Ideas for icebreakers at Bible study
- Campus Light College Church
- Aug 26
- 3 min read
Are you a student leader for a Christian group on a university campus? Have you run into a situation where you're organizing a Bible study but not sure what icebreaker to do? Do you feel like you spend too much time thinking about a good one?
We got you!
Here at Campus Light, icebreakers are a must-have during Bible Studies. They help break awkward silences, warm up the group, and create a sense of community. We’ve compiled a list for you based on group size and setting so that you have go-to ideas every week, without the last-minute scramble.
Get-to-Know-You Icebreakers
These are perfect for the start of a semester or when new faces are in the room. They’re all about building connections and shared experiences.
1. 4 Corners
How it works: Come up with a preference question with two clear choices (e.g., “Morning person or night owl?” “Beach or mountains?”). Have participants physically move to one side of the room based on their answer. Then, have people pair up or form groups on each side and share why they chose that option. Repeat with new questions using front/back or diagonal corners.Tip: Start with light or funny questions before moving deeper.
2. Quick Personality Quiz
How it works: Use a 1-minute personality quiz like the 4 animals (Lion, Otter, Golden Retriever, Beaver) quiz. Have students read their results and then find others with the same outcome. Each group discusses what they agree with or disagree with in their description.Tip: Keep the tone light—emphasize that it’s just for fun!
3. Two Truths and a Lie
How it works: Each person says two true things and one false thing about themselves. The group has to guess which one is the lie.Tip: Encourage creativity or humor! Works great with smaller groups (under 10 people).
Fun Icebreakers
Use these to get people laughing and moving. Great for kicking off a longer meeting with an energizing atmosphere.
1. Human Bingo
How it works: Prepare a bingo sheet with prompts like “Has run a marathon,” “Can play an instrument,” or “Has traveled to another continent.” Everyone mingles and tries to find someone for each square. First one to get five in a row wins.Tip: Add some funny or themed options like “Knows all the VeggieTales songs.”
2. Zoomed-in Picture Guesses
How it works: Find some pictures online (literally anything, like animals, nature, etc.) and start with a zoomed-in view of the picture, then slowly zoom out until someone in the room guesses the answer.Tip: If the group already knows each other well, then you can choose pictures (maybe about someone in the group) to spice it up a bit!
3. Line-Up Challenge
How it works: Without speaking, participants must line up in order based on criteria you give (e.g., birthday, height, number of siblings). Then, go through the line and check how accurate they were.Tip: Add fun music and a timer to increase energy.
Meaningful Icebreakers
Perfect for transitioning into Bible study. These warm up hearts and lower barriers for connecting and fellowshiping.
1. One Word Check-In
How it works: Ask everyone to share one word that describes how they’re feeling this week. Optional: let them elaborate for 1-2 sentences.Tip: Go first to model honesty!
2. Highs & Lows (or Roses & Thorns)
How it works: Each person shares a high point and a low point from their week.Tip: Allow people to pass if they’re uncomfortable. Works best in smaller, closer groups.
Tips for Running Icebreakers Well
Know Your Group. If it’s the first time meeting, stick to light or silly icebreakers. If the group is more established, feel free to go deeper.
Background Music. Whenever possible, try to find appropriate background music for the different icebreaker settings.
Be Time-Aware. Icebreakers should take 5-10 minutes. Don’t let it derail the entire study unless it’s a bonding-focused meeting. Remember, less is more!
Don’t Force It. If someone doesn’t want to participate, let them pass with kindness. People warm up at different rates.
Tie It Together. Choose icebreakers (or questions) that can segue into your Bible study theme if possible. It creates a more intentional flow!
Icebreakers don’t have to be awkward or stressful. With the right tools and a little prep, they can kick off your Bible Study with a warm atmosphere, setting the stage for meaningful fellowship and discussions!
The author of this post is Xunkai Chen. He is currently a PhD candidate and graduate researcher in chemical engineering at Princeton University.
You can email Campus Light at campuslightchurch@gmail.com.
You can also check out campuslight.org for more info.