Ideas for Christian Ministries

These are some ideas how one can enhance building a team in a group.

• The Human Machine
• Human Knots
• Crowded House
• Shuffle the papers

Time required

Size of group

Material required

Procedure

1. Break the groups into teams (if necessary)
2. Give the teams five minutes to design a human machine where every member is one component of the machine. Each action triggers another one.
3. Each team demonstrates its 'human machine'

Discussion points

1. Did everybody feel comfortable with this game?
2. What did we learn?

Time required

Size of group

Material required

Procedure

1. Ask people to stand in a tight circle facing inward.
2. Ask people to raise their left hand and to point their right hand to the centre.
3. When everybody has done so, ask the participants to lower their left hand and grab another right hand (both sides are fine).
4. Give the order to entangle themselves without breaking contact and form another circle.

Discussion points

1. Did anybody break contact?
2. Would it have been possible to complete the task? Why?
3. Did anyone undertake specific roles during the game?
4. Should we do it again?

Time required

Size of group

Material required

Procedure

1. Stick for strips of tape to the floor forming a square big enough for all the participants to stand inside it.
2. Ask the participants to step inside the square. You may want to make up a story.
3. When all are inside, ask them to step out again. Remove one strip and make the square smaller in size.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until all the participants are squeezing in and holding on to each other.

Discussion points

1. Did anybody feel uncomfortable?
2. How does everybody feel about their own personal space?
3. What can we learn?

Time required

Size of group

Material required

Procedure

1. Break into teams of about 7.
2. Give each team a complete magazine
3. The team's task is to sort all of the sheets into the correct order.

Discussion points

1. Did a leader emerge in each team?
2. Was the leader elected or did she or he just take over?
3. Was the leader effective?
4. How did the other individuals feel about the leadership role?
5. What can we learn?