Memorizing scripture is a great way for students to get knowledge of God’s Word. Memory verses can stay in the student’s memory bank for a long time, and at an appropriate time, the Holy Spirit will remind the student about the learned verse. The Holy Spirit can bring the verse back for many reasons such as teaching the student a lesson from it, bringing revelation of the application of the verse, and using that verse to minister to some elses’ heart.
During class time challenges can arise when the teacher tries to teach memory verses to his or her class. Scripture memory requires a lot of repetition, which in turn, requires a lot of time. Since many Christian church and school class periods are short, there may not be enough time for the students to memorize the verse(s) in the lesson.
Memorization works best in one-on-one situations because the student is less distracted and the teacher can hold each student accountable for knowing the verse. In a large class, however, there may not be enough time for the teacher to work one-on-one with each student.
In a large class a teacher can work on memorization is a large group. The students can repeat the verse several times but with a large class, it takes more time to make sure each student has the verse planted in their memory. Perhaps a teacher can chart the memory verses for each student while the class is working on another assignment.
As a Bible teacher who taught children’s Sunday School and Children’s Church for several years, I tried my best to plant God’s word in the hearts of my students. However, I am convinced that the responsibility for scripture memory and follow up is the responsibility of each child’s parents.
In the Bible God gives Christian fathers the responsibility of making sure their children are trained up in the ways of the Lord. Christian parents should work together to teach their children scripture, Biblical principles and application of those principles, and how to lead by exampleship. The parents should live the Christian life before their children and be Godly examples.
In Bible curriculums I’ve seen the materials have memory verses that are too difficult for the child’s age and filled with too many large words so the students can’t understand what they are memorizing. It’s important that parents and teachers make sure the student understands each verse. How can we expect them to remember something with large words that they can’t understand?
Parents that teach their children at home would have more freedom to use creative methods and more time to teach their children difficult words and explainations for each verse. Even if a child can only memorize one verse a week, they are making progress and chances are the parents are learning scripture too.
“Hear, O, Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord; and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” Deuteronomy 6:4-7 KJV
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