There are several approaches to memorizing scripture.
- Erase the words
- Write the Bible verse on a white board and have everyone read it aloud together. Then erase a word and have them read it again, supplying the erased word. Continue erasing words and reading the verse aloud until all the words are gone. At this point, the entire class should know the verse.
- Hand write the verse
- Write the verses down several times by hand until you can do it from memory.
- In song
- Many passages of scripture have been set to music. Memorizing the lyrics to a song is a lot easier than memorizing raw text, and the memory will last for years. If the verse you are trying to memorize has already been set to music, switch to the version of the text that matches the song. If it has not been set to music, make up your own tune. Explore different translations of the text to see which one lends itself best to your song.
- Say it aloud
- Hearing it and saying it will reinforce it much better than just "thinking" it will.
- Say it with rhythm
- This is similar to the "in song" approach from above, but it is often easier to make up a rhythm than it is to make up a whole tune. Clap your hands and stomp your feet at various places in the verse if that helps. Turn it into a clapping game like "pat-a-cake" and learn it with a friend.
- Add action
- How many songs do you know that have motions associated with them? If you're making up hand claps and foot stomps, it will help even more if you add other actions such as casting a fishing line, or tracing the outline of a heart in the air.
- Make a rebus
- A rebus uses pictures to represent words or parts of words. For instance, the word "I" is represented with a graphic depiction of an eye. If you spend enough time coming up with a clever rebus for your verse, you will likely have memorized it by the time you are finished.
- Find structure in the verse
- Write the verse out so that you can line up common words. For instance, 1 John 2:3 could be written like this:
Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
- Or like this:
Now by this
we know that
we know Him,
if we keep His commandments.
- The second approach lines up the common words "we know" and helps the brain to organize the verse more effectively. Recall that Hebrew poetry works by repeating an idea using different words. Line them up!
Do you know some approaches? Add them here!
