Icebreakers for the New Year

Whether your small group will be brand new in 2018 or you have been meeting for awhile, a good icebreaker question or activity is a great way to get the conversation going at that first meeting in January. Icebreakers help everyone in the group feel more comfortable about entering the discussion before the Bible study starts. Here are a few of my favorites.

I Know Who You Are

This is a twist on the Two Truths and a Lie game.

1. Give each person two pieces of paper, and a pen or pencil.
2. Have each participant write their name and three facts about themselves on one paper—the facts must be true, but should be obscure and probably not known by the other group members.
3. Direct the participants to number the other paper with one number for each person present.
4. The leader collects the papers and reads aloud the facts on each sheet, keeping track of the names that match the facts read.
5. The participants write their guesses next to the numbers on their sheets.
6. Once everyone has completed their sheet of numbers and name guesses, read aloud the answers and see who had the most correct to determine a winner.

This Tells About Me

This icebreaker will help new group members get to know each other a little better.

1. Have each person pull out a personal item from his or her purse or pocket, or use an item of clothing or an accessory he or she is wearing.
2. Go around the circle, with each person telling something about them as it relates to the item they have chosen. For example, a person may choose a wallet-sized picture of their husband and share how they met, or a comb and explain that they are a hairstylist.

Play Dough Personality

This icebreaker allows the group members to show their creative side.

1. Have everyone sit at a table or provide a surface (such as trays) for this activity.
2. Give each person a reasonable amount of play dough and instruct him or her to make something out of it that represents or describes his or her personality.
3. After small group members are finished, have them take turns sharing their creation and telling the group about it.

Get To Know You Questions

• What do you do for fun?
• What would be your ideal vacation?
• What superhero did you want to be, and why?
• What is the most memorable activity you did with your family as a child?
• What quality do you appreciate most in a friend?
• What is a good thing happening in your life right now? What makes it good?
• If you knew you couldn’t fail and money was no object, what would you like to do in the next 5 years?
• What would you like said at your funeral?

Chris Surratt is a ministry consultant and coach with over 23 years of experience serving the local church. Chris served on the Executive Team at Cross Point Church in Nashville, TN, and was on staff at Seacoast Church in Charleston, SC, for 15 years. He is also the Small Group Specialist for Lifeway Christian Resources. Chris’s first book, Small Groups For The Rest Of Us: How to Design Your Small Groups System to Reach the Fringes, was recently released by Thomas Nelson. You can follow his blog at chrissurratt.com or follow him on Twitter @chrissurratt.