Celebrating 50 Years of Free Methodist Bible Quizzing

Today Free Methodist Bible Quizzing is a growing and vibrant ministry involving young people from all across the United States and the world. In early fall teams organize each year to study and apply God's Word to their lives. Each month quizzers meet for Christian fellowship and exciting competition at conference and regional tournaments.

The season culminates every summer at Free Methodist Bible Quiz Finals where quizzers compete for the championship Alpha-Omega trophy. Quiz Finals has grown into a weeklong event where hundreds of teens from all over the continent come together for Christian fellowship and spiritual renewal.

As we celebrate the 50^th anniversary of Free Methodist Bible quizzing, today's Bible quizzers and coaches might wonder if the quiz ministry has always been like this. How did Free Methodist quizzing get started? How was quizzing different then? How has quizzing developed over the years? How does today's quizzing fit into the history of Free Methodist Bible quizzing?

On November 11, 1952, the Commission on Christian Education for the Free Methodist Church held their annual fall meeting. Earnest Keesling, the General Superintendent of the Free Methodist Youth, suggested Bible quizzing to help attract teens to the study of God's Word. The minutes of the meeting show the first goal of the youth ministry for 1952-53 was to "sponsor Bible quiz contests on the local, district, and conference level with conference team winners competing for the championship at the Winona Lake Youth Camp."

The Winona Lake Youth Camp had been started in 1950 and annually attracted hundreds of young people from all across the nation to Winona Lake, Indiana. It seemed to be an ideal place for the first Free Methodist Bible Quiz Finals in 1953. The 1953 Winona Lake Youth camp was held August 31-September 6 and cost $20 to attend. 265 youth attended representing 27 conferences.

An article from the October 1953 issue of The Young People's Missionary Society News reported the results of the first Quiz Finals: "Southern California three carried home the Bible Quiz trophy as winners of the first church-wide match. The team came from San Diego First church. ... Ten conferences sent quiz teams to the play-offs. Each evening preceding the evangelistic rally, teams matched wits in Victory circle. As the tourney progressed, excitement and interest mounted until by the final meet the circle was filled with spectators. ... Prayer, team work, hard study, and the backing from local and conference people are the reasons the team gives for being victors. In studying, they divided [the Book of] Mark into three sections, each memorizing his part. Members of all quiz teams state that they grew spiritually as they studied."* Bob Neal was a prominent member of the first winning team. He later became the denominational director of youth ministries and a pastor in the Free Methodist Church.

Interest grew the second year as 14 conferences sent quiz teams to the Winona Lake Youth camp to quiz for the championship over the Book of Matthew. Tom Oschwald, Dwight Horton, and Earnest Keasling all served as quizmasters as 3 quiz rounds were held at the same time. The Southern California conference won again as a team from Victorville, California won the "loving cup" and individual red New Testaments. The runner up team from Caldwell, Kansas received YPMS fountain pens! "All who witnessed these quizzes marveled at the vast store of Bible knowledge these youth had acquired. ... Christian spirit manifested by all team members was the thing that impressed those on the side-lines. Even in close competition and defeat never did one teenager show anything but a Christ-like spirit."

21 conference champions met at Winona Lake camp in 1955 to quiz over the Kings James Version of the Book of Acts. Like today's Final Four basketball tournament, competition was organized by 4 regions. Syracuse, NY won the East and Seattle, WA (Ballard) won the West. St. Louis, Michigan won the North, and Evansville, Indiana won the Central. They then drew straws for the semi-final contests. The FMY News reported: "An enthusiastic, highly partisan, audience listened tensely as National Quizmaster Tom Oschwald tossed the questions and Mr. Keasling made a tape recording of the action to insure against possible error. The decision of the 6 judges placed the Western region again at the top for the third consecutive year as Washington's Ballard team rolled up a score of 245 to 175." Syracuse, NY finished 2nd.

