Congratulations to Snoopy!

Congratulations to former quizzer, Snoopy, on her wedding this weekend. May her marriage be blessed, happy, and godly.

Memorial Day is for Thankfulness

Thanks from all of us here at QuizPad.Com to a God who provided a national of freedom, and to the many former Quizzers serving today in the military to guarantee our freedoms. And thanks to the men and women everywhere who gave their lives to keep us free.

HUMOR: Inconvenient Truths

Not mine. From here

A minister told his congregation, "Next week I plan to preach about the sin of lying. To help you understand my sermon, I want you all to read Mark 17."

The following Sunday, as he prepared to deliver his sermon, the
minister asked for a show of hands. He wanted to know how many had read Mark 17. Every hand went up. The minister smiled and said, "Mark has only sixteen chapters. I will now proceed with my sermon on the sin of lying."

MUSICAL INTERLUDE: Our God Reigns

How it all began

ANNOUNCEMENT: Books for 2011-2012 Bible Quizzing!

Okay, we've had over a month since Districts and school is coming to an end, so it is time to start thinking about next year. And the books we will be studying for the 2011-2012 Bible Quizzing season will be.... {{DRUM ROLL}}

• Hebrews
• 1 Peter
• 2 Peter

Over the summer months, we'll have a series of posts to introduce you to these books. June will be all about Hebrews, July is 1 Peter month, and August is 2 Peter month. Stay tuned!

PHOTO: Swedish Bible

Bible translated into Native Alaskan language

Bible translators like Wycliffe are looking to bring the Bible to every language in the world. One of the newest examples is Gwich'in, a language of native Alaskans, which now has it's own Bible to let the gospel reach a whole new people-group.

The gold-lettered title of the plain-covered book reads "Vit'eegwijyahchy'aa: Vagwandak Nizii," Gwich'in for, "God: His Good News."

...Since then, a new Gwich'in spelling/writing system was created by Wycliffe translators Richard and Susan Mueller, who started working on translating the New Testament into the new format more than 50 years ago.

If you love Bible Quizzing, you're not alone

We're not the only system out there for Bible Quizzing, not the only church who enjoys it. As a matter of fact, Bible Quizzing is beloved by many teens all across the country. It may be encouraging to see what it is doing in one girl's life.

I love quizzing. I love the competition, the team work, the struggles, the wins, the defeats, the perseverance it takes, and the sacrifice it requires. But most of all I love the Spirit who uses the Word and the people to change my life. Thank you God so much for Bible Quizzing!

HUMOR: Decieving Appearances

Not mine. From here.

As Bill was approaching mid-life, physically he was a mess. Not only was he going bald, but years of office work had given him a large pot belly. The last straw came when he asked a woman co-worker out on a date, and she all but laughed at him. That does it, he decided. I'm going to start a whole new regimen. He began attending aerobics classes. He started working out with weights. He changed his diet.

In six months, he was a different man. Again, he asked his female co-worker out, and this time she accepted. There he was, all dressed up for the date, looking better than he ever had. He stood poised to ring the woman's doorbell, when a bolt of lightning struck him and knocked him off his feet. As he lay there dying, he turned his eyes toward the heavens and said, "Why, God, why now? After all I've been through, how could you do this to me?"
From up above, there came a voice, "Sorry. I didn't recognize you."

MUSICAL INTERLUDE: Hosanna!

One of these things is NOT like the others

Study Tips for Concentration

Studying, whether it be for Bible Quizzing or school, is about more than just reading and re-reading. It is also about finding a way to concentrate your attention, and avoid distraction from the outside. Here are some tips on concentration to help focus your mind, and keep it on-task. (Some of these may be familiar from the weekly "study tips" feature during the Quizzing Season. But good advice rarely gets old.)

