas, these religious activities will help inspire a love of faith and fellowship in your family. Here are some creative suggestions:
Sticker Story Craft
This activity is perfect for families looking to explore the Bible through art. Participants create storyboards with characters and settings and use stickers with church-related images to illustrate their stories. Sticker story craft helps family members learn more about church history and can reinforce spiritual lessons in a fun way.
What You Need:
- Bible
- Cardstock
- Scissors
- Glue
- Stickers with church-related images
Instructions:
- Have participants choose a story from the Bible.
- Participants cut cardstock to create character cards, settings and props.
- Have participants use stickers to illustrate their stories on the cards.
- Participants glue the cards together to create a storyboard that tells Biblical stories using their words and images.
- Ask them to share their stories and discuss the spiritual lessons they learned from them.
Bible Bowling
This game encourages physical activity and Bible study. Participants use scripture references to create bowling lanes and bowl with a softball, encouraging everyone to learn more about the Bible and think creatively while having fun.
What You Need:
- Bible
- Softball
- Markers or painter's tape
Instructions:
- Participants write down Bible references.
- Create lanes with markers or painter's tape on the floor.
- Everyone takes turns bowling with the softball.
- The person with the highest score wins.
In between turns, ask participants to explain why they chose their scripture references and what spiritual lesson they learned from their references.
Bible Art
This game encourages creativity and spirituality. Participants create art pieces based on a verse or passage from the Bible, helping them express themselves creatively while learning more about religion.
What You Need:
- Bible
- Art supplies (markers, crayons, pencils and paper)
Instructions:
- Ask the participants to pick out a Bible verse or passage.
- Have them create an art piece based on their chosen verse or passage.
- Let them use whatever materials they want (markers, crayons, pencils, paper) to create their art.
- Ask everyone to share what they created and the spiritual lesson they learned.
Music Making
This church activity is perfect for families who love music or want to explore faith through sound. Participants compose pieces of music based on a Bible verse or passage, helping them learn more about the Bible while having fun with music.
What You Need:
- Bible
- Musical instruments or sound-making objects (drum, xylophone, shakers, or any instrument you choose)
Instructions:
- Have participants pick a verse or passage from the Bible.
- Ask them to create musical pieces based on their chosen verse or passage.
- Allow them to use whatever instruments or sound-making objects they want (drum, xylophone, shakers or whatever you choose) to create their music.
- Ask everyone to share what they composed and the spiritual lesson they learned.
This activity helps bring families together as they express their faith through music. It encourages creativity, imagination and spiritual growth. Plus, it's loads of fun!
Bible Trivia
This engaging church activity for all ages supports Bible knowledge and competition. Participants answer questions about the Bible in a fun game-like setting, helping them learn more about the religion and teaching them how to work together as a team.
What You Need:
- Bible
- List of Bible trivia questions
Instructions:
- Divide the participants into teams.
- Have teams take turns answering questions about the Bible.
- The team that answers correctly gains points for their team.
- After each round, discuss the spiritual lesson behind each correct answer.
- The team with the most points wins.
Bible Scavenger Hunt
This enjoyable church activity for all ages encourages Bible knowledge and exploration. Participants search for clues based on biblical references, with each clue leading them to the next, helping everyone learn more about the Bible while teaching them to be observant and seek spiritual truths.
What You Need:
- Bible
- List of Biblical references
Instructions:
- Divide the participants into teams.
- Give each group a list of Bible references for their scavenger hunt.
- Have each team search for clues. The first clue should lead them to the second and so on, until they reach the end.
- After they find each clue, discuss the spiritual lesson behind it.
- The team that finds all the clues first wins.
These church activities for families are fun, engaging ways for people to explore the Bible and learn more about their faith. They encourage teamwork and spiritual growth among participants of all ages, allowing you to create fun and meaningful experiences that help families foster a deeper understanding of Christianity!
Fun Church Activities for Kids
Fun activities for kids should be at the top of every church's agenda. Churches that cater to kids will make the entire family happy. Forging connections with kids can also lead to lifelong memberships in the church.
Here are some activity suggestions.
Crafts and DIY Faith Projects
Kids love arts and crafts projects. Here are some craft project ideas to help kids learn about the Bible.