The 1956 Quiz Finals saw a rematch of the previous year, with Ballard facing Syracuse in the final quiz over the Kings James Version of Romans. There were 350 campers at the Winona Lake camp and 150 of them were quizzers, each representing a conference championship team. There were 2 playoffs each day, one after lunch and one before the evening service. Youth in Action magazine reported the action: "East met West in what was to become a nerve-shattering mental-combat designed by National Quizmaster Dwight Horton, to lift the participants out of the realm of matching physical agility and into the realm of strictly intellectual gymnastics. The vital 50-point question was called a `tie' by the three `jumping judges' and both answers called correct by the `jumping judges.' It was a nip and tuck contest right up to the final question with not even the amateur scorekeepers in the audience being able to determine a winner until the quiz was over and the official score-keepers announced the amazing verdict--Ballard team was winner by five points! ... Each Regional Winning team member was awarded $10 cash and a red Bible, runner-up team members received $25 cash and red Bibles, grand champions each received $100 cash and the big trophy."

So, how could the score have been 245 to 175 in 1955? That is a total of 420 points. Why would they have so many judges? And what was that about the KJV and cash? This brings us to some key differences in the early days of quizzing. First, there were 20 questions. Some questions were worth 15 points, some 20 points, some 25 points, and then there was the 50-point question! As for the judges, there were no electronic seats. So, the jump judges sat in the back and looked over the edge of a piece of paper to see who was up first, second, third, etc. And we thought judging was hard today! Finally, the quizzers did studieth thou Kings James Version of the Bible. And we thought the NIV was hard to understand! What was that about the winners receiving cash? Yes, the Endicott Church Furniture Store of Warsaw, Indiana, donated the awards, including $100 for each member of the winning team, but the Alpha-Omega is a lot bigger than the "Loving Cup!"

A special Japanese competition was also held at Quiz Finals in 1956, and it was reported that 15 teams had been quizzing in the Dominican Republic from 1955-1957 under the direction of missionary Wesley Stickney. In 1957 it was also reported that young people were Bible quizzing in the Philippines and South Africa. This report from the Philippines comes from the 1957 Youth in Action magazine: a girl was taunted at school as to "why the Bible was written, anyway? She responded that the Lord immediately brought the key verse of the book of John to her mind and she quoted John 20:31: `But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may life in his name.' It really closed his mouth and he didn't say another word to make fun."

In 1957 the home team from Winona Lake took the championship after defeating Syracuse, NY over the Gospel of John. After receiving the loving cup, they turned it over to their beloved coach, Miss Florence Murrray, a former missionary to China. After finishing second for the third consecutive year, the Syracuse quizzers showed a real Christian spirit as they offered their congratulations to the winning Winona Lake team. Team member Dale Martin became a long-time professor at Greenville College.

In 1958 the Winona Lake team was beaten in the championship quiz by a team from Harvey, Illinois, quizzing over the Book of Genesis. This may have been the only year when an Old Testament book was studied. Do you know how many chapters there are in Genesis? 50--and you thought John was long!

In 1959 Coudersport, Pennsylvania beat the team from Ortley, South Dakota over the Book of Luke. Clyde Van Valin became the quiz director for two years and was later elected as a bishop of the Free Methodist Church. A young adult competition was held for the first time with Harvey, Illinois winning and Grand Rapids, Michigan taking second. Perhaps this was a root for our current QUIC competition (Quizmasters Including Coaches) that started in 1990. At least one team also competed from Canada, making the event an international championship.

Bible quizzing has always been a family affair for many quizzers. In 1959 the Reiman brothers from Ortley, South Dakota took second place. Their great-grandfather was an early circuit rider preacher, their grandfather was a missionary to the Philippines and India, and their father was also a minister.

In 1960 the family of Dan, Norm, and Joyleen Baird took first from Oakland, Oregon. They studied their quiz book while milking cows, horseback riding, working in timber, and pulling beans. They claimed the cattle and horses on the two ranches where they worked were the most religious animals in the West. Dan guessed they studied their quiz book about an hour and a quarter each day.

Alfred and Marvin Krober led the Urbana, IL team to victory in 1961. Marvin said he liked to study for Bible quiz at odd moments--such as in time outs at basketball games. Unable to study much during the school year because he was in college, Alfred said he frequently spent an hour or more each morning studying during the summer. Note that during this time the quizzing age was 13-19 years of age, and there was only one division of quizzing.

