HOAX ALERT: Ban on Christian Broadcasting

As a public service to quizzers and parents, we wanted to make you aware of an old e-mail hoax going around which claims that "petition, Number 2493, would ultimately pave the way to stop the reading of the gospel of our Lord and Savior, on the airwaves of America" The e-mail going around mentioned Madeline Murray O'Hare - the atheist who fought to end prayer in schools - and seems to spring up every two years or so. If you recieve an e-mail from a friend, classmate, or family member about this, you may wish to point them to this site. This e-mail is a hoax. Untrue. False.

For those who may not be aware, this kind of e-mail is sent around by kids or pranksters looking to see how far they can get their material forwarded around the internet. Sometimes it is innocent fun. Sometimes it is a way to gather e-mail addresses for SPAM. If you get an e-mail like this that sounds supicious, you will want to consider checking it out at Snopes.Com or urbanlegends.about.com, who specialize in investigating and either confirming or debunking these kinds of rumors.

Ultimate Christian Wrestling?

I am not fan of wrestling, though I know some members of our team have a secret love for body-slams and headlocks. I am wondering what those same folks would think about this.

Ultimate Christian Wrestling, the ministry he founded in 2003, tours churches and venues around the South, in what is - even by the Bible Belt's standards - an unorthodox drive to win converts.
Its matches feature traditional pro-wrestling moves such as headlocks and body slams, coupled with themes and stories from the Bible. Its mission is to "minister the Gospel of Christ to the Lost and to see lost souls saved"..."We have given away cars as an outreach initiative. We have given away 10,000lb of groceries from a truck in our parking lot. But the wrestling has added more people to our congregation than any of these projects. It gets the largest crowds, and it keeps them still for long enough to share."

I am really torn about this. On the one hand, I think it tends to fail the "What would Jesus do?" test. On the other hand, Paul did say, "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some." (1 Corinthians 19:22) What do you think?

Roll call & Contest!!!

It seems like The Quizzers Pad is starting to form a pretty good audience, but we know many quizzers are still not online. So, I was wondering if folks would be willing to serve a kind of roll call today. But let's not just make it a simple "I'm here - Bob" sorta thing. Let's make it a CONTEST! The winner will recieve a free CD of Christian music. The question:

If you had to make up a different way of quizzing, what would the rules be?

You can't use the ones we have done in the past: Survivor, Musical Chairs, Fear Factor, etc. UNLESS you have some new twist on the idea. Please leave your idea below, with some indication of who you are. Nicknames or first name and last initial are enough. If you are a coach or pastor, please just leave something like "Coach Rosencrantz" or "Pastor Guildensten of XEFC." Points will be awarded for originality, completeness of rules, and effectiveness at preparing a team for a real quiz. (i.e. "Play kickball but call it quizzing" would get 1 point for originality and negative points for effectiveness and completeness)

Winner to be announced Wednesday! (Oh, and if you have NO ideas, you can still leave a comment saying "Hi!" with some indication of who you are.)

Ever wonder what the Bible leaves out...

Congratulations Where They Are Due

I don't know how many of you read the slides that go up before church, but you may want to take the time to check them out this coming Sunday. Why? Because there will be a little Quiz Team advertising to see up there.

Romans 15 Study Guide is dawning

The Family Study Guide for ROMANS FIFTEEN is shining over the horizon and warming a cold and dark land. Come on out and bask in the light.

This one is by Pastor Randy, of our own Calvary EFC.

It's After Midwinter, Do You Know Where Your Study Schedule Is?

In the weeks leading up to Midwinter Quiz, we gave you several weeks of review time to bone up on chapters you may have missed. Well, Midwinter is over now, and it is time to get back on track with learning NEW STUFF. Here is a friendly reminder of what is to come. And, of course, if you are ever wondering, check out the calendar on the left side of the webpage.

• Next Wednesday (Feb 1): Romans 15
• Feb 8: Romans 16 (last chapter of Romans!)
• Feb 15: James 1
• Feb 22: James 2
• And more to come!

Remember that every week is a chance to start anew. If you realized at Midwinter Quiz that you could be doing better, now is the time to do it. My first year in Quizzing, I was useless until Midwinter and became a VERY effective quizzer for the last half of the year. Don't let the excitement of this major event go to waste!

