Bible Drill and Speakers

Our 2022 National Invitational Youth and High School Bible Drill and Speakers Tournament was held Friday, June 17th at First Baptist Church in Brunswick, GA. Will Bowick, our 2022 State Student Speakers Competition Winner from FBC Monroe won 2nd place in the National Speakers Competition. Briana Reardin, our 2022 State High School Bible Drill Winner, from FBC Cochran, received a perfect score award in the National Bible Drill.

Emily Whileyman (Texas, Baptist General Convention of Texas) won 1st place in Youth Bible Drill. Lydea Keller (North Carolina Baptist State Convention) won 2nd place in Youth Bible Drill. Brielle Taylor (Baptist General Convention of Texas) won 1st place in High School Bible Drill. Andrew Wisely (Southern Baptists of Texas Convention) won 2nd place in High School Bible Drill. Donald Smith (Southern Baptists of Texas Convention) won 1st place in the Speakers Competition.

Congratulations to all the State Winners who were a part of the 2022 National Tournament! Southern Baptists of Texas Convention will be hosting the 2023 National Tournament in Fort Worth.

Congratulations to our State Bible Drill Winners! Our 2022 State Youth and High School Bible Drill was held on Saturday, May 14th at FBC Monroe. To qualify for the State Youth/High School Bible Drill, students had to score 270 points or higher at the Regional Drill. In addition to memorizing the books of the Bible in order and being able to locate the books and verses in 8 seconds, Youth Drillers learned 30 verses and our High School Drillers memorized 59 verses including Psalm 100. Winners are pictured (L-R): Caleb Speirs (Covenant Baptist in Valdosta) was the 1st place winner in Youth Bible Drill. Hannah Cooke (Harp’s Crossing Baptist Church, Fayetteville) was the 2nd place winner in Youth Bible Drill. Danae Bates (Harp’s Crossing Baptist Church, Fayetteville) was the 2nd place winner in High School Bible Drill and was recognized this year for being a 9-year driller. Briana Reardin (FBC Cochran) was the 1st place winner in High School Bible Drill. Bates and Reardin both received a perfect score in the High School Bible Drill. As the High School Bible Drill winner, Briana received the Waldo and Sarah Woodcock $500 College Scholarship. Our first place winners have the opportunity to represent Georgia at the 2022 National Invitational Tournament for Bible Drill and Speakers June 16-17 at FBC Brunswick, Georgia.

Congratulations to our Spring 2022 College Essay Contest Winner – Kenzi Rowell. As the College Essay Winner, she is the recipient of a $500 college scholarship to use at the college of her choice. Kenzi is a member at Second Avenue Baptist Church in Rome and a student at Kennesaw State University. She is currently majoring in Business Marketing, and plans to pursue a career in Hospitality and Tourism Marketing after college. Her speech topic was Fruits of the Spirit in Christian Discipleship.

You can download and read a copy of her essay using this link:

For more information on our Essay Contests, visit our website: https://bibledrillandspeakers.com/essay-contests/

by Karen North

In 2019, the North American Mission Board launched its personal evangelism initiative, “Who’s Your One?”, with the goal of challenging every church member to intentionally build a relationship and share the gospel with at least one person during the year. I’d like to expand on this as we go past sharing the gospel to the part of discipling and mentoring those in the faith in our churches.  

If you have ever been involved in Student Speakers Competition, think back – although it may have been a bit daunting to get started and to work up the courage to speak in front of a group, what positive things did you learn from your experience?  What I have seen from the viewpoint of a parent of several Student Speaker Competition participants is that they had to think about their Christian faith and find something they could share with others. They developed discipline in sitting down to write, rewrite, memorize, rehearse, and rehearse again.  They learned public speaking skills that some have been able to put to use in their careers.  Long lasting relationships were formed with other student speakers at the different levels of competition. 

As an audience member and a judge, I have been challenged, encouraged, and convicted by the many messages I have heard over the last 15 years. There are points that I have heard in speeches that still affect me to this day.  It doesn’t make a difference if the speaker was the state winner or not – he/she still had an impact. 

If you have been a former student speaker participant, who’s your one?  If you have been the parent, or sibling, or grandparent of a former student speaker participant, who’s your one? If you have been the pastor, the Sunday School teacher, or the friend of a former student speaker participant, who’s your one? If you have been a member of the audience whether at church or at a church level, association, region, or state drill and have heard former student speakers, who’s your one?  

Who is the one student in the 10^th -12^th grade in your church who has a message, a testimony, or a life experience others need to hear?  Who is the one student in your church who needs encouragement to share God’s Word through a channel such as Students Speakers Competition?  Who is the one student you know who needs to be given a voice to share with those around him or her?  Who’s your one you can encourage to participate in the competition and then walk along side them as they choose a topic, develop a speech, and prepare to present their message?  

Who’s your one you can impact for life via Student Speakers Competition?  