Marvin Krober said "It's quite a thrill to become International Champions, but that thrill eventually fades away. Something far greater, however, remains--a knowledge of a portion of God's Word. I am determined that Christ's suffering on the cross shall not be in vain in my life, but I shall follow Paul's example and give all that I have to Christ." Alfred Krober said "Quizzing is fun and a wonderful way to meet other Christian young people. Both individually and as a team we have sensed the presence of God and dependence upon him as we have quizzed this year."

It was the Benson brothers from Winona Lake (Jay and Paul and acting coach Dale) who won the championship in 1962. Six weeks before the International competition their coach Miss Florence Murray was taken to the hospital with pneumonia and physical fatigue. The team went on without her, and reported to her after each contest. Youth in Action magazine reports, "No club-house locker room ever witnessed a more thrilled or joyous team and coach than did the hospital room of Miss Florence Murray that day. When team members presented her with the trophy she just clapped her hands and said, 'I'm so happy.' It was her final victory. Twenty-four hours later she slipped into eternity."

The 1963 Quiz Finals was the first championship for Greenville, IL. Over the next 15 years, Greenville would win the championship 4 times and finish second 5 times. Current Free Methodist bishop Les Krober, who met his wife Peggy Whiteman through Bible quizzing, led the 1963 Greenville team. His team beat his future wife Peggy's team from Spring Arbor, Michigan in the championship round, and he has been thankful ever since. Bishop Krober would later coach the 1966 Greenville team to a second place finish, which was led by Ken Kaufmann. Ken was the oldest brother of the outstanding group of Kaufmann children who quizzed for many years in the 60's and 70's.

Another family quiz team won the 1964 Quiz Finals when Dick, Shirley, and Gayla Thompson took the championship back to McPherson, Kansas. Check out their sailor suits. Perhaps they would have won the Spit Shine Award, but this award wasn't introduced for several more years. Have you noticed how the girls always quizzed in dresses in the 50's and 60's and often the guys wore ties?

Alan Noble's team from Redlands, California placed third in 1964 to McPherson. Little did they know then that exactly 30 years later in 1994 , with Alan coaching, his Redlands team would turn the tables and beat the McPherson team for the championship.

Dearborn , Michigan won the championship in both 1965 and 1966. The 1966 Quiz Finals was the first to report the use of a double-elimination tournament. The exciting championship quiz was tied after 20 questions and was decided in overtime when Dearborn edged out Greenville. The local Greenville newspaper reported that "the competition is so intense and the questions so complicated that only teams which spend the whole year in work can go to the top. Some members of the local team spent as many as three hours a day in study during the summer months and one went as high as eight hours a day." The article also mentions "electronically equipped chairs ... being used to "tell which team members are on their feet first." Using electronic seats was a recent change in quizzing. John Benson built 40 quiz sets in the early 60's that were called relay sets using military surplus relays. The "Benson box" was eventually replaced by a multitude of different designs.

The 1967 championship team was from Oakdale Christian High School in Elkatawa-Curt, Kentucky. The school newspaper The Oakleaf gave several interesting results about the team. Team members Esther and Joe Faulkner and Patsy and Faye Watts were highly interested when they heard the announcement that the winning team members would each receive $1000 scholarships to the Free Methodist college of their choice. Esther had already enrolled at Spring Arbor College and Joe had his eye on attending Greenville College. They did car washes to defray the expense of their outfits, they practiced on Sunday afternoons, and they took early morning runs to develop muscular action. The competition in the double-elimination tournament was tough as they only beat the Susquehanna conference team by 10 points, and a two-hour battle with Greenville left them exhausted. After a 15-minute break they tussled with West Ontario and later beat Ferndale, MI for the championship. All together they went undefeated in 7 quizzes. "Pictures, congratulations, handshakes, cheers, a few tears, and a phone call to Dad and Mom Faulkner climaxed the victory."

