- April 18, 2012
- 19 Comments
God’s Story Becoming Our Story – Bible Memorization
I’m reading “The Great Omission” by Dallas Willard and came upon this quote on Bible memorization:
Bible memorization is absolutely fundamental to spiritual formation. If I had to – and of course I don’t have to – choose between all the spiritual disciplines of the spiritual life and take only one, I would choose Bible memorization. I would not be a pastor of a church that did not have a program of Bible memorization in it, because Bible memorization is a fundamental way of filling our minds with what we need, “To have the book of the Law ever before us” (Joshua 1:8) (p. 58)
I’ve spent considerable time on Bible memorization and have a few observations from my own experience:
1. It takes time. Lots of it. Focused, intentional, non-hurried time. But our brain is hardwired to memorize things and if we practice it becomes easier
2. Just because I memorize something doesn’t mean I trust it. Memorizing passages on humility and grace does not prevent me from taking unholy pride in my accomplishment.
3. I can memorize an entire epistle of the New Testament and in a month forget much of it.
4. I do not have control when I have access to what I’ve memorized. Sometimes it’s there when I want it, sometimes not. Sometimes it just comes to me, sometimes it does not. Passages I forget when I try to think of them will suddenly “come to me” when I’m preaching, counseling, or having a conversation.
True confession: I’m a pastor of a church where we DON’T have a program of Bible memorization. Is this because I think it isn’t as important as Dr. Willard? Who am I to disagree with what he says about Bible memorization? He’s DALLAS WILLARD. I would hazard to guess that my title would not be “Pastor of Spiritual Formation” if it wasn’t for Dallas Willard. THAT we memorize scripture is essential, but HOW we memorize it is where I have questions. I want to explore these questions in future posts on the blog:
“Is there a systematic, programmatic way to memorize scripture in a local church in which the program/system doesn’t undo or undermine all the benefits of the discipline of memorization? What would that look like?
How do we guide this as Pastors/leaders in a way that leaves room for organic, personal growth and engagement rather than a one-size fits all approach?
How do we use what we’ve memorized in our spiritual formation?
What is the relationship between memorization and the story we tell ourselves about God, others, and ourselves? IN other words – how does memorization influence imagination?
Included in the exploration of these questions will be a few of the passages I’ve memorized and why. Most of these will be passages I’ve already committed to memory – some will be those I’m actively memorizing now. But right now I’m looking for your thoughts on this:
What is your experience of memorizing scripture? Have you found it edifying? Helpful? Burdensome? Frustrating?
What would a program at a church for scripture memorization look like?
What method or tool do you use to memorize?
Which passages have been most helpful for you in your discipline?
Categorized: Bible Memorization, Knowledge, Spiritual Disciplines Tags:
First, I think that memorization is arguably most effective and most important for children and teens. Their brains absorb information much more quickly than adults do. I am very grateful for the memorization programs I grew up with. [As an aside, it's one of the few things I'm grateful for from my fundamentalist upbringing.] I’m grateful because those passages come back to me now precisely when I need them. It’s as if they have been planted deep within my mind and heart and then bloom exactly when they should.
Second, I think for us as adults, meditating on Scripture may be more effective than pure memorization. Sometimes of course those 2 things are combined. Meditating on Scripture–chewing it slowly, turning it around in our minds and hearts–that is absolutely essential to the Christian life.
As far as methods are concerned, I will typically choose a passage or a book and then take as long as I need to really learn it well. I tend to avoid just learning random verses because it’s too easy to take them out of context.
Laurie – I think you’re right on with your comments. In fact, in future posts on this i hope to cover the how meditation is the point of memorization…and…that memorizing passages instead of simply “fighter verses” does more to rescript our imaginations for the Kingdom. Great stuff here!
I remember Willard once saying that memorization [programs] go awry in churches when they are divorced from character formation.
Seth – do you remember anything more about that quote? Would love to hear more…
I think he was talking about the function of scripture within the “renewing of the mind.” Essential to the renewing is keeping before our mind (Scripture) what must be there for formation – along the lines of “filling the mind” in the quote above.
The piece about divorcing memorization from formation was a response to a question someone asked, I think. The question was about why programs like “Bible memorization drills” are not effective in making disciples.
That’s all I remember. Still remains to be seen HOW memorization is best connected with formation.
Maybe it starts with clarity regarding what the nature of the thing is that we’re memorizing. Perhaps if we begin assuming we’re memorizing scripture-as-information-proposition-truth, then we’re already misdirected. But if we’re memorizing the script of divine drama, then we’re memorizing for performance/participation.
I could quote almost the entire Ninja Turtles movie as a kid – because I wanted to live like Donatello. Throughout my day I would often, precognitively, blurt out in ninja turtle speak.
Similarly, memorization is cast as the intentional funding of our imaginations, so that we can live out of the divine script instead of the Kardashian script?
I think this is what you’ve already said though – nothing new
Seth – I didn’t realize I said any of that. But, if you’re right, that’s why i thought what you said was brilliant.
Good stuff.
I memorized alot of scripture as a child, but have trouble remembering the exact references. As an adult it’s much more challenging to memorize, maybe because I have used several different versions, all with slightly different wording.
It does help to write out scripture. Index cards are good easy to flip through later and read. But journaling the same text over and over can help not only with memorization, but to help break through periods of struggle and doubt.
It would be neat if our church urged more scripture memorization (like a scripture we were all memorizing week to week). I think it could spawn more spiritual conversations and presumably growth and unity in the body.