- Stick to a routine, efficient study schedule
- Study in a quiet environment
- For a study break, do something different from what you've been doing (e.g., walk around if you've been sitting), and in a different area
- Avoid daydreaming by asking yourself questions about the material as you study it

PHOTO: 150 year old family bible

Who DOESN'T have the Bible?

We English-speakers have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to quality Bible translations. We have so many, in fact, that we can take the time to debate the relative merits of the different versions (NIV, ESV, RSV, KJV, etc.) But for many peoples, they don't even one book of the Bible in their own language. That's why it is so important to have Bible translators working to empower missionaries and local pastors to preach in their own tongues.

The need is about 340 million people speaking 2,078 languages, to be exact. These hundreds of millions of people don't even have Bible translation programs started in their languages, according to Wycliffe Bible Translators.

That's why Andrew Lancaster*, who has a degree in Bible translation and is headed to serve overseas, has a passion to see the need met.

"Why is it that there are now hundreds of English translations of the Bible, yet more than 2,000 languages of the world do not even have one word of it? English versions are produced left and right while thousands are dying without having ever had access to the Word of God," Lancaster said.

Some things don't mix

HUMOR: Sermon Watch

Not mine. From here.

One minister says that it doesn't bother him at all if his members look at their watches during his sermons. It does affect him, however, when someone not only looks at his watch, but also holds it up to his ear to see if it's still running.

MUSICAL INTERLUDE: Listen to the Sound

Not quite what we had in mind

STUDY TIPS: Dartmouth's Best Practices

The ability to study and retain knowledge is not something unique to Bible Quizzing, or even unique to the teen years of life. All of life is a learning process, whether as a student, business-person, parent, or teacher. And to help us keep that learning going, Dartmouth College has put out a series of informative papers on best practices for learning. This is good stuff for Bible Quizzing, for school, or for any time.

Memories fade away rapidly when not reviewed or used. The curve of forgetting is like a playground slide; we forget most immediately after we learn -in the first 24 hours; then it proceeds slowly. Motor learning seems to be better retained than verbal learning because a motor act has to be completely done to be done at all and so requires a higher degree of organization and competency which involves over-learning.

Take a look. You may find information useful as we head towards the end of the school year, too!

PHOTO: Bible Across America

John Bible Knowledge Test Results!

It took a while, but the Bible Knowledge Test results are in! Check on your results below.

Quizzers
Violet/Thumper 93
Mardi Gras 93
Prophetess 89
Nibbles 86
Asia 84
Cephas 59

Coaches
Coach Matt 84
Coach Mark 84

DID YOU KNOW: How was the Bible put together?

"DID YOU KNOW?" will be a summer series where we review issues of the Bible and the Christian faith of special interest. If you have a suggestion/question that you'd like addressed in a "DID YOU KNOW?" segment, please e-mail the coaches.

How was the Bible put together? How did history decide which books were in and which ones were out?

The current list of books in the Bible - known as the "canon" - was put together in different ways for the Old Testament and New Testament. But despite what some fiction authors might like to claim, the process was not secretive or mysterious.

...there was very little controversy over the canon of the Old Testament. Hebrew believers recognized God’s messengers and accepted their writings as inspired of God. While there was undeniably some debate in regards to the Old Testament canon, by A.D. 250 there was nearly universal agreement on the canon of Hebrew Scripture...

For the New Testament, the process of the recognition and collection began in the first centuries of the Christian church. Very early on, some of the New Testament books were being recognized. Paul considered Luke’s writings to be as authoritative as the Old Testament (1 Timothy 5:18; see also Deuteronomy 25:4 and Luke 10:7). Peter recognized Paul’s writings as Scripture (2 Peter 3:15-16). Some of the books of the New Testament were being circulated among the churches (Colossians 4:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:27). Clement of Rome mentioned at least eight New Testament books (A.D. 95). Ignatius of Antioch acknowledged about seven books (A.D. 115). Polycarp, a disciple of John the apostle, acknowledged 15 books (A.D. 108). Later, Irenaeus mentioned 21 books (A.D. 185). Hippolytus recognized 22 books (A.D. 170-235). The New Testament books receiving the most controversy were Hebrews, James, 2 Peter, 2 John, and 3 John...

