Reminder - these Huddle Cards are entirely optional. Use as much or as little as you like. You, as the leader, can and should adapt, listen to and follow the Spirit as well as the movement and energy of your group. These are not assignments, just spring boards and ideas to help you have a zero prep meetup! If your group spends 20 minutes just laughing over ice cream, a little UNO, and only gets to one question, that’s still a relational win!
Blessings on you and your group!
Click on the week you want to use:
HUDDLE CARD — WEEK 1: IDENTITY
Target Time: 30–45 mins | all times below are suggestions, go a long or as short as your group desires.
Church Tab Reminder: Grab food/drinks first! Save your receipt for reimbursement.
Leader Tip for Week 1: Silence is okay! If they give one-word answers to the opener, don't rush to fill the quiet. Let them laugh and think.
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Gathering/Activity Options (5-10 minutes):
If your group is not familiar with one another, be sure to go around and share names. You could also add something else to share like a go-to dessert you enjoy, a place/space you find relaxing, one of your hobbies.
Pick one (or more) of the following, whatever you prefer:
1) Two truths and a dream:
This game is played just like two truths and lie, except you replace the lie statement with something you dream of, or hope etc.
2) Prediction: (Click here to download full instructions)
How To Play - Form a circle (including yourself.) Place a regular deck of playing cards (face down) in front of you. Over the course of the next few minutes, flip one playing card over at a time until the whole pack has been flipped.
Taking turns, each group member will nominate in advance what face value (number, not suit) the next flipped card will NOT be. The group’s ultimate goal is to flip the full deck of cards without having predicted any of them in advance. Once a nominated card has been flipped, the round ends. Note the number of cards remaining at the end of each round.
3) Veggie, Veggie: (Click here to download full instructions) - a silly game, that could make some feel awkward if you are in a public setting like a fast food joint. Just feel out the group.
Each person thinks of a vegetable and shares it with the rest of the group (to ensure there are no duplicates.) Once started, all talking must occur with one’s lips curled over their teeth (so no teeth can be seen.) When ready, one person will call out the name of their vegetable twice, and then follow it up with the name of someone else’s vegetable twice, eg “PUMPKIN- PUMPKIN, TOMATO-TOMATO.” The person who chose the second-named vegetable must quickly respond by saying the name of their vegetable twice, and then follow immediately with the name of another person’s vegetable, and so on.
The group aims to maintain an accurate and steady beat for as long as possible. When an individual shows their teeth or takes too long to respond when it’s their turn to talk, everyone stops. Once the laughter subsides, the neighbor to the left of the person who made the ‘mistake’ will start a new round. Continue play for several minutes, or until interest wanes.
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Connection and Bible Study
Topic: Identity - Who Am I?
Openers (5-10 min): (Pick one or use both to get everyone talking)
If you were an animal, what animal do you think you would be? (optional, share why)
On a scale of 1 to 10, how weird/silly are you when no one else is around?
Scripture (5-10 min):
Read - Genesis 1:26-28 – We reflect God's nature; emphasizes that humans are made reflecting God's nature and are blessed by Him. This is our true and most fundamental identify, a child of God.
Go further - Genesis 1:31, a beautiful reminder that God saw all that He had made and it was very good. or Psalm 139 if you group really wants to read more scripture.
Discuss (15 min):
What are some things that you would call “good.”
Do you think that is what God meant when he said, “it is good”? (It’s likely that many of their answers will be yes, and some will be no. This is meant to help us think about what “good” really means from God’s perspective!)
What does it mean to "reflect" someone else's nature/image? (Think sports, celebrities, even other friends)
If you are made to reflect God’s image, what does that say about you?
Practice (5-10 min):
Breathe. Sit in silence for 1 minutes.
Think of a word that comes to mind and reminds you of God’s presence. Write it down/remember it.
Recall this word throughout the week, maybe when you enter or leave a room, when you get up or go to bed, or before or after practice.
Pray
You can invite the group to pray together, or you can simply pray for your group.
