I’ve shared before how much I love Children’s Bible Drill. Well, that hasn\’t changed at all and as a matter of fact this is the season that it’s at it height. This coming weekend the children from my church who have participated in Children’s Bible Drill will have the opportunity to display their skills at the highest level, "State Drill!"
Children’s Bible Drill is a plan for 4th-6th graders to learn 25 memory verses (per year), 10 key passages (per year), and know the books of the Bible. During the drill, children are taken through 4 types of "calls:" quotation, completion, key passages, and books. In each section of the drill participants will have 10 seconds to find or recall the book or verse.
In the "book" drill the leader will call a book of the Bible; at start, the kids have 10 seconds to find the book, place there finger on any verse in the book and step forward. If called upon, the child will name the book before, the book called, and the book after. It’s really quite amazing to watch.
During the "key passage" drill the leader will call the title of one of the learned key passages. For example, "The Faith Chapter." The children then have 10 seconds to recall in their minds, find in their Bibles, place their finger of any verse in Hebrews 11 (The Faith Chapter) and step forward. If called upon, the child will state the key passage title and reference and then read a selected verse from the passage.
The "quotation" drill requires kids to have memorized 25 verses. The leader will call a verse according to its reference and the children will have 10 seconds to recall the verse and step forward. If called upon a child will quote the verse and reference from memory.
In the "completion" drill the leader will quote a portion of one of the 25 memorized verses. The child then has 10 seconds to recall the verse, the reference, and step forwards. When called upon, a child will say the entire verse and give the reference.
BIBLE DRILL IS FUN and the kids learn so much.
Lifeway has produced a curriculum that supports Children’s Bible Drill. It’s not necessary to use the curriculum to do Bible Drill and it’s not necessary to do Children’s Bible Drill to use the curriculum but Bible Skills, Drills, and Thrills is an excellent resource to support scripture memory and understanding with grade school children.
The Bible is clear about the benefits of memorizing scripture. I hope you have a memorization plan in place for the kids in your ministry. I can\’t think of anything better to give them than God’s Word!
I grew up doing Bible Drill, tho’ when I first came to church, I could only participate myself in one youth drill, because I was so old 🙂
This is by far the BEST program I’ve found for motivating kids to memorize GOd’s Word as well as practically engage in using their Bible. I think it’s become a lost skill, being able to use one’s BIble to find passages.
My church kids just love this. They find it is so much fun–the challenge of learning verses together, the fun of actually drilling, and then challenging themselves to do better and better each year at each qualifying drill stage.
Thanks for the post, I completely agree 🙂 We just had our awards ceremony and am scheduling a social–a little late, but April was a busy, busy month followed by mother’s day!