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The 3 Bible Quizzing Rules I Would Change

5/1/2015

19 Comments

 
I Can't Believe
For every “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” I could give you at least ten “Change before you have to“. In reality change is the only constant in life. But no matter how much we don’t like things to change, change is the only thing that brings progress. My opinion is that it is better to be proactive and change on your terms rather than be reactive and hastily make changes because something is broken.

Fortunately, the state of Teen Bible Quizzing – and Nazarene Teen Bible Quizzing in particular – is by no means broken. It is extremely fun to play and exciting to watch! But have you ever asked yourself, “Self, what would I change about Teen Bible Quizzing to make this wonderful ministry even better?” Obviously I have. I even came up with a concise, 3-bullet point answer perfectly formatted for quick consumption as a blog post (what a coincidence!):

1. Allow quizzers who quiz out with 4 correct toss-ups to stay in the game to answer Bonuses
Several other Bible Quizzing programs, such as the Christian and Missionary Alliance, allow a quizzer who has answered four questions correctly – excluding bonus questions - to remain in the quiz to answer bonus questions. From a personal perspective, I can see how this would change my strategy at a Nazarene quiz. As it is now, sometimes my top quizzers are out of the game before the half-way point. With this rule change, each game’s unique circumstances would force me to decide if I should bring in my extra quizzer now or wait until later. Is the corresponding quizzer on the other team making errors? Does my bench player already have 2 errors? Also, keeping a knowledgeable quizzer on the seat for bonuses would eliminate the advantage of the “no risk” jump given to the opposing team when the seat is left vacant.

2. Replace the "Situation" question with an "In What Chapter" question
As I was writing competition and practice questions for the next quiz season I had the crazy idea that quizzers should know where to find a particular verse - even if it is from a Gospel. Yes, like I said, crazy. 

We ask “In What Book and Chapter” questions for the Epistles, so why don’t we ask “In What Chapter” questions for the Gospels and Acts? To me, knowing where to find a particular verse or portion of scripture when you need it is a very useful skill to have – especially when you are trying to lead someone to Christ.
Additionally, the “Situation”-style question can continue to be asked as a “Context” question. Existing “Context” questions already require multiple-part questions or answers. This would be the perfect way to keep the spirit of “Situation” questions alive in the game.
Quizzers should know where to find a particular verse - even if it is from a Gospel.
And from a purely selfish perspective, it really would make my life easier if I didn’t have to account for changes in the types of questions asked each year in my iPad Nazarene Scoresheet and question databases. This change would keep the format of questions consistent between seasons.
3. Allow quizzers to answer any Memory Verse pre-jump question as a "multiple"
While quizzing on the Gospel of Matthew, the Quizmaster asks, “Finish this verse: Bl-“. A quizzer jumps and the Quizmaster doesn’t utter another syllable. Faced with 8 possibilities, the quizzer – even though they know all of the possible answers because they have put in countless dozens of hours of study – is forced to guess which one the Quizmaster needs to hear. They guess “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Unfortunately, the Quizmaster does not show them mercy and rules them incorrect.

Now imagine what could have happened: The quizzer – full of confidence and a gift of a quick-twitch tongue – fires off within 30 seconds 8 Memory Verses that begin with the “Bl-“ sound. The Quizmaster rules them correct and the crowd erupts in cheer!
As long as all of the information given in the multiple answers is correct, why not allow a quizzer to answer a Memory Verse question as a multiple? It seems arbitrary not to do so since all other types of questions allow quizzers to form multiple questions and answers when they pre-jump.  Memory Verses deserve to be treated fairly!
All other types of questions can be answered as a 'multiple'. Why not Memory Verses?
Sure, it may be more challenging for the Quizmaster and Content Judge, but as long as these officials are provided an alphabetical list of the Memory Verses, they should be able to keep up.

So what are your thoughts? What would you change or add to keep Teen Bible Quizzing relevant, fresh, and exciting?

