His Eye is on the Sparrow...

DID YOU KNOW: After Many Days...

In Acts 9, there is a little phrase that is worthy of note...

Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.
After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him, but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him.
Acts 9:22-24

As you read "after many days," what sense did you get for how long that time period was? A couple days? A week? Maybe a month? Maybe a bit longer...

But when God, who set me apart from birth[a] and called me by his grace, was pleased 16to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus. Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him fifteen days.
Galatians 1:15-18

That is right "many days" becomes "three years" when we focus in on it. So we should be aware that the timeframe of Acts is not so short or quick as we'd guess from the narrative alone.

WHERE AM I: Saul's Journeys in Acts 9

Judea [1], Galilee [2] and Samaria [3], Jerusalem [4], Lydda [5], Joppa [6]

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UPDATE! December 2 Quiz Meet will NOT be in Trumbull

Due to multiple scheduling conflicts locally and with other Quiz Teams, the December 2nd Quiz Meet will NOT be in Trumbull. It will be a normal Essex Fells Quiz Meet and we will plan to leave the church at 7 AM in the vans. As usual, we will plan to return around 4 PM that same day. No special side trips are planned at this time.

And keep in mind that the November quiz meet is fast approaching. It will be on November 18 in Essex Fells, NJ.

ALERT!!! ALERT!!!
We still need a van driver for both the November and the December quiz meets. If you are a parent, sponsor, or adult sibling of a quiz teamer who is willing to help, please e-mail the coaches or contact Jim directly ASAP. If we do not get a van driver, we may not be able to take the full team on these trips.

ALERT!!! ALERT!!!

Acts Chapter 9 Study Guide is beaming down

Acts 9 brings us to another turning point in the book as Saul starts his journey from darkness into the light. Click on over to the Acts 9 Study Guide to see how God begins weaving this new Christian into the storyline. It may surprise you to see that no one was happy to see Saul at first, except may be good ole Barnabas - the one man who always seems ready to forgive.

WHERE AM I: Philip's Journeys

Time for another new feature here at QuizPad.Com. We have introduced DID YOU KNOW and ASK THE COACHES this year. Now it is time for WHERE AM I? Now that the persecution has scattered the Christians from Jerusalem, we will be following the early evangelists all over the old world. Rather than leaving people wondering about what each place is, we're going to try and give you some maps to help you place where everyone is. We'll start out with the journeys of Philip the Evangelist. It gives a good idea of exactly how far he has travelled in the course of just one chapter.

DID YOU KNOW: Samaritans

In Acts 8 when persecution started against Christians in Jerusalem, God used the scattering of Christians to spread the gospel to all parts of the ancient world. In the case of Philip, he went down to Samaria. You may remember Samaria and Samaritans from the parable of the "Good Samaritan" in Luke 10. But do you know how Jews saw Samaritans?

Samaritans are the descendants of Upper Kingdom of Israel (you may remember after King Solomon's reign that Israel split into two different nations). But because they were captured by the King of Assyria and intermarried with the peoples of that empire, they inherited some practices from the other pagan nations. They were returned to Israel at the same time as Ezra and Nehemiah, but never fully accepted the new Temple in Jerusalem. Sometime around 4 BC, they even built their own temple at Mount Gerizim (near Shechem). Shortly before the time of Jesus, in an attempt to avoid persecution from the Roman Empire, the Samaritans even had their temple declared "The Temple of Jupiter Hellenius" (i.e. the Roman head God, called Zeus by the Greeks). It had been bad enough to question the authority of the temple in Jerusalem, but dedicating the Samaritan temple to a pagan god was the last straw for the Jews. After this point, they considered Samaritans to be the lowest of the low and rejected any family connection with them.

That it why it is so shocking that Philip went to Samaria and preached the gospel. Before this, all preaching of the gospel in Acts had been to Jews. Now, the grace of God was being extended to a people who were decidedly non-Jewish, though they were not without any link to Abraham. And even the apostles recognized this, as they sent Peter and John down to minister to them. What can we expect next from the Church in Acts?

