Bible Drill and Speakers

During this time of social distancing, one option of encouraging Bible Skills/Bible Drill is to provide parents with easy resources to disciple their kids. The Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions has developed an excellent at home resource for Bible Drill that includes a devotion for each Red Cycle Children’s Bible Drill verse as well as a fun learning activity. 

Here are 3 ways to engage families in Bible Drill using this resource:

1. Use it as a weekly family devotional resource for all of the families in your kids’ ministry.
2. Use this resource to engage your families when sheltered in place whether by word of the governor of your state or by their choice.
3. Use this resource as a supplement to your weekly virtual or in person Bible Drill program.

Consider providing the supplies for the activities for your families. A few options of what this might look like:

– Weekly:  This option allows the ability to adapt and change plans on a weekly basis.  For example, you can send home resources with drillers if meeting at the church or do a drop-off/pick-up option if sheltering in place part of the school year.    

– In a monthly box/bag: While convenient, this allows the flexibility of regularly touching base with families/drillers through drop-offs or pick-ups.

-In a box for the entire year:  This is the most convenient option and allows families to go through the devotions at their own pace.

Photo by Agung Pandit Wiguna on Pexels.com

Looking for a fun, creative idea to use with your Bible Drillers or in a Sunday school Class? Try our Draw a verse idea from our new ebook. This activity can be used at home, online during a zoom call, at church, or outdoors.

Materials Needed: paper, crayons, colored pencils, or markers; (variation – canvas and paint); Bible
Do: Have the children/students locate the verse and read it out loud. Tell them to write/paint the verse somewhere on the page/canvas. Discuss the verse and then ask the children/students to draw an illustration of the verse. (What does it mean to them or how can they apply that verse to their life?) Set a timer and give the children/student a certain amount of time to do their drawing/painting. When the timer goes off, allow each child/student to show their drawing/painting and tell what it means to them. Then have them recite the verse again.

Recommended Bible Drill verses for this activity: Genesis 1:27; Leviticus 22:31; Deuteronomy 6:5; Job 37:14; Proverbs 20:11; John 15:13; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Ephesians 6:1; Philippians 4:6; James 1:19
Recommended Key Passages for this activity: The Creation; The Israelites Leave Egypt; The Baptism of Jesus; The Birth of Jesus; The Parable of the Prodigal Son; The Christian’s Armor

Variations: 1. For a Sunday school Class, let children/students pick a verse they have studied this month or a favorite Bible verse to illustrate. 2. Have students scroll through their phone and pick a picture that represents a Bible Drill verse to them. Have them edit the photo and add the text of the verse to the photo. Let students share the photo with your group and/or on social media.

As you are preparing for a new school year, begin making plans for your new year in Bible Drill. Here are 5 tips to assist you.

1. Determine when, where and how to meet in this socially distanced world. Download our free ebook that shares strategies for Bible Drill to take place at home, online, at church, or outdoors. We have also provided a sample verse schedule/checklist for Children, Youth, and High School Drillers.

2. If you are a new Children’s Bible Drill leader, you’ll want to download and look over our administrative materials including our New Children’s Bible Drill Leader’s Guide, Our handout on how to have a winning year in Bible Drill, and scoresheet.

3. Be flexible in how you do Bible Drill this year. With families, churches, and communities at varying places on the spectrum of whether to meet in person, virtually, or outdoors, flexibility is the key as we minister to drillers and families. You may have some who are fine meeting in person, while others feel the need to meet virtually/at home. Having a schedule with the flexibility to meet people where they are will allow us to engage more kids and students in discipleship and hiding God’s Word in their hearts.

4. Utilize new resources this year in teaching Bible Drill:

• This month Alabama Baptist Bible Drill is releasing an at home piece for Children’s Bible Drill that contains a family devotion along with a fun activity for each verse. Once it is released, it will be available for download on our website.
• Suggestions in our new ebook for fun Bible Skill games you can use when meeting online or outdoors. (Not familiar with zoom? Read the online section in our ebook for more details.)
• Use the Verse Ring cards featured on our Children, Youth, and High School pages. These are Bible Study flash cards about the size of a baseball card. Choose your age group and translation, then download and print out on white card stock. This is a great printable to have your drillers cut out and use to review verses. They can be used whenever and however you meet.

5. Keep connected with Georgia Baptist Bible Drill and Speakers, Inc and other Bible Drill leaders by subscribing to our website/blog and/or by joining our Facebook group. By entering your email on our website, it will allow you to receive our latest Bible Drill updates by email. Joining our Facebook group is a great way to connect with other Bible Drill leaders in the state.

What is your favorite tip for your new Bible Drill year in 2020/2021?

During 2020, we have discovered new ways of connecting and doing ministry in the midst of a pandemic – in a socially distanced world. This includes Kids Ministry and specifically Bible Drill. Alabama, North Carolina and Georgia collaborated and created a new resource for Bible Drill leaders: 4 Ways to do Bible Drill in a Socially Distanced World. This resource includes an A, B, C, D strategy and creative ideas for doing Bible Drill.

The Four Strategies for Doing Bible Drill are:

• A- At Home (Additional resource to be released later this month)
• B- Be Online
• C- Church
• D- Discover the Outdoors

We will be highlighting some of these strategies in the upcoming weeks. You can download the entire free ebook below:

What creative ideas are you using to do Bible Drill in your church?

Make plans to join us for this Bible Drill webinar hosted by the Alabama State Board of Missions. We will share about some new resources for Bible Drill!

