What’s Your Preference?
A get to know you activity I Iike to use is called ‘what’s your preference?’ I would say two words and people would be instructed (encouraged) to choose their preference and move to one side of the room or the other. E.g. words/numbers, colour/black and white, sport/music, Mac/PC, indoor/outdoor, read the book/watch the movie, beach/forest, paper/digital, …..
Over a number of times it generally mixes the group around a bit because rarely do two people have all the same preferences, and it demonstrates the diversity in thinking and approaches to life.
Without a doubt there would always be some push back because people were torn between choosing – which is understandable because it’s all subjective. For me, it will depend on the circumstances, my mood, my life experience, etc.
The followers of Jesus were a diverse group. The twelve disciples definitely had different personalities, life experiences, maturity, even vision. Building strong, effective teams requires diversity – in age, experience, cultural backgrounds, etc. Each member, too, plays an important role to encourage each others’ strengths, so that we can rise to any occasion, collectively. Jesus never worked alone, and he chose others to journey with him.
Who do you choose to do life and ministry with? Do you seek out others who are different?  I pray that God will open our eyes to see the value of those people who have been placed in our lives and to deliberately seek out more so that together we can make a difference in this world – and for eternity. ‘ … There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. … Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it…’. 1 Corinthians 12:6-6, 27. I encourage you to read the whole chapter.

Cheryl