We all need a buddy.
We all need a buddy to help us in life–Junior Bible Quiz is no different. From beginning the ministry at your church, to starting practices, to coaching at competitions, there’s a lot to learn and a lot to do. New families and experienced families all rely on one another for support. We’re the church. It’s impossible to do this alone. Like Paul says in Romans, “So in Christ, we, though many, form one body. And each member belongs to all the others.”
Though none of us have all the answers on how to run a successful JBQ ministry, together–with the help of our fellow experienced JBQ families and the Holy Spirit–we’ve put together a series of articles to share our knowledge and wisdom so that more families and more churches can join us in Junior Bible Quiz. Because of this, we’ve affectionately called this collection in the Coach’s Corner: “The Buzzer Buddy.”
It’s okay if your kid isn’t the fastest or the best or ever quizzes out. They are learning God’s Word and building friendships from around the state with other like-minded kids who are also passionate about God.
Christy Weatherholt
Coach & Parent, Victory Church
jump starting jbq Ministry
Establishing a JBQ Ministry: What to Do to Get Started
Interested in starting up a JBQ ministry at your church? Yay! We’re so happy you want to join us! We know taking on this task can be daunting, but we’re here to help. We’ve come up with a list of steps to help you kick of your JBQ ministry at your church. Though this list may not be complete, it will definitely get you started.
All Aboard: How to Lead a Successful Parent Info Meeting
Our JBQ families are your greatest allies in JBQ ministry. They are the heartbeat of JBQ and without them the entire ministry falls apart. Getting your JBQ families on your side at the beginning of the season is crucial to your JBQ ministry’s success. How do you accomplish this? It’s not nearly as daunting as you might think.
The Ten Commandments of Effective JBQ Ministry
Running a successful JBQ ministry at your church can be overwhelming. To make it easier, we’ve compiled a list of ten expectations to ensure your JBQ ministry runs as smoothly as possible so that your quizzers and their families have fun, develop a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ, and grow in their Bible knowledge.
JBQ for new parents & Quizzers
From the Parents: Things We Wish We Would've Known
It’s impossible to know what to fully expect during your first year in Junior Bible Quiz. There’s a lot to learn and a lot to do, but our parents have your back! Learn about this amazing ministry through the perspectives of our experienced JBQ parents.
From the Quizzers: Things We Want Future Quizzers to KNow
The quizzers are speaking out! From studying, to practice, to competitions, find out what your quizzers should expect from JBQ from the perspectives of the quizzers themselves. PS–they can’t wait to meet you!
Studying with a Purpose: How to Study with your quizzer
With 576 cards packed with Bible facts, mastering all those questions for the competition may seem like an impossible task. But fear not! Our experienced parents and coaches are here to share study tips to conquer the cards at home.
(Spoiler alert: it’s not nearly as daunting as it seems.)
it's all about practice
Keep Your JBQ Practice Buzzing: How to Run a Practice
The hour you have with your JBQ teams is like precious gold. Every second counts. But how should you run a practice? Check out these tips and tricks from seasoned churches to help your JBQ teams maximize their practice time for the best.
Creating Division: How to build successful JBQ Teams
You have the quizzers, the coaches, and the officials. Practices have started up and the first competition is approaching quickly–a little too quickly. There’s just one problem: none of the quizzers are on a team. Who goes on a team? How many quizzers should go on a team? Who studies what point values? What division should the teams be in? Though there are several factors that go into building teams, we can give you some tips to help you set your teams up for success.
Liven Up Your Practices: Fun Games to motivate quizzers
JBQ competitions are fun! There’s lots of quizzing, lots of friends, lots of candy. The entire day buzzes with energy. Though coaches do their best make their practices just as fun, sometimes practices fall into a steady routine and the energy slowly fades away. Re-energize your JBQ practice with these fun games that will motivate your quizzers to learn more.
Coaching Basics
Coaching Made Easy: What to do during a JBQ Quiz Match
A team is only as good as its coach. But with so many rules in JBQ to learn, how do you know where to start? The National Guidelines tell you the rules of JBQ, but they don’t tell coaches how to coach during a quiz match. Let’s take a look at some effective coaching strategies to help your team quiz strong and stand apart from the rest.
Buzzer Burn Out: What to Do when your families Quiz out
It happens every year. Between Thanksgiving food comas, Christmas shopping, winter vacations, new sport sign-ups, and state testing, JBQ practices get canceled or missed. Days go by. No questions are studied. Slowly, yet all too suddenly, JBQ becomes forgotten. Buzzer burn out happens to everyone at some point or another, but it is preventable. Learn how to motivate your teams so that they survive buzzer burn out.
Celebrating your quizzers: Yes, Even the Small Stuff
Competition day finally arrives. Quizzing happens. Rounds are won. Finally, the award ceremony comes. Top quizzers receive certificates, candy, and trophies for their efforts. But the celebration is not over yet. Every quizzer accomplished something at the competition, and they deserve recognition for those achievements as well. Let’s look at some ways to celebrate your quizzers.
training up officials
Officiating: The Official Way to Disciple Your Entire Family
JBQ isn’t just a way to disciple your children. It’s a fun and enriching journey that brings your entire family closer together while deepening your faith. We’re not just talking about blood relatives either–it’s a fun way to disciple the entire church family. Participate in officiating and strengthen your family’s spiritual bond through this exciting opportunity in JBQ.
Train Up Your Officials the Right way
Looking to train your JBQ officials? Need help preparing and assigning roles effectively? Discover valuable tools to train your officials the right way so that they feel confident and prepared for JBQ competitions.
A Day in the Life of an Official: What to Expect
Step into the world of a JBQ official and discover the importance of their role in upholding the integrity and accuracy of competitions. Explore the behind-the-scenes responsibilities that ensure a fun and fair competition for everyone involved.
COMPETITIVE QUIZZING
Competitive Quizzing Secrets No One Tells You
Ready to take your JBQ team to the next level? Regional and National Level quizzing requires advanced preparation. It’s not just enough to know the questions and answers if you want to compete on the next level. How do teams make it? How do their coaches prepare their quizzers? What do the quizzers do to study? Read about the competitive quizzing secrets no one wants to tell you.
Fundraising the Fun Way: how to raise money for next level quizzing
Looking to join regional and national quiz competitions but worried about the costs involved? Discover creative ways to cover expenses like airfare, car rental, hotel bookings, and registration fees. Learn how experienced competitive teams financially prepare for these competitions so that your team can join in on the fun.
Take a sneak Peek: The iron invitational & Flight of Champions
Think you’re interested in next-level competitive quizzing? Curious about the competition itself and want to know what to expect? Take a sneak peek at Pen Florida’s Iron Invitational and District Finals competitions to find out what to expect and how to prepare.
Take a sneak peek: the Southeast Regional
Think you’re interested in next-level competitive quizzing? Curious about the competition itself and want to know what to expect? Take a sneak peek at the Southeast Regional competition to find out what to expect and how to prepare.
Take a sneak peek: the National Festival
Think you’re interested in next-level competitive quizzing? Curious about the competition itself and want to know what to expect? Take a sneak peek at the National Festival to find out what to expect and how to prepare.