An A.M.O.K. Event
The Revivor Retreat
(A "Survivor-type" activity to teach dependence on God)
by Dave Weiss
Some may say that this is not an arts based idea, but it will definitely push your group's creativity to the limit. For some time now one of my favorite programs has been CBS's Survivor. Each week I pull for ordinarty Americans left stranded and forced to fend for themselves. I have always wondered, would being in that situation force us to look more at our dependence on God. I decided to put some of the ideas to work to see if we could stage an outreach event that would show just that. I call it "Revivor."
How you do your Revivor event depends if you are planning an indoor or an outdoor party and how tough you want to set it up.
I have a wooded area behind my church and was thinking about making a Revivor weekend for my group this summer. These are some ideas I plan on using. About a week before, I will tell my group and their friends to think about what their one luxury item would be. That item and a coat will be the only item they will be allowed to bring.
Day one
First we will divide the group into two tribes.
Best Shelter Contest: Each group would be given a cooler and ice, a hand saw and a good bit of bailer twine and allowed to go out into the woods and be allowed to cut dead wood and leaves and branches to build a shelter. If any member of the team has a luxury item that would be beneficial to their team's shelter, they may use it. The shelter must be able to accomodate every member of the group.
Fire contest: Each team will be given a magnifying glass, steel wool and a battery and a ring of rocks. They will need to start a fire using items they can find in the woods. First team to have a fire burning will win. (Please note it is urgent that there be water close and that all safety rules will be followed.) This will be the cooking fire for a hot dog roast.
Food Foraging: There will be a cooler full of food for each group. They will have to follow a series of "tree mail" clues to find their food. The cooler will be stocked with hot dogs, marshmallows, snacks and of course plenty of Mountain Dew, (the official drink of Survivor and youth ministry.)
Banner: Each team will be given Fabric and paint or markers and allowed to make their own banner and name their tribe.
That night we will cook the food over the fires we have made and sleep in the shelters.
We will wake up have devotions, and then off to the morning food forage, once again following the tree mail top find a bag of bagels or similar food. Breakfast will happen once they have found their food.
Day Two.
The following day will be the challenge day. The team that wins each challenge will win plastic leis for each member.
Water Relay challenge: Each team will be given a five gallon bucket of water. Twenty five to fifty feet away will be another five gallon bucket tied to a balance. Each group will also be given their carrying container, a quart can with four 1/4 inch holes in it. Team members will go to the bucket one at a time and carry a a can full of water to the bucket tied to the balance They are not allowed to cover the holes in the can. The team that gets the most water in the bucket will win.
The Obstacle Cooperation Course: The whole team goes through the course helping each other out to make it through. The first team to get everyone across the course will win.
Weird Food Challenge: Start off with an array of condiments and foods. Have the teams call a coin flip in the air. The team that gets the coin flip correct gets to add one condiment to the mixture and the other team must each eat a spoon full of the concoction. Continue until someone backs out.
Lunch: Each person is given $10,000 in monopoly money and bids on mystery meals for their lunch. Some will get great lunches others will bid on swamp water (Green Koolaid with gummi bugs in it).
Capture the Flag: Have each team take their banner to an undisclosed location and play capture the flag. The first team to get the other team's flag back to their camp and tie it to the flag pole wins.
The Quiz challenge: This would be a combination of Bible trivia questions and questions about the other players and the events of the two days. The winning team isthe one that gets the most right.
Tribal Council: Start with a Bible study on what it means to be a survivor in the Christian life and our dependence on God. Then count up the leis to determine the winning team. Instead of voting someone off the game, the players will cast their vote for the best player who will be the sole Survivor. Finish with a pizza party and then dismiss.
This would be a great weekend retreat or could be adapted into a party event.