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HUDDLE CARD — WEEK 2: Where do i belong?
Target Time: 30–45 mins | all times below are suggestions, go a long or as short as your group desires.
Church Tab Reminder: Grab food/drinks first! Save your receipt for reimbursement.
Leader Tip: If your group gets silly, distracted, or really engaged in conversation and you only get through 1 or 2 questions, that is still a total win. Don't stress about finishing every prompt. Connection is king!
Gathering/Activity Options (5-10 minutes):
Bring a deck of cards and/or a deck of UNO. This is a great fall back if the kids don’t seem interested in the other options.
1) Use any of the ideas from above
2) Group Jinx
This is a fun, light-hearted activity. Each person (or you can partner up) will get a piece of paper and a pen. Together pick a category — such as fruit, or sports, or farm animals. The goal is for everyone to write the same word on their paper, without consulting one another. To do this, each person/pair will write their answer from the category secretly on the paper. Then hand them back to you, the leader. You will then read the answers. If the group picked “fruit” as the category you may get answers like — apple, orange, banana. Not a jinx, and now those answers may NOT be used again. Return the papers to each person/pair. Invite them to write down a new secret answer (fruit), and return the papers to you. If you get — grapes, grapes, kiwi — the group is closer, but must try again and still cannot use any answers previously used. If in the third round the answers are — pineapple, pineapple, pineapple — you’ve won! Repeat with a new category if desired.
3) Dice Breaker
Bring one die (or a pair of dice). Simple roll it, and then answer the question the is connected to that number. You can write your own, or think of them together as a group. Or, you an open and use these pre-made lists (List 1 | List 2)
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Connection and Bible Study
Topic: Belonging - Where do I fit?
Openers: (Pick one or use both to get everyone talking)
What is an unusual or weird club you would instantly join if it existed at your school?
What is a team, club, or group you enjoyed being part of, and what made it good?
Scripture:
Read - John 14:15-21 — this passage highlights the beautiful belonging we have in the family of God. That we belong to God, and that we are united in Christ, “and you are in me, and I am in you.”
Go further - 1 Peter 4:7-11 — This passage expands the call of belonging beyond just being a part of. It is a connection that calls us to love each other deeply by also urging us to pray diligently and offer hospitality graciously. Love covers a multitude of sins!
Discuss: (No need to cover all these questions. Pick 2 or 3 questions that fit your group's energy/interest)
What is something you can’t see that you accept is actually there? (Prompt them if they can’t think of anything i.e. gravity, air, love?)
A different angle, what makes someone feel like they "belong" instead of just "fit in"?
What are the 'unseen' signs that help you know you belong to a group?
What are the signs that help you know that you belong to Jesus? (A focus for this gathering is to remind the kids that they are God’s beloved children, and the belong in Jesus. In the vine, they have life!)
Does this change how you see other people?
Practice:
Notice — Look around the room/restaurant you are in. Do you see “belonging”?
Give thanks — In at least one friendship or relationship this week, notice how it feels to belong. Pause and give God thanks that you belong above all to Jesus.
Pray
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HUDDLE CARD — WEEK 3
Target Time: 30–45 mins | all times below are suggestions, go a long or as short as your group desires.
Church Tab Reminder: Grab food/drinks first! Save your receipt for reimbursement.
Leader Tip: Middle schoolers may feel awkward naming their own talents. If they freeze up on the question, "What are you naturally good at?", you could pivot and ask the group to name strengths they see in each other.
Gathering/Activity Options (5-10 minutes):
Bring a deck of cards and/or a deck of UNO.
1) Stone Stacking - this can be adapted a variety of way, but you do need to bring some paper — scrap paper is great if you have it!
How To Play — Distribute five sheets of paper to each person, have extras available. Using one sheet at a time, invite each person to write one hope or dream on their paper. When ready, ask each person to crumple these sheets tightly into a ‘stone.’ Create five ‘stones’ from all five sheets of paper. Then, invite each person to attempt to stack and balance all five stones on top of each other. Then invite them to reflect on this exercise.
