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Children’s Bible drill participants at Turner Ridge Baptist Church are, from left, Josiah Guillion, Knoxville Baptist Church, Hannah Guillion, Knoxville, Joe Seabrooke, Knoxville, Lillian Courtney, Mount Carmel Baptist Church, Elias Jones Mount Carmel, Landon Courtney, Mount Carmel, Presley Platt, Turner Ridge, and Perry Gregg, Turner Ridge. -
Youth drill participants from left are Aaron Guillion, Knoxville Baptist Church, Landon Guillion, Knoxville, Aidan Guillion, Knoxville, Jaron Jones Mount Carmel Baptist Church, Jane Courtney, Mount Carmel, Leah Seabrooke, Knoxville and Isabella Guillion, Knoxville. Photos by Nila Harris.
By Nila Harris
FALMOUTH — Children from Knoxville, Mount Carmel and Turner Ridge Baptist churches participated in an associational Bible drill April 21 at Turner Ridge Baptist Church.
These children worked over the past year learning books of the Bible, completion of verses, key passages, Scripture references, and how to locate these things quickly in the Bible.
After months of practice, they show what they have learned at their individual church drills.
Next comes the associational drill, which brings the churches together. Finally, there is a state drill this Saturday.
This is not a competition. “It’s about learning God’s Word,” TRBC Bible drill leader Kim Myers said.
In the reference portion of the drill, children are given a Scripture reference such as Matthew 21:22. If the child knows the verse, he or she steps forward within 10 seconds.
The randomly chosen participant must be able to recite the verse from memory, along with the reference.
In the memory verse portion of the drill, the children are given a portion of a verse. They must be able to complete the verse and name the Scripture reference.
The book drill means the caller might say “Jeremiah,” and all participants must find the book of Jeremiah in the Bible, place their index finger on a verse within that book, then step forward.
If their number is chosen, the child must name the book that comes before and after that book, all within seconds.
In another part of the drill, the direction might be “The Lord’s Supper.” All participants must find Matthew 26:26-29 in the Bible, put their finger on one of the verses, and be able to name where the passage is found.
The children may start preparing for Bible drill in third grade and continue through sixth grade. The youth drill is for grades 7 to 9.
This drill is like the children’s drill except that they only have eight seconds to locate information.
Plus, instead of memorizing verses, the children need to locate in the Bible where answers to certain questions can be found: Am I alone? Who should I trust? Who is Jesus?
Those qualifying at the state level may compete at the national tournament in June in Concord, N.C.
Anyone interested in Bible drill may contact the leaders at the prospective churches: Kim Bowen or Sabra Jones at Mount Carmel, Nancy Howe at Knoxville, Kim Myers or Andrea Smith at Turner Ridge.
Any church interested in starting a drill may visit the Kentucky Baptist Convention website.