Bible Quizzing

During the winter months my life is filled with Bible quizzing. Bible quizzing is organized by the Atlantic Coast Mennonite Conference and is one of the best activities that I have ever been involved in. Young people between the ages of 13 and 20 study a book or section of the Bible over an 8-week period. The material they are learning is divided into 8 sections and each quizzer learns an average of 100 new verses a week. This year we are quizzing on the Gospel of John. There are 44 teams divided into two leagues. Quizzes are held Sunday evenings and each team quizzes every team in their league 1 time during the 8-week regular season. The season ends with two tournaments. The first one is an all day quiz fest between the 44 teams in both leagues and the second one is a weekend quizzing bash which includes the 44 teams along with additional teams from Ohio and Virginia.

I have been a coach for over 10 years and nothing warms my heart more than to see so many young people learning God's Word. I love the energy that youth bring to anything and Bible quizzing is no exception. But truthfully, I also love this program for what it does for me. As a coach, I write hundreds of questions to help my quizzers study the material. In the end, I often know the material as well as, if not better than, my quizzers. I have found this to be a great Bible study for myself. I often struggle with keeping up with my devotions and Bible reading during the year, but during the quizzing season I immerse myself in the Bible. The Gospel of John is one of the most wonderful books of the Bible. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know this book inside and out. Did you know that the soldier whose ear Peter cut off was a relative of one of the high priest's servants who challenged Peter saying, "Didn't I see you with him in the olive grove?" It was after Peter denied it that the rooster crowed. Or that the man who had been blind from birth and whom Jesus healed by making mud from saliva and putting it on his eyes, was actually a very feisty man and stood up to the Pharisees who eventually threw him out of the synagogue for telling them that Jesus was from God?

If you ever get a chance to attend one of these quizzing events I recommend you take it. You can read more about this program and see the quizzing schedule at http://www.accquizzing.org/. For now, I will leave you with some of my favorite verses from the Gospel of John. These are the words of Jesus:

• If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. ~ 8:31,32
• I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ~ 10:11
• I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. ~12:46
• It is finished. ~19:30

Mary Lehman