Discipleship Award

Discipleship Requirements

2026-2027 BQ Season

Read the entire Study Guide over all of the Gospel of Mark.
At the beginning of the Scripture Commentary on the Gospel of Mark on page 1 & 2 there is an extremely important section titled “Missing Verses (Why are they missing? Should we be concerned?)” Be able to paraphrase that, in your own words, to any stranger for 1-2 minutes verbally. (You might consider sharing that with someone in your church/fellowship.)
Do all of the discussion questions over the chapters in whatever “division” you are quizzing in.
To show the compassion of Jesus, volunteer to help at your local Salvation Army, homeless shelter, soup kitchen, nursing home, or help the widows, elderly, etc. in your area.

Send a short report to the National Bible Quiz Coordinator, Bernie Elliot at [email protected] and to your District Bible Quiz Coordinator (DBQC) about what your Bible Quiz team did and how it affected the people you ministered to.
Contact via e-mail, text, phone, or Zoom one (1) missionary that your church/prayer group/home church supports and pray one of the many great verses from the Gospel of Mark for the missionary and their family. You might consider doing this on a quarterly basis during this quiz season.
“There will be no peace in any soul until it is willing to obey the voice of God.” — Dwight Moody

Read the book Radical Obedience by Dr. Paul and Carol Alexander, Westbow Press, 2025. The book is a thought provoking and inspiring narrative of two global pilgrims who dared to risk everything to follow Jesus in “radical obedience.” Write a 200-word report on the book.

Send the report to your District Bible Quiz Coordinator (DBQC).

Discussion Questions

Mark Chapter 1

Holly Davis

According to verse 4, what is the sign that all believers show they have repented of their sins?
According to verse 12, discuss why you think the Spirit compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness?
What Old Testament scripture did John the Baptist quote to explain the coming of the long-awaited Messiah? (Give the reference.)
Quote the father’s words in verse 11 and discuss why this is significant?
What Old Testament law is being referenced in verse 44? (Give the reference.)
The demon in verse 24 speaks directly to Jesus and asks why he is interfering with them? Discuss what you think the demon meant by interfering?
In verses 16-19, Jesus calls for men to follow him. Discuss the significance of them dropping everything immediately and how we can also live for Jesus in that way.

Mark Chapter 2

Joshua Abbott

News spread that Jesus was home. What caused this homecoming to be different? (Hint: see the end of Chapter 1.)
How could Jesus “see” the four men’s faith (v. 5)?
Why didn’t Jesus heal the paralyzed man first, as he had done with others?
What was the importance of Jesus having the lame man pick up his mat?
Why did Jesus eat with tax collectors and other sinners?
Jesus discusses fasting, sewing and wineskins as one parable. What central thought is he trying to convey?
What does Jesus mean, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people…”?

Mark Chapter 3

Beth Barnes

In the section titled Jesus Heals on the Sabbath, Jesus heals a man with a deformed hand. But this amazing miracle did not make the Pharisees rejoice and praise God; instead it made them want to kill Jesus. Why did they react this way?
When Jesus saw the reaction that the Pharisees had to the healing, He was both angry and deeply saddened. How did this affect Jesus’ actions?
How can you be angry and sad at the same time? Do you recall any times when you experienced both emotions? Do you think that you had a godly response to that situation?
Chapter three mentions evil spirits and demons multiple times. Why did Mark place such emphasis on this? Do you think that the church should pay closer attention to the activity of demons and evil spirits today? Why?
In response to the Pharisees saying that He had a demon because He was casting out demons, how does Jesus respond? Which part of His answer speaks to you the most?
In the section titled Jesus and the Prince of Demons, Jesus’ family thought that Jesus was out of His mind. Why did they think that and how did Jesus respond?
Mark 3:28-30 mentions “a sin with eternal consequences.” The exact meaning of this eternal sin has been debated for years. What do you think this means and what do you think it does not mean?
In the section titled The True Family of Jesus, Jesus says some startling things about His mother and His brothers. How do you think that His family responded? How does this tie in with verse 21 when His family thought that He had lost His mind?

