By Henry R. Moncur III | ATCU Communication
Youth and young adults of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Atlantic Caribbean Union (ATCU) assembled at the Freeport Seventh-day Adventist church in the North Bahamas Conference on Saturday, September 28, 2024, for the union’s final Bible Connection experience of the quinquennium. In a world where there are so many distractions that pull youth and young adults out of the church, Bible Connection is an experience that stands strong in the fight against the allure of that pull.
Originally called Bible Boom, Bible Connection is the official Inter-American Division (IAD) Youth Ministries Department’s Bible study program. It is a ministry aimed at acquainting people of all ages with the Word of God in a fun, interactive, and in-depth way. It also provides a competitive outlet in a wholesome Christian environment.
According to Pastor Terry Tanis, ATCU Youth Ministries Department director, “Bible Connection is not simply a game or competition. Rather, it is a tool in the hands of young people to make them wise unto salvation.”
This year’s four participants, each representing one of the four fields of ATCU, were Danielle Bailey (Cayman Islands Conference) whose favorite biblical hero is Daniel; Astra Bowlin (South Bahamas Conference), the 2023 ATCU finalist who participated in the IAD Bible Connection finals and whose favorite biblical character is Jael; Katelyn McKinney (North Bahamas Conference) whose favorite biblical hero is Esther; and Jonathan Daniel (Turks and Caicos Islands Conference) whose favorite biblical character is David.
There are three levels of competition – conference, union, and division. The participants are tested over the assigned study books at each level. The individual scoring the highest at a given level advances to the next level. The four participants in this year’s ATCU Bible Connection emerged as the winners of the competition held in their respective conferences, giving them the right to represent their conference at the level of the union finals.
Merlene Watkins, Cayman Islands Conference youth director, highlighted the significance of the experience for the participants. “We are here to celebrate what God has done in the lives of our young people. This is not a competition. It is just to test the memory of our young people and a time to celebrate what God has done in their lives.”
Each year, Pathfinder and Adventurer club members study a book of the Bible as well as chapters from a selected book written by Ellen G. White. During the event, ATCU finalists electronically answered 60 multiple choice questions over three rounds on the book of Genesis and several chapters from Patriarchs and Prophets, a book written by Adventist co-founder, Ellen G. White.
After an exciting and very competitive finals, Astra Bowlin emerged as the winner of the 2024 ATCU Bible Connection, retaining the crown she won in 2023. Astra will now represent the ATCU at the 2024 IAD Bible Connection finals that will take place on November 16, 2024, in San Salvador, El Salvador. The 2024 ATCU final event broadcast can be viewed at www.youtube.con/ @ATCUnion.