Experiential Learning

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Before you ask, no this is not a page for the newest way of playing dodgeball, or to pass on the latest inspirational story. It's not that those things are bad, but there are many sites for that sort of thing. This page is for Christian Experiential Learning activities. If you aren't familiar with that term, it's basically trying to find ways where people can do something and still grown and learn spiritually. It isn't about a clever story or a quick game, but about creating spaces and events where people can learn about God through more than just listening to words, but through actions. For more information, see the essay Teaching through Experience.

We truly believe that God is at work in everything around us, but that people can also influence how easy it is to listen to God and hear what God is saying and where God is leading. It takes a lot of work sometimes to find something that can help people learn about God for themselves without being lectured or forced to go in one direction only. But if we can pull it off, if people learn about God through their own actions and the actions of those around them it can change their lives.

Because it takes so much work, however, every pastor can always use some more ideas that our co-servants have found useful in their own ministries. So go ahead, look for something that can help you out, and tell us what events have been meaningful to your people too.

If you're wondering whether something you have fits the qualifications here, just ask one simple question. In your idea, do people learn about God and faith through an experience that they have? Not through words, but through doing. If the answer is yes, then we'd love to hear about it, whether it's a way of having students experience communion, children learn about grace by giving, or adults realizing that God is with them.

To sort by another category, press the button above the column you wish to sort by.

	The Point	Topic	Group Size	Setting	Prep Time	Age Group
4X4 Trolley	That a team is many individuals working together	Teamwork	1-10	Outdoors	20-60 min
Body of Christ	How to effectively communicate and appreciate their different Gifts	Church	1-10	Anywhere	20-60 min	Youth
Carrying the Cross	How much Jesus did for them when he died.	Crucifixion salvation	Any	Outdoors	20-60 min	Youth
Cohort Canonball	That they need to be protecting and helping each other in order to stand against the enemy	Accountability Teamwork self-sacrifice	10-40	Outdoors or Gym	0-20 min	Youth
Compassion Unleashed	Kids can feel compassion and can respond by serving others.	Compassion	10-40	Anywhere	2-5 Hours	Kids
Deafening Silence	The value of eliminating the noise of the world and listening to God	escaping the world Spending time with God	Any	Anywhere	0-20 min	Any
Electric Fence	How to work together as a team and problem solving	Teamwork	1-10	Outdoors	0-20 min	Any
Eucharistic Love Feast	That communion can connect us with God.	Communion Eucharist	1-10	Small Group	20-60 min	Adults
Gifts for Jesus	Christ is the center of Christmas, and the reason we give.	Christmas Giving	Any	Christmas Party	2-5 Hours	Any
Handicap Crossing	What it's like to need and give help	Trust Teamwork Problem Solving	1-10	Outdoor or Indoor	20-60 min	Youth
Ludicrous Lava Lake	Learn the necessity of each other and proper tools in this Life.	Teamwork Problem Solving	1-10	Anywhere	0-20 min	Youth
Nails in His Hands	We each put Jesus on that cross through our actions	Sin	1-10	Outdoors	1-2 Hours	Adults
Prepare for Obstacles	We need to prepare for life if we want to succeed	Preperation	10-40	Outdoors	5+ Hours
Protestant Ash Wednesday	Our sins can be burned away and only the cross remains	sin forgiveness Ash Wednesday	Any	Indoors Service	1-2 Hours	Any
Removing our burdens	Our sins, secrets, and failings are truly burdens and Jesus will take them away.	Burdens Sin	Any	Outdoors waterway	20-60 min	Any
Saltiness	They will definitely remember the message.	Being the "salt of the earth"	Any	Church	20-60 min	Any
Shield March	We succeed as Christians when we support each other	Faith Unity Church	100-200	Outdoors	5+ Hours	Youth
Shifting Shapes	How to lead	Leadership	1-10	Anywhere	0-20 min
Silent Shuffle	How to communicate effectively, especially under frustrating circumstances	Communication	1-10	Anywhere	0-20 min	Any
Spiders Web	How to work as a team to overcome obstacles	Teamwork Trust Problem Solving	1-10	Outdoors	20-60 min	Any
Treacherous Tarp Fold	How to work together to solve a simple, but difficult problem	Teamwork Communication Leadership	Any	Anywhere	0-20 min	Youth
Trustfall Game	To trust other people or to illustrate our faith and trust in God	Trust	10-40	Outdoor or Indoor	0-20 min
Unequal Softball	We need proper equipement to succeed in life, and in faith.	Equipping	10-40	Outdoors	20-60 min	Any
Unfair Volleyball	Life isn't always fair, but our attitude still matters	Fairness Attitude	1-10	volleyball court	0-20 min	Any