2008 STATEWIDE BIBLE BOWL RULES revised by the Bible Bowl Committee September 8, 2007 1.  In order to insure consistency of questions and answers, all questions will be taken from the  NEW KING JAMES VERSION.  The host congregation will provide all versions of the New King  James Version for the judges.  (2008) Questions for the 2008 Bible Bowl will be written by the  Bible Bowl Question Committee.    Rules of the Bible Bowl will be discussed at the home congregations and not read at the Bible  Bowl.   2.  There will be no true-false, yes-no, fill in the blank (2008) multiple choice, or two-part questions. 3.  Two (2) teams will compete against each other in a match. 4.  There may be up to four (4) participants and one (1) alternate per team.  (The alternate may not be  on more than one(1) team.).  Pre-teens = ages up to twelve.  Teens = ages thirteen up to high  school graduation.  Adult = post high school and up.   5.  Anyone may compete from a congregation provided he/she is a member of that congregation by  the cut-off date of registration. 6.  A match will consist of ten (10) questions.  The team answering the most questions correctly out  of the ten (10) will be declared the winner of the match.  The number of questions for the pre-teen division winners’ bracket will be seven (7) questions,  and in the elimination bracket for that division, the number of questions will be five (5).  -- A member of either team may “buzz in” to answer a question at any time after the moderator     begins to ask the question.  -- The moderator will stop the question the instant he realizes that a team wishes to answer.  -- The person “buzzing in” must begin his/her answer within five (5) seconds after being     recognized by the moderator.  -- If an incorrect answer, or no answer at all, is given immediately, the entire question will be read     for the opposing team, and then that team will have (5) seconds to begin its answer.  -- If either team does not give the correct answer to the question, no points will be awarded.  -- No discussion among team members is permissible at any time during the match.  -- A team member cannot just quote an entire verse or passage when giving an answer.  -- Unanswered questions will be placed in the back to be used only if necessary.  -- Teams may not amend an answer or part of an answer once it is spoken.       The moderator will rule on the first answer he hears.  Note to moderator:              •    Moderators are to only give five seconds for someone to answer once he/she buzzes in.                 •    Moderators will no longer say, “Give me more” or use hand signals to indicate there is                 more to the answer.            •    Moderators will accept answers that are correct, but may not be verbatim, but again ARE                 correct (example: Jesus for Jesus Christ, grass for green grass, Father for Heavenly                 Father).  -- Participants may contest a question in any round, but no more than two times per round.  -- The ruling of the judges on any challenge is final as far as the competition is concerned.  -- When it is determined that the another team cannot win, the match will be called. 7.  There must be absolutely no talking among the audience during the competition.  No one in the  audience will be permitted to challenge a ruling or make any comment during the competition. 8.  Once the Bible Bowl starts, participants are not permitted to consult the Bible until the end of the  tournament.  No one is permitted to have his/her Bible open during the competition except for the  moderator and judges.  There will be no studying during the lunch break.  This is between you and  the Lord. 9.  The Bible Bowl is a double-elimination tournament.  Each team will continue in the competition  until it has lost two matches or until it is the only team left in the competition with fewer than two  losses and is declared to be the winner of the tournament. 10.   Information concerning the Bible Bowl will be mailed out by November 23 of each year. The   information will contain information set by the Bible Bowl Committee, including the book(s) to be   used.   The Bible Bowl will be held the last Saturday in February of each year.   Dates for 2008:     The book(s) for the Bible Bowl may be announced to local congregations on November 25, 2007.    Congregations and teams must be registered by February 8, 2008.   The Bible Bowl will be February 23, 2008. 11.   In order for a team to be eligible to compete, registration material must be postmarked no later   than two weeks prior to the Bible Bowl.  (2008: February 8, 2008)   Registration will end at 9:00 a.m. and all participants/congregations must be registered by that time.   The actual competition of the Bible Bowl will begin at 9:30 a.m. 12.   To offset the cost of lunch, trophy printing, certificates, the cost of mailings, (2008) and ribbons for   each winner, etc., each team will include in its registration $5.00 per team member (e.g. for a four   [4] member team, the cost will be $20).  Any spectators who will be eating lunch will be asked to pay   $5.00; (2008) however; spectators should be pre-registered along with the team.  The $20 per team   is to be mailed along with the registration, plus the $5.00 per spectator (optional – spectators may   pay that morning prior to the start of the Bible Bowl.) 13.   The annual meeting of the Bible Bowl Committee will be the second Saturday of September at   10 A.M. at St. Andrews Rd.  At that time, any rule changes will be made as well as the selection of   the book(s) and the date.  (2008) Anyone from a congregation may attend this meeting; however, if   there is a vote taken on any matter, a congregation will receive only one vote. Note:  Anyone   attending this meeting may not reveal the name of the book to be used nor may he/she begin any   advance study.  If this will be a problem for someone, it recommended he/she not attend. 15.   Each competing division is to have two judges.  These judges must have thoroughly studied the   book(s) and are not be participants.  Judges need to be available for the entire day. 16.   (2008) To minimize the concept of competitiveness and emphasize the benefits of studying the   Bible, only ribbons will be given to the members of the  2nd and 3rd  place teams.  The winning team   will receive the perpetual trophy/plaque and a ribbon for each team member.   Local congregations may wish to recognize their winning teams (or all their teams since every team   is winner for having studied the Bible) at their home congregations with a gift (e.g. Bible,   concordance, trophy, etc.) 17.   (2008) The Bible Bowl Committee, will mail out a newsletter to all congregations with pictures and   names of winning teams, candid shots of the day, as well as story-line information concerning the   2008 Bible Bowl. 16.   2008   -- hosted by St. Andrews Road, who will handle registration and all mailings.   St. Andrews Road will send out an information seeking letter in mid October to South Carolina   churches.  This letter will ask for the name of the Bible Bowl contact for that congregation.  All   Bible Bowl mailings will then be mailed to that contact person.   -- The elders of Carolina Church of Christ will contact congregations to secure enough judges.   -- St. Andrews Road will provide moderators, lunch, the boards, and the brackets for the Bible Bowl.   -- The Carolina Church of Christ will provide ribbons for the top three teams in each division.