Let's Boogie!

Last month, I wrote about how excited I am for the IMPACT team Katie and I were asked to be part of. Since that time, we have had the chance to spend some time with the team and our fellow leaders.

This is not the first trip we have been involved with as part of NMC Student Ministries, but it is the first trip that we will be counted on to bring such a high level of leadership. The leadership team consists of Kory & Ali Lantz, Ben & Joslynn Nehls and us.

The night before our first team meeting we had the other leaders over to our house for dinner and games. It turns out this group REALLY loves to play games. It was that night that we were introduced to a game called Jungle Speed. It's a fast-paced, every-player-for-himself game that requires quick, accurate responses. It's also a physical game so you have to be ready to fight if you want to win.

We took the game along with us as we led the whole team on a weekend retreat to a training conference and everyone who played it seemed to love it. Then, last weekend the leaders got together again and played some more. Only this time, we added a twist to the game to make it even more physically challenging.

Here's sort of what it looked like:




There wasn't nearly as much grappling, unless it was a husband and wife fighting for the totem, but nearly everyone left that night with some carpet burns or minor aches and pains.

In the end, it's just a game and it doesn't really hold any intrinsic value. It's what games can do for relationships that make them so valuable.

When you get a group together and start competing against each other, people's personalities show through in a new way. Thankfully, this group of leaders has meshed really well, thanks in part to playing this game together.

We are even more excited about our IMPACT experience now that we've had the chance to bond with our fellow leaders. And Jungle Speed (which we have renamed Jungle Boogie) had a lot to do with that.

So, if you don't already have this game, I suggest you get it and start playing it whenever you get the chance!