I did think of other, more ambitious ideas. But to be honest, some of them had the potential to change too much of the way the game is played. One day, though, I’ll host my own tournament and put some of these ideas to the test. After all, as wise man once said: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”
19 Comments
Callie link
5/1/2015 10:32:48 am

Interesting thoughts. I am neutral on the first two changes. (Although, as a quizmaster, I'd happily get rid of situation questions, they tend to be the longest questions and a mouthful!) I disagree with the third one - the odds are still VERY much in favor of verse quizzers, even when jumping so early. I believe there is actually another blog post that talks about why being a verse quizzer is your ticket to the top. :) Personally, I'd change the restrictions on jumping. Who cares how they get their light off, so long as they are attempting to answer the question? The point is the knowledge, not whether they came toward a standing position, stood up, or flinched their butt cheeks - or whatever else we argue about in this category.

Reply
David Phillips
5/6/2015 01:37:15 am

Thanks for the comments! And, yes, I agree about the restrictions on jumping. I say that as long as the quizzer isn't "pushing off" using their foot on the bar of the chair or with their hands on the floor or seat, let them use whatever technique fits their style or physical ability.

Reply
Christian Tonches
5/10/2015 03:19:40 pm

Good evening to all that often go to read in this blog! My name is Chris, I am Nazarene, from Mexico and I have 23 years old.

I love Bible Quiz, I am a 9 years quizzer, I started when I was 15 years old and I have been in 8 national tournaments in a row...in this July will be 9 because I am the captain of my Disctrict Team (Sur Fronterizo de México)in our next national tournament; your tools have been part of my study sessions since 3 or 4 years ago and I want to say THANK YOU, they have been very helpful. =)

I am not shure who is the creator of this article or this blog...But whoever is it... I CONGRATULATE YOU, this blog is fabulous!

Althoug my English is very poor, I am able to read and understand everything you have wrote in the blog, I think I've read all the articles :D

I would like to contact whit you, David.

Greetings from Chiapas, México.

Reply
David Phillips
5/11/2015 02:58:28 am

Thanks, Chris! Your English is just fine! I'm glad you find this blog helpful and I wish you success in your tournament in July! Please be sure to let us know about your experience when you get back.

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Chris Tonches
5/11/2015 08:24:13 am

Hey David!

I really would contact whit you...I´ve tried to find you in facebook without succes :c

Recently I was named the coordinator of NBQ in the South Área of México, and I wish talk with you because you have a lot of experience and many crazy ideas for the ministry, it´ll be an honour to be in contac with you bro.

From Quizzer to Quizzer, please. :D

My email: uli_ft10@hotmail.com
MyFacebook: CHRISTIAN ULISES TONCHES CARBALLO

Brenda
5/23/2015 01:24:30 pm

I would leave the situation questions and get rid of the according to questions. Does anyone like these?

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Jacob
6/22/2015 07:47:26 am

Yes, lots of people like according to questions. They give people more motivation to memorize the entire scripture for the year. Also, they allow for the asking of questions that couldn't otherwise be asked because they aren't unique. Keep according to questions. I say get rid of context questions and situation questions. Have more "verse" questions in the quiz.

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David Phillips
7/10/2015 08:08:35 am

I second Jacob's comments. Additionally, the According To questions show us that for some things in the Bible the specifics are critical to full and accurate understanding. Substituting a similar word could potentially change the meaning and implication of a verse. But I'm sure you know this. You were asking if anyone "likes" the According To questions. Having just returned from Nationals in Louisville, I can tell you that - for me, at least - I am in awe of those quizzers who can rattle off several questions and answers to any verse after hearing only the reference. Very cool.

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Josiah Rutledge
12/3/2015 04:24:50 am

Relevant conversation between myself and a teammate:

(We weren't teammates during the regular season, but we're both members of the District All star team competing at regionals as teammates and bumped into each other at a homeschool conference)

Teammate: I've been working really hard on the situation questions.