Handwritten Bible produced in Minnesota

In an attempt to capture the interest of moderns, a group in Minnesota is in the process of producing a modern bible which is written like the illuminated Bibles of the Middle Ages. Including images of the Twin Towers, it attempts to address modern issues and apply modern history to the pages of scripture. Interesting.

The St. John's Bible is the first handwritten Bible produced since the invention of the printing press 500 years ago. Calligraphers and artists from St. John's University and St. John's Abbey in Minnesota took on the monumental task.
The Bible is making a stop in Omaha, under glass, at the Joslyn Museum. It is an illuminated work that is covered in gilt and calligraphy..."The real reason to do this by hand is to say, 'Slow up. Don't flick the pages.' This is something that begs you to slow up. Enjoy the words as they were made, slowly and beautifully," he said.
The Bible isn't finished yet. Jackson and his team hope to complete it next year.

What Up Chuck???

Various Photo Streams from the Weekend

We all know that this weekend was well documented by the hordes of paparazzi that descended upon the star-studded event. If you are looking to review your part in the grand adventure you have several choices..,

• Mark's Flickr Site (Fully uploaded)
• Matt's Flickr site (Still uploading, more later today)
• Jim's Flickr Site (Fully uploaded)

Steve's photos are coming later this week. Thanks to all of you who helped take pictures over the course of the weekend, on various cameras. If you have your own photos online and would like a link posted to QuizPad, let me know!

But wait, there's MORE!

There are more photos up from Saturday for your viewing pleasure! Please be patient as we took a LOT of photos, and we can only upload a portion from the road. More to come!

Photos from Midwinter (already!)

Are you a parent wondering how your teen is doing at Midwinter Quiz? Are you one of the few teens who had to stay home? Fear not! Now, you can keep an eye on things by reviewing each day of Midwinter photos! Just click on the pic below.

And we are off!

And we are off!
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

Leaving aproximately 3:28 pm. Not bad!

Pretzel Factory Tour

One of the traditions for the Midwinter Trip in Lancaster, PA is the factory tour at the Sturgis Pretzel Factory which claims to be the site of the first pretzel factory in America. We'll plan to stop there after quizzing on Saturday. Cost is $4 per person, which includes a soft pretzel at the end of the tour. VERY TASTY! You can also buy souvenirs and bulk purchases of their tasty crunchy pretzels. This includes specialties like whole wheat pretzels, onion pretzels, chocolate pretzels, etc. to bring home to your families.

If anyone wants to check out a sampling of the kinds of specialty pretzels available, you can see them here, though there are always more kinds available in the factory than are available for online ordering.

Midwinter Weekend Schedule

Friday – January 20, 2006
3:00 pm: Leave Calvary EFC (dinner on the road at Potts Doggie Shop)
8:00 – 8:30 pm: Registration and Snack
8:30 – 9:30 pm: Games
9:30 – 10:00 pm: Coaches Quiz
10:00 pm: Leave church with your host family

Saturday – January 21, 2006
8:00 am: Arrive at church, Donuts and Coffee/Tea/Hot Chocolate
8:15 am: Devotions for quizzers, Quizmasters and coaches meet with Rose
8:45 am: Announcements for quizzing
9:15 – 10:45 am: Quizzing (3 rounds)
10:45 – 11:15 am: Break with snack
11:15 – 12:15 pm: Quizzing (2 rounds)
12:15 – 2:00 pm: Lunch on our own (Probably fast food)
2:00 – 3:00 pm: Quizzing (2 rounds)
3:00 – 3:30 pm: Closing Ceremonies, Award of Trophies
4:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Pretzel Factory Tour, Outlet Shopping, Dinner at Fuddruckers
9:00 pm: Leave church with your host family

Sunday – January 22, 2006
8:00 am: Arrive at church (breakfast with your hosts)
8:30 am: Lancaster church service begins
11:00 am: Lancaster church service ends
12:00 pm: Leave for home (dinner on the road, probably fast food)
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm: Arrive back at Calvary EFC (time depending on traffic and weather)

ALERT: QUIZ TEAM CANCELLED FOR TONIGHT

Quiz Team Practice (and all other activities) at the church have been cancelled tonight due to a power outage.

