Spring Arbor Free Methodist Church
Spring Arbor, Michigan
Quizzed 1984-1990
Inducted 2019
Bio
Phil lives in Spring Arbor, Michigan. His mother, Sherry, was on a championship team in the 1960s.
Questions & Answers
What were some of your accomplishments in quizzing?
In 10th grade at a Chicago tournament, I was the guy off the bench for once (not the star). I got the last question to win the Final. I was recognized as a champion at a World BQ meet using points per question averages when I was in seventh grade … this brought my father to tears, recognizing for the first time that I could do this. This would be my “sport.” I finished 8th out of 20 in a World BQ competition where they didn’t have a “JV” division, so I was up against high schoolers as a seventh grader. In 9th or 10th grade, I tied with Peter Samuelson for the sixth spot in Individual Finals. In 9th grade my team won the World BQ quiz in Chicago.
What is your favorite verse?
John 8:1: “But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives … ” This was the verse with the answer to the last question to win a championship.
What did Bible Quizzing mean for you as a teen?
It was a place where I (someone in a wheelchair due to cerebral palsy) could compete with my mind on a level playing field with able-bodied peers … and win.
What would you say is the value of Bible Quizzing for other young people?
Growing up as a teenager is hard enough and kids do stupid things. But maybe having some verses in their heads will help them to make a better choice in the moment and avoid some trouble. But remember … while winning is the goal in FMBQ, it’s not the PURPOSE.