WEEKLY COMIC: Preconditions

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: The Cross and Thorns

MUSICAL INTERLUDE: Solid Ground

GETTING READY: Keywords List

Keywords - also known as "once used words" - are a useful tool for the careful Bible Quizzer.  They are words used only once in the entire book being studied.  Therefore, you know if you hear that word, you know exactly where you are in the book.  Superior quizzers learn the keywords in the chapters to increase their jumping speed and refine their knowledge of the book.

For example, in this verse, the keywords are highlighted in red.

A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham
Matthew 1:1

This means any time you hear the words "record" or "genealogy", you know we must be talking about Matthew 1:1.

If you're interested in using this valuable tool, check out the Keywords List for yourself!  (Keywords can also be found highlighted in the scripture portions we will hand out at the kickoff.)

BIBLE NEWS: The Rise of the Digital Bible

The coaches have been at the forefront of the digital revolution, reading our Bibles on laptops, Windows CE devices, iPhones, iPads, and so on.  Now, the church is quickly catching up to us.  ;-)  More and more electronic and Bibles are showing up in church services.  Some think this is the beginning of the end of paper books; other think it is the beginning of a deeper study.

“The Bible is sort of the flagship of the printed book culture,” said Timothy Beal, author of “The Rise and Fall of the Bible”. “The printed word is losing its place as the dominant medium for reading.”He pointed to the traditional family Bible — once commonplace in many homes — as evidence of the decline in printed Bibles. “Most families don’t have them anymore,” he said. “The family Bible as we know it is already a thing of the past in most families. What was once a perfect product during its time has become kind of an artifact.”

HUMOR: The Secret to Sermons

Not mine, found online.

"The secret of a good sermon is to have a good beginning and a good ending; and to have the two as close together as possible."- George Burns

COOL TOOLS: The Names of God

We don't often think about names.  Expectant parents may look up the meanings of names, and history teachers may enjoy telling us the origin of names, but overall we tend to take them at face value.  But the Bible is very intentional about names.  When major figures go through a life-changing experience, their name is changed - Abram to Abraham, Saul to Paul, etc.

So, what about the names given to God?  The name chosen to describe Him at various points in scripture can be VERY significant.  So, why not go over to the Blue Letter Bible and see their section on The Names of God?  I think you'll be surprised!

WEEKLY COMIC: Overachievers

MUSICAL INTERLUDE: The Struggle

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: Bible Reading Marathon Podium

GETTING READY: Reference Question List

Reference Questions are among the most confusing for Bible Quizzers.  While most questions that are asked can be easily differentiated from all others, Reference Questions are specifically chosen from those which could come from many different places in the text.  For example,

Question: According to Matthew 2:15, What was fulfilled? 

Question: According to Matthew 2:18, What was fulfilled? 

Question: According to Matthew 2:23, What was fulfilled?

In order to make it possible to figure out the context of the question, however, an exact reference is given. Likewise, the list of possible reference questions is given out at the beginning of each year, so the possibilities are limited.  This can actually make them easier to study, because you know the exact question and exact answer up front.

Be aware, however, if you answer a reference question that there is one more wrinkle in the rules.  If you "jump" on a question before the full question is asked, you must give the full question and answer to the quizmaster.  (Don't worry, it's not as hard as it sounds.)  For example,

Assuming the quiz master says, "Question:  According  to  Matthew  2:18, What..."  *JUMP*
You would say, "What was fulfilled?  'A  voice  is  heard  in  Ramah, weeping  and  great  mourning, Rachel  weeping  for  her  children  and  refusing  to  be  comforted, because  they  are  no  more.'"

Check out the full list.  This may very well be a good option for your study focus.

BIBLE NEWS: The Great American Bible Quiz

Hat tip to Coach Paul for this one!  Bible Quizzing (of a sort) is about to make it's television debut.  The Game Show Network has announced "The Great American Bible Quiz" which will be hosted by Jeff Foxworthy.  While not our brand of Bible Quizzing, it will help to reward Bible knowledge and perhaps bring some education to the average American about the Greatest Book.

“I am excited to be hosting a show about the best-selling book of all time,” Foxworthy, who already hosts GSN’s “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” said in Wednesday’s announcement.
“It will be interesting to find out what people really know, and an opportunity to present the Bible in a fun and entertaining way,” Foxworthy added.

HUMOR: Stand up, stand up!

Not mine.  Found online.

The minister was preoccupied with thoughts of how he was going to ask the congregation to come up with more money than they were expecting for repairs to the church building. Therefore, he was annoyed to find that the regular organist was sick and a substitute had been brought in at the last minute. The substitute wanted to know what to play.
"Here's a copy of the service," he said impatiently. "But, you'll have to think of something to play after I make the announcement about the finances."
During the service, the minister paused and said, "Brothers and Sisters, we are in great difficulty; the roof repairs cost twice as much as we expected and we need $4,000 more. Any of you who can pledge $100 or more, please stand up."
At that moment, the substitute organist played "The Star Spangled Banner."
And that is how the substitute became the regular organist!

COOL TOOLS: Dictionary of Biblical Theology

Bible Quizzing is great, because you always know exactly what to study.  We even break it down by week for you! But sometimes there is a specific topic or idea that you want to learn more about.  You can try word studies by using a concordance, you could try asking questions of your coach or youth pastor, you could even try Googling the issue.  But a Dictionary of Biblical Theology is a great place to start.  It lays out an issue, a person, or an idea clearly and cites a number of different experts, if there is disagreement.  It's a quick way to go from ignorance to expert.

Click on thru and click on a few topics you find of interest!

WEEKLY COMIC: Dogma?

