Attention. Present Bible. Start.
Many Alabama Baptists remember those words, called by a Sunday School teacher who gave them a book of the Bible or a Scripture reference to find.
Bible Drill hasn’t changed much over the years because the goals of the ministry have remained the same.
“The main goal of Bible Drill is not competition but for kids to acquire Scripture knowledge and use it forever,” said Belinda Stroud, an associate in the office of Sunday School and discipleship for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions and coordinator of Alabama’s Bible Drill ministry.
“We want participants to learn to use their Bibles to meet the challenges of life.”
Stroud said her department is seeing an increase in the number of children and youth participating in Bible Drill ministry around the state. Part of that increase is motivated by parents, Stroud said.
“I meet so many adults that have children who participate in Bible Drill who are so grateful for it,” she said. “They don’t know Scripture or how to find verses like their kids do and they see how important it is for children to have God’s Word in their hearts.”
Leaders and students alike can find it challenging to keep kids motivated to study their Bibles when so many other interests compete for their time. Students like Eden Walker, a 10th grader who attends First Baptist Church, Pell City, in St. Clair Baptist Association, often have music lessons, sports and other activities both at church and in their communities that keep them busy.
Walker’s Bible Drill coach, Jessie Garrison of New Hope Baptist Church, Pell City, in St. Clair Association said no one is busier than Walker.
Still they found time on Thursday afternoons to practice, and not only did Walker learn more about the Bible, she developed a great relationship with Garrison.
Like Stroud, Garrison believes students benefit from having God’s Word in their hearts.
“They may not realize it, but when they need the Scripture, it will just come from deep inside them,” Garrison said.
Walker’s dad, Mark, the student minister at First, Pell City, agreed.
“Bible Drill gets the Word of God in their minds and hearts whether they go home with a trophy or not,” he said. “Trophies will tarnish, but the Word of God will stay sharp.”
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State Bible Drill & Speakers Tournament 2015 winners
The 2015 State Bible Drill and Speakers Tournament were held April 25 at Taylor Road Baptist Church, Montgomery. The winners of each division are listed below.
Youth BIble drill
Third place, Joshua Lance, Antioch Baptist Church, Fyffe; first place, Hamilton Gill, FBC Theodore; second place, Lee Borowski, Cottage Hill Baptist Church, Mobile
High School Bible drill
First place, Paul Last, Harmony Baptist Church, Hillsboro; second place, Samantha Taylor, Lakeside Baptist Church, Birmingham
Speakers Tournament
Third place, Hayleigh Sprague, Cottage Hill Baptist Church, Mobile; first place, Erin Hall, Lakeside Baptist Church, Birmingham; second place, Arienne Borowski, Cottage Hill Baptist Church, Mobile
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