68 – Word Hunt
A weekly blog of Creative Ideas for Leading Worship
Word Hunt
Kinetic Scripture Assembly
Scripture is often experienced passively – read aloud from a lectern, printed in bulletins, or projected on screens while the congregation listens quietly.
But what if Scripture could be found – not just heard? What if the congregation had to move, search, and assemble the Bible text with their own hands before it could be proclaimed?
This activity transforms Scripture reading into a communal, participatory experience.
Rather than beginning with a completed text, worshippers are invited to prepare it together – literally piecing it together from fragments hidden throughout the worship space.
How It Works
Before the service, print key words or short phrases from the day’s Scripture reading onto individual cards. Keep the selections simple – one word or phrase per card.
Hide the cards around the worship space: on window ledges, tucked under chairs, clipped to pew backs, pinned to fabric drapes – anywhere visible but not obvious.
Before the reading begins, invite the congregation to help uncover the “missing pieces” of the passage. Encourage all ages to participate.
As each person finds a card, they bring it forward and pin it to a central board or place it on a large table. As the board or table fills, the Scripture begins to take shape – one word at a time, built by many hands.
Why It Works
This practice shifts a passive moment into a shared act of attention. The physical movement of searching mirrors the spiritual act of seeking God.
As people move through the space, they’re not just looking for cards – they’re looking for meaning.
Assembling the Scripture as a community reinforces a vital theological truth: the Word belongs to all of us. We build it together.
The process often sparks curiosity – Why was this word chosen? Where does it fit? It can even stir moments of revelation, as someone notices how a single found word – like grace or light – suddenly feels deeply personal.
This activity is especially meaningful in intergenerational settings. Children and adults alike engage with Scripture on a tactile level.
Those who may struggle with auditory or abstract learning find a new way in. And the resulting shared text becomes more than a reading – it becomes a communal creation.
Practical Tips
- Choose a short passage with 10–15 keywords or phrases to keep the activity manageable.
- Use clear, bold fonts and durable cardstock so the cards are easy to read and reusable.
- If young children are present, appoint helpers to guide the assembly process.
- Once all words are gathered, read the completed Scripture aloud together.
- Consider leaving the assembled passage on display after the service as a visual testimony.
All you need is a handful of printed words – and the willingness to trust that God moves as people move.
In Word Hunt, the congregation doesn’t just hear the Word – they seek it, touch it, build it, and become part of its unfolding.
As a variation, allow people to place the cards in any order they choose, rather than the original Scripture sequence – inviting a new, Spirit-led story or message to emerge collectively.
Ngā mihi
Philip