Tired of the same old icebreakers? Are you using the same 3 interesting facts about yourself at every gathering? Here are some sample icebreakers to kick start your thinking.
45+ Sample Icebreakers
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Blog
Latest Blog Posts from Wednesday in the Word, the podcast about what the Bible means and how we know.
What to pray when you don’t know what to pray for
Think about what you’d wish for if you had a genie. Think about what you pray for. How similar are they?
Avoiding Plagiarism in Bible Study: Do’s, Don’ts, and Examples
Learn how to avoid plagiarism in Bible study with clear do’s, don’ts, and real examples—when to cite, how to credit sources, and what to change.
Temptations of Jesus: Dealing with doubt & despair
This series examines the Temptations of Jesus with the goal of learning how to face waiting and affliction with hope, trust and endurance.
7 Things to Remember When You Invite an Event Speaker
Here’s advice from an expert on how not to burn out your retreat speaker.
Measure What Matters: A Ministry Evaluation Framework That Works
Discover a proven framework for evaluating ministry effectiveness beyond attendance numbers. Learn 20+ questions to assess spiritual impact, leadership development, and gospel-centered growth in your church programs.
I’m Confused, You’re Annoying, and He’s Pig-Headed. To God be the Glory!
Can God use less-than-perfect believers without also perfecting them at the same time? Do their failures negate the good examples of Abraham and David? Apparently not.
Loving someone with cancer
In an 11 month period, my mother died of breast cancer and both my mother-in-law and her mother died of lung cancer. Here’s what I learned about how to love, help and support someone living with cancer and their caretaker.
7 Habits of Spectacularly Unsuccessful Leaders
Failed CEOs shared these 7 habits. What about leaders in the church?
Divine Secrets of the Yahweh Sisterhood
Becoming a believer is in some ways like becoming a Ya-Ya. When you become a believer, not only do you gain a vertical relationship with God, you gain a horizontal relationship with other believers.
Servant Leadership in Practice
Putting servant leadership into practice: thoughts on leading from moral authority rather than hierarchy.
Mary & Martha: A lesson for Women’s Ministry
Martha chose to serve physical food while Mary chose to receive spiritual food. Mary chose wisely. When Jesus comes to town, all of us should drop everything to listen.
Drawing the Doctrinal Line
Which of our many doctrinal differences should Christians worry about? After all, one person’s heresy is another person’s minor difference of opinion.
What is the Glory of God?
When Paul writes in Ephesians 2 that believers are “growing into a holy temple in the Lord” and “being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit”, he’s drawing on rich Old Testament history.
What if I failed my Bible reading plan?
Approximately one-third of those who started a Bible reading plan in January abandon it by February. By May that number will drop to half. What if you are one of the statistics?
Stop Believing These 5 Myths about your Bible
What do you believe about your English translation of the Bible? Here are 5 ideas you should NOT hold.
7 Steps to Discover Your God-Given Calling
Explore 7 biblical steps to find your unique calling. Learn how to align your passions with God’s purpose and overcome obstacles through faith
The Dividing Line
The Apostle Paul divides humanity by one thing: those who belong to God and those who don’t. It is the only distinction that matters.
Why I reject Emergent Theology
Emergent Theology claims theological certainty is an idol, but Paul claims the authority to speak on behalf of God.
An exceptionally good Christmas
Alone and cold in a German prison, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote: “I think we are going to have an exceptionally good Christmas.” As I sit in warmth and comfort, I wonder at his words.
What Men Wish Women Knew About Men
What one particular husband thinks that other husbands might appreciate him telling their wives.
Ephesians Bible Study Resources
Everything you need to kick start your study of Ephesians: discussion questions, bible study tools, maps, charts, key words and podcasts.
Ephesians: Our New Life in Christ
Paul writes to instruct and exhort believers as to the full ramifications of their relationship with Jesus Christ, including what Christ accomplished on their behalf and the appropriate change in their lifestyle as a response.
Cats and the End of the World
The day our cat died our daughter changed her Facebook status to “starting over from the end of the world.”
Role Playing
To compare roles is to count paper clips. Neither is a valid measure of our worth.
Barnabas: Playing Second Fiddle
Barnabas is an great example of the incredible good you can do when you don’t care who gets credit.
Love & Hate
How can the apostle John say love is a mark of believers and hate is a mark of non-believers? Even a cursory examination reveals that believers hate and non-believers love.
Do believers sin?
When I was a new Christian, I told another believer that I was struggling with controlling my temper. She told me that I was not a genuine Christian because if I was, I wouldn’t sin. If she is right, not only was I not a Christian then — I still am not a Christian now. When you discover two very different interpretations of the Bible, how do you decide who’s right?
5 Questions to Identify a Cult
How do you recognize a group which claims to represent genuine, apostolic Christianity but in reality does not? Here are 5 questions that separate “the sheep” from “the wolves.”
7 Marks of False Teachers
I blog frequently on tips and tools for improving your Bible study skills, but what about discernment when listening to others?
Judging other believers
If a local church developed a schism such that it divided into opposing camps, both camps might be tempted to judge the other side using 1 John 2:9-:11. But the Apostle John did not write these verses to be a club to condemn each other.
Marriage God’s Way
Even the best couples are constantly working on their marriage. Join David & Krisan Marotta (married 31 years) as they examine what the Bible has to say about the commitment of marriage.
God is light
In 1 John, the Apostle John is writing to clarify the true gospel from the false gospels spreading through the early church. His first point is God is holy and you are not.
What is the Word of Life?
Is the gospel message of the Word of Life, a “pie in the sky” other worldly gospel? Suppose I give a starving person enough food to eat to this week and next week she starves. Have I failed?
Are older women invisible in the church?
Is “youth focused Christianity may be sidelining the gifts of older women”? In a sea of artful hipsters, older women feel invisible and overlooked.
Why calling does not begin with marriage
Does God have a “one-plan-fits-all” calling for women: marry, conceive children, raise children and become a grandmother?