What it’s for
This program helps participants experience:
Why “missing the mark” is not an exception but the normal human condition, and why brokenness is deeply linked with human nature.
We don’t need the Bible to tell us we live in a broken world: by living in it, we learn that we are all broken people, and broken differently. The program is designed not to condemn, but to help people name what they already sense, and so prepare them to hear the gospel with honesty.
What they may discover
Even sincere effort cannot reliably produce “bullseye righteousness” when the standard is holy, distance increases and vision is impaired, and shame often follows failure unless grace interrupts.
Don’t explain this before the activity unless safety or clarity requires it. Let the group feel the pattern before naming its meaning.
Before you begin
What you need
- A magnetic dartboard and magnetic darts.
- Blindfolds or eye masks.
- Optional: painter’s tape for throwing lines, a timer, a scoresheet or whiteboard.
Decide beforehand
- Whether everyone throws or only volunteers (either works; keep it invitational).
- Who will keep score and time.
- Your accessibility alternative: observing and recording patterns.
How it unfolds
- Hang the dartboard securely at a good height and tape two throwing lines, Near and Far. Keep the throwing lane clear.
- Tell the group: “It’s meant to be fun, but also to help us notice something about ourselves. Don’t rush past what you feel as the conditions change.” Each person gets three shots per round, one thrower at a time.
- Round 1, baseline: each person takes three shots from the Near line. This is doable, but the bullseye is still small.
- Round 2, distance: everyone throws three more from the Far line. The target is the same; distance makes hitting the standard feel dramatically harder.
- Round 3, darkness: volunteers only return to the Near line and throw three shots blindfolded, with a facilitator within arm’s reach. Without sight, intention is not enough.
- Step back together and look at where the darts landed.
Accessibility and safety
- One thrower at a time; no one crosses the line while darts are thrown.
- Keep it playful, not competitive. Comment on the changing conditions, never on someone’s skill.
- No teasing, and no interpreting misses as “spiritual failures.” Observers can record patterns, keep score or retrieve darts.
The discussion
Take time here. The discussion is part of the program, not an optional explanation afterward.
- Experience: What did you feel in each round? What changed in you when the distance increased, and when your eyes were covered?
- Observation: In archery, what does the referee say when you “miss the mark”? What patterns did you notice across the rounds?
- Interpretation: What might the bullseye, the distance and the eye mask represent?
- Scripture: How do these passages name our condition honestly without crushing us? Where do you see God’s nearness to the brokenhearted? What is the difference between conviction and condemnation?
- Response: What would it look like to move toward God rather than hiding? What support do you need from community to walk in the light?
Naming what happened
- The bullseye is the standard of God. Sin is anywhere away from the bullseye.
- Distance pictures how close our relationship with God is (an oversimplified depiction). Nearness makes it easier to follow the Way of God.
- The eye covering is “walking in darkness” before we know God: we cannot hit the bullseye of righteousness by our own willpower.
Scripture: Romans 3:23 · Ecclesiastes 7:20 · 1 John 1:7–10 · John 3:17 · Psalm 34:18 · Matthew 5:3
God names sin truthfully, and God meets the brokenhearted with mercy.
If brokenness is universal, the next question is not “Who is the worst?” but “Where did this fracture come from, and why are we so vulnerable to it?” From here the group enters Genesis 3.
Bring it to your group
These resources may be used in churches, small groups, classes, discipleship cohorts, workshops, retreats and personal study. Before you lead one:
- Adapt the examples to your local context.
- Keep the biblical and theological structure.
- Don’t remove the formation practices just to save time.
- Prepare your facilitators before the group begins.
Full facilitator guides, with setup, timing, safety notes and discussion questions, are available on request. For teaching, publishing, translation, partnership or licensing, contact The Garden Project.