Parents’ Guide - Benefits for Children

Benefits of Bible Quizzing for Your Son or Daughter

Dear to the heart of a Christian parent is the desire to see their child(ren) grow to love the Lord and walk in His ways. The following guide is intended to explain how Christian Bible Quizzing (CBQ) aids a young person’s spiritual formation, Biblical literacy and valuing of Christian community – all of which lay a firm foundation for a life of enduring faith.

Discipleship

Whether or not a child has been raised in the church, they are formed in a deep and lasting way by the communities that surround them. In particular, the investment and interest of adults other than parents in their lives makes a lasting difference in the lifestyles they choose to embrace and the choices they make as they grow up and increase in independence. Bible Quizzing is a Bible memorization-based youth sport and ministry that is supported by caring and invested adults. Coaches, often young adults who recently aged out of quizzing themselves, guide and mentor a small group of 3-5 quizzers throughout each quiz meet and during regular practices throughout the year. Officials (quizmasters, scorekeepers, answer judges) give generously of their time and experience at meets to provide the competition structure that motivates quizzers to work hard and thrive. Adults present in leadership and volunteer roles throughout CBQ are motivated by a deep love of God and His Word and a desire to help form this love in the next generation of young people. Their investment in the life of your child will produce a lasting impression in their hearts, trustworthy mentorship as they grow, and concrete examples of godliness and dedication that they will learn to imitate and inhabit for themselves in years to come.

Community

Bible Quizzing provides a unique environment for Christian youth to bond and form lasting friendships over a shared knowledge of, and love for, God’s Word. Inside jokes among quizzers abound, and often center around Biblical puns and references. Colloquially referred to as “the Spirit of Quizzing”, a sense of good-will, positivity, mutual encouragement and good sportsmanship pervades the periodic meets, where youth of all intellectual and physical capabilities are not just included in the competition but embraced as friends. Because of its unifying emphasis on the internalization of Scripture, Bible Quizzing creates a community that reflects the teachings of Jesus and the exhortations of the Epistles. Quizzing is a youth program not based on whatever is currently trending in the culture or whatever passing fad seems to be attracting youth – rather, it is based on the living and enduring Word of God, that solid rock and firm foundation that cannot be moved. Because of this, friendships formed during a young person’s time in Quizzing often far outlast the competition years, and so do the internalized truths and exhortations of Scripture. When you support your son or daughter to quiz, you can be confident that the community surrounding them will be positive and purposeful, both affirming them as individuals created and loved by God, and spurring them on to love and good deeds.

Virtue

Spiritual formation and the development of Biblical virtue is a natural outcome of Christian Bible Quizzing in the life of a quizzer. Team-based competition fosters brotherly love, humility and grace as quizzers work together to help each other succeed and meet individual and team goals. Regular memorization and reviewing of Scripture knowledge are exercises of perseverance and self-discipline. Courage and endurance are needed to continue the work and meet the rigorous challenge of each year’s Scripture requirements. Competition rules create structure and boundaries for younger quizzers, helping to train them in self-control. Older quizzers reinforce this training through their example. When mistakes are made, no one is shamed. Rather, the supportive environment of Christian fellowship in Bible Quizzing encourages all to respond with grace, patience and forgiveness. And, for those who apply themselves diligently to the study of Scripture, there is a harvest of excellence underpinned by a deep and lasting knowledge of the Bible. Finally, as the Bible itself is committed to memory by hundreds of quizzers each year, the truths and exhortations it carries are hidden deep in their hearts, and the church is strengthened by a generation of believers who grow up ready to hold church leaders accountable for their handling of Scripture and, in turn, raise up others in the faith.

The advantage of cross-denominational Christian fellowship for your child

For believing parents, it can be a matter of deep importance to know and agree with the theological underpinnings of any program your child is involved in. This is both wise and admirable. Sometimes, though, it is more comfortable to remain within a certain denominational sphere, if for no other reason than that the culture is familiar and the expectations are clear. However, the New Testament abounds with exhortations to draw together despite differences, loving and forgiving one another the way Christ loves and forgives us. “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others” (Romans 12:4-5). CBQ is purposeful in the bringing together of believers in Christ under the common, unifying banner of God’s Word. Though the various denominational branches involved may differ on a point of lesser doctrine here and there, and we can expect that there may indeed be differing cultural norms between participating programs and churches, we can all agree that Jesus is Lord and that His Word is true, unfailing, living, active and useful for teaching and training in godliness.

The benefits of such a structure are numerous! Drawing together under such a simple, solid banner means that your son or daughter will have the opportunity to mingle with believers who have strengths and weaknesses that differ from his or her own. His or her faith will be enriched through a deepening understanding of God’s truth as it transcends any one denominational pattern. This is turn will also solidify for your son or daughter that faith is independent of tradition, and that God’s Word is powerful to transform hearts and lives no matter where it is heard. CBQ is itself independent of denominational influence and oversight, lending neutrality to the space and making the inclusion of one another not just lip service but reality. CBQ leaders are simply passionate about helping as many kids as possible learn as much Scripture as possible. Furthermore, though CBQ also pioneers a multi-translational model of Bible Quizzing 1, only literal translations are accepted (paraphrase translations are not included). You can rest assured that your child is learning Scripture, not interpretation. And, through the strong friendships formed and the mentorship available, he or she will build a firm foundation of Biblical literacy from which to form his or her own interpretations and convictions.

Parental Involvement: I Want to Help!

Being a parent who supports your son or daughter to learn and love the Word of God is excellent, praiseworthy and deeply appreciated. However, if you want to do more than just drop your son or daughter off at quiz practice each week, here are some suggestions for how to be more involved – both in support of your child’s hard work and on behalf of the program itself.

Listen

Retention of memorized Scripture is best aided through vocal recitation. Set aside portions of your day to open the Bible and listen to your son or daughter speak the Word of God from memory – taking this time will not only help your quizzer reinforce what they have learned, but will help them build confidence, encourage them to keep studying, build a bond between you, and edify you both through the speaking and hearing of God’s Word!

Volunteer as a Coach or Meet Official

Get to know the ins and outs of Quizzing as a volunteer leader in the program. Whether Coach, Quizmaster, Scorekeeper or Answer Judge, leaders complete a preliminary training to help orient them to their responsibilities, and then become part of the team of supportive adults who encourage, guide, disciple and mentor the next generation of Bible-literate and Bible-loving youth. If you are interested in volunteering for a role in the program, please connect with a current leader or reach out via our contact page!

Advocate

Can you think of another parent who would love the idea of their son or daughter spending time in the Bible? Invite them to a meet, introduce them to a CBQ leader, answer questions, point them toward the website or offer to drive their child to practice. Does your son or daughter have a friend they could invite? Be supportive of their outreach efforts and do what you can to help them get connected. You can very easily be part of the community that welcomes newcomers and helps initiate them to the program, increasing the number of children learning and loving God’s Word!