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For more information on how to develop a speech, a student speakers’ guide book, a sample judge’s sheet/guide, a list of suggested topics, and a list of dates for the region and state competitions, see 

https://bibledrillandspeakers.com/student-speakers-competition/   

https://bibledrillandspeakers.com/2021/02/08/5-steps-for-developing-a-speech/

https://bibledrillandspeakers.com/dates-and-locations/

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Karen North is a Bible Drill Leader at Covenant Baptist Church in Valdosta and a champion of Student Speakers Competition. She serves as a State judge and a member of our board for Georgia Baptist Bible Drill and Speakers, Inc.

Betsy Milburn, Bible Drill Leader at Wrens Baptist Church recently shared with me six creative Bible Skill activities that they are using with their group.

1. Keys and the locks (Key Passage Activity) 

Items needed: card stock (optional: color code by cycle), scissors, envelope(s)

Prep: Copy the Keys and Locks on blue cardstock (blue cycle) and laminate the pages.  Cut the keys and the locks out and put the pieces in an envelope.

Play: Match the keys and locks. 

Variations: (1) Make a set for each child. (2) Call a reference or a key passage title and drillers find the lock and key.

2. Matching Lids (Key Passage Activity)

Items needed: 20 liquid laundry detergent lids, permanent marker, self-adhesive circle labels (optional) 

Prep: Write the key passage titles on 10 lids and the matching references on the remaining 10 lids.

Optional: Write the key passage titles and references on self-adhesive circle labels and adhere to the tops of the lids.

Play: Instruct children to match the key passage titles and references.   

Tip: Enlist members of your church to save the lids for you.

3. Tablecloth Review

Items needed: cheap plastic tablecloth from a dollar store, painter’s tape, permanent marker

Prep: Fold the tablecloth so that the tablecloth is about ¼ of the total length.  Hang the folded tablecloth on the wall where children enter the room. Using the permanent marker, write books, verse, or key passage activities on the tablecloth. (Examples: (1) Instruct kids to Write a book before and a book after a book that is on the cloth; (2) Write a verse and include blanks for some of the words.  Kids will fill in the blanks; (3)  Write the reference of a verse and ask kids to write out the verse; (4) Write a Key Passage Title and kids will write the matching reference.  

Do: Instruct kids to complete one of the activities as they enter the room. 

Tip: Pull out an additional blank area of the tablecloth and reattach to the wall the next week.Add additional Bible skill activities to complete!

4. Proverbs 22:1 Activity

Items Needed: Styrofoam ice chest(s), gold spray paint, gold toy coins, ultra-fine permanent marker, paper, scissors, double-sided tape or other adhesive, foam packing pieces

Prep: Spray paint Styrofoam ice chests with gold paint.  Using a permanent marker, write each word of the verse on paper, cut to fit the coins and adhere one word of the verse to each coin.  Don’t forget to include the reference.

Play: Instruct children to dig through the chest filled with packing noodles to find the gold coins and then put the coins in order.  

Variation: Make an extra chest with coins and form groups or have a relay race.

5. The Conversion of Saul – Acts 9:1-30

Prep: Enlist a volunteer to portray this passage. (Optional: Biblical Costume)

Do: Instruct children to travel the road to Damascus with the volunteer as he portrays Saul’s Conversion.

6. Malachi 3:10 Idea

Ask your pastor if a child can recite Malachi 3:10 before the offering is collected.

What are your favorite Bible Skills activities? Share your ideas with us!

by Karen North

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”  Proverbs 3:5-6 

I initially met Mary Ann Wheelis over 25 years ago at a homeschool support meeting.  Our paths later crossed again when our churches competed at the association level Bible Drill, and then again when she taught Bible Buddies at the same church we attended, preparing the kids for their move to the Bible Drill classes. Through the years, we worked together in Bible Drill at the church, association, region, state, and even national level as teachers, judges, and speakers/teachers at Bible Drill retreats.  Our friendship grew even closer as she became my son’s mother-in-love, sharing her daughter with me, as well as being Granny to our shared granddaughter and grandson.  We were even camping buddies, enjoying the outdoors on several trips. 

Mary Ann quietly devoted over 20 years teaching, judging, and sharing God’s Word with children and youth. She trained many groups of young children from K5-2^nd grade in Bible Buddies, teaching them Bible skills, but most importantly, teaching God’s Word in the form of Bible Drill verses.  She shared her love of God’s Word by teaching the Books of the Bible classes at the Bible Drill retreats using fun relay races and other learning games. Not only did she teach on her own, but she was almost constantly at her husband Roger’s side as they taught children, youth, and high school classes, substituting when they stopped teaching on a regular basis, and hosting many groups of children in their home for a cookout and a time of fun and games centered around Bible Drill. 

Her love of God’s Word was not just reserved for Bible Drill – it was a part of her very life.  When I asked Roger what her favorite verse was, he said it was hard to pick just one because she had so very many.  He said he was blessed that many of their favorites seemed to be those that she had taught in Bible Drill.  If he had to pick one, though, he said that Proverbs 3:5-6 would be at the top of the list because it had provided direction and comfort for them both in every situation and stage of their lives: marriage, raising children, finances, as well as facing difficulties. 

