What does Bible-Quizzing involve?

Quizzing is a Bible study and discipline ministry that uses competition as an incentive to develop a lifelong motivation to love and know God’s Word. A match, against one or more other teams, involves 20 questions. The first quizzer responding (jumping up) has the opportunity of answering the question and earning points for his/her team.

A local team will develop its own plan of study that permits the quizzers to learn sections of the book – and review previous sections – in keeping with the schedule of the quiz program they participate in. Each group communicates the number of chapters that will be emphasized at each league or tournament. You will also want to schedule informal quizzes with other teams in your area.

Many think that quizzing is for “Bible nerds.” Not true! Yes, there is the occasional young Christian who is not involved in sports, music, or other high-profile youth activities who finds quizzing to be his/her niche. But most quizzers have multiple interests.

Philosophy of Bible-Quizzing

To succeed in the goal of quizzing – producing mature disciples of Jesus Christ – you must develop a solid philosophy. Certainly the gifts of the coach, and the needs of the quizzers, may vary. But certain decisions need to be made and understood. Among these are:

1. Competition must be only the incentive, not the motivation for Bible study. Success in quizzing should not be the ultimate goal for memorization and analysis. The value of God’s Word must always be kept in focus. We must help youth move from extrinsic motivation to intrinsic motivation to spiritual motivation.

2. Competition can be either a positive or negative experience. Leadership determines if youth learn to have friendly competition that respects fellow Christians and develops their own healthy self-concept – and also that of their “opponents.” Competition is a fact of life. Quizzing can help Christian youth learn how to compete fairly – to win without being proud and to lose without being emotionally crushed.

3. While the Word itself is powerful, quizzing must go beyond just memorizing the Bible. Jesus said the man who both heard His teachings and put them into practice is truly a wise man. He is building his life upon an unshakable foundation. Quizzing must emphasize understanding and personal application of the Word, not just repeating it as an answer to a question. However, it should also be noted that it is impossible for people to apply truth they have not learned! Many adults testify they memorize passages as a child they did not understand. However, later in life, the Spirit pulled the Scripture out of their memory bank and illuminated it powerfully to their lives.

4. Quizzing must be a part of the total ministry of the church. While the quiz team provides a special place for relationships to develop, it should not be an exclusive group. A quiz coach should be amenable to the pastor. He should be invited to participate in planning. Ask the pastor to give visibility to quizzing by recognizing the team. Also suggest that he preach sermons from the book being studied.

5. Quizzing must support the life of the family, not compete with it. Communicate with parents. Suggest how they can help their daughter or son. Invite them to be involved as a coach, helper, or official. Assure parents that you will respect their family time. Communicate dates of important competition so families will not, unknowingly, make conflicting plans. Invite the families to attend the competitions.

6. Participants should be recognized for accomplishment at their respective levels of ability. Don’t just recognize the top quizzers. Reward effort as well as accomplishment. Celebrate a new quizzer’s first answer as much as an experienced quizzer’s quizzing out.

What do we need for a team?

1. A coach or coaches who want to make a difference.

2. Three or more youth.

3. A good Bible to study with.

4. A little time each week to set aside for prayer, practice, study and fun.

5. A Bible-Quizzing Rules Manual.

Where do we quiz and when?

1. Quiz rallies are held five times during each school year. See schedule provided in this manual for exact dates, chapters to be studied, and memory verses.

2. Rallies are hosted by a different host team each rally, if possible locations of these meets will be provided to each coach as soon as the locations are set.

3. An awards banquet will be provided by CNY at the end of the season to commend ALL quizzers for their hard work and achievements. Location of awards banquet will be announced at the last quiz rally.

Goal Setting

Once you have quizzers and a coach, you need to decide how far you want to go. The first thing to do is meet with each individual quizzer and simply ask: “What do you want to accomplish this year?” (This question should be asked after each quizzer has a good idea of what Bible-Quizzing is all about.) Do they want to memorize every Scripture for the year? Do they want to excel as a high scorer on the team, or in the league? How many quiz-outs do they think they can accomplish during a particular event or the entire year?

At the end of this conversation, write down their goals. After completing this project with each quizzer, gather the entire team and talk about team goals. Then, help them to realize what kind of teamwork it will take to accomplish their goal and set a strategy to reach their goal. Remember the old cliché, “Aim for nothing and you will hit it every time.” Obviously, you will need to reevaluate your goals and strategy – individually and collectively – on a regular basis.

After goal setting, it is time for both coaches and quizzers to become involved. All should strive to be the best people they can be in Jesus Christ. If the bottom line is to draw closer to Jesus and learn the Scriptures, every team, whether first year or veteran, will have a very successful year. Jump up, and to God be the glory!