All-star quizzer and future missionary Ken Kaufmann won the 1968 Quiz Finals for Greenville, IL with help from his two younger brothers Bruce and Don, quizzing on the Gospel of John. Bruce Kaufmann would later serve as denominational quizmaster for many years, and Don Kaufmann would later serve as both question writer and championship quizmaster for many years. The quiz structure was built around 6 regional winners.

The 1969 tournament featured three rounds between Winona Lake and Davison, MI. In The championship of the winners bracket, their round was tied 190-190 with 2 questions to go. John Scofield of Davison, age 14, prejumped and got the question which proved to be the key. Never before had a team come through the loser's bracket to win it all, and that is what Winona Lake had to do. After winning two more quizzes, they faced Davison again at 7 PM in the auditorium in front of all campers, staff members, and many visitors for the championship. After being tied 90-90 after 10 questions, Winona Lake pulled away to force a super-finals round. Shortly after 11:00 PM a loyal and determined crowd of fans cheered the two teams. The final score was Winona Lake 230, Davison 110. "For the Wabash team, a pinnacle had been reached. Striving for more than 3 years toward this goal, it had finally become reality."

In 1970 the Scofield brothers from Davison came back and won the championship they had lost the year before. After winning, their testimonies were especially memorable. John Scofield said, "This past year has been one of real growth in Christ for me. Most of the change has come about because of my studying God's Word... It doesn't matter whether we win or lose. The only thing that matters is that we show a Christ-like spirit and glorify him." His brother Ted Scofield said, "Now comes the challenge of living what I have studied ... It has been through quizzing that some of God's Word has become part of me, and with that has come the hungering for more. Praise God.""

The early 1970s was a time of change for Free Methodist Bible quizzing as the Winona Lake Youth Camp and its successor the Winona Lake Youth Advance were no longer held. For the first time in history Quiz Finals was held outside of Winona Lake in 1971, when the event was held in conjunction with the Teen Leadership Conference at Colorado State University. This was the precedent for what would later become IYC (International Youth Conference). Spring Arbor, MI defeated Greenville, IL for the championship among 16 conference champions quizzing over the Gospel of Matthew.

Columbus, Indiana brought the championship back to the Wabash Conference in 1972. The quizzing was at the Leadership Conference at the University of Illinois in Champaign. For the first time in history the Kings James version was not used, and for the only time in history quizzing was over the Good News for Modern Man version of Romans and Galatians.

It was reported that Dave Markell from Gowanda, New York, a graduate of Roberts Wesleyan and a current student at Trinity Seminary, attended the leadership conference dressed in a long green bag with a question mark on his chest. Keeping his identity a mystery, he meandered around the campus asking teens probing questions about life. Just a few years later Dave would become denominational director of youth ministries and help spark the growth of quizzing into the 1980s. Having now passed away, we honor him each year as we give the Dave Markell Excellence in Attitude Award at Quiz Finals. Dave battled leukemia and had a godly attitude throughout his life.

The first invitational Quiz Finals was held in 1973. Up to that point only conference champions had been allowed to quiz at Quiz Finals. The Kaufmanns from Greenville won again over the Gospel of John as they had in 1968. This time it was Stella, Gary, and future question writer and quizmaster Don Kaufmann leading the way. John Baker, pastor of the host Westland, Michigan church, commented, "Don Kaufmann just has to be some sort of quizzing machine with his fantastic tournament record."

Don led his Greenville team to the championship again in 1974 at the Winona Lake General Conference with help from siblings Stella, Gary, Sheryl, and coach Bruce Kaufmann. Future youth pastor and Greenville College professor Greg Sanders made his first appearance on the Greenville team in 1974 as well. Dennis Charles, our current Mid-east regional director and long-time quizmaster and coach, quizzed on the third place team from the Indianapolis Aldersgate church.