Rock the Sound Promo VIdeo

Okay, after yesterday I did some more digging and found the video below, which is the official promo for Rock the Sound 2006. It gives a little more info and has some decent music in it. Click the [PLAY] button to hear.

Rock the Sound!

It isn't a Quiz Team event, but I think you can plan on a number of us being there anyway. Rock the Sound is a Christian rock concert coming to the Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, CT. The bands coming will include Casting Crowns, Steller Kart, Toby Mac, and Pillar! If you want tickets, talk to Pastor Scott or look for the table in the atrium at church.

Worth Waiting For?

Acts Chapter 8 Study Guide has appeared

Acts 8 introduces us to several new characters including Phillip, Simon the Sorcerer, and the Ethiopian Eunuch. Check out the Acts 8 Study Guide to see how these stories come together. This week's devotional is written by Coach Mark, and looks back to a previous Quiz Team book - Matthew - to see how a parable is lived out in everyday life.

Matt's Pics from Saturday

We all know you can't get enough of photographs from quiz meets, so here is another flashback to last Saturday. This time, our guest photographer is Coach Matt, whose photographic prowess is second to none! (Well, except for the professionals.) Click on the picture below to see the whole set!

BIble Quiz Comes to India

It is not our way of quizzing, but this year over 338,000 Indian Catholics took part in the Logos Quiz in Thiruvananthapuram, India.

The Kerala Catholic Bible Society, which conducts the written quiz, functions under the Bible Commission of the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council, the a regional body of bishops of all three rites that form the Indian Catholic Church. The program was held in all 11 Latin, 13 Syro-Malabar and four Syro-Malankara dioceses in the state...Several months beforehand, organizers let participants know what portion of the Bible they will need to study. This announcement is made during Bible Week, celebrated June 11-17 this year. Those taking the quiz are divided into five age groups -- 10 and below, 11-15, 16-30, 31-50, above 50 -- and the question papers for each group are sent to parishes. The quiz is administered on the specified date, normally after Sunday Mass. Top scorers receive gold medals, shields and trophies. Other participants are awarded certificates.

It is nice to see that Bible Quizzing is catching on all over the world!

ASK THE COACHES: Why did the "witnesses lay their clothes at Saul's feet"?

QUESTION: In Acts 7:58, it says "Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul." Why do they tell us that? Does it mean anything? - Wondering About Paul.

ANSWER: In Biblical times, stoning (executing a criminal by throwing stones at him/her) was one of the forms of capital punishment. For most trials, the testimony of two or more witnesses was required, and then the punishment was assigned by a judge. But in the few cases where stoning was required (blasphemy, murder, etc.) the Law required that the witnesses who testified against the accused, also be the first ones to throw their stones. Thus, they the laying down of clothes indicated that it was Saul who was in some way officiating at the execution, noting who were the witnesses taking the official role as executioners.

This contrast with the man who would be called Paul and bravely face down would-be executioners will show us God's power to change hearts and lives.

Photo Album of the Quiz Meet and our visit to Lady Liberty

The papparazi are everywhere! And it is a good thing, too. Pictures are now up from the Quiz Meet and Liberty Island trip from this past weekend. Click on the picture below for the whole set.

You Might Be a Quizzer If...

If you were interested in the presentation of Coach Phil from Clinton Corners on "You Might Be A Quizzer If" and his Scripture Memory Challenge then you may want to click on over to his website which has some interesting resources for Quizzers or just people interested in memorizing scripture.

Or if you'd rather just see the "You might be a quizzer if..." list, click here for a direct link.

Be careful what you wish for

REMINDER: Quiz Meet and Lady Liberty Tomorrow

WHEN: Saturday, October 14

WHERE: Essex Fells Church & the Statue of Liberty

WHAT IS THE SCHEDULE:
7:00 AM: Leave the parking lot at the church
9:30 AM: Start Quizzing
12:30 PM: Lunch (Pizza)
1:30 PM: Leave for Statue of Liberty
2:30 PM: Arrive at Statue of Liberty
4:30 PM: Leave the Statue of LIberty
7:00 PM: Arrive back at church (We will plan to have the kids call from the road)

WHAT IS THE COST:
Cost for Pizza: $5
Cost for Statue of Liberty if you're under 13: $4.50
Cost for Status of Liberty if you are 13 or over: $11.50
And don't forget a little extra, if you want souvenirs or a snack on the road.