Mark Chapter 4

Patti Smith

What is a parable? (JBQ #300)
According to verses 11, 12, 33 & 34, how and why did Jesus use parables?
What Old Testament scripture did Jesus quote to explain why? (Give the reference.)
What 4 parables are found in this chapter?
What theme do you notice in these parables?
Where is Jesus as He tells these parables?
Copy and complete this table about the Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed:

# Type of soil What happened to the seed after it was scattered Jesus’ explanation
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- Read verse 13. Was Jesus frustrated with the disciples? Why?
- Even though Jesus was frustrated with the disciples, did He answer their question?
- To whom did Jesus explain the parable? Why?
- What type of soil do you want to have? How can you make sure you do?
Tell Jesus’ parable of the Lamp in your own words.
What was Jesus’ explanation of this parable?
Are you listening to what God has to say in His Word?
According to Jesus, what is the Kingdom of God like?
After a day of teaching, what did Jesus want to do?
What happened as they were crossing the lake?
When the disciples woke Jesus up, what did He do? How did the wind and waves respond?
What did Jesus ask the disciples after He calmed the storm? Would you say He was frustrated with the disciples?
By looking at the disciples’ response in verse 41, did the disciples understand who Jesus was?

Mark Chapter 5

Pastor David Warnock

The man possessed by evil spirits had supernatural feats of strength to snap chains and smash shackles (Mark 5:4), but he cowered at the mere presence of Jesus (Mark 5:6-7). Why do you think that was the case? Does this give you confidence that the demonic forces who may desire to come against you are scared into submission by your Advocate, Jesus?
What does the account of the demon-possessed man tell us about spiritual warfare? Who is the overwhelming victor?
Jesus asked some to accompany Him, but in the account of the demon-possessed man, Jesus forbid him from going with him (Mark 5:18-19). Do you think we should be more careful about criticizing others who are following and serving our Lord in a different way than we are?
From the section titled “Jesus Heals in Response to Faith,” how do we know the woman who suffered with constant bleeding had faith to be healed? What do you think we can do to strengthen our faith in Jesus’ healing power in our lives?
When the woman who suffered with constant bleeding was healed, Jesus asked, “Who touched my robe?” Wasn’t Jesus omniscient? (See Philippians 2:7.) Sometimes Jesus didn’t know certain things and sometimes He did know them. How did He know them? (See 1 Corinthians 12:8.) Have you asked God to give you spiritual gifts in your effort to be more like Jesus?
In Mark 5:36, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.” Are faith and fear opposites? Do you think we can have faith in our hearts (see Romans 10:10) but have fearful thoughts assail our minds? If that happens, what should we do? (See 2 Corinthians 10:5.)

Mark Chapter 6

Bernie Elliot

Why do you think the people of Nazareth struggled to accept Jesus as a prophet and teacher even though they knew Him personally? (vs 3)
What can we learn from Jesus sending out the twelve disciples in pairs with very few possessions? (vs 7). How does that challenge modern ideas about preparation and security?
Herod had great respect for John (vs 20), yet he had John put to death (vs 27). What motivated Herod to do this? What do Herod’s actions show us about the way sin operates?
In the feeding of the five thousand, what does Jesus’ response to the hungry crowd reveal about compassion, leadership, and faith? Why do you think Jesus provided much more than enough food for the people and then had the surplus gathered up (vs 42-43)?
When the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water, they were terrified and confused (vs 50). Why do you think they struggled to understand who Jesus was even after witnessing miracles?
Verse 52 says the disciples’ hearts were “hardened” after the miracle of the loaves. What does spiritual hardness look like today, and how can people become more spiritually aware? As a quizzer, what can you and your team do to influence other people?
Verse 56 tells us that crowds rushed to bring sick people to Jesus for healing. What does this response tell us about faith, desperation, and hope? What about in 2026 and 2027?

