Youth Bible Drill was held on Saturday, May 2, at St. Andrews Church, Columbia. All 34 participants were in grades 7, 8, or 9 and represented churches from all over the state. There were six students who had participated for three years at the youth level, and three students who had participated for six years, children and youth Bible drill level. Students competed in five major areas: book drill, scripture searching drill, identifying verses drill, doctrinal drill, and Bible answers drill.
Caroline Perez, state coordinator for this event as well as Children’s Bible Drill, is a member at Southside Church, Florence. She started working with Bible Drills at First Church, Greensboro, NC, during her college years and continued working with this at Travis Avenue Church in Fort Worth, Texas, while she and her husband were students at Southwestern Seminary. A difference between youth drill and children’s drill involves the number of seconds students have to find answers. Children have 10 seconds, while youth only have eight seconds. “That two seconds makes a big difference,” says Perez, who is in her second year as state coordinator. Another difference is that the competition at the youth level is more intense.
This year’s overall winner was Keiko Bridwell, an eighth grade member of Poplar Springs Church in Moore, Spartanburg Association, who has participated in Bible Drill for five years. She is the daughter of Barry and Karen Bridwell. Her aunt, Barbara Eleazer, leads Bible Drill at Poplar Springs. Keiko will also be competing for the fourth year in the National Spelling Bee later in May and is a student at Florence Chapel Middle School. Bridwell says, “It is a good thing to learn about God’s Word and to use it in your life.” Ashli Bell, ninth grade student and six year veteran of Bible Drill, was first runner up. She is a member of Pleasant Meadow Church in Loris, Waccamaw Association, and attends Green Sea-Floyds High School.
Also attending this event was Bill Strickland from Earls Grove Church in Westminster. He was a participant in the Adult Bible Drill held on March 29 at First Church Westminster. Nine churches from this association participated with people ranging in ages from 20-74. One of the goals of Adult Bible Drill is to encourage parents and grandparents to be learning Scripture along with their children and grandchildren. For more information on Bible Drill contact Cindy Morris at cindymorris@scbaptist.org.
Pictured here are (back row) Caroline Perez, state Bible Drill coordinator, Cindy Morris, Children’s Ministry Leader, SC Baptist Convention,(first row) Ashli Bell, 1st runner up, and Keiko Bridwell, winner.