Build Your Own Prayer Box
This is a fun and easy project that can be completed with the following steps:
1. Find a shoebox or a similar-sized box.
2. Decorate the box to your liking.
3. Write your prayers on paper and place them in the box.
4. Revisit the box regularly to determine which prayers have been answered and which you want to add or replace.
This video provides more details on how to make a prayer box.
Create a Bible Story Puppet Show
Here are the steps for creating a Bible story puppet show:
1. Choose your Bible story.
2. Determine which characters will be in your story.
3. Make your puppets using socks as a base and other materials to decorate. The children should help with the decorating process.
4. Design your set. Consider using a cardboard box as a backdrop and design it accordingly.
5. Write your script. Write a simple script that kids can follow. They can actively get involved in performing the script and operating the puppets, or the staff can manage the puppets while the kids watch.
This video offers more guidance on how to make a puppet show.
Fun and Interactive Games
Fun and interactive games keep children engaged, so they learn and have fun. Here are some you can try:
Bible Verse Relay Race
Here's how to play:
1. Print out various Bible verses (one for each team) and cut them down into several words or phrases.
2. Designate separate areas for each team and scatter the papers with the words or phrases in these areas, keeping all matching Bible phrases together.
3. When the race starts, team members take turns running out and retrieving the pieces of paper.
4. Once the papers are returned to 'home base', teams assemble them into their correct order.
The first team to successfully assemble and read their verse wins.
Noah's Ark Animal Pairing
This fun take on the memory game helps children learn the story of Noah's ark. Here's what's involved:
1. Your memory game set should feature cards with illustrations of two of each of Noah's ark animals. Create as many pairings as you would like.
2. Place the cards face down on the floor. Have the kids sit in a circle around the cards.
3. Each player gets a chance to turn two cards over. Eventually, they should learn where the matches are.
4. Players that match two animals keep their cards and set them aside.
5. The player with the most cards at the end of the game wins.
Music and Movement
Music and movement are two effective learning tools. Northern Illinois University explains how young children use movement to communicate, while music soothes and relaxes. Here's how you can integrate these techniques to teach kids about the Bible.
Worship Freeze Dance
This Biblical take on freeze dance will help children learn more about religion.
1. Children gather in an open space, all facing one direction.
2. The administrator plays Biblical hymns, encouraging children to begin dancing around or moving forward (whichever is preferred).
3. When the music stops, the children freeze. If any children are still moving, they are out of the game.
4. The game continues until only one child is left. That child wins the game.
Musical Chairs with Bible Questions
Make your game of musical chairs educational by taking this approach:
1. Gather your group. Set out chairs one less than your group number. For example, if you have a group of ten, set out nine chairs.
2. Have the children walk around the chairs as the music plays. When the music stops, players must scramble for a chair. The player who doesn't get a chair is out.
3. Once everyone is seated, ask a Bible question and have the group discuss it.
4. Continue the game until only one child remains. That child is the winner.
Fun Church Activities for Youth
Youth church activities can be fun and engaging while teaching critical spiritual lessons. There are many creative ways to unite young church members in fellowship and faith, from youth group games and Bible studies to scavenger hunts. When hosting these events, send out a church event permission slip to ensure parents approve.
Here are some ideas in detail:
The Bible Maze
The Bible Maze is an interactive church activity for youth that encourages Bible knowledge and exploration. Participants navigate a maze where each checkpoint leads them to the next, helping young people learn more about the Bible and biblical stories while teaching them to think critically and apply spiritual lessons from scripture.
What You Need:
- Bible
- List of Bible references and questions
Instructions:
- Divide the participants into teams.
- Give each team a list of Bible references and questions for their maze and have them start navigating.
- When they reach each checkpoint, ask them to discuss a spiritual lesson or answer a Bible-related question. If they answer successfully, they can advance in the maze.
- The team that navigates the maze in the shortest time wins.
- After the game, have the teams discuss the spiritual lessons they learned from the activity.
- Encourage participants to reflect on how they can apply this lesson to real life.
- Celebrate the victory with a prayer or song.
Ready, Aim, Starburst!