Mark Chapter 7

Holly Ciampa

In what way are we today similar to the pharisees/teachers of the law who held on to “temple or church tradition”?
It states in verse 4 that this is one of the traditions they have “clung to.” Is there a sort of comfort in traditions? Why or why not?
In verses 11-13, Jesus brings up a situation in which keeping the traditions of the law actually misses the point of God’s actual commandment to Honor Your Father and Mother. Can you think of another scripture where Jesus talks about the Jewish leaders missing the point?
In verse 15 Jesus points out that it is not the food that defiles us, but rather what comes out of our heart. If the food actually does not defile us, then why do you think God gave Moses so many laws regarding food in the Old Testament?
Jesus gives a long list of sins that come from within us that are defiling. Among those listed is foolishness. What sort of things would you define as foolishness?
In the section “The Faith of a Gentile Woman,” when the woman comes and begs at the feet of Jesus to heal her daughter, Jesus tells her “it is not right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.” What do you think about the words that Jesus used? Why do you think Jesus said this?
In the section titled “Jesus Heals a Deaf Man,” we learn that Jesus put his fingers in the man’s ears and, spitting on his own fingers, touched the man’s tongue to heal him. But in the previous section, the woman’s daughter was not even in the same house as Jesus and she was healed. Why do you think Jesus chose to touch some people to heal them, and others he just spoke the words?
Verse 36 states that Jesus told the crowd not to say anything, and as in many previous passages the people would tell anyone who would listen. Why do you think Jesus always asked people not to say anything?

Mark Chapter 8

Susan Yoder

Jesus feeds a large crowd again in this chapter. What does that say about how Jesus views people’s physical needs as well as their spiritual needs? (Mark 8:1-9)
The disciples worry about not having enough food—even after they had already seen Jesus perform miracles. Why do you think it is easy to forget what God has done when facing new problems? (Mark 8:4, 17-21)
The Pharisees ask Jesus for a miraculous sign to prove who He is. Why do you think people still demand “proof” from God instead of trust? (Mark 8:11-13)
The blind man first sees people “like trees walking around.” Can you think of times when your understanding of God or faith felt blurry or incomplete? (Mark 8:24)
Peter correctly says Jesus is the Messiah—but then immediately struggles to accept what that really means. Why is it sometimes easier to believe the right thing than to live it out? (Mark 8:27-30)
Jesus says that following Him means denying yourself and taking up your cross. What does that look like practically for students today? (Mark 8:34)
What are some things people your age might be tempted to hold onto instead of fully following Jesus? (Mark 8:34-35)
If you truly believed everything Jesus says in Mark 8, what might change about your priorities, choices, or relationships this week? (Mark 8:34-38)

Mark Chapter 9

Don Batty

When Peter, James and John were allowed to witness Jesus’ transfiguration they experienced the powerful presence of God. What emotions did they feel? How did they respond? When have you personally experienced the presence of God? How did you respond?
When Jesus returned to the other disciples following his transfiguration experience, what did he find?
How did Jesus describe the people in verse 19? What did Jesus say about believing in verse 23?
When have you experienced thoughts of doubt and unbelief? How can we overcome thoughts of doubt and unbelief?
How did Jesus answer the disciples’ question about their inability to cast out the demon?
When Jesus tried to communicate to the disciples about his upcoming suffering and death, what was their response? Instead, they began to argue about what? According to Jesus those who want to be first should do what?
How did Jesus show and speak value into children?
If something causes us to sin what kind of surgery did Jesus say might be better? How could we practically apply surgery in our lives when we are tempted to sin by things we do, places we go, and things we watch?

Mark Chapter 10

Paul Freitag

Mark Chapter 10 contains interactions with Jesus as he makes his final journey to Jerusalem. While these are not the last words of Jesus on the cross, they are some of his last teachings to the disciples. In the chapter, there are 3 Questions to Jesus, 2 Requests of Jesus and 2 Declarations by Jesus about children and his death. Identify them. From these teachings, what are three things you can learn about the kingdom of God and how we should live on earth?
What are some characteristics of children that would represent how Jesus wants us to come to him and be a part of the kingdom of God?
When Jesus said that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, what was the cultural context of this statement? What picture or understanding would the disciples have had for this statement? (The picture is not an actual sewing needle.)
In verse 27, Jesus talks about how all things are possible with God. What was the difficult scenario that highlights the power of God for each individual?
How were the disciples of Jesus similar to siblings in a family in verses 35-45?
Jesus’ teachings in this chapter really turn upside down the understanding and approaches of mankind here on earth. What are some of these unique ways of thinking and living that are kingdom ways to live? (vs. 11, 14, 18, 21, 30, 31, 40, 43-46)
There are a couple of times that the conversation covers increased possessions here on earth or requests to be in important positions. This again is often a human longing. In vs. 30 and vs. 38, what important part did Jesus say comes with those things? Are you willing to embrace that or how have you experienced it?
How does vs. 34 contribute to the authenticity and validity of the death and resurrection of Jesus for our salvation?