Please remember:
1. We leave for Midwinter Quiz, this Friday, 1/20
2. We are leaving church as close to 3 PM as possible. We know you have school. Please try to get to church as soon as you can.
3. We are returning on Sunday afternoon, 1/22
4. Study, Study, Study!!!
5. Romans 1 - 14!!!

Help with Packing

Wondering what to pack for Midwinter? Here is a quick checklist for parents or teens wondering what to MAKE SURE is brought along.

• Travelling clothes for Friday. Something comfortable, but presentable as there will be a rally on Friday night. (Yes, I know you'll WEAR this and not pack it, but you know what I mean.)
• Sleeping bag and Pillow. You'll probably be sleeping on the floor of someone's house, though some families have extra beds or cots.
• Saturday Quizzing Clothes: Black sweatshirt (if you have one, if not something black or dark that is close), jeans (shorts not allowed), and sneakers/shoes.
• Romans Book, or a Bible to study from. (Yes, we still hope you will study Friday night!)
• Your binder of questions for studying.
• Pen or pencil. Schedules and maps will be there, but may be for coaches only.
• Sunday clothes for church. NO JEANS OR T-SHIRTS, PLEASE. For boys, a collared shirt and nice pants, a sweater, or a shirt-and-tie are recommended. For girls, the usual nice stuff, please. (There will be a chance to change after church for travelling.)
• Travelling clothes for Sunday afternoon. (Same idea as Friday. If you are comfortable in nice church clothes, no one is required to change.)

Please plan to pack in a crushable suitcase/duffle bag. If we can not fit your bag in the back of the vans, it will wind up on your lap for the whole trip. Generally, the watchword is "pack light."

Midwinter Outlet Mall

You may have heard that we will be stopping at some outlets while we are down in Lancaster, PA. It is a nice little outlet mall called the "Rockvale Square Outlets" which collects a large number of stores that run the gamut from clothes, to books, to electronics, to camping gear, and beyond. For a listing of stores, you can check out this site. It also includes directions and some other info for interested parents.

The weekend is definitely not about shopping - it is about Bible Quizzing - but this is one more activity for the down time.

Thoughts on Sanctity of Life Sunday

Some of us may have missed it, on Sunday, because of the storm. But this was Sanctity of Life Sunday, when we reflect on the value of life and consider how Christians may slow or stop abortions. Fayology.Com has up a reflection on how to make inroads in making this Sunday a bipartisan event.

Today was the Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, where our church brings in a speaker from a local organization that works on some aspect of the Sanctity of Human life. As an Evangelical committed to the pro-life cause (especially since I had multiple birth defects and would likely have been a candidate for abortion myslef if not for having godly parents), I always associate this concept with fighting abortion. Our speaker was from Caris ministries, a group from Chicago who does a lot of pregnancy work in the inner city including giving counseling and running sonograms (donated by Focus on the Family) in order to save babies.
However, our speaker did not focus only on that aspect. He said over and over again that if we value human life, we do not just fight death at birth or suicide at the end, rathe we should be fighting death all the way through.

Chronicles of Narnia DVD coming April 4

This site has up the covers for the DVD release of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, which is coming out on April 4. I still might see the movie in the theaters again before the run ends, but it is good to know when I'll be able to watch it on TV or perhaps on the iPod Video.

Method Acting for Quizzing?

Skewed Perspectives

Midwinter Details - What to bring!

If you missed last night, you missed THIS IMPORTANT HANDOUT which details the... well... details of the Midwinter Quiz. Please make sure your parents see either the paper version, or this electronic version.

For quick reference, here are a few of the top details:

• Midwinter is at the Lititz Evangelical Free Church (map)
• Be sure to bring at least $10 for gas/tolls, enough money for 4 meals, and spending money if you want to shop at the outlet malls.
• Your minimum packing should be a sleeping bag, Romans book, quizzing clothes for Saturday, church clothes for Sunday (no jeans!)
• Be sure to pack in CRUSHABLE luggage (duffle bags, etc.)

Quizzing Rules 2005-2006 Online!