Motivating Quizzers to Learn

Motivation is internal, what is in the quizzer. It is not external, what you do to the quizzer. No one can give another the desire or drive to learn or succeed. But a quiz coach can provide the climate where the quizzer’s innate motivation will bloom and produce fruit.

Specific assignments, especially with newer quizzers, are essential. Show them what they must do to accomplish their goals. Devise a weekly goal sheet. Allow them to set goals in personal study time, number of times to read or listen to the chapter, analysis to be done, number of questions they hear, and attendance at group study and practice. Accountability through reporting will be needed for a while. Allow quizzers to set their own goals. You can burn out a quizzer through making unreasonable demands. It is better to allow them to find their own levels of desire. But the quizzer who is this year’s “hanger on” may become next year’s leader. Demanding that every quizzer reach your goals of excellence may work for one year. When they decide to do it for themselves, they will stay involved for many years.

First, set a tremendous example. Be enthusiastic. If you want them at practice on time, be there early yourself. If you want them to study, show them you are studying. Be a leader. Learn to write good questions. Successful coaches are usually great writers and teachers.

Second, give clear instructions of what you want them to accomplish. Teach them how to study and what to look for as they memorize and analyze the text. Set team goals. Show them what they must do to reach these goals.

Third, give lots of immediate feedback. Accentuate the positive. Make frequent comments about their progress. If a quizzer misses a quote by only a word, say: “That was excellent essence. You’ll get it down!” If a quizzer attempts a difficult question, compliment his/her willingness to try. Reward effort as well as accomplishment. Use negative comments only when absolutely essential. And always make it clear that you are evaluating the behavior and not the individual.

The Power of the Word

Remember that no study method supersedes the power of God’s Word. It is a guide for life, not a speech to be remembered. The best study skills will be wasted if the students don’t hide what they’ve studied in their hearts.

Helpful Hints for Bible Quizzers

Bible quizzing is by far one of the best discipleship tools ever used. Quizzing focuses on the total person, challenging him mentally, physically, socially, and Spiritually. The following is a list of study hints that will help you to become a better quizzer. Not all hints will work for you. Every quizzer is different. Some can study for hours on end, others study just as much in ten minute time periods. It is true, however, that the more you study, read, and memorize the Word of God, the easier it will become to retain what you have learned. Some experienced quizzers are able to memorize entire chapters each rally. The only way to be a good quizzer is to study the Word. Get busy!

Write questions:

Write as many questions as possible on each verse. Include all types of questions: who, what, when, why, and how questions as well as ‘who said’, and ‘according to’. You may want to put these on index cards with the question on the front and the answer on the back.

Read the Material, in short lumps:

Study just 5 verses at a time or since the NIV Bible is divided into paragraphs, study a paragraph at a time. Master each segment before moving on to the next.

Outlining:

Outline the chapter of study so that the flow of the book becomes clear and easy to follow.

List unique words:

Many a quiz has been won because of a unique word in the text being used at or near the beginning of a question. Get out a concordance and make a list of words used just one or two times in the text you are covering.

Memorize:

YES YOU CAN!! It is extremely helpful to memorize the verse numbers along with the text. The more you memorize, the easier it becomes to memorize.

Learn to anticipate the key words:

A good quizzer learns to jump right before the key word of a question. He will get the key word as he is jumping and will even be watching the Quiz-Master so that he can determine the next word. If you wait until you know what the answer is before you jump, you may get beat now and then.

Have meaningful practices:

Your time together as a team is vital. You must learn to work together and to listen to the advise of your coach. Listen to the answers given by your fellow quizzers instead of tuning out as soon as someone else gets the jump on you. Learn to listen!

Write down and get answers to the things you don’t understand:

You cannot master something you cannot comprehend. If a question comes to mind concerning the meaning of a particular passage of Scripture, write it down so that you can get an answer from your coach or pastor.

Take a retreat:

Find some place quiet that your team can go and enjoy a time of fellowship together without any outside distractions. Spend the time getting to know each other and getting to know the Word of God.

Pray, apply and share:

Allow the Word of God to change your life. Ask God to give you something meaningful out of each passage that you study. Ask Him for help to allow you to live up to the Christian principles that you are learning from His Word. Don’t keep what you have learned to yourself. Share it with those who need to come to know Christ!

Listen:

Make tape recordings of Scripture and listen to them in the car, at home, or wherever you are able.

Share with other teams:

Get together with another team near you now and then to sharpen your skills against each other, encourage each other, swap ideas for more effective study, pray together, and fellowship together.

You may come up with some other helpful hints to share with us. The bottom line is that youth are being equipped with God’s Word and having fun and fellowship in the Lord while learning!!!