September 5 Mock Session: . . . More Than a Competition

The September 5, 2026 New Disciples Mock Session in Uyo was a day of Scripture, knowledge, preaching, technology and, ultimately, discipleship.

The session opened with a prayer by the President, Nsikak Johnny, who also introduced the Uyo Mock Session and the launch of the New Disciples App.
The portions for the previous and coming weeks were read, while Pastor Moses, Edidiong, and Dominic were announced as the jury panel.

The day’s Bible reading was taken from Romans 12.
Following the reading, the ceremonial call was made for disciples and would-be disciples to step forward.

Fourteen participants responded.
The contestants were introduced to the New Disciples App, which was used for the first time in a Mock Session.

The preliminary stage began with a question from Numbers 22:
According to Numbers 22, what reason did God give Balaam not to go with the officials Balaak sent to him to curse the children of Israel?

Four participants answered correctly.
Three more questions followed, and by the end of the preliminary stage, eleven contestants had qualified for the actual contest, among them a participant who had travelled to Uyo all the way from Cross River State.

The first round produced a closely contested field.
Kingsley Iwueke and Blessing Okoko led with seven points out of ten.

Emem Abang, Paul King, Emmanuel Edward, Ntinwutobong Udofia and Solomon Ofem followed closely with six and a half points each.

With the leading contestants separated by only narrow margins, the President announced a second round of preaching, and each contestant was given five minutes to prepare and minister from Numbers 21.
To determine the champion for the day, the scores from both rounds would be combined

At the end of the preaching round, Emem Abang emerged as the champion of the day with a cumulative score of 14.5 out of 20.
The battle for second and third place, however, remained undecided.

Paul King, Kingsley Iwueke and Blessing Okoko recorded a cumulative score of 13.5, making a tie-breaker necessary.
The first question asked the contestants was to identify the Old Testament passage quoted in Romans 12:19.

None of them answered correctly.

A second question followed.
From Numbers 24, the contestants were asked why Balaam did not resort to divination during his third prophecy.

Paul King answered correctly, explaining that Balaam knew God had determined to bless the children of Israel.
That answer secured him second place.

Kingsley Iwueke and Blessing Okoko remained tied for third.

Another question followed from Numbers 21, asking for the name of the place the Israelites completely destroyed after defeating the Canaanites.
Neither contestant could provide the answer.

The President then asked both contestants to preach from Romans 13.
Both scored six out of ten.

Another preaching round followed.
Once again, both scored six out of ten.

With considerable time already spent and the scores still inseparable, both contestants were declared joint third-place winners.

At the presentation, Emem Abang received ₦250,000 for first place.
Paul King received ₦100,000 for second place.
Kingsley Iwueke and Blessing Okoko shared the third-place prize.

The remaining contestants were also recognized, with each receiving a ₦10,000 cash transfer in appreciation of their participation.

The September 5, Mock Session was indeed a day of firsts.

• It was the first time participants travelled to Uyo from outside Akwa Ibom State.
• It was the first time the New Disciples App was used for the Mock Session.
• And it was the first time two contestants shared a prize.

But beyond the questions, the scores, and the prizes, the session revealed something far more significant.

The purpose of discipleship is not simply to produce people who can explain Bible passages
It is to develop people who know the Word, understand the Word, live by the Word, and can confidently communicate the Word to others.

The contestants were tested on what they knew.
Then they were asked to preach what they knew.
The Mock Session, therefore, became more than a competition.

It became a practical demonstration of the journey from learning Scripture to living and proclaiming Scripture.
The cheques may have gone to the winners, but the greater investment was in the disciples because when the Word of God is studied, understood, practiced, and passed on, the real victory is not measured by a score.

It is measured by the lives that will ultimately be transformed through the Word.