Me: Good! I hate situation questions. They ask things like why and when that are so ambiguous!

Teammate: How can you hate situations because they are ambiguous but love According Tos? They're way more ambiguous!

Me: They couldn't be less ambiguous! They TELL you what verse the answer is in!

That is what this comment thread made me think of

Rick
4/18/2016 04:20:57 pm

Personally, I think According To questions, done well, are the best possible of all the questions. IMHO jumping chapter and verse on Acc Tos is about the highest level you can master - because doing them well means memorizing the entire material. And mastering the skill needed to recall the verse (especially at the end of the year, when so much material is covered), make multiple questions and give the answers in the order you gave the questions - in 30 seconds - is a commitment to God's Word we shouldn't remove.

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Josiah
4/18/2016 05:02:46 pm

Couldn't agree more. According To questions reward the most prepared quizzers, and the ones who know the material best.

Funny story:
My first year of quizzing, an according to question comes up and before asking the question gives a really long rant about how you have to know the verse on an according to. My teammate, whose only studying was on the way to the tournament, jumps on that according to. Being aware of his lack of studying, and in light of the quizmaster's rant, I had to fight to keep back my laughter. My teammate gets lucky on a guess, and the quizmaster asks "See, you knew the verse, right?"

Teammate: "Nope, it just sounded right."

I almost died from laughter

Jonathan
8/23/2015 02:54:59 pm

I agree that multiples on verses would be a good change. I would want to record novice quizzes if that change happened, but that is probably something that should happen anyway.

Reply
Josiah Rutledge
11/23/2015 03:34:20 am

Not a rule change, but the game would get significantly more quizzer friendly and reward those with impeccable content knowledge more if we properly enforced the rules about how much the question can alter the grammar of the verse. Questions should not change the tense, number, person or part of speech of a word. Yet I've encountered all of these. For example, if the Scripture states "...were grieved" it is not true to the text to write the question "Who grieved?" from that verse. It changes the part of speech of "grieved"; in the verse, it's an adjective, in the question, it's an action verb. Even at the national level quizmasters throw out appeals based on this without even looking up the verse, saying that "It's too not picky". These quizmasters don't realize that it hurts the quizzers answering the question to not be able to reasonably accurately translate what was heard of the question into how it would sound in the text. If a quizzers bears "Who grieved..." it should be safe to assume the phrase in the text is along the lines of "[subject] grieved" and to try to mentally locate that phrase rather than "[subject] were/was grieved".

Just a pet peeve of mine; especially since we already havE rules about this that are rarely enforced; quizmasters often assume the question writer got it right when in fact often the quizzer has a much better grasp of the material than the question writer

Reply
Josiah
11/23/2015 03:37:48 am

Should add that not all quizmasters ignore this; many are on top of it. But the few that ignore it completely can really give a quizzer fits when extremEly fast jumping is necessary

Reply
Josiah Rutledge
12/3/2015 04:52:34 am

Absolutely could not agree more about multiples on memory verses. I've had this discussion several times with my memory verse quizzer friend. In my opinion, it's a silly, arbitrary rule that memory verses are unmultipleable (man, I make up some weird words when I discuss quizzing). Does anyone know the reasoning behind that rule?

In my opinion, any question that is often jumped "blindly" (memory, according to at some tournaments, book and chapter at some) should be able to be multipled.

I think quizzing should work towards rules that incentives top quizzers to jump competitively on every question. In my district (Washington Pacific) the top quizzers are almost guaranteed to quiz out and are therefore often waiting around, intentionally leaving questions they know in order to get more bonuses.

