Bible quizzing is a great way to engage developing young minds and promote interest in knowing and understanding the Word of God. It teaches teamwork, good study habits, and gives a rewarding sense of accomplishment.
Bible verses are beautiful and instructive. But with over 31,000 verses, Bible study can be daunting even for adults who don’t always focus on it as they should.
For active little minds offered the addictive high value and high reward systems of social media and video gaming, it can be even more difficult to stay focused on school and Scripture.
If you’re new to Bible quizzing, have children under the age of 11, and are unsure where to begin, we provide a guide to South Texas Junior Bible Quizzing.
Bible Quizzing for Kids Ages 4-12
Bible quizzing is divided into Junior and Senior divisions. Junior Bible quizzing is for ages 4-12, and Senior Bible Quizzing is for ages 12-18. Each division has its own separate tournament.
Junior Bible quizzing also has two subdivisions: the Beginner and Junior. The Beginner Division includes kids between 4-8 years old. The cut-off is Jan. 1st.
If your child turns 9 on or before that date, they move into the Junior Division. But if they are still 8 on Jan. 1st, they stay in the Beginner Division for the year.
The Junior Division is for kids between 9-12 years old. The cut-off date is still Jan. 1st. A quizzer is still 12 they stay in the Junior Division for that year.
Bible Quizzing Seasons and Tournaments
The Bible quizzing season is from January to July. It consists of:
- District tournaments
- State finals
- The Nationals
District-wide season tournaments are held in January, February, April, and May. The district winners compete in the state tournament in June.
The winning teams in state finals go on to compete in the Nationals. National officials hold the National tournament in July. They also hold a quiz extravaganza in March.
The Nationals announce next year’s quiz theme and release the relevant quiz materials at the event. Every tournament competes over a certain portion of the material.
The teams can begin studying any and all the material whenever they receive it (most start in September). But the plan for what material portions will be covered by each tournament in next year’s quiz season is provided by October.
Materials and Questions
The Beginner Division will learn around 185 verses in their material, while the Junior Division will have around 280 verses. The United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI) provides a study goal calculator.
The Junior Division quiz has 15 questions, divided into six 10-point questions, six 20-point questions, and three 30-point questions.
Each team member uses a Bible quizzing buzzer to determine who is first to answer. Once they buzz in, they have 30 seconds to answer the question correctly on the first try.
There are several different formats used for the children’s Bible quizzing questions:
- Direct
- Locate this verse
- Quotation
- Quotation Completion
- Two-part, Three-part, and Four-part
- Cross Reference
- Cross Reference Quotation
Direct questions may have one or more answers. The answer is within the question and does not have to be an exact quote.
Locate this verse questions give a specific phrase or quote. The quizzers answer with the exact verse it’s located in.
Quotation and Quotation Completion requires either an exact quotation or finishing part of a given quotation. The answer must be word-for-word from the King James Version of the Bible.
Two-part, Three-part, and Four-part must give the designated number of answers. Two-part questions must give each answer separately, but three and four-part questions may use the entire verse, as long as it’s perfectly quoted.
Cross Reference is only used in the Junior Division. These answers will involve two or more verses from the material.
Cross Reference Quotation is used in both the Beginner and Junior divisions. The answer will be quotations from two consecutive verses.
Forming a Quizzing Team
Bible quizzing teams must have a minimum of two quizzers, but no more than five. The team must be managed by a dedicated coach and coach assistant.
Both the South Texas Junior Bible Quizzing and Summit Bible Quizzing start studying in September. South Texas Junior Bible Quizzing begins meeting for weekly practice in October.
To start a team, coordinate with your church leaders for support. They can help disseminate information about sign-up, meet-ups, and team goals. You can reach out to other quiz coaches for guidance too.
If you’re the first team in your church, you may have to educate everyone on Bible quizzing basics (this article can help!) You’ll also need to find your applicable District Bible Quiz Coordinator so you can register your team.
Benefits of Jr Bible Quizzing
The greatest benefit of Bible quizzing is fostering spiritual growth and a solid Scripture foundation in your children. When they memorize their verses, they’ll also learn the meaning behind each verse and how to live best according to their faith.
Your children will also learn good teamwork and study habits they can use all through school, college, and into their careers. The memorization and learning exercises will stimulate their developing minds in ways that grade schools aren’t able to do during class.
In our fast-paced workaholic lives, we can neglect to dedicate spiritual and emotional growth time for Bible Study and family bonding.
Bible quizzing combines both and sets a schedule where other people depend on you, so it can’t be “put off till tomorrow.”
Giving Your Child The Keys To Spiritual, Social, and Academic Success
Proverbs 22:6 states: “Train up a child in the way he should go- and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Bible quizzing trains up children in the way they should go.
They learn how to cooperate and support each other as a team. They learn study habits that teach them responsibility and dedication. And they learn how to challenge themselves and sportsmanship in friendly competition.
Best of all, they learn and know God’s Word.
To learn more about South Texas Junior Bible quizzing, connect with us through our webpage, Facebook, or Twitter. We’d love to support your new team!