REMINDER: Kickoff is September 16

Please mark your calendars for the Bible Quizzing 2015-2016 kickoff on Wednesday, September 16 at 6 PM.  We're looking forward to another great year of friends, fun, and competition!

REPRINT: Why Should I Quiz?

This post is re-printed here so that you can share it with any friends or family members who are curious about what Bible Quizzing is, in advance of the kickoff.

Why Should I Quiz?

The Tagline

We like to break down the appeal of Bible Quizzing into a simple tagline:  Learn God's Word, Make New Friends, Compete

Learn God's Word

Ultimately, Bible Quizzing is all about learning the Bible - God's own words to humanity.  As a quizzer, you won't learn a few quaint Bible stories, some watered-down theology, or a couple of hand-selected memory verses.  You will learn whole books of the Bible!  You'll learn to commit scripture to heart and mind, to read critically, and to understand the original meaning of the text.

We like to tell the story of a couple of past quizzers who applied to be missionaries.  They were in a group with seminarians, pastors, and Bible school graduates, and went through a rigorous test to check their knowledge of the Bible.  They got the top two scores in the entire group, outdoing men and women with MDivs and PhDs, and they realized it was all due to Bible Quizzing.

Make New Friends

There are not many ministries these days that reach out beyond the four walls of your own church or the small group of teens who make up your Youth Group.  But in Bible Quizzing, we compete against teens from other churches from our District (the northeastern USA) and some years from all over the country.  It is a chance to meet people from all over who share your love of Jesus, and form friendships that last a lifetime.

A number of past quizzers met their college roommate, their spouse-to-be, or their best friend in Bible Quizzing.

Compete

Let's be clear - Bible Quizzing is fun!  It's a sport where you test your mind and your heart as you compete with other teens to see who knows the most, who remembers the most, and who is the quickest to remember the material.  Like any sport, not every competitor is the same.  Some are amazing at memorization - it is not uncommon to find quizzers able to recite whole chapters or books of the Bible.  Some are amazing at recognizing key words or phrases - this was my specialty.  Still others are gifted at quick jumping and lightning-fast recall.  And some teens aren't great at memory, but are gifted in bringing the team together and encouraging others.  Whatever your gift, be sure we can use you.  And be sure you will have fun!

A Few Other Things

• Some Home Schoolers find Bible Quizzing a perfect fit for their curriculum.
• Some teens find the Bible Quiz Team to be a safe place to ease their way into the social side of the church.  As a smaller and supportive group with a focussed purpose, it is unintimidating.
• Some colleges offer Bible Quizzing scholarships.  If you're looking at a Christian college, be sure to inquire!

REPRINT: What is Bible Quizzing?

This post is re-printed here so that you can share it with any friends or family members who are curious about what Bible Quizzing is, in advance of the kickoff.

What is Bible Quizzing?

Summary

Bible Quizzing is a ministry of the Evangelical Free Church which brings together teens to study books of the Bible in-depth over the course of a school year.  We focus on learning the text - as well as getting information from the coaches on the context and meaning of the text - and compete with each other to demonstrate our knowledge.  Periodically - about once a month - we get together for a Quiz Meet with other churches in our District for a competition, and about twice a year we meet for a full-blown formal Quiz Meet, complete with trophies.

What is the Goal of Bible Quizzing?

Our focus and goal for the Bible Quizzing ministry is to store up the Bible in the hearts of willing teens.  The competition is a fun, but is just a means to the end of learning scripture.

How much is covered?

We go through a different section of scripture every year, covering anywhere from 1 long book of the Bible to five short books.  Over the course of a cycle, we cover gospels, history, and letters from the New Testament.

For next year, we are studying the books of Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon - about 19 chapters.

If you go through all the possible years of quizzing, you will have learned 16 books of the Bible!

What would MY commitment be?

We have one practice a week, approximately 1 quiz meet a month, and once or twice a year we will do an overnight for one of those Quiz Meets.  We met from September to May.  There is no required cost.

How do I get more information?

1.  Read thru this website.  The sidebar especially has lots of useful information.
2.  Talk to teens currently in the Bible Quizzing ministry.
3.  Talk to the coaches.  You can e-mail us via the link in the sidebar.
4.   Keep coming back to this website.  It will be updated every day with new information.

GETTING READY: Student Ministries Forms

Remember, if you want to come along on any Bible Quiz Team trips, the church needs the appropriate Student Ministry forms on file with the office.  (The same form can be used for all youth group activities.)  You can download the forms here:  http://www.calvaryefc.com/ministries/student-life/?view=mobile.

GETTING READY: Bible Quiz Team Intro 2015-2016

Do you have a friend who is interested in Bible Quizzing?  This Introduction may be a useful resource in giving them a taste of what the ministry is about and how it functions.  Please pass it along to ANYONE you think may be a prospect.

