A practical game-night setup checklist

Before people arrive

• Choose the answering method. Spoken answers keep setup simple; online play gives players their own devices. Decide which fits your group and explain it before the first scored word.
• Prepare teams. If using Grouper, check who is actually present and save the draw. Random groups balance headcounts, not Bible knowledge.
• Choose a manageable first game. For example, two rounds of five Easy words gives a new group a chance to learn the flow. This is an example format, not a built-in event preset.
• Agree on scoring. State the points per answer, wrong-answer penalty, steal rule and whether ties get a tiebreaker. Apply the same rules to every team.

Rehearse with the actual equipment

1. Open Bible Blitz on the host device and create a short practice game.
2. Connect the audience screen using the separate display view or a compatible Cast setup. Check it from the back of the room.
3. For phone players, select Play online, have a phone join using the code or QR link, and try the chosen answering method. For the real game, everyone must join and choose a team before the host starts.
4. Play one word, award points, and confirm the audience sees the same score. Test pause and resume.
5. Publish a short title or announcement through TV Presentation Studio. Confirm that changing the draft does not change the TV until you apply it.
6. End the practice game and create the real game so practice points do not count.

Keep the host’s answer plan off the TV. When using screen mirroring, verify exactly which window the audience can see before opening Host Control Center. Sounds play on the host device; check its volume instead of assuming the TV will play them.

During the game

Give one clear instruction before each stage: when to answer, who has the turn, and when the next word starts. Pause for equipment issues or a rules clarification. If a score needs correcting, use Undo promptly and confirm the result with the teams.

For mixed-experience groups, begin with a practice word and explain unfamiliar names after the reveal. Avoid spending the entire event on one difficult puzzle: use reveal and move on when the group is ready.

Keep announcements brief. Larger TV text can help distant viewers, but test the complete board, including team scores, on the actual display.

Have a simple fallback

If casting does not work, try opening the audience view directly on a second device, use HDMI, or gather around one screen in Party mode. If an online room expires or the server restarts, a new room may be required. Local games reset on reload, so do not refresh a live game as your first troubleshooting step.

Agree on how you will record the score manually if the event must continue through a connection problem. This is an event-planning fallback, not an automatic recovery feature.

After the final round

Show the results, then use Play again if you want another game. Bible Blitz retains the current presentation design on replay. Keep any records you need separately; rooms are not a permanent event archive. If you used a shared device for Grouper, clear the participant list before leaving it behind.

Read the complete Bible Blitz guide or see Grouper’s worked examples. Found an issue? Send the browser, game mode and steps to adeticket@gmail.com, without passwords or private records.