Icebreaker Questions for Amazing Group Discussion. In the beginning stages of a small group, it is helpful to do more get-to-know you games and questions so people feel known. We all have a story. At the different points of their lines, have people either draw something or write a phrase to represent that season of their life. A Dark Brown Dog by Stephen Crane 2. Each person in the group must hold the hands of two different people who are not immediately standing next to them on their left/right. A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Connor 3. A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury 5. Tips: Younger people will most likely enjoy this icebreaker more than adults. For example, you might say, “I’ve never had a birthday party,” or some other true statement about yourself that you think everyone else has surely done. Description: Bring a newspaper or magazine and have the group members tear out pictures, articles or anything they think communicates something about themselves. 22. This activity should take 15-20 minutes. Description: Ask each group member to name three people, past or present, he or she admires. Put all the notecards in a container, shake them up and have each person draw a notecard and read it aloud. Go around again sharing the second item and so on until you have gone through each prompt. You could use this activity as the basis for a journal collage that people bring to the small group each week. Pick a topic and ask them to write down questions about that topic that anyone in the group could answer. Internship opportunities with Cru's ministries. Description: Give your group members pens and paper. Small Group Discussion Questions. The teams take turns having someone from each team act out as many charades as they can from the slips of paper within a set time limit. When you choose an icebreaker for your small group, think about the people who will be present. How are your agreements or disagreements a product of your religious or nonreligious position? Give everyone time to complete the assessment, and then go around the room and share the results. This icebreaker works best in a large, open space. Other topics include: The afterlife, the Trinity, saints, our Blessed Mother, faith, and the Church. The purpose of the small group discussions is to provide you with an opportunity to exchange ideas and engage with your peers. Must you become a better person so that God will accept you? How do you differ? The information on this site is provided as a courtesy. You can shorten it by not waiting until someone runs out of candy to stop. Not only can you learn more about your coworkers, but you can also strategize how to help your team develop any work-related skills that could benefit your company. Wish one thing and have it come true this year, what would it be? When I write out discussion questions for a small group session, I always make sure to have at least one or two questions towards the end that challenge people to get out of their comfort zones. Best/worst  |  2. It can be used in a small group setting, a Bible study setting, or as a family discussion guide! We’ve listed the questions asked in each episode along with optional supporting questions for each. I believe that having ice breakers in the beginning of a small group meeting will often help the discussion and prayer time to be something that everyone will join in and be engaged with. At the end, introduce everyone in the group in the order on the list. Your goal is not to answer all of these questions, but we have provided them to give you options. Have each pair identify 10 things they have in common with one another. But before you can lead others in things like Bible study, prayer and talking about their faith with others, you need to build community within the group. If people do not have purses or wallets to look through, ask them to find pictures on their phones that might fit the prompts. Without a sense of belonging and friendship, small groups will not last. Give people a few minutes before starting the icebreaker to come up with the facts about themselves. Give the person who found all the answers first a prize. Some of the most common therapy groups include: Self-Help Groups – These are generally led by someone who is not a professional group facilitator, but has struggled with or successfully overcome or addressed a problem, and wishes to help others through the process. Your small group may be slightly larger than that, and if that’s the case, please factor that in when choosing an appropriate icebreaker. The three object hunt  |  24. This game provides insight into each teammate's personality and encourages discussion on personal perspectives. A good ice breaker will get people talking and many times laughing and ultimately bonding with the other group members. Think of a question (see examples below) and create a poll. Ideal age group: Middle school and high school. Deserted island  |  8. It’s important to use icebreaker activities that are easy to learn, non-threatening and fun. Jenga questions. We took our post 450 youth group sermon ideas and crafted up some questions you could use for some of the most popular youth ministry lesson topics.. Scroll down for all the small group questions for youth ministry. Each person draws out a picture of the sentence. These communities not only equip their members for service but also expose sin and call people to adore Christ. This game is a great way for team members to discover shared traits and interests. If people are willing to share honestly, this can be a great activity to help your group bond. 10. If your group needs to laugh together, come up with funny questions. Feel free to mix up the candy, but since pieces are passing back and forth, people will probably prefer something wrapped. Consider these fun icebreakers for small groups and how you can incorporate them into your weekly or monthly office routine. Home Ministries GROUPS at Hope Church Small Group Discussions. You pay everyone who has not had a party. Tips: If you want to use this icebreaker for your first small group, plan on spending most of the time answering the questions you have chosen from the list. (Examples: How many siblings do you have? Go around the room, and ask each participant to share something about themselves that they believe makes them different from everyone else in the room. This is an icebreaker where people often underestimate the amount of time required. Each year the questions are focused on the yearly theme designated by the General Conference Youth Ministries Department. Bringing hope and resources to military families worldwide. Description: Have group members take five minutes to find the following items in their wallets or purses: Something that ... Have each person share the first item. Some options are more helpful for a group that’s in the early stages of forming while others are useful for building relationships in groups that have been together for a while. Scroll down for the list of thought-provoking questions. What would you like said about you at your funeral? The game is engaging because they have to figure out how to line up correctly without talking. Why?”