The councils followed something similar to the following principles to determine whether a New Testament book was truly inspired by the Holy Spirit: 1) Was the author an apostle or have a close connection with an apostle? 2) Is the book being accepted by the body of Christ at large? 3) Did the book contain consistency of doctrine and orthodox teaching? 4) Did the book bear evidence of high moral and spiritual values that would reflect a work of the Holy Spirit?

HUMOR: 3 Gifts

Not mine. From here.

Three sons left home, went out on their own and prospered. Getting together for Christmas, they discussed the gifts they were able to give their elderly mother.
The first said, “I built a big house for our mother.”
The second said, “I sent her a Mercedes.”
The third smiled and said, “I’ve got you both beat. You remember how mom enjoyed reading the Bible? And you know she can’t see very well. So I sent her a remarkable parrot that recites the entire Bible. It took elders in the church 12 years to teach him. He’s one of a kind. Mom just has to name the chapter and verse, and the parrot recites it.”
Soon thereafter, mom sent out her letters of thanks:
“Dear Milton,” she wrote one son, “The house you built is too huge. I live in only one room, but I have to keep the whole house clean!”
“Dear Gerald,” she wrote to another, “I am too old to travel. I stay at home most of the time, so I rarely use the Mercedes.”
“Dearest Donald,” she wrote to her third son, “You have the good sense to know what your Mother likes.
The chicken was Dee-licious!”

MUSICAL INTERLUDE: I Will Praise You

Turning it upside down

Tips for Studying

Bible Quizzing requires students to learn a lot of material, in intense detail. This requires careful preparation, and good study habits. As we head towards the end of the school year, some of these same habits and techniques can be useful for tests and especially Finals.

- Take notes and write down a summary of the important ideas as you read through your study material.

- Take short breaks frequently. Your memory retains the information that you study at the beginning and the end better than what you study in the middle.

- Space out your studying, you'll learn more by studying a little every day instead of waiting to cram at the last minute. By studying every day, the material will stay in your long-term memory but if you try to study at the last moment, the material will only reside in your short-term memory that you'll easily forget.

PHOTO: The Gospel can be SWEET!

REMINDER: Memorial Concert on Saturday!

This Saturday, the Trumbull High School Chamber choir is giving a memorial benefit concert at Calvary Church.

The Trumbull High School Chamber Singers will be having a benefit concert in honor of Pastor David McIntyre. Come join us for featured songs from the Concert Choir, Men's Ensemble, Women's Ensemble, Chamber Singers, and select seniors from the Class of 2011. Tickets will be sold for a suggested minimum donation of $10. All proceeds from the concert will go to the David R. McIntyre Memorial Fund.

90-hour Bible Reading Marathon

In Nacogdoches, TX, a church began a 90-hour marathon bible reading yesterday which will stretch until the National Day of Prayer on Thursday.

Readers volunteer for minimum 30 minute time-slots, but many of them alternate so they can read for longer periods of time.

"It's not just ten percent of our wages, it's ten percent of who we are. We need to devote our worship to him," said Ryan Davis, bible reader.

HUMOR: Jesus and the World

Not mine. Found online.

A father wanted to read a magazine, but was being pestered by his daughter. To keep her busy, he tore a sheet out of the magazine that had a picture of the world printed on it. He tore the picture into small pieces and said "Here, now go into the other room and see if you can put this picture of the world back together again."

A few minutes goes by and he daughter appears in the room and hands him the picture all correctly fitted together.

The father was surprised and ask her how she was able to fit all those little pieces of the world back together again so quickly.

"Oh.." she said, "On the other side of the paper was a picture of Jesus and once I got Jesus in the right place, then the world came out alright."