Bible Drill

October 26, 2017

How Bible Drill Can Revolutionize Your Wednesday Nights

[This new episode of the Kids Ministry 101 Podcast comes directly from #ETCH17 that happened last week! Mark Jones stops by our podcast studio to talk about how Bible Drill revolutionized Wednesday nights at his church.]

Wednesdays were boring and full of mischievous kids that were running off teachers faster than they could be recruited. After starting Bible Drill, Quail Springs has grown three times larger and their workers are doing a great job. Chuck and Mark discuss the church’s vision and all the secrets to their success.

If don’t already know, registration for ETCH 2018 is open! Visit www.etchconference.com for pricing & details! The first 50 churches to register for #ETCH18 will receive a free CSB Study Bible and 1 free ticket to a VBS Preview event of their choice! Don’t delay, register today!

Resource: 31 Days to Finding Your Kids’ Ministry Mojo

Bible Drill, Bible Skills, Kids Ministry, Leadership

June 28, 2017

Bible Drill (Part 2)

By William Summey

Yesterday we looked at the purpose and history of Bible Drill. Today we will look at what Bible Drill will look like in 2017-18, but first, let’s talk about how Bible Drill has changed.

How has Bible Drill changed?

Ask experienced Bible Drill leaders about the biggest changes, and they will say the versions of the Bible have changed over the years. Currently, we are entering another time of transition as Bible Drill changes from the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) version to the new 2017 Christian Standard Bible (CSB). HCSB Drill Bibles are set to go out of print when current stock runs out, and the new CSB Drill Bibles will release on August 1. The King James Version of the Bible has remained a consistent option through the years and will continue to be offered.

Bible Drill 2017-18

Lifeway recommends that churches finish the 2017-18 Red Cycle Drill year with the HCSB. You can see all the Red Cycle products HERE. New resources featuring the CSB will release with an updated Blue Cycle in May 2018 and Green Cycle in May 2019. Check with your local state convention to see their plans for the 2018 Drills.

What products does Lifeway offer?

Lifeway offers the following resources to help churches prepare for Bible Drill:

Bible Skills for Kids — Lifeway’s curriculum for Bible Drill is part of a larger approach to Bible Skills. You can learn about our approach to Bible Skills with the Bible Skills for Kids booklet and poster (sold in packs of 10): Bible Skills for Kids.
Bible Skills, Drills, and Thrills (BSDT) — BSDT includes a 6-year program (Grades 1-6) containing 36 weeks of Bible Skills essentials per year, bringing together the Bible story context and application for each of the Bible Drill verses and key passages. For churches who want a comprehensive approach to teaching the context for everything learned in Bible Drill and putting those truths into action, this curriculum is the way to go: Bible Skills, Drills, and Thrills.

The BSDT Leader Guide comes with a helpful CD filled with printables to make your teaching easier. You also have the option to purchase Verse Cards, Activity Books, and a Digital Leader Pack with extra printables to support each volume. Although children in Grades 1-3 don’t formally drill in association and state drills, they will learn foundational Bible skills and 12 of the 25 Bible Drill verses.

Bible Drill Competition Guide — For churches who start Bible Drill later in the year or want to focus only on the books and divisions of the Bible and the 25 verses each year, we have the Bible Drill Competition Guide. All three years of Bible Drill activities are together in this one volume.

King James Version Verse Cards

Holman Christian Standard Bible Verse Cards

Verse cards are a must for kids studying for Children’s Bible Drill! Verse Cards contain all 25 verses that children will memorize and locate in their Bibles, including the portion of the verse they will be given in the completion portion of the Drill. (Children are given the underlined portion of the verse and must complete the remainder of the verse from memory). Verse Cards also contain the 10 Key Passages for which children must learn titles and references and be able to locate in their Bibles.

Getting Started

No matter the size of your group, you can start a Bible Drill program! For more information, contact your association or state convention so that you know the rules in your area. Your kids will be forever blessed by this opportunity to hide God’s Word in their hearts!

William Summey is the Publishing Team Leader for ParentLife, kids devotionals, and short-term products. He is a graduate of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Vanderbilt University. William lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife, Christy, and two boys.

Bible Drill, Bible Skills, Kids Ministry, Leadership

June 26, 2017

Bible Drill (Part 1)

By William Summey

Bible Drill is a tradition in my family. Not only did my wife and I grow up competing in Bible Drill, our two sons also participated. Bible Drill is an important part of our churches and state conventions, and at Lifeway, we are proud to contribute by providing resources that churches can use to prepare for their state drills. Read on for a closer look at the history and future of this time-honored tradition!

What is the purpose of Children’s Bible Drill?

Children’s Bible Drill is a discipleship program for children (grades 4-6) with a long history of helping churches be intentional about developing Bible skills to aid in turning our kids into passionate followers of Christ. The goal of Bible Drill is to help children increase in their knowledge of the Bible by

developing skills in locating Bible books and key passages of Scripture
memorizing the names of the books of the Bible in order
memorizing core Bible verses
learning to apply the Bible to their lives

Getting children excited about and comfortable with using the Bible lays a foundation for the study of God’s Word as they continue to grow. The techniques used in Bible Drill will stay with children for the rest of their lives.

How did Children’s Bible Drill begin?

Bible Drill has a long history. In fact, we don’t know exactly when it started In the earliest days of our country, children learned to read in order to read the Bible, so it only makes sense that kids were taught to quickly find passages in the Bible. Through personal correspondence, we have written evidence of what were often referred to as “Sword Drills” as early as the 1890s!

By the mid-twentieth century, Baptist churches, and then state conventions, organized what we now call Bible Drill. I have talked personally with people who were involved in youth Bible Drills in Texas and North Carolina in the 1950s. Children’s Bible Drill seemed to arise naturally out of youth drill and became commonplace in the 1960s. Church and state convention Bible Drill leaders brought the need for standardized materials to Lifeway, and we started producing curriculum at their request as part of Discipleship Training in the 1970’s and Children’s Bible Drill products in the 1980’s.

Today each state has its own guidelines for Children’s Bible Drill. Lifeway tries to meet the needs of these churches and states with products preparing children for drill. You can find your local association and state convention by searching here: http://www.sbc.net/stateconventionsearch.

What about middle school and high school youth?

Many states also have a youth Bible Drill and a high school Bible Drill that go deeper into Scripture knowledge and Bible skills and offer a speakers’ tournament, where entrants write and deliver 4-6 minute speeches on selected topics. Each year, these age groups also have a tournament, where state winners from across the USA compete for a national title. You can find out more about this competition annually at https://nationalbibledrill.wordpress.com.

What will 2017-18 Bible Drill look like? Great question! Check out Bible Drill Part 2 on Wednesday for the latest information!

How Bible Drill Can Revolutionize Your Wednesday Nights

Bible Drill (Part 2)

Bible Drill (Part 1)

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