“This is a legit way to get students (and adults, for that matter) to know more about the Bible and its stories in a super fun way!”
Why did we create this game?
It’s pretty simple. We created it because we wanted to play it. As youth pastors, we’ve played a ton of Mafia and Ultimate Werewolf with our students and volunteers over the years. And, at some point, we realized that it would be pretty funny to play a version of the game that was… well… a little more Biblical. And that’s when the idea for PHARISEES: The Party Game was born.
How do you use it in youth ministry?
So glad you asked! Because we’ve got 3 ideas for you.
3 WAYS TO USE PHARISEES: THE PARTY GAME IN YOUTH MINISTRY
Personally, I never really need an excuse to play a game. But if you’re looking for one, here you go. You can use PHARISEES: The Party Game to…
1. START A CONVERSATION.
The big-picture story of this game centers around the conflict that existed between Jesus and the Pharisees. If you’re a youth pastor, you know all about this conflict, but your students probably don’t. So be ready to address some questions like…
- What’s a Pharisee?
- Why didn’t the Pharisees like Jesus or His followers?
- What’s up with Jesus saying, “Woe to you, Pharisees?”
Those questions are just the beginning, but, man. They are a pretty phenomenal set-up for a conversation about the Gospel, and grace, and hypocrisy, and righteousness. So maybe you’ll play PHARISEES to start a conversation. But you might also play it to…
2. TEACH A BIBLE STORY OR CHARACTER.
We packed the deck of PHARISEES cards with both well-known and little-known Bible characters for a reason: it’s a great opportunity to help your students hear about (and remember) some of the people who pop up in the pages of Scripture. Zachariah’s story is a tough one to remember, for example… until you have to spend an entire round in silence, thanks to him.
Oh, and guess what! For a super-limited time, you can actually purchase a custom card for your deck. Maybe you just finished a sermon about Simeon, or Aaron, or the wise men, or Balaam’s talking donkey. WELL YOU’RE IN LUCK. Because if we haven’t already designed a card for the character you’re teaching about, you can order it and we will make it for you. Yay!
So maybe you’ll play PHARISEES to teach a Bible story or character. Or, finally, you might just play to…
3. HAVE SOME FUN.
Guys. We officially played this game for the very first time this weekend. And guys. GUYS. It was so funny. There was aggressive Scripture-quoting. There were people getting super into character. Someone called the Pharisees a “brood of vipers.” The Saul/Paul card transformed from a Pharisee into a disciple and the entire room rejoiced over his conversion. It. Was. All. So. Funny.
So yeah. You can even play PHARISEES just for fun.
But regardless of why you play this game with your students, just go ahead and play it. Because we really love playing it. And we hope you will, too.
