The air was tense as Hannah Liu (10) attentively listened to the question being read to her. Her hands were resting on the buzzer, ready to strike. It was the final round. Once she heard the keyword, she pressed with lightning speed, reciting the Bible verses embedded in her brain. A moment of anticipation passed as Liu held her breath. The judge had made a verdict: Liu and her team, the Living Water Bible Church, had won first place out of three teams in the local competition, Oct. 5.
“I think we did good, we got first as a team,” Liu said. “We had great teamwork during the matches, with each member doing their own part to help us win.”
Liu has been participating in the Team Bible Quiz (TBQ) competition for 10 years. A team of three people will compete against another team, answering questions about bible verses they’ve memorized in advance. Players will usually study verses from one book of the Bible, which changes with each season.
There are many types of questions, each requiring a different answer format. Some questions ask for players to recite a few verses with no mistakes, other questions may ask for a small segment of a verse. Each question must be answered within thirty seconds, or else the team will get a point deduction.
Points vary depending on a question’s difficulty, ranging from ten to thirty points. Each incorrect answer deducts half of the question’s worth.
Players also have to keep in mind that there is a restriction to how many questions a person can answer. If a player has answered five questions correctly, they’re not allowed to play for the rest of the round, leaving opportunities for their teammates. This is called a quiz out. Additionally, if a player gets three answers wrong, they’re also prohibited from playing. This is called a backward quiz out.
Liu tries to devote time every day to memorizing a certain book of the Bible.
“At home, I practice almost every day when I wake up early enough because I practice in the mornings,” Liu said. “I recite the material and then [practice] questions or go over the [biblical] geographical locations and individual people.”
Other than her individual memorization and review, Liu’s TBQ team practices every Sunday.
“During practice, we sometimes play a reaction time game where the buzzer system beeps and then you have to press the buzzer when you hear the beep,” Liu said. “We also compete against our own teammates as practice rounds.”
After months of practice, Liu finally arrives at the first competition of the season and leaves victorious.
While Liu enjoys the competition part of TBQ, memorizing the scripture brings comfort to Liu in difficult times.
“You just have verses that help you when you’re down or depressed,” Liu said. “Sometimes, I randomly think of it when I need it.”
Liu connects what she learns in TBQ with her everyday life, growing stronger and stronger in her faith.
“I’m Memorizing God’s word,” Liu said. “And I’m memorizing, not just reading it. I’m keeping it in my mind so that whenever I need it, I can just come to it. It’s also hidden in My heart, so when I face tough situations, I can use the bible.”