Even in the last weeks of her life, her love for God’s Word was evident as she and Roger asked friends to send their favorite verses to encourage them during her time in the hospital and her recovery period. That is why for me, as well as for many others, her homegoing was bittersweet.  We thought we were encouraging her while she was looking forward to coming home, never realizing God had plans to take her to her heavenly home. While we rejoice that Mary Ann is with the Lord, we miss her terribly here on earth. Matthew 6:21 has an extra meaning for her family and friends: “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”  Mary Ann laid up treasures for her Lord by being faithful to help little ones to hide God’s Word in their hearts.  Now she is with her heart – her Lord Jesus.  Now a little of our heart is with her there, also, as she was truly a treasure as a wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. 

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Karen North is a Georgia Baptist Bible Drill and Speakers, Inc. board member and a Bible Drill Leader at Covenant Baptist Church, Valdosta, GA

This spring, Georgia Baptist Bible drill and Speakers, Inc. is sponsoring a College Essay Competition. The prize is a $500 scholarship to the College of your choice. This essay competition is open to current college students. Students may choose any topic related to Christian Discipleship.

Judging Criteria:

* Creativity  (Originality; thought provoking)

* Grammar (Use proper sentence and paragraph structuring; punctuation and spelling)

* Scripture Based (Scripture used meaningfully and is applicable)

* Evidence of Research: Minimum of 5 footnotes or endnotes and at least 4 bibliographical entries. Scripture can only be used once in your bibliography count and twice as footnotes or endnotes count.  A separate bibliography is required. 

* Length:  Minimum of 1000 words

* Judges will take into consideration the Baptist Faith and Message as they judge any theological elements. Students may use the 1963 or 2000 version depending on their individual or church preference.

Students should Include a personal bio sheet with the following information: name; address, email, phone number; church membership, and college attending.

Your Essay will be submitted via the dropbox link below: https://www.dropbox.com/request/cg3JgvYdAi62zm8Ivvrc

Essays are to be submitted in pdf format.

Deadline: April 15, 2022

*Photo by Zen Chung on Pexels.com

As Kids Ministers, we all have had the last minute texts, phone calls and emails of a leader notifying us that they will not be at church to teach due to a sick child, etc. Many times we send out multiple texts searching for an “approved volunteer” to cover the class. Often there is little to no time for the volunteer to prepare a lesson.

We desire to intentionally lay spiritual foundations every time kids attend our church. By providing Emergency Bible Skills Kits in our ministry area, we provide instant teaching activities that allow spiritual foundations to be laid.

Here are some things that I have chosen to put in my Emergency Bible Skill Kit:

Books of the Bible Flash Cards

Foam Numbered Cube (Dollar Tree)

Sticky Notes

Clothes pins

Craft sticks

Books of the Bible Bookmarks

Spinning top

Permanent markers

Colored index cards

Beanbag

List of Bible Skill Games and teaching instructions

You can download the list of games that I have in my box.

Tip 1: You may want to create a couple of these activities ahead of time for your volunteers so that they are ready to go when they open the box.

Tips 2 – Many of these Bible Skills activities also can be adapted to teach/review the Bible Story.

What would you include in your Emergency Bible Skills kit?

Congratulations to our 2021 High School Essay Winner – Suanna Morris! As the 2021 winner, she is the recipient of a $500 College Scholarship to use at the college of her choice. Suanna is a 9th grader and is Homeschooled. She is a member of Covenant Baptist Church in Valdosta, GA. This year’s High School Essay Topic was “Living for Christ in a Woke Culture.”

You can download and read a copy of her essay using this link:

For more information on our essay contests, you can visit our webpage.

Fun, life-changing, sticks with me, and I want to keep doing it! These words are not describing a new app, or a fun road trip. All of these are words that have been used to describe Bible Drill.

Fun – I memorized Bible Verses during this time (Bible Drill), I had fun at competitions, made lifelong friendships, improved my public speaking (Student Speakers), and most importantly, I had the opportunity to share God’s Word with others – Sarah North Scheffler (former Bible Drill and Speakers Competition State Winner)

Life-changing – “I cannot adequately express how important Bible Drill was as a part of my spiritual formation. I didn’t simply memorize verses; I developed a love for scripture. To this day, I can recite many of the verses I learned in the mid-1980’s. These verses guided me through childhood, and they continue to guide me as an adult. Even though many of our discipleship methods have changed, I remain committed to the simple, life-changing ministry of Bible Drill. – Rev. Inman Houston – Pastor, FBC, Lawrenceville, GA

Sticks with me – ” These scriptures (from Bible Drill) will stick with me the rest of my life.” – Mary Carol Kletcke, 9-year-driller, FBC Cochran

I want to keep doing it – “I just wanted to keep doing it (Bible Drill) over and over again.” – Will Bowick, 9-year Driller, FBC Monroe

Bible Drill is truly an investment for a lifetime as spiritual foundations are laid in the lives of kids and students. This Giving Tuesday, invest for a lifetime by donating to Georgia Baptist Bible Drill and Speakers, Inc.