A Bible quiz can do something few other events manage: get children, teenagers and adults reading the same scriptures with real excitement. When several branches or parishes take part, it also builds friendships across the whole church family.
Here is a simple plan you can adapt.
Decide the scope and the categories
Pick a portion of scripture everyone will study — a gospel, a letter, or a set of chapters. Announce it at least six weeks before the first round so there is time to read.
Most churches run separate categories, for example:
- Children (8–12)
- Teens (13–17)
- Adults (18+)
Individual contestants, pairs or teams of three all work well. Teams encourage people who would never enter alone.
Plan the rounds
A clear path keeps momentum:
- Branch qualifiers — every branch runs its own round and sends its best contestants forward.
- Zonal or regional rounds — for larger networks.
- Grand finale — a live event, ideally streamed so families in other cities can watch.
Write fair questions
Good questions are clear, checkable and tied to the chosen passage. Mix the types:
- Multiple choice
- True or false
- "Complete the verse"
- "Who said…?"
Give each question a reference so answers can be checked quickly. Ask two people who are not competing to review the question bank for mistakes and ambiguity, and keep final-round questions confidential until the day.
Keep the scoring transparent
Agree the rules before the first round: points per question, time limits, what happens in a tie, and who makes the final decision on disputes. Show a live scoreboard where you can — it adds excitement and removes doubt.
Online, in person, or both
Online rounds make it easy for every branch to take part without travel costs. Everyone gets the same questions in a random order with the same time limit, and the scores add up automatically. The grand finale is often best in person, with the audience cheering on their branch.
Look after young contestants
For children's categories, get parents' consent, keep contact details private and make sure adults supervising are cleared under your church's safeguarding policy. Celebrate effort as well as winners.
Celebrate well
Prizes do not need to be expensive: Bibles, study guides, books, certificates and a trophy the winning branch keeps for a year. Share results and photos (with permission) on your website and in announcements.
How ChurchBright helps
ChurchBright's competitions feature lets you build quizzes and challenges, open rounds to members of chosen branches, time and randomise questions, and show leaderboards by person and by branch. Results appear instantly, so your team can focus on encouraging contestants rather than adding up scores.
However you run it, a quiz is a joyful way to get your church into the Bible together. Start small this year — you will be surprised how many people want to join next time.