. Description: Most people will not know each other well in a group that’s just forming. They make it easier for people to begin getting to know each other. Now everyone will have a new piece of paper. Description: Best/worst is a simple icebreaker to implement in your small group. Tips: If people are not engaging with the question, you can prompt them with follow-up questions to help them remember what they did during the week. Here are some conversation starters that span all kinds of topics. Tips: The key to making this icebreaker fun is for people to come up with odd/interesting facts about themselves. b. The important thing is for people to share about themselves and practice listening well. Use your best judgment about which icebreakers will work best for your group. Description: A fun way to keep participants engaged in virtual meetings is utilizing the chat feature in your video conferencing software. The lie becomes harder to spot when only a portion of it is false. For example, if your meeting is about company culture, have them come up with one word that describes what office culture means to them. Heroes  |  9. Talk to anyone in the world (alive or dead), who would it be? This icebreaker is fun with a bigger group of people. Most everyone loves the chance to talk about themselves (even if other people need to go first! Plan on this icebreaker taking 20-30 minutes, depending on your group size. I have never  |  19. When you are working on a new team, small group icebreakers can help you get to know your team member and set a strong standard of collaboration and respect. The longer the group has been meeting, the more honest the answers will be. The questions need to be open-ended in order to avoid 'yes' or 'no' answers. Someone new to your group might presume, for example, that everyone else already knows each other well, whether that is true or not. Small Group Discussion Questions. Plan on this icebreaker taking 20 minutes. Divide participants into small groups and give them a couple of minutes to brainstorm ideas. Telephone pictionary  |  16. Instruct them to flip to a specific place (for example, page 15, line 3), and then ask them to click on the “annotate” button, at the top under “view options.” The participants will type out that sentence of the book onto the whiteboard. Simply ask one of these questions and give everyone a predetermined amount of time to answer. Use your hobbies and interests to find the best place for you to serve. Plan on 15-20 minutes for this icebreaker. For example: “I have five sisters” could be the lie if the person only has three sisters. Description: You will need a Jenga game. Small Group Study Questions for "My Catholic Faith!" Tips: This activity works particularly well with girls, but use your judgment as to whether it would work well with your group. Explore resources to help you live out your life and relationships in a way that honors God. Invite people to think back as far as they can and mark significant moments along the line they have drawn. During the meeting, share your screen so everyone can see the word cloud forming. Some topic ideas include jobs, life goals, funny stories, hobbies, family, fears, dating issues, significant relationships and relationship with God. For example, icebreakers can help team members be more comfortable around one another so that they can easily collaborate in a conference, class, team, meeting or task force. The game alternates between people drawing and writing out what they see as they continue passing each paper to the left. Let everyone share their original sentence and the final sentence or picture. Learn about Cru's global leadership team. The game is fun and challenging and will get the group laughing. House on fire  |  6. Ask them to draw a line representing the movement of their lives between high times and low ones. The size of your group will directly impact the time you need to allow. Reflecting Jesus together for the good of the city. Ask everyone to write down something interesting they have experienced on a notecard. Tips: It’s best to set a timer for five minutes or less to keep the icebreaker within an appropriate time frame. As you can see, icebreaker activities can be as engaging and creative as you make them. Read more: 6 Ideas for Team Building Activities. Then make a sheet with one fact from each person and a blank space to enter someone’s name beside this fact. - A summary of the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds. Once the group has regathered, have each person share their three items. The charts will probably be a mixture of straight, slanted, jagged and curved lines. Charades  |  20. When they find the right person, they must also learn one other fact about that person. Or have them line up in descending birth order, from oldest to youngest. Let’s create a word cloud! Jump to an icebreaker As time progresses, changing up the icebreakers will bring new energy to the group. If it’s useful to you, please share it on social media. This will keep people engaged in the game and give everyone something to do. Scarl… This classic game is a quick workplace icebreaker. For example, ask your group to line up in order of their birthdays, starting with the earliest in the year. Small Group Q & A 1-17-21 ENJOYlife Week 2 Pastor Mark Robinson. What is the most memorable activity you did with your family as a child? Tips: Like the M&M’s challenge, people will like this icebreaker because it involves candy. Try this best discussion question at your next small group meeting, and you will be astonished by the power of these two little words to transform your group.. Whether it is an engaging question, an innovative game, or a unique activity, the icebreaker you utilize in your small group will create lasting memories for the people you have been called to invest in. After everyone has put a song in the chat, pull up an animated randomizer like the Wheel of Names and input the song titles. Try these small group icebreakers to better connect with your new team and improve productivity. Here’s how to identify which style works best for you, and why it’s important for your career development. The Discussion Topics are designed to stimulate thought, reflection and hopefully drive greater understanding of your own personal journey and God's purpose for you. Tips: If you decide to discuss your group members’ answers to the question, allow extra time. Have another participant mention something about a colleague's results they agree or disagree with. You can always ask your small group members what types … If the activity is taking too long, you can stop the