By Dan Lentz

1. Bring a box of toothpicks and gumdrops to your meeting. Form smaller groups of three to six people and give each smaller group several toothpicks and gum drops. Give the smaller groups five minutes to build the tallest tower they can with their toothpicks and gumdrops. For the first two minutes do not allow group members to talk while they build. When the two minutes have passed, groups can talk and build at the same time. At the end of five minutes the groups should stop building and discuss the following questions:

• How important was teamwork and leadership in building a quality structure?

• How well did the process work when you couldn’t talk? How did it change when you were allowed to communicate verbally?

Read Genesis 11:1-9.

2. The people building the tower were relying on different construction technology than the norm at this time. This new technology made bigger and better structures possible. How did reliance on technology and techniques seem to replace their faith in the Lord? 

3. Do we ever fall into the same trap of relying on technology rather than the Lord? Give some examples.

4. At its core, pride is putting yourself or anything else in place of God. What problems does pride cause among followers of Christ?

5. What problems can arise in the church or in this group when people aren’t communicating well?

6. Close your time by praying for pure motives and greater commitment to work together as the body of Christ.

Dan Lentz works for the Small Group Network in Whitestown, Indiana.

For more small group ministry resources, visit www.smallgroups.com.