Emmaus Christian Church
Team Building Adventure
Indianapolis, IN
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Here Are The Rules
Complete as many challenges as you can within the given time frame. Challenges can be completed in any order.
Team members need to stay together throughout the adventure, however, if you are all at the same location and searching for something you can spread out until it is found.
Some challenges may require a few basic supplies to complete them. Figuring out how to obtain these supplies somewhere in the area is part of the experience.
After completing each challenge click the “Connection Question”. Have at least one team member answer the question while you’re at the challenge location, or as you travel together to your next location. These answers don’t need to be submitted, they are simply meant to spark meaningful conversations within your own team. The more team members that talk about their answer, the more connected you’ll become. If you choose to just have one person answer per question create a rotation of who answers next so that everyone is sharing equally.
CHALLENGES
#1: Jesus was known for hanging with those that others might not. An important part of being a Christian is listening to and loving everyone in your community and understanding the stories that make them who they are. Take a video of your team and any stranger that has a tattoo while they explain what that tattoo means to them or why they got it. The tattoo must be visible at some point during the video.
Connection Question For Challenge #1
#2: After being crucified Jesus’ body was wrapped in linen, and it was that cloth that signified the resurrection had occurred and God’s greatest gift to Christians had been given. Wrap any one member of your team from head to toe in toilet paper (or multiple team members if they want to get in on the fun) leaving as few gaps as possible except around their nose/mouth so they can breathe easily. Then take a fun team picture with your newly wrapped teammate and at some point throughout the process have each team member state one reason why the person being wrapped is a “gift” to ECC or to them personally.
Connection Question For Challenge #2
#3: Find any vending machine (either with food, kids trinkets, etc) and put enough money into it that any one item could be gotten. Don’t select anything but instead leave a note that says “Any item of your choice on us! Love, Emmaus Christian Church”. Then take a picture of your team so that the vending machine, the deposited amount (if applicable), and your note are all visible if possible.
Connection Question For Challenge #3
#4: The first fire department in Indianapolis was founded nearly 200 years ago. It was a volunteer department that had to use a church bell for alarms, and had only ladders and leather buckets to fight fires. To honor the brave firefighters that protect this city, take a video of your team completing "Stop, Drop, and Roll" while any regulation/operable fire extinguisher is visible in the background, or you are standing in front of an actual fire station. Be sure to yell each step of the fire safety technique as you all do it together and make sure the fire extinguisher or fire station is clearly visible at some point in your video.
Connection Question For Challenge #4
#5: Research shows that consuming raw garlic can boost your immune system, which is especially important for those working to spread the love of Jesus, without spreading germs. So take a video of all your team members each chewing a separate raw clove of garlic for at least 15 full seconds. Team members should be actively chewing the clove and not just holding it in their mouths. Disclaimer, although healthy this will likely not be pleasant, which is exactly the point. Because a team that suffers together, grows together.
Connection Question For Challenge #5
#6: Days after the resurrection, Jesus ascends into Heaven where he was exalted as Lord and Christ, sitting at the right hand of God. To celebrate this important moment in the Christian faith, take a picture of your entire team all jumping in the air and high-fiving each other while any traffic light is "yellow" in the background. You'll need to work together as a team to time your jump with the quickly changing light and communicate with the person taking your picture so they capture your jump and the yellow light.
Connection Question For Challenge #6
#7: Create a “connection chain” using every member of your team. Click HERE to see an example of how to create one, and then take a video once everyone is lined up and explain how you are connected to the person next to you. Work hard to discover creative and meaningful connections with one another, not just something generic such as “we each breath air”.
Connection Question For Challenge #7
#8: Scripture tells us not to make any statues, and don't worship or serve idols of any kind, because I, the LORD, am your God. To demonstrate how we as humans so often forget this teaching, anywhere around the city find a statue or mural of a current or former Indianapolis pro athlete. Then take a ridiculous team picture reacting wildly as if you’ve just met your longtime icon while the statue or mural is clearly visible with your fanatical team.
Connection Question For Challenge #8
#9: Get to any clothing or apparel store and find two different items with enough in stock that every team member can be wearing the same two items in their own sizes. Then take a fun team picture with everyone wearing those items. For example it may be a wacky shirt, and a pair of shorts. Or maybe some cozy slippers and a large sun hat. As long as everyone is wearing the same exact two items but in their own sizes.
Connection Question For Challenge #9
#10: Anywhere around the city find an active military person or veteran. Then take a video of them watching your entire team doing 10 jumping jacks, push-ups, or sit-ups to honor their strength. An alternative for finding an actual person is to get to any of the many locations around the city that honor the military (World War Memorial, Military Park, Soldiers & Sailors Monument, etc) and contact an active military person or veteran via Facetime or video chat. Then have them watch you over your device as you complete the exercises and the memorial or monument is in the background. After you’ve finished recording, spend a few minutes learning more about their time in the service before you depart or disconnect, as a small gesture of appreciation.
Connection Question For Challenge #10
#11: Get every team member a large (16 ounces or so) open-top paper, plastic, or foam cup and fill it with water. Then somewhere outdoors, line up shoulder to shoulder and have each team member balance a full cup on their head. Once everyone’s cups are balanced, hold hands with the team members on either side of you and take a video of your team working together to all take 10 steps forward without anyone touching their own cup (or another team member’s cup) or having it spill. If someone’s cup spills make sure to encourage them and then refill any spilled cups and start again as a team. After your team successfully travels 10 steps together dump the cups to prove they were full, and celebrate!
Connection Question For Challenge #11
#12: Anywhere around the area, find an establishment that has an animal in it's name and take a fun team picture with everyone posing or acting like that specific animal while the establishment’s signage is clearly visible in the background. Please note you’re looking for a place with the animal in it’s actual name such as "The Friendly Giraffe" and not a place that lists an animal as something that is served there such as "Hattie B's Hot Chicken".
Connection Question For Challenge #12
#13: A core value of ECC is to Love People. And the best kind of love is when it is proactive, not reactive. Loving someone without needing them to do something for you first. Or in this case, without them even knowing who you are. Find a postcard that features this area in some way, or a fun greeting card, and purchase it. Then click HERE to go to the Love For Our Elders project, which is focused on fighting loneliness with love, one letter at a time. As a team, choose someone from their list whose story or background resonates with you. Then on your card include a fun or uplifting message and sign it. Take a picture with it to show you've completed your Act Of Kindness and then at some point along the way or after your event ends stamp it and drop it in the mail.
Connection Question For Challenge #13
#14: The NFL season has kicked off and expectations are high for every team! Anywhere around the city find a logo of the Indianapolis Colts proudly being displayed, worn, flown, etc. Then take a video of your group pretending to spike an imaginary football and immediately breaking into your very best celebratory touchdown dance while the logo is clearly visible in the background. If you need some inspiration for your performance you can click HERE.
Connection Question For Challenge #14
#15: September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. To honor those, and their families, who are impacted by this disease, take a proud team picture showing off your hands once every member of your team has gotten their fingernails painted bright gold (the international color for childhood cancer awareness) using real nail polish. For every team that completes this challenge successfully and emails us the photo proof, our company (Team Building Anywhere) will be donating $25 to help fight Childhood Cancer!