Bunker Hill woman competes on ‘The American Bible Challenge’

May 07--A Bunker Hill woman and two of her friends will test their Bible knowledge and try to raise money for a local charity when they appear on a Game Show Network series later this month.

Heather Morgan will try to win $140,000 for her daughter's iroK Foundation when she competes on "The American Bible Challenge."

The episode airs at 8 p.m.May 29 on the Game Show Network.

It's the only game show where no team members win money for themselves, Morgan said. All winnings go to the team's charity of choice.

Morgan's daughter, Kori Brown, started the iroK Foundation to help families of children battling cancer and blood diseases survive daily issues in extreme circumstances. The goal is to help them with day-to-day expenses that may not be covered by insurance.

Morgan said $140,000 would be a huge blessing to the foundation and the families it serves.

"It would open us up to every pediatric oncology and hematology clinic in Indiana," she said.

She can't say if her team, Kori's Crusaders, won it all and took home $140,000. She'd only say that the three friends did "really, really well."

The tournament starts with 18 three-person teams -- three teams in each of the first six episodes of the season. The winning teams from each of those six episodes advance to play in two semi-final games. During the final round, one team will be named champion of "The American Bible Challenge."

Teams earn $20,000 for wins in the initial round and semi-final round and $100,000 for the championship.

The show has added new games this season that put the contestants' spiritual and physical talents to the test, according to the network. Teams will be challenged with new categories like "Christ or Klingon" in which contestants have to guess whether words are from the Bible or Star Trek's Klingon language; "Curse You Autocorrect" where contestants must decipher a typed Bible passage that has been "autocorrected" and "Nazareth Enquirer" with sensational Biblical headlines that could have appeared in a tabloid.

"It was a really neat show," Morgan said. "I must confess that I'd never seen it before we auditioned. But it was so much fun."

Kori's Crusaders competed with some talented teams, Morgan said.

There were three beauty queens from North Carolina, some Mormon moms, motorcycle-riding priests, singers, college boys, three chefs and some energetic camp counselors.

All 18 teams stayed at one hotel. Morgan said it was great getting to know them all.

"We're all believers, practicing Christians," she said. "It's hard to say there's a loser in that."

Morgan and one of her teammates, Andre Mitchell, work together at GM. Mitchell is a part-time pastor, and he introduced Morgan to their third teammate, Andrew Draper, through church connections.

Kori's Crusaders didn't practice at all for the competition, like the network suggested.

"What on earth could you do to practice for this?" Morgan asked.

Despite that, Morgan thought she did pretty well, though not as well as her teammates.

"Those two guys were amazing," she said. "I was definitely the weakest link. I've read the Bible a couple of times. I was raised in the church, but I knew more than I thought I did."

Lindsey Ziliak, Tribune Life & Style editor, can be reached at 765-454-8585, at [email protected] or on Twitter @LindseyZiliak.

WANT TO WATCH? WHAT: Bunker Hill woman Heather Morgan competing on "The American Bible Challenge" to raise money for her daughter's iroK Foundation. WHEN: Episode airs at 8 p.m.May 29 CHANNEL: Game Show Network MORE INFO: First Church of the Nazarene, 2734 S. Washington St., Kokomo, is hosting a viewing party for the episode. The party starts at 7 p.m. and will include pizza.

___

(c)2014 the Kokomo Tribune (Kokomo, Ind.)

Visit the Kokomo Tribune (Kokomo, Ind.) at www.kokomotribune.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services