;)
Say What!?!?: On Memorizing Scripture
Posted by Andrew Wencl in Bible & Theology
I want to help you memorize Scripture. Just Google Scripture memorization and you will find all kinds of tips and tricks, so I can’t imagine that what I have to say hasn’t been said before. But it does bear repeating.
Some endeavoring people have set out to memorize the book of Philippians before Easter. That’s pretty impressive. Even more impressive is David Platt’s ability to quote Romans 1-8 and multiple Psalms. Our pastor includes a verse or two to memorize with each sermon, so our congregation could potentially memorize 52 new verses this year. Whatever your goal is, whatever your dream, I bet you find Scripture memorization to be a challenge and you find it isn’t part of your regular spiritual disciplines.
A Failure à An Opportunity
It’s hard to believe, but a year ago I wrote a post about my desire to memorize Titus. Unfortunately, I eventually caved and stopped around Titus 2:6, about halfway through the book. I gave my time to other pursuits and soon I couldn’t remember half of what I had previously covered.
When our Hispanic pastor approached me about preaching four Saturdays in March, I got excited and wondered what I should preach on. I briefly considered Isaiah 6, sections of 1 Corinthians, or stories from the book of Genesis, but I finally came back to Titus.
The book is one of the shortest in the New Testament. Three chapters: forty-six verses. The whole letter can be read aloud in just a few minutes. But it is rich in content and gives us a glimpse into one of the biggest events in Christianity; the passing of the baton from apostle to pastor, from the first generation of leaders to the next.
Starting in January, I set out once again to memorize Titus. But this time I had a plan. I divided the book into smaller sections, to memorize a portion each week. Each verse was further divided into smaller phrases, so instead of memorizing verse one, I could focus on “Paul, a servant of God” before moving on to “and an apostles of Jesus Christ” and the rest of the verse.
But I still had a big challenge aside from the weights and pressures that compete for my time: I was going to memorize it in Spanish.
Excuses, Excuses
I have never memorized much more than two or three verses in a row before my first attempt at Titus, so memorizing a paragraph would have been a big step for me. But then, as now, memorization had been a struggle for me and an area of my walk that I had neglected. Even as a child, my grandma offered me a financial incentive if I could remember 26 verses (corresponding with the alphabet), but I didn’t even try because I didn’t think it was possible. Perhaps you’re familiar with my excuses:
- I’m studying so many different subjects and teaching others that my mind isn’t capable of memorizing Scripture.
- I’ve never done something this big before. If I fail at this, I may not be motivated to try again.
- If I let people know that I’m trying this, and I don’t finish, I could discourage them from memorization and I’d end up looking foolish.
- I don’t need to memorize. With apps, the internet, and a daily reading habit I can easily pinpoint the verses I’m looking for without memorizing them word for word.
- I don’t know which version to use, so I should wait until I find one I know I will always use.
- Hiding God’s Word in my heart isn’t really about memorizing word-for-word, but internalizing the message of the Bible and letting it transform my dialing living.
Feel free to add your own. When I first started in February 2010, I was using the NIV. I’ve since made the conversion to the ESV, so my excuses would have had some grounding in reality. When I started again, I was using the Spanish equivalent of the NIV. But what if Crossway produces another Spanish version? Or if I move to another church that most likely uses the equivalent of the KJV or NASB? The excuses were still there.
Somehow, the motivating factors won out over the excuses and I set out to try it.
Tips for Memorizing
This part is for me and it is for you. It is both practical and spiritual. Scripture memorization may seem impossible for some people, but Jesus did it, the New Testament writers did it, and many of the early church fathers did it. Just reading the frequent quotations of Scripture in Basil of Caesarea’s On the Holy Spirit or Augustine’s Confessions is impressive. If they could do it, so can we. With that, here are some tips:
- 1. Just Pick Something
Sometimes in Bible studies you’ll be discussing and someone will pull out a verse they believe adds to the conversation. After reading it aloud and sharing their thoughts, someone will say, “That’s a good verse.” My father, being the somewhat cynical man that he is, would tell me, “Is there a bad verse in the Bible?”
Sometimes we get so easily sidetracked from Scripture memorization, that we will either not start or simply jump ship because there is always a better verse we could be memorizing. We think to ourselves, What, you’re memorizing Titus 1:12? That isn’t remotely encouraging. You should be memorizing Colossians 3:16. Now that’s a Bible verse!
The truth is, all Scripture is God-breathed and profitable… While I wouldn’t suggest trying to memorize 1 Chronicles 3:10-12 unless you have most of the Bible memorized already, if a verse can help you in your walk with God, go for it. We could get so much more done if we would just pick a verse or two and memorize them instead of wishing we could memorize something “better”.
- 2. Break it Down
Since I had previously tried memorizing Titus in English, I was able to pick up on the Spanish verses fairly well. When I got to the point where I dropped off, I didn’t have many prior associations to help me.
Memorizing large portions of Scripture is like weightlifting. It’s not the weight, it’s the repetitions. If you ever go to a gym you will probably find a young guy who attempts to lift a 250 lb. dumbbell to show off his strength. That may get you some attention and a herniated disk, but it won’t make you fit.
It is better to do 10 reps of a 20 lb. weight than to do 1 rep of a 200 lb. weight. Over time you build up endurance, strengthen your muscles, and lose weight.