The Quizzing Rules in the links to the left has been updated for 2005-2006. These are the rules we'll be quizzing Midwinter with! Luckily, other than the new requirement that all quizzers wear hoopskirts and bonnets, there are no major changes.

Good news and bad news

Christian College Podcasts

Podcasts are a new attempt to adapt the old format of radio to the internet. Named for the iPod, Podcasts allow people with little money to post their audio programs as MP3 files that can be played in audio files. Most of these programs are free and some are of pretty high quality. Interested? Why not try out a few from the coach's alma maters.

• Amber from Houghton College gives a good feel of the people and place of the college.
• Greg from Houghton College gives more of a philosophical view the life of a Christian collegian.
• Dallas Theological Seminary podcasts include the chapels and a program on current topics in Christianity.

And yes, you can play these without an iPod or ANY MP3 player. Any computer should be able to play these, given the right free software.

Football vs. Church?

It was bound to happen some time!

Well yes by now some of you have figured out that indeed I made a mistake. I know you are still in shock and the pillars of Trumbull Bible Quizzing have been shaken but I'm sure you will all survive. For those of you who don't know what I'm speaking of, Midwinter is going to be only on Romans 1-14 not the entire book. Well I'm glad I got that off my chest and now with the air cleared we can move on. Even a quizmaster can admit when he makes a mistake!

Narnia Sequel Movie in the Works!

It is hardly shocking, after seeing how well the first Narnia movie faired against King Kong, but now we have confirmation that Hollywood is planning to make a sequel! This may be the beginning of something really fun.

A representative of Walden Media, the producers of "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe", revealed on the company's message board word that director Andrew Adamson and the four children - Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley and Anna Popplewell - have signed on again for the sequel - "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian".

If you have not yet the read the book of Prince Caspian, you may want to consider picking up the book or the AudioBook now. Before the rush.

Studying Schedule for January

There has been a little confusion about the study schedule for the next few weeks and Midwinter Quiz. Here is the real schedule.

• January 5-11: Study Romans 14
• January 12-18: Study Romans 8-11
• January 20-22: Midwinter Quiz - Romans 1-14
• January 19-25: Study Romans 12-14
• January 26-Feb 1: Romans 15

That's all the news that's fit to print! Go to it!!!

Chapter 14 Study Guide Is Ringing In the New Year!

The study guide for Romans 14 is up, out, and ready to ring in the new year! Check it out, and be sure to keep an eye on those sample questions which are guaranteed to be in at least one of the quizzes for next week's practice.

Italian Judge orders church: "Prove existence of Jesus"

An Italian Court, facing a challenge to the church by an athiest, has ordered a priest to prove to the court the historical reality of Jesus.

The case against Father Enrico Righi has been brought in the town of Viterbo, north of Rome, by Luigi Cascioli, a retired agronomist who once studied for the priesthood but later became a militant atheist.
Signor Cascioli, author of a book called The Fable of Christ, began legal proceedings against Father Righi three years ago after the priest denounced Signor Cascioli in the parish newsletter for questioning Christ’s historical existence...Father Righi said there was overwhelming testimony to Christ’s existence in religious and secular texts. Millions had in any case believed in Christ as both man and Son of God for 2,000 years.

I love to see challenges like this, because every time Jesus comes out on top. Both Josh McDowell and C.S. Lewis started out as atheists who took it as a personal mission to prove that Jesus did not exist, or at least was not who Christians said he was. Both wound up as devout Christians, and powerful apologists for the faith.

Narnia is #2 Grossing "Christian" Film of All Time

It is a good time to be a director for a Christian film. For many years, religious films were stereotyped as cheap and poorly-made efforts aimed at the Sunday School market. But now, after the success of THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, Christian films are starting to get some respect. And now, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe is the #2 grossing Christian film of all time. This bodes well for the possibility of some sequels, and perhaps some more films that take the Bible seriously, and see God as more than a plot device to be called upon when the writer has run out of ideas.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot...

Memories of past Quiz Teams...

Happy New Year!

NYE 2006 091
Originally uploaded by quannum.

Wishing Bible Quizzers everywhere (and coaches, and parents, and siblings, and... okay all of our readers) a VERY happy and blessed 2006.