Bible Questions Trivia: Moving Beyond “Gotcha” Questions in the New Year

The week between Christmas and New Year’s is when a lot of us pause, look back, and quietly ask, “What needs to change?” As an adult Sunday School teacher or church leader, that question often includes your teaching:

• Are my people really growing?

• Are our discussions going deep enough?

• Are we still stuck in the same patterns as last year?

If you’ve ever gone online looking for Bible questions trivia to use in your class—especially on a busy week—you’re not alone. Quick questions can feel like an easy win: Who built the ark?, How many days was Jesus in the wilderness?, Which prophet was swallowed by a great fish?

There’s nothing wrong with Bible trivia in its place. But as you head into a new year, it’s worth asking a bigger question:

Am I using questions just to fill time—or to invite real change?

In this post, I want to help you rethink the role of Bible questions trivia in your adult class. The goal isn’t to get rid of fun questions, but to move beyond “gotcha” moments and into a new year of deeper, more honest Bible discussion.

Why Bible Questions Trivia Feels So Appealing (Especially When You’re Tired)

Let’s be honest: trivia is easy to grab and easy to run. When you’re exhausted from holiday schedules, family events, and year-end church activities, “Bible questions trivia” can feel like a lifeline:

• It’s quick to prep.

• It can wake up a sleepy room.

• It feels like people are “engaging” because they’re answering questions.

But there are some hidden downsides if trivia becomes your main teaching diet:

• Adults start aiming for right answers, not real growth.

• Quieter members feel exposed and may shut down.

• The same confident voices answer everything.

• Most questions never get past the surface of the text.

As you think about a fresh start in the new year, this is a perfect time to shift from trivia as the core to trivia as a tool—one small part of a bigger plan for spiritual formation.

From Trivia to Transformation: A New Question Path for the New Year

Instead of building a lesson around Bible trivia questions, think of your class as walking a pathway from facts to transformation each week.

Here’s a simple progression you can try in January with almost any passage:

1. Start with Easy, Low-Risk Questions

You can still use simple Bible questions here—but they aren’t trying to stump anyone.

• “What’s happening in this passage in your own words?”

• “Who are the key people involved?”

• “What caught your attention as we read this?”

These are gentle on-ramps. They give everyone a chance to participate—without the pressure of “getting it right.”

2. Move to Meaning-Focused Questions

Once your class is grounded in what the passage says, shift to what it means:

• “What does this passage show us about God’s character?”

• “What do you think the original audience needed to hear from this?”

• “If you had to sum up the main point of this text in one sentence, what would it be?”

Now you’re beyond Bible questions trivia. You’re inviting adults to think, interpret, and wrestle with Scripture.

3. Aim for Heart-Level and Life Application Questions

Finally, step into questions that invite real honesty and change:

• “Where do you see yourself in this passage right now?”

• “If we took this seriously as a class this year, what might change in our church or families?”

• “What is one step of obedience this passage is nudging you toward this week?”

Those are the kinds of questions that shape a new year of discipleship, not just another quarter of curriculum.

How to Use Bible Questions Trivia the Right Way

So should you toss out trivia altogether as you head into January? Not necessarily. You can still use Bible questions trivia wisely—as a starter, not the main course.

Here are a few healthy ways to keep it in the mix:

Use Trivia as an Icebreaker, Not the Goal

Try a quick, light question at the start:

• “How many plagues were there in Exodus?”

• “Which Gospel includes the story of Zacchaeus?”

Then pivot with a deeper follow-up:

“Okay, we know the details—now what does this teach us about God, and why does that matter for us today?”

Turn Trivia into Teamwork

Instead of putting one person on the spot, let the class answer as pairs or small groups. This:

• Reduces embarrassment for those who don’t know.

• Gets more people talking earlier in the lesson.

• Reinforces that you’re learning together, not competing.

Always Move from Fact to Meaning

Whenever you use a trivia-style question, train yourself to ask a second question:

“So what?”“How does that detail help us understand this passage or apply it?”

This simple habit can transform how you use Bible questions in the year ahead.

Signs Your Class Is Stuck in a Trivia Rut

As you reflect on this past year and look toward the next, it might help to ask: Has my class drifted into a trivia rut?

Here are a few clues:

• Most answers are short and safe, not thoughtful.

• People look down or avoid eye contact when you call on volunteers.

• The lesson rarely connects to real struggles, relationships, or decisions.

• You finish class thinking, “We covered the passage, but I’m not sure anything really landed.”

If you see yourself here, you’re not alone—and you’re not stuck. A new year is a perfect time to make a small, intentional shift in the types of questions you ask.

A Simple New-Year Template for Better Bible Questions

To help you start fresh, here’s a simple four-question template you can keep beside your Bible as you prepare lessons in January:

1. One “What’s going on here?” question

   • “What’s happening in this story in your own words?”

2. One “What does this show us about God or people?” question

   • “What does this reveal about God’s character or our own hearts?”

3. One “Where do you see yourself?” question

   • “Which person, attitude, or situation in this passage feels most like your life right now?”

4. One “What needs to change?” question

   • “If you took this passage seriously this week, what might be different at home, work, or church?”

That’s only four questions, but used well, they will take your group far beyond Bible questions trivia into deeper reflection and application.

What If You Don’t Have Time to Write These "Better" Questions?

Here’s where the real-world pressure kicks in:

You may love the idea of better questions, but you’re also juggling:

• Work

• Family

• Church activities

• Holiday leftovers, both in the fridge and on the calendar

You may be thinking:

“I agree with all of this, but I just don’t have time to write new questions from scratch every week in the new year.”

That’s exactly why I created Steve’s Bible Questions.

Each set of discussion worksheets is designed to help you:

• Stay anchored in the Bible passage

• Ask open-ended, adult-level questions that move beyond trivia

• Lead your group naturally into life application and real conversation

• Save prep time so you’re not scrambling late on Saturday night

Our worksheets:

• Pair with popular Lifeway curriculum (Explore the Bible and Bible Studies for Life)

• Include a mix of observation, interpretation, reflection, and application questions

• Are easy to print and share with co-teachers or your whole team

As you plan for the new year, you don’t have to overhaul everything. You can simply try one or two weeks with a discussion worksheet and see how your group responds.

A Simple Next Step for the New Year

If you’d like to see if this approach fits your class or your teachers, here are a couple of easy next steps:

• Download the free Thanksgiving bundle (yes, even after the holiday) and adapt one lesson to kick off your new year with a focus on gratitude and dependence on God.

• Try a sample from our Explorations or Life Lessons discussion worksheets, especially if your church already uses Lifeway materials.

After you try one, ask your class—or your teachers:

“Did this help you connect more with the passage?”“Did this help our group talk more honestly and apply God’s Word?”

Let their feedback shape what you do in the months ahead.

New Year, Same Calling—But Deeper Conversations

As the calendar turns, you don’t need a brand-new identity as a teacher or ministry leader. You already have a calling: to open God’s Word and help adults follow Jesus together.

What you can renew this year is your approach:

• Less pressure to impress with facts.

• Less dependence on “gotcha” Bible questions trivia.

• More thoughtful, open-ended questions that invite your people to listen, speak, and obey.

You may be surprised at what God does in your class when you shift from testing what people know to exploring how they can grow.