4 Ways to Teach Bible Skills in a Socially Distanced World (Children) Tuesday, August 4, 7:30-9 pm (6:30-8 pm CST) Come and learn about four ways you can teach Bible skills in a socially distanced world: at home, online, at church or while discovering the outdoors. Session leaders include Belinda Stroud, state missionary for childhood discipleship; Maria Brannen with Georgia Baptist Bible Drill and Speakers, Inc; and Deborah Robson with North Carolina Baptist Bible Drill.

To register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_fGcC8oi9RXK6Upq6mg870g

Today, we are recognizing 7 outstanding students in Youth Bible Drill. These students memorized 30 verses and developed their Bible Skills to be able to find any book or scripture passage in 8 seconds. In this unprecedented time, they participated in their Regional and State Drills via video. Their level of commitment and excellence shone through as each one obtained a state perfect score of 300 from our team of judges. Since we held our State Drill via video submissions for 2020 instead of in person and were unable to count bonus points to determine a state winner, we formed a special 300 Club. These students will receive a perfect score award, an additional certificate recognizing them as a member of our 300 club, and a $100 college scholarship. The students receiving the honor of being a 300 club member are:

Warren Baptist Church – Emily Pugh and Claire Pugh (pictures unavailable)

Join me in congratulating these Youth Drillers!

This month, we held our 2020 High School State Bible Drill via video. Students who scored 270 or higher at the Regional Level were eligible to participate in the State Drill. With the pandemic, we shifted our recognitions for 2020. Traditionally, we recognize our top scorer as our State Winner at our in-person drills. Since we held our State Drill via video submissions for 2020, and were unable to count bonus points, we formed a special 300 Club. The students who achieved a perfect score (300) from our team of judges will receive a perfect score award, an additional certificate recognizing them as a member of our 300 club, and a $200 college scholarship. Six High School Drillers received this honor:

Join me in congratulating these amazing drillers!

Looking for something creative for the kids in your family or church to do this summer? Georgia Baptist Bible Drill and Speakers Inc is sponsoring an essay contest. There will be a Preteen Division (completed 4th and 5th grades) and a Middle School Division (completed 6th-8th grades). The winner of each division will receive an award, a $50 cash prize and their essay will be featured on our website and in the Christian Index.

The topic for the Preteen Essay is “My Favorite Bible Verse/Passage.” Preteens are to share why the verse(s)/passage is their favorite and what it means to them. The essay is should be 250-300 words in length.

The topic for the Middle School Essay is “What I learned about God/my faith while we sheltered in place.” Middle School Essays are to be 400-500 words in length.

The deadline to submit the essays is July 31st. Coming this fall, we are offering an Essay Contest for High Schoolers and College Students.

Congratulations to our 2020 State Student Speakers Competition Runner-up: Lexie Partain from Dewy Rose Baptist Church! The Student Speakers Competition is for Georgia Baptist students in grades 10-12 and a great opportunity for High School Students to grow in their discipleship and learn to share their faith. Traditionally, students write a 4-6 minute speech and present their speech at the Church, Associational, and Regional levels. The top 2 scorers from each region advance to the State Competition. The students are graded 50% on delivery and 50% on written content. 

Due to Covid-19, we eliminated the Regional Competition, and our 2020 speakers submitted a written copy  of their speech along with a video for the judges to score. Lexie was the runner-up and recipient of the Jenny Rogers Memorial Scholarship ($500) to be used at the college or university of her choice. For more information on the Jenny Rogers Memorial Scholarship and/or donate to the scholarship fund click here: https://gbfoundation.org/rogers-scholarship-fund/

You can read Lexie’s speech below and watch her virtual award presentation video above with Dennis/Judy Rogers, Lexie, and leader, Debbie Whitmire.

Join me in congratulating Lexie for being our 2020 Student Speakers Competition Runner-up! For more information on the Student Speakers Competition, you can visit our webpage: https://bibledrillandspeakers.com/student-speakers-competition/

Congratulations to our 2020 State Student Speakers Competition Winner: Ellie Gray from FBC Lawrenceville! The Student Speakers Competition is for Georgia Baptist students in grades 10-12 who want to become better communicators, build confidence, and prepare for a lifetime of success and service. It’s about making a greater difference in the world, both now and for the rest of your life. Traditionally, Students write a 4-6 minute speech and present their speech at the Church, Associational, and Regional levels. The top 2 scorers from each region advance to the State Competition. The students are graded 50% on delivery and 50% on written content.

Due to Covid-19, we eliminated the Regional Competition, and our 2020 speakers submitted a written copy  of their speech along with a video for the judges to score. Ellie was the top scorer and recipient of three college scholarships: the Jenny Rogers Memorial Scholarship ($1,000), the 2020 State Winner Scholarship ($500) and a Georgia Baptist College Speakers Scholarship ($4,000). The Jenny Rogers Scholarship and the State Winner Scholarship can be used at the college or university of her choice. The Georgia Baptist College Speakers Scholarship can be used at Truett-McConnell, Shorter, or Brewton-Parker.

You can read Ellie’s speech below and watch her virtual award presentation video above with Dennis/Judy Rogers, Ellie, her parents, and leader, Peggy.

Join me in congratulating Ellie for being our 2020 Student Speakers Competition Winner. For more information on the Student Speakers Competition, you can visit our webpage: https://bibledrillandspeakers.com/student-speakers-competition/