In Nazarene-style Teen Bible Quizzing, a quiz match is composed of five different question types, randomly distributed over twenty questions. The number and type of questions differ slightly between a single- and multiple-book Bible Quiz season:
Single Book Season |
Multiple Book Season |
% of Game |
11 General questions |
11 General questions |
55% |
4 According To questions |
4 According To questions |
20% |
3 Memory Verse questions (1 each of Quote, Verse, Verse & Reference) |
3 Memory Verse questions (1 each of Quote, Verse, Verse & Reference) |
15% |
1 Context question |
1 Context question |
5% |
1 Situation question |
1 Book & Chapter question |
5% |
As you can see, the General questions make up the majority of the game. However, it is unlikely that every quizzer will memorize the entire scripture in order for the team to answer all 11 of these questions.
In most sports, having players on a team with different talents is essential in order to not be weak in any one aspect of the game. Babe Ruth may hit 4 home runs in a game, but the Yankees will still lose if their defense gives up 5 runs. Similarly, if none of your quizzers commit to learning the memory verses, you are only participating in 85% of each match. In 1 Corinthians 12:12-20, Paul says:
In most sports, having players on a team with different talents is essential in order to not be weak in any one aspect of the game. Babe Ruth may hit 4 home runs in a game, but the Yankees will still lose if their defense gives up 5 runs. Similarly, if none of your quizzers commit to learning the memory verses, you are only participating in 85% of each match. In 1 Corinthians 12:12-20, Paul says:
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. (NIV 2011)
General's Order: "Divide and Conquer!"
The same holds true for Bible quizzing. To have a well-rounded team, designate each quizzer as a Champion of one or more question types. Without representation for every type of question, the team stands to lose out on at least 5% of the questions available. An example of this "divide and conquer" technique of coaching is as follows:
Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. (NIV 2011)
General's Order: "Divide and Conquer!"
The same holds true for Bible quizzing. To have a well-rounded team, designate each quizzer as a Champion of one or more question types. Without representation for every type of question, the team stands to lose out on at least 5% of the questions available. An example of this "divide and conquer" technique of coaching is as follows:
Question Type |
Chances/Game |
Champion |
All Memory Verses |
3 |
Quizzer 1 |
Context & Situation (Book & Chapter) questions |
2 |
Quizzer 2 |
According To questions |
4 |
Quizzers 3 & 4 |
Strategic Memory Verses |
3 |
Quizzers 2, 3, 4, 5 |
The table above covers nine of the questions that will be asked in a game. While you may assign more than one question type to each quizzer, each quizzer must be assigned something specific so that they understand their role and responsibility on the team. The benefit of this approach is that the team will be stronger as a result of focused learning. Their individual study time no longer has to be spread across multiple question disciplines.
Notice, however, that no General questions were assigned to any teen. There is a high probability that at least a few of the 11 General questions will be derived from a memory verse, Context, or According To question studied by any one of the team's quizzers. Additionally, no quizzer's area of expertise alone will result in a quiz-out. Thus, the General category of question is a shared responsibility of everyone.
There Are Enough Memory Verses to Go Around
Notice, however, that no General questions were assigned to any teen. There is a high probability that at least a few of the 11 General questions will be derived from a memory verse, Context, or According To question studied by any one of the team's quizzers. Additionally, no quizzer's area of expertise alone will result in a quiz-out. Thus, the General category of question is a shared responsibility of everyone.
There Are Enough Memory Verses to Go Around
In addition to the Champion designations, it is advisable to build redundancy into the plan regarding memory verses. Assign Quizzers 2-5 memory verses so that each player is responsible for only 25-33% of the memory verse list, yet all of the memory verses are covered at least once by these 3-4 quizzers (remember that Quizzer 1 is still assigned the task of learning all memory verses).
TIP: The use of a Memory Verse Chart is an excellent way of tracking and quickly determining the individual memory verse assignments based on the need of the team.
Why memory verses? For one, memory verses represent the key theological point of that particular passage. As such, they are often used to generate questions of all different types. Another reason is to provide backup in the event that the Memory Verse Champion quizzes out before all of the memory verses are asked in the game. But the most important reason may be that scripture memorization can be a lifelong aid in the spiritual walk of your student.
The whole purpose of Divide and Conquer is to have your team control the game. If each player can achieve an individual goal of at least 3 jumps per game, then your team can control 12 of the 20 questions. Even if a few errors are made, the opposing team's chances to score on each question are being diminished from 4 quizzers vying for 20 points to 1 quizzer trying for a 10-point bonus.
