How the drill day works
Pick your state's rules and type your drillers. The kit splits them into drills of 12 or fewer and gives each child a number to wear. Paste the references from your cycle card and it writes a drill: no repeats, books from both testaments, one alternate per section. The caller works from a phone with the commands, a countdown and the drillers who have answered least. After the drill, enter each judge's sheet by tapping the missed calls and the tally applies your state's rule.
Example
A South Carolina church drill. Three judges mark 2, 3 and 4 mistakes for driller 5. The average is 3, so the score is 24 − 3 = 21 correct: enough for the association drill (12 or more) and, at the state drill, a State Winner seal (20 to 23).
Questions leaders ask
How is a Bible drill scored?
Each judge marks mistakes, at most one per driller per call. In most children's guides the three judges' mistakes are averaged and taken from 24. Texas Baptists add the three judges' scores (out of 72). Mississippi counts a mistake only when two or more judges marked it.
What score does a child need to go on to the association drill?
South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama and the SBTC in Texas: 12 or more correct at church, 16 or more at the association. Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas say 12 or fewer mistakes, then 8 or fewer. Texas Baptists (BGCT): 36 of 72, then 48. Youth and high school drills use points, such as 180 with all four judges in Kentucky.
What are the Bible drill commands?
Attention, then Present Bibles (some states use it only for calls that use the Bible), then the call, then Start. The timekeeper calls Time after 10 seconds (8 for youth and high school in Kentucky, Louisiana and Mississippi). The caller names one driller to answer, then says Attention to start the next call.
How do I write a church Bible drill?
For a children's drill, the Texas Baptists handbook says: choose 12 of the 25 cycle verses, six for quotation and six for completion, six books balanced between the testaments, and six of the ten key passages. Write out every command and answer for the caller. Keep one alternate call per section.
How do I make sure every child gets called on?
The guides ask the caller to call on every driller as evenly as possible and not always the first one out. The caller screen lists the drillers who have answered least, so you can pick one of them from those who stepped out, and it keeps count for you.
Does this include the verse cards or Bible text?
No. Verse cards come from Lifeway or your state convention. You type the references from your card once, and they stay on your device. This kit is not connected with Lifeway or any convention. Always follow your own state's current guide.
Can my child practice at home?
Yes. The practice page gives random book, key passage and verse calls from your own list with the same countdown, then shows the answer. Nothing is scored or kept.
Rules from: SC Baptist 2026 leader's guide, N.C. Baptists 2025 guide, Texas Baptists handbook, SBTC kit, Alabama leaders' and judges' guide (posted by SBC of Virginia), Mississippi brochure, Louisiana children's and youth pamphlets, Kentucky Baptist, Arkansas Baptist. Bible Drill is a program of Southern Baptist state conventions; this free kit is independent.