The late 70's and early 80's brought several rule changes that would significantly impact Free Methodist Bible Quizzing for years to come. In 1975 and 1976 Olney, Illinois won the championship with one main quizzer leading the way: Kevin Ready. Kevin's answering almost all his team's questions himself prompted the new quiz-out rule, where quizzers could only answer 7 of the 20 questions. The rule was informally known as the "Kevin Ready" rule. Later the number was changed to 6 questions for a quiz out to promote better-balanced teams. In fact, for many years a "Best Balanced Team" trophy was given at Quiz Finals. In the early 80's quiz rounds were changed to 15 questions in length, and the quiz-out rule was made the current 5 questions.

Another major rule change was the addition of young teen competition in 1975. The Decatur, Illinois team were the first young teen champions, a team that would later win several senior teen championships as well.

In 1976 another rule change allowed a second senior teen division to assist new or less experienced teams. This was the forerunner of our current system with rookie and A and B divisions. Seventeen teams quizzed at Winona Lake in 3 divisions in what was the first major open tournament for Quiz Finals, where all Free Methodist teams were encouraged to participate.

1977 was the first year for the Alpha-Omega trophy given to the grand champions in the top division. Also, for the first time the Spit-shine award was given for the best uniform. Decatur, Illinois won the championship with brothers Herb and Gerry Coates leading the way, coached by their older brother Chuck Coates. Gerry Coates is currently one of our top quizmasters and an administrator at the Free Methodist World Ministries Center. Herb Coates, currently pastor at the Vincennes, IN church, and his daughter Rachel became the first father-daughter Alpha-Omega winners when Rachel's team from Vincennes won the championship in 2002.

1978 was the first year the New International Version was used, and quizzing was over the books of Romans and James. Also, this is the first report of having a communion/testimony service at Quiz Finals where quizzers shared how God had worked in their lives through Bible quizzing. Bruce Kaufmann and Dave Markell teamed up as quiz directors for many years and helped introduce several of these new changes.

In a very exciting 1978 championship quiz round, Mike Hopper and his sister Nancy led the Indianapolis West Morris Street team to victory over a strong Greenville team. Mike, known for his outstanding ability to quote large passages when answering, quizzed out to make the score 160 to 100. Greenville came back to tie the score when Sheryl Kaufmann, Greg Sanders, and Stella Kaufmann each answered a question, but Nancy Hopper answered the next two questions and West Morris hung on for the win. Mike Hopper later served as denominational director from 1988-1994, and from 1999 to the present. Quizzing would see significant growth under his excellent leadership.

At Winona Lake, Decatur, Illinois repeated as champions in 1979 with Steve and Gerry Coates leading a balanced team with Kirk Ford.

Having finished second in 1979, New Castle, Indiana won the Alpha-Omega in 1980 with Mark Colgan and Rick Gensch leading a balanced team that included Rick's foster brother Jim McCormick. Rick's family then moved to Winona Lake, where Rick also quizzed on the 1984 championship team.

1980 was also the first year for individual competition. Mark Colgan won the senior teen individual division in overtime over Phoebe Ryan from West Morris Street. Mark would later coach at Bedford and Anderson, Indiana and serve as denominational co-director with Mike Hopper from 1999-2002.

Paul Stackhouse quizzed for Oakdale, Kentucky, which finished third in 1980. Paul and his wife Heidi would later serve as Quiz Finals statisticians for many years, including this year, and Paul is also our current web master for the Bible quiz web site.

In 1980 Quiz Finals was held at Spring Arbor College. This was the first year that Quiz Finals started rotating among the Free Methodist colleges. Quiz Finals then went to Greenville (1982), Seattle Pacific (1983), Roberts Wesleyan (1984), Central in McPherson, Kansas (1986), back to Spring Arbor (1987), etc. Stops were made for IYC in Colorado in 1981 and 1985.

Decatur, Illinois won again in 1981, quizzing at IYC in Estes Park, Colorado, with Steve Coates leading the way. Steve also won the second individual competition. He is currently serving as a military champlain in Japan and is interested in starting Bible quizzing there.

In 1982 Kalamazoo, Michigan, coached by Greg Sanders, pulled off the rare feat of winning both first and second place in the top senior teen veteran division. Only in 1991 did Bedford, Indiana do this again. There were 31 teams quizzing for the first time in four divisions: STV, STR, YTV, and YTR.

