Scripture memory home page Table of Contents Chapter 1
How to Memorize Scripture
Introduction
by Stephen Simpson
I became a Christian more than 15 years ago and since that time I have been very interested in
memorizing portions of the Bible. I have spent a large amount of time working at it too,
but with limited success. So I decided to spend some time figuring out why I
was not as successful as I should have been at this task. In the process I hoped to
identify a set of useful principles and develop a method by which I might make
memorizing scripture a consistent, sustainable, part of my life. In this book
I will discuss what I have learned.
I have always had a strong passion for memorizing scripture, but I am not very good at
it. I can memorize very fast, but do not retain it. I am inconsistent in the
time spent on the task. I would have a flurry of activity followed by a long period of inactivity.
I am not good at review, so what I do learn fades out fast. I do not meditate much on
what I have learned, so it does not always do me much good anyway.
Memorizing Scripture is a lifestyle. Success requires well organized, focused
discipline. This is something which must be developed. It has great value, but takes time.
Consider the out-of-shape man who wants to take up jogging. He
knows it is good for him, but he has a hard time getting started. When he does start,
he tries to run too far the first time and hurts himself. He may be discouraged by
the lack of quick success and quit. Maybe he has a friend who can run 10km per
day and wants to have the same energy and stamina that he has. Our friend does not
know what to do. Perhaps the cost involved may be higher than he wants to pay. He would have to start getting
up earlier. This means he would have to go to bed earlier. He may also have
to give up some of the TV shows he likes to watch or some of the junk food he
likes to eat. Old habits are hard to break so a few weeks later our friend
gets out of the habit of running and everything is the same as it was at first.
Later he may try again, but has similar results. This is me. Let's list
out the things which will keep him from success.
- He does not have a clear goal or schedule to reach the goal.
- He lacks the discipline to be consistent in working at it regularly.
- He wants to run 10Km a day, but may not want the hard work or to give up his current lifestyle
- He is impatient and does not want to wait for results. He wants it now or not at all.
- He is alone and has no one to run with. He has no accountability to another.
- He does not have a plan or routine. There is no one to train him.
I will elaborate on each of these ideas as I discuss how you can make memorizing
scripture a part of your life.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - The Meaning of Christian Discipleship
Chapter 2 - Prerequisites for a
successful scripture memory program
Chapter 3 - What things can hold us back?
Chapter 4 - Memorization - Getting Started
Chapter 5 - Memorization - Basics
Chapter 6 - Memorization - Learning Long Passages
Chapter 7 - Conclusion - The Challenge.
Tricks and ideas given to me by others.
Work sheets used in this book.
Return to The Scripture Memory Challenge Home Page.
Email: memoryhelp@istar.ca
Copyright (c) 1997-2000
Stephen Simpson. All rights reserved. You may use
the material on these pages freely, but it may not be sold under any circumstances whatsoever.
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION,
Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by
permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers
