Church Team-Building Exercises

Learning to work together as a team is essential for any organization, especially a church team.

When working together as a church team, you and your fellow congregants will need and want to function in a friendly, productive manner. Overcoming any barriers that may stand in the way of working effectively toward a group goal is vital and will set a good example for other church members.

Scavenger Hunt

Create a list of random items or locations around town and divide your team members into two or more even teams. Set a deadline to meet back at a central location and give each team a copy of the list of items. When your team members are out working together to achieve a deadline-driven goal, they'll learn how to work with each other and have a chance to bond on a more personal level.

Transport the Stick

Give your team members a long stick to transport across a room. The stick begins on the floor and must finish on the floor. The catch is that each team member can only touch the stick with one index finger and all team members must be touching the stick at all times. It's not an easy task and can be frustrating, so the team must work together with their critical thinking skills to overcome the challenge.

String Handcuffs

Divide your group into teams of two and give each pair a string. Tie the ends of the string around the two team members' wrists, crossing it between the two. Each pair must figure out how to free themselves from one another without removing, untying or cutting their string in any way. In this activity, your team members must use critical thinking skills to get themselves out of the tricky situation.

Silent and Blind Hike

Assign pairs amongst your team members and take them to the middle of the woods or some other uneven terrain. Blindfold one partner and have the other lead him along the hike, keeping him safe from potential dangers like tree stumps, limbs in the face or rocks on the ground. The hike is silent, however, so the "seeing" partner has to come up with creative ways of warning her partner about potential dangers; this will get creative juices flowing and teach the participants to put complete trust in each other.

Story Sharing

When team members share stories with each other, they gain a better understanding of each individual and why he is the person he has become. Topics are wide open and can include things like scariest moment, embarrassing fact, proudest accomplishment or who you look up to and why.

References

• Wilderom: Helium Stick
• University of Illinois: Team Building Activity - Handcuffs
• TeamBuilding USA: Scavenger Hunt
• Ultimate Camp Resource: Team Building Activities