This enjoyable church activity for youth supports religious learning. Participants are divided into teams, with a starburst for each team. The goal is to be the first team to hit the starburst with a rubber band. The game helps young team members learn more about the Bible and its stories while teaching them to be perceptive and think critically.
What You Need:
- Bible
- List of Bible references and questions
- Starbursts (one for each team)
- Rubber bands (one for each team)
Instructions:
- Divide the participants into teams.
- Give each team a list of Bible references and questions.
- Place the starbursts at one end of the room.
- Have each team take turns firing their rubber bands at the starbursts in an attempt to hit them.
- When they hit the target, discuss the spiritual lesson behind various Bible references.
- The team that hits their starburst with the lowest number of shots wins.
- Encourage participants to reflect on how they can apply this lesson.
- Celebrate the victory with a prayer or song.
Prayer Wall
A Prayer Wall is a fun church activity for youth that encourages them to be mindful and reflective of their faith. Participants are asked to write down any praises, worries or gratitude statements on a wall decorated with Bible verses and prayers. Doing this helps young church members learn more about the Bible while teaching them to think deeply about their relationship with God.
What You Need:
- Bible
- Blank pieces of paper
Instructions:
- Give each participant a few pieces of paper.
- Encourage participants to write a praise, worry or gratitude statement on each blank paper.
- Have them place the papers on the wall.
- Discuss the lessons behind each statement.
- Allow each participant to reflect on their relationship with God.
- Encourage them to think about how each Bible verse and prayer applies to their lives.
- Allow the group to pray for all the worries, praises and gratitude statements posted on the wall.
- Celebrate the collective effort by singing a song of praise.
Blind Faith Throw
This fun church activity for youth encourages them to act on their faith and trust in God. Participants are given a paper target with a Bible verse written on it. With blindfolds on, they throw a ball to hit the target, relying solely on their faith and trust in God to guide them.
The Blind Faith Throw helps young people learn more about the Bible and their faith journey while teaching them to take action based on their beliefs.
What You Need:
- Bible
- Paper targets with Bible verses written on them
- Blindfolds
Instructions:
- Divide participants into teams.
- Each team gets a paper target with a Bible verse written on it, which should be hung on the wall in front of the group.
- Ask each team member to take turns throwing the ball at their target blindfolded.
- The team that hits their target with the lowest number of shots wins.
- After they hit the target, discuss the spiritual lesson behind each Bible verse.
- Encourage participants to reflect on how they can apply this lesson.
- Celebrate the victory with a prayer or song.
These are just a few fun church activities for youth that can help foster faith and spiritual growth. By engaging in these activities, participants can learn more about the Bible and their faith journeys while growing closer to God. Whether playing games or engaging in reflective prayer exercises, these church activities can help spread the spirit of God in a fun and interactive way!
Fun Church Small Group Activities
Gather your family, friends and church group together and have fun with these exciting and engaging small group activities! Whether you are looking for a way to bond as a community or have fun, these activities will strengthen relationships and encourage spiritual growth. Get ready to explore the Bible with these fun church small group activities!
Act It Out
This game is a fun church activity that encourages small groups to explore the Bible through creative expression. Participants are given a Bible verse or story to act out, helping them learn more about the Bible while teaching them how to apply their faith interactively.
What You Need:
- Bible
- Music (optional)
Instructions:
- Divide the group into smaller teams.
- Give each team a Bible verse or story.
- Ask each team to act out the Bible verse or story.
- Discuss the spiritual lesson behind it and how it applies to their lives.
- Celebrate the creative expression with a song of praise or prayer.
Group Bible Discussion
Group Bible Discussion is an engaging church small group activity that encourages participants to discuss their interpretations of the Bible. Participants are given a Bible passage and asked to share their thoughts, helping them learn more about the Bible while teaching them how to openly express their faith.
What You Need:
- Bible
- Worship music
Instructions:
- Divide the group into smaller teams.
- Give each team a Bible passage.
- Ask them to discuss the passage as a group.
- Have them share their thoughts and interpretations.
- Discuss the spiritual lesson behind it and how it applies to their lives.
- Celebrate the open dialogue with a song of praise or prayer.
- Reflect on how this activity allowed them to explore their faith and express it in a safe environment.