The same principle works with Scripture memorization. In Sunday School I could get a sticker if I memorized my verse every week. I would wait until approximately five minutes before the lesson and then try to memorize the verse from the week before. This helped me with test taking in high school and college, but didn’t do anything for me in the area of Scripture memorization. Had I been quizzed again the next week, I would have drawn a blank.
This is why I divided the book of Titus into smaller sections and broke the verses down into smaller phrases. By working daily on just a small phrase, by week’s end I could recite much more than if I had tried to memorize a whole verse at a time.
Here’s how I would try to memorize Revelation 3:21:
The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.
If I just worked on one section a day, I could have it memorized by Sunday. When working with such small pieces, memorizing becomes easy and actually sticks. This method broke the verse into six sections, but I could just as easily have broken it into four or eight. When the section is smaller you memorize it faster and gain extra incentive to continue for two reasons: 1) the verse doesn’t make much sense until you memorize the next section, and 2) you gain the joy of accomplishment rather quickly.
There’s a reason why video games makers include power ups, side adventures, and treasures to collect. If the only time you felt accomplishment was at the end of the game, you’d either quit early or never play it again. The same goes with Scripture memory.
1) Give Yourself Time to Digest
Don’t start on your next memory project right away. Right now I am finishing the last couple verses of Titus 3. If I memorize Titus 3:15 this evening and start working on Ephesians 1 tomorrow, I will lose everything I’ve worked a couple months to achieve.
Some Saturdays ago at our Hispanic ministry we were singing Come Thou Fount. We caught our techie not paying attention when he didn’t move the slide right away… and the congregation caught us because we had no idea what the next words were. Even though we had practiced it a few times the night before, we obviously did not have the song memorized.
It has taken me ten weeks to memorize Titus. I should spend at least a couple weeks going over it and working on it to make sure that it sticks. Fortunately, I won’t preach my last sermon on Titus until the end of the month, so that will give me an additional three weeks where Titus will be on my mind. Afterwards I can work on Ephesians 1, Revelation 3:21, or some other verse.
Giving yourself time to digest will help you internalize the Scripture, moving it from mere head knowledge to a heart knowledge that sees clear applications to your daily life.
Your Turn
Scripture memorization isn’t my hobby horse. It’s everybody’s. Here’re a few ideas to get you started. Feel free to answer none, one, or all of the response points below:
1) Identify some of the excuses you’ve heard (or said) and explain why they are irrelevant or can be overcome.
2) Use bold and regular fonts to break down a verse into phrases and memorize it (underlining doesn’t work in the comments). Identify how long you intend to take memorizing it and how long you intend to digest it.
3) Add some tips or tricks you use or have heard of that help in Scripture memorization.
4) Add some links to verse lists, memorization strategies, or to cool Youtube videos of people reciting Scripture from memory.
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
Andrew,
One thing I have learned over the years is that to get me to memorize scripture I have to be led to do it. Something has to prick my interest before attempting something I am not presently doing. It seems that it has to be the Spirit or a good leader.
A former pastor of mine had great skills in leadership. One thing he did to get people to memorize scripture didn’t seem to be focused on memorizing scripture. First, he would start with a theme; “We Are More Than Conquers”. Second, he had someone build a large shield with long swords crossing behind it and the theme title written across the front. That display hung behind the pulpit for the duration of his series. Third, he introduced the scripture that the next 8 sermons would be based upon; Romans 8:35-38 (“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?…..) Then, he would begin every sermon with the people reading the verses. By the third sermon he had memorized the verses and said, “These verses mean so much to me. Follow along in your Bible and let’s see if I can quote the verses from memory.” After he did that he asked if anyone else had memorized the verses. Then he challenged us to see if we could memorize those verses and volunteer to quote the verses the following week. At the beginning of the sermon the following week there were about 3, the next week 4 and it kept growing until the final week that the whole congregation stood without their bible and we all quoted (in our own version) that short but great passage. After a couple of reviews I am able to quote those verses again.
It is a little easier for me to memorize when I am led into it or the Spirit is moving me in my every day Bible study. Right now it is John 3:1-36 and it was sparked by seeing something different about vs. 8 “The wind blows where it wishes..” I do not memorize something on a schedule. It usually comes about as I go.
Great post.
Bruce,
“We all like sheep…” It seems that we all typically need to be led to embrace and practice spiritual disciplines. The same goes for reading our Bibles, praying, fasting, giving our time and money…
It is a great thing when these can become holy habits and not common ritual. All too often Scripture memorization never develops into either.
I choose “none of the response points”. This post caught my attention because I have embarked on an ambitious project for the year. One of my sisters-in-law and my brother are working with their children (4-16 years) to memorize the book of Colossians this year. She asked if anyone else wanted to join them. After going through a lot of your excuses, I took the leap with a twist — I’m memorizing Colossians in Swahili (it’s actually no more difficult than doing it in English). I hope to have it done by the end of July, when our family will be together. It’s been a great experience so far — I’m now working on 1:18.
Bob,
That is pretty awesome. I officially have Titus memorized, and after this month I should have it “down pat.”
One of the great benefits of memorizing large portions of Scripture is you can really see the flow of the argument and see how the different themes keep resurfacing throughout the text.
God bless you on mission!
I think it’s a good idea.
From Memory:
Hebrews 11:13
These Then Died in Faith, not having received the Promises, but having Seen them afar off, they were persuaded of Them, and Embraced them and confessed they were strangers and Pilgrims on The Earth.