​As we anticipate the 2020-21 Teen Bible Quiz season for Matthew, we have many questions due to the COVID-19 virus pandemic:

• Will we be able to meet and function normally by September?
• How can we protect quizzers who will be within 6 feet of others quizzers for 20 minutes at a time?
• Even if we find ways to follow CDC Guidelines at a quiz meet, would people feel comfortable traveling together and gathering in classrooms?
• Would students return to quizzing if we decide to skip this season? We really don't want to lose this powerful discipleship tool in our ministry arsenal and the momentum we’ve built over the past several years.

 
As a leader for an essential business that has stayed open during this pandemic, I have been challenged to find ways to eliminate close-contact situations for my employees when possible and to protect them when it is not. And the truth is some answers change from one day to the next. Similarly, in order to keep Teen Quizzing going we have to be ready for anything.

Challenges, rebuttals, and appeals. Sounds more like words you’d hear on a courtroom drama television show than in a friendly game of Teen Bible Quizzing. But in a way, you are on trial in front of a judge who is handing out a decision based on your testimony! While Quizmasters do their best to make a just ruling based on their interpretation of the Scripture and quizzing rules, they are human and therefore could make an error in judgment (though it is very, very rare, as I have been assured by some of them).

A check to their power exists in Teen Bible Quizzing in the form of challenges and rebuttals. The Captain of any team may challenge a Quizmaster’s decision on a Toss-Up question if there is reason to believe that the Quizmaster’s ruling is incorrect. Before the beginning of the next question, the Captain stands and gives a concise argument regarding why the ruling should be reversed. The opposing Captain is then allowed an opportunity to rebut the challenge, explaining why the Quizmaster’s original decision was indeed correct.

Keep in mind, however, that the team is penalized 10 points beginning with their 2nd overruled challenge in a game! So choose your battles wisely!

To better understand not only when but how to make an effective challenge, I consulted with several experienced Quizmasters to get their perspectives: JD Sailors (Quizmaster at District, Field and National competitions), Darrik Acre (Quizmaster and SNU Field Quiz Director), and Matt Thrasher (Quizmaster and Trevecca Field Quiz Director). 

Effective August 2017, the Nazarene Youth Quizzing Official Rules & Guidelines were revised per the direction of the Quizzing Advisory Council (QAC). And while most updates to this manual are typically minor or clarifying in nature, this time a few rules were changed that could have strategic implications on how you play and coach the game.

​When compared line-by-line against the August 2015 Rules, here are the 3 notable changes made to the 2017 edition of the Official Rules & Guidelines:

I love Amazon. One of the biggest perks of any online store is that you get to shop from the cozy comfort of your own home while wearing pajamas. And besides being able to compare prices without burning a tank of gas and wasting your day, have you ever noticed that Amazon uses “frustration-free” packaging? That means no impenetrable hard plastic clamshell cases or M.C. Escher-esque wire ties, and a lot less – if any – chances of being one of the nearly 6,000 people who go to the emergency room annually for an injury inflicted by the razor-sharp shards of packing material. Additionally, the majority of Amazon orders are shipped in corrugated containers that contain 43% recycled materials and are 100% recyclable. So, in effect, I am helping the environment by ordering from Amazon!
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But while Amazon takes this whole “shopping from home” thing to a whole new level by offering everything from toilet paper to video games, coffee, adult Madagascar hissing cockroaches and more, they fall short with resources for Teen Bible Quizzing.

​It happened a few years ago, but I still get triggered every time I think about it. 

I am coaching a team comprised mostly of first-year quizzers at an out-of-state mid-season invitational tournament. It has been thrilling for them to travel and meet other Christian teens from across the nation who share a passion for studying God’s Word. And despite our inexperience, we’re not embarrassing ourselves too often. Sure, we lost one game 350-10, but at least we didn’t go negative! In fact, that game was a real eye-opener of what we could accomplish with more experience and commitment to studying God’s Word! Later in the tournament we were put in a division of similar talent and we actually began to win a few games. 
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But then we played the team from Sassafras (that’s not their real name) who was leading our division at the tournament. Things aren’t looking good. We’re down 110-170 after question #18. I’m already looking at the schedule to see which room we go to next. We’re playing Kentucky? Cool, that’ll be fun.

I am excited to let you know that a quizzing app I had the pleasure to work on with the Nazarene Publishing House has just been released!

Youth Bible Quizzing (for iOS and Android; $4.99) from the Nazarene Publishing House is a simple, easy to use resource designed for Teen Bible Quizzers and Coaches.

The key features found in the app include:

• Memory Verses listed in verse order and alphabetical order. Pre-jumps are highlighted.
• Official NPH Study Questions listed by chapter
• Official NPH Study Questions listed by types of questions for those who want to specialize
• Team practice questions listed by chapter and groups of chapters. Multiple sets of 20 questions, which are formatted like a quiz match, are ideal for Coaches to lead a team practice