Two of them have done it again and one of them has done it for the first time!
We are thrilled to announce that Judah, Chloe, and Esther have all qualified for the National Bible Bee 2026!
This achievement was no small task. First, they participated in an 8-week study of the book of James, guided by the Discovery Journal that is provided by the National Bible Bee. This included memorizing 14 passages, important Greek words, and studying facts surrounding the book of James such as historical and cultural context, geography, and knowing the content and context of cross references throughout the Bible that are connected to their study. After a whole summer of this, they then participated in Proclaim Day. This is where they recited two passages, one that they chose and one that was selected for them at random. They also took an 8-question quiz. Chloe, Elijah, and Judah all had perfect recitation, and all four of the kids had 100% on their quizzes! After a few more days of studying, they then all took the 100-question qualifying test. The results were released yesterday and Chloe, Judah, and Esther learned that out of thousands of students who also took the test, they ranked in the top 120 in their divisions and secured a spot in the NBBC in Sandusky, Ohio! Elijah deserves an honorable mention for ranking in the top 200, but didn't quite make the final cutoff. We are still proud of his effort!
The next steps are that now, the 3 who qualified have an additional set of passages to memorize. Beyond the original 14, they now must learn over 100 total! They have already gotten started memorizing and reviewing their new study passages: Matthew 5-7 and Proverbs 3-4. This time, they have no Discovery Journal to help them. They must rely on everything they have learned over the past 5 years on how to study the Bible and find their own important Greek Words, cross references, and important information! The whole family gets to help, though, and we are all excited about digging in and doing this together! It is a joy to watch our children as they grow in their love and enthusiasm for the Word of God!
The NBBC is a competition like no other. While there is a monetary prize for those who come out on the very top of their divisions, the vast majority of families are there because of their desire to grow in passion and love for the Word. We listened to young people challenging each other and building each other up. We visited with families who inspired us to spur our children on in their knowledge of the Bible and spiritual maturity. We left feeling convicted to never let other pursuits get in the way of the only endeavor that matters for all of eternity: To Know God's Word and Make Him Known.
If you feel led to help make this trip happen for our kids, we wanted to create an easy way to do that. Give Send Go is a Christian fundraising website. They do not take a percentage of what is given, so 100% of the proceeds will go towards the trip.
The breakdown is as follows:
$2200: Registration and mandatory stay at the Convention Center for participants
$300: Hotel accommodations for the drive to OH and back (2-day drive)
$1500: Fuel, Groceries, Tolls, and other miscellaneous travel expenses
Thank you so much for supporting them in prayer and/or financially!
~The Howrys
You can learn more about this amazing event at the website listed below!
https://biblebee.org/the-competition/# 📚💡