Acts Chapter 7 Study Guide posted

It is that time again and we have posted the The Acts 7 Study Guide for your reading and studying pleasure. This week's devotional is from coach Mark (a.k.a. Nomad) on the last days of Stephen. But remember, the study guide is not just a devotional, but also contains the Finish-the-Verse questions and Reference questions for the coming chapter. It can greatly improve your ability to prepare for next week's practice.

Statue of Liberty Flashback

This coming Saturday, we will be travelling to the Statue of Liberty after the Quiz. To whet your appetites for the trip, here are some pictures from the last time we made the trip, in October 2004. As you can see, a few things have changed since then. Click on the picture to the left to see the whole set.

And remember, for those who are coming, that the statue is on Liberty Island in the middle of the harbor. Lots of wind, and it is likely to be very chilly. So dress warmly! Also, it is $5 for pizza lunch and then $11.50 for the ferry.

Bible Hunters!

The United States of America is rare in being a nation whose identity has been married to Christianity and the Bible since its founding. This has lead the Bible to often be at the center of the family, and of family life. This means that to people like Earlene Scott the Bible is not only God's word, but also a source of history for motvated Bible Hunters.

Scott has reunited Bibles, or information from Bibles, with about a dozen families. Data recorded in the Bibles by families that owned them provide many descendants with family history crucial in tracing their ancestry.
"They now can hold it, touch it, and hopefully share it," she said. "When each piece of the puzzle begins to fit into place in your own family, you're just that much closer to knowing who you are and why you're the way you are."
In August, Scott e-mailed Marti Thompson, 61, of Milford, Ind., telling her she had found a German Bible purchased by Thompson's great-great-great grandfather in 1830, a discovery that enabled Thompson to trace the family tree back several additional generations.
"It's hard to explain," Thompson said. "It gives me goosebumps. It's just exciting to me to know who my ancestors were."
Scott, a 60-year-old military retiree and genealogy buff, got hooked on Bible hunting more than 10 years ago when she found - but didn't buy - a Bible at an auction in Alabama that belonged to a secretary of the late Gov. George Wallace.

Does your family have a "Family Bible"? What kind of history does it hold about you and where you came from?

DID YOU KNOW: The Meaning of "Martyr"

We sometimes talk about the story of Stephen in Acts 6 as being "the first martyrdom" and Stephen as the first "martyr", but do we really know what the word means? In modern times we talk about it as though the death of the saint is the most important thing. But is that really correct?

Martyr is from the Greek μαρτυρ (sometimes rendered in English letters as "martureo"). This is the Greek word for "witness". Sound familiar?

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Acts 1:8

The focus here in naming Stephen a martyr is not on his death alone, but that he could not be disuaded from his witness about Christ by anything - not persecution, not suffering, not even death itself. He was truly faithful to his Lord, and this is why he is to be remembered as an example to all believers.

Upgrading the church?

Guess whose anniversary it is today

Happy anniversary, Jim and Marjie!

Acts Chapter 6 Study Guide is up!

The Acts 6 Study Guide is ready, willing, and able! This week's devotional is written by quiz team friend and missionary Dagney Pitts. Her reflections on the story of Stephen raise some very interesting questions for any quizzer... or really any Christian.

Click on over and take a look. Apologies for it being a day later than usual.

Updated at 6:10 PM: Thanks to Special J for pointing out my spelling mistake on the name of StePHen.

COMING SOON: Statue of Liberty Trip!

