By Rev. Doug Forbes
It is important for your students to get to know each other and for you to learn all you can about them. The Good News Game will help you do just that!
To play the Good News Game you need: Bibles, Bible concordances, and a large bowl of individually wrapped Lifesavers or some other hard candy.
Gather all your students into a circle seated on chairs. Pass around a large bowl of individually wrapped Lifesavers and instruct the children to take between three and ten Lifesavers. After everyone has their candy, explain that you have good news and bad news for them. The bad news is that they must share one thing about themselves for every Lifesaver they took. The good news is that they get to keep the Lifesavers!
After everyone has had a chance to share, ask your young people to use their Bibles and concordances to discover Bible passages on friendship, kindness, helpfulness and brotherly love. Allow time for each child to share his or her findings. Discuss the importance of developing positive friendships and being involved in wholesome activities.
In closing, read Proverbs 17:17 which says: A friend loves at all times.” Encourage your students to continue to get to know each other better by spending time together and by helping class members and others in the community. For instance, they could help each other with homework or help a neighbor with household projects