Draw It Out
This game is a fun church activity that encourages participants to explore the Bible through art. Participants are given a Bible passage and asked to draw the story. Doing so helps small groups learn more about the Bible while teaching them how to express their faith artistically.
What You Need:
- Pencils
- Paper
Instructions:
- Divide the group into smaller teams.
- Give each team a Bible passage.
- Ask them to draw the passage as a group.
- Discuss the spiritual lesson behind it and how it applies to their lives.
- Celebrate the creative expression with a song of praise or prayer.
These fun church small group activities are a great way to encourage members to grow and bond as a community. Whether you’re looking for an engaging activity or want some creative and meaningful fun, they provide the perfect setting for spiritual growth. Your small church group will be off to a great start!
Fun Church Activities for Adults
Church activities for adults don't have to be boring or confined to the same handful of ideas. From fun-filled games to meaningful discussions, plenty of church activities can engage and inspire adults.
Whether you're looking for a way to bring your small group closer together and create a sense of community or you just want to have fun, these church activities can help. Check out these fun church exercises for adults, from scripture-based charades to reflective prayer walks!
Scripture Charades
Scripture Charades is a fun church activity for adults that encourages them to explore the Bible in a unique way. Participants are given a Bible verse and act out the verse without speaking. This game helps them learn more about the Bible and encourages spiritual growth while teaching them to think deeply about their relationship with God.
What You Need:
- Bible
- Blank pieces of paper
Instructions:
- Have participants write a Bible verse on a piece of paper.
- Place the pieces of paper in a bowl.
- Ask one participant to pick a verse from the bowl and act it out without saying any words.
- Have the other participants guess what the verse is.
- When participants guess the verse correctly, discuss the spiritual lesson behind the Bible verse and how it applies to their lives.
- Have the next participant pick a new piece of paper and act out the next verse.
- Repeat until all the verses have been acted out.
- Reflect on the spiritual lessons from this activity and how participants can apply them in everyday life.
- Celebrate the collective effort by singing a song of praise.
God's Story Quiz
This fun church activity for adults encourages them to learn more about the Bible and their faith journeys. Participants answer questions based on stories from the Bible, testing their knowledge of scripture, helping them learn more about God's Word while teaching them to think deeply about their relationship with God.
What You Need:
- Bible
- Questions related to Bible stories (one for each participant)
Instructions:
- Ask each participant to read their Bible story closely, then answer the questions.
- Discuss the answers together as a group.
- Allow participants to reflect on their relationship with God.
- Encourage them to think about how each answer applies to their lives.
- Allow the group to pray for all the worries, praises and gratitude statements discussed in the stories.
- Celebrate the collective effort by singing a song of praise or worship together through music or dance.
M&M's Game
This game is a fun church activity for adults that encourages them to think deeply about their relationship with God. Participants answer questions while enjoying M&M's, helping them learn about scripture in a delicious, enjoyable and interactive fashion.
What You Need:
- Bible
- M&M’s
- Questions related to Bible stories (one for each participant)
Instructions:
- Ask each participant to read their Bible story closely and answer the questions.
- Give them an M&M reward after correctly answering the question.
- Discuss the answers together as a group.
- Allow participants to reflect on their relationship with God.
- Allow the group to pray for all the worries, praises and gratitude statements discussed in the stories.
- Celebrate the collective effort by singing a song of praise or worship together through music or dance.
- Enjoy the M&M's as a reward for all your hard work.
Good Deeds Scavenger Hunt
This interactive church activity for families encourages them to think deeply about their relationship with God and others. Participants search for clues related to good deeds while having fun together! This game helps them learn more about serving others and how they can use their gifts to make a difference in the world.
What You Need:
- Clues related to good deeds or Bible stories (one for each participant)
- Worship music
Instructions:
- Ask each person to read their clue and answer the questions.
- Discuss the answers together as a group.
- Allow them to reflect on their relationship with God and others.
- Give each group member a set of tasks related to their clue (e.g., helping at a local soup kitchen, volunteering at an animal shelter, etc.).
- Allow participants to pray for all the worries, praises and gratitude statements discussed in the clues.
- Celebrate the collective effort by singing a song of praise or worshiping together through music or dance.
