The fourth week of the National Bible Bee Game Show had several difficult questions to challenge the four teenagers competing for a chance at $100,000. Questions like “in Psalm 16:5, the Lord is his portion and his what?” and “What is the possible translation of Greek pisteuo?” tested their knowledge, and “In Esther 8, what were the colored robes Mordecai put on?” even stumped all four of them. In the NBBGS, four teenagers compete each week for two spots to advance to the semi-finals in front of emcee Kirk Cameron and hosts Hannah Leary, Jason Benham, and David Benham, showing off some of the 850 verses that each of them memorized.
The Benham twins previously played minor league baseball in the St. Louis Cardinals farm system, published two books, Whatever the Cost and Living Among Lions, co-hosted Flip It Forward, and now run BENHAM Real Estate Group in Charlotte, NC. The two men bookended the third judge, last year’s National Bible Bee Game Show winner, Hannah Leary. Several of this week’s competitors had competed against Leary, even beating her in the rounds they faced her in. Each teen represented their faith and Biblical knowledge in their interaction with the hosts, and in playing the game.
Here is a brief look at each of this week’s contestants:
Andrea Fletcher, a sixteen-year-old from Houston, TX, enjoys antique and thrift stores. She recited Psalm 16 and says Philippians 4:6-7 is her favorite passage. She hopes to use music to work with children, sharing that her favorite memory is from her childhood, when she first saw snow.
Anand Venigalla, seventeen-year-old from Glen Head, NY, recited John 2:13-22 and shared a special talent for getting the perfect pitch of a musical note. He sees Peter as his Biblical role model, who had many problems in his character but was still “used by God in a mighty way.” He wants to go into a mission field where he can help “intellectuals, the literary world, the smart people.” He was himself diagnosed as autistic at a young age after being unable to speak to others, before his family prayed and his life changed.
Ethan Carlson, a sixteen-year-old from Iberia, MO, loves to make action films with his siblings and practices rifle markmanship. His favorite verse is Romans 8:1, and he recalled a June 2007 conversation with his father where he felt convicted of his sins. He strives to live by Ephesians 4:1 as a result, reciting John 20:24-31 for the competition.
Carissa Pentimone, a seventeen-year-old from Kansas City, MO, sings, takes pictures, and reads for entertainment. Her favorite memory was going to Walt Disney World with her Bible Bee friends. Her favorite verses are Philippians 3:13-14, and she recited Romans 5:1-11
This week’s winners were Anand Venigalla and Ethan Carlson.
Christian Community Magazine 
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