Outline of a Bible Builders Session

The following is just an example of how you could run a Bible Builders session in your church. Feel free to adapt it to suit your group and setting.

Room Layout

Of course, every setting is different so you will need to do what is appropriate to your setting and the size of group that you have. But essentially, you will need to think about the spaces that you are going to use to build your models. We have found it’s a good idea to have chairs around tables. This can be one big table or several tables around the room.
Each table should have a box of LEGO in the middle of the table, ready to start building. We have found that some of the LEGO sets that come in plastic boxes are ideal for this. You can add other sets to them to bump them up a bit and give more variety.

Welcome

When your guests arrive at Bible Builders you want them to feel welcome and at home. People who come to Bible Builders may not be used to church so help them to feel at ease. It’s a good idea to have some music playing so as the room isn’t silent, and you may want to consider offering refreshments as people come in. This gives them something to do while waiting for others to arrive and it gives you an easy conversation starter with new people. When you feel most people are present, give a formal welcome to Bible Builders.

Quick Building Challenge

Your guests are likely to be eager to build something, so get them started quickly with a quick building challenge. This should be something fairly simple that can be completed within about 5-10 minutes.

Once you have called time, go round each person/team and ask them to explain what they have built. If your group is not too big it might be a good idea to ask people to move and gather around as you go from person to person. This encourages people to stop building their own model and focus attention on someone else.

Story Time

Tell the story for the day. You can simply play the video (where available) or download the PowerPoints and script to read through it yourself.

Big Building Challenge

This is an opportunity to build something that takes a little longer. Lego models can take longer than you think so you should aim to give at least 20-30 minutes for this. While people build, it is a great opportunity to engage in conversation or help people with their build. This all helps to build relationships.

Again, once you have called time, go round each person/team and ask them to explain what they have built.

Star Builder (Optional)

Choose a star builder for the day and present them with a small prize (e.g. a chocolate bar). You can of course reward more than just the best model. For example, you could reward creativity, originality, or even teamwork.

Song

You may like to round off Bible Builders with a song that fits the theme. Remember your guests may not be familiar with the songs so be prepared to teach them (just like you might with a new song in church)

Prayer

Finish with a prayer reflecting what you have been thinking about. You can also offer a prayer of blessing for the families that are present.

Date of Next Bible Builders

Thank your guests for joining you. Ask if they’ve had a good time and don’t forget to give out the date of the next Bible Builders.