- Reflect on the spiritual lessons from this activity and how participants can learn from them as they go out into the world.
- Encourage the members to use their newfound knowledge of scripture to further their spiritual journeys.
- Reflect on how this activity helped them build a deeper connection with God and others.
- Celebrate each person's efforts.
- End with a prayer of thanksgiving.
These activities are a great way to encourage deeper spiritual connections and foster greater relationships with God. They bring people together in faith and allow them to joyfully share the love of Christ. They can also help grow your church's membership.
Send out a thank you for attending message to participants afterward. It will encourage them to attend future family church events.
Church Outreach Ideas
Let’s face it—churches that don’t reach out, fade out. If your pews aren’t full and your church programs feel stale, it’s not your doctrine… it’s your outreach. According to Gallup, 59 percent of individuals saw community outreach and volunteers as a major factor for attending a church.
Churches focused on growing should work with the community and promote engagement with fun events and activities that connect and convert. To help you out, we put together “The 55 Most Effective Church Outreach Ideas.” Grab it. Use it. Grow fast. You’ll find seasonal, targeted strategies you can use each week.
FAQs
How can church activities enhance community engagement?
Church activities are a great way to boost church engagement. While your congregation regularly meets at service throughout the week, activities allow people to connect in a more fun, relaxed setting.
Church services don’t provide many chances for attendees to engage with each other one-on-one. Activities promote these connections. They allow members and visitors to participate in enjoyable pastimes and build common ground.
Additionally, those who don’t currently attend church might be hesitant about coming to a church service, but could find an event like a craft fair, family fun day or musical performance less intimidating. Fun church group activities for adults and church youth group activities allow you to welcome visitors who will hopefully want to become regular attendees at your church.
How can we plan inclusive activities for all age groups in the church?
It’s important to appeal to all age groups in your church involvement ideas. If you focus only on one age group, other members may feel excluded.
Come up with events that offer something for everyone or offer the option of child care so parents feel free to attend and bring their kids. Avoid hosting church events that interest a narrow slice of your community and focus on those with a broader appeal.
How can church activities aid in spiritual growth?
Church activities should be fun, but they also promote spiritual growth. Incorporating spiritual components into activities support growth and learning. Maybe it’s fun contests where you ask attendees to show off their Bible knowledge for prizes, chances for people to gather in small groups and discuss key faith topics or giving out fun swag or takeaway items that reinforce key biblical messages and ideas.
No matter how you blend fun and spiritual components, ensure attendees leave your special worship events with a smile on their face and a reminder of God’s love in their hearts. Whether it’s outdoor activities, engaging games, a family fun night or a game night, events are a chance to help people grow their faith.
What are some effective ways to engage youth in church activities?
Youth leaders have a unique challenge when working with middle and high school students. These students are going through a pivotal time in their life and faith journey and engaging them in church activities and events can help them develop spiritualism early on.
For some church events, students can help as volunteers. For example, the students can help fundraise for mission trips, assist with parking for a concert or family fun day, or sell concessions. Students who enjoy working with kids can help with childcare, making sure younger children have fun, safe activities to enjoy while their parents attend an event.
Administrators should also focus on fun church event ideas that appeal to students. Offer pizza and pop and mention that they will have a chance to hang out with friends and play games. If your church has a gym or outdoor space, they can be ideal for student activities.
How to balance fun and faith in church activities?
Fun and faith are both crucial parts of church events. Focus entirely on one and ignore the other and attendees walk away either having had a blast but not learning anything about God or their faith, or they leave a blah event where they received spiritual guidance but likely didn’t enjoy themselves enough to want to return for future events. This applies to engaging men's ministry ideas, women's ministry event ideas and church youth group games.
Not every event has to be 100 percent Bible-focused and deeply spiritual. Leave space for something fun like a water balloon toss, trivia contest, relay race, talent contest or other church involvement ideas that allow people to enjoy themselves. When you present spiritual messages and ideas at events, try to do it in a creative way. Balance fun and faith to create more impactful events for all who attend.
Looking for More Helpful Tools for Church Events?
Running a church event can be stressful for you and your volunteers. Get some help with our free Ultimate Church Event Kit. Download it now to access...
- Permission slip
- Event planning checklist
- Church event letter templates
