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Author's Note: This blog post was originally created for ninetyandnine.com. As a blog post it does not necessarily meet my normally rigorous standards for grammar, research and readability, but it has been preserved in its (near) original form so that it can be immediately available. -Ben
I've been meaning to write a post about a particular topic, but I've been busy (needless to say). In any case, after quiz practice 2 weeks in a row, I've been wondering how I might motivate these kids toward wanting to be involved in Bible Quizzing. It's never been harder, since there have been zero other teams in the district for the last three years. Anyway, we haven't had any competition in the district since 2005, and the northeast region has had a similar downturn.
It's particularly difficult in the current climate of our quizzing program. You see, we've had a very successful Bible Quizzing program over the last 23 years. It's been so successful, in fact, that parents are forcing their children to be involved on a large scale. In previous years, we've started a year with 20 senior quizzers and 35 juniors (we've had to move the starting age up to 9 to make this manageable) (Aside: I say 'started,' because a program that large always loses about half of its quizzers over the course of the year).
In a youth group of 25-50, that's a very significant portion of the population. The examples of successful bible quizzers (3 PhD's*--two of them Harvard grads, and then there's me...) are so potent that parents require their kids to quiz. While this initially seemed like a good idea to me, since it teaches them discipline, I'm now questioning the utility of forcing a child to quiz. Actually, let me rephrase: I'm questioning the utility of forcing a child to quiz who is adamantly opposed, when the parents don't put in the time necessary to make either a young or a reluctant quizzer study. In particular, I think it's detrimental for an individual to make a commitment (or a parent to make a commitment on behalf of a child) and then not follow through. As I've been teaching my middle school class over the last two weeks, Jesus instructs us:
You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.’ But I say, do not make any vows! [...] Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.
But Jesus wasn't encouraging us to be nonchalant about our commitments, instead, we need to count the cost:
If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. But don’t begin until you count the cost.**
I wonder if we play up the benefits of Bible Quizzing, while not emphasizing the costs. If the kids or parents are sufficiently motivated, the cost won't be important, just as when individuals are motivated, they will shun the costs and take up the cross.
To me, it comes down to the heart. I was just as lazy as the next kid. In fact, that's what enables me to be such an effective coach, since I know how quizzers think, know when they're going to slack off, and can tell them precisely how to recover. I've been trying to find a difference between my successful career (I was never really good, but I stuck with it for ten years and could compete), and those who quit. The only real distinction that I could come up with is that I always had a deep desire to quiz...I'm not sure why--maybe it was my awe of the trophies, and the teenagers who got called up to the platform to receive them, or maybe it was just my enjoyment of the game, or it may have been something totally different--I don't know. But, I do know that there existed a deep desire within me to stick with it and keep going. I have a heart for Bible Quizzing. Now, the question is, how do we impart this to the next generation? I'm still figuring that out, but if you have any suggestions, let me know...
And yet, there remains another element to this heart issue. The heart's desire that kept me in Bible Quizzing is similar to the heart's desire that keeps me seeking God. It's an awesome parallel (which is the true ministry of Bible Quizzing--teaching you the lessons of life before you grow up***). I suppose I have the same question about developing a heart that seeks after God. How can one cultivate this? The only answer I can really look to, and the only one that I have the best chance of understanding is that story of my own life and relationship with and to God. The problem is: I can't remember a time when I did not have a heart for God...there was never a time when I really thought of forsaking the church. Of course there were times when the world looked good (or appetizing in the Hobbesian sense), but my very understanding of who God is precludes me from doing so. Of course I'm a sinner, but how could I ever knowingly depart from God? My whole life is founded upon an understanding of God. As Peter so aptly put it:
From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
But that still leaves me to wonder: how can such a heart for God be developed? Sure I know how to nurture a heart that seeks God, but I don't know how to turn a heart toward God. I suppose that's not really my job, though.
But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.
In the end, I suppose we can market Jesus or bible quizzing all we want, but the true changing power of each is only evidenced in those who truly have a desirous heart. That is not to say that there's no reason to market either, but I think the best example we have of how to reach others is to follow Jesus' example (always a good idea). We have no record of Jesus advertising in the temple or the markets--instead, he allowed the power of his words and deeds to shine through. The proof is in the pudding, so to speak. The evidence of Jesus' effect upon our lives ought to be the most shining advertisement of the power of God. I suppose I should not be quite so worried about our quizzing program--the effects speak for themselves--parents and children simply need to identify a need, and see the shining examples of bible quizzing.
*(expected)
** emphasis added
***This is certainly not to say that if you don't have a heart for quizzing, that you can't or won't have a heart for God, but that recognition and
development of a heart's desire can assist one in recognizing and developing another desire of the heart.
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