My son, Timothy Sample, ranked 21st in the nation on the qualification test for the National Bible Bee Competition (within his age division). GLORY TO GOD!! The NBBC will be held on November 11-14 at the Kalahari Resort in Sandusky, Ohio! At this competition, contestants ages 7-18 from across the country study and memorize passages of Scripture and compete for up to $50,000 in prize money!
You might be wondering, “What is involved in the National Bible Bee Competition?”
Well, at the beginning of the Summer, participants received a 100-page workbook and 14 memory passages (62 verses total*). Each participant studied the book of James, as well as its context/background, cross-references, original Greek, as well as practical applications and lessons from it! Participants also memorized verses from both James and other related sections of Scripture.
At the end of the Summer, participants took a 100-question multiple choice test on everything they had studied. This test didn't just cover material from James and the workbook - it also covered extra context and background that wasn't supplied to participants!
The top 120 scorers from each age division qualified for the National Bible Bee competition to be held in Sandusky, Ohio. TIMOTHY QUALIFIED at 21st PLACE!! This was also his first year in his age division (15-18) since he is 15 years old!
Now, each NBBC contestant is studying Matthew 5-7 and Proverbs 3-4, and memorizing almost 900 verses! Timothy has already memorized the study passages and is working on memorizing his memory passages as well.
A big difference between the Summer Study and the Competition study is that for the Competition, contestants are not given any study materials other than the Study Passages, the Memory Passages, and a 1 page document on what will be tested on in the NBBC. So, every contestant must gather their knowledge from their own research!
We are both looking forward to the competition, but we will need help for him to make it there. My husband cannot afford to put any money towards the trip, so Timothy and I are both fundraising for the trip. Which is why we ask that you consider donating to our trip.
Whether you can give $5 or $500, your gift adds up with others and will help Timothy get to Ohio so he can compete in the 2026 NBBC. 🙂
And so you know, the National Bible Bee is not just a competition. The NBBC is an amazing experience in which like-minded Christian families can share wonderful fellowship, hear God's Word proclaimed, and be encouraging and edifying to others.
Timothy has made wonderful friendships online with kids from all around the country through the National Bible Bee, and many of them will be competing alongside him, and I have made some very special friendships with moms of children who participate in the National Bible Bee. We were able to go to the NBBC last year as spectators and got to meet in-person many of our then online-only friends and families who were competing, but this year Timothy would also be able to experience the competition first-hand. We are both VERY excited for this year!! This will also be a wonderful mom and son road-trip to spend quality time together seeing God's beautiful Creation through the different states that we'll be driving through.
Here is a breakdown of our expenses for the trip:
$1000 - Rental Car
$1200 - Hotel stay at the Kalahari convention center for 7 nights**
$300 - Fuel
$600 - Hotels for the trip there and back (2-3 day drive one-way)
$300 - Groceries
$300 - Miscellaneous
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$3,700 - TOTAL
We want to thank you all in advance for your prayers and contributions to our trip.
To learn more about the NBBC, visit https://biblebee.org/the-competition/
May God bless you!
~Cheryl and Timothy Sample
*Verse counts, prize money, study materials, etc. mentioned are for the Senior Division. The younger age divisions typically have material that is lesser in quantity and in difficulty.
**We are arriving at the Kalahari at night on November 9th, because check-in for the NBBC starts on the 10th. We are staying an extra night (the 15th) to give us a small bit of time to unwind after the VERY busy week before the long ride home!