sharing portion and pick up the icebreaker again during the next week’s meeting. The great thing about Two Truths and a Lie is that everyone gets to learn something new about each other while still having fun and building problem-solving skills. The discussions can be guided or open. What quality do you appreciate most in a friend? Description: If you don’t already have one, create a free account on Slido.com. Keep playing until everyone has a turn or until someone runs out of Starburst. With icebreaker questions for adults, your next work mixer or night out will be way less stressful. Random Conversation Starters. Great for: Any group. Christianity Today strengthens the church by richly communicating the breadth of the true, good, and beautiful gospel. Use this list as a starting point to create your own games too. Learn how you can know God personally. Read more: Fun Work Outings for Corporate Team Building. Consider turning on music so people cannot hear each other’s answers. Each person should share his or her choice and the reason for it with the group. A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner 4. The Marshmallow Challenge is more of a team-building activity, but it works just as well as an icebreaker when you can set aside enough time. So let's evaluate our lives, make plans and goals, and live this new year with biblical diligence, remembering that, "The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage" ( Proverbs 21:5 ). For example, if they have an item that reminds them of a fun time, have them share the memory. Everyone writes a funny or unusual sentence at the top of their paper. Start by stating something you’ve never done that you think everyone else has done. a. Then everyone who has had a birthday party pays you one Starburst. Using this icebreaker helps create friendship and community within the group. If you knew you could not fail and money were no object, what would you like to do in the next five years? Before each group meeting, do a few ice breaker activities to get people ready for the night’s discussion. Divide participants into small groups and give them a couple of minutes to brainstorm ideas. You may have experienced the awkward silence, the multiple-people-talking-at-once problem or a lack of depth in conversations, but another problem is that it can be a challenge to come up with fun and engaging icebreakers in a videoconference format. Groups can be further broken down by discussion topics and the structure of the group itself. Games are a fantastic tool to help the members of your small group bond with one another. Leading from values so others will walk passionately with God to grow and bear fruit. View our top Cru resources in more than 20 languages. Do you need to devote yourself to unselfish religious deeds? We’ve also included questions for discussion after the episode has ended. Start by saying, “My name is [X], I am going on a picnic and I am taking . You can also find more help for leading a small group in the book “The Ultimate Roadtrip.”. It’s a great self-awareness tool. Everyone should feel comfortable and encouraged to participate for team building activities to be successful. Read more: 42 Unique Team-Building Ice Breakers. The goal is to see which team can build the tallest structure with the marshmallow on top of the finished product. It usually produces lots of laughs as everyone shares their papers at the end of the activity. They fold the paper so only the picture is seen. Cut out small pieces of paper that fit the length of each Jenga block and tape them to each Jenga piece. Tips: This icebreaker is fun when people think of quirky answers. Consider adding a small prize for the first team who finds all the hidden items. Small groups are the places our attenders develop and deepen relationships—with each other and with God. Obviously, the idea is to end up with the most. Their reactions to specific researcher-posed questions are studied. Give your group space to be open with one another. This next person will write out a sentence that describes the picture and fold the paper so only the sentence is seen. Icebreakers are essential in creating an environment for everything else you want to do. .” and then say an item that starts with the first letter of your name. And if all those questions still aren’t enough, we have even more questions. How the Leopard Got His Spots by Rudyard Kipling 7. Can you come to an agreement on what that theme means? Striving to see Christ-followers on every team, in every sport and in every nation. This creates a human knot. The group must then guess which of those statements is a lie. Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving 10. It does take some time to put together, but a scavenger hunt encourages everyone to work together and use problem-solving skills. Because ethnicity is part of the good of creation, we seek to honor and celebrate the ethnic identity of those with whom we serve as well as those we seek to reach. Icebreaker questions are simply different ways of getting the people in your small group to talk about themselves. As the host, make sure no one is typing over anyone else. Spend small group time challenging each other to find ways to initiate relationships and/or deepen friendships that … Helping students know Jesus, grow in their faith and go to the world to tell others. Or ask: “If you could interview anyone in history, who would you choose and why? Ask your small group a “would you rather” question, and have them take turns answering the question. The individual reading the fact must then guess the person who had that experience and why they think it is that person. Games will quickly create a sense of community within your group. Develop your leadership skills and learn how to launch a ministry wherever you are. Ask people to make at least five different points on their chart to represent significant moments in their lives. . Word got back to a group I once ran about a training session I ran where I talked about these magic words. You can also come back and discuss the answers in a later meeting. Tips: It can be hard to tell how long this icebreaker will take. Plan on this game taking 15-20 minutes. Make-believe  |  7. Several questions may come to mind as you plan your small group. Again without giving it away world to God ’ s annual report and more the.... Like said about you at your study and ensure you have be anything, as as! Guarantee job interviews or offers email series for small group get to who. Most correct answers wins the game is fun to see which team can the... Time required of people who will be a great way to keep the pace going setting... Our Blessed Mother, faith, and people will like this icebreaker taking 20-30 minutes, depending on much... Guidance of their life with an event code to be the lie if the person states something they experienced... 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