9 Oct 2026, 12:30Deborah Lessa
Brazilian Couple Introduces Board Games to Bible Studies in Limerick
Have you ever thought about using games in a Bible study with teenagers?
That’s exactly what Antony Bauermann and his wife, Letícia, have been doing with a teenage Bible study group at the Seventh-day Adventist congregation in Limerick. The couple love games, especially board games, and have built up quite a collection over the years. But the idea of bringing games into church didn’t start in Ireland.
Originally from Brazil, Antony and Letícia used to help with a teenage Sabbath School group called Geração Resgate (Rescue Generation) at their local church in the Camaquã neighbourhood of Porto Alegre, Brazil. There, they began to see how games could help teenagers connect with one another while also helping them understand and put biblical lessons into practice.
When they moved to Ireland, they wanted to continue using their gifts and interests to serve the church. In time, they became involved with the teens' Sabbath School at the Limerick congregation, and the games came with them.
“I love board games in general. I have a collection, so I thought, why not use them to teach and explain Bible subjects?” Antony said. “We normally use icebreakers to help people connect with one another, so I thought, why not use a game as an icebreaker, but also as a way to teach and introduce the theme? I can see that they are putting into practice what we are learning, and the topics become clearer to them.”
For the teenagers, the difference is something they can experience for themselves. Mary-Anne Magaya, who attends the group in Limerick, explained how playing a game can turn something they have discussed during Bible study into a practical experience. “The games help me understand the lesson because you get to really put it into play,” she said.
For Mary-Anne, playing a game connected to the lesson helps bring the biblical teaching to life.“Playing games like this help you see what it actually means to be patient. Sometimes we forget that God is love, so when it says in 1 Corinthians 13, ‘Love is patient, love is kind,’ we remember that God is patient and God is kind too, and He will always be there for us. I think the games help me understand that myself.”
Another teenager in the group, Azriela Bimha, also saw the connection between the game and the lesson. “The game that we were playing today was teaching us how to be patient, how to wait for your turn and wait for your opportunity to play,” she explained. “Our lesson for this week was about ‘love is patient’, so it really helps us understand what being patient actually looks like.”
For Azriela, it was also a reminder that putting a familiar biblical teaching into practice is not always as simple as saying it. “So many times we say, ‘Love is patient,’ but being patient takes a lot of effort and a lot of work”, she added.
For Antony and Letícia, something they already enjoyed doing together has become another way of helping young people engage with the Bible, not only by hearing its lessons, but by finding simple ways to experience and practise them together.
Have you ever thought about using games in a Bible study with teenagers?
That’s exactly what Antony Bauermann and his wife, Letícia, have been doing with a teenage Bible study group at the Seventh-day Adventist congregation in Limerick. The couple love games, especially board games, and have built up quite a collection over the years. But the idea of bringing games into church didn’t start in Ireland.
Originally from Brazil, Antony and Letícia used to help with a teenage Sabbath School group called Geração Resgate (Rescue Generation) at their local church in the Camaquã neighbourhood of Porto Alegre, Brazil. There, they began to see how games could help teenagers connect with one another while also helping them understand and put biblical lessons into practice.
When they moved to Ireland, they wanted to continue using their gifts and interests to serve the church. In time, they became involved with the teens' Sabbath School at the Limerick congregation, and the games came with them.
“I love board games in general. I have a collection, so I thought, why not use them to teach and explain Bible subjects?” Antony said. “We normally use icebreakers to help people connect with one another, so I thought, why not use a game as an icebreaker, but also as a way to teach and introduce the theme? I can see that they are putting into practice what we are learning, and the topics become clearer to them.”
For the teenagers, the difference is something they can experience for themselves. Mary-Anne Magaya, who attends the group in Limerick, explained how playing a game can turn something they have discussed during Bible study into a practical experience. “The games help me understand the lesson because you get to really put it into play,” she said.
For Mary-Anne, playing a game connected to the lesson helps bring the biblical teaching to life.“Playing games like this help you see what it actually means to be patient. Sometimes we forget that God is love, so when it says in 1 Corinthians 13, ‘Love is patient, love is kind,’ we remember that God is patient and God is kind too, and He will always be there for us. I think the games help me understand that myself.”
Another teenager in the group, Azriela Bimha, also saw the connection between the game and the lesson. “The game that we were playing today was teaching us how to be patient, how to wait for your turn and wait for your opportunity to play,” she explained. “Our lesson for this week was about ‘love is patient’, so it really helps us understand what being patient actually looks like.”
For Azriela, it was also a reminder that putting a familiar biblical teaching into practice is not always as simple as saying it. “So many times we say, ‘Love is patient,’ but being patient takes a lot of effort and a lot of work”, she added.
For Antony and Letícia, something they already enjoyed doing together has become another way of helping young people engage with the Bible, not only by hearing its lessons, but by finding simple ways to experience and practise them together.