Mark Chapter 11

Shreya Joy

Mark 11:1-11

Jesus Christ, the King of all kings, came riding on the colt of a donkey. He did not come riding on a horse, as would an earthly king, but rather He came peacefully, riding on the colt of a donkey. Jesus’ triumphal entry showed that He is the King of Israel, the One who would save His people. (Zechariah 9:9)

Why is it important that Jesus came humbly, riding on the colt of a donkey? Read Philippians 2:5-11.
How can we show humility in our actions?
The disciples obeyed what Jesus told them to do without hesitation. Are we obedient to the Lord; how can we become more obedient to His voice?
Is Jesus the ‘King’ of our life? Have we surrendered all aspects of our life to Him?

Mark 11:12-14

As Christians, we are called to bear fruit for the Lord. We should not just listen to God’s word, but we must also do what it says. We need to live a life that is aligned with God’s word and shine the light of Jesus to the world around us. We cannot call ourselves a follower of Jesus if we do not live a life that is according to His will. In John 15, Jesus says that He is the True Vine and that we are the branches. We have to abide in Him and He in us for us to bear fruit.

Imagine that you planted a fruit tree, but it never produced any fruit. You water it and take care of it every day, hoping it will give you fruit, but it never does. How would you feel about this tree? How does this parallel our spiritual condition if we do not bear fruit for God’s kingdom?
If we are faithful in little things, we will be faithful in large ones. But if we are dishonest in little things, we won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. How can we be faithful in doing God’s work with what He has given us? What are areas of our life that we can yield more fruit for His kingdom?

Mark 11:15-18

The Temple was meant to be a place that the people could come and worship the Lord. But this holy place was being turned into a marketplace, where people were trying to make profits.

Are there any areas in our life that we need Jesus to come and cleanse, just as He cleansed the Temple? Where have we allowed for earthly desires to come into our hearts, and how can we surrender them to the Lord?
Jesus says that His Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations. How can we dedicate more time to prayer? How can we grow in our prayer life?

Mark 11:19-25

We need to have faith in God; His word will surely come to pass. The disciples found it hard to believe that the fig tree Jesus cursed had actually withered.

Read James 1:6-7. Why is it important that we have faith when we pray to God? If we pray without having faith, what does that reveal about ourselves? How can we increase our faith?
Every word of God will come to pass. What are some testimonies of how God has been faithful to us in our life; are there specific situations that come to mind?
Jesus says that when we pray, we need to first forgive others. Read Ephesians 4:32. Take a couple of minutes and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you if there is anyone that you still need to forgive. Forgiving is not easy but it is what God has called us to do. Jesus forgave the very people who crucified Him to a cross, and we are called to follow His example of forgiveness.

Mark 11:27-33

Jesus has authority over all things. The leading priests and teachers of religious law are asking Jesus how He had authority to do such things. But Jesus asks them a question that they cannot answer. Jesus knew that they were not asking a genuine question to learn more about Him, but rather they wanted to trap Him and find fault against Him.

Jesus is all-wise and all-knowing. He knows the thoughts and intentions of each person. We need to surrender to His authority over our life. Have we surrendered our life to Christ yet? If not, what is holding us back?

