Tappendorf, Nathan

Name:  Nathan Tappendorf

City/State:  Phoenix, Arizona

Years of Qualification:  2010, 2011, 2012, 2013

Why I Love the Bee:
I love the Bible Bee because it has drawn me closer to God. Through it, I have developed the spiritual disciplines of regular Bible study, prayer, and memorization, habits that have stuck with me to this day. Through the Bible Bee, I have met some of my closest friends that I still stay in touch with, even though we’re hundreds of miles apart. Though the Bible Bee, I learned just how much information my brain could hold, and this has helped my confidence as I’ve moved on to other things such as college and work as an engineer. But most importantly, through the Bible Bee, I met my Savior on a whole new level. I’m more in love with Jesus now than I was before I did the Bible Bee, and that is why I love the Bible Bee most of all.

How the Bible Bee Has Benefited Me in My Adult Life:
Having competed in the Bible Bee for several years, I can safely say that I have spent hundreds of hours memorizing verses and studying the Bible through the Bible Bee. And those hours could not have been better spent! After graduating from high school, I went to Arizona State University to study mechanical engineering. ASU was a very different environment than anything I was used to. It was a dark place spiritually, and a difficult place for a Christian to thrive in. God’s word was an anchor to my faith during this time, and kept me from drifting far. It also helped me keep the right mindset while on campus, viewing ASU as a battle zone. First and foremost, my goal was not to get wounded by the spiritual landmines that would seek to destroy my faith. But I also looked at my time at ASU as more than just survival, but as a God-ordained mission. I looked at my fellow classmates as captives of the enemy – not even knowing they were in bondage – and me having the news of the Savior who could deliver them. I’ve shared the gospel with a few of them…probably not as many as I should have…but it helps to have an offensive mindset rather than always playing defense. In short, having done Bible Bee prepared me to live as a Christian in the real world where you face tough challenges, where not everyone believes in Jesus, and where people question your faith and belittle your God.

My Favorite Verse and Why:
This question is painfully difficult to answer because all of God’s word is so good! But I’d probably have to say my favorite passage is 2 Corinthians 4:6-10:

“For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed – always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.” 

Verse six is such an awesome description of salvation when God illuminated our hearts with His saving truth. And I love the phrase “earthen vessels” that Paul uses to describe us in verse 7. Sometimes, when life is going my way and everything falls into place according to my plans, I think of myself as so much more than a clay pot, maybe something more like a crystal trophy or a gold medallion. But this verse reminds me that one little mishap and I’d be gone, a pile of pot shards soon to be forgotten. But thank God it’s not about me! The focus is not on me and my abilities – that’s just a jar of clay – but on what this little jar holds – the very God of the universe in my heart! I pray that God would use me as His vessel, emptied of my pride and filled only with His spirit, for His glorious purposes!

Why Would I Encourage Others to Get Involved:
Often times, we fill our lives so full of activities that we don’t have time for what truly matters. We use busyness as an excuse for not doing X, Y, or Z even though God has clearly commanded us to do these things. Not only that, but schedules just get crazy. This is especially true in your high school years, when there are so many things you could do and it comes down to choosing only the ones that are the most important to you. Bible Bee is great because it allows you to prioritize on things that really matter eternally. It forces you to rearrange your schedule to make room for something infinitely more valuable. Yes, it will require sacrificing other good things, but life is too short to spend simply doing good activities. If we are to steward our time, we must spend it on the best activities. I can’t think of anything better than immersing oneself in God’s word. Especially when you make that investment up front, so to speak, when you’re young, you will reap rewards for years to come. That is why I would encourage others to get involved in the Bible Bee.