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** BIBLE QUIZ-MAIL UPDATE ***** APRIL 2008 **


Dear Bible Quiz Leader,


While attending Asbury Seminary, I visited door-to-door in a nearby
community in order to lead people to Christ. On one day, a friend and I
visited Beatrice - a middle aged woman. We were invited in, and after
chatting for a few minutes, we asked her about her relationship with God.
Then she prayed and invited Christ into her life. Later she told us that
when we knocked at her door, she was seated at her kitchen table, with the
pills before her that she was going to take to end her life. Had we come a
few minutes later or not at all, she would have been dead. However, she is
still alive and is doing well.


The Apostle Paul wrote: "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and
thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so
that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray
that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act
toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation
be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to
answer everyone." (Colossians 4:2-6)


In the context of evangelism, Paul emphasized prayer. He urged the
Colossians to devote themselves to prayer. Paul knew that as they prayed,
they would draw closer to God and develop a sensitivity to His leading for
their lives. Paul also encouraged the Colossians to pray for an open door
for Paul’s message to be shared. I don’t believe that this referred to a
location, but rather for open hearts to respond to the message. We need to
pray for the "lost" ­ for those who do not know the Lord.


Paul also wrote:  "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the
most of every opportunity." God is constantly placing opportunities before
us. Do we see them? Do we take advantage of those opportunities to tell
others about Christ? According to Jesus, most people do not know the Lord.
Jesus told His followers: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the
gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through
it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a
few find it." (Matthew 7:13-14)


May God guide each of us in sharing the good news of Christ with others, and
may He work through us to challenge our youth to be active in telling their
classmates and friends about the Lord.


Mike


Mike Hopper -- Co-Director
Free Methodist Youth Bible Quizzing
(507) 352-5455  swimfast@hmtel.com


***************


(1)  TESTIMONY:  Kevin Dunbar, Free Methodist Missionary in Ecuador, wrote:
"I quizzed briefly, I think in 1978,  in Oregon, doing the book of James and
Romans.  I didn't get far at all in terms of competition and I don't even
remember how it is that we did 2 books if I was only involved in it for one
year, but be that as it may, I found it very beneficial.  To this day I have
several key passages memorized in Romans as a direct result of those
quizzing days, and it was part of what inspired me to memorize many passages
(several Psalms, key NT chapters and even entire Epistles).  In short,
quizzing was one of those important building blocks in my spiritual life
that helped motivate me to build God's Word into my mind and heart."


(2)  NATIONAL BIBLE QUIZ FINALS: Registrations have been coming in for Bible
Quiz Finals at Spring Arbor University in Spring Arbor, MI on July 7-11,
2008 .  As of April 4, 13 teams with 78 participants have registered.
(Alpena, MI was the first team to register.)  Special times of worship with
Wellspring, times of fellowship, sports activities, and plenty of quizzing
are being planned. Housing will be provided for Monday through Thursday
nights.  Further details for this five-day event will be included in
upcoming issues of the Quiz-Mail Update.  Registration materials are also
posted at the fmquizzing.org website.  Eric and I hope to see you in Spring
Arbor.


(3)  DAVE MARKELL AWARD:  If coaches would like to nominate a Senior for the
Dave Markell Excellence in Attitude award, please submit in writing the
quizzer's name, church and why you feel that senior should receive the
award.  This award will go to a graduating senior quizzer who has exhibited
a godly attitude while striving to know and serve God.  Submit this to Mike
via e-mail Mike by June 20th  No nominations will be received after that
point.  You can nominate any senior, not just those from your church, but
the senior needs to be present at Quiz Finals.


(4)  GRADUATING SENIORS:  The greatest single source of quality leaders for
the quizzing ministry is our former quizzers.  Many of our current leaders
were quizzers.  Coaches, do you have any graduating seniors who are in their
last year of quizzing? Please prayerfully encourage them to continued
involvement in quizzing through coaching, quizmastering, or officiating at
tournaments.  When they go to college, they may attend a Free Methodist
Church that doesn't yet have a quiz ministry; perhaps God will use them to
get Quizzing started there.  As our young people move out of their homes and
seek how God might want to use them, let's present Quizzing as a possible
opportunity to make a difference in this world for Christ through
encouraging youth in their study and application of God's word.