Another benefit of assigning Champions is that your team will be prepared to take advantage of any deficiency on the opponent's team. Consider the following data gathered from multiple Bible Quiz seasons on my local district:
The whole purpose of Divide and Conquer is to have your team control the game. If each player can achieve an individual goal of at least 3 jumps per game, then your team can control 12 of the 20 questions. Even if a few errors are made, the opposing team's chances to score on each question are being diminished from 4 quizzers vying for 20 points to 1 quizzer trying for a 10-point bonus.
Another benefit of assigning Champions is that your team will be prepared to take advantage of any deficiency on the opponent's team. Consider the following data gathered from multiple Bible Quiz seasons on my local district:
Question Category |
% Unanswered |
Average Unanswered per Game |
General questions |
18% |
2.0 |
According To questions |
35% |
1.4 |
Memory Verses (all types) |
47% |
1.4 |
Context questions |
26% |
0.3 |
Situation/Book & Chapter questions |
30% |
0.3 |
Total - All Questions |
27% |
5.4 |
In this scenario, an average game has 5 unanswered questions, leaving 15 to be answered by the two teams. Conceivably, only 8 correct toss-up questions would win the majority of the games. Ten correct would almost certainly guarantee a victory. Given that nearly 3 According To and Memory Verse questions combined go uncontested each match, the teams with those designated Champions have the decided advantage of picking up at least 60 points every game!
ACTION ITEM: Delegate each type of question - excluding Generals - to the team. Redundancy of memory verses is encouraged and everyone must participate!
Study Tools
For this strategy to work the quizzers need to be provided the applicable tools. These tools can appear in different forms, depending on the materials purchased. Keep in mind, however, that none of these are intended to be a substitute for the best tool of all - the Scripture. As a minimum, each student should be equipped with a scripture portion, highlighters, and a book (or app) of practice questions.
Study Pattern
To make effective use of the time devoted to study each week, a systematic pattern should be established. For each day in the study week, each quizzer should decide upon a method that produces the most desirable results. Depending on the teen and the type of questions being studied, learning techniques can take many forms. Not all quizzers will use the same methods, so encourage them to experiment with different styles until the right one (or two or three...) is found.
Day 1: Read to Understand - Read aloud the new scripture material multiple times. Tell someone what the chapter is about in your own words.
Days 2-5: Study to Learn - Review the practice questions, memorize the chapter, solve the crossword puzzles, make and study your memory verse flash cards.
Day 6: Break
Day 7: Reinforce Retention - Re-read previous chapters (use the 3-5-7-9 method), listen to the scripture audio on fast speed several times, review flash cards, go to the team practice.
Summary
Though this article was designed to guide a coach on how to efficiently organize a well-rounded team, always remember that the purpose of playing this game is to encourage the youth to study the Bible. Success in this game will naturally satisfy their competitive nature and further encourage digging deeper into God’s Word. By having the quizzers specialize in types of questions in which they excel, they do not spend their time trying to learn the same material as everyone else on the team.
While many teams naturally gravitate to this method of game-play, an intentional design from the start is most beneficial and rewarding. Again, the key to successful quizzing is found in a daily, purposeful method to learning and living out God’s Word!
For this strategy to work the quizzers need to be provided the applicable tools. These tools can appear in different forms, depending on the materials purchased. Keep in mind, however, that none of these are intended to be a substitute for the best tool of all - the Scripture. As a minimum, each student should be equipped with a scripture portion, highlighters, and a book (or app) of practice questions.
Study Pattern
To make effective use of the time devoted to study each week, a systematic pattern should be established. For each day in the study week, each quizzer should decide upon a method that produces the most desirable results. Depending on the teen and the type of questions being studied, learning techniques can take many forms. Not all quizzers will use the same methods, so encourage them to experiment with different styles until the right one (or two or three...) is found.
Day 1: Read to Understand - Read aloud the new scripture material multiple times. Tell someone what the chapter is about in your own words.
Days 2-5: Study to Learn - Review the practice questions, memorize the chapter, solve the crossword puzzles, make and study your memory verse flash cards.
Day 6: Break
Day 7: Reinforce Retention - Re-read previous chapters (use the 3-5-7-9 method), listen to the scripture audio on fast speed several times, review flash cards, go to the team practice.
Summary
Though this article was designed to guide a coach on how to efficiently organize a well-rounded team, always remember that the purpose of playing this game is to encourage the youth to study the Bible. Success in this game will naturally satisfy their competitive nature and further encourage digging deeper into God’s Word. By having the quizzers specialize in types of questions in which they excel, they do not spend their time trying to learn the same material as everyone else on the team.
While many teams naturally gravitate to this method of game-play, an intentional design from the start is most beneficial and rewarding. Again, the key to successful quizzing is found in a daily, purposeful method to learning and living out God’s Word!
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