The results are based on win-loss record, and a three-team playoff for second place. When equal records exist, the ties are broken first by head to head; second by head to head and point differential; and third by head to head, point differential and point total.
The 16th National Bible Quiz Finals took place August 13-15, 1978 in Kansas City, Missouri covering the books of I and II Corinthians. Terry Carter was the National Coordinator and Steve Sorensen was the official question writer.
The event was won by Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA which became one of a very select few champions to win Nationals with an undefeated record. The second place team was Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA which began a streak of three consecutive years of finishing in second place at National Finals.
The team from Decatur was the same church which had won National Finals in 1976 and in 1963 (the church simply changed names and locations after 1963). Therefore, this team became the very first church to win 3 National Championships. First A/G, New Orleans, LA would duplicate this feat in 1984 as would Orange Hills A/G, Orange, CA in 2003 and The Church at Briargate, Colorado Springs, CO in 2006 (they also won in 2007).
Additionally, Decatur team captain Ronnie Wright earned top quizzer honors and became the second of what would be 4 different top quizzers at National Finals from this church. Rhett Laurens of Decatur also placed in the top 6 quizzers and this was the first of 4 National Finals in which he would place among the top 6 - a record that would not be equaled until 2006, by Jon Galliers. Decatur also established records for points scored and margin of victory. In placing an undefeated record, they had no opponent with a record better than 4 wins and 3 losses - highly unusual during the 8 team era.
Complete records for this event, including round by round scores and top quizzers, are available on this site. To view a larger image of the program cover, please select the image at left. An audio cassette of the entire awards ceremony from 1978, including the all-star quiz, will be made available online within the memories section shortly.
Results
Teams
| # | Team | Record | Total | Avg | Margin | Avg Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA | 7 / 0 | 1325 | 189.29 | 825 | 117.86 |
| 2 | Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA* | 4 / 3 | 825 | 117.86 | -20 | -2.86 |
| 3 | Pasadena A/G, Pasadena, MD | 4 / 3 | 960 | 137.14 | -10 | -1.43 |
| 4 | Trinity A/G, Bastrop, LA | 4 / 3 | 840 | 120 | 145 | 20.71 |
| 5 | Northridge A/G, Dayton, OH | 3 / 4 | 970 | 138.57 | 180 | 25.71 |
| 6 | Fletcher A/G, Fletcher, OK | 3 / 4 | 760 | 108.57 | -95 | -13.57 |
| 7 | Evergreen Christian A/G, Olympia, WA | 2 / 5 | 675 | 96.43 | -455 | -65 |
| 8 | Bethel Tabernacle A/G, Milwaukee, WI | 1 / 6 | 600 | 85.71 | -570 | -81.43 |
* At the end of round-robin competition the team from Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA was first, and there was a playoff for second place among Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA, Pasadena A/G, Pasadena, MD, and Trinity A/G, Bastrop, LA. According to point total, Pasadena A/G, Pasadena, MD drew a bye in the first playoff round, and Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA won the match with Trinity A/G, Bastrop, LA. In the second playoff round, Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA won the match with Pasadena A/G, Pasadena, MD. Therefore the team from Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA was second, the team from Pasadena A/G, Pasadena, MD was third, and the team from Trinity A./G, Bastrop, LA was fourth.
Individuals
Only the top 7 quizzers from the 1978 National Bible Quiz Tournament were announced.
| # | Quizzer | Church | Total | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ronnie Wright | Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA | 665 | 95 |
| 2 | Greg Kelley | Northridge A/G, Dayton, OH | 660 | 94.29 |
| 3* | Kari Brodin | Evergreen Christina A/G, Olympia, WA | 530 | 75.71 |
| 3* | Sherah Rury | Fletcher A/G, Fletcher, OK | 530 | 75.71 |
| 5 | Jim Brent | Trinity A/G, Bastrop, LA | 495 | 70.71 |
| 6 | Rhett Laurens | Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA | 475 | 67.86 |
| 7 | Mike Cocolin | Pasadena A/G, Pasadena, MD | 410 | 58.57 |
Teams
Great Lakes Region
- Church: Northridge A/G, Dayton, OH
- Pastor: Hollis Kelley
- Coach: Janice Miltenberger
- Team:
- Timothy Bender
- Terri Hungate
- Greg Kelley
- Maureen Kellog
- Rick Landrum
- Brenda Miltenberger
- Round Robin:
- Round 1: Lost to Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA 85 to 125
- Round 2: Won against Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA 120 to 85
- Round 3: Lost to Trinity A/G, Bastrop, LA 125 to 130
- Round 4: Won against Fletcher A/G, Fletcher, OK 215 to 20
- Round 5: Lost to Pasadena A/G, Pasadena, MD 110 to 165
- Round 6: Won against Evergreen Christian A/G, Olympia, WA 200 to 120
- Round 7: Lost to Bethel Tabernacle A/G, Milwaukee, WI 115 to 145