Quiz Finals was first held in Seattle, WA in 1983. A missionary team from Haiti and a team from Canada made this an International Finals. Mary Helen Brown and Dan Sewell from Sac City, Iowa comprised a two-person team to win the Alpha-Omega over the Winona Lake team comprised of Rick Gensch, Peter Samuelson, and Kevin and Kraig Kwilinski. Quizzing on opposite teams, Rick Gensch and Mary Helen Brown would later get married and help coach quizzing at the Winona Lake church.

Rick's Winona Lake team came back to win the 1984 championship at Roberts Wesleyan College over McPherson, Kansas, while teammate Peter Samuelson won the first of his two senior teen individual championships. 36 teams competed over Romans and James, including up and coming teams that won the lower divisions from Redlands, CA (STR), Wenatchee, WA (YTV), and Lawrence, KS (YTR).

Having lost to Peter Samuelson's Winona Lake team, Mcpherson then had an amazing turn of events happen. Peter Samuelson's family moved to McPherson, which allowed him to quiz with the McPherson team. With Peter's leadership, McPherson won the championship the next two years. In 1985 they won a memorable quiz in super finals over Jay Vincent's North Anderson, Indiana team at IYC. Jay would later serve as Free Methodist pastor, Mid-east regional director, and currently Wabash conference director. With a large crowd cheering, McPherson broke a tie with 3 questions to go and went on to win. This was the first of many championships for McPherson while being coached by former quizzer Greg Gossell. Greg would later become the denominational quiz director from 1994-1999.

In 1987 Laura Christensen (now Colberg) led a combined team with Craig Allman to victory at Spring Arbor. A record 50 teams competed in 4 divisions. Laura Colberg is currently our denominational question writer. The next year in 1988 she won the senior teen individual competition. Redlands, CA won their first championship, having finished second the previous two years, with Tom and Jerry Gregory and Brett Noble.

In 1989 McPherson won the first of two championships in a row led by Greg Fields and Ryan Joy. The second place Lawrence, Kansas team was led by Roger Stone. Roger is now a Bible translator serving in the Philippines, where he has started a growing Bible quiz ministry.

Quizzing at Seattle Pacific University in 1989, this was the first year commemorative Bible quiz T-shirts were a fun part of Quiz Finals. James Huffman from Bloomington, IN won the individual championship and Joel Miller from Bedford, IN finished second. Both Joel and his wife Janette are medical doctors preparing for missionary service in South America.

In the early 1990s Bible quizzing grew steadily under the direction of denominational director Mike Hopper. 49 teams competed at Seattle Pacific in 1989. 62 teams competed at Roberts Wesleyan in 1990, 78 teams competed at Central College in 1991, and 93 teams competed at Spring Arbor in 1992.

1990 was the first year for QUIC (Quizmasters Including Coaches) quizzing, as 8 adult teams joined the fun at Quiz Finals.

In 1991 Bedford, Indiana won the first of their 4 Alpha-Omega championships in the 1990s under coach Jerry Mullis. His daughter and future pastor Shannon Mullis quizzed on the winning team and later won the individual championship in 1992. The 1991 senior teen individual finals was filled with 5 Bedford quizzers, but it was Scott Sittig from the Pearce church in New York that edged out Wes Zell for the win. Scott and Lynette Sittig's team from Pearce also finished 4^th in the top division. Lynette is now a career missionary serving in Hungary.

In 1992 Willamina, Oregon, coached by current regional director Rita Kramer, burst on the scene by winning the championship with Jeremy and James Kramer and Nick Willis. After losing to Redlands, California earlier in the double-elimination tournament, Willamina came back to beat them twice, both times by a score of 160-140! But Redlands, with Nathan Noble, Jeremy Birch, Mike Brock, and Paul Plaxton, would win the next year by beating Willamina in 1993. A B-division was introduced in 1993 to encourage even competition and 1994 was the first time 6 divisions were used at Quiz Finals.

