Teamwork

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Teamwork

Whatever we do in school or after school and wherever we are, a really important thing is teamwork. Teamwork is about working together well in a team. You will find yourself in all kinds of teams – in sports events, in classes, in school events, at work, in a family. So learning how to work well in teams is really important. 

Team Game

Caution – make sure you have space and possibly permission that this works safely in the place you are. You may need to get young people beforehand to volunteer or be volunteered by staff! You will need 2-3 groups of 3 people each.

The game is simple. Each team has to go between point A to point B and back to point A as fast and safely as possible. The way they have to do this is by 2 team members facing the same direction and then holding hands with one arm (or interlocking two arms together). The third person then ‘sits’ between the 2 holding hands and uses their arms as a seat. The person sitting also uses their own arms around the shoulders of their two team mates for support. 

The team then has to run from the start point, across to the other point (other side of the room) and then back. Then they change so that each team member is carried – that means doing the journey 3 times. Hopefully that makes sense.

You can do this as a head-to-head competition if you have lots of space. Or you can time each individual team and then see who wins.

Video Clip

Evan Almighty. If you have the DVD it’s Chapter 13. Time 57.21 (as scene cuts from Evan waking up to the TV in the bar) – 1.01.20 (when Evan and his wife kiss on board the ark).

Alternatively a YouTube Link from the movie Evan Almighty (accessed Feb 2019), “Noah explains his mission’ – https://youtu.be/5JZBKNhUbgw

True good and bad teamwork story from Everest

A true story told by the ex Royal Marine who works as the ‘rope man’ for Bear Grylls tells of an event on Everest. A paid-for group with an outdoor adventure organisation were on Everest to get to the summit. Unfortunately one of the group from South Africa slipped and fell down a gully. What did the team do? They carried on and left the guy, despite him being alive. It was too dangerous to attempt to rescue him and they wouldn’t then be able to summit Everest. After a while, one of the English team members felt guilty and went back to find the South African guy. But he also slipped and fell, needing rescue. Hearing this on a radio, a couple of ex Royal Marines who were there to do their lifetime attempt at Everest decided to go and rescue them despite the incredible danger to themselves. Amazingly they managed to rescue both the South African and the English guy, despite all nearly dying in the process. The two ex-Marines missed out on their summit attempt but they were the true mountaineers and true team mates on Everest. I’m not sure what happened to the group who had left them behind but to be honest, I’m not sure I’d want to know them!

Teamwork in the Bible

If you look at the story of Jesus in the Bible, you’ll find he was an outdoors guy. He went around with his team mates. They climbed mountains, did water sports, had BBQs outside, went fishing and did loads of amazing things helping others outdoors. They also helped people who were ill, helped people get free from bad things in their life, helped those who others rejected. He showed love, compassion and went around doing good and healing everyone who was oppressed. Jesus also worked with his team and helped them. He was there for them when they didn’t understand, when they messed up and to show them better ways of doing things, living and making a difference in people’s lives. They were radical and the Bible says that they ‘turned the world upside down’. Many people would say they turned the world the right way up!!

This is the way I want to live my life. Being part of a team and helping others to make a difference, to grow to be all that God has made them to be. When we work in a team we can do way more than anyone can imagine. The Bible talks about one chasing a thousand and two chasing ten thousand (Deuteronomy 32.30). If one person could chase a thousand, you’d expect two to be able to chase two thousand. But the Bible says two can chase ten thousand! There is power in team work. As a Christian I especially this is true when we involve God. 

Today will you make a choice to work with other people; to be there for people; to work to make a difference. The amazing thing is that as you commit to work with others and to help others, the person that benefits the most is you!! Choose to give life to others and yourself and reflect about the example of Jesus and what you can learn from this. Be a great team mate!