Gulf Region
- Church: Trinity A/G, Bastrop, LA
- Pastor: Michael Wright
- Coach: Alice Brent
- Team:
- Jim Brent
- Tim Brent
- Jacque Johnston
- John McGough
- Ernie Shockey
- Alan Watt
- Round Robin:
- Round 1: Won against Bethel Tabernacle A/G, Milwaukee, WI 205 to 35
- Round 2: Won against Evergreen Christian A/G, Olympia, WA 205 to 30
- Round 3: Won against Northridge A/G, Dayton, OH 130 to 125
- Round 4: Won against Pasadena A/G, Pasadena, MD 95 to 75
- Round 5: Lost to Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA 65 to 105
- Round 6: Lost to Fletcher A/G, Fletcher, OK 80 to 195
- Round 7: Lost to Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA 60 to 130
- Playoff 1: Lost to Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA 100 to 125
North Central Region
- Church: Bethel Tabernacle A/G, Milwaukee, WI
- Pastor: Marlin Kallevig
- Coach: Jeff Schaap
- Team:
- David Basel
- Lynda Ernst
- Karen Holmquist
- Joanna Oquist
- Jeanne Stefensrud
- Kurt Woffram
- Round Robin:
- Round 1: Lost to Trinity A/G, Bastrop, LA 35 to 205
- Round 2: Lost to Fletcher A/G, Fletcher, OK 105 to 115
- Round 3: Lost to Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA 85 to 185
- Round 4: Lost to Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA 10 to 255
- Round 5: Lost to Evergreen Christian A/G, Olympia, WA 60 to 115
- Round 6: Lost to Pasadena A/G, Pasadena, MD 160 to 180
- Round 7: Won against Northridge A/G, Dayton, OH 145 to 115
Northeast Region
- Church: Pasadena A/G, Pasadena, MD
- Pastor: Julian Goggin
- Coach: Betty Goggin
- Team:
- Michael Cocolin
- Nancy Cocolin
- Gary Napier
- James T. Pyles
- Round Robin:
- Round 1: Won against Evergreen Christian A/G, Olympia, WA 115 to 60
- Round 2: Lost to Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA 85 to 230
- Round 3: Won against Fletcher A/G, Fletcher, OK 160 to 105
- Round 4: Lost to Trinity A/G, Bastrop, LA 75 to 95
- Round 5: Won against Northridge A/G, Dayton, OH 165 to 110
- Round 6: Won against Bethel Tabernacle A/G, Milwaukee, WI 180 to 160
- Round 7: Lost to Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA 100 to 130
- Playoff 2: Lost to Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA 80 to 90
Northwest Region
- Church: Evergreen Christian A/G, Olympia, WA
- Pastor: Glen D. Cole
- Coach: Betty Minor
- Team:
- Evelyn Bishopp
- Kari Brodin
- Jamie Nickerson
- Round Robin:
- Round 1: Lost to Pasadena A/G, Pasadena, MD 60 to 115
- Round 2: Lost to Trinity A/G, Bastrop, LA 30 to 205
- Round 3: Lost to Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA 90 to 245
- Round 4: Won against Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA 180 to 130
- Round 5: Won against Bethel Tabernacle A/G, Milwaukee, WI 115 to 60
- Round 6: Lost to Northridge A/G, Dayton, OH 120 to 200
- Round 7: Lost to Fletcher A/G, Fletcher, OK 80 to 175
South Central Region
- Church: Fletcher A/G, Fletcher, OK
- Pastor: Dennis A. Meyer
- Coach: Janie Mantooth
- Team:
- Penny Akers
- Darryl Hudson
- Dessita Rury
- Marsha Rury
- Sherah Rury
- Billy Wissinger
- Round Robin:
- Round 1: Lost to Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA 70 to 100
- Round 2: Won against Bethel Tabernacle A/G, Milwaukee, WI 115 to 105
- Round 3: Lost to Pasadena A/G, Pasadena, MD 105 to 160
- Round 4: Lost to Northridge A/G, Dayton, OH 20 to 215
- Round 5: Lost to Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA 80 to 115
- Round 6: Won against Trinity A/G, Bastrop, LA 195 to 80
- Round 7: Won against Evergreen Christian A/G, Olympia, WA 175 to 80
Southeast Region
- Church: Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA
- Pastor: Ken Mayton
- Coach: Alex Cohilas
- Team:
- Mark Gilmer
- Rhett Laurens
- Scott Simmering
- DeAun Williamson
- Denis Wright
- Ronnie Wright
- Round Robin:
- Round 1: Won against Northridge A/G, Dayton, OH 125 to 85
- Round 2: Won against Pasadena A/G, Pasadena, MD 230 to 85
- Round 3: Won against Evergreen Christian A/G, Olympia, WA 245 to 90
- Round 4: Won against Bethel Tabernacle A/G, Milwaukee, WI 255 to 10
- Round 5: Won against Fletcher A/G, Fletcher, OK 115 to 80
- Round 6: Won against Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA 225 to 90
- Round 7: Won against Trinity A/G, Bastrop, LA 130 to 60
Southwest Region
- Church: Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA
- Pastor: Mel L. Bennett
- Coach: JoAnn Collins
- Team:
- Carmen Muniz
- Billy Muniz
- Danny Muniz
- Keith Short
- Debbie Summers
- Round Robin:
- Round 1: Won against Fletcher A/G, Fletcher, OK 100 to 70
- Round 2: Lost to Northridge A/G, Dayton, OH 85 to 120
- Round 3: Won against Bethel Tabernacle A/G, Milwaukee, WI 185 to 85
- Round 4: Lost to Evergreen Christian A/G, Olympia, WA 130 to 180
- Round 5: Won against Trinity A/G, Bastrop, LA 105 to 65
- Round 6: Lost to Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA 90 to 225
- Round 7: Won against Pasadena A/G, Pasadena, MD 130 to 100
- Playoff 1: Won against Trinity A/G, Bastrop, LA 125 to 100
- Playoff 2: Won against Pasadena A/G, Pasadena, MD 90 to 80