Bible Battle is a capture the flag type game but with Bibles.  The children form two teams who take turns working their way across the playing field to capture the opposing team’s flag and return it to their flag station. 

Setup

You will need two flags of different colors.  I use a red and a blue one.  The team’s names are the same as the color of the flag they are defending.  Place the flags in opposite corners of the room.

In the other two corners of the room mark off three adjacent squares.  Each square should be large enough for two children to stand in.  I like to use masking tape for these jobs.

You will also need ten to twenty bibles.

Divide the children into two teams.  Try to keep the numbers and level of bible knowledge as even as possible between the teams.  Have each team gather near their flags.

Briefly explain the rules to the children.  Be sure that you stress what a “step” is.  I know that sounds weird but it’s amazing how many kids consider a flying leap to be a step.  I define a step as being any movement that does not allow both feet to be off the ground at the same time.  So, giant steps are allow but jumps are not.

Game Play

Startup

To start, flip a coin or use another method to decide which team goes first.  We will assume the Red team won the toss.

Movement

The game leader now calls out “Red Team Move” in a loud voice.

The Red Team can now move.  The children have the option of taking any size step they want in any direction they want or they can decide not to move.  This is entirely up to them. 
At this point in time, if a child on the Red Team reaches out and touches a member of the Blue Team they have initiated a Bible Battle.  See below for the Battle rules.
If a member of the Red Team can reach the Blue Team’s flag they can take it during this movement phase.
If a member of the Red Team can place the Blue Team’s flag in the Red Team’s flag station they can do this now and win the game!

Once any Bible Battles have been resolved the game leader calls out “Blue Team Move!” in a loud voice.

The Blue Team can now move in the same manner as the Red Team did in the step above.

Continue alternating team movements between Red and Blue Teams until one of the teams place the opposing teams flag in it’s own flag station or you run out of time to play.

Resolving Bible Battles

If a member of one teams tags a member of another team they must battle to stay on the field. 

Both participants take a Bible and hold it over high over their head with the binding in their hand (no fingers stuck in to mark their place).   The game leader then calls out a book from the Bible (you can call out verses to make it more difficult).  The leader then says “Go!”.  The first person to find that book (or verse) gets to stay on the field.  The other person goes to the square closest to the wall in their jail.

It is possible for more that two people to take part in a battle.  If two members of the Blue team touch the same person on the Red team then it’s a two against one battle.  You can have as many people in a battle as can touch each other.  But, each person can only be in one battle at a time.  So, you may need to choose which battle that person is to take part in.

Whenever more than two people are in a battle every  person receives a Bible and attempts to find the assigned book first.  The first person to find the book wins for their team.  And, all of the opposing teams members involved in the battle go to jail.

Getting Out of Jail

When a child goes to jail they go to the square that is farthest from their flag station.

Each time their team is called on to move they move one square closer to their flag station.

By their third turn in jail they will have reached the last square and can move onto the field and continue play.  Their movement begins from the jail.

Flag Movement

Once a member of a team can reach the opposing team’s flag they may take it during their turn to move.  The person that takes the flag is the “flag carrier”.

Children may not pass the flag from person to person.  The flag carrier is the only person who can carry the flag.  The other children on the flag carriers team must now concentrate on protecting the flag carrier.

The flag carrier can initiate battles and must take part in them when they are tagged.

If the flag carrier loses a battle they must give the flag to the person who won the battle.  The winner of the battle is now the flag carrier and must attempt to return the flag to their flag station without losing it to the other team in a battle.

Winning the Game

A team wins when it places the opposing team’s flag in their own flag station.

-or-

If you run out of time.  Which ever team has come closest to retrieving the other flag and placing it in their flag station is the winner.