Tip — Other things can be written on the papers besides hope or dreams as well, given the study, maybe it’s gifts or abilities they are grateful God has given them.
Sharing — You could share on how they felt about the activity. If they don’t share on their own, here are a few ideas for questions — How did you feel during the activity? What were you focused on? What did you realize or discover about yourself during the exercise? How would you describe balance? (Use examples). What are some practices you can use to find balance in your life, school, sports, etc?
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Connection and Bible Study
Topic: How has God wired me and why?
Openers: (Pick one or use both to get everyone talking)
If you could instantly download one skill/ability, what would it be?
What is a talent or skill that God designed you to have?
Scripture: (Read at least one. Pick others if there is time or interest)
Read - 1 Peter 4:10-11 – Here we are invited to use whatever gift we have received to do God’s work, as they are all given by God’s grace.
Go further - 1 Timothy 4:10-12 — written by the Apostle Paul to a young church leader named Timothy. It tells young people to live in such a way that good virtue and character is what matters, the way of Christ in all we do.
Matthew 22:37-38 — This reminds us, as we consider our purpose, that ultimately the most important purpose is to love God above all and to love others.
Discuss: (No need to cover all these questions. Pick 2 or 3 questions that fit your group's energy/interest)
What is something you enjoy doing so much you could lose track of time doing it?
What is something you feel like you are naturally good at?
How could those things just shared be used to help others?
Can you think of someone you know who clearly uses their gifts to serve or bless others in some way?
Practice:
Gratitude — Try ending each day thanking God for 3 things, recognizing how God used your unique strengths or given you gifts that day. Write them down.
Pray:
Pray together. Each person can give God thanks for something — a talent, gift, or anything else they are grateful for.
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HUDDLE CARD — WEEK 4
Church Tab Reminder: Don’t forget to save your receipt for reimbursement.
Leader Tip: This week addresses the question kids start asking in adolescence, “what difference can I make in the world.” One thing we can all do, and a difference we can make is to live like Jesus. Hopefully, if nothing else, we can share this message with the students this week.
Gathering/Activity Options (5-10 minutes):
Bring a game or a deck of UNO.
Play “First to Five” — simply ask questions of the group. If anyone can answer, “yes” it is true about them, they get to hold up one finger. Keep asking questions until someone has 5 fingers raised. Or, play until 10 fingers are raised. Here’s a list of questions you could use.
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Connection and Bible Study
Topic: What can I do?
Openers: (Pick one or use both to get everyone talking)
If there were no rules and no boundaries, could any sport exist? What about no referee? Explain
On a scale of 1-5, how well would a musical turn out, if there was no script and no director?
Scripture: (Read at least one. Pick others if there is time or interest)
Read - Micah 6:8 – This was a command requiring God’s people to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.
Go further - Luke 4:18-19, Jesus boldly announced His mission when he read this passage of Isaiah, another place God’s people are told to seek justice and correct oppression. In the Gospels we essentially hear Jesus say, "If you want to know what it looks like to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God—watch me."
Discuss: (No need to cover all these questions. Pick 2 or 3 questions that fit your group's energy/interest)
Can you think of time Jesus lived out mercy, justice, humility, or another fruit of the spirit?
Justice is joining God in making things right whenever we see that the “rules” or “boundaries” of life are broken. What are examples of things that are “broken” or “out-of-bounds”? In school? In home? Other places?
Explain — The catch-all term for all that stuff that is out of order is “sin.” Justice and compassion simply mean—what we can do to help—to work to see it, feel the pain of it, and work alongside Jesus to set it all right. This is the way of Jesus.
Based on what we know Jesus did, what can we do?
Practice:
Spend 30-60 seconds in silence — Ask God to open your heart and/or your eyes to something that is unjust or broken and then ask God if there is an invitation for you to help make a difference in that situation or issue.
Pray:
Invite the group to pray one word (or more) prayers. Leader can close it out.
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