WHEN: Saturday, October 14 after the Quiz Meet
WHERE: The Statue of Liberty!
WHAT: After the Quiz Meet on Saturday, October 14, we will be taking a "quizzing field trip" to the Statue of Liberty with the other quiz teams. This is a great chance to see a historic site, and to learn about this great nation where we have the religious freedom to quiz about the Bible. We will probably be getting back between 8 and 9 PM.
COST: There is no cost to enter the statue itself but there is a cost per person for the Ferry over to the island. Ages 13 to Adult: $11.50, AGES 4-12: $4.50. Remember also $5 for the pizza lunch at the church.

PRAYER ALERT: Amish Shooting in Lancaster

I don't know many of you have heard about the Amish Schoolhouse shooting. A gunman walked into a school and shot and killed 5 girls, and wounded many more. One friend of mine is a chaplain who is ministering to the families of those affected. What you may not realize is that the attack occurred in Lancaster County in PA. This means it is likely that our fellow quizzers in Lancaster are likely going to be dealing with the shock of this incident, and possibly reaching out to the families.

Please be praying both for the victims, and for the Lancaster Church.

"What Is Bible Quizzing" Videos from the WBQA

The World Bible Quizzing Association (WBQA) is a different bible quizzing organization than our own, but it offers many good resources for quizzers. One of their new resources is a series of videos on Bible Quizzing which explains the why, how, and when of quizzing for newbies. If you have a friend who is wondering what quizzing is all about, and whether they might want to get involved in the future, click on over for some ideas on how to present Bible Quizzing to a newbie.

They are not as good as the Quiz Team Kickoff Meeting, but then again they don't have Polar Pete!

DID YOU KNOW: Who is Gamaliel?

In chapter 5, we come up against a new character in the story: Gamaliel.

When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. Then he addressed them: "Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."
His speech persuaded them.
Acts 5:33-40

Pretty smart stuff, but who is this guy? Besides the Bible, Jewish writings include two other books: the Talmud and the Mishna, both of which are commentaries on the Bible and records of the wisdom of prominent Hebrew rabbis of the ages. (Actually, there are two Talmuds and the Mishna is more of a compilation, but you get the idea.) In both, Gamaliel is noted as a wise man, a prominent and powerful teacher, and the author of many law books of his own. We are also going to learn in Acts 22:3 that Gamaliel was the main teacher and mentor of Saul, before his conversion and taking of the name of Paul.

Essentially, Gamaliel was one of the foremost experts in the Jewish Law and a professor of law who molded many rabbis and pharisees of the next generation. It is no accident that he is quoted here by name. The readers of Luke's book of Acts would have known Gamaliel at least as well as we know the name of Billy Graham or Josh McDowell. Maybe even as well as we know the name Albert Einstein.

ASK THE COACHES: About Prayer

QUESTION: I have a question about prayer. Is it possible to pray silently and when we do, are we suppose to hear a voice or what? - On My Knees And Listening

ANSWER: It is pretty clear from scripture that prayer is not limited to an audible verbal communication with God. As a matter of fact, one of the verses from one of last year's Quiz Team chapters was…

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
Romans 8:26

i.e. Not only does God not need to "hear" words, but even if we are not sure what to pray for, the Holy Spirit can see our heart and our need and pray FOR us, if we simply cry out to God. How much moreso can God (who sees the heart and reads the mind) hear us when we pray silently? The silent prayer may be a mental "image" of our own voice, or it may be the groans that the verse above talks about. God is our Father, and as such is sensitive to His children's needs.

On the other side of "voices", as to a response, scripture makes it pretty clear that sometimes a response is heard/felt/sensed and sometimes it is not. Sometimes in prayer, Christ obviously hears God the Father speaking back clearly and specifically, sometimes he seems to only receive comfort, and sometimes (as in the garden of Gethsemane before he was arrested) he appears to hear only silence and not feel the presence of God. Thus, we should expect the same. Sometimes in my prayer experience, I have felt that I "heard God speak" and knew exactly what was needed. Sometimes, I have merely felt a sense of reassurance or in one case the sense of a hand on my back to comfort me. And sometimes, it feels like I am speaking to the wall, and I need to merely have faith that God is always listening and always hearing. And my experience shows He is, even if I can not tell.