Recently, an international group of 925 Pathfinders and 850 Adventurers from across the Trans-European Division attended and participated in a Bible knowledge tournament. The participants were tested on their knowledge of six chapters of Joshua and the first five chapters of Judges. Adventurers answered 44 questions on a more focused area of the two books, and Pathfinders answered 90 questions.

Having successfully completed the initial round, the participants traveled to the Netherlands for the Trans-European Division (TED) Adventurer and Pathfinder Bible Experience finals. With them, parents, guardians, club leaders, coaches, area coordinators, conference and union directors, and support staff joined, dedicated to making the event uplift the Bible in an age-relevant way.

Hosted by the Netherlands Union Churches Conference (NUChC) under the leadership of Aicha Manuela-Martijn, Adventurers and Pathfinders coordinator, and directed on behalf of the Trans-European Division by Kevin Johns, British Union Conference Youth and Pathfinder director, the event opened with a flag parade led by the Netherlands all-female drum corps. After a brief time of praise and worship led by Allard Nammensa and his inspirational praise and worship band, the testing began.

The Testing Time

The testing time is a complex process for an international event. With 64 Pathfinder and 47 Adventurer teams, rows of judges sat behind computers, and monitors displayed questions that required language translation for each national non-English-speaking group (Hungarian, Romanian, Ukrainian, Polish, Croatian, Belgian, and Dutch). A few national groups unable to travel to the Netherlands participated online.

Pathfinder and Adventurer club teams were composed of six to a team, led by a captain and a scribe. In addition, each team was given an independent and impartial runner to take answers to the judges. The teaching principle at work was teamwork as participants sat in a huddle, working together to recall answers.

Event Finalists

In the case of the Pathfinders, one British Union Conference team from the London Filipino International church, Osprey-Diadem, achieved 1st place with a 100% perfect score.

Reflecting on the the day’s experience, Daniel Duda, TED president, commented, “It is good for people to get together in the fifth and largest bible experience so far and it is a joy to see the value of this event increasing. It is also good to see teams from our division – but also from Kenya, Romania, Ukraine, and Belgium.” Reflecting further on its lasting value, he added, “The Bible Experience helps  children and teens grow and mature their faith, because they study the Bible, see the bigger picture, see struggles that they share with one another, and it helps them to see that there is more to life than what they experience.”

Candy Layson, TED associate treasurer, stated, “I want to commend the contribution of Kevin Johns, who initiated this event in 2013 and who directed today’s complex proceedings with excellence. With the quiz surrounded by praise and worship led by the great music team, I loved the atmosphere created.”

It Takes a Team

Kevin Johns, event director, was thrilled about what had taken place. “It was wonderful to see so many children participating in the Adventurer and Pathfinder Bible Experience. These were the highest numbers to take part at the TED level since TED became involved, and this is a testament to the impact this program is having on Adventurers and Pathfinders. This is not a competition, and it is more than just a test because it is fortifying the minds of our children with God’s word.” Continuing his reflection, Johns noted, “Our directors from Kenya who brought their Pathfinders to join us commented, ‘Once they introduce PBE in Kenya it will spread like a wild fire!'”

Johns had high praise for the hosts. “Thank you Netherlands – and the team of Pathfinder leaders who worked tremendously hard to put the event together and give us a taste of the Dutch culture. And thank you to all the support staff and local club leaders.”

“But the most rewarding element of the programe for me,” concluded Johns, “is seeing the 18 Pathfinders respond to the appeal by Gabriel Kwaye (NUChC Youth director) for baptism, joining a further 73 Pathfinders who responded to the appeal at Union level testing. It is now the work of the local club leaders to work with those Pathfinders and lead them to a relationship with Jesus. This is the whole purpose of the Pathfinder Bible Experience.”

The original article was published on the Trans-European Division website.