Scripture memorization

[Caffeinated]

Do any parents here have their kids memorizing scripture? How do you do it at home - a certain amount of time for each new verse? A reward system? Any info would be helpful. Thanks.

 

[Robinsegg]

Our kids are part of an AWANA program. The way I handle it is taking the verses from their books and printing off what I think they can handle in a week. That paper goes on the fridge. The child reads his/her paper once per day. At the end of the week, they can generally say all the verses . . . and they remember them!

Btw, my kids are 8.5 and 6 years old . . . the programs start at 2 or 3 yo.

RAchel

 

[bliz]

Use the KJV for memorization - there is a poetry like flow to the language that makes it much easier to memorize.

 

[GolfingMom]

Awana

 

[Stan53]

Do any parents here have their kids memorizing scripture?

Yes.

How do you do it at home - a certain amount of time for each new verse? A reward system? Any info would be helpful. Thanks.

We pick verses at random, but short, and go through it each day until the child remembers the verse. No, we don't do rewards. Learning the verse is reward enough.
We would try to remember a verse every 2 weeks. Any more than that and our child forgets it.
Any Bible will do. KJV is good but. NIV is good, but check the translation against KJV for accuracy.
Make it fun. If it starts to be hard work or you gotta nag, then quit while yer in front.

 

[GolfingMom]

Thought I'd add that at our AWANA they really work on the kiddo's to Understand the verse and not just memorize. It take them a little more time to work through the books but they sure gain a lot of good knowledge

 

[Assisi]

I've never heard of this before. May I ask what the goal is? It's always good to know the Scriptures, but I guess I'm wondering why memorise the verse as well as teach the stories/points? Thanks!

 

[selfintercession]

I've never heard of this before. May I ask what the goal is? It's always good to know the Scriptures, but I guess I'm wondering why memorise the verse as well as teach the stories/points? Thanks!

I was going to ask that too... but can I also ask how old your kids are?

 

[Robinsegg]

I try to make sure my kids (as well as the kids in my AWANA group) understand the Scripture they're memorizing. The reason for this is twofold:
1. If you understand it, the verse is easier to remember.
2. If you memorize the verse but have no understanding of the meaning, you might as well be memorizing it in Latin . . . it has no impact on your life.

Rachel

 

[selfintercession]

Unless of course you understand Latin

But why try to memorize the Bible in the first place? Does that kind of emphasis not take away from the meaning itself if the kids are focusing so hard on the words? Honest question by the way

 

[Hadassah]

I remember there were times (VBS, Sunday School class etc) that we were required to memorize scripture. We had a long passage one year, and my mom posted it directly across from the toilet (great place mom.... unsure how I feel about that right now...) and also in prominent places at home (right at the kitchen cabinet where you'd see it while washing dishes, at the Bathroom mirror...).

Between reading it over and over and reading it out loud, we eventually got it memorized. Sadly I couldn't tell you know what it was that we had to memorize... I have had a lot of health difficulties since then, and one of them (Celiac) affects how I remember things from a long time ago (there are a lot of missing spots) because we didn't catch it fast enough.

I do remember on occasion passages we had to memorize, and then there are others that I remember just because we tend to read or hear them very often.

I always was impressed to hear stories of the people behind the Iron Curtain that had only one bible to share between their community and taking turns memorizing the entire book... or the fact that a child going on to Bar/Bat Mitzvah age is expected to recall the entire Torah. I can't imagine committing all of that to memory and have someone ask "hey, in Parasha _______ what does it say?" and recall 3-4 chapters of Scripture... it's totally impressive and my mind just can't wrap around that right now.

For us, the incentive was to internalize it more, and when one hits hard spots in life, having recall of the promises and commands in Scripture. You never know if there will be a time one can't have a Bible and you need to have it memorized... it's good exercise for the mind also.

 

[Robinsegg]

Unless of course you understand Latin

But why try to memorize the Bible in the first place? Does that kind of emphasis not take away from the meaning itself if the kids are focusing so hard on the words? Honest question by the way

In AWANA clubs, the idea is to "hide God's word in our hearts", as the Scripture says (Psalm 119, yes, my daughter is learning that particular verse, just now ) As an AWANA teacher, I try to make sure the words make sense. As a parent, I am involved enough to use the Scripture I know my children are familiar with and apply it to their lives.

For instance, James 2:10 says "For if anyone keeps the whole law and stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it." I can use that to help my children see that their sin, no matter how big or small, effects their relationship with God and needs to be resolved.

I hope that answers your question

R

 

[Scottish Joy]

Awana veteran here! Awanas was really fun, and I did end up with a lot of verses memorized as a result of it. We used to round up all the kids around the neighborhood & take em, and they enjoyed it too.

Does anyone else use verses set to music as an aid to memorization? That's what my mom did for us growing up, and I think it worked the best! We used to have tapes of passages of scripture set to upbeat music that we'd play in the van, and we loved it.

LOL in retrospect, I'll bet it was some crazy 80's music that they set it to... I'd love to find those tapes and listen to them again!

 

[Robinsegg]

There are actually lots of different ways verses have been put to music, over the years. I mean, they've used all kinds of styles. You could probably do a search for "scripture music" and find lots.
R

 

[Assisi]

Interesting thread. Scripture is just beautiful!

 

[Beth1231]

Anina is almost 22 months. I recite Ps 23 to her while I brush her teeth. When I say "Amen!" she knows it is her turn with the toothbrush.

 

[BeanMak]

There is value for children to memorize anything. Nursery rhymes, poetry, songs, and of course scripture. It helps their brains to grow.