GETTING READY: FTV list is ready!

The list of Finish the Verse questions for 2015-2016 is ready!  These books are full of useful knowledge and advice for living.  Click on the image below, here, or on the sidebar to see the list.

GETTING READY: Reference list is ready!

The list of Reference Questions for 2015-2016 is ready!  Click here, on the image below, or on the link in the sidebar for the whole list.

GETTING READY: Study Schedule 2015-2016

The study schedule for this year is now online and ready for your perusal.  We have fewer chapters than past years, so we have more review weeks than normal.  But this will give our schedule more flexibility for snow days, as well.  Click on the image below or the link in the sidebar to download a copy for yourself!

HUMOR: From the mouths of babes...

Not mine.  From here.

  A teacher was testing the children in her Sunday school class to see if they understood the concept of getting to heaven.
      She asked them, "If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale and gave all my money to the church, would that get me into Heaven?"
      "NO!" the children answered.
      "If I cleaned the church every day, mowed the yard, and kept everything neat and tidy, would that get me into Heaven?"
      Again, the answer was, "NO!"
      Now she was smiling. Hey, they're getting it, she thought! "Well, then, if I was kind to animals and gave candy to all the children, and loved my husband, would that get me into Heaven?" she asked.
      Again, they all answered, "NO!"
      She was just bursting with pride for them. "Well," she continued, "then how can I get into Heaven?"
      A five-year-old boy shouted out, "YOU GOTTA BE DEAD."

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: Video Game Night & Quiz Team Promo

Coach Mark's photos of the Monroe Video Game Night (complete with Quiz Team promo from Coach Matt) are up and ready for your enjoyment.   Click on the image below for the whole set!

WEEKLY COMIC: We need to get this for Pastor Peter!

MUSICAL INTERLUDE: Shout Your Name

DID YOU KNOW: Where did all the languages at Pentecost come from?

At the day of Pentecost, there surely were a lot of peoples represented...

And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” (Acts 2:8-11)

...so where did they all come from, geographically?  This handy-dandy map may help you to place them all.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: Pleasure Reading

GETTING READY: Kickoff Date Announcement!

The Bible Quiz Team season will begin with a kickoff meeting on Wednesday, September 16.  Come on out ready to quiz!

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: Candlelight Service

HUMOR: Just asking

Not mine.  From here.

Atheist: "Do you honestly believe that Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish?"
Preacher: "I don't know, sir, but when I get to heaven, I'll ask him."
Atheist: "But suppose he isn't in heaven?"
Preacher: "Then you ask him."

WEEKLY COMIC: How Literal Are You?

MUSICAL INTERLUDE: Jesus, Your Love

GETTING READY: Video Game Night in Monroe!

On Thursday, August 20 from 7 to 9 PM, the Beacon Hill Church youth group (REVERB) is having a special Video Game Night where they are bringing in a video game truck and setting up game consoles around the church.  This will be an outreach to area teens with an emphasis on recruiting for the coming year.

The Monroe Bible Quiz Team will be presenting at the event!

All quizzer are welcome to come on out and help us talk up Bible Quizzing.  If you do come, please bring a bag of chips, cookies, or a bottle of soda to share.

GETTING READY: Studying the Books of GEPCP

For the 2015-2016 season, we'll be studying not one book but rather a series of books all written by the apostle Paul.  Together they span many years of Paul's life and are written to a series of different peoples in different places in different contexts.

• Galatians:  Written to the Christians in Galatia, a Roman province that included Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe (all familiar names from the Book of Acts!)  The book is primarily written in response to Jewish Christians who were trying to force Gentile Christians to convert to full-blown Judaism.  It is a powerful defense of salvation by faith alone.
• Ephesians:  Written to the Christians in Ephesus, a Roman colony in what today is Turkey.  Ephesians is a great treatise on God's intentions for the Church, and His plan to fulfill those intentions in us.  It is especially famous for teaching on Spiritual Gifts and Spirtual Warfare.
• Philippians:  Written to the Christians in Philippi, a Roman colony made up of almost entirely gentiles.  The book is primarily written to remind proud citizens of Rome that they are also citizens of a greater empire in the Kingdom of God.  It is one of Paul's happiest letters, as the Philippians were especially active in supporting Paul's ministry.
• Colossians:   Written to the Christians in Colosse, who were converts of Epaphras and not Paul himself.  It was written to address a gnostic heresy that had crept into the church there which tried to mix elements of Greek thought and "secret practices" into Christianity.  It is very focussed on the supremacy of Christ over all things.
• Philemon:  Written to a single Christian - Philemon - who was a citizen of Colosse and owner of a slave named Onesimus.  Onesimus had fled his master to find freedom, and had converted to Christianity through Paul.  The letter is sent to convince Philemon not to punish Onesimus (typical punishment was death) and to welcome him back as a brother.