MUSICAL INTERLUDE: Echo of Love

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: Crusader's Bible

GETTING READY: Finish the Verse Question List

Finish the Verse questions are often the most familiar to new quizzers, as they are essentially Memory Verses.  A static list is given out at the beginning of each year of all the Finish the Verse (or FTV) questions that will be asked, so the possible universe is well known.  The only complicating factor is unlike other questions, FTVs must be answered word-perfect, with reference.  For example, for the verse...

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
(Matthew 1:18)

...the format of the question and answer would be...

Question:  "Finish the Verse Question - This is how the birth..." 

Answer:  "...came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.  Matthew 1:18"

...and missing even one word would mean the quizzer got it wrong.  The full list of questions is now online!  Check it out and consider whether Finish the Verse questions might be for you.

BIBLE NEWS: Israeli scholar looks to correct Hebrew Bible's grammar

As Bible Quizzers, we have great respect for the Word of God.  But to some scholars, it is not only the words that matter, but literally every "jot and tittle" (i.e. every minor marking, like the dot of an i, or the placement of a comma) that is worthy of scrutiny.  Israeli Judaic scholar Menachem Cohen has spent the last 30 years trying to "correct" every grammatical detail of the Hebrew Bible used today.

His edits, focusing primarily on grammatical blemishes and an intricate set of biblical symbols, mark the first major overhaul of the Hebrew Bible in nearly 500 years.
Poring over thousands of medieval manuscripts, the 84-year-old Cohen identified 1,500 inaccuracies in the Hebrew language texts that have been corrected in his completed 21-volume set. The final chapter is set to be published next year.

He notes that none of his changes affect the meaning of the text in any way.  But it does it's best to bring our received version of the Hebrew books of the Bible back as close to the original writings as possible.

HUMOR: Don't Wait!

Not mine.  Found online.

A minister waited in line to have his car filled with gas just before a long holiday weekend. The attendant worked quickly, but there were many cars ahead of him. Finally, the attendant motioned him toward a vacant pump."Reverend," said the young man, "I'm so sorry about the delay. It seems as if everyone waits until the last minute to get ready for a long trip."The minister chuckled, "I know what you mean. It's the same in my business."

COOL TOOLS: Online Interlinear Bible

An interlinear Bible is one which gives you the translated English text in parallel with the relevant original Greek or Hebrew text of the scripture. It is a great resource if you are curious EXACTLY what a specific word or phrase meant when the original writer put it down. These tend to be expensive, but now you can find free tools to do the same thing online! If you're interested to see the language the original writers were working in, it is worth clicking through and trying it out.

WEEKLY COMIC: What would you do if...

MUSICAL INTERLUDE: Everyday Your Love is New

ANNOUNCEMENT: Quiz Team Kickoff on September 5

It's that time again!  Time for another year of Bible Quizzing.  Come on out at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, September 5 for our annual kickoff event!  Both parents and teens are welcome to come, see what we do, ask any questions, and meet the coaches.  There is no commitment for coming out to the kickoff, so bring along any friends interesting in joining the team.

GETTING READY: When was the Gospel of Matthew written?

The timing of the writing of this gospel is important, because it tells us exactly how close to the life of Jesus the facts were put to paper. There are some who argue the gospels were written a hundred years or more after Christ - claiming they must be inaccurate. But what about Matthew?

Some have argued on the basis of its Jewish characteristics that Matthew's Gospel was written in the early church period, possibly the early part of a.d. 50, when the church was largely Jewish and the gospel was preached to Jews only (Ac 11:19). However, those who have concluded that both Matthew and Luke drew extensively from Mark's Gospel date it later -- after the Gospel of Mark had been in circulation for a period of time. Others, who assume that Mark was written between 65 and 70, place Matthew in the 70s.
The Jewish nature of Matthew's Gospel may suggest that it was written in the Holy Land, though many think it may have originated in Syrian Antioch.

BIBLE NEWS: Controversial new Translation presents Bible as a Screenplay

Bible Quizzing is all about learning the Bible, and figuring out how it applies to your own life.  But for some, it can be hard to apply historical narratives to daily life.  A new translation called TheVoice is trying to change that by presenting scripture in the format of a screenplay.

Take the passage from Genesis in which God gets angry at Adam for eating the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil:
“Adam (pointing at the woman): It was she! The woman You gave me as a companion put the fruit in my hands, and I ate it.
“God (to the woman): What have you done?
“Eve: It was the serpent! He tricked me, and I ate.”

Of course, this is not only creative but also highly controversial, since it can be argued that it is adding to God's word.  (Note in the above that it shows Adam "pointing to the woman" which was not in the original text.)  However, the authors point out this is not intended for in-depth study, but rather as a tool to help people engage with the stories of an ancient text.  (For quizzing, we'll stick with a more established and reliable translation, I think.)

HUMOR: Offerings & Opportunities

Found Online.

There is the story of a pastor who got up one Sunday and announced to his congregation: "I have good news and bad news. The good news is, we have enough money to pay for our new building program. The bad news is, it's still out there in your pockets."

COOL TOOLS: Bible Maps

If you've been watching the situation in Sudan, you'll have realized one important fact about maps.  They're always changing!  Changes in geography, climate, politics, and religion are constantly changing boundaries between regions and nations.  Can you imagine how much the map has changes in the 2000+ years since Christ walked the Earth?

Check out the Bible Maps of StudyLight.Org for a good atlas of how the map of the Holy Land looked throughout Biblical Times.

WEEKLY COMIC: Too much punnage!

MUSICAL INTERLUDE: Banner of Love

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: Praying over your Bible