The Facilitating Teambuilding topic was shared to a Christian audience & is written from that perspective. The guidelines are very much applicable no matter your participant build-up. Downloadable Teambuilding Presentation Slides are available.
Aim: To learn we are all parts of Christ’s body building each other up in love.
Verse: Instead speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (Eph 4:15-16)
Introduction
What is a team? What does building up mean?
What is teambuilding?
Why is teambuilding important?
Today we will learn…
A. Teambuilding Purpose
Love – Family loves us. Our Father in heaven loves us even more.
Doing anything – Starts from the heart – ‘Busy-ness’ trap; More important is our heart. Heart > Mind > Actions
What purpose? –
- Get to know each other better (encourage one another) & build relationships (no divisions)
- Motivate team members (iron sharpens iron)
- Improve communication & team work (two are better than one)
- Develop problem solving skills (God’s handiwork. God prepared us in advance)
- Identify those with leadership potential (Following e.g. JC our shepherd, servant leadership)
Clarity of purpose: Do you see God’s purpose? Glorifying God?
Principle: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
Illustration:
Ask silly Q. What is the purpose of a potato? We are even less than a potato. More like a rock. For you & I, nothing is more necessary than to serve God
Application:
How is God working in your life for the good of others?
Will you seek God for His purpose & will appropriately before any teambuilding activity?
B. Teambuilding Planning
Start planning always with prayer
Games meets purpose set out?
Ice breather necessary? All know each other well already?
Physical exertion activities?
Mental activities?
Ice breaker > Mental > Phys
Each duration <30mons inc briefing time
If longer have breaks in between – stretching/transition activities
Backup activity
Rehearsal esp if new activity or bit al helpers familiar – at least 1 wk before
Planning Info
- Attendees age gender education level etc
- Instructions language level 7yr old std 1
- location indoor outdoor both
- Duration days & hours?
- Weather expected (use technology weather forecast)
- Helpers
- Equipment
- Logistics
Caution
Games element of danger, painful?
Get enough rest night before (facilitator & participants)
Humiliating? Too much physical contact between genders
First aid personnel & equipment identified & briefed activities happening
Know participants brief medical bg/conditions – asthma, fractured arm just healed
Principle: The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. (Proverbs 21:5)
Illustration: Whatis required if you want to cook & prepare for a small party? You need to plan your menu, know how many people coming, know your budget, know where to buy what, know how to cook. If not you may find yourself late & stressed out in preparing the meal.
Application:
Will you spend time in prayer & planning for teambuilding activities?
Will you obey & make preparations God asks you to ready in your life?
C. Teambuilding Execution et cetera
Not just do activity/play game. Important to share purpose (alignment)
Share bible verse but don’t force it (spiritual development through tb activities)
Trust participants & tell participants of your trust in them to play according to rules wo cheating.
Allow HS to work to make changes in activities if necessary
What activities participants enjoy/dislike
Build a list of activities – future ref self & others. Can compile online document.
Sample activities
Give Others a Hand
| Pax: Any |
Location: Anywhere |
| Equipment: Marker/Pen, Paper, Tape/Safety Pins |
| Description: Trace their own hand on paper and pin it on their back. Then the whole group walks around and writes a one word POSITIVE description of the person who se back they are writing on. (e.g. Pretty, Fun, Loving, Helpful).
Give everyone enough time to circulate. Have every one come to the front & read what is written about them.
|
| Purpose: You learn to appreciate others. You learn about yourself. Helps build self esteem. |
Bible Verse: 1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. |
Friends Influence
| Pax: Suggested 6 |
Location: Indoors |
| Equipment: Blindfold |
| Description:
1 person to be blindfolded & led to middle of room.
Without letting blindfolded person know, 4 persons stand far left & 1 person on far right.
Explain to blindfolded person that others are to lead the person to where they are shouting directions. |
| Purpose: Blindfolded person should end up with the one with 4 people because combined volume louder. This is the effect of peer pressure from friends. The more people you have saying something, the more likely you will follow them. Are your friends those who will give you good Godly advice? |
| Bible Verse: Proverbs 13:20 ESV
“Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” |
Trust Fall
| Pax: Groups of 3 or more |
Location: Any |
| Equipment: None |
| Description:
Two or more people face each other and interlock hands.
One person should stiffen and fall backwards into the arms of the people catching.
Care should be taken that the two players who are acting as “catchers” are strong enough to hold the person who is falling & are ready to catch. |
| Purpose:
In whom (or what) do we put our trust?
What is involved in trust?
How do you decide whether someone is trustworthy?
How do you earn trust? |
| Bible Verse: Proverbs 3:5 NIV
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding; |
Principle: 14What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (James 2:14-17)
Illustration: A man was trapped in his house during a flood. He began praying to God to rescue him. He had a vision in his head of God’s hand reaching down from heaven and lifting him to safety. The water started to rise in his house. His neighbour urged him to leave and offered him a ride to safety. The man yelled back, “I am waiting for God to save me.” The neighbour drove off in his pick-up truck.
The man continued to pray and hold on to his vision. As the water began rising in his house, he had to climb up to the roof. A boat came by with some people heading for safe ground. They yelled at the man to grab a rope they were ready to throw and take him to safety. He told them that he was waiting for God to save him. They shook their heads and moved on.
The man continued to pray, believing with all his heart that he would be saved by God. The flood waters continued to rise. A helicopter flew by and a voice came over a loudspeaker offering to lower a ladder and take him off the roof. The man waved the helicopter away, shouting back that he was waiting for God to save him. The helicopter left. The flooding water came over the roof and caught him up and swept him away. He drowned.
When he reached heaven and asked, “God, why did you not save me? I believed in you with all my heart. Why did you let me drown?” God replied, “I sent you a pick-up truck, a boat and a helicopter and you refused all of them. What else could I possibly do for you?”
Application:
Will you work wholeheartedly preparing for a teambuilding activity you are called to lead/help in?
Will you ask God to change your heart to take action & be bold for Him?
Conclusion
Teambuilding activities are fun, challenging & filled with laughter.
However teambuilding activities, especially for a Christian, are not just that!
Teambuilding activities like each part of our daily lives is for:-
- Glorifying God & seeking His Will
- Building each other up & grooming leaders
- Sharing God’s love & our testimony through action
Will you take up the challenge to lead & help in teambuilding activities that are pleasing to our Lord?
Download Teambuilding Presentation Slides
Proverbs 