These books present a wide diversity of Paul's thought and teaching about the gospel of Christ.  Look towards this as an opportunity to see into the mind and heart of one of the greatest teacher of the Faith.

DID YOU KNOW: Why did we switch to ESV?

"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.

Why did Bible Quizzing switch from the NIV to the ESV as the translation we study?

Since the 1980's, EFCA Bible Quizzing used the New International Version (NIV) for all of our competitions.  It was chosen because of the quality of its scholarship, its readability, and its accuracy.  A few years back, EFCA Bible Quizzing switched to the English Standard Version (ESV).

In 2011, Biblicia - the organization that owns the rights to the NIV - released a new revision to the translation.  Their intention was to update the translation with the newest scholarship, and to reflect changes in the English language since 1984.  Their revisions were significant (see here for a full listing) and especially focussed on introducing gender-neutral language to many scriptures where the existing gender-interpretation could be seen to change the meaning of the text.  After much debate, many Evangelical churches, leaders, and denominations decided they could not endorse the 2011 version.  Biblicia, at the same time, forbid anyone to continue publishing the previous 1984 version.  So, Bible Quizzing needed to decide whether to move to the (controversial) NIV 2011 or consider moving to another translation.

At the same time, a new version - based on the venerable Revised Standard Version (RSV) was released in 2011, called the English Standard Version.  It was widely praised for the quality of its scholarship, its readability, and its accuracy.  (Sound familiar?)  And it was released with liberal electronic licensing (free versions online, free versions on eBooks, and free apps) that would be valuable for study and quizzing.

So, the leadership of EFCA Bible Quizzing decided it was time for a change and announced that we would be moving to the ESV for the 2013-2014 season.

So which translation is really "better"?

The Bible was originally written in Hebrew and Aramaic (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament).  Anytime you see it in English, it is a translation and decisions must be made.  The best translations balance precision with readability, so that the meaning of the original language comes through without sounding like a foreign language.

The NIV 2011 takes a number of liberties with the text which are controversial.  But it does address some real problems with the original NIV, and is very natural and readable.

The ESV is much more precise, verging on a literal reading of the text.  But that means the language contains a larger vocabulary, sometimes is a bit wooden, and can be harder to read.

Should I be worried about the change?

No.  The ESV is an excellent translation.  Your first day reading it, things may seem a bit strange.  But you will quickly get used to the language.  And the language is a bit more poetic, so you may even find it easier to memorize the FTVs!

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: Origami Ark

HUMOR: Be careful what you pray for!

Not mine.  From here.

  A country preacher decided to skip services one Sunday to spend the day hiking in the wilderness. Rounding a sharp bend in the trail, he collided with a bear and was sent tumbling down a steep grade. He landed on a rock and broke both legs.
      With the ferocious bear charging at him from a distance, the preacher prayed, "O Lord, I'm so sorry for skipping services today. Please forgive me and grant me just one wish—make a Christian out of that bear that's coming at me!"
      At that very instant, the bear skidded to a halt, fell to his knees, clasped his paws together, and began to pray aloud at the preacher's feet: "Dear God, please bless this food I am about to receive."

WEEKLY COMIC: Virtual Church

MUSICAL INTERLUDE: Already Done

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: Robot Copies Bible

VERSE OF THE WEEK: Hebrews 2:18

For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. - Hebrews 2:18 (ESV) http://biblehub.com/hebrews/2-18.htm

DID YOU KNOW: The Feast of the Transfiguration

"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.

I heard today is the "Feast of the Transfiguration".  What is that?

More liturgical Christian traditions than ours put events onto the calendar to remember both heroes of the faith and the major events of Jesus's life.  The "Feast of the Transfiguration" on August 6 (for most denominations, not all) is set aside to remember the events of the transfiguration recorded in the synoptic gospels.

Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.  And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said.  As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.Luke 9:28-36 ESV

This feast is unusual in not focussing on a single character (in this case Jesus), but is seen as a time to reflect on the mystery of the Trinity where God is one being in three persons.  God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are all worshipped, celebrated, and remembered in this feast.

JUST FUN: Men of the Bible

It's a vacation time of year, so why not have some fun?  This series will put up something fun (and Bible related) every week for you to enjoy!

This week is a version of Hangman on "Men of the Bible".  Click here or on the image below.

HUMOR: Denominations

Not mine.  From here.

  An old dollar bill and an even older $20 arrive at a Federal Reserve Bank to be retired.
      "I've had a pretty good life," the $20 says. "I've been to Vegas, the finest restaurants in New York, and even on a Caribbean cruise."
      "You did have an exciting life!" the dollar says.
      "Where have you been?" the $20 asks.
      "Oh, I've been to the Methodist church, the Baptist church, spent some time with the Lutherans..."
      "Wait," the $20 interrupts. "What's a church?"