Program profile

National Bible Bee

A neutral guide to the program's ministry home, age divisions, Summer Study and competition pathway, and official 2026 resources, plus the Bible Bee-oriented study support available in Memr.is.

Memr.is is independent. Program names are used descriptively and do not imply endorsement or affiliation.

The program

A Summer Study and national competition built on Scripture memory.

The official program describes the National Bible Bee as a Summer Study and a National Bible Bee Competition hosted by the Shelby Kennedy Foundation, with the vision to know God's Word and make Him known.

  • Ministry home

    Hosted by the Shelby Kennedy Foundation.

    The official FAQ says the Shelby Kennedy Foundation hosts the National Bible Bee as a non-profit that is not affiliated with a specific church, with a published statement of faith. The program was founded in 2009 as a tribute to Shelby Kennedy.

  • Age divisions

    Four divisions, with age set as of November 13.

    The official FAQ lists Beginner (ages 5–6, Summer Study only), Primary (7–10), Junior (11–14), and Senior (15–18), with a participant's division determined by their age as of November 13.

  • Qualifying pathway

    Summer Study, then a qualifying test.

    Participants study a given book of the Bible with memory passages during the Summer Study, then take the qualifying test in August from home; the official pages say the top 120 contestants in each division are invited to the National Bible Bee Competition.

  • The competition

    A four-day national event each fall.

    The official competition page describes a four-day event with preliminary rounds, a semi-final for the top 15 in each age division, and a head-to-head final for the top 5, at a venue that changes each year.

Season pathway

From the Summer Study to the national stage.

This is the high-level route described by the official program pages. Current organizers and the official rules remain authoritative for every eligibility decision.

  1. Register for the Summer Study.

    Registration opens in the spring; participants receive the Discovery Journal for their age group and study an assigned book of the Bible with memory passages over the summer.

  2. Take the qualifying test.

    The official FAQ describes an NBBC Qualifying Test taken in August from a home computer or a location of your choice, with the top 120 contestants per division qualifying.

  3. Compete at the National Bible Bee Competition.

    Qualifiers advance to the four-day fall competition, moving through preliminary, semi-final, and final rounds of Scripture recitation and Bible knowledge questions.

2026 official resources

2026 Summer Study

Use the official program pages for the current season's materials and updates.

The official National Bible Bee pages are the source for the 2026 season: the Summer Study runs June 8 to August 14, 2026, using the Discovery Journal materials, with the 2026 competition announced for the Kalahari Resort in Sandusky, Ohio.

Memr.is links participants to the official source; it does not reproduce or redistribute the curriculum, memory passage listings, questions, schedules, or rules.

2026 season Summer Study

Memr.is alignment

How Memr.is supports Bible Bee families.

Memr.is supports Bible Bee-oriented study planning, coach and parent assignment, and memory practice. It is an independent tool for participants and their coaches, not an official National Bible Bee system.

Available in Memr.is

  • Season study support follows the official Summer Study window, so pacing lines up with the program's own calendar.
  • Coaches and parents can use official-date, start-today, or accelerated pacing and assign the selected plan to participants.
  • Practice question forms, readiness checks, and cumulative review support memory work and study habits.
  • Memr.is does not claim official National Bible Bee scoring, endorsed rules, or any role in qualifying or competition.

Official links

Read the program in its own words.

These official pages support the facts above. Always use the program's current materials, coordinators, and rulebook for decisions.

Bring your Bible Bee study to Memr.is.

Tell us which Bible Bee age division, season workflow, and family or coach tools matter most to your participants.

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