Mark Chapter 12

Beth Barnes

In Mark chapter 12, Jesus deals with the Pharisees, the Sadducees and the Scribes (Teachers of the Religious Law). What can we learn about each of these groups from this chapter?
In the section titled The Parable of the Evil Farmers, Jesus’ parable angers the religious leaders. How did the parable apply to them and why were they upset by this?
In the section titled Taxes for Caesar, the Pharisees tried to trick Jesus by asking a question about paying taxes. What was His response and how did it amaze them?
Next, in the section titled Discussion about Resurrection, some Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection, tried to trap Jesus. How did Jesus respond to the errors of their argument?
After watching Jesus respond to the various questions, one of the religious leaders took a different approach in the section titled The Most Important Commandment. He asked Jesus which is the most important commandment. How did Jesus answer him? Do you think this response surprised the man? How was Jesus’ response to this man different from His response to those who asked the other questions?
After hearing Jesus’ response to all of their questions, the Pharisees, Sadducees and religious leaders did not dare to ask Him any more questions. In the section titled Whose Son Is the Messiah?, Jesus asked a question instead. What was this question and why did Jesus’ answer delight the crowd? What warning did Jesus give afterwards?
In the final section of the chapter titled The Widow’s Offering, Jesus commended the widow for putting only two small coins in the offering. Why did he praise her gift instead of the much larger amounts given by others?

Mark Chapter 13

Joshua Abbott

Why does Jesus tell his disciples that the temple will be destroyed in the future?
How should we view the “signs of the times” that Jesus lays out against our current times?
Jesus tells about a great persecution ahead. How can believers prepare themselves?
What does it mean that the Good News must first be preached to all Nations? (verse 10)
What do false messiahs and false prophets look like today?
How should Jesus’ prophecy about the endurance of the Word of God encourage believers? (See verse 31.)
What warnings do you take away personally after reading this chapter?

Mark Chapter 14

Peter Morgan, PHD

Jesus Anointed at Bethany — Poor vs Special Circumstance?

Mark 14:6-7 shows Jesus offering a perspective on resources counter to what some were thinking. In advocating for the woman’s use of the expensive gift, Jesus says that the poor will always be around but he would not. There are many things to consider here among them the idea that there can be categories (or priorities) of good deeds. How should Christians determine which good deed should be done? How can we ensure that we are not just using something good as an excuse not to do something else that is good, like helping the poor?

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus — Staying Accountable

Mark 14:10-11 tells of Judas, who had been a witness to Jesus’ ministry, including miracles, being willing to betray him. Furthermore, the priests were delighted to hear of his betrayal. Since people are capable of rationalizing away what they have seen and can be happy in doing wrong, how can we as Christians ensure that we do not fall into the same kinds of traps?

The Last Supper — The Importance of Freewill

Mark 14:21 shows Jesus telling the disciples that he would be betrayed and that it would have been better for the betrayer if he had never been born. God is omniscient; he knew Judas would betray him. By allowing the betrayal, Jesus demonstrates that God allows us to use our freewill that he created us with. What is it about freewill that is so important that God allows us to make wrong decisions?

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial — Fruitless Arguing

Mark 14:27-31 shows the disciples (especially Peter) arguing with Jesus about how they will react to the crucifixion. History shows that Jesus’ prediction was true, and they knew Jesus was/is God, yet they still tried to argue with God. What is a time that you, or someone you know, has argued with God? What motivates people to do this? What lesson(s) can be learned from these experiences?

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane — Keeping Focus

In Mark 14:38, Jesus tells the disciples they need to pray so as to not fall into temptation, for the spirit is willing but the body is weak. Jesus was the one in danger, yet he was concerned for the disciples. Praying would not change what they believed, but it would bolster their faith, keep them focused on God. What are some things that are, or can be, done at home or at church that can help us to keep our eyes on Christ?

Jesus is Betrayed and Arrested — Merciful Savior

Gethsemane is located across the valley from the Temple. Unless trees blocked his vision, Jesus would have seen the fires of the Temple and the light of the torches of his captors as they walked down the valley and up the Mt. of Olives to him. Through all this, Jesus stood his ground, continuing to be willing to pay our price for sin. Why do you think, with all these opportunities to escape, Jesus chose to remain, despite knowing the torture and shame that was to come?

Jesus Before the Council

In saying, “I AM,” (and the rest of Mark 14:62) Jesus is unequivocally identifying himself as God. As shown in Mark 14:64, the Jewish leaders were emphatic about their belief in Jesus’ guilt. What do you think keeps people from believing the truth when they have had the evidence in front of them?

