Put a group in front of a problem they can only solve together, and in twenty minutes you learn more about them than in a whole term of talks: who takes the lead, who goes quiet, who listens and who doesn’t. That is why team-building games belong in every youth ministry toolbox.
Max7, the free platform for Christian children’s and youth ministry resources, has a booklet of team challenges for exactly this. Some take only a few minutes, others need some equipment and more time. The goal is always the same: the group discovers what helps a team work well together, and then puts it into practice.
Make the game count
The challenge is only half of it. The other half is the conversation afterward. Take ten minutes when the game is over and ask the group:
- What did you notice about how we worked together?
- Why did it go the way it did?
- Where do you see the same thing in your everyday life, at school, at home or in this group?
- What will you do differently next time?
A short Bible passage at the end connects what the group just experienced with faith. Max7 pairs this booklet with Matthew 19:26 and Hebrews 12:1-2.
Four cooperation games from our collection
If you want to start right away, these four come with rules and illustrations: Human Knot, Power Pole, Pulling Turnips and Panama. You’ll find more under Games.
The team challenges were developed by Max7 and first published on max7.org. Esther Penner translated the collection for Pulse in German.
English version: September 2026