In 1992, a future pastor's wife, Carla Sewell from Greenwood, Indiana was the first recipient of the Dave Markell Excellence in Attitude Award. She is the daughter of Iona Sewell, a former quizzer and long-time coach and quizmaster who quizzed in the 50's and 60's.

The 1993 Dave Markell Award went to Shannon Mullis from Bedford, Indiana and the 1994 award went to Julie Allman from New Brighton, Pennsylvania. Julie has recently started her career as a missionary to the Ukraine. Her parents, Harold and Lois Allman have been supporters of quizzing for over 40 years, serving as local, conference, and regional quiz directors.

Redlands and McPherson had one more classic battle in 1994 when Redlands forced a super finals round. Half way through the quiz the score was tied 80 to 80, and McPherson tied the score again at 140 to 140 with one question remaining. Mike Brock of Redlands pre-jumped the final 15th question and answered it correctly for their second consecutive championship. Thirty years earlier Alan Noble's Redlands team had lost to McPherson. He now coached his team to victory in 1994.

The 1995 Quiz Finals was held in conjunction with General Conference at Anderson, Indiana. Bedford, Indiana won the Alpha-Omega and one of their rookie quizzers, Jason Lidberg, also won the senior teen veteran individual championship.

1996 was a special Quiz Finals at Warm Beach Camp in Stanwood, Washington. Many people reported that this was one of their favorite Quiz Finals, as Warm Beach provided a beautiful and fun setting for many recreational and entertaining activities. Quizzing over Hebrews and I and II Peter, there were many competitive teams that made for a wild senior teen veteran double-elimination tournament. The 6th seeded team from Willamina, Oregon with brothers Nick, Dan, and Patrick Willis beat the 4th seeded team from McPherson, Kansas for the Alpha-Omega championship in a 160-140 super finals. Third place went to the 12th seeded team from Albion, New York. Who said the top seeds always win? James Kramer from Willamina won both the individual championship and the Dave Markell Award.

The 1997 Quiz Finals was held at Roberts Wesleyan College and featured a trip to Niagara Falls in the middle of the week of quizzing. Bedford, Indiana, led by individual champion Dusty Lannon, outlasted Anderson, Indiana, which was led by individual runner-up Amy Colgan. Amy is now a Wabash conference quiz leader, and she helped put this Powerpoint presentation together!

Bedford repeated as champions in1998 at Spring Arbor for their fourth championship of the decade, and they tried for the first ever three-peat the next year at Greenville. They lost to Willamina 180-160 in the championship of the winners bracket, and then battled back to the finals, before losing again to Willamina, which was led by 2002 individual champion Patrick Willis.

Both the 2000 and 2001 Quiz Finals were won by the Houghtaling family from Vandalia, Illinois. Devin, Kendra, and individual champion Blake were one of the youngest teams to ever win the Alpha-Omega.

The 2002 Quiz Finals at Seattle Pacific University was known for its outstanding food and excellent competition. Vincennes, Indiana won their first championship ever by defeating Willamina, Oregon in the finals. Vincennes was surely one of the most outstanding teams of all time as all four members of the team, David Swank, Rachel Coates, Adam King, David Hose, and their coach Bob Swank had all of Corinthians memorized.

That brings us to this year's record-breaking 2003 Quiz Finals here at Roberts Wesleyan College. We have 123 quiz teams and 735 participants from Canada, Mexico, and across the United States quizzing in the largest ever Free Methodist Bible Quiz Finals. Who will win this year's Alpha-Omega?

Fifty years of Bible Quizzing makes for many wonderful memories and thousands of lives touched by the Word of God. The lessons learned from the past are that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8) and his Word is as real today as it was in 1953. Christian young people still enjoy spending time in fellowship and competing for championships. But win or lose what matters most is hiding God's Word in our hearts. As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Free Methodist Bible quizzing, may the Light of the Word shine in our hearts as we join together to make the years ahead the very best for Bible quizzing.

* The quotations come from various Free Methodist Youth publications. Much of the content for this paper comes from the book Results of the Continental Bible Quiz Championships of the Free Methodist Church of North America, compiled by Mike Hopper in 1995.