4 effective methods to start memorizing the Bible easily
One of my favorite books is “The Insanity of God.” The author, Nik Ripken, went on a journey of discovery after failing to spread the Gospel in the war-torn country of Somalia. He traveled to 60 countries to interview over 600 believers who had learned to walk faithfully with Jesus in the midst of persecution.
While in China, Nik rode 18 hours in a van (much of it lying down so as not to be seen) to interview and teach approximately 170 believers who were part of the secret house church movement. One morning, much to his surprise, he came upon a group of leaders who were tearing a Bible into pieces. He was told that very few of the house church leaders own a copy of the Bible. So, they decided each leader would go home with at least one book of the Bible.
The first time I read about these courageous Christians, I felt sorrow at what I assume to be millions of Bibles gathering dust in a place where citizens are free to study the Bible in public or private settings but don’t seem to care. But in a country like China where citizens can be arrested, persecuted, and even killed for owning a Bible, they are hungry to learn and willingly take the risk.
There are many ways to memorize Scripture. The right way is the one that works best for you. But you must know that it isn’t going to be easy. There are tips and tricks that can be helpful, but you have to put forth effort. Below are a few methods I’ve used over the years.
Pictorial Method
Choose a passage of Scripture to memorize.
Read and reread making sure you understand its meaning.
Break it into smaller chunks based on the length.
Write the first chunk on a piece of paper.
Try to draw a picture or symbol for each verse.
Use the drawings to help you memorize the verses.
Eventually, use only the pictures.
Add the next chunk and repeat.
Example: Psalm 19:1-3 (chunk 1)
(vs. 1) The heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaims His handiwork.
I put a 2 in the cloud to represent the heavens and sky. The D and P are for declare and proclaim.
(vs. 2) Day to day pours out speech and night to night reveals knowledge.
The suns represent day to day and the moons nights to night.
(vs. 3) There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.
You get the idea. I did the first three verses. See if you can do the next three verses in the Psalm.
Flashcard Method
Choose a verse or passage of Scripture to memorize.
Write it on a 3x5 or 4x6 notecard.
Punch a hole in the corner and attach it to an O Ring or piece of ribbon.
As you build your memory deck, notice the themes that emerge. Use a blank card to separate the verses into categories. I used different colors to easily identify the categories. Examples of themes include:
o Feelings (worry, anger, fear, etc.)
o Confession/Temptation
o Suffering/Trials
o God
o Salvation
o Assurance
o Christian Life
o Prayer
Take the cards with you, and practice memorizing in the “cracks” of life.
Card Catalog Method
Follow the directions from the Flashcard Method but rather than putting cards on a ring, use an Index Box Organizer or Index Card Case.
Label tabs accordingly:
Days of the Week (Monday through Friday or Monday through Saturday or Sunday). This will be based on how many days a week you want to commit to memorizing Scripture.
On the first memorization day of the week (ex. Monday), choose a Bible verse or passage and write it on a 3x5 card. Label the top with the verse so it is easy to see when you pull the card from the box/case.
Spend five or more minutes committing the verse/passage to memory.
File it on the second memorization day of the week (ex. Tuesday).
Continue this process until you have it memorized. At that point, place it in the weekly file.
Weekly - Look at these cards one day a week (ex. Saturday) until you can pull them from memory without looking at the cards. Once that occurs, place them in the monthly file.
Monthly – Look at these cards one day a month (ex. last day of the month) to make sure you haven’t forgotten.
Scripture Memory Apps
Applications can make memorizing fun. As with Bible translations, the best Scripture Memory App is the one you will use.
Bible Memory Pro – This is the only Scripture Memory App I’ve used. It allows you to build flashcards and play different memory games with those cards. It tracks your progress and, for those of you who do better with accountability (most of us), you can join a Bible Memory Group.
Scripture Singer – Memorize the Bible with Music
Where to Start
All Scripture is important, so how do you decide which verses to memorize first? I’d suggest those that:
Remind you of who you are in Christ.
Teach you how to live for Christ.
Help nonbelievers understand their need for Christ.
“I had then already read and taught the sacred Scriptures most diligently privately and publicly for seven years, so that I knew them nearly all by memory.” - Martin Luther
