If you heard just a portion of Scripture, could you quote the entire verse and give the reference for it? Or if someone referred to a passage only by name or label, such as the Love Chapter, would you be able to put your finger on it — quickly?
At least some 700 children and youth across Alabama can, and they’ve proven it by participating in district and state Bible drills conducted during the past few weeks. Representatives from 145 churches, including 598 children and 80 youth, competed last month in district drills. Thirty-one churches were represented by 61 youth at the State Youth Bible Drill conducted April 27 at Heritage Baptist Church in Montgomery. Seven youth in grades 10 through 12 also participated in a Youth Speakers Tournament conducted in conjunction with the Bible drills.
Although Bible drills have long been utilized as a method to help children learn books of the Bible, those who participate in Bible drills master much more than that, according to Sonya Tucker, an associate in the discipleship and family ministries office at the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions. “It’s really designed to help children and youth know God’s Word.”
The children and youth compete through five different kinds of drills, including a doctrinal drill requiring them to memorize 10 doctrinal statements along with verses that support it. A Bible answer drill requires students to answer questions such as, “How does God live in me?” through Bible content — with the Bible closed.
Although drills are designed to be more simple exercises for children than youth, students who continue with Bible drills throughout the program’s full cycle eventually will learn 75 verses and 30 key passages and have a thorough working knowledge of how to use a Bible. Students in grades 4 through 9 are eligible to compete in Bible drill competitions.
“If they stay through ninth grade they have learned a significant portion of the Bible,” Tucker said.
The speakers tournament is designed to encourage young men and women to take a stand for their beliefs and be able to articulate them.
To participate in the speakers tournament, a youth must choose a topic, research it, write a speech and present it at the event. Leaders who see potential in young Christians may recruit and encourage them to participate.
Although participation in the speakers tournament is comparatively small, Tucker said the discipleship and family ministries department hopes the scholarships will promote interest.
This was the second year of participation for Amber Cheung, 16, of Carrollton. The daughter of Arthur and Barbara Cheung and a member of West End Baptist Church in Aliceville, she won third place by speaking on “The True Test of Friendship.”
As required, the four- to six-minute speech was delivered without notes after Cheung spent a couple of months preparing for the tournament.
Cheung, who took second place the previous year, credits years of participation in Bible drills with helping her prepare for the event. Each speech must include Scripture references. “I used verses I knew from Bible drill,” said Cheung, who envisions ways to utilize the skills she’s learning. “If I ever join something like Students Against Drunk Driving, it could help. I could use my voice to do that.”
Greg and Deborah Platt of Prattville required their two teenage sons to compete. Their son Tucker, 14, placed fourth in Bible drill, and their son Russell, 16, won second place in the speakers tournament.
The rewards for winning are significant. First place winner in the Youth Bible Drill receives a scholarship of up to $2,800, depending upon previous involvement, which can be used at the University of Mobile, Judson College or Samford University.
Winner of the Youth Speakers Tournament is eligible for up to a $2,800 scholarship, $700 a year. District Speakers Tournament winners are eligible for $500 scholarships from Judson College, University of Mobile or Samford University.
Other award winners receive certificates for Discipleship Training Youth Week at Shocco Springs Conference Center or Ridgecrest Baptist Conference Center.
But the intrinsic awards are more important, according to Mrs. Platt. “To me they [sons] won before they ever participated in the state because they had learned all this and tucked it back in their memory.”
Other Youth Bible Drill award winners include Leslie Sullivan, first place; Amber Forsythe, second place; Michelle Hopkins, third place, and Beth Graham, fifth place. Other speakers tournament winners include Will Pierce, first place; Emily Parker, fourth place, and Brittany Beasley, fifth place.
Although the Platts required their sons to be involved “to watch them you would not know that,” Mrs. Platt said. “They would not have done as well as they did if they had not gotten some pleasure out of it.”
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