Peter Denies Jesus — A Lesson Learned

In Mark 14:66-70, Peter’s physical appearance and his speech made it clear that he was not from Jerusalem and that he was a disciple of Jesus. When we live a godly life in the world, we stand out in how we talk, act, and even dress. Jesus knew that Peter would choose to deny him, but we can learn from Peter’s example. What is the most important lesson that we can learn from Peter about living a life that does not deny Christ?

Mark Chapter 15

Kaitlyn Czubkowski

In Chapter 15, what are the two contexts for which Jesus was offered something to drink? Compare and contrast them.

Verse(s) / Version [NLT / NIV]	Mark 15:23 — wine mixed with myrrh	Matthew 27:34 — wine with bitter gall	Mark 15:36 / Matthew 27:48 / John 19:29 — sour wine / wine vinegar
Context
Similarities
Differences

How would you define “mob mentality”?
- In the verses leading up to verse 13, do you think the crowd really knew what they were asking for when they responded to Pilate to “crucify him!”?
- What does dangerous or harmful ‘mob mentality’ look like for you? Is there such a thing as good mob mentality?
Verse 27 says, “two revolutionaries were crucified with [Jesus]” and verse 32 says “even the two men who were crucified with Jesus ridiculed him.” But wait. Didn’t we learn in Sunday School that one of these men asked for forgiveness and salvation before dying? Why do you think Matthew and Mark give a different account than Luke does? (Luke 23:39-43)
The Roman officer in verse 39 needed to see Jesus die to have a change of heart and believe. The saying “seeing is believing” holds true here. Describe a time in your life that you needed to see something in order to believe it.
Do you think the Roman officer (described above) is the same Roman officer Pilate speaks to in verses 44-45? Why or why not?
What is the significance of the women walking from a distance (verse 40) and seeing where Jesus’s body was laid? Do you think this was culturally determined or conscious choice on their parts?
Look at Chapter 15 as a whole. Each described event was significant in leading to Jesus’s eventual resurrection in Chapter 16. Choose one of these events of Jesus’s death and reflect on its significance in how you have traditionally viewed Jesus’s death.

Mark Chapter 16

Dan Anderson

The Resurrection (Mark 16:1-8)

In Mark 16:1-8, the women go to the tomb expecting to care for Jesus’ body but instead encounter the reality of the resurrection.

What were the women expecting to find when they arrived at the tomb? What did they find instead?
Why do you think the angel reminded them that Jesus had been crucified before announcing that He had risen?
Verse 8 says the women were afraid and overwhelmed. Why do you think fear was such a strong reaction, even after hearing good news?
How do people today sometimes respond when God works in unexpected ways?

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9-11)

After rising from the dead, Jesus first appears to Mary Magdalene, who tells the disciples what she has seen.

Why do you think the disciples struggled to believe Mary’s report?
What does this passage teach us about how people sometimes respond to truth that surprises them?
Why do you think God chose Mary to be the first witness of the risen Jesus?
How important is personal testimony in helping others believe?

Jesus Appears to Two Disciples (Mark 16:12-13)

Jesus appears in a different form to two followers walking in the country, and they report it to the others.

Why do you think the others still did not believe, even after hearing another report?
What does this teach us about doubt and faith?
Have you ever found it difficult to believe something even after hearing multiple confirmations? Why?

The Great Commission (Mark 16:14-18)

Jesus appears to the eleven disciples, addresses their unbelief, and gives them their mission.

Why do you think Jesus confronted the disciples about their unbelief before giving them instructions?
What does “go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone” look like for believers today?
Verses 17-18 describe signs that will accompany believers. What do these verses reveal about God’s power rather than human ability?
What fears or challenges do people face when it comes to sharing their faith?

The Ascension (Mark 16:19-20)

After speaking with them, Jesus is taken up into heaven, and the disciples begin their ministry.

Why is it significant that Jesus was taken up into heaven and sat in the place of honor at God’s right hand?
Verse 20 says the Lord worked through the disciples and confirmed their message. How do you see God working through believers today?
What responsibility do we have as followers of Jesus now that we know He is risen?
How does the resurrection and ascension of Jesus affect the way we live and serve?

#	Type of soil	What happened to the seed after it was scattered	Jesus’ explanation
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