March 23, 2009 issue
Quizzers learn Bible, life lessons
By Heidi Martin For Mennonite Weekly ReviewLANCASTER, Pa. — At first, Dawn Waltman thought Bible Quizzing was for academic Bible scholars.
Instead, the program in Atlantic Coast Conference allows youth such as Waltman’s son Matt to study the Bible and compete in Bible Quizzing meets.
“It appeals to a variety of different learning styles,” she said. “Bible Quizzing has all the makings of a great sports event without the physical contact.”
This year is ACC’s 40th for Bible Quizzing, which involves 57 teams of four to six members. The season begins at the end of January and runs through March.
Each Sunday evening, ACC operates 10 matches at a time with a five-member staff of Quiz Master, two judges, scorekeeper and timekeeper. On average, every team quizzes two matches of 15 questions at each meet.
There is an all-day tournament on the entire material at the end of ACC’s Bible Quizzing. There is then a weekend invitational tournament among five areas: ACC Pennsylvania; Kidron, Archbold and West Liberty, Ohio; and Harrisonburg, Va.
Don Yoder, a youth pastor from Ohio, created the program in 1969. The rules developed as specific situations needed to be addressed. Today, hundreds of youth participate in the program.
Fred Hertzler, ACC Bible Quizzing coordinator, attributed the growth to participants returning home from college and joining new churches.
“They want to start quizzing at their church,” he said. “This year we have a community church and a Baptist church.”
In fact, Bible quizzing in the Lancaster area has grown so much that the only facility large enough to hold the group is Lancaster Mennonite High School. Quizzing occurs at the school once each month. But, on most Sunday evenings, the teams and staff are split between two and four hosting churches.
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