The quiz out rule was implemented to encourage jumping from the quizzers who are not "stars" but I think in a sense it does the opposite: I am often instructed to intentionally not answer hard questions that I know and instead try to get easy ones to prevent the other teams weaker quizzers from getting them, since I'm unlikely to be able to stop their top quizzers from quizzing out. I find I'm competing against myself more than I am against other top quizzers. I think quizzing should find a way to incentives top quizzers to compete for the same questions. One way to do this (which I'm not particularly fond of, but it might do the trick) is to assign higher point values to certain questions. That way the top quizzers will all be gunning for the questions with the higher point value. However, I would NOT want the higher point value questions to be picked based on question difficulty. For one thing, I don't want to have to factor that into my decision making when choosing between two possible question completions, and for another I want EVERYBODY to jump on these questions. Nobody should sit because they are too hard. There would be around 4-5 of these per round; enough that someone could quiz out on only these questions, but not enough that the top quizzers don't have to fight tooth and nail for them.

This would also add more to excitement to the individual scorer rankings. In the current format, 1st place vs second place is often decided by "he quizzed out every time with two errors, and she did it with one" but in my proposed system it would come down to who fared better on the questions that everybody goes for. A perfect score would represent true dominance, rather than just accuracy.

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Karl Tabor
7/17/2017 11:54:59 pm

"Back in the day"... we had both #1 and #2. Both were the case while I quizzed. When someone quizzed out, the coach had the option to replace them with a substitute (if they had one) or could leave the quizzer in to answer bonuses. And I'm quite sure I heard "In what chapter" questions back then, on the narrative books. I think the question breakdowns were mostly the same, but I'm not sure. Either they were not so publicly known, or else they may have shifted a bit from year to year. Or... I might have just been unaware of them.
We have kicked around the idea of allowing multiple memory verses on a jump, and I would not be opposed. Maybe I'll include that as a suggestion next time around. Also - about 25 years ago, our Regionals allowed multiple verses for according to's. For instance, jump on "Acts chapter three, verse twen..." - you could try more than one. Whatever you could cover in 30 seconds. I had two guys who practiced that all through the next year - then we reversed ourselves at the next Regionals and wouldn't allow it. I also didn't think this was a bad idea. :)
I have other Rules Change suggestions I've made over the years. I believe they just adopted one of them... allowing timeouts at any point in the quiz, rather than limiting them to before the start of question 18.

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Karl Tabor
7/18/2017 12:22:37 am

I'll go ahead and give three others I gave this year which were not accepted:
1. Change automatic error deduction from question 16 to question 21 (5th team error and after would still deduct) - goal: not inhibit new quizzers from jumping after the stars have quizzed and erred out.
2. Eliminate Context Question... never been a fan.
3. Allow multiple question format of: "question-answer / question-answer / question-answer" - instead of requiring "question-question-question / answer-answer-answer". Goals: easier ruling for officials, quizzers can keep going (rather than realizing too late they must have not asked the right question), better audience understanding. In my opinion the present rule is a skill requirement which is unrelated to knowledge of the Scripture.

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Shyne
10/23/2018 11:44:48 pm

Old thread, but doing multiples of quotes would be an incredible headache. Sure, the quizmaster and content judge could check each answer, but they won't be able to follow along if the quizzer is fast enough, and checking based off of memory of what the quizzer said would cause a lot of errors on the quizmaster/content judges side.

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Twebaze Benjamin
5/28/2019 08:23:20 pm

We are just initiating the bible quiz in East Africa, Rwanda . any materials that can help us please , tournament is this year,October 2019, any way to collaborate with you guys
Thank you. King David Academy in Kigali we are organising the challenge. I need you email if possible

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    Teen Bible Quizzing is a dynamic, enriching ministry with a mission to invite youth into a deeper relationship with Jesus! Endorsed by Nazarene Youth International (NYI), Teen Bible Quizzing uniquely combines study of the Bible, competition, fellowship and disciple-making in a program attractive to youth.
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    I am the Louisiana Nazarene Teen Bible Quiz Director, the author of several Teen Bible Quiz apps and study guides, and regular host of The TeenBibleQuiz Podcast.

    I have been involved in Teen Bible Quizzing as either a coach or District Director since 1995.

    I am married to a wonderful wife and have a son and daughter who love the Lord and have recently retired from Teen Bible Quizzing.


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