The following activity comes from Barnabas Children’s Ministry. See full directions along with the objects for each location here: A Labyrinth for Lent. A downloadable PDF version is available at the bottom of the page.
The Idea
Lent is the time for this sort of self-examination and perhaps you could set aside part of the church or a hall for a weekend for this activity at the beginning of this season of the church year.
This “labyrinth” was first devised and used on an all-age parish weekend. It is something that, once set up, can be allowed to run on its own, to be visited by individuals or groups at their convenience. The idea is to provide a way of taking time out for a spiritual check-up using the format of a visit to a health spa or gym. Clever, right? The participants go from room to room, and in each space they do an activity or reflection, connected to a Bible verse.
This activity works with children, youth, adults. The result is that participants will deepen self-understanding, have an exciting experience of prayer, learn about important Bible passages, and more!
Creating the “Rooms”
Setting up the labyrinth will need some time and thought. You will need eleven spaces at which those traveling this journey can stop, reflect and take part in a simple activity. A traditional labyrinth has these spaces on the way to and from the center of a winding path.
However, keep this simple and merely use whatever large space you have and divide it up into a series of ‘rooms’, with some partitions if possible (even just chairs) and leave enough space for up to three or four people at a time in each area.
The Rooms and the Bible Verses
The eleven ‘rooms’ and the Bible verses are as follows.
1. Safe space – Matthew 11:28-29
2. The changing room – Hebrews 12:1
3. Personal trainer – 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
4. Exercise – 1 Timothy 4:9-10
5. Diet – John 4:13-14 and John 6:35
6. The jacuzzi – Psalm 139:1-16; 23-24
7. The temple – 1 Corinthians 6:19 and Ephesians 2:22
8. Jesus on the cross – Isaiah 53:2-9
9. Jesus in majesty – Philippians 2:5-11
10. The team – Colossians 3:15 and Ephesians 4:2-3
11. The vision – Luke 4:18-19
The Directions for Each “Room”
In each room there are objects or an activity, along with instructions about what to do. The Bible verse is included in the instructions and should be read aloud. If you have the time and equipment, then recording the words on to MP3 players for individuals to use would be a great idea.
Barnabas Children’s Ministry is one of the core ministries of BRF (Bible Reading Fellowship) in England. As part of their ministry, they provide a growing range of resources for parents, teachers and others who work with children up to the age of 11.