Student ministry requires a lot of games. Some are age-old classics like dodge ball and kick ball. Some are new classics like the trash can game and boom ball. Some games, though, are nothing more than biblicized versions of secular games.
I saw this copy of Bible Charades at our church and couldn’t help but take a picture of it. I’ve never played Bible Charades but I imagine it’s a lot like Bible Pictionary or Bible Jeopardy. The game is the same as its secular counterpart only with biblical clues and answers.
I don’t know if these are in the game, but here are five of the most inappropriate Bible Charades clues.
Sodom and Gomorrah
Sodom and Gomorrah were so wicked that God decided they should be completely wiped off the face of the planet. So, just like Grand Moff Tarkin did to Alderaan, God rained fire down on the cities and destroyed them. Acting out the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah wouldn’t be that inappropriate but acting out the reason for their destruction definitely would be.
Dinah and the Shechemites
This story might get the inevitable pass in a game of Bible Charades. I can’t imagine anyone chomping at the bit to act out a story which revolves around circumcision. Men can’t help but cringe when thinking about adult circumcision; even now I’m making a face that’s a mix between pain, disgust, fear and empathy. The only time adult circumcision was anything but gut-wrenching was in Robin Hood: Men in Tights. Dave Chappelle saying he’d take two circumcisions still makes me laugh.
Jael and Sisera
There are a lot of beautiful passages in the Bible that speak to God’s beauty and splendor. There are also a lot of passages that belong in the most graphic of graphic novels. Sisera, a Canaanite general, fled from the Israelite army to the tent of Jael, a seemingly nice old lady. Jael gave Sisera some milk, tucked him in and then drove a tent peg through his temple. The most effective way to act out this story would be to spin around on the ground like the spinner on a Twister board.
Song of Songs
When I first read Song of Songs as a 10-year-old boy I couldn’t believe my eyes. I quickly looked around my room to make sure nobody was watching because I immediately felt guilty. I didn’t know why my Bible was talking about breasts, navels, necks and grazing among the lilies. Jewish boys weren’t allowed to even read Song of Songs before they were 30, much less act it out in front of all their friends in a game of Bible Charades. A good Baptist like me would probably have to destroy the Song of Songs clue in Bible Charades, lest it lead to dancing.
Herod’s Rage
Everyone knew that Anakin really had turned to the Dark Side when he killed all the younglings in Revenge of the Sith. Any time a character needs to turn heel really fast, all he or she needs to do is hurt some kids. It worked for Anakin and it definitely worked for Herod. King Herod ordered the murder of every boy under two in the city of Bethlehem. I can’t even imagine a tragedy like that, but the one who escaped to Egypt has the power to redeem such tragedies. Though, acting this out in Bible Charades, might be beyond redemption and propriety.
I love biblicizing games. If I didn’t my job as a youth pastor would be much more difficult. I don’t know how much time I’ve killed by playing a round of Bible Pictionary or Bible Hangman. If games like that, though, expand our knowledge of God’s word then they’re not all bad.
They might be inappropriate but not all bad.
What other stories would make for inappropriate Bible charades?
0 comment