April –
Thanks for this. I’m praying through now what would it look like for our church (or any church, really) to be intentional about memorizing scripture in a way that leads to transformation and growth. Seth says something interesting above from D Willard about it going awry when it’s divorced from character formation….I’m chewing on this. Thanks for your comments!
I’ve had the most success memorizing when it’s been self-motivated, when no one else necessarily knows I’m working on it. When there are outside encouragements, I find it much more difficult. Maybe because I feel the pressure of the deadline, or the passage isn’t one that’s connecting with me, or my heart wasn’t in the right place, who knows. And I feel that I also struggle with it more now that I’m older. But I love memorizing chunks versus the isolated verse or two (I’ve done Titus, Hebrews 11, worked on James) for the reasons mentioned already.
There’s a lot to the comment about meditating on it being a benefit/side effect of memorization. When I found success, it was because I was immersing myself with passages – looking at the index cards, writing them out from memory, reciting aloud in the car, etc. I found I would be reflecting on them throughout the day because it was a practice. Maybe that’s where the spiritual formation lies – if you see value in it and make it a priority, it reflects that desire to grow and be transformed by it.
I’m curious to see what a church program focused on memorization would look like.
Faith –
I, too, have benefitted from ‘big chunk’ memorization. It keeps me from extracting individual verses from the story of scripture and roots me in the narrative. Also, too, I find that I have to be singularly focused on meditating on the scriptures or else I don’t memorize them. Too much other information – and other things to meditate on – for me to be consumed by.
I agree with everything that’s been said. At this point I am assuming that any scripture memorization would be for the sole purpose of spiritual formation, and of course memorization of passages, rather than one scripture would be most life-changing. I think it would be neat to have a group format (either online or face-to-face) to discuss the passage we are currently attending to and it’s application to every day life. In my estimation it doesn’t matter if you call it memorization or meditation, the result is the same, and that is that our minds are renewed by repeated exposure to God’s word…
Matt, I am extremely excited about these posts. I have often felt the desire to put scripture to memory, but I have often struggled with the tension I find in chunking the text in a way that maintains the narrative cohesiveness in its context. In re-reading scripture multiple times, I find myself reading certain passages with a more intimate familiarity, much like when I watch a movie multiple times. The tension comes when I try to memorize a section…it feels so detached, groundless, at times homeless. At the same time, I feel comfortable memorizing the psalms and the epistles because they are chunked in smaller tidbits already. Yet, I would still rather saturate myself in the narratives of scripture so the epistles and psalms take more shape.
Dustin – Yep. That’s part of the reason I’m interested in teasing some of this out in community here on The Submissional Life. I feel similarly. I think the next post will be on the unhelpfulness of “fighter verses” in memorizing scripture…
Matt,
I am grateful for anyone who rightly emphasizes this crucial discipline–including you. However, it puzzles me as I think about churches I am familiar with and how none of them have found an effective communal method of doing this without incentivizing people to memorize Scripture through competition to get awards. This seems so peculiar to me because I have witnessed the harmful (and perhaps spiritually deforming) effects of “quizzing” on children as it is called in some denominations. Young people seem to see victory as the goal instead of formation. One might argue, “Well, at least they’re memorizing Scripture.” Seth’s comments about making sure that this crucial practice is linked to character formation resonate with me in this regard. The end definitely does not justify the means in this area.
I see no way forward without charting a different communal course entirely. Perhaps a way forward could be an integration of Scripture memorization with the performative and visual arts in worship. The creative task of bringing the text from the page to the stage seems like a challenge that could have the potential to edify many in the memorization process and others during the performance. No doubt this approach would have its drawbacks, but the marriage of art and Scripture memorization seems like something that needs to be explored further in community.
Luke –
I’m with you on ‘being puzzled’ – in fact, it’s downright frustrating. And I have the same concerns about rewards and prizes in memorization (I think I’m going to get to that in a future post…if I ever get around to following up on this one!)
but – I like your idea about scripture memorization and art. I’m amazed at how many of our friends can see a movie once and memorize lines – and even dialogue – from it. Something about engaging people visually, aurally, aesthetically that I think is part of the answer here. Great stuff.
You know, as I re-read this post and comments, I am reminded of the Eastern Orthodox tradition of singing the psalms to a tune. Of course, the psalms make more sense to sing to a tune, but I wander what the other forms and genre of literature might lend themselves to in terms of a context to memorize within.
I found that I memorized many scripture passages because we sing them in the choir at my school and I didn’t even realize how many of our songs came from scripture passages until I stumbled upon them in my personal devotions later on. I think that song is a wonderful way to memorize scripture.
I absolutely agree with the statement that Bible memorization is fundamental to spiritual formation. I can also relate to the struggle to remember scripture when I want to. I often find that scripture comes to me when I’m not trying, but when I really want to remember something I often can’t remember where I read it, or remember the scripture in it’s entirety. At my church our pastor emphasizes scripture memorization every Sunday. He makes it known to the people of our church that you don’t have to make memorizing scripture a big task or something that we see as scary, because I know there are a good amount of people out there (especially in a church congregation which is usually very diverse) who see memorizing scripture as something that they can’t do because they aren’t good at remembering things. My pastor challenges everyone at our church to memorize one verse per month and he integrates that into the church service. He has cards with the memory verses in the bulletin and he has the congregation recite the verse together during each service (Sunday morning/night and Wednesday) so that those who are involved in the church have ample amount of opportunity to learn the verses.
This discussion is resonating with me.
Take a look at http://www.twogracespies.com
God’s story becoming my story.